Being the firstborn comes with many responsibilities—duties often carried out not by obligation, but out of love. Mellissa, Megyn's younger sister, who had completed her final primary exams with flying colors and earned a place at the most prestigious national school in the country was just happy to study in the city where her big sister was, though she was in boarding.
With the first term concluded, her school had closed, and Megyn's parents gave her a clear and specific instruction:
"Make sure she catches the bus to Randi this morning."
Megyn couldn't disobey her parents out of love. She had earlier made arrangements with Benjamin to help get Mellissa to the bus station. However, when she tried to book a seat online on the City Bus, the only available slots were for that evening or early the next morning. Frustration welled up inside her.
"I'm practically co-parenting, but not on my terms," Megyn muttered to herself.
She knew she needed to inform her parents—and this time, she wouldn't need to persuade them. Mellissa would have to travel the next day.
It was Thursday, and lectures for the trimester had ended. The university was tense with exam pressure looming. Exams were scheduled to start on Monday, but Megyn's first paper wasn't until Wednesday.
Thankfully, she had already completed her reports and assessments. Deciding to take a well-earned break to spend time with her sister, Megyn paused her studies. Benjamin also freed up his schedule for the day.
They visited the city game reserve in the morning and Hawi residence in the afternoon. Megyn had wanted to see Betty and Becky. It had been a while, and the twins, now nine months old, were full of energy.
To Megyn's amazement, the girls had started crawling and had grown their first pair of front teeth. As they played on the carpet, they caught sight of Benjamin at the door and immediately squealed with excitement, crawling quickly toward him.
The twins were identical and Megyn didn't understand how Benjamin managed to differentiate them.
"Betty... Becky-" Benjamin called, as he sat them on his laps.They responded by looking at him.
"Meet Megyn and Mellissa."
The twins smiled as the two sisters held their little hands in greetings. Mrs Hawi came in from the kitchen and was very excited to meet Megyn's sister.
"She looks just like you." She claimed.
That night, they took Mellissa to the Cinema and they came back to Benjamin's parents' home to spend the night. Megyn and Mellissa shared the guest room, while Benjamin used his old childhood bedroom.
The next morning, Benjamin drove the sisters to Megyn's hostel so they could collect Mellissa's luggage. From there, they went straight to the bus station. Mellissa arrived in Randi by 4 p.m., where their mother met her at the station.
Later that day, Benjamin and Megyn returned to the Hawi residence. Mr. and Mrs. Hawi had requested to speak with them. Megyn felt a flicker of nervousness—what kind of serious talk were they referring to?
It turned out, the conversation was a good one. Benjamin's parents wanted to visit Megyn's parents—to get to know them better. The visit was to take place after Megyn's exams and before graduation, which was set for August. After that, Megyn would begin her internship year, a notoriously demanding season.
The plans were already in motion. The parents had been communicating frequently and had grown fond of each other. Benjamin and Megyn were merely being informed.
The following weeks were intense. Megyn became buried in her exams, with hardly any time for herself—let alone for Benjamin. He too was overwhelmed with work, studies, and helping out with his baby sisters.
Finally, the exams ended. Megyn felt a deep sense of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. That evening, she wanted nothing more than to sleep.
The next day was Good Friday, and she planned to spend some time with Benjamin before traveling to Randi on Sunday morning. She had already informed her parents, who eagerly awaited her arrival that evening.
Just as Megyn was settling in her hostel room, Cindy walked in—and almost immediately, Megyn's phone rang. It was Benjamin.
He was thrilled that she had finished her exams. His voice was cheerful, almost giddy with relief.
"Princess."
"Mmm."
"I want to take you out to dinner tonight."
"Dinner?" Megyn hesitated. "I was really hoping to sleep off this stress I've been carrying the past two weeks." Her voice was drained, devoid of energy.
Cindy, overhearing the conversation, grabbed the phone from Megyn and chimed in, "Benjamin, you're my new favorite person! Megyn needs this. She needs to spend time with you. Actually, it should be right now."
Benjamin chuckled. "Cindy, I know. I need to see her too. Maybe we make it a double date? You and Evans?"
"That would be perfect!" Cindy exclaimed.
Before the plan could develop further, Megyn snatched the phone back, switched it off, and tossed it aside. She turned to Cindy with a tired expression.
"Cindy, you can't plan an evening with Benjamin for me without asking me first."
Cindy looked puzzled. "Meg, what's going on? Did Benjamin do something wrong?"
"I just need to rest. Please, Cindy, go back to your room."
Her tone was soft, but firm.
Cindy, sensing Megyn's need for space, quietly left. Megyn laid down and was soon fast asleep.
Meanwhile, Benjamin kept calling, but Megyn's phone was off. Concerned, he decided to drive to her hostel and called Cindy instead.
"Cindy, what happened to Megyn's phone?"
"She's just resting, Benjamin. She's really exhausted."
"I need to talk to her. Could you ask her to come to the parking lot?"
Cindy went to Megyn's door and knocked gently. No response. She tried the handle—it was locked. She wasn't surprised. She knew Megyn well.
While Cindy thrived in social settings even when under stress, Megyn tended to crash after long periods of pressure. It was her way of recharging. Rather than using the spare key Megyn had entrusted her with, Cindy went downstairs to speak with Benjamin, who looked visibly anxious.
"Cindy, what did I do? Why doesn't she want to talk to me?"
"You did nothing wrong," Cindy reassured him. "Megyn's just really tired. She's asleep. Let's give her time."
Though disappointed, Benjamin nodded. Cindy promised to call him once Megyn woke up. Reluctantly, he got in his car and drove away.
Cindy returned to her room, lying on her bed with a silent promise to let Megyn sleep for three hours—then she'd wake her up. But before she knew it, she had drifted off too.
The two friends both slept the whole night, while Benjamin yielded and waited for Megyn to reach out.