Yours, Raven

Six

"We will, mom. Every time I get a chance."

"And how often will that be?"

"Often. But not too often."

Grace went silent for a moment. Nicholas calmly waited, counting every second, wondering what could possibly be in his mother's mind at the moment. Then she spoke again, "No matter what I say, I know you will do exactly what you want. You've always been like that ever since you were a kid."

Nicholas smiled to himself. He remembered how his mother told him that, when he was six years old, he had stood for four hours straight by the door, the rain beating against his face, drenching his body head to toe, and no matter how many times his mother tried to drag him inside, he'd hold on to the door-handles and remain at the door.

He had wanted to play in the rain with Elliot and their friends. They had made a rather life-like paper boat together, and they had longed to see it sail in the rain, but their mothers had prohibited them, telling them they would get sick. So, he stood by the door, wet all over, just to show it to his mother that he wouldn't get sick. Grace had been worried sick and mad at him all evening, but he didn't get sick. He was that strong-headed.

The stubbornness seemed to grow with his age. He always knew exactly what he wanted, and he'd always find his way to get them. And nothing would get him to change his mind if he had decided for once. Even to become a soldier, Grace had wanted him to sit for public exams like UPSC instead and maybe become the Sub-divisional officer or the Deputy Commissioner of their district, but Nicholas simply said he hated office-jobs and went forward to join the military.

So, Grace decided to let him have his way since it would only be a lost cause to try stopping him.

"Can I call you back after a while today?"

"Within half an hour."

"Okay. What Para did you say it was?"

"Paratroopers."

"No. The other Para."

"Parachute Regiment."

"Alright. I'll call you back."

As soon as they hung up the call, Grace immediately bolted her house and strode off towards Raven's, grumbling under her breath. "Para this, para that. Meaningless."

At the gate, she met Raven, who'd only returned from school. It was mid-summer during May, just before the summer vacation. Raven looked worn out and close to passing out as a sheen of sweat shone on her face like a metal plate coated with oil. She had her blazer draped on her forearm.

"Where from, Darcha? Come in." Raven smiled at her, holding the door section of the wrought-iron gate wide open for her.

"Thank you. You're just in time. I need you to check something for me on the internet."

"Sure."

Since Grace was illiterate, she'd always come down to Raven whenever she needed help now that her son was away from home.

Raven removed her school shoes, placed them in the shoe rack just near the steps and they went in together.

"Mom!" Raven called at the door. "I'm back. Where's the phone?"

"You come back from school and look for the phone before anything?" Her mother answered disapprovingly from the kitchen.

"It's not like that. Darcha Grace just wants me to check something out."

"Tracy, you need to hear this." Grace hurried inside the kitchen where Tracy was cleaning a bunch of Mustard leaves. She sat down on the next chair at the table and told Raven's mom all that Nicholas had said.