Detour

I was about to go back to the way I came, up the stairs, to avoid intersecting with them but I heard voices in the library. I went in to see äke and the uncles having tea. They seemed to be reading, judging by the books on their sides but they resorted to small talk while enjoying their tea.

"Arys, son. You are welcome to join us for tea," äke acknowledged me whenI walked in.

"Did you accompany your grandparents to their room?"

I sat down on the remaining vacant couch, facing him.

"Yes äke."

"Good," he smiled at me.

"Are you settled well Uncle Ruslan? Uncle Roman?" I turned to both of the uncles to my right and to my left.

They both smiled and nodded at me.

"Your aunt Dasha was very excited about coming here. This is a very good residence," Uncle Ruslan stated.

"It was my parents who did all the hard work in here Uncle while I was on tour. I'm very grateful for them," I responded to him.

"Everything that your family has now is well deserved. You all worked hard for it."

"Allah has been gracious to us," äke put in.

I nodded in agreement.

"I'll also find myself a good book to read," I said and stood up.

"You're blest to have a son like Arystan, Aldiyar," I heard Uncle Ruslan say to äke after I disappeared behind the bookshelves.

"I'm very proud of him," I heard äke respond.

I busied myself with scanning the book shelves. I went back to my seat a few minutes later when I saw them already engrossed in their books. I picked a poetry book, one of those thin ones. Pulling out my phone, I checked for the time before opening my book.

It is only 1:45 in the afternoon. After 30 minutes or so, I can excuse myself. I didn't know why I chose to enter in this room out of all places. I'm not that fond of reading unlike äke.

The minutes ticked by slowly and I tried my best to absorb the words of the poem on the first page but my mind kept wandering to Leila and Ms. McCrae. Leila won't say anything, will she? I know her to be a person of prudence but accidents happen, a slip of tongue for instance.

Not that I'm afraid of Ms. McCrae finding out. But if she will ever find out, I prefer that she would hear it from me and at the right time. I don't want to cause unnecessary discomfort between us as we work together.

I tapped my phone again and checked the time. 2 o'clock. Fifteen more minutes to go.

I tried my best to push the thoughts of her to the back of my head and concentrate on the poetry book. It's written in English and I've never heard of the writer before. The poems are actually very good. The writer wrote nostalgic everyday scenes from his childhood and the simplicity of his young world. I finished the whole book up the very last page without meaning to. Closing the book, I looked up to äke and the uncles. They are still reading, completely engrossed.

I tapped my phone. 2:20pm.

I cleared my throat and stood up.

"I'm going back to the studio äke. I have finished my book."

Äke looked up to me and nodded.

"I'm going Uncle Ruslan, Uncle Roman."

Both of them just acknowledged me with a nod.

"By the way son, I just remembered. Rayana and the girls insisted about getting a New Year's tree. They brought decorations for it from Nursultan. Can you tell Otto for me that we need his help to the farm?"

"Alright äke. What time will you be going?"

"Around 4 o'clock maybe, if it's not too late."

"Okay. I'll inform Otto."

"Thank you son."

I returned the book on the shelf I took it from and went out of the room. I dialed Otto's number as I strode through the hallway, going towards the winding stairs. It rang and rang but no one picked up. I redialed again and at the second ring, it connected through.

"Hello Otto. Äke said that he needs you to accompany him to the farm. He wants to cut down a tree for the New Year."

"Hello Sir-"

My hand almost let go of my phone. Am I also hallucinating her voice now?

"Sir? Are you there?"

No. I'm not hallucinating.

"Yes. Why are you answering Otto's phone?"

"Otto left his phone here in the kitchen Sir. He went out for a moment. I will relay your message to him or he can call you back."

"Okay. Tha-"

"Oh wait! Just a moment Sir," I heard her take away the phone from her ear. I continued climbing up the stairs.

"Sir Arystan called Otto," I heard her say from a distance.

"Thank you Miss."

"Arystan Sir? What was it about?"

"Otto. Äke said to help him cut down a New Year's tree from the farm. Is it okay to go later at 4pm?"

"It is alright Sir. I'll get the truck ready by then. It is sometime since your father last visited the farm."

"Yeah. We'll meet you in the courtyard at 4 o'clock."

"Okay Sir."

I ended the call and continued my way up the winding stairs. I decided to take a quick nap in the studio.

A brown haired woman is waving at me, her face bright. She said something but I didn't hear her words. Then she ran... She looked back at me, laughing, and her hair is flying up with the sea breeze.

The alarm woke me up. It's 4 o'clock. I slept that long??

I scrambled to my feet. In the bathroom, I doused my face with water to wake up. Then, I took out a warm jacket and went down.

Äke and the uncles were standing on the porch, all bundled up in warm jackets and they had mittens and bonnets on. I forgot my mittens. And my bonnet. I only have the hood of my parka to cover my head. They all turned when they heard me approach.

"You are also coming son?" äke asked.

"Yes äke. It had been two weeks since I made my last visit to the farm. Ademi is missing me. I didn't know the uncles are also coming," I answered as I stood near them.

I pocketed my hands in the jacket because of the frigid cold. Today is colder than usual.

"They wanted to see the farm and I also thought it's good to show them around," äke responded.

"I was surprised to hear that Aldiyar aga purchased a farm around here. We knew nothing about the farm from when we last visited," Uncle Roman said.

Äke nodded.

"Yes. Rakhym and I decided to purchase it a few weeks after you and Aigerim came. We were exploring the vicinity then and we knew about Aamir and the farm and the difficult situation."

My head turned towards the door when I heard it open. It is Ms. McCrae.

She looked up after closing the door and her step halted when she saw the four of us. Her eyes darted to and fro to each of us, and her mouth hang slightly open.

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