Chapter 11

Andrew looked away as his dad fixed a rather harsh gaze on him.

"You're late," he repeated, but with a more controlled tone than before.

"By two seconds," Andrew said.

"Do you know how precious each second is? In just a second you could save a life! And you are a hero in the making, yet you think two seconds means nothing?!" his dad's nostrils swelled up.

Just then Andrew's mother came into the living room.

Andrew stood some feet near the door but he backed it. He faced his dad who stood beside a chair that faced the door. He had been timing Andrew's arrival.

Andrew at once looked in his mother's direction.

He hadn't seen her come in but the orange fragrance of the perfume she usually wore filled the room.

She approached her husband.

"That's enough now," she said with a note of finality.

Just as his dad was cooling down, Andrew's next remark made him blow his top again.

"It's just two seconds," Andrew's eye