Chapter Eleven: Why do they have to give their life? #
Alex came over the next day, and he hugged her.
“I thought I would never say that, but I was so happy to be fingerprinted again,” said Alex.
Aliya smiled. Alex turned towards the couch and caressed its back, “Hi, couch. Oh, how I have missed you.”
“Would you like something to eat?”
“Yes. But you sit and relax. I will heat the food for us.” He said, guiding Aliya to the couch.
Alex walked over to the refrigerator. “Aliya, why is there so much food? Have you not been eating?”
“I changed a few things. I will tell you about it over dinner.”
“This one says Friday. Did you eat yesterday?”
“No. I was busy. Magellan came yesterday, and we fought.”
“What happened?” Alexander asked, sitting next to her.
“Old wounds. He left years ago without saying goodbye. I haven"t forgiven him. It doesn"t even matter. He is gone again, and I won"t see him until I am about to die.”
“Aliya, don"t say that. You will be fine. My parents could not believe you.”
Aliya cut off Alex. “Could we talk about something else tonight? I don"t want to relive that moment right now.”
“Of course. Sorry. Dinner. Anything you prefer?” Alex was getting up.
“No. Whatever you like.”
Alex was microwaving the food. “What are you drinking?”
“Water. I need to study tonight. I can"t drink.”
“Okay. How about a movie? Lord of the Rings?” He asked, placing the food on the table.
“No. They all need to be watched together. How about Mission Impossible?”
“Tom Cruise, MI6, sounds great.” Pause. “Hey. Isn"t Tom Cruise’s character’s name Ethan Hunt in the movie?”
“Yes. But it’s a coincidence.” Said Aliya, still going through her movie files.
“Are you applying to MIT?” said Alex looking at Aliya’s admission folder on the table.
“I haven"t thought about it yet.”
“Aliya, don"t derail your career in our relationship. MIT is the perfect school for you. It is a great opportunity. Do not miss it just because I told you about it.”
“What if I don"t get in anywhere?”
“Pardon?”
“What if I get rejected from all the schools? Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, MIT. What if they all reject me?
Alex held Aliya tightly. “That is never going to happen. Your application is strong. Your debate certificates alone guarantee your admission. You are going to do amazing in the SATs, and you will get in everywhere. A few months later, we will make a pro-con list to choose which university’s offer you will accept.” He said, hugging her, and he kissed her on the forehead. “Eat now and relax.”
They were on the couch and watched a movie. The movie ended, and it was ten.
“Are you going to study now?” asked Alex.
“Yes. I at least have to try.”
“Go to sleep and wake up early and fresh.”
Aliya looked worried.
“Aliya, don"t worry. Everything is going to be fine. Do you want me to stay here?” said Alex hugging her.
“No. I am ok. Just tired. Maybe I will go to sleep after one test.”
“Ok. Good night.” Alex said, kissing her on the cheek.
He left, and Aliya opened her book to do a practice test. But she couldn"t focus. She had been studying all day, and she was mentally tired. Something had made her think of the notebook. She picked it up, went to bed, and went through the pages. She should have felt calm, but it made her more restless. She got up violently and shoved the notebook into one of the drawers. She picked up her phone and texted Alex. “Are you up?”
Alex called her back. “Hey. Are you ok?”
“No. I don"t know.”
“Do you want me to come over?”
“If it is not too much trouble.”
“Of course not. I will see you in thirty minutes.”
“See you.”
She was pacing up and down in the living room when he arrived. She ran towards him and hugged him.
“What is going on?” asked Alex holding her face.
She shook her head in no and burrowed her face in his chest. He was stroking her hair.
“Let’s go to bed. You will feel much better tomorrow.” Said Alex picking her up and taking her to the bedroom. Finally, she was asleep. She slept well that night, really well. It was morning, and Alex was still asleep. Aliya got up and went to the living room to study. Alex woke up a few hours later. He walked out to the living room.
“Hey. Coffee?” asked Aliya.
“Yes.”
Aliya gave him coffee and poured herself another cup of tea. They sat on the kitchen island.
“How are you feeling now?” asked Alex, sipping his coffee.
“Better.” Said Aliya with a smile. “Thank you so much for coming over last night. I have been having trouble sleeping and finally slept last night.”
“Call me anytime, and I will be here. You are dealing with school, SATs, and applications. I know how stressful all this is. I should be your biggest support right now, and I have caused so much unrest. For that, I am deeply sorry. I don"t know if those words mean anything because I have repeatedly said them to you. I don"t know why I am sabotaging this relationship. I am better than this. I am so much better. Please let me know if I can help in any way and if you ever want to talk about anything. Even if it is to help you sleep, I will be here.”
Aliya smiled and held his hand. “Let’s talk now. I can take a break. How was Boston?”
“Miserable. Everyone was shocked. Niyat was mad. She hit me with a book many, many times.” Aliya laughed. Alex continued. “It was a small book, but it hurt. It’s the hormones. Oh, she is pregnant with a boy.”
“I know. We talk seldom.”
“No one could believe it was Mikhail. At MIT, Mikhail and I applied for the same job. I got it. But I had the breakup, and I moved to Seattle instead. He became the SVP, and I thought everything was fine. He hired Veronica. I am such an idiot.”
“Don"t blame yourself for this. Mikahail is not going anywhere, ever.”
Alex nodded. “Were your parents disappointed to learn that you were dating me?”
“No. It went better than I thought.”
“I was ready to fly to London until I got your call.”
“Would you like to meet them?”
“Yes! Absolutely. Are they flying in tomorrow?”
“No. Remember I told you my dad and I were going to the Frankfurt Auto Show?”
“Yes. When is it?”
“Next weekend. Would you like to come?”
