21 December

"There's something I've always been curious about," Mai blurts out in the middle of breakfast. Noll, together with everyone else, turns towards her and she balks, no doubt regretting her action.

"What is it, dear?" Luella encourages.

"It's just… uh… Martin is 'Professor Davis' because he teaches law and parapsychology, right?"

"That is correct," Martin confirms, peering at her over his newspaper.

"And… N-Noll?" Noll raises his brows at her. She tries again: "I mean Naru—no—Dr. Davis?"

He sighs. "Whichever is fine."

"And Noll is 'Dr. Davis' because of his PhD."

"What of it?"

"I was wondering if Luella has a title, too."

Luella smiles. "Why, of course I do. I'm Mrs. Davis."

Luella's former protégée, Elle, snorts. "'Mrs. Davis'? You're too humble for your own good." She then tells Mai: "She's 'The Indubitable' SCP Davis."

Mai tilts her head. "'The indu… indubi…'?"

"'Indubitable,'" Noll corrects. "Something that or someone who cannot be doubted."

"Then what does 'SCP' mean?"

"You do not know?" he asks almost in contempt.

"I wouldn't ask if I did."

"Now, now, you two. Enough flirting—" Elle interjects.

"We're not!" "We are not." Mai and Noll protest simultaneously.

"—It means Senior Crown Prosecutor," she finishes, disregarding both of their responses.

Noll glares at her and gets a wink in return. Unwilling to deal with her any more than he has, he diverts his attention to his mother, whose cheeks are dusted with pink.

Mai takes a while to process the information. When she finally succeeds, she gasps and looks at Luella with wonder. "Wow, Luella—a Senior Crown Prosecutor!"

Elle nods proudly. "And not just any SCP, either. She's 'The Indubitable'; in all her cases the defendant is found guilty beyond reasonable doubt."

"A-All of them?!"

"One hundred percent. Throughout her whole career."

"That's amazing!"

"You flatter me too much…" Luella almost whispers. Her face is now entirely red.

"They are merely stating facts, Lu," Martin replies with a smile, newspaper discarded to the side.

"I'm not an SCP anymore."

"But you remain a legend in CPS history."

"Noll, not you, too!"

Noll sends a slight smile his mother's way.

"Wait," Mai interrupts, "Aren't you too young to be retired?"

"Well… Raising a pair of twins is much more fun than mountains of paperwork, no?"

Mai chuckles in agreement.

Martin adds: "She managed to prepare Gene and Noll for school in just one year, too."

"Hmm. So they both got so good at studying because of Luella, while they got their interest in parapsychology from you?"

"I did introduce parapsychology to the twins, but I am not so sure they learned the exact same thing from Luella. You see, Noll here inherited all his mother's studying techniques and observation skills. Gene on the other hand was more interested in inheriting her kindness and compassion."

Noll observes his parents, deciding whether to change the subject or let them reminisce the past. Luella has not cried over any mention of his brother for almost a year now. He fears that this conversation will bring her to tears and he will have to watch as helplessly as he did in all the previous instances. He opens his mouth, ready to redirect the flow of the conversation, but—

Mai sighs as she stares at him with regret. He stares back in confusion.

"You had the chance to take a few more notes from Luella and Gene on kindness and compassion, and you didn't? Did you have a hard time keeping up? Did you lose your notebook somewhere along the way?"

He blinks. "Stop saying stupid things."

She turns to his parents while gesturing in his direction. "See? Not enough notes."

Luella breaks into a fit of laughter, and everyone is awed into silence.

Noll remembers the last time she laughed this much. It was when she discovered that he and Gene had switched places so he could skip the school trip. All had been well for the better half of the day, and he had been sure that they would not get found out until Gene came home grinning like an idiot, dragging three whole bags of souvenirs behind him.

It has been nine years since then.

The outburst attracts the other guests. Soon enough, Luella's childhood friend peeks into the dining room with narrowed eyes and a grin. "Are you having fun without us?"

"Oh, Malika," Luella wheezes out. "Is it time to leave?"

"Yes. I reckon our jaunt to the shopping center will be a blast?"

"For sure."

"Then let's go!"

Martin stands and ushers Luella, Mai, and Elle towards the waiting group. "You head out first. Leave the dishes to me and Noll."

Luella hesitates. "Are you sure?"

He smiles at her. "Yes, Lu. No need to worry."

"Okay, then. We'll meet you there."

Once Luella and the guests depart, Noll and Martin proceed to wash the dishes in comfortable silence.

"I could have done this alone," Noll says as they finish drying the plates.

"I know you could." Martin grasps the edge of the counter. "I just needed a moment."

Noll glances sideways at his father but refrains from speaking.

"It was refreshing to finally be able to think of Gene in a happy light. I had worried Luella would weep at Gene's memory this time, but…" Martin takes a slow, deep breath. "She has not laughed like that since he died." He looks at Noll. "Mai is a wonderful young lady, Noll. I hope you know that."

Noll places the last plate in its rack, then folds the towel he dried it with. "I would not have hired her otherwise."

His father rests a hand on his shoulder for a few moments before leaving to join the others.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.