“Hey sis,” A self-assured voice echoed from the end of the line as I’m busy fiddling with my speakerphone in the car to go hands-free.

“I’m driving.”

“This will be quick. Code Red.”

I quietly face-palmed myself and heaved a long sigh. Us, sisters, have learned how to code our problems so that when we ask for help in times like this we’ll get the firsthand idea of its intensity, without talking much.

Code Red problems mean she couldn’t ask for help from anyone other than the one she called.

Yeah, that poor girl is me.

We have another sister who’s in med school but the call itself already means the other one can’t be disturbed. She also lives with our parents.

“We’re not yet done with the year-end inventory so we’re doing some overtime work,” She started explaining. “Eric’s flight back home from the business trip was delayed and the nannies already requested for vacation, so I sent them off. Would you spend Christmas with us?”

I sighed for the nth time now, “Fine.”

On the other side, I can feel Jessica’s relieved smile, “Thanks so much. I owe you one.”

“Correction,” I immediately cut in, “you owe me a lot.”

She laughed in resignation, “Okay, okay. I know what you want.”

I just grinned, checking out the side mirrors.

“I left my credit card inside my dresser. The keys are under my pillow in the master bedroom. You can go shopping all you w