Signed, Gaius

Chapter 2

*GLOSSARY*

Nutei - Grandma
Nu - Mum
Mocha - (first) older brother

★

In the years that followed, Gaius and Reishel remained devoted to the 'Warm Hands' charity project. With every approaching Christmas, Gaius and Reishel's would scoured stores, their eyes bright with excitement and anticipation, searching for the perfect gifts to pack into the charity boxes.  The mystery of not knowing who would receive their carefully chosen items added an extra layer of excitement The tradition had woven itself seamlessly into their holiday joy, adding a special sparkle to the festive season. Four years later, when Gaius was eleven and Reishel eight, their home echoed with the joy of two new additions. Nicholas and Raven welcomed twin girls, Parmoi and Warmoi. Reishel, overwhelmed by the sheer cuteness of her baby sisters, had ran crying to her father that they were too cute and she loved them just too much. From that day on, the number of gift boxes packed in the house for Warm Hands increased to four.

Year after year, the kids grew up. Gaius, the calm and collected family boy, resembled his father in both build and character, but with a touch more adventurous and impulsive. Perhaps because his father was away from home so often, he spontaneously took it upon himself to help his mum and Nutei take care of his siblings. One of the reasons why Reishel would shut her mouth the moment he tells her to stop talking back to their mum. He carried that authority as an older brother with ease. He rarely spoke, but when he did, his words carried weight.

Reishel was the gutsiest one of the siblings, rarely afraid of anyone or anything. Unlike Gaius, she would talk back to her mum whenever she was scolded. The youngest pair, Parmoi and Warmoi, the beloved princesses of the household, charmed everyone with their cheerful laughter and endearing smiles, casting a perpetual festive aura upon the house. Reishel, in particular, reveled in her obsession for shopping matching outfits for them and dressing them up like dolls.

*

On a particular Tuesday, the Ronglo siblings began a new school year after the summer break. Sixteen-year-old Gaius started his eleventh grade, thirteen-year-old Reishel started her seventh grade, and the five-year-old twins started kindergarten.

Gaius and Reishel woke up early in time, for discipline was a religion worshipped without excuse in their household. Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Ronglo, now a forty-six-year-old father was stringent regarding time and punctuality. The twins, however, were allowed to sleep in longer.

While Raven and their helper, Rani Didi, prepared breakfast, Gaius and Reishel would wake up the twins, help them clean up, and get them dressed in their school uniforms. Then, they would bring the twins downstairs to the table, where Raven and Nicholas (who would already be set and slick in his office uniform) would feed them.

Nicholas had recently been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and posted in Manipur for the first time in all his active years. He could've stayed in camp since that would put him at a less risky position, but he took the risk to stay home with his family. Every morning, security came to his house to escort him to work.

Reishel soon appeared at the table in her freshly pressed uniform, trim and sharp, her dark, straight hair pulled up in a neat ponytail with a bow of the school's white ribbon resting over her hair-tie.

"Good morning, Colonel!" She greeted with sass and an accent as she dropped her schoolbag in her chair, a teasing smile on her face.

Nicholas rolled up his penetrative eyes from Warmoi's food to catch his older daughter smirking at him.