Chapter 13: Sunday Dinner with Principal Harris

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AFTER 2-DAYS OF HEAVY RAINING – it finally stopped on-Sunday morning. The Walker-household missed Sunday-Mass as roads to St Michael church were flooded. Even the middle-class suburb-neighbourhood where the House-Of-Walker stood… had their front-lawns with stagnant-water like paddy-fields…

… in the kitchen, Caroline in her housecoat was-at the stove – cooking scrambled-eggs and bacons for her twin-sons. Peter came down the stairs, and looked-out at the front-lawn submerged in clogged-drain water… displeased, he shook his-head…

… the house was too-quiet, so-Peter switched the TV-on – and, a random-reality show played… but Peter did ‘not’ sit-to-watch it. He wanted TO-DO damage-control assessment … now that his-father’s house deed was ‘under’ his name…

The robotic-armed teen peeked-out from another side-window that had a view of the backyard – and saw the tied-up dog sleeping on the backdoor-mat…

‘… lazy like its-fat Master – hope to chase both of the-useless ‘dogs’ away from ‘my’ house soon…’

He looked at the tall-wall in the-backyard – at-the 2-singe marks… where he suspected his-twin had shot his supe-blasts to the ‘damage his-house – but-the black-mark spots on-the- white-wall were-both GONE… washed-away by the pounding-rain last night…

Peter walked into the kitchen… noticing his inspector-mom on-her day off cooking…

“Mom, is my-brekkie ready…?”

“… ‘not’-yet… another 10-minutes to cook-bacon to-crisp…”

“… just ‘nuke’ it microwaves, Mom… it’s already 9 AM – I’m hungry…”

“WAIT! You ‘silly-boy’ – who-cooks bacon-in the microwave-oven…!?”

“… that’s what you-don’t know – you don’t watch cooking-vids on-YouTube… there’re creative-and-faster ways to cook… update-yourself by-learning from it, Mom…”

“I’m ‘not’ going to watch your-stupid videos to-learn ‘how-to’ cook bacon… you-now ‘wait’ 10-minutes for-it…”

“… it’s your-choice, Mom – remain ignorant as you-are…”

He walked to the fridge to get a-coke… before his eggs-and-bacon were served at the IKEA-table. The opened the door – and saw only ‘one’ can inside…

“MOM! Poe drank-up 3 cans of-coke last night! He would get diabetes-soon sitting still-life in his-tubby fat ass-on his wheelchair… and-would ‘soon’ join our opposite-house neighbour, ol’ man-Kiperman’s One-Legged Boy’s Club, playing world-series hopscotch… if you ‘keep’ letting-him from-finishing my-cans of Coca-Cola…”

“OIII-Peter – don’t be-mean! Poe just recovered from-fever – he probably drank-coke to rehydrate… and, for-your-info – I buy coke for the ‘both’ of-you – you learn TO-SHARE…”

“… well… there is no-more coke in-the-fridge – IT’S SUNDAY, Mom – are you ‘going’ grocery-shopping in the evening…?”

“No…”

“… why ‘not’… you’re lazy-too…?”

The mother refused to-reply her annoying son as she continued to flip the bacon-strips in the greasy-pan over-the-stove. Peter opened the-coke tab with his black-metallic finger and-was waiting for Caroline’s response to-the facetious-argument…

He saw the door beside the-fridge to the-garage – which everyone ‘seldom’ opened… Peter opened-it – and was shocked by the stagnant flood-water…

“Mom! COME-HERE quick!!!”

“What-NOW!” The annoyed mother responded…

“Look at THIS!!!”

“Look at WHAT…?” The exasperated-mother switched-off the stove and came-over…

“All my collectables are ruined, it’s YOUR FAULT!”

Caroline too was surprised by the entry of the-flood water. She-then saw her-late husband’s books stacked-in tall-piles by the door… and some left to-dry on the elevated-floor and workbench… and, was impressed by-the efforts by her-quadriplegic son…

“How did Poe DO THAT…?”

The robotic-armed teen was upset-and-provoked when his-mother’s attention was-to his-twin – where she DOESN’T KNOW of Paul’s secret supe-identity… Peter shouted-out…

“How do I ‘know’!? Maybe our fat-boy scuba-dived like the-hippo-Taweret, for all-I-know – if he can save dad’s books… why can’t he bloody-save my collectables-too…!!?”

Caroline pointed at the-boxes…

“Look at ‘what’s’ written – you’ve ‘warnings-written’ THAT NOBODY should ‘touch’ your-property – now, what are you complaining ABOUT…?”

