Chapter 10

It was Sarah. 

"Maggie, it's Sarah," her warm voice greeted her.

A genuine smile spread across Maggie's face. "Hey, Sarah”.

Sarah's tone was lighthearted. " Hey there. I am just calling as usual to check on you and my favourite twins. How are you all doing?"

Maggie's heart swelled with affection at the mention of the twins. "We're all good," she replied, her voice tinged with contentment. "The kids are growing up so fast. They've been keeping me on my toes, as always."

Sarah let out a soft chuckle. "I can only imagine. They have quite the energy, don't they?"

Maggie nodded, even though Sarah couldn't see her. "Oh, you have no idea.

“How about you? How have you been faring” Maggie asked.

“Pushing as always,” Sarah replied with a little laugh.

There was a brief pause on the line before Sarah spoke again.

 "I miss you guys. And I'll definitely come visit soon. I need my twin fix."

Maggie laughed. "We'll be waiting eagerly for you, Sarah. The twins will be thrilled to see their favourite aunt."

"Sure. I will call you later. Kinda busy at the moment. I just decided to check on you all." Sarah replied.

"No worries, We'll catch up when you have some free time. Take care of yourself”

Sarah's gratitude seeped through the phone. "Alright then. Later."

With that, they bid each other farewell, but their connection remained strong. As Maggie hung up the phone, a sense of warmth settled within her. She felt relaxed and comfortable as she headed home.

Maggie had nothing much going for her at the moment as she couldn’t get a full time job as she wanted to keep close watch of the kids. 

She had settled for a part time job for a morning shift as a cook and it was only for the time being till she was completely sure the kids were safe. This made her finish her work before the kids got back from school and she had enough time to herself.

Maggie never for once imagined Raphael left town just like that. He must be definitely up to something and she wasn’t going to lose guard of her children.

After her shift, she took a shower and sat comfortably on the couch, engrossed in an article she was reading on her tablet. The soft afternoon light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow in the room. The quiet hum of the house filled the air, interrupted only by the distant sound of a passing car.

Suddenly, the front door swung open, and the sound of excited chatter echoed through the hallway. Maggie looked up and smiled as her twins, Luke and Leah, burst into the room. They had just arrived home after the school bus dropped them off.

"Hello, Mum!" Leah exclaimed, rushing towards Maggie with open arms after the school bus had dropped them off.

Maggie put down her tablet and opened her arms, embracing Leah tightly. "Hello, sweetheart! How was your day?" she asked, her voice filled with warmth and affection.

"It was great!" Leah replied, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. "We had an art project today, and I painted a picture of us. Want to see?"

"Of course, I'd love to see it," Maggie replied, her eyes twinkling with anticipation. She gently released Leah from the hug and motioned for her to show the artwork.

Leah eagerly ran to her backpack and retrieved a rolled-up piece of paper. She carefully unrolled it and held it up for Maggie to see. The painting depicted Maggie, Luke, Leah and an unknown man with a fierce look. It definitely looked like Raphael.

Maggie didn’t want to dwell further as she had been escaping the conversation of their father.

"Oh, Leah, it's absolutely beautiful! You're so talented," she praised, her voice filled with genuine admiration.

Meanwhile, Luke had made his way to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He glanced over his shoulder and greeted his mother. "Hello, Mum," he said with a smile.

Maggie turned her attention to Luke and returned his smile. "Hello, young man," she greeted, playfully teasing him.

Luke was feeling parched after a long day at school. He was determined to quench his thirst. As he opened the fridge door, he muttered under his breath, "I'm thirsty as heck."

Maggie, who was seated at the kitchen table, turned to face Luke upon hearing his choice of words. She raised an eyebrow and firmly stated, "Hey, Remember our rules, young man”.

Luke's eyes widened in surprise, realizing his mistake. "Sorry, Ma," he quickly responded, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. He reached for a bottle of water and began unscrewing the lid.

However, just as Luke attempted to twist off the lid, his grip faltered, causing it to slip from his hands and roll under the refrigerator. The lid disappeared from sight, leaving Luke momentarily flustered.

Maggie, witnessing the incident, was about to suggest using a broom or reaching for a long object to retrieve the lid when she froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. Luke, seemingly unaffected by the situation, calmly knelt down beside the refrigerator and placed his hand beneath and lifted the refrigerator.

"What?" Maggie uttered silently, her jaw slightly dropping as she observed Luke's actions. She watched in astonishment as Luke, with seemingly no exertion, effortlessly lifted the refrigerator from underneath, revealing the missing lid.

Luke retrieved the lid, his movements graceful and swift. He stood up, holding the lid in his hand, and looked at his mother, confusion flickering in his eyes. "What?" he asked innocently.

Maggie blinked, momentarily speechless. She stared at Luke, trying to process what she had just witnessed. Her mind raced with questions, unable to comprehend the incredible strength her son had just displayed.

After a few moments, Maggie finally found her voice. "How... how did you do that?" she stammered, her eyes fixed on her son.

Luke shrugged, a bemused smile tugging at his lips. "I don't know, Ma. It just... happened. I didn't even think about it," he replied, his tone tinged with a mixture of surprise and amusement.

"You lifted the refrigerator... with one hand," she murmured, still struggling to grasp the reality of the situation.

Luke raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders again with a smile, before running off to his room.