6

When Amy and her mom were done shopping, it was already noon. Paula told Amy that Carl usually gets out of school by noon, so they needed to head home quickly if she wants to give him a proper welcome. Amy suggested that she had a better idea. She asked her mom to call the chauffeur that was supposed to go pick up her brother and tell him not to bother going to his school today because, they were going to pick him from school themselves. Paula did exactly as Amy said and began their journey to Carl’s school. Amy was really excited about this. She couldn’t wait to see the look on her brother’s face when he sees her in his school for the first time.

Carl is Amy’s half brother from her mom’s current marriage. He is only five years old, and Amy adores him. She was ecstatic when she found out that her mom was having another child, even though it wasn’t with her dad. She was bored of being an only child because she had no playmate at home, so having a sibling was a blessing to her. Although she was far older than him, that didn’t stop her from spending as much time as she could with him.

On their arrival at the school, Amy told her mom not to bother herself, as she intended to get Carl herself. Paula didn’t object, rather she helped get Amy pass the school reception with her ID card, and informed the secretary at the reception desk that Amy was family. As soon as that was settled, Amy was directed to Carl’s classroom. When she got to the classroom, she greeted the teacher, and informed her that she came for Carl.

“Carl, someone is here for you.” the teacher then said in a sweet voice.

Amy quickly followed the direction the teacher was looking and there she spotted her baby brother quietly doing some painting. He slowly lifted his head at the sound of his teacher’s voice, and in a matter of seconds, his eyes went wide with surprise when he saw his elder sister standing beside his teacher’s desk.

“Amy!” He screamed in excitement and abandoned what he was previously doing, running towards his big sister who already had her arms wide open, awaiting his hug.

Amy lifted her brother’s weight and swirled him around.

“Hey, kiddo. You missed me?”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah?... Who wants ice-cream?”

“Me!” Carl cheered with an eager nod, and Amy couldn’t help but laugh at his cuteness.

Carl’s teacher carefully packed his school bag and handed it over to Amy who thanked her before walking out of the classroom with her baby brother still in her arms.

“What have you been eating, Carl? You’re so big!” Amy joked as they walked out of the school premises.

“Mummy, mummy. Amy came to get me!” Carl yelled the minute he sighted Paula at the parking lot.

“I can see that, honey.” Paula replied with a bright smile, as she stared adoringly at her two beautiful children.

“Hey, baby. How was school today?” She asked Carl who was currently giving her a hug with a kiss on both cheeks.

“I did a drawing of you, dad and I… I also did one of Amy.” he cheerfully replied.

“That’s so sweet of you, baby.”

“Now, can we go get that ice-cream?” Amy chirped in.

“Yaaay!”

“Amy!”

Paula glared at her daughter.

“Just this once, mom. C’mon, it won’t hurt.” she encouraged.

“Just this one time.”

Paula eventually gave in.

“Yes, mom. I promise.”

They all got into the car and Paula drove them to an ice-cream parlour. At the ice-cream parlour, Amy ordered for chocolate chip cookie dough ice-cream, Carl ordered cookies and cream while Paula ordered for vanilla ice-cream. While waiting for their orders, they both listened to Carl, as he narrated all he did at school. He also showed them his drawings.

“Wow, kiddo. You’ve improved a lot… I’ve got a surprise for you.” Amy said to her brother, whispering the last part in his ear.

“What is it?” He kept asking, eager to know what new toy his sister got for him.

“It’s a surprise.” she replied, sticking out her tongue.

“Amy!”

“Sorry, mom, sorry buddy.”

Just in that moment, their orders arrived. Carl immediately dug into his bowl of ice-cream.

“Slow down, kiddo or you’ll get a brain freeze.” Amy cautioned her brother, and was about digging into her own bowl of ice-cream when her phone started to ring.

She looked at her caller ID and saw that it was her dad, she ignored the call and began picking at her ice-cream with her spoon. Paula noticed Amy was wearing a long face after ignoring her phone, she knew instantly who it was.

“You know, you can’t ignore him forever.” she told her daughter who stared at her confusedly before understanding what she meant.

“I know, mom. I just… I just need some more time.” Amy replied in a quiet voice.

“If you say so.”