Peter whined-out screaming in-defence…

“But-Mom, I’ve-just lost $10,000… and I ‘warned’ you repeatedly that my ‘precious-collectables’ were ‘not’ insured and yet you forced me to store it in this-bloody garage… look-now to ‘what’ happened – it’s your fault and-blame you for my-losses…

“I could have easily-sold my past-millennium newspapers on eBay and Craigslist – I ‘already’ had ready-buyers who would-pay me good-money for-it – NOW – the expensive newspapers are bloody-worthless papier-mache!”

“I told you to store it here cos’ it’s fire-hazard TO KEEP-it in your bedroom like a messy-homeless…” Caroline responded…

“AARRGG! Stop with the-excuses!”

The raged-Peter went-forward and stepped into the water – with his-mother shouting in-the-rear…

“… hey, don’t go-into that dirty-water – you may-fall sick with some E-coli-borne bacteria related disease…”

He was deaf-eared… ripped one of the soggy-box-top that contained old-Tennis magazines – the 13-year-old whimpered-and-moaned in-tears…

“… my-McEnroe First-Edition… all ruined… because of-you…”

“… its just-junk old magazines – you’ll get-over it… now, get-out of the water…!”

“NO-MOM! I want to-be compensated – you pay-me $1000 for my-investment-loss NOW… and we-then call it even!”

“I’m ‘not’ paying-you a single cent – the-flood is an ACT-OF-GOD… it’s lucky you don’t have to-go church-Confessions cos’-of this-flood too…!”

The mother wasn’t happy seeing Peter kissing his equally-delinquent 14-year-old girlfriend sitting-on his-lap… during birthday in front of his-hormone raged cheering Irish-cobber classmates…

… putting a disrespectful immoral-show in ‘front’ of the Inspector-Of-Perth – in ‘her’ house…

Peter included Paul in-his-accusations…

“… he saved worthless-books ‘instead’ of my ‘prized’ collectables – Mom, what are you going TO-DO with all of these-Dad’s books…!?”

“I don’t-know – probably give it to the Salvation Army…” Caroline replied with her animosity to her-late husband…

The eldest-twin then-demanded…

“Give me key to one-of the 2 locked-up guestrooms upstairs – I want to ‘set-up’ an-office for my-collectables!”

“No! You’re ‘not’ HOARDING-JUNK in this-house ever-again…”

“WHY-NOT!!!”

“Because I ‘told’ you-so…!”

Kitty at the backyard barked when it heard them quarrel…

The raged-Peter crushed the soggy McEnroe-magazine – and his robotic-arm threw it like a-cricket ball at the stacked-book pile-at the-door… and knocking-down a few-books…

“SHUT-UP, you-dingo! I’m ‘going’ to kill-you!!!”

“Peter, behave yourself!”

“… stupid-Poe ‘saved’ the architecture-books… ‘knowing’ for a-fact that both-of-us can’t be an architect like-dad – that ‘why’ the dunce went to the B-Class, in-the-first place…”

“That was ‘NOT’ WHY Poe ‘was’ transferred to the ‘other’ class!” Caroline defended Paul …

“Hah! But I’m BETTER THAN him – I bet you a $1000, Mom… that I CAN BE the Top-5 in next-week’s Midterm exams… are-you up-to it, Mom…!?”

He was confident that Ken Chan’s Edith-scam during examinations WOULD-WORK – where exam-answers would be ‘whispered’ for him to-ACE-PAPERS…

He got no-reply from Caroline – so he ‘changed’ tactics…

“… okay-Mom, I don’t want your-money – just gimme the key-to the guestroom if I ‘come’ the Top-5 in the midterm, at-least… okay-deal…!?”

“NO!” Caroline was-firm…

“OIII! Listen here, Mom – the house is ‘under’ my-name – I don’t need your-permission for-anything…I’ll-then go to Bella’s unc-Wilford, and get the key-myself!!!

Caroline slammed the-door at Peter – and-went back to the kitchen to do-her cooking. She heard her firstborn ‘even’ more furious-shouting behind the-door…

… with the barks of the-dog accompanying-him…

-O-

At around 9:15. Caroline came into the windowless-bedroom to check-on the-sleeping Paul. He was awake when he felt a hand on his forehead…

“Your fever’s gone – I made scramble eggs and bacon… come-eat…”

The 2nd-born shook his-head… pointing to his-throat… saying…

“… can’t eat bacon… can’t swallow… sore-throat…”

Paul was glad that he can form 3-worded-sentences to communicate – where-else, last-night he totally-couldn’t talk-well… and did-so in-pain of ‘after’ all the shrieking-banshee superhero-screams which-he had ‘done’ the previous-night’s GOE’s mission…

His mother-then asked him…

“How on-earth did you manage to pulled-the books from-the-flood – it must have taken you hours…?”

