Your mother enters the kitchen

"Hi Mom!" Zoe says cheerfully as she slams the fridge door closed. You feel your connection to the fridge break momentarily and both you and the shopping list slip down a couple of inches.

"Careful there, honey," you mother say, putting her finger under your lower protuberance and pushing you back up. "Wouldn't want to break your little friend here."

Zoe smiles. "Yeah, he's a cutie. Oh, speaking of cuties, is my dear brother supposed to get back today?" In your current state, you are unable to determine if there is any sarcasm in this statement.

Your mother looks away from you. "Get back? He never left."

Zoe frowns. "But you said he was going away for a week."

Your mother shakes her head. "No. I said that he was starting on a new job and would be out of our lives for a week."

"Huh. What kind of job was it?"

Your mother's eyes turn back to you, and the shopping list. "Data management."

"But he never actually left?"

"Nope. He's been here the whole time."

"Then why haven't I seen him?"

"You've seen him."

Zoe looks confused now. "I don't understand."

Your mother grins. "Tell you what. Let me show you something," she says, holding up the magic calculator.