Betty

His mother smiled, then she nodded eventually and closed her eyes.  

"I am just tired because of the operation. Can you look after your siblings? Your father is going to be busy helping me."  

Her voice was fragile and cracked and it was aching Ethan's heart. He had never heard his mother spoke like this. She was always full of energy, shouting, yelling and laughing but right now, she's like a withered vegetable that was thrown in the side road.  

He nodded, stretched a hand to touch his mother's forehead.  

"Just rest mom. I will take care of them," he said reassuring her.  

Then, he left the room. His face turned serious as he went downstairs.  

Leo rose a brow when Ethan suddenly threw his bag at him. He was sitting on the couch changing the channels on the television.  

Even though he was looking at the TV screen, his mind and ears were waiting for any movement from his phone. He had sent Cassie three messages this morning asking for her day. He would have sent more but he didn't want to look so desperate. His heart was beating abnormally and he's afraid that he would have a heart attack if Cassie replied.  

"Isn't it too early to go to school? The bus will arrive in 20 minutes."  

Leo picked up his phone pretending to look at the time but really he just wanted to check if Cassie replied.  

Awe overtook his face when he didn't receive any message notification. He put the phone down and sighed. He hasn't eaten since he was hoping to meet Cassie before the class starts and have a meal with her but it's been hours since he sent the first message and she hasn't replied yet.  

"I think Uncle Ken cooked breakfast for us before he left. Let's eat."  

Ethan tried to pull Leo out of the couch. Their uncle Ken and his wife and kid had left this morning after their parents arrived so the breakfast, he cooked must have been ice cold.  

Shoulder sunken, Leo got up and followed Ethan. He was hungry and he starting to lose hope that Cassie will reply.  

Leo, Ethan and Alexa sat on their usual spot in the dining table. They all looked at each other when they noticed that Louisa was not around.  

Turning his head, Ethan shouted, "Isa, let's eat."  

Louisa emerged from upstairs, her brows wrinkled and lips pouting.  

In her hand was her tablet with words written, "where is Louis?"  

Ethan gulped hard. He forgot to inform his sister Louisa that her favourite cousin has gone home.  

With careful, Ethan approached Louisa. Then he placed both hands on her shoulders and smiled widely.  

For a moment, he wished that Louisa would forget her question but she was Louisa for a reason. Never in her ten years existence has she ever forgotten something, especially if it's too precious for her, like their cousin Louis.  

"Did you know that a human body has 206 bones?"  

Ethan blinked dumbfounded when Louisa deleted the words on the tablet and wrote down, "are they gone?"  

He blinked in response then covered Louisa's mouth before she could even scream.  

"Before you scream, remember that mommy is upstairs and sick. We can't stress her out, alright?"  

After a few minutes of glaring to Ethan, Louisa finally nodded. Her brother freed her mouth and turned around with relief.