52 Three-In-One (2/2)

”..ny! ..unny!! Bunny!!!”

I looked up to see at Gian softly smiling at me.

”Yeah? Sorry. I am a little tired. Maybe we should catch some sleep.”

”Uh, before that. If you don't mind, can I talk to you? More specifically to pretty Kiyomi here. This is her first time coming to the family house. I want to know all about her.”

Kyo smiled at Gian, and turned her head towards me, as if asking for permission.

I sighed softly and replied,” Yeah sure. Talk among you guys all you want. Now if you don't mind, I would much rather go to bed than crash and burn at the dinner table.

As I stood up once again, Gian put up her hand. Her hand was old and veins were visible even in the dim light.

”If-if you don't mind. Can I fill my darling with some details about you? Like, how I see my Bunny to her?”

I rubbed my eyes before I said,” I have told her everything-”

”-But, you never know when you are missing some details.” Kyo interjected. ”Tell me everything about her.” I could see her eyes glimmer even though I didn't look at them.

I made my way towards my bedroom for the third time before I heard Gian say,” I will tell you how we found our little girl in that hell.”

I stopped in my tracks. The worst nightmare just knocked on my door. And I'm not even present to knock it down.

Giving it a second thought, maybe it was the perfect scenario. She could tell Kyo the first part of the story. And I could give a smoother explanation over the rest of the details.

Without turning around I said,”Yeah. Do that. But please stay in Nepal, Gian. I want to tell the other half of my life myself.”

Both the ladies sitting at the table gave a silent nod at my statement. Not that I could see their agreement.

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We gave a nod to Bunny's statement and watched her leave the room. once we heard her footsteps fading away from us, I turned my attention back to Madonna's wife.

I took her hands into mine. The soft bright skin felt cute in my aged palms. Her long nails pricked my skin as I continued to rub her hands. She really was pretty.

”You are not sleepy, are you, darling?” I asked.

She gave me a soft nod.

I made myself comfortable on the chair and lost myself in the land of reminiscence.

I could still remember the day we came to Nepal.

That day.

Coming from bustling, clean and skyscraper laden New York to the dusty, uneven road and busy market of Kathmandu. I was accompanied with my husband, dressed in gray three-piece. His alligator shoes were getting covered with dust with every step he took in the street. Me, on the other hand, wore a black jumpsuit. The big glasses on my face protected my eyes from the flying dirt. The motorbikes buzzing past us was not making any easier for us. My husband had a hat on his head. Typical. He would much rather protect his hair than his face.

Two burly local men followed us in all black. The two individuals in light blue walking in front of us were our escorts. In formal uniform, with a firearm at their waist. They were talking to their office, the police station, where my niece was locked up.

Locked up for an accessory for murder.

After a couple of turns we saw the small police station. My heart started thumping as we limited the distance between us and the building. Right before I took steps that would lead us into the station, I grabbed my husband's arm and stopped in the way.

”I-I'm not ready, Shin.”

”What are you talking about, Gian. You want to wait another seven years to meet Maddy?”

”No,” I said with a heavy breath. I grabbed Shin's arm strongly and made my way into the station.

The first thing we saw were the tables and officers sitting across them. On the right were offices for more senior officers. On the right was the jail cell. And in the cell were seven individuals.

A drunk. A thief. A runaway boy. And in the corner were two other boys. In the middle of them sat a girl. With her face in her knees, she seemed unharmed. The boys around her had visible bruises of a beatdown. Something told me the perpetrators of that were sitting in the uniform in front of us.

One of the cops took his wooden stick and rattled over the iron bars to awaken the company of three.

”Hey, hoodrats. Your bail is done. Get up.”

The three young individuals stood up in front of him. The boys continued to look in the cop's eyes, who was snarking at them. The girl in the middle had her eyes down. But I saw her lifting her eyes and looking around. Once she noticed me and my husband, she seemed shocked. Enamoured. She looked at the two individuals clearly out of their environment. I looked at the young girl in the place she didn't belong.

I had found her.

After seven long years. I had found her.