The Start
Eunice POV
I woke up early, feeling hot and bothered. As I looked at the temperature on the balcony, it was blaring 45°C (113°F) and still going up. Checking the time, I noted it was just 7 AM, and with this constant rise, it wouldn't be long before the heat index peaked at 60°C (140°F) by noon.
"Dahlia, Fiona, come on, get up and take a shower! You're both drenched!" I called to the twins, patting them awake.
"Sissy, did you turn off the air conditioning?" Dahlia groaned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
"Sissy, it's so hot!" Fiona exclaimed as she stretched out from under the duvet.
"I didn't! Come on, get showered. We are leaving the city today," I urged as they both headed into the bathroom for a quick cold shower.
Malik had left early a few weeks ago, saying he had an emergency meeting with his team. Thomas and I stayed in contact; he kept checking on me to make sure the kids and I were fine and that we had enough supplies or if we needed help. After a month of texting and hanging out, the kids and I had grown closer. Thomas provided a sense of protection, always ensuring our safety. In my past life, Thomas was the most sought-after man when the female population had dwindled to just a few hundred thousand in the state. He epitomized the gentleness and respect that all women needed, as his story of being orphaned resonated with many. A lot of older women helped him during his rough times, fostering his respect and protective nature towards the female population in return. Part of his charm involved his remarkable ability to read people, acting like a human lie detector to identify those with good intentions and pure hearts.
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Phone Call with Thomas
"Hello, Noona! Are you and the twins doing well?" he asked through the phone, his voice tinged with worry and sadness.
"Yeah, have you packed your stuff?" I asked while helping the twins carry their bags.
"I did. I also paid off the rest of the bills from my apartment. Thank you for letting me join you three," he said, his voice cracking.
"Silly, you're like a younger brother to me. And my condolences; I know it hurts, but you can get through this. I'll fetch you in 30 minutes, just wait in your apartment," I replied as the elevator dinged open in the parking lot.
"Thanks, Noona. My grandparents will be happy. They died together, knowing I'm in good hands," he sobbed as I got into the RV, settling down while the twins buckled in next to me.
"No problem, Tom. Talk with the twins; I'll just drive," I said, passing the phone to Dahlia, who was closest to me.
---
I drove towards Thomas's place, parking in front as the twins informed him.
"Don't get out of the van; I'll get Tom," I said, stepping out after parking the car.
"Noona, I came down as soon as Fiona announced that my stuff is all here!" he exclaimed, hugging me, his red eyes looking down at me happily as he pulled a luggage cart full of boxes and bags.
"Let's load them into the RV; the sun is burning my skin," I said, spraying him with sunscreen all over his exposed skin as we carried his luggage and boxes into the RV, placing them on his side of the bunk beds.
"Noona, thank you, really. Even though it wasn't your obligation to take me in, you still did," he said, hugging me as he cried. I patted his back to comfort him.
"I promised your grandparents, and they trusted me to take care of you. It is my responsibility to look after you. Now go settle in with the kids; it's getting hotter. We should reach the countryside before noon," I said, settling into the driver's seat.
After that short talk, I started driving the van towards the highway, going as fast as the speed limit allowed, towards the countryside. I stopped at a gas station to refuel and bought bags of ice, placing them in front of the air-conditioning system.
"Alright, we're almost there. Let's park in the forest and cool down the van before ascending the mountain," I said as I parked the car under some tall trees.
"Alright, what shall we do, noona?" Thomas asked as he helped the twins with their seatbelts.
"Let's go find a nearby river and fetch some water to cool off the van. The heat outside is seeping in, so we better pour some water on it to reduce the heat," I suggested while taking out buckets from the storage compartment.
"Then we should do that," Thomas agreed, carrying two big buckets while the twins carried the smaller one used for making sandcastles.
"Sissy, it's so hot today!" Fiona exclaimed, wiping her sweat.
"I know, but we have to cool down the RV, or we will be burned inside," I replied calmly as I urged them to keep splashing water.
---
After a few minutes of splashing water on the RV, I made sure to check the surroundings for a cave or some ruins we could use as shelter from the heat. I found one behind a waterfall where the river flowed.
