Her Quest : Magic in the Blood

Sonia shut her eyes and leaned back in her seat. Midterms were just a couple of weeks away. Sonia let out a breath, pinching the bridge of her nose between her forefinger and thumb, and opened her eyes, jumping slightly in her chair.

"Aunt Carol!" She gushed.

Caroline squinted her eyes at Sonia, her hands on her hips, "What?" She snapped, "Didn't I tell you to go home an hour ago?"

Sonia shook her head, a smile on her face, "The shipment will be here in a little while. I thought I would stay back to give you a hand with it."

"You are already giving me more hands than necessary. Just because I let you work here doesn't mean you are allowed to toil around," she wagged her finger at her.

Sonia put her elbow against the counter and rested her chin on her palm, "When is Jenna coming back?" She asked about Caroline's only employee.

Caroline's face dropped at that and she began shuffling around the papers on the table, "I guess she won't be coming back. Last time I called - a couple of days ago - she said, she was moving away as her husband got promoted in his job and had been transferred to Longford."

"Oh," Sonia nodded, "Then I must stay. You need help with all the work."

Caroline shook her head, "I cannot let you compromise with your studies for my work. Already you have taken it upon yourself to take care of cooking and my garden. You should give more time to your stu-"

"Aunty!" Sonia raised her hands to stop her, "I am studying," she pointed to the books littering the surface of the counter, "And besides, now that the boys have decided to continue with their internships and all, I'm left all alone at home. So I like being here," she shrugged her shoulder.

Caroline let out a breath as Sonia picked up her pen to start her work again, "There's no winning with you," she mumbled.

"Never," Sonia quipped.

Caroline smiled as she shook her head. Patting Sonia's head affectionately, she walked away to deal with the browsers in the shop.

***

Ian frowned at the paper in his hand as he walked down the hallway.

"Ian!" He turned as his name was called, a smile already curving his lips up.

Sonia rushed towards him, her eyes sparkling, "God, can't you walk slow?" She panted, "How was the paper?" She asked not waiting for a reply.

Ian's smile vanished, "I messed up this last answer here," he pointed to the question and Sonia peered down.

"What's in it to mess with? It's the simplest question asked!"

Ian cocked his head, "Don't we have to find the basic covariance and then apply it to the formula to get the average stake price?"

Sonia looked at him, her face twisted in confusion, "What are you saying? We just have to find out the sum of the product of the digits. No covariance, no regression," she waved her hands.

Ian's face lit up as she explained, "Is that so? Then, I didn't mess up," he laughed and swung an arm over her shoulders as they started walking again.

Sonia shook her head as he nearly dragged her with him, muttering a silent, "Stupid," under her breath, as Ian grinned down at her.

***

"Exams done!" Sonia announced loudly, bursting in the shop.

A few people jumped and instantly Sonia lowered her hands, "Sorry," she mumbled and shuffled over to the counter.

"So how was it then?" Caroline asked as she appeared from behind one of the shelves, a dusting rag in her hand.

"I'll do the cleaning. You man the counter," Sonia stretched out her hand instantly.

Caroline merely rolled her eyes and put the rag away, "It's done. So what plans do you guys have now?"

"I just wanna sleep for an eternity," she groaned making Caroline chuckle.

"Go on then. And don't bother with the dinner. I'll be home in a while and see to it myself," she pinched Sonia's cheek softly, "Now, off you go!" She turned her around and pushed her lightly, her laughter chiming in the shop even as the doors closed after her.

***

"We are going where?"

Ian huffed as he sat down on the footstool in front of the loveseat where Sonia was tucked in with another one of her books, "To my grandparents' house in Kilkenny."

"Kilkenny," Sonia gushed.

Ian nodded.

"But why?" She asked.

He shrugged, "It's break and everyone's like you haven't been there, so apparently that's reason enough for a quick trip."

"Okay," she nodded, "So when are we leaving?"

"The older group is leaving today itself - in the evening. We guys will start tomorrow."

"Start tomorrow?" She asked, confusion apparent on her face.

"It's a four five hours ride from here," Ian got up from his seat and stretched, "Better if you get your bags ready before bed. It will be an early start tomorrow," he added and watched as she shot up from the seat before scampering away out of the library.

He simply shook his head, "Women and packing," giving a fake shudder, he picked up the book she had left behind and stretched down on the couch.