The long-awaited day arrived, and now Rasya and Shona were in the car together with Sanjaya, who decided to take a day off, taking Shona and Rasya camping.
"Are you sure there's nothing left?" asked Sanjaya before fastening his seat belt and looking at Shona and Rasya.
"Everything is complete, Papa." Answered Rasya, who got a nod and a big smile—which always adorned Shona's lips.
"Okay, then let's go now," said Sanjaya, fastening his seat belt, followed by Rasya.
Sanjaya is now driving his car; beside him, Rasya seems silent, while Shona behind can occasionally be heard chattering about how the atmosphere in Central Park will be. This was Shona's first time camping in Manhattan.
" Have you told Hema, Acha?" asked Shona, who was eating her kimbap. Rasya just nodded slowly while plugging in one of her AirPods. At the same time, her hands were good at playing cellphones and Chinese music while enjoying the kimbap Sanjaya had given her before leaving. For some reason, the song she heard reminded Rasya of her childhood when her mother often brought her to work because she has not found a babysitter before getting to know Sanjaya.
"Don't let her be late. She likes to forget important things. Like on the Olympics day, he was almost disqualified for being late." Rasya said.
"But it looks like she won't be late this time, Sena said if the patrol group she has arranged," Shona said.
Rasya turned to the back seat; her honey eyes blinked slightly at her cousin.
"She's arranged it well, hasn't she?" asked Rasya, making Shona nod.
Her cheeks were slightly puffy from just biting the kimbap.
"Ah, thank goodness. Then what about us? We'll be in the same group as Hema too?"
Shona didn't answer right away this time, chewing and swallowing her kimbap before finally answering, "I think so," said Shona.
Rasya nodded slowly.
"What's this? You guys were talking about the group the whole time." Sanjaya, silent for a while listening to Rasya and Shona's conversation, now spoke up.
"Hema wants to be in a group with someone, Papa. That's why Sho-chan asked Sena, and she is the one in charge of the camp event this time. She is also the one who divides the group," said Rasya, now turning to Sanjaya.
"Hema wants to team up with someone? And doesn't want to be in your group?"
"No. Of course, the three of us will be in groups. It's just a matter of adding the people Hema wants, you know, um....her crush," Shona replied.
Rasya rolled her eyes in disgust, looking at Shona lazily. Her cousin was too outspoken. She was always talking about things that shouldn't be talked about.
"Her crush? Hema likes someone?" Sanjaya asked now in a slightly curious tone.
Shona just smiled when she saw Rasya looking at her with annoyance. Abysmal, there's no point in hiding it anymore. After all, Shona would say anything to Sanjaya, even if not at this time.
"Yes, and I think Papa knows his parents. He is the son of detective Prabu," said Rasya, casually picking up her cellphone again, playing a game of who knows what.
Sanjaya nodded slowly. Of course, Sanjaya knew the police station was not far from his restaurant. Not infrequently, the detective also stopped by his restaurant for lunch. And it seems that Sanjaya had known detective Prabu for a long time because Prabu had also worked in the police when Sanjaya had just opened his restaurant.
"Gosh, I'm so hesitant to allow you to camp this time," said Sanjaya.
"Why?" Rasya and Shona compactly said so.
"Hema likes someone, and Sho-chan also likes someone. Rasya, you can only date when you are 40 years old! And Sho-chan, you can't date before your father knows who you like. That means you can date if your boyfriend met your father in Japan!" said Sanjaya.
"Oh, Papa, we're seventeen!"
"You're both still babies!"
***
"Drinking bottles?"
"Check."
"Multipurpose knife?"
"Check."
"Check."
"Anti-mosquito lotion?"
"Check."
"Rope?"
"Check."
"Honey, you've checked their gear almost six times. Don't you feel sorry for Sadewa? He's bored." Prabu commented, looking at Tania, who was holding a small notebook; on the other side, Sadewa checked things again. Nakula? Tired of Tania constantly checking their equipment. This is already the sixth time, for Gods sake! Nakula played games on his phone while leaning on the sofa beside Prabu.
"I just don't want them to miss anything, honey," Tania replied, then looked at Sadewa. "Are you bored, Sadewa?"
Sadewa blinked. "Uh..."
"See, right? He is bored, and I think Sadewa has memorized all the equipment by heart because he is constantly being checked. Give him some mercy, baby," Prabu smiled at Tania understandingly.
Tania sighed. "Fine."
"I...I just..." Tania muttered. Prabu's gaze softened and patted the spot between him and Nakula. Tania then moved and placed her head on Prabu's chest.
"I'm just... my babies are going camping, and I keep feeling anxious..." Tania breathed heavily. Prabu still smiled and gently stroked the top of Tania's head.
"Honey, they're seventeen."
"I know—"
"And this isn't the first time they've been camping."
"I know that too. But I still can't be worried. I mean, it's the wilderness—"
"Honey, it's just Central Park," muttered Prabu, amused.
"—and I'm afraid something bad will happen there. I... I have this feeling in my chest," Tania held her chest and sighed. "You don't have to go," Tania pulled Nakula beside her and Sadewa—who had moved to Nakula's side—and hugged them tightly.
"Honey, they can't breathe."
Tania glared at Prabu and still hugged her two sons, who were almost outgrowth themselves. The twins returned Tania's hug a little awkwardly.
"I'd rather face my sons going to a party and getting drunk than letting them out into the wild like this,"
"Please don't make me imagine the two of them at a midnight party, drunk, making such a fuss that the neighbors have to call us the police," Prabu closed his eyes and shook his head to erase the image of Sadewa and Nakula in a house, partying and drunk. Gosh, just by imagining it, he almost had a heart attack. (Well, Prabu didn't know).
"After all, it's only Central Park, dear. In the middle of the city, not in a remote forest or outside the city. Tania has always been overprotective of the twins. They also only go until the weekend," Prabu rubbed Tania's shoulders, trying to make her think rationally.
"Nonetheless!" Tania replied, not wanting to lose. Tania knew she was exaggerating, but her instincts made her unable to think straight. She was afraid that something would happen to her sons.
"Honey, can't you see how excited they are? They're not kids anymore. They're teenagers and about to grow up. They can handle their problems," Prabu said softly. Tania scowled and then looked at her two sons, who looked back at her. Tania sighed.
"Okay. But if something happens to them, you will suffer the consequences," Tania pointed at Prabu. Prabu chuckled and winked at his twin sons.
"It's just Central Park. What could've go wrong?"