EIGHT
We started getting lots of invitations, dinner invitations and lunch invitations from important people in the society. The best student and the second best in the best school in one of the best country in the world; what more, they are siblings. We became very popular, but more, our names became popular. The school became more proud and popular with different awards adorning it. Every child wanted to go to the school Sean and Sheila were even till date. This particular day‘s dinner was with the McCarthy family.
Dad and Sean were dressed in a well-tailored black suit with Italian shoes while mom and I dressed in a well-shaped lovely dinner gown. We all looked smashing and soothing to the sight. The McCarthys are well known people in the country and they have vast knowledge in communications. They are rich and powerful. Senator McCarthy is the Chairman of Taar telecommunication company. They invited Sean and I for dinner and our parents took us.
As we arrived at their mansion, it was so clear that what I heard about the McCarthys being wealthy was nothing but the absolute truth.
We were welcomed by the guards.
'Welcome ma‘am, welcome sir.‘ My parents nodded as they alighted.
'Thank you.‘
The guards walked us through a line of welltrimmed flowers.
The mansion was clearly twice the size of ours and I couldn‘t but wondered as we walked down the passage between the beautiful nature‘s graces why dad couldn‘t build a mansion like this. Then I remembered, my dad is a banker and bankers as they say are economical, they spend reasonably. The mansion we live in is not as big as the one I was walking on but it is definitely bigger than what four people could live in. It has 20 rooms and enough space to live in and we are just four, there are some places that I haven‘t stepped in years. So why would dad build anything bigger than that? I remember when I once asked him why he built that many rooms and his answer was, ―we were planning to have ten kids but when we had the second bundle, which is you, we decided we don‘t want any more rivals for you two.‖ Judging from their expression, I still couldn‘t tell till date if he meant that or he was being sarcastic. I just stared awfully mute at him while he stared back in silence. But he had to be joking, he really had to be joking.
Entering the living room was more than what I expected. It was more than whatever I saw outside that captivated me. The room was filled with work of arts and there was this shelf that was adorned with awards and a side of the wall with presents, beautiful customized presents. I looked at Sean who was also being overwhelmed with the beauty of the room. The well-arranged sculptures and even the furniture were exemplary work of arts. I admired the work of arts. No one told me the McCarthys have love for arts,‘ I said amazed.
'Who doesn‘t love art but…Tera.‘
I looked back at the voice and there stood this handsome young looking man, Tony McCarthy obviously, middle age maybe in his early 50s but well taken care of. He smiled at me and walked towards me.
'Tera?‘ I asked still wondering who Tera that hates art was.
'My wife,‘ he took my hand in his and pecked it as curtsey, 'you are a beauty.‘
I stared at him, 'thank you.‘
He turned to my parents, 'welcome Dr and Dr Mrs Blyds.‘
'Thank you Senator McCarthy, we are honoured to meet your acquaintance,‘ my mom shook him.
'Please call me Tony.‘
'Same here; Thelma,‘
'And Ted,‘ my dad shook him.
Then he took Sean‘s hand and smiled, 'you look so much like your father… in all ways, literally. I heard so much about you too.‘
'Thank you sir and you have a great deal work of arts here.‘
Tony blushed.
For a comment like that to make an old man and rich blush, then, he must be so much into the art, probably had turned it to his god.
'Oh I‘m flattered,‘ he answered.
I admired a painting of the wife of the Florentine cloth merchant, Mona Lisa while they did all that. I‘d seen it in one of our family outings together but the McCarthy got one here too, 'who the hell is this man‘ I thought.
'This is priceless,‘ I said without thinking.
'Yes it is. I‘ve loved and thought about it since I was little then I decided I‘ve got to have one in my house when I can. And as you know many things we loved and felt when we were small wouldn‘t be the same when we grow, but when this feeling stayed the same, didn‘t change, as a matter of fact the love for it grew stronger in me, I knew I had to have one.‘
I listened as he talked. How could I possibly know that? I‘m still young and there‘s no way I could possibly know that. And as it is, I don‘t even know what I want. I‘m good at everything so it‘s hard for me to choose what I really love or what I want to become. I don‘t know what my mission is in this world. And he was telling me all that?
As if he was reading my thought, he laughed. 'I forgot I was talking to a young girl, you wouldn‘t know darling but your parents would understand me well.‘
My family laughed.
'Yes we do,‘ dad said.
Senator McCarthy looked at me, 'tell me, what do you see?‘
'See?‘
'Yea in the painting‘
Well, many things, one, this is not the original painting.‘
He laughed. 'I wish I could get my hands on that.‘
I looked at him then frowned at the painting, 'I can‘t help but notice; look at the inner end of her upper eyelid, see a yellow spot?‘ they all frowned and focused, 'and if you look at the back of the right hand beneath her index finger, you will see a swelling.‘ Tony frowned at it 'wow I see that.‘
'Yes yes I can see it too,‘ my mom cheered. 'But what are you getting at?‘ Tony inquired in confusion.
