3
The Big News
Ren's P.O.V.
My foot is glued to the nose of the boat as I gaze across th sea to the distant cruise ship. It grows closer every second while I don't even care if we make it back to the boat. Kelsey and I. The two meant to be.
With that thought I turn my head to look at Kelsey's sleeping figure curled in a bundle of blankets I brought in the back pack. She looks so peacful to me that I just want to scoop her up and squeeze her tight in my arms, never wanting to let go. Then I hear a foghorn blast in my ears.
I turn and see te cruise ship moving away and ye;; out, "No! No no no!" I hit the motor trying to make it go faster without damaging the thing. Then I pull on the lever that usually starts it up. It shuts down after I pull it to much and the boat slows to a stop. I curse under my breath and reach for the emergency oars.
A delicate hand touches mine before I touch them, "What's going on?"
"The cruise ship is moving away, and if we don't get there in time we might loose them again." I answer Kelsey's question. Kelsey sighs. I then grab the oars dip them in the water and row as hard as possible. The boat goes faster than I have seen any other man rowing, but that is probably because of my strength.
"The motor will be able to be turned on soon. The only reason it stopped was because you pulled it to many times. Once you're able to turn it on change it from rabbit speed to airplane speed..." Kelsey says in a matter-of-factly voice.
I give her a confused look, "How do you know that?" She just shrugs and turns towards the ship that is moviong away from us. I look back to my work then freeze, noticing something. The ship should have gained speed by now. It's like it keeps stopping and moving. We actually get a little closer and if I narrow my eyes I can see that it truely is stopping and moving. More in a jerky mannor.
"It's time." I hear Kelsey's voice behind me.
"Time for what?" I turn my head to see that Kelsey has her hand on the lever and a foot on the motor. She tugs back three times and it kick starts. The oars slip from my hands as she kneels and turns a hidden knob to airplane mode.
She sees the floating oars disappear from veiw and she points at them, "Why did you drop those? We might have needed them."
"They just got tugged from my hands in the speed. I forgot to take them out when you turned on the motor," I say sheepishly.
"Well you should have remembered," she teases. I just give a shrug and stand walking to guide the boat in the direction of the cruise ship. Now we are especailly gaining on the boat now because of its jerking stops and our airplane speed. Kelsey drops the boat back to rabbit speed meters from the boat so we don't fly past it. Before we get there the boat fully stops.
We make it to the ladder and I let Kelsey climb on first. I stay behind to tie the boat, but then my back stiffens at the sounds of yelling voices. I look up and see Kelsey has stopped at the top of the ladder staring wide eyed onto the boat, many emotions crossing her face ast once. I put the half way tied rope down gentley and quietly, then slowly creep up the ladder to Kelsey. Once I get right under her I reach up and tap her back. I point up to indicate to get on so I can see what's happening. Nodding, she climbs up and steps on silently.
As I get to the top I can indicate that the voices are Kishan's outraged scream and Kadam's calm but slightly raised voice. I peek over the side and see my brther's flailing arms, high in the air.
"I can't go back!" Kishan screams at Kadam, "Not what after you told me!" His voice lowers, "And not after what happened to her."
"You have a quest to end Kishan!" Kadam's voice raises higher, "Once you get the last peice you are free to go anywhere you like!" Kadam's eyes are blazing with pity and annoyance but then then shifts after he notices Kelsey's appearance. At that moment I jump on and walk up behind her, letting every footstep of mine be heard.
I see Kishan stiffen and turn slowly, "I'll be leaving Anik," He says in a low voice putting emphasis on Kadam's first name to show he is talking to only him. Kelsey looks at him in dismay and opens her mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Kishan jerks forward and disapears to the boats garage. A few moments of silence later a motorcycle engine starts and slowly drips away as it gets farther away.
Kadam walks up to Kelsey and whispers in her ear. I can hear some what sounds like 'He knows'. I walk up and grab Kadam's arm.
"Who knows what?" I demand.
"Kishan knows Kelsey has choosen you for her to be with," he says with no emotion to express.
"How did you even know?" I say more gentley.
"The amulet." Kadam says as if I should know.
"The amulet showed you?" I stiffen at the guess and think, What elsehas he seen?
"Yes it has but only up to where she chose you, then we appeared back where it wanted us to appear," he spreads his hands out, "Here."
"Us?" is all I have to ask.
"Yes the amulet froxe me and Nilma since I was touching her."
"Oh, well did Nilma see the scene, too?" This time it was Kelsey who asked, shifting from foot to foot in an uncomfortable looking stance.
Kadam nods and says, "You need rest Miss Kelsey this ship is exactly the same as our old one we have another journey to go on. I might have a book that explains our next place to go." On cue I wrap my arm around Kelsey's waist and lead her to the bedroom she origanally had. I slip my arm from her and open the door for her.
"Here you go rajukamari," I say smiling as I open it. She smiles back and pulls her hair over her ear.
"Do you need me to read Romeo and Juliet to you my white tiger?" she says not so much as a rehitorcical question but more a real one.
