Chapter 1: Don't Think; You Don't Know
December 25, 2032
Saturday
6:03 A.M.
"Do you think she'll be glad if she sees my medal?" asked Kari.
"Do you think she'll like this?" she laid her back on the feet of the rocking chair furnished with shiny and silvery polish, where I sat.
Thomas, white with brown spots on his face, curiously looked at me.
It was winter time, dusk and cold where white crisps snows flew everywhere. The time when the meadows were flogged with frost 'till its greenish field becomes total cotton colored sea.
Pine trees grew handsome these days as we axed it for yuletide. Adorned with colorful lights and beneath were bountiful stocks of presents wrapped and mushed with ribbons. It's Christmas.
Erika, fluffy and brown, curled beside Kari on the red warm mat. I looked at the snowy window towards the rising rays of sun almost covered by snow clouds breezing from the east.
Very happy... I guess." I told her.
"Where is she anyway?" she sighed and continued, "Why did she leave?" she asked husking her soft voice.
I stared Thomas wagging his tail as he also gaped huffishly.
Forget it. I thought. I wanted to forget it.already.
I rubbed his fluffy cloud-like ears wriggling before my hand. He gazed me.
It tickles. That's what he says as I stare at him fervently.
It's not that I could understand him nor am like Dr. Doolittle, but I knew what I see. 'The world's greatest secrets lie on you, yourself.' That's what Mama always says.
"I probably don't know... try asking Papa..." I glanced at Kari and put my look to Erika.
"I'm sure he knows." And smiled.
She stood and went to the fireplace and put some woods blazing it up scorching enough. Warm clutching us.
"Don't come so close... you'll heat up."
Indeed, it's warm so as the crimson floor. She looked at me and stepped few paces backward and sat on the tiled floor as Erika followed her. She rubbed her face. Droplets fell.
"Are those… tears?" I asked. She sniffed and rubbed Erika's head.
"Mm." She shook her head.
"Just caught dust on my eyes..." She rubbed her eyes...
"I missed her so much..." she pouted her lips. "I really want to see her... There are many things I wish I could tell her."
She pinned her tiny eyes to me. Her face is so white blended from her wavy short hair.
"I want her to see Charlotte and how I feed her. I really want to show I'm not afraid with Joe anymore."
She looked at the papers pasted on the wall beside the sculptures of Edmund Dantes as I gazed too, reminiscing those times she drew it.
"I want to show her my drawings. My medals... I want- I want to be with her. Can't be that fun?" She looked back at me as she pinched her forehead.
She folded her legs as she hugged it until she lay back on Erika.
"I missed her very much, Sara." she said. I looked at her.
I know. We all missed her... I want... to be with her too.
"I wish she's with us. Can't that be?" she asked.
"It can't. Besides..." I stood. "...Papa would object with that."
"Why?" She gazed Erika licking her paws.
"Who knows?" I continued.
"Time for baking" I clasped my hands as I went to the kitchen to make bread and cookies for our breakfast.
"Does Mama love us?" Kari ran beside me and sat on the chair near the table.
"Of course!" I turned back and get the flour and other ingredients.
"Mama loves you."
Putting the white powder on the wooden table as Kari sniffed it.
"Hachuu!!" she sneezed and Erika sat up straight frightened by the squeak which sung around the room.
Thomas from beneath the rocking chair ran off it.
"Before Mama left, what did she say?" Kari asked me that for almost the twentieth time this month and thrice this week.
I sighed as I scooped wheat out on the bowl and poured it with milk.
"She said, 'look Sara, aren't they angels' that's all.
Sorry.
Kari smiled but I smiled wryly. So we're angels." Kari tilted her head like what Thomas and Erika do. I chuckled.
The door swung open and the snows blew in. It was Papa. He was wearing overalls with gloves half swaying on his pocket on his left. He was holding screw and pouched with coat which he used outside. Kari ran to Papa and put her hands around Papa's neck and hung down as he swung her back and forth. The dogs got surprise and barked.
"Hush!" I said. Thomas stopped but not Erika. Stubborn dog but she's helpful though.
"Looks like the snows ain't yet stopping. Better get the barn be check." Papa said while going to kitchen.
I suddenly gazed him.
"Hmm? But I thought you already check it up?"
"When?" He grabbed Kari and put her up as he groaned.
"Yahh. My girl's flying." He laughed. Kari laughed too as she squealed with fear and coolness.
"This morning?" I said as I mixed the dough while chuckling.
He gazed me. "Nahh. I worked inside the garage. Wagon needs to replace screws. Ngh. snows rusts it often though."
