Sunday Evening: Midnight Manor - 1F

[slothbabyproductions]

After a day spent getting to know the island better and getting to know a few of her classmates, Kamala spent the rest of the day unpacking and setting up her room until she got a text from her brother. A moment later she was in front of her laptop and Facetiming her family.

The image on the screen flickered and then there was the image of her dining room table with her parents at the end and her brother, Aamir, and his wife, Tyesha, sitting across from each other.

"Happy mother's day, Ammi!" Kamala called out. "I miss you guys so much!"

"Only been one day," Aamir said rolling his eyes. Tyesha glared and kicked him under the table.

"We miss you too, beta," Muneeba. "It's a shame that the school scheduled your summer session so close to Mother's day. You should have a talk with the Moose and set them straight."

"The moose?"

"The moose in the administration of the school," Yusef said shaking his head.

"Auntie Ruby was complaining about the moose," Aamir added.

"How does Auntie Ruby know about the moose?" Kamala complained. That woman knew everything

"Well she didn't read it from the dossier Nicholas sent us. She must have her own sources."

"It's just Fury, Ammi," Kamala groaned. "Why don't you unwrap your gift."

Tyesha pulled out a wrapped poster board and gave it to Muneeba who unwrapped it and smiled. It was a charcoal drawing of Kamala's grandmother, Muneeba, Tyesha and Kamala. All the Khan women. Kamala had spent two weeks working on it. "Can I just say that I'm honored to be in this?" She said with a wide smile.

"It's beautiful, beta."

Kamala smiled.

"Though you could use some practice drawing the hands."

Of course. Kamala sighed.

"Are you doing okay, beta?" Yusef asked. "Do you need anything?"

"One day. She's been gone one day," Aamir reminded everyone.

"I'm fine, Abbu," Kamala said with a small smile. "I just, I don't know. It's weird. I've seen so many people I've idolized and yet I've met one person here who really made me think. She ran away from home and doesn't have a family and it made me realize how much I've taken you and Ammi for granted. All the work you did and sacrifices you made and I never understood how much it means. I couldn't be here today without what you've done and I'm just sorry I didn't realize it until today. I promise you I'm going to do well here. I'm going to do everything I can to make you proud."

There was a long silence at the other end of the call. Yusef took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. "We are proud of you, beta."

"So proud," Muneeba reiterated. "Beta, you have become a hero to our community. You helped save the world. We are very proud of you."

Now it was Kamala's turn to wipe her eyes.

"Of course we'd be prouder if you got straight A's."

There it was. "Ammi!"

"And some grandchildren would also make us proud."

Tyesha was laughing so hard she fell out of her chair. Aamir just rolled his eyes.

"I miss you guys so much," Kamala said shaking her head.

"Still only been a day, Little K," Aamir reiterated. "But. Yeah. Miss you too"

After that the conversation turned to community gossip and moose complaints. When she finally said goodbye, Kamala looked around her room and sighed.

And started unpacking some more.

[NFI]