"Hello?, Tanvi where are you? Why haven't you returned from your friend's house? It's been so long since you left… come back, I can't handle the silence anymore."
Archie couldn't help the pain that stung in her chest and definitely not the tears which came running down, unwelcomed. She takes the phone from Augustin and walks to the distance.
"Father, it's me, Architha."
A long pause occurred. Neither Raj nor Archie spoke.
"Architha… Where are you?"
…
She turns to look at Augustin who stood behind her.
"Topeka, Kansas" Augustin whispers
"We-I'm at Topeka, Kansas."
"Kansas?... What are you doing so far away?"
"Actually father, I'm only halfway through my journey. My destination is San Diego."
After another long pause
"… How is Augustin"
Archie and Augustin freeze in shock.
"I swear I covered the cameras." Augustin whispers.
"Oh, he is great. Want me to give it him?"
"That would be ideal."
Archie hands the phone to Augustin and gestures him to answer it although he leans back, thinking of how abused his ears are going to be. He finally agrees after struggling with Archie for a minute or so.
"G-Good afternoon, Mr Krishna."
"Is the speaker on loud?"
"Yes sir, would you like me to turn it off?"
"You read my mind."
He takes one look at Archie standing patiently beside him before turning off the loud speaker and bring the phone close to his ears.
Archie observes Augustin's face very carefully, leaning closer to take a better look as she could not make out any expressions. Just plain eye twitching.
After about 10-15 minutes as Archie still tries to make a meaning out of his facial expressions, Augustin slowly brings the phone back down and looks at the blank screen, just the time which said 3:15 pm.
Without uttering another word, he walks steadily to the jeep and makes his way in. Archie follows his direction and accompanies him in the passenger seat.
"What did he say, Augustin."
"Trust me, Archie… You don't wanna know."
~
They were now 10 hours into their journey. Passing in between a mountain range, surrounded by pine trees, Archie asks Augustin,
"Where are your parents? You never told me anything about them."
Augustin keeps a straight face, focusing on the magnificent road ahead of him.
He lets a few moments pass before sighing and answering
"My dad was a drunkard, who my mother later divorced. I can hardly remember his face if I tried hard enough. My mother despised me after a few years of their separation. She never took the time to look after my sister or I although after she remarried, my stepdad almost always verbally abused me and once I turned 16, I realised I couldn't take it anymore… Actually this journey that we are taking right now, it reminds me of the trip I took that day."
Archie was speechless. Now that they had shared every bit of their lives, including their past, you could almost feel their relationship strengthening. Now she had a vision of the man named Augustin… But somewhere, the figure in her mind had no soul. Why was this, Archie thought before realising that she never asked for his age, and he never initiated to tell her either.
"How old are you?"
"Turned 17 in August."
Archie turned herself completely to face him. Her expression almost in disgust.
"Are you really only 17?"
Augustin was a very built young man. His face cut gave off an old Bollywood actor vibe. He was nearly 6 feet, had sharp facial features, ocean blue eyes and soft chestnut coloured hair.
"Yes. Just 17. How old are you?"
"I turned 17 on April."
"You're elder than me!"
"Whoa… Who gave you a licence?"
"None in particular" Augustin says, smirking.
Archie gulps in sudden realisation. She double checks to see if she was wearing her seatbelt and tightened the buckle while she was at it.
~
The two continue to laugh and enjoy themselves for another 3 hours before reaching a petrol station. It was 7:15 pm by then. The sky was dark and cold breezes sneaked their way in through the windows of the vehicle.
Archie sat in the car with her foot on the board of the jeep, relaxing. As Augustin went into the 7/11 to pay, she couldn't help but wonder of her satisfaction at that very moment. What more did she want? A best friend who she is now travelling with to the other side of the US, in good terms with her father who she ran away from, and the glorious feeling of finally experiencing independence at 17, dreaming of her future as a lawyer. It was too much. God was with her. If she was India, this day would have been August 15th.
~
Back at the mansion, Tanvi and Raj were sitting at the dining table eating dinner.
Tanvi was unaware that Raj had made a phone call to Archie and that they had discussed her whereabouts. She was also unaware that Augustin was with her…
"Where is your phone, Tanvi?"
"Archie took it away from me before leaving. I think she may have brought it with her."
"Good."
Tanvi slowly looks up from her plate, questioningly looking at Raj.
Raj turns to the chef and gestures him to leave, which he did shortly after.
"I called to your phone when you left to your friend's house… without telling me. We'll discuss that later but like I said, when I did, Archie answered the phone."
"What! What did she say?"
"When I asked for her location, she said Kansas."
"Kansas? What? How? Why?"
Raj scrunches his eyebrows as if he was trying to recollect something from the back of his mind. He gently smacks the back of his head and closes his eyes like he usually does when trying desperately to remember something.
"Topeka! yes. She said she was in Topeka."
"But…"
"But nothing. She only stops at San Diego. Augustin is with her. That's how she made it there without difficulty."
"…Augustin? Who is that?"
"The new worker."
Tanvi closes her eyes and grits her teeth in disappointment
"Of course. I knew he was up to something."
"At least she doesn't hate me Tanvitha. I would expect that from her for all I did."
"You did nothing, father. We couldn't risk being blind to what the Pujari { A pujari or archaka is a Hindu temple priest. They are responsible for performing temple rituals, including (pūjā) and aarti.} said.
"She's gone now. Nothing more to do."
After a pause, Tanvi looked back up at him.
"What if she-"
"No. she will not. I will pray that she finds a Hindu. I will not let her suffer like her mother."
Tanvi notices the atmosphere becoming tense but she was impatient to know what else Archie was up to.
"What did Augustin say?"
Raja's stone cold face slowly turns pleasant.
"I gave him the lecture of a life time. I can't guarantee the damage it did to his ears."
The two start laughing. It was the first time since Archie left that the mansion had heard laughter. The workers even heard from rooms away as it melted their heart and gave their job some life.
Later that night, Tanvi was in the prayer room. She looked slowly around at all the portraits of Krishna and Shiva. Her heart felt prayers for her little sister's safety made their way through the window, and up to the sky which shimmered like glitter from the stars which were sprinkled carelessly by the creator himself.