Unit II

Arabella pushed her glasses back up and blinked multiple times at her sister.

"What do you want?" she asked, looking down at the money.

She was aware that her mom was probably cooking up a storm downstairs and would probably need her attention, but the book she got from the library had so many important hooking points that she could not help but get lost in it.

"Mom said you should get a block of cheese," Seraphina said, gesturing to the money on the book.

"Do I have to?" Arabella asked, annoyance lacing her voice.

Arabella hated every other Friday night because their mom made it a nightmare for them. She had to run around trying to help her mother prepare an award-winning dinner and sit through the adult boring conversation while the blank and aloof Kieran Sterling, who was ten years older, gave her a blank stare.

"You know the answer," Seraphina said in a sing-song voice as she turned to leave. Arabella put a bookmark between the pages of what she was just reading. She stood up from the windowside couch she had been sitting on and dusted her skirt. She stretched to ease herself of the leg cramps she was feeling.

She followed her sister and went downstairs. As she got to the base of the staircase, her dad pushed open the door. She rushed over to him and threw herself in his hands.

"Hello, my pumpkin pie," Richard said, picking her up and spinning her around.

"Hello, Dada," she said.

Arabella was ten years old and was closer to her dad because he loved the way she read. He frequently bought her books and allowed her to visit the library as often as she could.

"Mom is cooking up a storm again, "Arabella said in a fake whisper to the ears of her dad. She said it loud enough so that everyone could hear.

"She is going to win the contest one of these days," Richard replied with a snicker at the end of his statement.

Everyone knew what a maniac Ava could be in the face of being the best.

"Ara, I hope you are back from buying the cheese." Ava screamed her question as she heard the chatter between her daughter and husband. They could chatter all they wanted when the dinner was a success.

"I better get going," Arabella whispered to her father's ear before she sprinted out the door.

"Hello, darling," Richard said as he entered the kitchen.

"Welcome Dad," Seraphina sighed as she moved to the dining area with her hands filled with cutlery.

"Let me help you, my sugar," Richard said, collecting the spoons from Seraphina.

"No, you can't; go have a shower or freshen up now," Ava said with a glare at her husband and older dinner.

Richard returned the spoons to his daughter and squeezed her shoulder gently. No one wanted to dare the mother of the house when she was in full crazy mode. He turned and walked upstairs to freshen up.