People with that skin defects suffer from high plasma lipids called dyslipidaemia. If I‘m right, Mona Lisa was suffering from an inherited defect leading to high blood cholesterol, familial hypercholesterolemia.‘
He turned to my parents, 'woahwoah, this is more than—‘ he chuckled nervously, short of words.‘ I didn‘t even know that. I mean I can almost swear I know everything about Mona but… wow!‘ My parents smiled.
'God, this is brilliant,‘ he said to me. 'You mean you can get what one is suffering from—even from a painting? This is awesome!‘
I looked at him and smiled thinking is this so difficult for anyone to see?
'Yes Senator McCarthy, picture is a clone of one‘s self, only in a paper. If the symptom is so visible physically, then you can see it in the picture too,‘ my mom enlightened smiling. 'But this is a painting.‘
'Well, I think we‘ll all agree that Leonardo was a manual camera,‘ mom jested.
That was funny to all of them as they all laughed.
'Oh dear, you have a great kid and a great family you have here Ted.‘
'Your family shared your view on it?‘ I asked curiously, still concerned about his take on art works.
'On Mona?‘
He saw tiny dirt on Mona Lisa and brought out his handkerchief. He cleaned it gently and lovingly. We all puckered brows, at how he endearedly did it.
'Yes… on all.‘
'Well yes but not Tera.‘
'Your wife?‘
He nodded. 'She‘s always seen Mona as a rival.‘ 'Hmm,‘ Sean nodded with his hands pocketed watching Tony clean the painting lovingly.
Tony smiled back at him swiftly knowing well what he meant while he continued hunting for dust on the painting.
'I can imagine,‘ mom said smiling.
Tony looked at her and smiled, 'but I can assure you I love Tera as I love Mona.‘
'She must not hear that,‘ dad teased and we all chuckled.
'Oh don‘t worry, that‘s not new,‘ a voice said.
We all looked at the direction of the voice to the awesome sight of a dashing and lovely slim lady. She looked so younger than Tony, maybe 26. I heard McCarthy married late and that his wife is young but I didn‘t know she was that young… and beautiful.
'The only thing he‘s not done with that thing is… you know,‘ Tera tilted her head.
Mt family chuckled lightly at that.
'That‘s not her name.‘
'Sorry, Mona or should I say the wife of Francesco Giocondo?‘ she said that clearly to Tony and her point was clearly taken.
'She always do that to remind me she had a husband,‘ Tony said with a smile.
We smiled, watching the couple exchanged words.
'Hello Thelma, I‘m Tera,‘ she hugged mom and whispered into her ears, 'someday soon I plan throwing that to the dogs for a kiss.‘
My mom laughed. And we all wondered what transpired.
'I hope she‘s not planning evil against my Mona.‘ Tony said smiling nervously.
Then Tera shook dad, 'Dr Blyds, you are welcome.‘
'Thank you,‘ dad smiled.
'No. I was just admiring her.‘
Tony nodded with faint smiles, not believing her.
'Oh wow Sean, you are—wow. I could actually leave that old man for you.‘ Tera admired.
Sean blushed and we all looked at each other and at Tony wondering if that was right to say but to our amazement, Tony never cared less. It was like he wasn‘t even listening.
Tera looked at me and smiled, 'Sheila, you wouldn‘t mind if I take him away from you right?‘
'No, you wouldn‘t be taking him away from her because I would be taking her too.‘
They all burst out laughing and Sean just smiled watching them while I just looked at them wondering what‘s funny. Tera noticed me, she smiled and took my hand.
'You are beautiful,‘
'Thank you Mrs McCarthy‘ I said.
'Please call me Tera, I‘m still so young.‘
'You are lovely yourself,‘ Sean admired.
'Thanks darling but not as lovely as your beautiful sister.‘
Sean looked at me and smiled.
'Um… I apologise on behalf of my darling husband, his love for his dolls made him forget the word curtsey,‘ she said.
Tony was offended by that statement but he smiled anyways.
'Please come in and join us, dinner is ready,‘ Tera said and we all started to walk in with Tera winking at Tony and Tony frowning back at her like a toddler. 'You hate art?‘ I asked Tera.
'You can say that again,‘ Tony replied before Tera could.
Tera looked at Tony and then smiled at me, 'who doesn‘t love art? I don‘t hate it, I just hate when my man gives all his time worshipping it.‘
'I don‘t worship art,‘ Tony replied, 'I love art.‘ Tony looked at me, 'I‘m sorry beauty, but my wife finds it difficult to understand the difference between worship and love.‘
I spread my lips at him and others chuckled lightly. 'Tera, I understand your pain,‘ mom supported.
