Aru was about to go after her when she heard her mom call down from the top of the stairs. “Let her cool off, Aru,” she said. “She’ll come around.”
Aru glanced up. As always, Dr. K. P. Shah looked beautiful but exhausted from doing research long into the night. Ever since the Sleeper had reappeared, Aru’s mom had been tirelessinher search for a magical artifact that couldstop him. Her travel schedule was still brutal, but she was making an effort to be “more present” when she was home. Recently, they’d had lots of great talks. Just not about Aru’s dad.
Your mother needs more time before she can talk about him,Boo had tried to explain.It’s hard for her.
That had just left Aru more frustrated. As if this wasn’t hard forher? How much time did her mom need? Whatif they were runningoutof time and there was something she wasn’t telling her?
As her mom walked down the stairs, Aru saw she was carrying the morning newspaper and Aru’s “emergency quest” backpack, which was full of clothes and snacks so that she wouldn’t be stuck wandering through the Otherworld in Spider-Man pajamas … again.
“I know you have to go soon,” said her mom. “Urvashi sent me amessage. And then there was the news this morning.”
She held up the newspaper, where a bold headline screamed:
MASS KIDNAPPINGS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD!
THE SEARCH CONTINUES…
Aru shuddered, thinking of the crowds of Heartless she’d seen in the Otherworld. They only had ten days before those people would be stuck like thatforever.
“Urvashi told me a lot of things, actually,” said her mom.
Oh no.
“Anything you want to talk about?” asked her mom.
“No.”
“What about the Acharyas’ son across the street—?”
“No.”
“Because you know you can tell me anything.”
Aru mumbled, “I’d rather walk in front of a bus.”
“What was that?”
“I’d rather get going and not … make a fuss.”
Aru liked talking with her mom about lots of things, like the newest acquisitions for the museum. Or movies thatAru loved or hated. Or student gossip, like how Russell Sheehan somehow smuggled in a herd of llamas and let them loose on the football field of Augustus Day School. What she did not like to discuss had, unfortunately, become her mother’s new favorite topic….
Feelings.
Sometimes after dinner her mom would make them cocoa and they’d snuggle on the couch and watch movies (which was nice), butsometimes Aru’s mom would launch into a discussion about the “tumultuous adolescent psyche” (which was not so nice) and start spouting things likeYou’re a young woman now.Which made no sense, because what was Aru before? A young horse?
“What about your new Pandava sister?” pressed her mom. “I hear she’s rather accomplished. She goes to one of the top private schools in the country.”
“Ugh,”said Aru. “Not you, too. I get it. Brynne is the best.” She waved an imaginary tiny flag.
Her mom got thatI-am-feeling-wise-and-maternallook. “Did I ever tell you the story about Ekalavya’s thumb?”
“Who?Is this about that family friend’s son who stapled his hand on a dare?”
Her mother sighed. “No, Aru. It’s a story from theMahabharata.”
“Oh.”
“Arjuna was a great warrior—”
