RYAN POV
"Grandpa!!" I shouted, the shock of my voice reverberating through the phone.
"Yes?" His voice was laced with confusion.
"How long was I missing for!?" I demanded, a cold dread creeping in. Don't tell me it's been a few years!?
"It is only the sixth day and why are you shouting?" he asked, sounding genuinely bewildered.
"Huh? Six days? Then how come Mom had another child in six days!?" I exclaimed, the logic simply not computing. Children aren't born that fast even if you're in a fantasy genre.
"What stupid nonsense are you spouting? They said you were the one that brought back the little girl home!"
A pause. My internal "system rebooting in progress" sign flickered.
"AH! So they adopted Sasha! Phew~" I breathed a massive sigh of relief, my heart resuming a normal rhythm. Almost scared me to death.
"Then I will wait for your call. I'm on a public telephone, so please be quick," I said, trying to salvage some dignity and escape the embarrassing situation.
"Then you wait for a while," Grandfather said, and with that, he hung up.
After the call ended, I turned back to Aunt Heather. To my astonishment, she was casually talking to the very boys who had just attempted to rob us. They were gathered around her, nodding their heads submissively at whatever she was saying. As I approached, she slipped something into the youngest boy's hand, then shooed them away. They bowed hurriedly towards her and then bolted, disappearing down the street.
"Why did you let them go? What if they come back?" I asked Aunt Heather, my voice betraying my disbelief.
"They won't. Apparently, it was their first time doing this," she replied confidently, a hint of amusement in her tone.
That explains their amateur reactions and lack of skill. "Surely there's something else?" I pressed, my conscience pricking me. I mean, a first offense doesn't mean we should just let them go.
"Yes, because of the storm two days ago, the youngest boy's father was injured, and they lacked money for treatment. So, when they saw us near the money exchange, they decided to try extorting us," Aunt Heather explained, relaying the story the boys had told her.
I get it now. "How much?" I asked, wanting to understand the full scope of her impromptu negotiation.
"Somewhere about 15,000 Nepalese rupees, or 200 USD," Heather Rand stated.
"So you just gave him the money?" I asked, still trying to grasp her method of conflict resolution.
"Yeah, I gave him 250 USD and asked him to promise to never resort to such methods again," Heather Rand confirmed.
"Why?" I questioned, skepticism creeping in. She can't tell me she let them go just because they promised.
"Because those boys, while they appeared to be trying to rob us, had no intentions of harming us. See, even the knife is a blunt knife." She held up the weapon she'd kicked from the leader's hand, showing it to me.
"Seems true," I admitted, taking the knife. It was indeed blunt, confirming her assessment. I nodded, agreeing with her actions. And they got a good beating, so it's fine.
Now I knew where Danny's character came from, but at least she was much smarter.
"What happened on your end?" Aunt Heather asked, bringing me back to our immediate predicament.
"My Grandpa will call me back in a while and tell me what to do," I replied evasively. I really didn't want to tell her about my "new sister" fiasco.
"They must be worried about your disappearance," Heather Rand surmised, a sympathetic look on her face.
"Sigh~, Apparently not much," I said with a resigned sigh, the weight of my family's strange nonchalance settling over me.
"Why? Do you have any problems within the family?" she asked, surprised by my despondent tone.
"No, because a friend of my grandmother told them I'd be fine," I explained.
"And she just believed that friend like she could predict that!?" Aunt Heather seemed genuinely shocked by my words, struggling to comprehend my family's unusual reasoning. I decided to elaborate.
"More like she could see that."
"What do you mean?" Heather Rand pressed, her curiosity piqued.
"Well, if that friend is who I think she is, then that lady can literally see the possible future outcomes," I stated matter-of-factly. I can't think of another person except the bald woman. Can't believe my grandmother is friends with her.
"And you believe that?" she asked, a hint of disbelief in her voice.
"I do."
"Why?" Heather Rand persisted.
"Because she is the reason you are alive," I said, looking straight into her eyes, emphasizing the gravity of my words.
"How did that happen!?" she asked, curiosity overriding all else. I proceeded to tell her the whole story.
"Two hours before I took the flight to Tibet to rescue you, she reminded me that I had two hours to begin my journey or I would fail in keeping my promise," I explained.
"Is that important?" Heather Rand inquired.
"Yes, because the promise was the one I made with Danny, and with the condition I found you in, you would not have lasted more than four hours with those wounds, maybe less," I clarified. "And the next flight that I had to Tibet was three hours later and with a two hours longer journey, which means—"
"If you didn't take that flight, there was no way you could be in time to save me," she finished, interrupting me, a realization dawning on her face.
"Exactly!" I affirmed her conclusion.
"Then I will have to thank her in the future," she said, a strange mix of emotions playing across her features. She even seemed happy for some reason.
"Why do you seem so happy?" I asked, confused by her sudden cheerfulness.
"Well, if what you said is true, she might be able to tell me about Danny or Wendell," she said, her voice bright with hope.
That was an option!? I was floored.
"Maybe. By the way, where did you learn to fight? You were quite, how do I put it?" I searched for the right word.
"Awesome?" she offered, her eyes eager.