ARE WE LOST FOREVER?

PRATIK'S SON

Even though both of the twins were seventeen, Mrs. and Mr. Knight still thought that if they would pull up a very cheerful, very fake, smile in the morning during breakfast and try acting normal when their daughter was seeing them, then she wouldn't be able to see that something was going between them.

They decided the night before that they won't include the twins in this until things become absolutely clear. There was worry in his mother's eyes and fear in his father's as he kept looking at his mobile the whole time. Mrs. Knight sent subtle hints to him, he tried to look normal again but his eyes would just flicker back to his phone whenever his screen would light up.

Even after being so obvious about it, they still believed that the twins wouldn't notice the tension between them or the way their eyes would meet sometimes and they would have a full conversation without words. Wrong.

Selena was taking note of every small movement or subtle agreement or disagreement between their parents that morning. There was something serious that they were hiding from her and Elias and she decided to figure it out. It wasn't the first time her parents were having a disagreement about something, and she knew what was going to happen next.

After breakfast, she offered to do the dishes and asked her mom to go get dressed for her work. Mrs. Knight thanked her and then went upstairs to her room to get changed. Selena on the other hand was cleaning the dishes.

She was so busy with her work that she didn't even notice her brother Elias entering the kitchen, just in his shorts. His hair was a mess and his eyes were barely open, meaning he just woke up and came downstairs to fill his stomach. She was even convinced that he hadn't brushed his teeth yet.

He walked straight to the coffee pot and poured himself a mug of steaming black coffee without sugar. He then took a quick sip out of it, regretting it as soon as it touched his tongue. His eyes were still half closed as he put the mug on the kitchen counter and started searching through the wall cabinet.

“Sugar is on the upper shelf,” Selena said, rinsing the dish in her hand.

“I... I'm looking for something else.” Elias kept looking around the drawers.

Selena was staring at him and when he looked at her she said pointing toward their parents, “I think they are hiding something from us. Something is definitely going wrong between them.”

“I know, I know…” He answered absent-mindedly while searching the cabinets for something.

“You know..? Do you know the reasons why they are keeping it a secret? I mean, what's going on?” She asked but he just hummed and kept looking through the cabinets. “Bottom left. Mom changed the spot because she thinks you're eating too many sweets.”

Selena directed knowing exactly what he was looking for. He opened the drawer and found the cookie jar in there, behind the box of flour. “Finally, breakfast.”

“So, you can see the tension between them too. I didn't know you have it in you.” She washed her hand because the dishes were washed and placed on the racks.

“Nooe,” He turned towards her with a playful smirk. She raised her eyebrows in question, so he continued, “After taking a bath yesterday when I came downstairs to get the bag of sweets from the kitchen I heard them talking.”

“You eavesdropped on our parents?” Selena's eyes widened in shock. “And you were judging me last Christmas for going through mom's sss account to see what to gift her.”

“Hey, unlike you I didn't plan on doing that, they are the ones who were talking wildly in the dining room at midnight. Not my fault that I heard a few things. They needed to talk in private if they didn't want anyone to eavesdrop.” Elias defended himself in a hushed tone so that their parents couldn't hear them.

Mr. Knight was still outside at the dining table, looking through some files.

“What were they talking about?” Selena asked enthusiastically to which he gave her a pointed look. “Come on, I need to know what's happening between them. I'm also part of the family, I deserve to know too.”

“Save this drama for the auditions.” Elias teased, dipping the cookie in the coffee. “What do you think is happening between them?”

Ignoring the monstrosity he was doing to the chocolate chip cookies she answered, “I think it's something very serious… like... I don't want to say it, but I feel like they are splitting up.”

Elias snorted, “Wow, you seriously do have a wild imagination, sis.”

“Sis?” Selena cringed at the word. “You remember what happened last time? Mom went to live with grandma for three months. I was so afraid thinking they were going to split, it feels the same this time too.”

“You seriously need to domesticate your imaginations. They are running wild.” He rolled his eyes and came closer. “They are not having any relationship problems.”

“Then?”

“From what I heard last night, the thing is, the man who called yesterday is dad's childhood friend. He lives in a small town near the Canadian borders where dad grew up, and well, apparently something happened to his son. Like some sort of serious life-threatening accident.”

“Oh god,” Selena stopped drying the dishes and put the towel on the counter before turning to Elias. “Is he okay?”

“I don't think so, because the local hospital in the town sent him to Seattle for treatment. He lost a lot of blood and the doctors had to do several operations. He was still out, they don't know when he'll wake up and—” Elias stopped when he heard his mother coming toward the kitchen.

“Hey, we're going to work. You two don't have anything to do today, right?” She questioned stepping inside the kitchen. Mr. Knight followed closely behind her.

