The Last Agosti ✔

~* 34 *~

Diego furiously descended the main stairs. The urgency to find Ara hit him really hard. There is no way he is going to wait for a miracle to happen.

Diego submerged in his own thoughts as he walked towards the main entrance, unmindful. The only resort there is left to know about Ara, that he could think of was the safety locker in Demetrio's office. The locker that needs a fingerprint to access it.

On his way out, Diego was interrupted by his mother, Chandra.

"Shekhar, where are you going at this hour?"

He looked at his watch, "ma, it's only seven in the evening. I'm going out will be back quick"

"No. You can't, your friends are here. In fact, it's New Year's eve tomorrow"

"Friends? Who?"

"Your college mates. And why are you going out now? Didn't I tell you to take care of Ella?" Chandra asked, upset with her son leaving his responsibility to go out.

"Ma..." he groaned. "I have an important work to do back in the office."

"Forget about going to office. Now go entertain your friends. I'm going to see how Ella is, haven't got to see her since morning." Chandra mumbled as she walked pass him.

The unexpected meeting with his old college friends had put a temporary stop for him to go ahead with the search. He needs to get Ara Agosti at the soonest before things go beyond repair.

Never mind, it's just a matter of hours before he gets to the office, he thought.

But before that, maybe his mother could help a little, another thought popped in his head.

Diego made a mental note to talk to Chandra later at night about Ara and Demetrio.

----

Right after dinner, Diego pulled Chandra to the garden. The only place where there won't be any chance for anyone to hear them.

They comfortably sat on the bench. He made sure he could see the doorway to the garden, just in case.

"Nice weather, isn't it?" He begun with a casual talk.

"Yes, it's still cold. December coming to an end. Now, tell me. Why did you bring me here?" Chandra figured out, Diego wanted to talk about something which he wasn't comfortable doing it in the house.

"Alright. Ma, tell me what you know about Ara. Do you know where she could be?" He asked straight to the point.

Chandra placed her hand on his cheek, she sighed softly. "I wish I knew, Shekhar. Ara would have been here now"

Diego nodded. He figured it out that Ara would have been here, had his mother knew about Ara  yet just to be sure he asked.

"We never spoke about her" Chandra smiled and took his hand in hers.

"Tell me about her. Anything that you know"

Chandra dived into her memories collecting moments she had spent with the little girl named Ara for four years.

"I know Ara since she was in her mother's womb"

Diego rolled his eyes. "Ahh... I know that, ma. What else"

"Okay... hmm...

What else? She has a beautiful midnight black hair, ... 

Oh god! I don't know anything else. It's been twenty-one years since the last I saw her. She was small then, now she must have grown up."