My summer holiday is well planned out. Spending one month at a fancy guest house with my five cousins to prepare for Aunt Medrine's wedding.
The unexpected happens when Aunt Medrine tells us that we are spending the month with her fiancé's two nephe...
I walk into the kitchen the next morning as I hang up, finishing my conversation with Natalia.
I stop short when I notice that Trent, Marissa, Nova and Blake all have their attention fixed on whatever it is they are cooking.
I lean against the wall and wait. No need to add myself to the mess. Reminds me of that saying about too many cooks.
"At this rate, we are not having breakfast." Col, who I hadn't noticed, walks from the fridge with a glass of milk in his hands and leans against the wall, right next to me.
For no good reason, my breath catches in my throat.
"Who's doing the cooking? I ask.
"Nova." Blake replies without looking back at me. " She is frying eggs."
"Correction, she is burning the eggs." Trent adds immediately. That earns him a shove from Nova.
"Why don't you cook since your mummy is a chef?" Nova throws back at him.
"Some genes don't run in the family, kid. If I were to cook for you guys. You would either die from food poisoning or smoke inhalation."
"That's very true." I add my voice. I expect a smile or a wink from Trent but I get nothing. Almost like I didn't speak at all.
"Wow. Aren't you an amazing son. Your mom must be very proud of you." Nova turns and teases him again, forgetting about the eggs. By the time Blake gets her attention back to the pan, the eggs are wholly and completely burnt.
"You really can't cook, can you?" Trent mocks. "Do you even know how to boil water?"
I can almost see smoke coming out of her ears. Trent has known her for less than a week but he knows just how to push her buttons.
I turn to Col and ask," Aren't you going to defend your sister?"
"Nah, it's her war." He replies and I glance at him in utter confusion.
"Watch this." He whispers to me before calling out to Trent. "Dude, stop messing with my sister."
"Hey," Nova shouts at Col. "Mind your own business!"
Col turns to look at me, I'm surprised by Nova's defensiveness.
" Typical feminist, isn't she?" I comment.
"You tell me." Col scoffs.
"Ok! Is there anyone in this house who actually knows how to cook?" Marissa asks openly.
"Logan has the gift, remember?" I point out to Marissa.
"Oh yes, he does!" Trent and Marissa chorus. Col, Nova and Blake stare at us in confusion.
"Logan can cook. Like he can COOK." He has their mom's talent in the kitchen.
"Oh."
"Where are the twins, anyway?" I ask.
"They slept in." Blake explains.
"Speaking of cooking skills." Col adds. " Blake is quite a chef himself."
"You can cook?" Marissa asks Blake. " Like cook cook?"
"Yep. I can. Being a only child with busy parents forces you to learn some things if you want to survive." Blake explains.
"Am sorry what?" I ask. I am sure the shock on my face reflects the one on Marissa and Trent's faces.
"What he means is that he had to learn how to cook..." Col starts to explain but I cut him short.
"We get that part." I tell him. " But what we don't get is the whole 'only child' speech. We thought the three of you were siblings." I point at Col, Nova and Blake.
"No way," Blake laughs out. " I'm their cousin."
"Wow!" Col exclaims." Is there anything else we should know? Ummm, are you related to Bill gates? Is Oprah Winfrey your aunt?"
We all burst out laughing when we hear the front door open.
"Please don't tell you kids are all still in bed." We can here Aunt Medrine's voice from where we are in the kitchen.
We walk into the living room and find her carrying two boxes of pizza and an envelope in the other hand.
"Here is your breakfast." She states, placing the boxes on the table.
"Thanks. We thought you had forgotten about us." Nova appreciates, reaching for the first box.
"No, I didn't. I was actually going to hire a house keeper for you guys but my sisters in law aka your mothers, believe that you are old enough to keep your own house. So you have to look after yourselves."
"Why am I not surprised?" Trent complains.
"Before I forget you two," she points at Col and I. "You are going to sing the ballroom song for our first dance as bride and groom. No, I was not joking."
"Anyway, I can't stay long but this is for you. Read it carefully. I repeat carefully." And with that, Aunt Medrine walks out the door.
Marissa opens the envelope and pulls out a neat sheet of paper with words printed on it.
"Rules and regulations," she reads out loud.
"Ruleone: Curfew is at 10pm. Yes 10pm. No, am not mistaken. No, I don't care whether you are in college or not.
"Rule two: Spend the weekly allowance you will be receiving reasonably.
"Rule three: There are eight of you and amongst you, there are only three girls. I trust you five boys to look after those girls but I if you are going to go out. Look out for them, will you? Don't let any girl go out without one of the boys."
Marissa stops to dramatically roll her eyes at that.
"Rule four: the rooftop is out of bounds."
"Note: If you don't cook for yourselves, then you are going to starve." Marissa continues." Love you, Uncle Ross and Aunt Medrine."
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