When Ernest and I pulled into the driveway, there was Susie, lounging in a rocking chair on the porch, deeply engrossed in a book. The breeze played with the hem of her skirt in such a whimsical way, it almos didn't seem real., Susie was so absorbed in her reading that she didn't even notice us until Ace called out,

"Hey Susie, guess who's here?

",

"Ace, with that clunker of yours sounding more like a tractor, I'd know it's you without looking,

" Susie quipped, sending me into a fit of laughter., Ace seemed a bit embarrassed, scratching his head,

"Well, it's not just me here.

", Susie nonchalantly turned a page in her book, continuing to read, completely ignoring Ace's attempt to draw her attention., As Ace was about to say something else, I shook my head at him and made my way over to Susie., Standing behind her, I peeked over her shoulder at the book and chuckled,

"Haven't you read that one before?

", The last time I visited, that very book was on her nightstand - a vintage romance novel., Susie whipped her head around, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw me,

"Hey there.

", I laughed softly, and she immediately got up., The moment she caught sight of Ernest behind me, she dropped the book and dashed towards him,

"Bro!

", Seeing the siblings hug, with Ernest patting her head, it suddenly made sense why he was so indulgent with me. He was used to doting on his little sister., I let them have their moment, picking up the book Susie had been reading,

"The Ring

" by Silken Threads. The yellowed pages and worn edges suggested it had been read more than once., Despite my usual disinterest in romance novels, I was suddenly curious about what made this book so captivating to a young girl like Susie., But just as I flipped through a few pages, Susie came over and said,

"You shouldn't read that.

", She reached out as if to take it back., I smiled, teasing,

"What, does this book hold some secret?

", Her cheeks flushed,

"No, it's just... now that you and my brother are together, you shouldn't be reading such novels.

" Seeing her shy reaction, I pressed my lips together,

"Oh, so this is a textbook for love newbies like you.

",

"Hey!

" Susie's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, her voice a mix of embarrassment and annoyance., I didn't tease her further and handed the book back. Ernest came over, taking my hand,

"Let's go inside for a drink.

" Once inside, Ernest went to make tea with practiced ease, but Susie stopped him,

"Bro, I'll make her some herbal tea.

" Dewdrop herbal tea, my very own special treatment.,

"Bro, I want your honey-glazed salmon,

" Susie wasn't shy about making her food preferences known.,

"Sure, I'll make it for you and Licia,

" Ernest replied, making it clear he wasn't neglecting his girlfriend in favor of his sister.

"Hey, that ring, it's the one Bro gave you, right? Looks familiar,

" Susie noticed the ring Ernest had given me.,

"It's a Collins family heirloom,

" I said, glancing at Ernest who was already headed to the kitchen to start dinner., Dinner stretched into the evening, the sky darkening fully only after we finished eating., Susie was thrilled to learn we were there to take her back with us, promptly packing her things that night.,

"Did I forget anything?

" she asked, uncertain after packing., Looking at her stuffed suitcase, I reassured,

"You didn't forget anything. And if you did, we can always buy it.

",

"Such a waste to buy more when stuff back home is so expensive,

" Susie's thrifty comment made me both admire and feel for her., Girls her age I knew were all about milkshakes, sweets, and shopping sprees, unlike her pragmatic approach to life.,

"A poor man's child learns to manage the house early,

" the saying went, and it was true.,

"Don't worry, your brother and I are doing just fine,

" I tried to comfort her., Susie remained silent, her determination clear.,

"Hey, can I ask you something?

" she suddenly turned serious., Search the website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.