The One

Breakfast at Randales

 The following morning, as per tradition, the family awoke at the crack of dawn — 7 am on the dot. After a smooth descent downstairs, breakfast was devoured before the clock struck 8:30. However, Karol was the last to rise, luxuriating in an extended shower accompanied by her daydreams.

As she strolled down to the kitchen, she froze mid-step, capturing the warm buzz of chatter and laughter. True to her nature, she utterly ignored her family, marching straight for the fridge. Her eyes lit up at the sight of a lone, neglected apple and she snatched it up for a morning snack, all while reaching for a mug perched on the top cupboard.

"What's the plan for today, gang?" she asked, pursing her lips around a mouthful of apple, still rummaging through the fridge for her beloved milk.

"We're not going out, baby girl," Anna replied nonchalantly, nursing her coffee. Sharon chimed in, all sunshine and optimism, "We need to go shopping!"

Karol groaned, her face morphing into a perfect pout as she sauntered over to join them. "Urgh, shopping? I thought we were off to do some fun sightseeing today?"

William, ever the voice of reason, flashed a smile over his coffee cup. "It was meant to be today, but plans changed last night."

"Morning, guys! What are we doing here?" Karol greeted her family, only to spot Christian enjoying his pancakes beside her.

"I'm here for the shopping trip. All of us," he replied between chews.

"No, thank you. I'll pass," Karol said breezily, pouring cereal into her mug before drowning it in milk, all while Sharon shot her an "I'm not joking" glare.

"No can do! You're going one way or another. We need to find you the perfect dress because this isn't just any old party. It's an event!" Sharon insisted with gusto.

"Geez, then I'm not going! Simple as that."

"You can't betray Christian!" Jason interjected, now polished off his pancakes.

"Betray him? What are you on about?" Karol retorted, utterly perplexed.

Jason met her gaze with a grin. "You're attending the party as Christian's plus one. You can't just skip out. Besides, you already said yes when he asked you."

Karol was still busy swallowing her cereal, her expression a delightful mix of confusion and intrigue. "Really? When did I agree to that?"

"Last night, remember?" Christian chimed in, his voice adopting an exaggerated mimicry of her tone. "I pulled you aside and said, 'Your family and you will be coming along for dinner tomorrow night,' and you said, 'Okay, no problem. Just tell me when and what time to be ready.'"

"Ah... that, yes! Well, I thought you were winding me up; I wasn't exactly tuned in!"

"You've got to keep your thoughts away from Christian!" Sharon interjected jokingly.

"Hey! My mind isn't dirty! I was just... preoccupied with other things."

After all, she did catch herself eye-raping Christian in the most innocent of moments last night while he chatted effortlessly, showing off those muscles without even a clue — and apparently, she wasn't hiding it well.

Her family exchanged glances of disbelief as she shrugged nonchalantly, finishing her cereal before taking her mug to the sink.

Amidst the chatter of what colours to consider for their shopping spree, Karol remained by the sink, munching her apple.

"Don't worry! We'll only go for the perfect dress," Sharon assured confidently, while Anna prodded with curiosity, "What style are you leaning towards?"

"That's a secret, mummy! We can't expose our style now. It won't be a surprise if the boys know," Sharon said, putting her index finger to her lips in an exaggerated 'keep quiet' gesture, all the while blissfully munching her pancakes like it was the last meal on earth.

Karol observed the scene with mild amusement, shaking her head at their childish excitement over a mere party. She silently listened, rolling her eyes theatrically as if they were gearing up for an intergalactic mission rather than just a shopping spree. With a dramatic huff, she stood up and made for the living room, but paused to ask, "Anyway, what time are we going out shopping?" as she exited the kitchen.

The moment her words hung in the air, grins erupted around the table—some were smirking, others rolling their eyes, while Karol couldn't help but smirk back at their antics. Sharon, her sister, was the first to respond, her voice equally enthusiastic: "By 10 am, we'll move out and go shopping!"

Instantly, regret washed over Karol for suggesting she'd join them. Taking a deep breath, she released it with a soft murmur, "Oh Lord, please help me," before trudging into the living room, still gnawing on her nearly finished apple like a squirrel with a nut.