My Treat!

The following day.

After sunset, Caroline together with her siblings strolled outside the house and went to check some areas and amenities of the subdivision. She left baby Cathy in the care of her mother and Merle.

If Eastwood Subdivision can be described in two words only, she can very well say that it is a peaceful and quiet neighborhood. Adorned with an abundance of trees dotted the sidewalk.

They arrived at the basketball court and watched the players energetically passing the ball to each other.

Fifteen minutes later, they left the basketball court and went to the swimming pool area.

"Sis, look! The water is nice and sparkling. I would like to take a dip!" Jacob shouted in glee.

"Me too! Let's enter inside and swim!" Lily blurted out excitedly.

Caroline smiled at her siblings in amusement. "Not today kids. Some other day, besides, they don't allow anyone to jump into the pool without proper swimming attire. If you want to take a dip in the pool we will schedule it next week. Okay, kiddo's?"

"Yes! Let's do it next week!" Jacob grinned in anticipation.

"Where are we going next, sister?" Lily asked Caroline.

"Let's go to the bakery and buy some pastries," Caroline responded.

"Hooray! To the bakery!" Jacob said and lead the way.

Caroline and Lily held hands while walking on the cemented floor.

In just a few minutes, they finally reached their destination. There were tables and chairs in front of the bakery. They slumped down on the chairs facing the table.

"Sis, please buy us a cold cola, I'm thirsty! I'm dying for a cola drink!" Jacob gave her sister a puppy dog eyes for maximum effect.

"I want an orange soda, please buy me one bottle of orange soda, sister!" Lily smiled brightly at her older sister. "And I want those delicious looking cookies," she added, her fingers pointed at the transparent display cabinet.

"Okay fine. Choose anything you want. I will buy them for you," she said feeling she's Santa Claus.

"Thank you sister, you're the best!" the children cheered in unison. They scrambled towards the display cabinet and informed the sales lady of their orders.

A moment later, they were now chilling while sipping their cold soda drinks.

Done with their refreshment, Caroline bought some pastries for her mother and Merle.

"It's getting late. Let's go home now, guys!" Caroline announced to her siblings.

The trio ambled towards their house.

Before the darkness envelope the whole area they already arrived at the house.

"Mother, we bought you sweet pastries!" Lily placed the paper bag into her mother's lap.

"Wow, it's my favorite!" Thelma smiled.

Caroline glanced at her baby daughter who's eyes were already wide awake. "Where is Merle?" she looked around the living room.

"She's at the back of the house. I instructed her to remove the dry clothes from the clothesline," Thelma answered.

"Ah okay, I will bring baby Cathy upstairs," Caroline picked up her daughter and brought her upstairs to change her diaper.

She entered the master's bedroom and placed the infant in the bed. She took a diaper from the nearby table and changed baby Cathy's wet diaper.

Done, she placed baby Cathy in the crib, turn on the TV and plugged the USB which contained some recordings of engaging nursery music. She went inside the bathroom to take a shower because she was feeling sweaty earlier when she and her siblings were taking a stroll around the neighborhood.

She discarded her clothes and went inside the bathroom fully naked. She took a bath while glancing at baby Cathy in her crib.

Once again her eyes landed on the flowers, she was thinking of the mysterious sender.

Fifteen minutes later, she finished her bath and exited the room while the towel was still wrapped around her head.

She grabbed some clothes from the cabinet and began dressing up. She combs her hair in front of the mirror.

A moment later, she carries baby Cathy in her arms and exited the bedroom heading downstairs to the living room where her family loves to pass their idle time.

In the living room.

Thelma was watching a telenovela on the television while her children were nagging her to change the channel in favor of their favorite cartoon show. "Kids, let me finish my favorite show first then you can watch anything you want until ten in the evening," she said authoritatively.

Lily and Jacob pouted.

Caroline smiled, fully amused, while watching her mother and her siblings bickering over the TV.

Jacob looked at her sister. "Sis, please buy me a game console, please," he begged.

"Me too, pretty pleaseee!" Lily smiled brightly at her sister.

Caroline erupted in a peal of laughter. "You guys are partners in crime!" she said in merriment. "No way! I don't want you to get addicted to games," she said sternly.

"You're no fun, sister!" Jacob grumbled.