Paul was stumped for a reply… he didn’t want his-mom TO KNOW that her cripple-son had flight-and-levitation supe-powers – instead he gave a generic-answer…

“… when there’s a-will… there’s a-way – dad’s books… needed saving… I DID IT… whole-night… cos’ I… couldn’t sleep…”

The mother nodded to him – and thought of her-reply to Peter just-now… that those-books would-be ‘GIVEN-AWAY’ to the Salvation Army… but she did ‘not’ say-that to Paul, instead she told…

“Good-boy, now that your-fever has ‘gone-down’ – come for breakfast at the-table…”

“… later, Mom – going-potty… in the-dunny…”

He struggled his-big-frame to his-wheelchair – and Caroline partially lifted-him to the-chair… he nodded-his thanks…

“I’ll make you French-toast… would you like-that…?”

Paul nodded and said…

“… black-coffee too…”

The mother remained-back as she straighten-his room, while he exited the-door – as the-door closed, Caroline saw a wicker basket with her-late husband’s blueprints in his-room.

-O-

He saw Peter having his brekkie at the table – the devil was staring at him with angry eyes… Paul wasn’t bothered and didn’t make eye-contact…

‘… dad’s books were worth-saving… ‘not’ your-stuff… sorry…’

Paul locked-himself in the bathroom – he levitated out-of the wheelchair and sat on the toilet-bowl…

He recalled the pregnant Kali-Jane entity ‘visiting’ him in-his-dreams last-night – and gave-him a conflicting thought that Peter was trying to ‘kill’ the unborn-Godhead womb –and, to ‘stop’ his devil-twin was to-kill him in-POST-TREETON…

But he decided to ‘stick’ with the Time-Traveller, John-See’s gameplan to LEVEL-UP in his ‘next’ phase mission of the Dark-Tower @PERTHLAND – and ‘not’ TO-TRUST his girlfriend à who was the 50-50 Cursed-TRIO MEMBER…

… it was ‘evidence’ in the GOE-mission that Jane was erratic in behaviour and actions when she didn’t ‘obey’ SeeIn’s battle-plan to-guard the ariel space – instead, she went berserk-and-amok in the battlefield below as the Warrior-Virgo…

‘… you got into trouble-too ‘when’ you were TAKEN BY the centaur horsemen-demons – and I’ve to rescue-you for the ‘first-time’… but we didn’t have that problem-before in ‘our’ past-missions… why-now, Jane…!?’

The boyfriend ‘suspected’ her-rebellious hormonal-imbalance started ever-since she ‘ate’ the bad-apple and became pregnant…

The worrying-Paul recalled too of the-Time-Traveller mentioning-that he would run ‘future-missions ‘solo’ – WITHOUT HIS-partner, Jane…

‘… oh-God…how can I DO-IT ALONE without my-ally…? Jane is twice as powerful than-me… I ‘NEED’ HER…’

-O-

He came out from the bathroom – and ‘heard’ a local quiz-show, ‘Have You Been Paying Attention’ on Network-10, playing aloud in the big-LED TV in the living-room…

Caroline had made 4-slices of French-toast with battered-eggs and milk and fried-then it over the ‘previous’ bacon-oiled saucepan for the-umami-taste…

Peter was still at the IKEA-table – when Paul-rolled to the dining-area… he ‘requested’…

“Mom, can… I eat outside – some fresh-air… sunshine and Kitty – I’ve ‘haven’t’ seen… her since Friday…?”

The mother-too knew that-Peter ‘would’ pick-a-fight with Paul ‘over’ his damaged collectables – and, ‘granted’ his-request…

“Okay, that’ll do you good, Poe…”

The mother took the plate of French-toast and black-coffee – and followed the wheelchair that led-the-way to the backdoor…

The chained to the post-Kitty was delighted to see Paul – and was super-excited too, when it ‘sniffed’ human-food nearby and barked…

“Hiya-girl…” Paul-stalled and acknowledged the canine…

… he saw Caroline set the plate on the table of the outdoor-furniture under the backyard’s covered patio. While he rolled the-wheelchair to-her, Paul smelled the pleasant petrichor earthy-grass scent after rain. And, also noticed the sunshining bright on the white-wall that was bleached – with the 2 dark-spots singes of his electro-blasts were ‘gone’ too washed by the rain…

