Chapter 5
Tiara Qaleesya
After changing into the clothes Daniel's elder sister, Isma, had provided, Mila and I were sitting on the bed in the guest room in Daniel's home. Mila was falling asleep again as she was tired and bored and obviously hungry. I was lost in my thoughts.
What had made me come here to this house? I didn't know anyone here; why had I just followed Daniel when he asked me to? What was it about him that was overwhelming me? What made me blurt out to him everything about myself and Darien? Could I even actually trust him?
I didn't know the answer to any of the questions in my mind. But I knew one thing: his words intimidated me into silence, not because I feared him, but because his words... impersonated Darien's words exactly. Every single word he uttered reminded me of Darien. Even his voice almost sounded like Darien's, except that his voice was just a little coarser unlike Darien's. Daniel's similarity to Darien; that was the only reason for me to have followed him here to his house.
But, could I actually trust him? What if... he revealed my presence here to Rats? I shuddered, just thinking about him. Rats. No matter how much I hated him for all that he had done, he was still my wounded hope. Rats... where was he? How was he? Was he safe? Rats... that was the nickname I had called him whenever he called me Meow since the day he had started speaking. My Rats... would he ever come back to me? As the brother-like friend I had looked after and protected?
I was alone now... all alone. Father and Mother wouldn't have survived. Darien too is probably dead by now, or else he would never have left me and Mila stranded like this! He would've at least come to see his much awaited daughter, the daughter he hadn't even seen before. Darien, where are you? Aren't you going to come to see Mila at least? You chose her name; you loved her more than anyone else, before even she was born. Won't you come for her at least if not me? Every trace of your mere existence is being wiped out, my beloved, where are you?
Darien would most probably be dead by now. So there was no point crying or waiting for him to come. I had lost everyone in my life, except Mila. Now, there was only one person who I could certainly trust. Rats....
Knock! Knock! Knock!
I was jolted into reality. Someone was knocking on the room door.
"Yes?" I asked.
I couldn't remember where the room door was as I was blind. But I was sure it was not locked.
"May I come in please?" I heard an unfamiliar lady's chirpy voice at the door.
"Yeah," I stuttered, as my heart started to pound heavily against my chest. Who could it be? It was not Isma's or Rina's or even Daniel's mother's voice, then who could it be? All I hoped was that she wasn't anyone who knew Rats.
I heard the door creak as it was slowly opened and someone cautiously tiptoed into the room.
"So, you're Tiara Qaleesya? And your daughter, Mila... is she sleeping?" asked a lady, with a chirpy voice gradually reducing to a whisper.
"Yes, umm... may I know who you are, ma'am?" I asked.
"Narissa Eliza, call me Narissa. It's nice to meet you, Tiara," she introduced herself.
I was stunned, practically lost for words. I couldn't believe it! My favourite singer was now standing before me, but I couldn't see her.
"So, uh... how do you know Daniel?" asked Narissa.
I paused for a moment, before saying, "I just met him today. The only reason I've followed him all the way to his home is because he promised me that he would help me find my Darien."
"Oh, I see. Where are you from, Tiara?"
"I'm from New Orleans."
"Your family is there as well, is it?"
"Err... yes." I gulped. How would I explain to Narissa that I most certainly didn't have a family anymore?
"You're married, right?"
"Yeah."
"Where's your husband then?"
"I don't know; he was supposed to be working here in San Diego for the last two years while I was in Seattle. But a few months after he came here, I lost touch with him. Even after his 2-year contract in San Diego was over, he never returned. That's why I've come here in search of him."
"Oh... you haven't found him yet, is it?"
"No... not yet."
"Don't worry, Tiara, he has to be somewhere around here. Just have faith that you'll be able to find him and I'm sure you'll find him. Never lose hope, no matter how long it takes. Just think positively all the time that you'll be able to find him."
I smiled a bit. No one had ever cared this much for me after Darien and my parents. Daniel had said that Narissa is childish, but she didn't appear childish at all to me. She seemed nice, friendly and understanding.
"Are you always like this, Narissa?" I asked.
"Depends... why?"
"Just wondered. Are you always the way you are right now?"
"Well, as I said, it depends. Sometimes I'm like this... like myself; sometimes I am... childish, I know." Narissa giggled.
"Childish? Why? I mean, is it instinctively or... what?"
"Umm... I don't think so. I just pretend to be childish."
"You pretend to be childish? Why?"
"My life is full of pretense... mere pretense. When I'm here, I pretend. When I'm at home, I pretend. When I'm at the pub too, I pretend. The conclusion is, my life is full of pretense."
"Narissa, why do you pretend like this? This is your family; you'll be getting married to Daniel. You should feel free to talk to his family."
"Well, Tiara, if you were me, you would know. If I actually do talk freely to anyone in this family, I'm sure I won't ever be able to get married. No one will want a girl like me if they know me truly, not even my Dad, who's the only person I have in my family. I am not a person anyone will like or want... or forgive."
"May I know why?"
"Tiara, I don't know why, but I feel I can tell you this. I am a drugs distributor, for your information."
"Drugs? You deal with drugs? Why?" I was petrified.
"Because I am a drugs dealer, a drugs distributor. Now, you tell me, which father would actually forgive a daughter who deals with drugs?"