I give a half smile that I know she loves, "We need to rest but I can do for a story. Call me in from next door when your done chsnging into pajamas."
"Of course." Sh eleans in and gives me a light teasing kiss and closes the door in front of me. I walk to my room next to her's and walk into a familiar surrounding that makes me almost loose my whole stomach.
The thought of my stomach leads to the thought of my growing hunger. I walk out and as if on cue I see my back pack in front me with Kadam holding it.
"Thank you," I say then ask, "Did you tie the boat?"
"Yes I did and for some reason the oars are missing..." Kadam trails off then walks off after grunting his welcome. I rush back into my room and dig for the Golden Fruit. I ask for pancakes and a side of peanut butter ice cream. For a touch I also ask for peaches and cream ice cream to show off to Kelsey.I swallow down the pancakes and peanut butter ice cream and rush to the connecting doors that i heard a triple knock from Kelsey on the other side.
I swing it open and as if it were to supposed to happen my body suddenly transforms into that white tiger that has been a human for eighteen hours. Kelsey smiles like she thought i did that on purpose, but I give her a rub with my massive body to see if she understands that I didn't do it on porpuse. I can't see her face when she turns to grab a book that smells as if its been sitting on a shelf for weeks on end. Hopping onto the bed and patting next to her, Kelsey automatically opens the book.
"These are memorable quotes by William Shakespeare, Ren" Kelsey says then starts to read. I put my head down on her lap and close my eyes listening to every word from her mouth as I possibley can, "Romeo: Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like a thorn.
"Mercutio: If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking and you beat love down.
"Here is when Juliet dies,Ren," Kelsey says in a sad riden voice, " Juliet: And when I shall die, take him up in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will fall in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun..." Kelsey's words drift into my head and I fall into a light sleep. I can hear her every word, but it doesn't translate in my head with my deep sleep overpowering the talk.
It now has been three weeks, and not a look from Kishan, not even a glance. Whenever I'm around he gets tense and scared and I can see him only glance at Kelsey. Whenever I glance at her with him I see she has been eating a lot more with a slight bulge to her stomach.
I call Kelsey over one evening, "Kelsey will you come here please."
She walks over with a confuse expression on her face, "What is it?"
"Do you know why Kishan is acting so weird?" I don't lower my voice because I know he is out for a bike ride.
"I think you should know Ren." She says letting her eye have close and a slight bob to her head.
I sigh, "Just need something to talk about..." Then I build up enough courage to ask, "Have you been eating more?" I gaze at the bulge in her stomach that has been growing a little larger every couple of days.
She looks down with me, "I've noticed that, too." she says with a slight sigh edging her voice, "I can't help but eat more, I've been so hungry. Can I take the new Volvo that I found in the garage somewhere to grab a quick something?"
"What Volvo?" I don't bother mentioning the Golden Fruit.
"The black one in the garage..."
"Black huh?" I give a certain edge to my voice that makes Kelsey realize.
"Oh... Then can I take the Jeep?"
"I don't know lets go ask Mr. Kadam."
Kelsey ends up going off alone because Kadam asked me to stay behind and help with the ship, but it seems like there is something else for him to speak with me about.
Kelsey comes back with a small bag of something saying she has been having to go to the bathroom all day. I didn't hear a word from Kadam while we were cleaning the ship with Nilma so that suspicious question passed by... but a new question forms in my mind. What was in that bag?
Kelsey walks out with an expression of shock, happiness and confusion, "I have news," she says in an awkward voice, "But I need everyone to be here..." She hints that Kishan needs to join.
I sigh, "I'll go get him. He came back a while before you did." I walk to Kishan's closed door and knock lightly.
"Go away." My brother's groan rings through the door.
"Sorry not going anywhere until you come out and have a chat with us." I say sternly. An annoyed groan rings through again, and loud footsteps stomp to the door. Kishan's dark peers through the crack he just made in the door. I turn and walk, expecting him to follow. We sit at the kitchen table, Kishan seprate from all of us.
"First, before i share my news, I have a word to Kishan." Kishan tenses at Kelsey's words and doesn't look directly at her, making a growl catch in my throat for his rudeness.
"You need to know that I still love you... But I can't... I just can't..." She doesn't say the rest and shows a nice save of not crying.
She's oddly being emotional... I think to myself.
She stops choking up and puts a serious face back on quickly getting to the most shocking news of my life...
"I'm having a baby!" She announces. asps from Kadam, Nilma, and I fill the room , and Kishan falls from his chair in shock. Kelsey doesn't show any sign of movement or emotion and just sits there calmly.
Kishan curses loudly almost flipping the table over from anger, "How? How could you do this to me?"
I stand quickly yelling, "Don't blame Kelsey for your mourning!"
"Well she broke my heart!" He screams not even talking to Kelsey, but me. Kelsey sits behind me, but I can feel the vibrations off her trembling body.
"Just get out of her Kishan!" I yell getting out of Kelsey's way so she can stand.
Kishan lets his voice down to a cracking hurt noise, "I loved you Kelsey, but I guess this means goodbye." and with those final words Kishan ran off.