"Let's stay here for tonight, eat dinner, and get some rest," I said as I urged the three of them to get back in the RV.
"Sissy, can we have some burgers tonight?" Fiona asked while washing her hands.
"Alright, go play on the PlayStation with Tom," I suggested, urging the twins to go play, but they stayed to help Thomas.
Thomas worked on kneading the dough for buns, while Dahlia and Fiona washed and peeled the vegetables. I chopped and cooked the burgers. After preparing the meat, I seasoned the beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme powder, and a hint of chili powder, shaping it before searing it in the pan to create grill marks. Then, I placed the patties on a baking tray, added tomato basil sauce, and topped them with grated Fontina, mozzarella, and Havarti cheese, as well as chopped dried rosemary and oregano. I baked it at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, since the beef had already been seared for a while, and a little browning on the cheese adds flavor and texture to the whole burger.
"Alright, I call this 'Cheeseburger in Tomato Basil Sauce.' Come on, it's hot, so carefully assemble your burgers," I called out as I prepared glasses with shaved ice and homemade lemonade.
"Thank you for the food, Sissy," Fiona and Dahlia said in unison, while Thomas helped me with the glasses of lemonade over shaved ice.
"You're welcome! Go and assemble your burgers," I smiled, taking out the fresh potato fries from the air fryer and placing them in a bowl.
"I will make the sauce," Thomas said with a smile as he mixed some mayo with ketchup and a bit of Sriracha in a small bowl.
"Yummy!" Dahlia grinned as she took a bite of her burger.
"Burger and its lettuce wrap!" Fiona joked, holding her burger in a leaf of lettuce and biting it carefully.
"Haha, fries and its lettuce wrap!" Dahlia chimed in, holding a lettuce leaf and biting down on her fries.
"Lemonade and its lettuce wrap!" Fiona added, using a lettuce stem as a spoon.
"Enough! Don't play with your food," I laughed at their antics, adding a patty, some fresh lettuce, and fries to my own burger.
---
Fiona's POV
After dinner, Sissy Eunice made us go to our bedroom to clean up and prepare for bed. I climbed up to the upper bunk, which was as tall as I am. Sissy said I'm 4 feet tall, but she must be wrong; 4 feet is so short! Dahlia and I share the upper bunk, which is above the kitchen. It's big, with my side having a study table, a soft mattress, two pillows, and a bunny teddy. Sissy let me have LED lights on our ceiling instead of a bulb, and there's a vent for the central air conditioning system. Our room is split by a blackout curtain.
I cleaned my room with a portable vacuum that steams to clean dust and bacteria, followed by a dust roller to make sure everything was spotless. Sissy said a woman should always keep her room clean and organized to attract a good man. I also arranged the books I had taken from downstairs for reading before handing the vacuum and dust roller to Lia (Dahlia).
"Lia, I'm done. Your turn," I called, giving her the cleaning supplies.
"Thank you, Fifi!" Lia smiled as she accepted the items while I opened the door and climbed downstairs.
"Sissy, I'm done!" I exclaimed, grinning at her.
"Good job! Go ahead and take a shower. I already put your clothes in the bathroom," Sissy said as she used the vacuum steamer to clean the whole downstairs with Brother Tom.
"Okay!" I exclaimed, skipping my way to the bathroom and locking the door behind me.
"Scrub... scrub... scrub... rub... rub... rub... splash... brush my hair: 1... 2... 3... brush my teeth: 4... 5... 6... dry myself: 7... 8... 9... Uhhh, what's next again?" I looked at myself in the mirror.
"Ahhh! 7... 8... 9... moisturize: 10... 11... 12... clothes for me... and last step: Sissy, I'm done!" I called out as I opened the door.
"Come here; I'll dry your hair," she called as she used the blow dryer on my hair.
"Thank you! You're the best!" I giggled, giving her two thumbs up.
"Alright, go and study at the back," Sissy said while pinching my cheeks.
I ran toward the back where the books and PlayStation were, sitting on the coffee table to do some workbooks.
