I saw Mother Dahlia retreating towards the file room that is just around the corner of the dining hall.

She signalled me to join her when she took notice of my reluctant form which refused to walk inside the dining hall.

I nodded trying real hard to bring out a smile on my face.

I heard heavy footsteps nearing me along the corridor.

Through my peripheral vision I saw a man approaching me in an inhuman speed like his heels are on fire.

That man strode past me not even caring to respect my space he knocked harshly on my shoulder making me stumble forward in the process.

"You okay Kichu?" Ben caught hold of my arms and straightened me while inquiring my status.

I nodded while glaring at that arrogant man in his executive Armani suit storming towards the side room of the dining hall where mother Dahlia sat going through some important papers.

"Who is that Jerk? Outfit, that of an executive and demeanor, that of an uncultured brat in rags and spare cloths." I spat off those words with venomous distaste.

Palpitation was getting the better of me by this unexpected encounter. I tried my best to keep my breathing level intact thereby calming my rising heart beat.

"He seems the worst Jerk ever? Who else will try to knock down a girl like this and trod away like the impudent person he is" I snapped when I regained my voice.

"( Just keep quiet pearl. He is way too old a person. We should give respect to his age.) Ben chided me.

"( Did you notice how bashful a person he is. He just knocked me out of his way and stormed away without even having the courtesy to say a simple sorry. Aging should be seen with the prudence you show in your way with people then it is good to respect and give reverence to such people. This just felt like a kite snipped out of its controlling thread. Umph! ) He is a world class jerk." I whipped out my anger into such hateful and mean words.

Ben clamped my mouth shut with his hand gesturing me not to utter any more words against this person while glancing warily towards the file room.

I felt a hand on my palm I turned around to see Frankie smiling at me exuberantly.

Something about his smile reminded me of how happy he is even after hit by this gruesome fate.

".( Sis, he is my dad). ( Sorry sis. He is a very busy person) " Frankie's revelation felt like a thunder bolt that stuck a person who is going through the pain of snake's ghastly bite.

I gulped hard. Again glancing towards that room fearfully.

"Frankie, you wait here kanna. Let me see what your dad is up to? Hey! No need to say sorry Kanna. It is not your fault. Let me see where this is going." I said while patting Frankie's cheek.

He nodded in understanding. Ben looked unconvincing of my action.

"Stay here with Frankie." I said not even trying to see the reaction my brother held on his face.

I halted before the room and was forced to stand back when I heard an agitated and raged up voice drizzling past the room.

"Mother! What is all this going on? I trusted you so much with my son. And what did you do in return. He was hit by food poison epidemic and I got to know that just a few days ago. How irresponsible and unreliable one can turn into. I never expected this from a person like you." He lashed out his bouting rage upon mother Dahlia who held a helpless and tortured look on her benign face.

Her eyes welled up of tears which screamed volumes of her unsaid and suppressed agony and torment she was undergoing all these days.

He went on unleashing his poisonous fury upon her as loquacious spiel.

"That is the limit mother. This place too didn't fail to prove that it worked in favour of the some money and stuff. You know I would have lost my beloved son in all this. I will sue you for this". He stood up making the chair fly away at the effect and speed. He slammed his fist upon the table and leaned forward. Mother Dahlia flinched at this unanticipated fury show she got to view .

I felt this as my cue to appear there and be with mother as a support system.

"Sir, if you don't mind I have got something to say about this." I quipped in suddenly making him jerk up and look at me with surprise and anger resurfacing within his charcoal eyes equally.

"Go ahead miss" He said while viewing me appraising my intention and stance. He sat on the chair, which I kept beside him ,while undoing the button of his executive coat. He gestured me to take my seat waving his hand at a nearest chair.

"So shall we start ,sir?" I asked taking my seat. He nodded calmly but somewhere I saw his, come what may I will never bend attitude sparking its glorious fires within his eyes.

" What is Frankie's favourite food?" I started off casually looking at him. He looked aghast and stared at me wide eyed.

"Have you gone crazy miss? Is it that important at a situation like this?" He snapped at me wiping his face harshly and pulling his long tie loose.

"It is mister. Please go ahead and say" I said sternly while holding a stringent glare at him.

He swallowed hard. He seemed to be contemplating his answers like he is giving his IAS interview.

"Um..well, obviously Pizza."He said with a nervous laugh while skimming his fingers along his lucidly greying hair.

I scoffed at him while flexing up my eyebrow in a mocking manner.