"Then who feed Frenzie, Damby and the rest?"
"Arthur. He still in barn so better prepare breakfast."
He put down Kari, dangling his different screws, sat down on the wooden nailed chair made by Arthur, near the table.
"Dough's ready!" I lifted the tray and put it inside the feverish oven.
"Come here darling." Papa grabbed Kari lightly and let her sat on the chair next to him as she wriggled to open the jam clasped through her tiny hands.
"Oh. Papa. Your coat. Didn't I tell you to wear it off first?" I struck my eyebrows as I gazed the floor wet with melted snowflakes.
"I totally forgot." Papa laughed like an old grampa and removed his coat hanging through a steel hanger stood next to door.
The house was big enough for us. Too big for us though during school days; my Aunt and Uncle often visits us during spring and summer season. They stay on our house and help Arthur and Papa farm. There were wooden sofas just after the entrance adjacent to both sides were the terrace and the kitchen parted by curtain sewed by Mama. Upstairs had three rooms staired before kitchen's door dressed with different paintings of Vivenci, Alicia, Alexander and Federico. Polished with fiery furnished, it sounds through tiny movements, creaking sounds echoes to the full space of the room. Queen winter is still going berserk through amid zone of our country damping streets with glittering flakes and bringing freeze waves which giggles me through my skin hair.
"Ugh! Cold." I trembled as I washed my hand scraping sticky white dough crawled over.
"Gimme that." Papa got the jam bottle from Kari and opened it. "Here you go."
Kari looked at Papa.
"Uhm. Papa."
"Mm? Still want to put bread some jam?"
I looked Kari. She was hesitant like a girl surges to cross a river but never dare to touch the water.
"Oh. no. It's not that."
"Mm? Then what darling, just tell it." Papa patted Kari's shoulder.
"It's just..." Kari paused. "It's just I wanna k---"
"Whooo! Cold!!!" The door swung and tall Arthur shiverly walked inside wearing jacket striped with red, green and yellow. All of us quickly gazed him. He has nice build, fine biceps and triceps, broad shoulders. He has thick eyebrows and golden hair and it made him really handsome.
"Oh son! Why didn't you wear your coat?" Papa stood and paced towards cold brother.
"I forgot to wear it." Arthur walked towards the rocking chair few steps to the fireplace. "I fed the horses, chickens and the sheeps..." he added.
Kari suddenly bursted up and ran towards him as she grabbed his clothes.
"What about Charlotte, Frenzie and Damby? Did you feed them too?" Kari wickedly smiled as big bro tangled with puzzles.
"Who? Charlotte..? Fr-reezie...? Da-Dandie?"
Kari bursted laughing...me too... I laughed so hard.
"Why???" He was even more puzzled.
"They're our cows Arthur." I said while chuckling too much for me to hold on to my stomach while laughing. Arthur laughed too.
We... all laughed heavily.
"Of course. I fed them." Brother brushed his wet cutined jacket then hover with Kari. "Who named them?"
"Me!" Quickly, Kari raised her hand as she circled Arthur.
She's always full of energy absolutely when it comes to animals. She always love petting, feed them, play with them, and even cuddle. One time, when she did trantum, paddling hard her feet, she got scolded by Papa. I don't know what really the reason but Kari did really became mad. She and Joe, an orange marmalade cat, spent their night inside the barn. She even laid on a hill of hay beside Betty, dark brown horse with black moon shape spot on her face, and slept. Soon we found it out later in the evening having our thoughts that she locked herself inside her room.
Ting!!!
"Breakfast is ready." I clasped my hands taking a deep breath of smell coming from the oven.
Everyone gathered on the table.
"Here. A loaf of jam suited bread." A stretch my arms towards the warm bread strolled over a tanned glass plate.
Kari laughed at me.
"It was seasoned w-"
"Why don't you just sit down here..." Papa patted the chair on his left then gaped at me.
"...then let's eat." He chuckled and continued.
"Enough of that, Ms. Chef." Then a hoarse laugh came.
It wasn't insulting though. Papa's like that. He might really sound mean to others but the truth is he's not.
Papa doled the mugs to everyone while the dogs lying beneath the table waiting for some spills and drops of bits of smudged bread with jam. Kari devoured a lot of 'em.
"Good. Isn't it?" I asked. And she nodded.
"Not bad at all." said Papa as I looked at him and wore a wry smile.
"Ah." I lifted up my eyebrows and put down my bread. "I almost forgot." Arthur and Papa stared at me.
"Papa... I just wanna tell you something."
"What is it, sweety?" Papa gulped some of his herbed coffee.
"Later. After we eat."
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