"Mum" Chloe said as she stormed out of the hospital.
"What's wrong?" Ange asked as she answered her phone to a frantic daughter.
"I'm a close contact. I have to go home and isolate for 14 days" Chloe stressed.
"Okay, don't worry. You take your car home and I'll get the bus or a taxi home" Ange said.
"Can you text Kisaiya when you get into the car and ask her to move the small fridge and microwave from the garage and place it in my room?" Ange asked.
"Why?" Chloe asked as she sat down in the car. She turned her phone onto loudspeaker and started texting her sister.
"I was thinking that if this happened to either of us. The one isolating, would take Kisaiya with them. It's not fair if you are home all the time like she is but she's not allowed to be near you" Ange explained, and Chloe agreed. She understood where her mother was coming from.
"Okay, I've asked her to do that. So will me and Kisaiya use the main bathroom?" Chloe asked wanting confirmation.
"That makes sense, I'll just use me ensuite. You might end up with Kis with you a couple of nights though" Ange warned.
"No worries" Chloe said before standing her car. She hung up on her mother and drove home.
Chloe arrived home and noticed that Kisaiya was in her mother's room.
"Did you do what I asked?" Chloe said and Kisaiya nodded.
"Yes I did. What's going on?" Kisaiya asked confused as she closed her mother's bedroom door behind her.
"So I have been identified as a close contact so I have to isolate for 14 days. It makes more sense if you buddy up with me. So we will use the kitchen and the main bathroom. Mum said she will mainly stay in her bedroom" Chloe explained. Some people might say they were going too far but it was too risky having two doctors off if it could be avoided.
"Do I need to stay away from you" Kisaiya said stepping away in a panic.
"Hey, no sweetie. Please don't worry. I really don't think I was with the person for long enough to catch the virus but I do need to isolate. Mum said that me and you will stick together so we can cuddle up" Chloe tried to reassure the girl.
"But won't mum be lonely" Kisaiya asked worriedly.
"Mum said she's going to pick up some extra shifts during the next two weeks as well. Don't worry, she can still talk to us, she just needs to keep her distance" Chloe explained and Kisaiya nodded before sinking into her sister's hold.
"How have you been?" Chloe asked. She knew that the girl had struggled at first during the Easter holidays but she seemed a better now that they were back at school.
"Fine" Kisaiya muttered.
"I'll be here to help you with your school work" Chloe said and Kisaiya smiled.
"Will you be doing any work?" Kisaiya asked and Chloe nodded.
"Jac's given me a couple of research papers to do. She'll also set me paperwork, but I can still help you. We can sit together and work." Chloe explained and Kisaiya nodded. She liked the idea of that.
"Have you done your school work for today?" Chloe asked and Kisaiya shrugged. She had completed most of it but was getting tired now. She had started at 9 o'clock and it was now 1 o'clock. She hadn't stopped so now only had one more task to complete.
"Have you had lunch?" Chloe asked and the girl nodded. Chloe looked unsure at the girl but agreed none the less.
She disappeared to make herself a sandwich.
"I noticed that there aren't any more dishes in the dishwasher than there was this morning" Chloe questioned.
"I did the dishes" Kisaiya said defensively. Chloe still narrowed her eyes at her cousin. She did not believe her.
"What, don't you believe me? Just because you tell lies and keep secrets doesn't mean everyone does" Kisaiya snapped back at her sister before storming to her bedroom. Chloe just rolled her eyes, her sister was so moody.
Chloe made herself lunch before settling down to get dug into some research. She did enjoy research and it was something that had taken a back seat during the pandemic.
Ange arrived home just after 6 o'clock. She was surprised she had managed to get away on time. She noticed her daughter at the kitchen table.
"Where is your sister?" Ange asked "I'm just about to have a shower"
"She's in a huff with me" Chloe mumbled as she continued to read the chapter she was on.
"It's Day 1 and the two of you have already fallen out. Please can you sort it out before I get out of the shower" Ange said as she disappeared to her room. Chloe rolled her eyes and sighed. She didn't see why she had to go and speak to Kisaiya when it was the younger girl who had snapped at her. But she supposed she was the oldest.
Chloe knocked on the bedroom door before opening it. Kisaiya was sat on her bed with her headphones in. Chloe walked over to the bed and was down next to her. Kisaiya turned around taking her headphones out.
"I'm sorry if I made you mad earlier" Chloe admitted.
"No I'm sorry, it was a stupid thing for me to snap about" Kisaiya said and Chloe nodded. She was glad that they had both realised how and why they were wrong.
"I was just worried that you hadn't been eating" Chloe admitted.
"Don't worry about it. I'm 13, I know how to feed myself" Kisaiya said softly and Chloe nodded.
"Do you want to come and help me with dinner now?" Chloe asked and Kisaiya nodded. She was not hungry, but she knew that now wasn't the time to make a fuss. If she did, her sister would be onto her. She was not really looking forward to having her sister on her back for the next 14 days. That was a long time.
Chloe gave Kisaiya vegetables to cut while Chloe cooked the chicken. Once it was ready they dished up a bowl for Ange and took it to her room. They made sure to hand sanitize their hands regularly.
They enjoyed their dinner before snuggling up on the sofa together to watch a movie. Ange came through to put her dish away.
"Right that is your sofa now, this is mine" Ange said sitting on the opposite sofa. She moved it back slightly to increase the distance.
"Not too much cuddling or you are going to make me jealous" Ange said as she watched them snuggled up underneath the blanket. Kisiaya's mind started racing. That wasn't fair on her mum, why was her mum suffering when it was Chloe's fault.
"No, that's not fair. Chloe didn't follow the rules and now she might have the virus yet it's mum who has to be alone" Kisaiya snapped as she jumped away from her sister.
"No it's not Chloe's fault" Ange said.
"Kis, honestly I was wearing PPE but my patient has just tested positive to COVID and I wasn't in COVID secure PPE. That's why I have to isolate. I was within two metres of my patient quite a few times but never for more than 10-15 minutes. I have been highlighted though so I have to follow the rules of quarantining" Chloe explained and Kisaiya thought about it for a minute before sitting down next to her sister. She nodded, at least it made sense now.
"I don't want mum to be sad that she can't get hugs" Kisaiya admitted.
"Hey, it makes me feel good when I see you and Chloe hugging and being kind to each other though. It makes me feel like I am getting a hug" Ange explained and that helped Kisaiya. She smiled and nodded. She really wanted to reach over and hug her mum. This was going to be a long two weeks.