Tera mimicked a crying woman, 'oh thank you sweetie.‘
'Tony, I understand your point,‘ dad supported.
Mom looked at dad and he raised his brow at her.
'I can imagine how painful this is to Tera,‘ I said even though I really didn‘t but I knew what my parents were doing.
'Oh thank you darling,‘ Tera smiled.
'Same here,‘ Sean supported me and mom.
Now it‘s three to one. Tera was happy for our support.
'Oh I‘m lucky.‘
'That‘s unfair,‘ Tony said babyishly.
They all laughed at that as Tony gestured to the seats.
'Please.‘
We took our seat at the table; Tony beside Tera, I beside Sean, mom at my other side and dad at Sean‘s.
The table was filled with different attracting dishes that looked very delicious. Guards and maids were standing around us, ready to come to our aid anytime we called. I enjoyed myself that particular day and sure Sean did too though I couldn‘t say for my parents.
We set to eat and enjoy the day.
'Ted, Thelma, we are so happy to have your family dine with us,‘ Tony appreciated and my parents blushed.
'We are happy to honour your invitation,‘ my dad smiled.
'And I must say, I have enjoyed every bit of it since I stepped into this mansion,‘ my mom added beaming, 'and I speak for my family too.‘
'It‘s hard not to, with you guys,‘ my dad laughed. 'Well, did you know his grandfather was a comedian, a great comedian back then though archaic but good,‘ Tera said.
We were all surprised.
'Really, I didn‘t hear anything about that,‘ my dad said.
'Same here,‘ my mom said.
'Ar-chaic,‘ Tera stressed.
'Oh,‘ my mom raised her brows, 'but I‘m sure if it were to be now, he would beat all those ―please laugh‖ we have out there,‘
They all laughed at that but Sean interfered.
'But you were rather funnier to Senator not that he isn‘t interesting but…‘ Sean tilted his head sideway.
Tony laughed his heart out at that, Tera watched in confusion, she didn‘t get Sean‘s point.
Dad and mom looked at Sean.
'Oh at last I have a support, bless you boy, bless you,‘ Tony said laughing.
Sean smiled and continued eating ignoring whatever look was on Tera.
'I think that was a complement to me,‘ Tera defended looking at fulfilled Tony.
'Oh yes it was,‘ Tony said with sarcasm and continued eating.
Tera looked at him then at everyone in confusion then she smiled and continued eating.
A minute of silence occurred before Tera broke the silence.
'I must say you have a very beautiful family,‘ Tera complimented.
'Thank you,‘ dad smiled, 'but the complement should really go to my wife, she is the beauty that made the beauties.‘
'You are handsome too,‘ Tera countered.
'And isn‘t there a belief that if you are a dullard then at least one of your children will be a fool?‘
Tony pointed out. 'So I think you contributed to their intellect too.‘
My parents looked at us and smiled.
'You are very right, my husband is a brain box and when he was younger, he was a shining star everywhere he got to and even now he—‘
'That was actually for the two of you,‘ Tony corrected mom. 'Oh,‘ my mom shied away with blush.
'I heard you are a bank director and you also manage some other banks. To think they are even begging you to manage their banks for them, is well… splendid and some still wants your service,‘ Tera said.
'Yes they wanna kill my husband,‘ mom said.
'Thelma,‘ dad cautioned.
'I‘m just saying,‘ mom ate on, 'but it‘s true,‘ she shrugged at dad.
Tony and Tera smiled watching them.
'I‘m thinking of starting my own bank too,‘ Tera said and mom looked up at her instantly. Tera smiled at that, 'kidding, I don‘t plan killing your husband too.‘
Mom looked relieved and everyone laughed. 'And you are a great surgeon, and that requires lots of intellect. You see, you guys are brain boxes, little wonder you have great brilliant kids like Sean and Sheila,‘ Tera said. 'Especially Sheila, I‘m sure she added the brains of you two together and put in hers. I would pray for these kids in my many lives.‘
My parent‘s mood changed instantly, the smiles on their faces withdrawn into nothing, a tint of sadness appeared in their eyes while we were so happy and enjoying the praises. 'Yes honey, you are right,‘ Tony admitted. 'You should be happy to have these kids; I can‘t begin to imagine how happy you would be,‘ Tera smiled at my parents.
My parents were lost in their own thought that it took them time to reply; we looked at them and they instantly comported themselves with a fake smile.
'Yes we are.‘
'We are very happy, we couldn‘t pray for more,‘ dad smiled.
Everyone smiled and ate on but I saw it. I knew something was wrong but I didn‘t know what. So I was silent and ate on.
Tony cleared his throat, 'Sean is brilliant but Sheila is kinda different.‘
My parents looked at him, frightened at that statement. 'That is why we want to do something for them. We want to start a TV program in their name but I don‘t know how you would feel about that.‘