Spoiled by Eight Uncles

It was the weekend the very next day. Drake and Josh Crawford were generally disciplined by nature and were up by 7. Zachary and Hannah on the other hand were not morning creatures and would not wake up unless they were hungry.

Josh was in the study on the first floor, seated upright on a chair with a serious expression on his face.“Magnetic induction… B=F/IL…” Josh mumbled to himself. “If B is the force of the magnetic induction and the magnetic flux required to be on a supernatural frequency is phi… and B and F is…”

Drake, who was seated opposite Josh reading Shakespeare, looked up from his book. What was Josh calculating?! Drake wondered.

“Are you waiting for Lilly?” Drake asked. Josh usually preferred to stay in his own room since there was a large desk for him to work on his mathematical equations.

“Of course not,” Josh responded without looking up.

Drake smirked as he tapped on his cellphone. “You said yesterday you weren’t looking for her either, but I caught you going over to her room!” he

Josh’s ears turned red, but he did not crack. “Which eye of yours saw me going into her room? I wasn’t looking for her. I just happened to pass by her room.”

Drake refused to let his younger brother off the hook. He turned his cell phone screen in Josh’s direction and shoved it in his face roughly, accidentally hitting him on the cheek.

“Argh!” Josh cried out in annoyance and pain. “Fine, so what if I did look for her?” Josh had no qualms turning to Lilly for help since she was a genius. In fact, if Drake found out just how much of a genius Lilly was, he might even fight for her attention. No, Lilly was his! Josh eyed Drake warily before grabbing his math textbook and moving over to the other end of the sofa.

Drake thought Josh was being ridiculous and sensitive, as if he would even be interested in Lilly. Was that even possible? Drake scoffed as he restrained himself from rolling his eyes at his brother.

Just then, Lilly appeared at the bottom of the staircase, hugging Bunny in one arm and rubbing her eyes sleepily with the other. Josh immediately shut the math textbook he was reading upon noticing Lilly. “Lils, you’re up!” he exclaimed.

from his book despite overhearing Josh. Wow, he gave her a pet name already? Drake

even more frazzled

a little longer?” Josh

lips as she looked in Josh’s direction. “A ghost scared me, and then I

one? Just

no such thing… Ghosts are nothing to be afraid of.” He was just about to say there that was no such

Mrs. Crawford appeared from the kitchen carrying a tray of food. “Lilly, you’re up early!” the old

her vision came

girl,” the old lady chuckled heartily. “Come, try

brush my teeth first!” Lilly exclaimed as she ran

his textbook and went over to help Old Mrs. Crawford set up the table for breakfast. Drake watched all of this in amusement. Josh never let anything distract him when he was concentrating on his arithmetic calculations. He probably would not even budge in the event of an earthquake, and

the young master of the Crawford family, Drake never had to lift a finger. Family meals at the Crawford home never used to be like this. Back then, once the dining table was set up by the servant, the Crawfords would each sit down quietly to finish their meal and go about their own way once they were done. Drake had gotten used to the cold detachment of the

stairs, he could not help but think to himself how much had changed since this little sister of theirs entered their lives. All of a sudden, she did not seem so irritating any

motionless on the ground, a parrot appeared from behind her, spreading its wings wide and shaking its little head. Instead of

let out a cackle as he watched the entire scene unfold. “What an idiot!” he

grasped at her head. “Polly, you’re

the ground and scampered around in circles. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!

a hand to help her stand up on her feet. “Are

shook her head. “Nope. Pfft,

back his laughter. “Well, that’s some skill you have right

had – it was skill! When she lived with the Hatchers, no one bothered to talk to her, so she had to pull all sorts of pranks to get someone’s attention. Now, she was a genius whiz kid who

over to take the tray from her. “Granny, just let the servants do their job,” he said