Page 27 of Chasing Hope

Hope rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans and laced her way through the tight path. People standing outside their doors stared at her, recognising instantly that she did not belong there. A strong smell of fried fish hung in the air. Her stomach grunted, reminding her that she had skipped her lunch. Nearing her stringer’s house, Hope threw a hasty glance around to make sure she wasn’t spotted. One quick rap and the door swung open. Hope toed off her sneakers and stepped into the house.

‘Did anyone see you?’ Amar asked, quickly shutting the door. Convinced she’d made it here without being followed, Hope shook her head in affirmation. Amar’s shoulders sagged in relief. Hope slipped off her glasses and yanked off her hood. ‘What took you so long?’ Before she could reply a girl jumped up from her mat on the ground and wrapped her arms around Hope.

‘Hi Hope, it’s so nice to see you. How long has it been? Guess what, I came first in my class. My teacher said I scored the highest in the entire fifth grade. Wait till you see my notebooks. I—’

‘Enough, Sonu, let Hope take a breath.’ Amar ruffled his younger sister’s hair affectionately. He turned to face Hope and smiled. ‘She has been waiting to see you all day. You are going to have a splitting headache once she’s done with her stories.’

Hope smiled and tightened her arms around the petite girl in pigtails. ‘Sonu, it’s always a pleasure meeting you. Your brother has already informed me that you did brilliantly in your exams. We are so very proud of you.’ Sonu beamed up at her brother and Hope’s throat tightened with emotions. What would have become of these two if Hope hadn’t chanced upon Amar all those months ago? Being the sole breadwinner of the family, Amar had tonnes of responsibilities. A flare of pride burst within her. Her efforts to redeem him proved successful.

Hope gazed at Sonu adoringly. ‘Sonu, you should be proud of your brother too; he is doing everything to give you the best education. And from the looks of it, you’re doing great.’ Sonu blushed while Amar winked at her. Although Amar was uneducated he made sure his sister got the best of opportunities.

Hope dug inside her jacket and pulled out a book.

‘Tada!’ Sonu’s eyes widened as she read the title.

‘Disney’sAladdin!’ Sonu screeched. ‘Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I loveAladdin.’ She jumped up, accepting the book. The smile on her face made the hour-long trip totally worth it. ‘Do you have the magic lamp too?’ she giggled.

Hope grinned and tugged her plait playfully. ‘Magic is all around you, you just need to believe.’ Right now, Hope, herself needed a healthy dose of it.

While Hope chit-chatted with Sonu, Amar strolled to the farthest corner of the room to an extended platform that constituted their kitchen. Their entire house measured one hundred and fifty square feet with a single cot and a steel cupboard.

‘Please sit.’ Amar gestured to the lone plastic chair near the window. Hope increased the speed of the pedestal fan and sighed in pleasure. The humidity today was stifling. Amar offered Hope a glass of water and settled on the cot.

‘Thanks.’ Parched, Hope sighed as the cool water gushed down her sore throat.

‘Sonu, why don’t you go out and play?’ Amar asked. Hope nodded, understanding he needed to speak to her privately.

‘Woohoo.’ Without having to be told twice, Sonu waved Hope goodbye and tore out of the house. Amar winced as the door slammed on her way out.

‘She is going to make your hair turn grey in no time. Don’t worry, you’ll still be handsome.’ Hope laughed as Amar turned red.

‘She is everything I have. She is my entire world.’ Unabashed tears shimmered in his eyes. ‘I’m doing everything in my power to earn enough to give her a decent life. She will not have the miserable childhood I had.’

‘Give yourself some credit.’ Hope's voice rang with pride. ‘From being a petty thief to catching criminals, you’ve come a long way.’

Amar raised his head and his eyes met Hope. He swallowed and his voice sounded rough with emotions. ‘I have you to thank. You changed my life for the better. Everything I am today is because of the trust you laid in me. If it wasn’t for you. I would have—’ Afraid to voice his thoughts, Amar sighed and shook his head. Tears filled Hope’s eyes as she held his hands in hers. No words were needed to express their gratitude for each other. Amar had helped Hope innumerable times with crucial intel that helped put away kingpins and ruthless criminals.

‘I’m afraid I have some very upsetting news,’ Amar said. Hope’s chest tightened. ‘I overheard last night at the tea shop that Himesh’s men have been boasting that they are going to become super rich in no time. They were all wasted, and one of his men confessed that they’re expecting a huge consignment of precious commodities that’ll rake in the big bucks for them.’ Hope’s heart shattered as Amar confirmed her worst fears. His brows furrowed and his mouth turned grim. ‘The sick bastard is up to something and I have a very bad feeling about it.’ Hope’s chest hurt as she drew in a strained breath. ‘The minute I hear when this is going to go down I will reach out to you. Wait, why don’t I sneak into the docks tonight myself—’

‘Don’t you dare even think about it.’

“But I can help—’

‘Amar, I am serious.’ Hope's voice was tight with a warning. ‘Don’t be foolish. God forbid, if anything were to happen to you I would never forgive myself. You will not only risk your life but Sonu’s too.’ That sobered him up immediately. Hope’s chest rose and fell with agitated breaths. ‘I want you to lay low and pick up on the whispers. Beyond that there is nothing else you will do.’ With a slight quiver of his chin he nodded.

‘Hope, I assure you I will never let you down.’ Relieved, Hope sank back in her chair. Over the past few months Hope had grown immensely fond of both brother and sister. They had built a close and trusting bond with each other.

A heaviness settled in her heart like a cannon was parked on it. ‘Time is slipping through our fingers. I pray we can stop whatever it is that’s about to happen before it’s too late.’ A sick sensation pooled in her stomach. While Hope had set out to find her own information, Ethan waited to hear back from his sources about the girls in the folder. They were so very close to chopping Himesh off at the knees. She felt it in every fibre of her being.

***

Tears rolled down her cheeks and her voice choked with laughter. ‘Dad, does Mom know you are at the bar and not the gym, drinking yourself to oblivion?’ Hope asked, throwing open the glass doors. Her room on the thirteenth floor opened up onto the balcony overlooking the breathtaking Marine Drive. Hope sighed as a gust of cool breeze blew over her.

Although Brian was across the globe, he made a point to call Hope every night to check in on her. At the end of each day, Hope waited eagerly to catch up with her dad. Those moments spent chatting with Brian about anything and everything under the sun were the highlight of Hope’s day.

‘Do you think I’m crazy?’ Brian scoffed on the other side of the line. ‘I needed to get away from her before I did something crazy like toss her over the ship.’ Hope gave a hearty laugh. She sympathised with her dad. At times – scratch that – most of the time, Sheela could be a real handful.

Hope ambled to her most favourite part of her room – the reading nook. Settling in the recliner she enjoyed the tranquillity, while being surrounded by natural wood and luscious fabrics. It showcased a stunning contrast between the opulent wooden furniture and the accent lighting, further adding to the luxe of her room. From the dark wooden panelled shelf she picked upThe Death of the Heart, a book lent to her by Martha. The story of Portia, an orphaned teenager, full of secrets and betrayal. It was so heartbreakingly beautiful that Hope fell in love with the writer’s baroque style of prose. In fact, Hope felt like she was amidst a similar predicament. Things were not moving as fast as she wished they would.

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