by Namita Singh
predisposition of being positively inclined towards Neal, Jennifer doesn’t seem to trust us. Does she even remember why we are inclined towards Neal in the first place?
“It certainly would be.” My father cuts Jennifer off, “You do realize that we are associated with Neal?”
Jennifer’s eyes flicker around, probably wondering who the guy to declare Neal as his partner is. But she doesn’t linger her eyes around for long, returning her sudden cold gaze to my father.
“And it isn’t just because of what you’re thinking.” Father says, catching her glances around, “We have been found defending Neal. We are considered to be amongst the ones who were hiding him. We are in as much risk as Neal is at presently-”
“Not nearly.” Jennifer interrupts, “I am very sure you’re capable of keeping your family safe. So, please do that. And I’ll be doing the same for my family.” She says, looking at Neal and David, “I don’t see why we have to cross paths at that. I am thankful that you saved Neal, but I am not comfortable with the idea of more therians around him.”
“But enough comfortable to hide from Neal that you’re a therian too.” Father replies calmly. Jennifer opens her mouth to retort but words fail her. My father continuous, “Listen, Jennifer. I told you to bring no antagonism with you-”
“I haven’t.” she says calmly.
“-And where do you even intend to take him?” father glances at a stoic Neal, “Do you even know what awaits you out there?”
“I am optimistically going to avoid whatever awaits me, Mr. Lichinsky-”
“So, you’ll hide.” Father deadpans.
Jennifer huffs, “I have been doing that since the past seventeen years,” she snaps, “and I have been doing that well. Don’t tell me how to handle my responsibilities, Mr. Lichinsky.”
“Yeah, but aren’t you forgetting something?” Father retorts, looking placid but with the telltale signs of tensed muscles, “that the therians were unaware of the vaticinator’s existence till now. Now a whole realm knows about Neal. How far will you hide? You think you can hide from them forever?”
“That is my concern. And this is not open for discussion.” Jennifer replies.
Father sighs exasperatedly, “Why did you even bother entering our house? You’re clearly not open minded enough to listen to our advice.”
“As I said,” Jennifer stares on sternly, “regardless of your opinion, I am highly gratified that you saved Neal. I owed a proper thank you.”
“You aren’t doing a very good job at thanking.” Father replies coolly.
Jennifer sighs, “Mr. Lichinsky-”
“Oh my god…”
Everybody turns towards David who has suddenly interrupted the heated, yet calm argument. He is looking towards the opening of the vestibule that leads to the hallway. Exactly where Rahul and I are standing with Aakir standing in between, but slightly behind us. The three of us stiffen at the sudden scrutiny directed at us by this David guy. Assuming the source of his exclamation to be something else, I let my eyes dart around quickly, my senses on high alert to detect any possible danger. I turn around, seeing Aakir and an empty hallway behind me. But I find nothing even remotely dangerous. I turn back towards David who is still staring at us trio, Aakir, Rahul and I. He seems paralyzed with shock, his mouth agape, his eyes the size of saucers. I look at Jennifer, who surprisingly is wearing the same expression as David now and looking at us three as well. Confused, I look at Aakir and Rahul who are beginning to look as confused as me. Jennifer, almost in a trance, takes a few steps towards us. Rufina aunt, getting into defensive mode, steps in between. I don’t blame her. Jennifer hasn’t exactly been compliant since she has come. To everybody’s surprise, Jennifer starts laughing. A tired laugh. I almost feel that she is losing her mind when tears begin to pool in her eyes but she happily looks on at Aakir, Rahul and I…
“I can’t believe you’re alive!” she exclaims, her eyes brimming but her lips stretched with happiness…
I start feeling awkward. I try to look at who she is exactly looking at and find her vision trained on Aakir. Aakir realizes as well that she is speaking to him. He nervously looks behind him to ensurethat no one is there. I and Rahul move away from Aakir as if he is a ticking time bomb. What great siblings we are, I think distractedly in sarcasm.
Aakir laughs nervously at being in the spotlightas Rahul and I have completely moved sideways. “I am sorry, what?” he says to Jennifer.
Jennifer smiles, “It’s me.” she says, as if that’ll make Aakir remember. She shakes her head, “You probably won’t remember me, you were so small.” She takes more steps towards Aakir.