Caroline sighed. "I will think about it, but I can't promise you anything. Just give me good grades first in the coming school year then I will buy you game console during school vacation. You have to impress me first with your school performance, then after that, I might feel convince in buying you guys what you desired the most," she said. She stared at their faces keenly while issuing them the challenge.

"Okay fine!" Jacob's mouth curved into a cute smirk.

Lily chose to keep her mouth shut.

Thelma was done watching her favorite show. She gave the remote control to Jacob. "It's all yours," she smiled. She went to the kitchen to start preparing the dishes for dinner with the help of their housemaid.

~~~o0o~~~

It's Saturday, girls bonding time for Caroline, Grace, and Catherine.

Ramon drove the women to a nearby driving school so that Caroline can enroll and start learning how to drive her car that has been sitting in the garage waiting for its driver.

Done filling some forms and enrolling herself, she finally given a schedule to start her driving lesson the following week.

They proceed to the mall where they would visit a beauty salon.

Thirty minutes later, the women finally arrived at their destination.

Caroline went ahead inside the salon followed by Grace and Catherine.

They sat down in the lounge area and were given a brochure with complete details regarding the salon's services and their corresponding price.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am, please wait for a while...we will have our attendants ready to serve you in a short while," the smiling receptionist told them.

The trio smiled at the receptionist.

Caroline, Catherine, and Grace skim through the salon's services that were written in the brochures with the images.

"Girls, what do you want to do first?" Caroline asked her companion.

"I want a foot and hands spa first, then manicure and pedicure. I love the feeling when somebody massages my feet and hands, it's super relaxing. Then later, we can proceed with hair styling and coloring. I like hot oil treatment the best. I love the feeling of people's hands massaging my scalp and my hair, it's so soothing and invigorating!" Grace enthused.

Caroline smiled and glanced at her twin. "How about you, sis? What do you want to do first?"

"Let's do what Grace wants," Catherine smiled fondly at her cousin.

"Alright, let's do the hand and foot spa first. Let's pamper the most active parts of our body. It's about time we will have them pampered, relax and well-loved," Caroline said in a casual tone.

A minute later.

The receptionist comes into the lounge area and informed the girls that they can now proceed inside the main room for pampering.

The trio entered the spacious area of the salon to begin their foot spa session.

Two hours later.

Grace and Caroline were having much fun admiring their nails filled with glitter. Catherine opted for clean nails.

Caroline cut her hair short above the shoulder, she originally wanted color black but she had a change of mind at the last minute, instead, she has it dyed with a stunning caramel brown color.

While Grace opted for hair trimming and hot oil treatment. She was also sporting a nice brown highlight on her hair.

Catherine also has her hair cut short just above the shoulder and didn't alter the original color of her hair.

After Caroline paid the total bills in the counter, they exited the beauty salon with a mega-watt smile adorning their faces.

"Let's bond again next month. I want to experience an exotic full body massage. I want your presence girls by my side. My treat again!" Caroline bragged with a grin.

"It's a yes!" Grace giggled feeling happy and excited. It's a nice feeling being pampered and spoiled by her rich, pretty and blessed cousins.

"Me too!" Catherine smiled brightly. "Let's find a restaurant, girls. I'm hungry! My treat this time" she added.

"Wow, yes!" Grace roared. "Today is my lucky day! I'm surrounded by my rich cousins who want to pamper me all the way!" she beamed.

"Grace, I will buy you a brand new bag and perfume today!" Caroline said.

Don't want to be outdone by her twin, Catherine spoke. "Cousin, I will buy you new shoes, a new dress, and a new handbag as well!"

The ladies looked at each other's eyes and they erupted into peals of laughter.

A few moments later.

They strolled inside the mall looking for a fast-food restaurant, they finally settled in the restaurant that serves native Filipino cuisines.

The trio ordered seafood dishes and other native dessert delicacies.

While devouring their sumptuous meal, they discussed many things and topics under the sun.

The day ended wonderfully for the trio.

Before going home, Caroline ordered takeout foods for her mother and her siblings back home.

Finished with malling, they exited the establishment with their purchases.

The happiness of togetherness lingered on their faces when they entered the vehicle.

Ramon dropped Caroline and Grace in the former's house and then proceed back to the Infinity Jade Tower with Catherine.