  Rebecca was ill at ease as she switched focus from the clock to the door and back again to the clock. She could not sit still and in one position. She crossed her legs, uncrossed them; folded her hands, unfolded them; put them under her chin, placed them on her lap... until Chief could no longer ignore her.
      "Woman, calm down!", he scolded.
      "I'm calm na, Chief," she grumbled, shifting to yet another position. He simply shook his head and leaned back on the sofa.
      "When will they come na?", Rebecca murmured, looking at the clock for the upteenth time.
      "They said ten. Is it ten yet?"
      "It's almost ten na. W..."
      "Look, Rebecca. If you cannot wait in silence, go and take sleeping medicine. Your pro..."
      "Chief, Chief, shhh! I think they're here."
      "Who's where?"
      But she was already on her feet and making for the door. He shook his head in pi

  Nine Months Later
      "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you are pregnant."
      "Why?", Caro shrieked.
      "You're getting fat in all the right places, your skin is much brighter... and you're getting taller too."
      "Oh come on, Trisha. Just say you're jealous."
      "True that. If I could have a backside like yours..."
      "Ah!"
      "What?"
      "There are children in this house!"
      "Don't children have backsides? Or should I could it rump, bum, buttocks..."
      Caro covered her ears with her palms.
      "You're acting like you're one of the children."
      "I'm a Christian."
      "Really? Last time I checked, there was a lot of fucking in the Bible."
      "Oh God, Trisha," Caro moaned in frustration. "Why can't you say something righteous?!"
      "I'd be righteous if Absalom didn't bang his father's concubines in public for all Israel to see."
      "Goo

  "Are you done?", Caro asked, looking at his notebook.
      "Almost," the boy replied, scribbling furiously.
      "What about you?", she asked, turning to his brother. "Are you done, I... you're Ian, right?"
      "No. Moses."
      "Okay. Ian, Moses... Ian, Moses... Ian, Moses," she recited in a bid to remember who was on her left and who was on her right. "So how can I tell who's who after you both leave here?"
      "He's the stupid one," Moses said, pointing at his twin.
      "He's the crazy one," Ian shot back.
      "Okay, okay! It's okay. Just go back to your works."
      "I'm done," Moses announced, triumphantly slamming his pen down on his book.
      "I finished first!", Ian countered.
      "That's a lie! I finished first!"
      "You finished second!"
      "That was you, liar!"
      As they quarreled and called each other names, Caro sighed and shook her head in frustr

Rebecca was ill at ease as she switched focus from the clock to the door and back again to the clock. She could not sit still and in one position. She crossed her legs, uncrossed them; folded her hands, unfolded them; put them under her chin, placed them on her lap... until Chief could no longer ignore her.
      "Woman, calm down!", he scolded.
      "I'm calm na, Chief," she grumbled, shifting to yet another position. He simply shook his head and leaned back on the sofa.
      "When will they come na?", Rebecca murmured, looking at the clock for the upteenth time.
      "They said ten. Is it ten yet?"
      "It's almost ten na. W..."
      "Look, Rebecca. If you cannot wait in silence, go and take sleeping medicine. Your pro..."
      "Chief, Chief, shhh! I think they're here."
      "Who's where?"
      But she was already on her feet and making for the door. He shook his head in pity as she went out of his sight. But just as he was about to lean back again, he heard a loud

Chapter 16