Seeing him at a loss of words, Sam remained silent for letting him digest what he heard. After sometime when he noticed the relaxed facial muscles of Joe's face and he asked, "Are you getting irritated by her questions?"
"Of course not! The more I know about my little sister, the more I hate my father."
Sam knew well what he meant. If it wasn't because of his father, she would have grown up in the capital with him.
But what he thought was different. "She got the best family to grow up and I'm sure she feels the same."
A self-mocking smile appeared on Joe's face. "That's the fact. She mentioned 'Brother Jai' fifteen times and 'Loran' twelve times till now."
Sam was surprised. He heard it too but he didn't count as he always heard her say those names daily whenever they spoke about different topics.
She would say 'Brother Jai said that...' or 'Loran did...'. But she wouldn't do it to make anyone feel bad. It was just that they would get envious of them.
"She grew up with them and she remembers whatever they say so it is very normal." Sam tried to make his head clear looking at Sky coming towards them.
"Brother Joe! Why do you guys eat wild root vegetables? Don't we have enough supply for a week?" Sky crossed the streamlet barefooted as she asked.
Joe's mood shifted back instantly hearing her voice, "We can't always depend on them and we also have to save some in case of emergency. And isn't it fun to eat what we can only get in the forest?"
Sky sat between Sam and Joe as she nodded, "Point!... But how will you know whether that particular root vegetable is safe for eating?"
"Initially, we studied related to such vegetables before coming. As our trip to different forests increased we started to meet new people of our field and even tribal folks taught us about it. That's how we know."
Sky nodded in understanding and tried to ask another question, "Tribal fl..." but Sam flicked on her head. "Stop torturing your brother. It's just the first half day yet."
Sky made face at him but agreed. "Then how about torturing you?"
She slid down and started to splash water from the stream. Sam regretted stopping her from asking questions. Since he couldn't pour water on her, he could only drag her back to the bank.
The temperature during the day was warm but he knew evening it would get colder and she would catch a cold. "Don't play in the water. You will feel cold later." Sam said as he made her sit.
Sky nodded and gave him an absorbent towel from her bag. Arlo who went around came back with fruits and gave her before sitting near them.
"Thank you!" Sky thanked and offered fruits to others but they turned down. So she ate alone.
"Little sister! Do you ask all your doubts and questions to your Bartons brothers too or you just have fun with them?"
Sky looked at him. "Both! If I have to keep in numbers, I only asked 30-40 percent of questions so that you don't throw me here and leave." She grinned looking at him.
Joe glanced at Sam who said it perfectly about her then rubbed her head. "Don't worry, I will not do that."
Sky chuckled, Of course, she knew that. Sky patted on his arms, "You three will not leave without me. I know that... Oh, by the way, why didn't we see animals?"
"Didn't we see your relatives?" Sam was the one who commented.
"Oh yeah! I am planning to get you a girlfriend out of them. Which one did you like?" Sky retorted.
Sam said about monkeys as her relatives. As they bantered, lunch was ready and they left to the hilltop where they were camping.
The sun had set when they reached the hilltop. A group cooked, two worked on the campfire and a few put on tents.
After putting on tents, Sky sat near campfire as it was very cold. Joe wrapped her in his big jacket before sitting next to her. "So how was your first day?"
"Brother Joe, It was amazing. First experience and so it's far better than what I expected. But why didn't we see any animals other than monkeys and deers?"
This was the third time she asked the same question on the same day.
"Did you think I will take you to a forest where different kinds of wild animals will be present?" Joe asked as he chuckled.
The answer was under Sky's expectation. "You win."
Then Joe explained to her about their route and different route where they would find wild animals habitat.
"Oh! If we had taken those route you would have got some pictures. Now you missed it." Sky thought they took a safe route for her.
Joe knew what she thinking. "Who said so? Let me show you the pictures."
He went to his tent and brought his camera. Sky checked it. There were pictures of various kinds of birds, monkeys, wolf, deer, picturesque and her pictures.
"Wow, In us, you only took my pictures or pictures which I'm present." Sky said as she looked on.
Joe very rarely takes anybody's picture. It was their first time going out and he enjoyed taking her candids amidst of greens, water, and rocks.
Sky who was checking paused at a picture in which Arlo was helping her to get down from the steeped slippery rock.
"Brother Joe!" Sky called as she continued with other pictures.
He hummed in response. "I got married!" Sky said without raising her head.
"Huh?" Joe knew she had gone to the marriage bureau with Arlo, Sam, and others. But he wasn't sure if she really married Arlo or not.
When she messaged him about Arlo's arrival, he thought she must be really married but seeing no ring on her hand and their behavior with each other wasn't like newlywed he ignored it.
"Who?" Joe asked without excitement.
Sky raised her head and pointed her chin at Arlo who was near soup vessel. She saw him smoothly handling the vessels without a single flinch on his face. He looked calm making her feel like everything was serene.
Sky returned her gaze back to the camera when she saw Arlo turning towards her.