"No, His favourite food is red velvet cake and muffins. He will eat those with a great passion even at an ungodly hour of night. " I explained only to see his jaw drop and hit the floor.

"Red velvet cake? Is that a food?" He scowled at me throwing that query at my direction.

"Well for his taste buds that sounds more than a food and delicacy." I retorted staring pointedly at him.

"Next one. What is his favourite game or leisure time activity?" I threw another trinket of inquiring at his direction.

He blinked like an owl at me pursing his lips together. His mouth corner was deepened with grim lines.

"Play station obviously" He said in a matter of fact tone while clapping his hands together and pointing his both pointer fingers towards me.

I just wanted to laugh at his face but controlled my urge to let my frenzied emotions going on a crazed tour.

"Chess! Also inventing new hang out apps online that has chess games in it. He is a wiz kid you know. There is nothing his hands or mind have failed to have grip over. PlayStation is for useless spoilt brats who has no brains within them. That is what my chithi ( small aunty) chides my younger brother for almost spending his time on such online rendezvous. I am one hundred percent sure that Frankie is more accurate and sharp for such puny games" I snorted but I saw a gleam of pride shining in all its elegance within his eyes when he heard about this.

"I never thought Frankie held this much potential within him" He mumbled more to himself while his eyes held a forlorn and vacant expression.

I asked several redundant facts relating to Frankie for which he failed plaintively to answer genuinely.

"And you call yourself a loving and responsible father. What kind of a man are you who doesn't even know what his son's favourite food is or what he is good at?" I whipped out my frustration and anger at him.

I felt a squeeze on my shoulder which I recognized as mother Dahlia's soft hands. She is standing behind me holding my shoulder gently.

"See, sir, no one has ever tried to harm your son in any way. Instead we all love him like a treasured possession for everything he holds within him. Please stop accusing us for the deed we have never committed"

He kept staring at me coldly as ever before voicing his thoughts inhaling deeply.

"Woah! That was quite an affirming speech that too coming from a tiny tot like you keep me mesmerized. Who is she? Your advocate in all this non sense, huh? Really? This little thing? Wow? How else could a person stoop lower than this?" He enquired about me to mother Dahlia with a snide remark to garnish his verbose delicacy.

Mother Dahlia held a pleading look thrown towards me and him at the same time to stop punishing her like this.

I gestured her to calm down before turning my attention towards the person who held an idiotic smirk.

"Mr. With all due respect I am asking you Can't you ever think Sane for once?" I sneered at him and he looked taken aback by my lashing out tactics.

He remained mum for some more time.

"That is what someone asked me once" He murmured as if he is in a trance. I swung my hands to my sides in brooding agitation and flipped my head to my side.

Great! He chose this moment to go deep in his dreamy haze.

"That is not the issue. The main thing is we have nothing to do with whatever that has happened to the kids here. It was merely an accident. we are really going through a great traumatizing phase. Thank the Almighty that all the kids here are okay though they had to go through a lot in this" I tried to fill his dumb sense with some sane talking.

After a lot of hearing , coaxing and pleading. He finally gave up his prejudistic and irrational attitude towards Mother Dahlia.

" Please stop penalizing an already tortured soul. You too know that mother has given up all she has for making this place a reality. How painful it will be for her to see the kids whom she considered as her own and her world , undergoing such a fatal state? Please sir I beg you to be a bit lenient in this. Sure I agree with your anger and frustration. You have the right to burst out your anger. I know you too are not having a good time hearing all this. Still I plead with you to be a bit flexible and smooth. Please do have a calm talk with mother while I will be out there in wait" I said while getting up.

"No ,it is okay.You can stay here Miss....er.." He stuttered when it came to the part of calling my name.

"Pearl. You can call me Pearl, Sir" I introduced myself.

"Yeah Pearl it is then, you can stay here while we sort this out. "He offered while mother Dahlia nodded her consent.

"Sir, first off I shouldn't be here explaining all this in the first place as I don't know in all honesty what exactly happened. Still I know the intentions and purity of the one I spoke in defence. Also I can send my dad or eldest cousin to stay here if you ever felt the need of someone known with you by your side. They know everything more than I do and are experienced as well as in years or in prudence wise." I refused their offer politely and returned another offer.

"Caspian will be here any moment with Jayashankar and his Co-Cop. Till then stay here Pearl." Mother said calmly.

I nodded.

"Appa! "I saw Frankie coming inside the room with Alvin's help.

