47 ReUnion

Ah, it's going to rain today.\\

That is what I thought as I stood in Priscilla's personal jet. It started right after I tucked my wife away to sleep. She had one too many drinks to soothe out the pain pouring out of her. not to mention I spent the remaining duration of the flight on a bar stool. Priscilla did not lock her bedroom, but I was not going to share space with her. and the couch where Kyo slept was not big enough for both of us. Thus, I was left with no other choice but to stick my butt on the steel stool, sipping on Japanese sake for the next six hours. It was not easy to put the glass down when the warm liquor calms you more than your own existence. And if I seem a little chipper, there were two reasons behind it.

Not much had changed when we landed on Vancouver International Airport. Priscilla was still cold and reserved, and Kyo was still distant. She was also not completely sober, so she was less restrictive of my support. Me and Priscilla offered our shoulders so that she doesn't trip over. We walked like this until we were in the waiting area. Our rapper made a couple of calls and when she was done, ordered me to go outside and wait for a blue SUV. I obliged and left Kyo in her care.

It was cold the day we landed. Of course, it was. It was December. The roads were wet with icy rain, with a little hail dropping down on the land here and there. The crowd outside was full of people departing and arriving. The apparent glee as boys and girls hugged their friends and subtle silence of gloom on the parents' face as their children departed was apparent. That is what human beings are. And the two places where emotions flood were airports and places of worship. I had realized that. Christians in their churches, Hindus in their temples, Sikhs in their Gurudwaras and Muslims in their Mosques, praying to a higher entity for peace, love and desires. They were all the same. The guy who crossed me with the Bible in his hand. The Sikh girl decorated with her jewelry. The elderly Muslim man with long beard. The Hindu bride with red bangles on her arms. All of them walking over this earth, making up a society, playing their part skilfully.

And then it was me, who was disgusted with all of them. The anger that spat out of me for justifying myself, as I ran past all these people that night. That night, when the unthinkable did happen.

"Would this world forgive us, Gian?", I had asked.

"There is no place for us, no place for love. Not exactly for us. But when acceptance is not enough to justify your choices, courage is the next best thing", She had replied.

That made me smile that day. And that is the policy I lived my life with. Nobody would accept me for what I had become, but I didn't need that from the crowd. I had my courage.

I did the right thing, right?

I was lost in my thoughts when I spotted a blue SUV across the road. The driver, Harman, was looking around frantically. I waved my hand in her direction until our eyes met. She gave me a knowing smile and killed the engine. I took out my cellphone and called Priscila. She told me to wait as they were on their way. She hung up and I waited for them in the shade. I glanced at my wallpaper for a moment before I decided to put it back. Kyo in kitchen, wearing her favorite red polka dot skirt and a light blue apron. She had a ladle in her hand and struck a cute pose when she saw me capturing her picture. Her smile was so innocent. Those sharp eyes and her small nose were carefree.

I reminisced at our happier times and saw my cellphone screen go dark. I breathed heavy and pushedt it in my pocket. It was that when it struck me. I should call them. I hadn't seen them in so long. And it would be so much more appropriate for them to be a part of what I was going to do. Who I was going to meet? So, I took my phone out and dialled his number.

"Hey, what are you doing? Listen, I am in Canada. I am here to meet Gian. I really want you to be here. Yes, him too. When can you come to Vancouver? Okay. I'll call you once I have all the details. Thanks."

It was a brief chat, but I had told him enough to book the next flight. I let out another sigh before walking up to our ride.

We had just passed one traffic light, and we were already stuck in the traffic. For a downpour, the town was lively. The day was still in its third quarter, but it was already pitch-black outside. The brightly lit stores and tall buildings assorted the black sky with million lights. The soft music that played over the radio perfectly embodied the slow pace this world was moving at. I was relieved it was taking a little more time to reach our destination. The desire to spend just another second away from her was high.

Harman was driving us to our hotel and Priscilla was sitting next to her, rolling a blunt. That is the first thing Harman handed to her when she sat next to her. Since marijuana was legal in this country, Priscilla pulled all the stops and dived headfirst in the new territory of high. I felt sort of uneasy when I saw her rolling a blunt. If it was me, Priscilla would have never gotten her hands on weed, I had thought. But I had no power to voice my opinion. I was not that person anymore.

Next to me, Kyo was sound asleep. She had decided to reject my shoulder to sleep on, but she was not in control as soon as she slipped into deep sleep. She had folded her legs and rested her head in my lap, lying down on the seat of the car. I brushed her hair off her face. The soft skin on her cheeks made my heart weak. She didn't resist me on that front.

