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Jobe had been thinking about Imani ever since she returned to school after a week of absence. He missed her, and he knew she must be feeling overwhelmed with all the schoolwork she had missed. So, he decided to pay her a surprise visit with her missing assignments in hand.
When he knocked on Imani's door, the door swung open to reveal her older brother, Jadon. Jobe and Jadon were no strangers, thanks to Jobe's brother Jude, who was buddies with Jadon.
"Hey, Jobe!" Jadon greeted with a friendly grin.
Jobe returned the smile. "Hey Jadon! I brought Imani her schoolwork. Is she home?"
Jadon nodded and welcomed him inside. "She's in her room. She's been stressing about her missed assignments, so this'll be a relief for her."
As Jobe made his way to Imani's room, Jadon pulled him aside in the hallway, out of earshot from the rest of the household.
His tone became more serious. "Listen, Jobe, I've heard good things about you from Jude. But Imani means the world to me. I'll do whatever it takes to protect her. Are you going to take care of my sister? Will you be there for her when she needs you?"
Jobe appreciated Jadon's concern and nodded with determination. "Of course, Jadon. I really care about Imani, and I'll be there for her no matter what."
Jadon's expression softened, and he gave Jobe a reassuring pat on the back. "That's what I wanted to hear. Imani talks about you like you're important to her. Just remember, if you ever hurt my sister, in any way, I'll have to deal with you, okay?"
Jobe met Jadon's eyes and responded sincerely, "I would never hurt Imani, Jadon. Our friendship is special to me, and I'll always look out for her."
With their understanding clear, they rejoined Imani in her room, where Jobe handed her the schoolwork. They spent the afternoon chatting.