---
Dahlia's POV
While Fifi was taking a shower, I finished cleaning my bedroom by vacuuming with steam, using a dust roller, and wiping everything down with alcohol wipes. I also arranged everything in my room: I organized the books from biggest to smallest on the right side of the table, placed the pencils based on length on top, and stood the eraser and sharpener in the upper left corner. I leaned my mattress against the wall to ensure it looked neat, with my pillows on the upper left of the mattress, the blanket folded, and my toys and Stitch lined up beside the mattress from tallest to shortest.
My side of the room was simple but clean and organized. I put the magnetic window cover in place before climbing down from the bunk, wiping the ladder with alcohol wipes while holding the trash in my other hand.
"Sissy, I'm done!" I called out to Sister Eunice as I saw her wiping down the furniture.
"Alright, go shower; Fiona just finished her shower," she replied while placing the rug by the sink as Brother Tom washed it for her.
I went into the bathroom and took a thorough shower, cleaning myself and scrubbing every part thoroughly from head to toe. I brushed my hair, brushed my teeth, put on some lotion and moisturizer, dried myself, and got dressed. I had seen Sissy do it this way, and she always said that a lady who does things neatly would have a pristine life filled with joy.
"Sissy, all done," I said as I walked out and asked Sissy to dry my hair.
"Go ahead and study. Make sure Fiona is studying too," Sissy said as she kissed my forehead.
"I will! You should shower too, Sissy," I told her as I walked to the back of the RV.
"Fifi, Sissy said you should study or you won't have screen time tomorrow," I said while sitting beside her and taking out my own workbooks.
My Sissy had been working a lot these days, going to different places and coming back late to ensure our comfort. I love being with Sissy; she loves and cares for us, always feeding us until we are full and making sure we have everything we need. When we were at Dad's place, we could only eat if there were leftovers from Aunty Camilla and Brother Mat, and Sissy Angel would hit us and call us names. Daddy didn't care for us and even called us useless and killers, but I don't know why we were called that. I protected Fifi a lot back then, and having Sissy to protect and take care of us feels really good.
---
Eunice's POV
I went to organize everything in my bedroom, cleaning up as I took some leggings, a long-sleeved shirt, and underwear before taking a quick shower. I then entered my bedroom, which is about 5 feet tall and located above Thomas's room. I have a mattress, a cabinet with clothes, and a small computer setup where I downloaded a lot of offline materials. It's a small room, but it's enough to keep my important belongings.
I took out some socks, combat boots, a balaclava, night vision glasses, and tactical gloves.
"Girls, come on! Get to bed already," I called as I walked out of my room.
"Okay!" Fiona exclaimed, as if released from her sentence.
"Just three more questions, Sissy!" Dahlia replied while organizing her things.
"Alright, Tom, go take a shower too. You've been helping me a lot today, and you must be tired," I said with a smile, patting Thomas on the shoulder.
"I am not tired, but I do feel sticky. I'll go take a shower," he replied, smiling as he walked to the lower bunk, probably to grab a towel and some clothes.
"There are shower gels, scrubs, and other hygiene products under the sink cabinet. Just take your own stuff and put it on the rack," I called out as I saw him go into the bathroom.
"Alright, Noona," he said as I headed towards the twins' bunk.
The bunk I arranged for them is a 4-foot in height which is a long room above the kitchen area. It has hardwood walls and a door that can be locked only from the inside, divided into two rooms by a blackout curtain so they have their own space. I knocked on their door, and Dahlia opened it since her side is by the door.
"Sissy?" she asked, and I saw Fiona peek out from the blackout curtain.
"I just came to check on you and say goodnight," I said softly as I sat by the door and hugged the twins.
"Ohhh," Fiona said as she walked towards me, hugging me along with Dahlia.
"I love you both always, and I promise to take care of you both. Go ahead and get some good sleep," I smiled, kissing both of them on the head.
"I love you too, Sissy, more than anything," Fiona said childishly, giving me a kiss on the cheek.
"I love you always, Sissy, and I'll stay with you even at the end of the world," Dahlia promised, hugging me tightly as I hugged them back.
"Goodnight, twins," I said lovingly as I climbed down.
"Goodnight, Sissy. Goodnight, Brother Tom!" the twins said together, then closed their door with a click after hearing Thomas reply.
"Goodnight, everyone," I heard Thomas call out from his room. I waved over to him as I saw him go into the bathroom.