PROLOGUE
'Did he leave again?'
'Yes, just now. He's gonna take the one o'clock bus to San Francisco.'
The old monk sighed. His young friend was slowly being consumed by this tragedy and he feared that an innocent child was going to pay for it all.
He bent head and checked on the toddler. A two-and-something-year old boy was sound asleep in his bed. The monk gently covered him with a tiny blanket. He had to repeat the action quite frequently as the little one was constantly kicking it away. The old man smiled at the head sticking out from beneath the blanket, and lovingly stroked the dark-blond hair. So far God was being very cruel to this child.
'Do you want me to stay with him, Master?'
'You have classes, young Khan, I will stay with Peter,' said the old monk, and sat by the little bed without missing the boy off his sight.
'If he cries when he wakes up, give him his teddy-bear.'
The boy pointed at a fluffy panda bear, present for the toddler from his mother.
'There are mashed potatoes…'
'Young Khan, I know.' The old man smiled. '…You like him, don't you?'
'He likes me, too.' The youth grinned with a subtle sadness in the eyes. 'We share much in common already…'
'Yes…'
'Master, what's Peter's father doing in San Francisco so often? Shouldn't he be here with him, especially now?'
'You're too young to understand the answers to the questions you ask, young man.'
'I heard rumours…'
'It is not the monks' business to gossip, and it's certainly not yours to eavesdro!'
'I'm sorry, Master.'
The teenager meant to leave but then he remembered something.
'Master… What will happen if Mr Caine doesn't... If he…'
'He will not, don't worry. Soon the temple is welcoming a very special visitor; I am certain he will be able to help.'
'I hope so.'
The teenager bowed and left. It was a form class he had to attend, so presence there was important. And he had more than half an hour walk to the temple.
XXX