Delhi,
Anastasia enters the apartment silently only to find the kids asleep. She kisses them goodnight and gets ready for bed. She dials Jonathan's number on her phone but hesitates to press call. She deletes it and rests the phone on her bedside stool then she turns to sleep.
***
"Buddy you are getting wasted." A man seated close to Jonathan at a bar pulls the drink away from him and Jonathan looks up and laughs.
"Let us assume that me getting drunk is any of your business. Are you paying for it?" Jonathan pulls the cup from the man.
"Don't do that. I'm not paying but I'm definitely not carrying you from here. I'm out man." He stands to walk out.
"Don't you walk out on me. Don't… d…" the man exits the bar, Jonathan shrugs and continues to drink.
***
"Hey" Anastasia taps Gabrielle on the shoulder and she opens her eyes slightly. "You have to wake up, we are leaving."
"To New York already?" she says all sleepy.
"No baby, we need to find a place close to Dumraon. I don't want to leave you so far anymore."
They drag their bags and walk into the sun that had just began to rise.
"How was it mama?" mac breaks the silence.
"Quite impressive actually. They have a prince." She says not turning back.
"Seriously? A real prince? And a queen?" Elle is suddenly interested in the story.
"Yes… impressive, right?" Anastasia is trying to keep the walking interesting.
"Is it Queen Elizabeth?" mac asks loud in excitement.
"no." Anastasia chuckles.
"Queen Elizabeth is queen of England you fool." Elle laughs out loud.
"I didn't really catch her name but the prince is Madhav." Keeping the conversation going with her kids is a way of Anastasia to keep her cool and bond with the kids as she lets them in on her experiences.
"Madhav mmh… you like him?" Elle raises her eyebrows at her mother.
"What? No! He is way younger. Don't think I've forgotten you called your brother a fool." They could see the bus station in a distance.
"Tsk, mom." Elle tries to protest.
"no… no, no… you…" before she could finish her statement, a white benz pulls up right where they were and a lady pops her head out.
"Mrs Jones is that you? "The lady says.
"Samantha. Right?" Anastasia answers.
"Of course, from work. You remember me! So where are you and your gorgeous kids headed?" she's bubbly.
"A place close to Dumraon. You know any good place?" Anastasia asks the lady.
"Yes yes…" she unlocks the doors. "I'm headed that way. Hop on."
The kids look at Anastasia who gives an okay and they hop on the back seats while Anastasia rides at the front.
"a whole delegate from one of the biggest institutes, New York, walking? Why didn't you order a car from the Indian institute?" the throws a quick glance to check her reaction.
"Uuh, my kids and I love to be comfortable on our feet." She smiles and turns to look at the kids who pretends to smile back. "Besides, I did not want to bother them. So, where are you heading, miss Samantha?"
"Call me Sam. I'm going to the royal school. I need to meet up with Madhav and take a few notes in before sir gets here on Tuesday. There's a place, Patna. It's along on our way. There are good hotels and apartments. Not good as in Delhi but good enough, simple and beautiful." She takes glances on the middle mirror. "Kids, you need to buckle up. It's going to be a bumpy ride." She smiles.
The roads were heathen, rough and dusty. The kids kept themselves busy playing rock paper scissors.
"here." Samantha says as she steps out and spreads her arms. "Isn't this place beautiful?"
The kids scramble out of the Benz and run towards a hotel with a flower frame board at the entrance. 'CHAMKVA HOTEL', most of it scribbled in Hindi.
"Hey Chris, hey Rachel…" Samantha greets the people standing at the entrance. Anastasia enters later and on seeing Madhav from a distance, she follows to where her kids are. The kids seemed to have bonded with one tall lady in the coffee shop. Samantha was in the lobby still wandering for some accommodation.
"mom." Elle calls Ana to attention when she draws closer. "She's Riya. Isn't she pretty?"
"And tall too." Mac adds. "Do you play basketball? Tall people back at my place New York play basketball." He says turning to face her.
Riya shyly looks away.
"They sing too." Elle adds and smiles. Riya's eyes brighten
"I'm sorry. My kids. My kids love to talk." Ana lets out an awkward giggle. She smiles and looks at her kids. "So…" they follow her.
"wait." Riya spoke for the first time since Ana arrived. "I'm a great fan of New York. You maybe mind if I have your number?" Riya Somani had an unusual height for an Asian girl. Her face betrays her excitement on New York.
"Mmmh," Anastasia smiles and digs her handbag then hands Riya a business card with her number on it.
"The second is my private number."
"I'm Riya. Riya Somani." She squats to talk to the kids. "Thank you Elle and mac" she smiles again sheepishly. "When I'm done, may I like see you in your apartment? I mean if it's not too much."
"Yes, yes, yes." Mac and Elle both shout. They look up to their mom for confirmation.
"Okay," Anastasia answers and smiles.
"yeeeei." They jump and hug Ana.
"Anastasia…" she extends her hand to meet Riya's. "Jones." They shake hands. "But we will need to find one first."
"No problem" Riya says as she hands Anastasia a business card. "Call that number. He will help." Ana nods and turns to leave. Riya goes to her seat. As they walk out, Samantha, Rachel and Chris enter the hotels coffee shop.
"Mama, this house is so pretty. I cannot wait to see around." Elle was happy dancing already. She runs to the balcony. "Mac, over here."
The view over the balcony of a shore was fascinating. Ana was focused on checking what was or was not available in the apartment.
Jonathan is busy with his daily partying. This time he has made the house a party Dom. Everything is everywhere, people smoking pot and rolling marijuana. Anna's name shows up when he gets his phone out of his pocket courtesy of the buzzing that kept interfering. He pushes a girl he held and presses answer.
"It's one week already Anastasia. Where the hell are you? I'm sick of dirty laundry and online food!"
"Well you didn't call to ask so I called to let you…" Ana pauses when she hears female chuckling. "Jonathan… are those… never mind. I'll be here much longer." She cuts the communication and gets rid of her phone by throwing it on the sofa.
"Anastasia! Did she just hang up on me? Whatever." He places his phone on the table and lies back. The girls are all over him once more. Moaning in his ears as he lets out deep breaths. He reaches for a blunt and lights it then puffs out smoke in one of their mouths.