“Now-eat – and-don’t feed the-dog…” His mother-said before walking into the-house…

… Paul nodded…

The moment she was ‘gone,’ Paul bit half of the eggy-bread and tossed the rest to the Belgian Malinois… the dog jumped-up and caught the toast in mid-air… wagging its-tail and wanting for more…

Sipping his coffee, Paul looked up at the horizontal-beam of the backyard covered-patio ceiling… that was ‘ideal’ to hang-up the online-ordered 5-foot heavy punching-bag which would be delivered tomorrow-afternoon ‘when’ he was home-alone…

“I’m going to be Rocky-Paul-Walker Balboa ‘soon’ – you’ll be ‘jealous’ of my 6-pack abs… eat-up and-be a fat girl…” Paul chucked as he tossed the-bread to Kitty…

Then he heard his-mom’s voice calling him from inside the-Walker House…

“Poe! Your phone IS RINGING in-your-room!”

… he panicked…

… the only person who ‘would’ call-him was Jane – but ‘after’ the Tarzan deep-fake video, Paul WAS ORDERED to ‘delete’ her-phone #-in-his contact-list – and he was in-contact with his blind-girlfriend secretly ‘behind’ the-adults’ back… and stored her name in-the-pseudonym, Starr… short-for StarGirl…

Before he rushed-in to attend his-call – he tossed the rest of the food to the eagerly-waiting Kitty – and exited from the backyard.

-O-

Paul noticed-that the IKEA table was unoccupied – the devil-twin wasn’t there. He rushed to the sound of his ringing iPhone in the room… and, heard his-mother’s voice in the front-door in-the living-room…

“OIII! You’re ‘not’ cycling-out to THE STORE – the-road is flooded with dirty-water – you’ll ‘get’ sick like Poe-did…”

“I don’t-care, Mom! Since you’re ‘not’ grocery-shopping today – I’m buy my own-coke then, okay!?” Peter responded-and-left…

‘… good-riddance – go! Just-get out-of my face…’

Paul thought-and locked himself in the windowless-bedroom…

-O-

The crippled-teen then levitated in-a-hurry to the ringing cellphone, which was-also vibrating-and-moving on the bedside tabletop…

… there was a-mutual understanding between the handicapped-lovers that they’ll give each-other time to pick-up their-calls due to their-disabilities…

After the 30-something-rings later, Paul picked-up the call…

“Hello…”

Jane was delighted-to hear his-voice…

“Pauly, I called-yesterday – you didn’t pick-up…”

The boyfriend replied with his croaking-voice…

“… had fever-yesterday… still-sick… with sore throat… recovering…”

“You poor-thing...”

The girlfriend told that her-father, Anthony had gone-out the Sunday for his-business’ investor-meeting. Paul then asked…

“… ‘how’ was the… supe-mission … the other-night…?”

“… huh… what-mission? Did we go on a-mission…?”

Paul reminded the blind-tween…

“… yea, with John-See in his-Pentateuch…”

“… who’s John…? Panties-touch…? What’s-that…? Is John a panties-salesman, hehehe…!?”

The boyfriend-too joined and laughed as he thought of the green-neon panties which Jane wore in the ‘mission’ under her white nightgown – while also-recalling the Time-Traveller’s crystal-ball… the Chronovisor – that telecasted the future-events @the-abortion clinic… where her-neon panties ‘shot-laser-bolts’ and killed the doctor-and-nurse…

“… that’s funny… how-come I don’t remember going on ‘any’ mission yesterday…?” The confused-Jane said-out…

Paul too-was surprised that SHE CAN’T remember the Garden-Of-Eden mission… where, her-dog, Piper was the ferocious Wolman who fought-along with her-kid brother, the African Prince-Jaheem to defeat the forces-Of-Evil…

“Pauly, did we ‘win’…?” Jane asked…

“… yea… we ‘won’…” Paul lied…

“YAYY! We won.!” Jane rejoiced…

The silenced-boyfriend then sighed-inwards… recalling that they actually ‘lost’ when the diabolic ‘bomb’ was dropped and-nuke-destructed the ‘entire’ Abrahamic-Paradise-garden…

Then he-realised that John-See saying that the GOE-mission was HIS-DREAM – that he ‘invited’ Jane to-assist him, the MAIN-CHARACTER…