Alvin rolled the chair and settled it beside Frankie's dad. Frankie touched his father's hand and looked at him with expectant and eager eyes.

The eagerness to be loved, cared and petted by his father was discernible on his face.

Frankie hugged his father and kissed him crying on his shoulder. I simply stood staring at the carpeted floor suddenly taking an interest over the patterns of the violet velvet carpet.

"Frankie!" Frankie's dad sobbed hugging his son. He pulled Frankie out of the wheel chair and made him sit on his lap.

Frankie locked his fragile and limp arms around his dad's neck while burying his head on his chest like a baby. Yeah he is a baby for sure.

From the look of it he was reluctant to let go off his dad.

I understood that he missed his father a lot and is afraid of parting with his dad soon or after which is inevitable.

I sucked in a deep breath while a drop of tear fell out of the corner of my eyes.

I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder comfortingly which I recognized as Alvin's.

He patted my forearm comfortingly.

"Mother how is his health status? Is he okay? Is he on some strict diet or something like that? He seems a bit off." Frankie's dad blurted out those queries in one single breath that it came out as muffled in congruency.

"Calm down Mr.Kendall. He is absolutely okay. A bit lethargic due to the effect that gruesome poisoning inflicted on his system. Otherwise there is nothing to worry about. A healthy diet and peaceful vacation can bring him back to his normal vibrant self." Mother Dahlia assured in a calm tone.

He nodded shivering a bit while taking Frankie's face in his hands and viewing at him briefly. His eyes had the look which showed his eagerness, love,concern and worry about his son.

His eyes welled up suddenly and like Niagara fall they began to out pour the anguish which was deeply buried or better hidden beneath the shell of his arrogant out put.

So he is not that heartless of a person as I assumed him to be. So once again looks and first impression can result in deceptive impersonizations .

I sighed while leaning against Alvin's forearm. He patted my cheek gently with his other hand.

"You look a bit worn out and tired Kichu. Do you wanna go home? I will drop you there and come back here as there are still so many stuff going on with this place. We are needed here." He explained in a shushed tone.

"No it is okay. I will survive for sure. Just make sure that everything goes well" I said pulling away from Alvin and squaring up my shoulders. I very badly wanted a wee bit of stretching up if you ask me.

Still there are stuff which demanded my cousins and family's intervention. So I don't wanna cause a hindrance to that.

Mother Dahlia explained the further process and progress with the investigation as to find out who did this heinous crime.

Mr.Kendall offered his full support and power to put into this and punish the one who did this to those kids and his son.

"If you don't mind mother I would like to take my son with me for a long vacation and for some check up and stuff. With your permission shall I?" He placed his request before mother.

"Sure Sir with pleasure. He needs some peace and joy. And with you I am sure he will be the happiest boy this world has ever seen." Mother Dahlia nodded her approval with a happy smile but her forehead creased signalling something is bothering her deeply.

"You have to clear some paper works regarding this and then you and your son are free to go. It may take some time as today we have another guest here. If you please I would like to arrange a meet up with them. Meanwhile I will ask the staff to assemble the paper works." Mother Dahlia said but perturbation was evidently lurking around her features visibly.

I heaved up a sigh while looking out of the room.

"Yeah sure. And ma'am I gathered the information that Mr.Jayashankar and his team is investigating this case that too secretly"He said while placing Frankie back on the wheel chair.

Alvin nudged me and signalled me that he is gonna take Frankie and help him in arranging his backpack of essentials. I nodded slowly.

"Now that you know it is hardly a secret an affair Mr.Kendall" I snapped up my head towards the direction from which I heard this thunderous voice which was brooding with warning and threat.

I saw Jayashankar uncle walk inside the room with slow and austere strides.

He glanced at me but didn't give it a thought to flash a smile towards me which I felt to be odd when it came from Jayashankar uncle.

He never forgets or ignores me or my presence now what has happened him to behave this hostile and weird towards me

"I have my sources Mr. Shankar. I have heard a lot about you and your wing of workshop" Mr.Kendall said placing his one leg over other and seated lavishly than ever on the seat impudently while placing his both hands laced together behind his head and glaring at Jayashankar uncle in a mean way .

"You are quite a spy,aren't you? My space of work was supposed to be a secretive affair rather than something that should be kept for debate publicly" Jayashankar uncle remarked with a tinge of sarcasm laced over his words.

Mr.Kendall laughed a booming laughter which resonated across the room like a ghost warning.

I could feel the tension that is mounting up between these men.