Aisha and Ethan along with Eli trek the way to the West part of the national park. Aisha was wis.h.i.+ng to see her sister for so long hoping that this is the day set for them to meet after a long time. "Hey relax. If you are meant to see each other today, then G.o.d will cause it to happen." Ethan tapped her shoulder. He can sense Aisha"s tension while walking.
"I know. I was just thinking… how am I supposed to approach her? what am I going to tell her?" Aisha suddenly blurted.
"You"ll know once you meet her."
"I guess." Aisha shrugged her uneasiness.
"Dad, I need to pee." They heard Eli mumbled. He just woke up.
"Okay. hold on a minute, we"re almost at the comfort room." Ethan looked at Aisha.
"It"s okay. I will wait for you here." she smiled. "We"ll go together."
Meanwhile, at the boating area, Sherry"s phone ring. When she looked at the caller"s id, it was Silver who was calling.
"Silver?" Sherry answered.
"Where are you right now?" His tone stipulates demand rather than a question.
"At the national park, why?"
"Go home this instant!" he ordered hastily. His voice hints tension and Sherry doesn"t know why.
"But where not done yet! Why do you sound alarmed? Did something happen?"
"Don"t asked any further! Just come home this instant! or else I myself will come to where you are!" he threatened.
Silver meant it when he said that he will fetch them but it would be scary if Sherry let him. she never wanted to witness his madness, again.
"Is it uncle Silver?" Stacy asked.
"Yes. he wants us to go home as soon as possible. Looks like he is in a rush."
"Then we better go back now before he totally gets mad." Stacy suggested.
"Okay. but don"t you want to go to the rest room first?" Sherry doesn"t even know why she asked that out of the blue.
"I want to but it"s a bit distant away from us. I can wait until we get home." she smiled.
"Okay then." Sherry and Stacy went back to where they left the blanket and picnic basket. They fixed it and went on their way.
After a few minutes, Aisha and Ethan were already on the West side searching every person there off. they already looked everywhere but they found no trace of Stacy or any doppelganger.
"Have you seen anyone?" Aisha asked Ethan when they met. Ethan shook his head.
"I guess I"m wrong." she sighed. "But I haven"t seen anyone who looks like me either."
"I haven"t seen anyone too." Ethan uttered.
"Mom, Dad, are you searching for something?" Eli asked when he noticed them a bit tired.
"It"s nothing baby." Aisha smiled at him. "Did you say you want to play a little longer?"
"Ehm!" he smiled excitingly.
"Okay. don"t go too far. Mom and dad will be waiting for you here okay?"
"Yes mom!" Eli exclaimed as he scampers towards the middle of the park where a lot of children were busy dancing with the music of a man playing rock guitar.
"Looks like you have a dancer." Aisha leered at Ethan.
"W-E have a dancer." He held Aisha"s waist and pulled her closer.
"Hey what are you doing? Some children are looking at us!" She was trying to break free of Ethan"s grasp.
"What are you thinking? I"m just getting rid of the leaf on your hair." He smirked then pull something in her hair. Then she released her.
Aisha blushed in embarra.s.sment.
"You have a dirty mind, honey." He chuckled.
In the meantime, Eli was enjoying dancing along with the children in the circle. After a while, a little girl tripped. Eli suddenly stooped and helped her stand up.
"Are you okay?" Eli asked.
"I am, thank you." the little girl smiled sheepishly.
"Good." Then Eli left her and continue dancing with the others.
"Hey where are you going? Are you not going to asked my name?" the little girl pouted but Eli didn"t even look back.
The little girl went beside the dancing boy. "Hi, my name is Sahaya. What"s yours?" she asked but Eli was ignoring her.
"Hey! Can you hear me?!" she yelled but Eli glared at her. Sahaya was taken by surprise.
"Don"t you have a name?" she continued.
"My mom said not to talk with strangers." He didn"t even look at her. Suddenly, Sahaya spanked the boy"s head.
"Ouch! What is that for?!" he stopped moving and faced the young girl with a sour face.
"I"m not dangerous! I"m a small kid just like you. I just want to be friends!" she yelled.
"And why are you yelling at me if you want to be friends?!" Eli made a face.
"Cause if I don"t yell then you won"t listen to me!" she pouted then Eli slowly calmed down.
"Okay fine." He sighed like an adult. "My name is Eli. are you happy now?"
A curved was painted on Sahaya"s face when Eli introduced himself. She jumped in joy then hug him unexpectedly. Eli pushed her away.
"Stay away from me!" he implored.
"No I won"t. beside we"re friends, right?" She smiled openly.
Eli sighed but after a while he cracked a small curve on his tiny lips. Guess it wouldn"t hurt to have a feisty friend.
"So Eli, do you come here often?" Sahaya asked eagerly.
"No. it"s my first time." they walked outside the circle.
"Eh? But why?" Sahaya looked at his eyes, she was showing concern.
"My mom and dad are quite busy. But I"m not sad. We do other things together sometimes." He proudly stated.
"I envy you." she lowered her head. Eli looked at her.
"Why?" he asked curiously.
"Because you have your mom and dad while me, I haven"t seen my dad in person, ever."
"Poor thing." Eli caresses her hair. "Do you want to meet my mom and dad? Don"t worry they are kind!" he offered.
"Can I?" her eyes shone. Sahaya is with her uncle since her mother is in the hospital. her uncle told her to wait for him in the park so he could finish his work first.
Eli held Sahaya"s hand as they run towards Ethan and Aisha who went to get the blanket and picnic basket.
"Mom! Dad!" Eli yelled when he spotted them.
"Eli! looks like you have a new friend, huh." Ethan was teasing him while pinching his cheeks.
Eli grinned.
"Can you introduce us to your new friend, sweetheart?" Aisha sat on the gra.s.s.
"Hi Eli"s mom, my name is Sahaya." She respectfully bowed. Aisha was amazed at her att.i.tude .
"Nice meeting you Sahaya. You can call me Aunt Aisha." she smiled as she caressed Sahaya"s head.
"Call me Uncle Ethan. I"m Eli"s handsome dad." He grinned.
"I bet you are both tired dancing and playing, would you like some snacks?" Aisha probed.
The two children nodded in agreement then sat down to eat their snacks.
Unknown to Sahaya, Aisha had been staring at her for a while now. She was in deep thought. she was trying to recall something. she"s sure that she once encountered this young girl somewhere but she can"t remember where.
She looks familiar. Very familiar. And she looks like -----! Aisha"s eyes widened, Caleb!