… meaning that Jane was just-a NPC – a Non-Player-Character in-the-mission… and that was ‘WHY’ SHE ‘operated’ off-the-book like a ‘wildcard,’ without abiding ‘the-rule’ of the game…

… who also-could ‘not’ BE-TRUSTED AS she was a 50-50 Cursed-Trio ‘member’ à a ‘split’ personality Soulmate-for-2, in the-Dreamworld…

“Pauly, you’re so ‘quiet’ – talk to-me…” Blind-Jane teased…

‘… what do-you want me to-say, dear? – that you’ve an alter-ego as a vengeful Warrior-Virgo à with the avatar of the Hindu-Goddess, Kali – and, you VISITED-ME last-night… saying that I should ‘break’ the Game-Rules BY ‘KILLING’ my-devil twin… and that’s Game-Over for me… ‘to’ levelling-up to the ‘next’ Perthland-mission…’

The chuckling boyfriend made an-excuse…

“… I-can’t… have sore-throat… haha, you talk… I ‘listen’…”

“I’m looking forward to Maggi coming to our-class tomorrow… you’ve met Alicia’s twin sister the other-day, right…?” The girlfriend said…

‘… ‘your’ class, ‘not’ ours – I’ve ‘been’ demoted to B-Class, remember…?’

… Paul thought the ‘new’ student from-Malaysia, who ‘wasn’t’ a threat – and furthermore, she and Alicia’s were both the Time-Traveller’s twin-daughters. He too ‘had’ promised John-See ‘not’ to divulge that-secret to his-girlfriend of ‘who’ was the girls’ father…

Paul changed the-subject and spoke of yesterday’s heavy-rains and flood… where he had rescued his late-father’s architectural books and belongings – but did ‘not’ mention about the Solomon’s blueprints of the Blake Tower… where he ‘had-to’ destroy a gateway-portal of Lucifer’s legions to travel-over to Perth, during the-END-OF-DAYS…

… but he’ll ‘tell’ Jane when-by chance, when SHE ‘JOINED’ him in Perthland…

Paul sighed at the burden of too-much secrecy that he-to carry – from ‘not’ telling the gameplan-of the ‘next’ mission to his counterpart supe-partner of the-Defender’s-Of-Perth …

Jane-then asked…

“Pauly, our midterm-papers are ‘next’ week – have you ‘been’ preparing for it…?”

Paul lied-again…

“… yea… here-and-there…”

… but he had ‘not’ been studying like he used-to… since he went to B-Class – where he had spent long-hours after-school by playing Ghostbusters in his Nintendo…

“Do you want ‘us’ to go-into the Math revisions…?”

“… yes, please…”

Paul was deeply grateful that his-girlfriend was the ‘only’ one in POST-TREETON who was helping-him in his studies. Now-that ‘after’ rescuing his-late father’s books last-night, the crippled-teen had the ambition to be an-architect like Solomon… where it ‘prioritised’ Math in-calculations in the profession…

For the next-hour, Paul was focused – ‘listening’ to Jane-and-her AI, Boyyo going-through the lesson… until – his-girlfriend ‘got’ a call from Lola… who, checked-on Jane regularly-since the doctor-mother ‘moved-out’ from the Wilson-residence 2-months ago, taking her-toddler brother. Jane promised her-boyfriend to call-back later… and hung-up…

Paul was-back ‘alone’ in the windowless bedroom… feeling-giddy with Math-numbers playing in his-head due-to ‘lack’ of caffeine in his-system, as he hardly-drank it just-now @the-backyard when he had brekkie with his-dog…

-O-

He put the iPhone in his-pocket and levitated to the wheelchair to go-to the backyard to finish his ‘now’ cold-coffee at the outdoor-table. He passed the kitchen and saw Caroline washing the dishes with the steel-mesh gauze… scrapping-clean of the bacon-residue stuck in the frying-pan…

… he opened the backdoor to the delighted-Kitty, wagging its-tail – and noticed that Caroline had cleared his-coffee mug in-the outdoors. He locked the door and looked over at the coffee-machine that was washed-clean too. He asked…

“… err-Mom, did you ‘clear’ my-coffee…?”

… he got a backlash-response of his mother’s voice that changed like-to… Jekyll/Hyde or Banner/Hulk mode – as Caroline was ‘not’ at-all happy of the rebellious Peter ‘had’ DISOBEYED HER by going-out in-the-flood to get his-Coca-Cola…

“Poe! You don’t drink a-lot of coffee – you’re ‘still’ an-underaged-boy! You also stop drinking 3-cans of Coca-Cola in a-day-too – because it’s bad for your health! Understood…!?”

