"Evie, is this our house?" Lily asked, her eyes wide as we stepped into the two-bedroom apartment. I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment.
"Yes, baby," I replied, ruffling her hair before plopping down on the couch. Mark then came to sit beside me, placing his head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around him, holding him close.
"Sis, thank you," Mark said, his voice filled with gratitude. I ruffled his hair, feeling a sense of love and protectiveness towards him.
"You're welcome, Mark," I replied, standing up and pulling him towards one of the bedrooms. The apartment was small, but it was cozy and perfect for the four of us. The bedrooms were situated in one corner, the doors facing each other.
The truth is, the apartment was given to me for free. The landlady and I had gotten pretty close. Plus, I once worked for her and she knew my story. So when I told her I was bringing my siblings here, she didn't hesitate to offer me the apartment. I even had to beg her before she collected the small amount I offered.
I opened the door to Mark's room, and he gasped in surprise. "Wow, Evie, it's blue!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement. I had gotten the room painted in his favorite color, and it looked amazing.
The bedroom was small, but cozy. The walls were painted blue, and the floor was covered clean carpet. A single window was in a corner to let in sunlight.
There was a wooden wardrobe, large enough to hold a few clothes. A narrow bed, sat against another wall, with a small bedside table beside it.
In one corner, there was a desk and a chair, which sat tucked under the desk.
The door to the bedroom was situated next to the wardrobe, and directly across from it was another door that led to the bathroom.
Mark ran into the room, exploring every nook and cranny. He jumped onto the bed, bouncing up and down on the mattress. "This is the best room ever, Evie!" he exclaimed, his face alight with joy.
I smiled, feeling happy that Mark was so pleased with his new room. I had tried to picture his reaction many times but it was nothing compared to this. He was acting like a baby. But of course, he was, my big baby.
Lily and Zoe came into the room, looking around with interest. "Evie, can we see our room too?" Lily asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
I nodded, smiling. "Of course, baby," I replied, leading them to our room since we would be sharing one. The room was painted in a beautiful shade of pink, and it looked lovely. The design was also similar to Marks' with the colour being the only difference. The girls squealed with delight, running into the room and exploring every inch of it.
Mark was being a bit childish, but the twins were taking it to a whole new level. They were laughing continuously, their giggles echoing through the room as they jumped on the bed, I found myself grinning from ear to ear.
I quickly got to work arranging their few clothes into neat piles. It didn't take long, but I made sure everything was tidy and in its place. As I finished up, Zoe turned to me with a huge smile on her face.
"Evie, you're the best," she squealed, her eyes shining with excitement. I couldn't help but laugh and pull her into a hug, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"I think it's time for some lunch," I said, glancing at the clock. "Let's go into the kitchen and see what we can whip up."
I started thinking about ways to make our new home more enjoyable for them. They would be spending a lot of time at home, and I didn't want them to get bored.
'I might consider buying a TV' I thought to myself, mentally making a list of things to do.
___________
THE NEXT MORNING
"Wakey wakey Mark!" The twins yelled directly into Mark's ear, earning a grunt from him.
"Five more minutes." He then covered his face with the pillow.
I stood by the door watching the whole show. I'm sure the twins are up to something mischievous, and I was right.
They looked at each other and rubbed their palms together grinning widely. The rest was a blur of Mark screaming and running around as the twins tickled him out of bed.
"I'm awake! IM AWAKE!"
"Stop."
"No. Staaawwwwp."
Mark jumped on the bed and took a pillow throwing it at the twins. But who was he kidding, they were never one to back down from a fight.
Well, until I decided it's enough.
"Okay, okay, that's enough. Mark, if you don't get up now, you're gonna miss the chance to say goodbye to your big sis."
"What? Where are you going?"
"Work. I have an hour left."
He pouted. "I thought you were gonna stay home with us."
*Yes Mark. But something important came up. I'll make it up to you guys, okay? Breakfast is in the kitchen, and lunch. I'll be back by evening."
Mark came over and hugged me.
"Love you sis."
"Love you too."
I blew him a kiss and said goodbye to the twins, closing the door behind me.
There is someone I need fo meet before going to work. I headed to the other side of the apartment where the landlady lived. I knocked on her door and she immediately opened it.
"Evelyn." She smiled, opening the door wider for me to come in.
"Hi Ma." I greeted.
"So, you are all settled in?" She asked.
"Yes. Thank you very much. It means so much to me."
"It's the least I can do for you. Do you care for anything, tea? coffee?
"No ma. I'm heading to work now. I'll see you later and I'll bring them along."
"I'll be looking forward to it."
I then exited her place and headed to work.