“No, I'm free the whole day,” Selena answered, continuing to dry the few dishes left on the rack.

“I'm not,” Elias said after her. “I'm meeting with the team in the afternoon at Troy's house for a pool party.”

“Pool party at Troy's?” Mrs. Knight gave him a sharp look, because the last time when Troy's parents caught them partying in their house, they called each and every parent of the entire football team, complaining.

“They are out, you won't get any call this time, I swear.”

Mrs. Knight was going to say something but Mr. Knight started, “We actually need to tell you something.” He said looking at his wife, who still had a sour look on her face. “So, remember the call I got yesterday morning?”

“From your friend Pratik?”

“Yeah, Elio. So, you see, they are kind of in a hot situation at the moment. He has two sons, the younger one is in a hospital in Seattle due to some accident, and because of that he and his wife are also in Seattle to look after their son. And his older son is kind of problematic so they can't leave him alone in the town for long.” Mr. Knight explained the situation. “So, Pratik asked me if his son can live with us for a few months.”

“He's moving in with us? When?” Elias asked, “Why didn't you tell us before?”

“Yes, today. Pratik will bring him in the afternoon.” Mrs. Knight said, and that made it clear that she didn't want the guest in her house. “And we didn't tell you before because we weren't sure ourselves if we should shelter someone like him under our roof.

“I hope you guys are okay with him staying with us for a few months.” Mr. Knight said with a small smile.

“Yeah, fine...”

“Yeah dad, it's fine.” Selena came toward them while drying her hand in the towel.

“Thank you, both of you, for understanding the situation.” Mr. Knight pats Elias on the shoulder. “And Elio, he'll be staying in your room. You have the extra mattresses, right.”

“It's in the garage, I've to look for it.” He shrugged and continued eating the cookies. “And I don't know where the sheets and pillowcases are, you have to find them because I've no idea.”

“Elena, can you please look for them?”

“Yeah, dad, I'll find the covers and cases, don't worry, I think they are in the attic,” Selena answered, stealing a glance at her mother.

Mr. Knight smiled and hugged her. “Thank you, and since you'll be the only one in the house when he comes, please take care of him. He's going through a lot, make him feel at home.”

“Kevin, the kid is dangerous. You can't leave Elena alone with him.” Mrs. Knight put forward her concern. “You can party later with your friends, stay at home with your sister. We have no idea if he's only problematic or more.”

Elias didn't look very happy about it, still, he nodded his head in agreement. He understood what she meant.

“Okay, so I'm leaving.” Mrs. Knight checked her wristwatch and then turned back at her husband. “There's still sometime before your shift, can you give me a lift to the animal shelter? I've to collect some papers for Dr. Lee from there before my shift.”

“Yeah, of course,” Mr. Knight smiled, “Call me if anything happens.” He told the twins before following his wife out of the kitchen.

Selena went to the attic storage after her parents left to look for the covers and pillowcases, she remembered seeing some sheets when they were going through boxes of decorative and ornaments last Christmas. While Elias went to the garage storage to fish out a mattress for their new guest.

There he called Matt and explained to him the situation and apologized for his absence. Matt offered to come too, but Elias declined and asked him to enjoy the party.

When he came back into his room with the mattress, Selena was already there waiting for him with the sheets and pillowcases on his bed. Not just that, she had also taken care of the laundry on the floor, his bed was also made and currently, she was organizing his desk.

“You don't have to do that.” Elias threw the mattress in the middle of the room and went to place all the magazines and comics on the shelf.

“Yeah, I do. We can't have Pratik's son thinking we're some uncultured pigs because of you. Indians are way too organized and neat freaks.” Selena then went to arrange the books and the comics on the shelf. “Also, what's his name?”

Elias shrugged, before collapsing on the bed on his back. “God knows… also what makes you think he's Indian?”

“His name is Pratik, Neha has a cousin who lives in Delhi and he has the same name.”

“Neha, the editor of Liberty Print?” Elias inquired, he had seen her a few times in school. She was also in Biology with him and the only person in the whole class to get the perfect score.

“There's only one Neha in Liberty High.”

Elias hummed and stretched his body, and turned to hug the pillows. “I'm going back to sleep.”

“You just woke up.” She turned back to glare at him, but his eyes were closed.

“I know, but the bed is so comfortable and nice... so I'm going back to sleep, don't bother me.” He pulled the pillow even closer and cuddle around it. “And please close the curtains on your way out.”

Selena sighed and left the room. Elias whined when he heard the door close as she left without closing the curtains, but he was way too lazy to get up and do it himself, so he ignored the sun rays peeking through the curtains and closed his eyes falling asleep.