“… okay-Mom – I won’t…”

Paul left the kitchen as he wheelchaired to the bathroom… and, he ‘cursed’ to-himself that the-devil twin – who went-against Caroline’s orders-and-wishes…

… where she was no-longer the gentle-and-caring mom, who TOOK-CARE of him ‘when’ he-had a fever yesterday… where her-mood had-now transformed THE ‘ONE’-of the inspector-Of-Perth… who was ‘suspicious’ of her 2-antagonistic TWIN-SONS’ behaviours…

… who ‘had’ even slapped-him hard at @the-principal’s office, a fortnight-ago…

A saddened-Paul locked himself in the bathroom.

-O-

He flushed the-dunny before exiting the bathroom – Paul ‘heard’ his mother’s voice in the living-room. He slowed-down to get a glimpse at the muted-TV that played the series ‘Desperate-Housewives’ – with Caroline on-the-couch…speaking lovey-dovey in her iPhone…

… he-then proceeded to his bedroom as he does ‘not’ WANT TO eavesdrop-into her-conversation to her-boyfriend, the-principal… as his-mom had ‘MOVED-ON’ with her life ‘after’ the death of his-father 3 YEARS ago…

Inside his-bedroom, the heavyhearted crippled teen dealt with his crippling-insecurities of the-possibilities of his-life ‘could-go,’ if his-MOM ‘MARRIED’ to Tom-Harris. After 15-seconds of soul-searching, Paul decided to think-positive to have a ‘purpose’ in life… by studying-hard in-school and ‘chase’ after his-AMBITION OF BEING an-architect like his late-father…

He focused his-priorities to do-well in his next-week’s midterm-exam on Wednesday – where he had only-3 days ‘more’ to mug his-studies… but first-things-first where – he had to deal with his-addictive distractions…

… he ‘locked-away’ his Nintendo videogame-console – and also his iPad where he had time-wasted by-watching too-many dog-videos in YouTube… and, both the devices were ‘locked’ in the bedside drawer…

Next, he organised-and-stacked the school books in his desk… of the 8-papers for the 3-days – Wednesday-to-Friday, in his midterm-exams…

Caroline-then walked-into the windowless-bedroom unannounced, without knocking-the-door – he was ‘lucky’ that he was in-his wheelchair and ‘not’ levitating. Turning his-head to her when she spoke…

“Tom is treating us-dinner this evening with food catered from the country-club. Poe, be-ready by 7, okay…?” The excited mother informed-and-left…

“… okay, Mom…”

‘… good ol’ rich-food from John-Blake Country-Club – there goes my Rocky-Balboa staying-in-shape regime…’

The teen sighed… and soon, he was smiling when he thought of the John-Blake Tower in PERTHLAND… where his Mission Impossible-duty was to infiltrate the-Dark-tower fortress – and, to destroy a Blackmagic-portal, at the 33rd-floor, on the Omega-Level…

‘… Johnno, SeeIn and his-Council are ‘counting’ ON-ME on this-one – when I ‘level-up’ in-POST-TREETON by being-positive…’

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THE MOTHER PREPARED pork-burgers for lunch. Peter was ‘not’ at-home, since-gone for 2-hours that-morning. Paul came to the IKEA-table to have lunch with-Caroline – and was delighted that his-mom had-made French-fries too, a favourite-food he missed very-much…

… both mother-and-son had a quiet-and-peaceful lunch without the annoyance of Peter’s presence in-their ‘spaces’. Enjoying his fries-in-mustard sauce, the crippled-teen didn’t say-much at the-table… as he felt ‘guilty’ to do-so…

… where ‘next’ week was his midterm exams… and he neglected his-studies since going to B-Class. Now with his last-moment to-prep with 3-days-more to-go… and, being an average-student with grades that made him the 10th-boy in-class in the last-term in the A-Class…

… would he maintain that-or BE ‘BETTER in B-Class, where there were ‘equal’ diligent-classmates who were ‘prepared’ for the midterms – while he had an ‘only’ a suffocating-deadline of 3-days ‘more’ to-go?

Caroline finished her Arugula-salad with braised-beans, and was away from the table to-wash dishes. Paul sat alone with his sanger-and-fries in a slow-and-chill fine-dining mode… soon-as he finished his ‘last’ fries, and he thanked-his mom… and excused himself…

… wheelchairing to his-bedroom…

The mother ‘reminded’ him again-of the Sunday-dinner at 7-sharp…

“… okay-Mom…”