"But why, Narissa? Why are you distributing drugs? Wait... do you take drugs?"
"No, I don't. But it is my job. Distributing drugs is my job. A secret job I've been doing without anyone else knowing, except my boss and the other drug distributors."
"Why did you even join such a job?"
"I never wanted to do such a job. But situations forced me into it. I was asked not compelled but just asked... and I accepted it. I couldn't get myself to refuse it."
"May I know what made you accept the job?"
"It was my boss who asked me. You know I sing at the pub every night, right? My boss, the owner of the pub, he's actually a really nice person. He helped Dad a lot, and I mean it, he really helped Dad a lot. Not even Mom helped him this much. You know, my parents have been divorced now for three years and the reason was my marriage. I was supposed to get married three years ago, not to Daniel, but to another guy, Vivian. I was 25 years old then and my wedding was fixed. Dad never liked Vivian in the first place but he didn't say anything because Mom liked Vivian and his family. The first time I spoke to him itself I realized he was too much.
Vivian was a famous and rich businessman, surely richer than my Dad. He was so big-headed; he was like disgracing Dad when he spoke to his friends, in front of Dad and me, during our engagement. Dad didn't even say a word and just remained silent. And then when he was introducing me to his friends, he was like so conceitedly showing open contempt towards me and my career, singing. Vivian was like telling his friends that he got such a cheap girl to be his wife, and he went on and on talking money-mindedly about how our family was only medium-class people and not first-class like him and so on.
That night, I told Dad that I didn't like him. Hearing that, Dad immediately cancelled off the wedding. Mom was furious when she knew that as she really liked Vivian and his family. She argued with Dad a lot, but Dad remained firm he didn't want me to get married to that guy. They argued and argued for two whole weeks and before even I knew it, Mom had already signed the divorce papers, handed it to Dad and headed back to her home. I never saw Mom after that."
"But why did your Mom want to get you married to that kind of a person?" I asked.
"Vivian was her relative, so she wanted to impress his family by getting me married to him. I don't really know; I guess she'd gotten sick of me and Dad and just wanted to get divorced and leave the house, that's what I think." Narissa sighed.
"But, why?"
"She wasn't my real mother, Tiara, and she never liked me after I finished college. I went to college at Seattle and stayed at a hostel. She was fine with me until then, but after I came back here, she started to get irritated with every single thing I did. I didn't know how to cook; she got annoyed. I didn't know how to keep the house spick and span the way she did; she became even more frustrated, I don't know why. I guess it might be because she's not my real mother.
My real mother died a few minutes after my birth. Dad couldn't bring me up alone, and so, he married Mom, at least so that she could help to look after me. Hence, they got married when I was a baby, and now they are divorced because it's time for me to get married. Anyway, it's been three years since they got divorced. Dad became depressed and got involved in a car accident. That's when my boss, I am not really sure what his name is, I think it's... Raymond. I'm not so sure, because everyone just calls him 'Sir'." Narissa paused, deep in thought.
I cowered backwards. Oh my gosh! Raymond? Rats?
"I think his name is Raymond, if I'm not mistaken. Anyway, after Dad had that car accident, he's the one who took Dad to the hospital, donated him blood and saved his life. Raymond, my boss, is a pub owner, a prostitution centre owner and a drugs supplier." Narissa sighed.
I gulped as tears sprung to my eyes and I struggled to keep them in.
"Dad doesn't know much about his company. All Dad knows is that he owns a pub. And when he asked Dad if I could sing in his pub, Dad agreed. When Dad told me about it, I readily agreed to it too. I was ready to work for him, the man who had saved Dad's life. It was only after I started singing at his pub that I got to know that he owned a prostitution club too, actually it's a night club. I was really shaken. Such a nice person owned a prostitution centre? I don't think I can blame him for his job. Perhaps he didn't have a proper loving family to tell him what was right and wrong," assumed Narissa.
I stared into the complete darkness that overwhelmed my eyes, sucking me into it. Why was I being blamed for something I had nothing to do with? And Rats? Why was he doing this?
"After I had been singing at his pub regularly for two years, it was at the beginning of this year when he asked me if I would help pass some packets of powder to his friend. I helped him in passing those packets several times without knowing that I was actually distributing drugs. The word 'drugs' accidentally slipped out of his mouth when he handed me the suitcase with the packets to distribute a few weeks later. That's when I realized that I was actually involved in drug distribution.
I didn't know what to do but just obeyed him because after all, he was the only one who had saved Dad's life. Since then I've continued working for him, singing in the pub and distributing drugs," said Narissa, "but the fact is that not a single person, other than my boss and the other drug distributors and you too now, know about my dual job. Tiara, please, I know you're Daniel's friend, and I don't know why I just blurted everything out to you now, but please don't tell anyone about this... what I've told you just now. Please don't tell anyone."
"Don't worry, Narissa, I won't tell anyone a word. I understand your dilemma," I assured.
"Thank you, Tiara." Narissa sighed in relief.
I stared straight ahead, feeling totally numb for a second. Where had I gone wrong, Rats? Everything had been so perfect. In just a moment, why did you turn my life into a point of no return?
To be continued...
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