The Kind That Lasts Forever

Chapter 2: Hearing the Call

Mr. and Mrs. Forbes woke up to start a cheerful day. Mrs. Carissa Forbes went about her usual routine of brushing, freshening up, taking a shower and then making coffee and breakfast for her family. All the while humming a sweet tone. She went to wake her son, William Forbes. And like every morning he had made his bed, folded the comforter and finished dressing up in a fresh set of pants and a clean t-shirt. The obedient child. 

“Good morning, mother” 

“Good morning. William, what did I do to deserve such an obedient child as you? Now let’s go downstairs and start celebrating the day,” 

“What do we celebrate today, mama?” 

“It’s your birthday silly. It’s 4th June 1993. Happy 6th birthday my prince.” 

“Thank you, mama. By that, isn’t its Mia’s half birthday. Let me go wake her let play with her.” 

With that, Will rushed out to his sister’s nursery. He adored his dear sister. Everyone who knew her did. She was an exact copy of him in actions. She would wake up early, and just lay there turning around and taking in her surrounding and not making a single noise until their parents’ wake up. Then she would start cooing. He went inside the baby blue, green and white room. There lay his sister, just looking around. Her crib was a custom-made, cushioned and at least 4 times the size of a normal crib. On one side was a cushion of toys and beside it was her pillow. She saw him and started giggling. He smiled and picked her up. And took her to the bathroom. At four, he had learnt almost everything that he could do, required to take care of a baby. With the help of their mum, he bathed her, dressed her in beautiful red and white dress and gently started combing her soft brown hair. They were also similar in appearance. Big, bright brown eyes gleaming with curiosity, brown hair that was so smooth and silky that it will be fine if they don’t do anything about it. And soft pink lips that were always up in a smile and a heart shaped face. When he was done, he took her downstairs and settled her in her high chair. They were watching the news when Mia started gurgling. They all went around her to see if she was trying to say something. She opened her mouth and a jumble of sounds came out. It seemed like ‘ma’ so they were ready to bet that she would say mama first. After a lot of gurgling and random noises, a word came out. Her clear and delicate voice said a word that many dreaded to say. A name that was associated with the saying, speak of the devil and here he is. 

“Mars” 

They all were shocked. Shouldn’t her first word be ma-ma or da-da? Carissa and her husband Vincent were scared why she took his name but didn’t question it. Whereas, little Will wondered whether his sister will also turn out to be a science enthusiast like him. Then suddenly there was a ring. The doorbell. In a haste, Carissa went to see who it was and found a parcel on her doorstep. It did not have anything on it. No name, no stamp. Nothing. She picked it up and brought it in. As soon as she entered the threshold, words appeared on the box.  

For MIA. 

She slowly opened it to find a size-of-a-television wooden house model. There was a handle meant for turning on one side of it. The house was the kind that could open from its middle. On opening it, she found a necklace dangling on one side and a snow globe on the other side. She set the opened house on a table and turned the handle. On turning the handle, the snow at the floor of the snow globe rose and gave the illusion of a winter night. In the center was a small hand carved wooden statue of a groom and a bride. It started rotating as if they were dancing. Music started ringing in their ears. The infamous Fur Elise. It was a music box. She kept turning the handle. That’s when Mia started making noises. Carissa reached out her hand and picked up her daughter. The young girl started reaching out for the box. Carissa looked at her husband. He nodded tentatively. She placed her daughter beside the wooden house. Mia immediately started playing with it. Mia realized that there was a necklace as well. It was a heart shaped pendant with M&M written on it. She started playing with it and tried to get her mother to put the necklace on her. Carissa hesitantly put it around her neck. She smiled and laughed while the adults were scared. They both had the same thought. How? William just sat there and presumed that it was a gift for his baby sister and smiled at his sister’s antics. But the Forbes knew that this was not just a gift. It was Mars’ response to Mia saying his name. But they realized that Mars would never hurt their daughter. In fact, he would rip out the heart of anyone who even thought of harming even a single hair on Mia’s head. That thought put them to rest and they continued with their day. Many gifts came. Many cards and dolls and small teddy bears. But then when they were intending to go to the city to celebrate the day, another gift came. A massive teddy. The size of a human! But unlike the others, it was black in color and had blue eyes. Its legs were huge and any small child could sit on it. As soon as Vincent set the teddy down, Mia started crying and made grabby hands towards it. William set her down on it and she hugged it. She started playing with it. The Forbes were again astonished as to why was such a gift sent for their daughter. But in the upcoming days, they realized the purpose of teddy. It prevented her from being hit by table corners and saved her when the maid accidently dropped a cup of hot coffee. They knew that now that their daughter has started growing, Mars wouldn’t leave even a leaf upturned in making her smile. And the thought of seeing their daughter smile every day, put them at ease. Because they knew that from now on, she was under the guard of the King of the Super naturals, Mars. 

For one smile,  

I will bring the world to you. 

 Because of one frown, 

 I will turn the world upside down for you.