48 Studying together

As Maxim started eating in silence, Diana nudged his elbow, ''You were absent for whole 3 days. I went to your place but the door was locked so I thought Auntie was at her job and you... maybe vacationing?" she joked.

He shrugged, ''You look stressed,'' he did not explain why he was absent for days. It happened throughout the semester anyway. Juggling between the jobs left him little time for other stuff. He wanted his mother to stop working like there was no tomorrow.

It has been a year since she slipped down the stairs in a rush to go to her job and while she was taken to the hospital back then, her back injuries still rebounded from time to time when she overworked herself.

Diana took it as her cue to drop the topic, ''Umm... Actually, I have an offer for you,'' she said after a moment of hesitation.

Maxim continued eating.

Diana lowered her head to her food tray.

''I am listening,'' he said.