"So, Mad, where are we going? And who are we meeting?" Priscilla asked as she rolled down the window and lit her blunt.

"Her name is Gian. Gian-Expy", I replied.

"The fuck kind of name is Expy? Are you messing with me?"

"What kind of question is that? what would I gain from lying about her name?"

"I mean, you have a knack of messing with people. That is what you did to me and Brad didn't you?"

I remained silent. The rest of the ride was silent as well. Why did I expect Priscilla to grow up? And how did I mistake her to give me a little bit of respect?

After a thirty minutes of car ride we reached our place of stay. The Hall of Gods, one of the most expensive and luxurious hotels in the world. It was not the first time I had spent a night in The Hall, but the eighty-floor behemoth of the building never seized to amaze me. I slowly rubbed Kyo's shoulder and she opened her eyes. We all exited the car and Harman handed us our room keys. Three rooms on the same floor. something told me Kyo would not be too keen to spend the night with me. Surprisingly, she didn't say anything about it. We made our way to the lift and pressed our button.

77

"Sorry P.A., I couldn't get the top floor for us because they were already booked." Harman told Priscilla.

Priscilla shrugged it off and looked at me. There was no anger or disgust in her eyes. There was nothing. As if she had lost all hope or interest.

"Where is this Expy woman? Does she live in Vancouver?"

I caught the slipping Kyo and tightened the grip on her arms. The last thing I wanted was to injure my wife.

"I don't think so. I will have all the details by the morning. I'll let you know."

"I'm not too keen on meeting her. But I am only asking because its good to have some pretext."

Priscilla looked away, signalling she was done speaking.

"thank you."

"Hmm?" Priscilla looked at me once more, as I said it once more," Thank you. For everything. For everything you have done for me and Kyo. After all of the things I have dragged you. I'm sorry."

Priscilla put her hands in her pocket and took out a pair of keys. She let them jingle couple of times in her hand and showed them to me. I still remembered the key chain on it.

"I still have the house you gave me. I have taken a good care of it. I don't need it anymore. So, take this key and make a good future for Kiyomi."

My heart swelled up. I couldn't say a word. The same keychain that I left it with was still attached to it. The first album cover of Priscilla came with merchandise, one of them being a keychain. And the one hanging with the key to our San Francisco house was the first one ever made. And it was still intact. I extended my trembling arm and grabbed the key. The cold metal touched the palm of my hand and heated the core of my being. Who was this woman standing in front of me? Who was she anymore?

The lift made a *ding* noise and the doors opened, revealing a brightly lit corridor. Priscilla and Harman exited, while I picked up Kyo in my arms and followed. By the time I reached our room, they were already gone to their respective rooms. I entered the room and opened our luggage to look for a change of clothes. I wondered how our luggage came before us, but I didn't question the abilities of The Hall's staff. I helped Kyo out of her clothes and slipped her into her pyjamas. She insisted to wear the shirt herself but threw it on the floor and went to the bed topless.

I tucked her once more, this time on a proper king-sized bed and proceeded to strip myself. After a quick wash of my face, I went to the bar and poured myself a drink.

It was the time to make the call.

I sat on the couch and heard the phone connecting my call. It was only eleven in night. She must be awake.

"Hello?" I heard a tired voice from the other side.

"H-Hello?" Don't Stumble! I told myself.

"Hello, House speaking. Who is this?" I heard the woman on the other side once more.

With a broken voice and a throat swollen with a million emotions, I replied," Hey, you're House. And so am I. isn't it a coincidence?"

"Bunny? Is that you?"

Tears trickled down my eyes. It had been so long I had heard that name. I tried to keep my voice down so as not to wake up Kyo, but the emotions welling up in my heart were too overwhelming.

"Hello? Bunny? Are you okay? Where are you?"

"Hey auntie. I am in Canada. I am back."

"Oh my god Bunny. Please come to me. It had been years I have seen you. Please, come to me my girl."

I couldn't control myself and cried as soon she wanted me to come to her.

"Bunny, please stop crying baby. Come to me okay. Auntie will protect me."

"I'm coming to you, Gian. I'm coming back. I just don't know where you are."

"I will text you my address. Just tell me when you are coming. I'll cook something special for my baby."

"Soon," I said in between my sobbing. "Soon."

"Yes. Thank you, lord. Thank you."

I hung up on her and sat there on the couch, sobbing to myself.

I had forgotten how it meant to be wanted.

I cried and cried. And cried.

And then I fell asleep.