Rufina aunt blocks her way. “What are you saying?” she asks Jennifer.
That snaps Jennifer out of the little haven that she had slipped into. She abruptly looks at Rufina aunt with sternness, “How come he is in your house?”
I am taken aback by the accusing tone. So is everyone else, for that matter.
“He is my son.” Rufina aunt says, daring Jennifer to contradict her.
Jennifer looks my aunt up and down as if sizing her. Then she laughs humorlessly, “You’re not his mother.” She snaps.
Aakir steps forward quickly, his defensive mode on. He places a hand on Rufina aunt’s shoulder, standing directly behind her. He is looking the least bit pleased about Jennifer’s reaction, “I’ll prefer if you mind your words, Ma’am.” He says to Jennifer, his tone polite but at the same time stern.
Jennifer waves her hands exasperatedly, “You’re not her son.” She says, sounding frustrated, her happiness long gone. “You’re my sister’s son!” she exclaims, “She bore you for nine months, not this woman.” She waves absentmindedly at Rufina aunt.
What…?
You’ve got to be kidding me.
To say that everyone is surprised would be an understatement. I watch as one by one everybody’s mouth goes agape. Just a moment before everyone was gushing over Neal’s whereabouts and now we have this explosive flash news on our head. How the hell did this woman even recognize Aakir? Recognize him so well that she is blasting on us with such confidence? But then I think of Aakir’s unique eyes, with red and black pools swimming in an eerie gray and I realize that it can’t be very difficult for someone to recognize Aakir. Aakir’s characteristic eyes have been very clearly defining and identifying him since his infant days. Aakir is not unaware of the fact that he is an adopted child. Everybody knows that Aakir was found in the woods by my father and Terry uncle. But this is too much of a coincidence. Through my shocked phase, I notice the minute things like how Jennifer’s eye color is the same gray as Aakir’s eye’s base color. How they both have wavy brunette hair and well defined features. The similarities are there, alright. I wonder what Aakir’s mother looks like.
Rufina aunt seems to be the first one who comes to her senses. She places her hand over Aakir’s on her shoulder and eyes Jennifer levelly, “Your sister may have borne him for nine months but I have been raising him as my own since the last seventeen years, apparently when your sister left him to die in the woods at the hands of some savage animal.”
Jennifer’s gaiety tames down at that. She almost wears a look of understanding, followed by a pained look. “Those hadn’t been the best of circumstances.” She says, looking at Rufina aunt and Aakir. “It was never our intention to lose James. The circum-”
“His name is Aakir.” Rufina aunt interrupts. But she doesn’t look very stern now. Probably her female instinct is taking over. She gestures for Jennifer to go on, who grasps the new name for her nephew. I have to say, Aakir is definitely a better name than James.
Jennifer shakes her head, “Aakir.” She tests the name, looking at Aakir. He still hasn’t said anything over this, not quite over his shock I suppose. “It was a necessary step to hide…Aakir at that unconventional place. We hadn’t expected to lose track of him…” she trails off, her eyes becoming rheumy again.
“I am really sorry, Jennifer,” Rufina aunt says, “But I do no
t think that you took enough good measures to look for Aakir because we had left plenty of clues with the police department regarding a lost child.”
“I don’t expect this to lead to questions regarding who Aakir’s family is.” Terry uncle says suddenly, his voice distant but very stern as he unseeingly gazes at the wall, “And this situation makes me all the more doubtful regarding how do you plan to ‘hide’ Neal.”
“I agree.” My father adds on, not looking happy with the turn of events and expressing his disappointment clearly.
Two days in a row now I am witnessing my father’s overflowing emotions. Years of his stoicism and now father seems to be radiating his vehement emotions in buckets. Specifically, his frustration and anger. If anything, it is my father’s reaction that makes me feel that the whole situation is very serious at some point. Enough serious to extract some sort of reaction from my father. If not for father’s inclination, Terry uncle’s anger would have been enough to convince me how over the brim the situation is. Terry uncle is usually a jovial guy. It takes a lot to make him express irately.
Jennifer shakes her head, exasperated. “You do not know the whole situation; don’t be judgmental about it-”
“I found,” Terry uncle interrupts, looking infuriated, his voice unforgiving, “a barely one year old, lying on dirt, his cries echoing in the woods, Jennifer. Don’t ask me to