“You’re actually going to help your little brother?”
Shelly almost dropped her pizza. “I, uhm, yeah.” she replied.
Mom looked from Shelly to me and back again.
Mom took a bite of her pizza as she stared first at Shelly then at me. I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. The silence was unbearable. Just when I thought I was going to crack, and blurt out everything mom let out a small laugh.
“God, it’s not that bad. One day you two will actually get along. You might even realize that you love each other.”
The tension popped, and I let out my breath, not even aware that I had been holding it.
“Yeah, but not too soon, huh squirt?” Shelly quipped, mussing my hair.
I didn’t miss the reference and couldn’t help but stare at her.
“That’s nice that the two of you are finally getting along.” Mom said, setting her pizza on her plate. “And don’t get me wrong, Shelly. I think it’s great you helping with his paper. But I seem to remember your grades in English weren’t exactly stellar last year.”
Shelly and I stared at each other, our faces turning white as Mom continued.
“I think, maybe a second opinion might be a good idea. How about you let me check it over?”
I almost choked, and from the look on Shelly’s face, she wasn’t much better.
“I, uhm…” I stammered, painfully aware that my face was turning beet red.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll read it tonight, after you guys are in bed. You don’t have to sit there while I read it. I’ll make some notes about it and slide it under your door before I leave in the morning. That will give you tomorrow and Sunday to rewrite it.”
“But!” I stammered, trying to come up with an excuse.
“But nothing!” Mom said, the look on her face making it clear she wasn’t about to be deterred.
“But Mom, I don’t think …” Shelly started, but mom cut her off short.
“Look. I’m not so old that I forgot what your paper has to be about. I’m prepared. I mean erotic fiction isn’t exactly going to be about politics now is it! Don’t worry. I doubt there’s anything you could write about that would shock me. Besides I bust my ass working two jobs just to keep you guys in college, so I don’t think you should have a problem with me reviewing some of your work. End of discussion.”
Panic set in, and I looked over at Shelly. She just shrugged, and slid her plate away.
“I better get to work on my own homework.” she said, as she stood up.
“Me too!” I chimed in, nearly tipping my chair over as I jumped up.
We both grabbed our plates and put them in the sink, before rushing back to our rooms.
I had just got onto my bed, and opened the document file when Shelly slipped into my room.
“What am I going to do now?” I muttered, looking from her to the screen and back.
From the look on her face she was just as lost as I was.
“She’s going to kill me, you know that.” I said, my fingers tapping on the side of my computer.
“Yeah, probably both of us.” Shelly replied, as she sat down on the edge of my bed.
“Christ, sis! What am I going to do?”
“Okay, let’s think this through. You’ve got the paper guidelines, right?”