“Yes! You are my priority. Scratch that. You are my life. There is nothing else except for you. I wake up for you. I go to sleep for you. I am free for you at all times.”
Aliya laughed. “I will talk to my dad. Scratch that. I will talk to my mom, and we shall leave.”
“Was your dad angry?”
“Let’s not go there.” Said Aliya laughing nervously. “I have new security. I don"t know their names. Names don"t mean anything, anyway. I don"t know Ben’s real name. I told Neal, Magellan, whatever, that I didn"t want to talk to anyone. I don"t want to see anyone. If they do not exist, then maybe they should not exist.”
“Your security is a little scary. I don"t like how you handle it. I have no words worthy of you.”
Buzzer rang. “And that must be Shireen, who has all the words in the world,” said Aliya getting up.
Shireen was on her way. “This will be interesting.” Said, Alex.
“Hi. You are late,” said Aliya hugging Shireen.
“Sorry. Brunch ran forever and..” said Shireen stopping short on seeing Alex.
“Shireen, you remember Alex,” said Aliya trying to lessen the tension.
“Hi,” said Alex standing up.
“I was not made aware of this,” said Shireen.
“I had a very tense evening, and I requested him to come over last night,” explained Aliya.
“What happened? Are you ok?” asked Shireen with concern.
“Yes, I am fine. Just stressed out from events.” Said Aliya touching her forehead. “Alright, I need to study. Shireen, upstairs or library?”
“Upstairs. See you there. I will be watching you, Alex.” said Shireen leaving.
“She didn"t seem pleased to see me,” said Alex hugging Aliya from behind.
“Someone needs to work hard for appreciation.”
Alex smiled. “Noted. Would you like me to stay?”
“I will be studying till late evening. But I would be obliged if I could have your company tonight to complete our talks.”
“You sound charming, and I will be delighted. I will see you at 7.”
Alex left, and Aliya and Shireen studied. It was six when Alex arrived.
“Hey. You are early,” said Aliya hugging Alex.
“I have an internal motive,” said Alex. “Shireen, would you join us for dinner?”
“Sure. What is for dinner?” asked Shireen.
“Chinese, Italian, and French. Your security even scans food,” said Alex with frustration.
Food arrived, and they started eating.
“You might have to do more than dinner to pull me on your side,” said Shireen.
“I also got cake, champagne, strawberries, and this,” said Alex pulling out a Montblanc box. “No journalist should be without an iron pen. A small apology and appreciation for everything that you have done.”
“Thank you. Much appreciated. And I should get going.” said Shireen, and she left.
“She will warm up. I also have something for you,” said Alex placing a box. “Creed perfume. I was told that I smell like jasmine on a rainy night.”
“The things I say when I am drunk don"t count.”
“It is a rare sight. For a girl with an extensive bar, you rarely get drunk.”
“How are we doing?” asked Alex holding her hand.
Aliya looked at him with a surprised look. “I kind of forgot. So much has happened in the past week that it just.” Aliya struggled with words and ran her fingers through her hair to look for them physically.
“That is fine. I am here. I will take that. Of all the people you could call, and you have an army down there, you called me. I am winning.”
Aliya smiled. “Okay.”
“Does Aryan attend the auto show?”
“No. Just me and Dad. Mom comes to Frankfurt, but she has no interest in cars.”
“I would like to meet Aryan sometime. He is a significant person in your life, and I would like to apologize and explain myself if that is ok with you.”
“Sure. I will ask him tomorrow.”
“Was he mad at me?”
“I never told him. Only Shireen and I know. My mom knew because I needed to talk to someone. I have never kept secrets from my mom. Anyway, Aryan doesn"t know. He likes you and looks up to you. I didn"t have the heart to tell him. I told him that we decided to take a break in the summer.”
“Okay.” Said Alex with heavy eyes. “My mom called you in the summer. She was calling you to try to convince you to come to meet me. You talked before her and told her your thoughts. She told me she felt so ashamed that she couldn"t say anything to you.”
“You don"t have to tell Aryan.”
“If he finds out from someone else, he will hate me. At least right now, I can explain and ask for forgiveness. I will have no excuse if he learns from someone else.”
“Okay. I usually watch a comedy movie Sunday night to start the new week in a good mood. Any favorites?”
“Oh, I wanted to show you something. May I have your laptop?”
Aliya brought her laptop and gave it to Alex.
“My friend told me about this new media player that supports personal libraries via the internet. This is my server. Your login is Aliya, and your password is MissionImpossible_1, and you have all my movies.” Said Alex showing her the movies.
“That is cool.”
“Now we can watch Star Gate. It is funny.”
Alex connected the laptop to the tv, and they began watching.
It was Monday, and Alex came over at seven.
“Hey.” Said Alex hugging her.
“Hey. Aryan is already here.”
“Hey. I am unclear about what happened. Your girlfriend tried to kill you?” asked Aryan.
They sat on the couch, and Alex told him the entire story. “I am sorry, Aryan, for hurting you and your sister. I promise you. I am doing my best to make her happy.”
Aryan was thinking. “Aliya once told me there are three kinds of con people in the world. Ten percent will show themselves immediately that they are trying to con you like psychics and fortune tellers. Eighty percent will be the ones who will be better and slow, coming close to you and stabbing you in the back at the right time. Experience will tell you who they are. The remaining ten percent is the most dangerous. No matter how careful or experienced you are, you will get conned. The only way to avoid them is to not talk to them. If you talk to them, you already lost.”
“When did you start listening to me?” asked Aliya.
“When the alarm rang. Aliya, I have a non-existent brother and padlocked father. For me, my family is you. I had never experienced fear like I did when I heard you were in danger. I told Magellan, who scares me to death, to make Aliya talk to me. I don"t care if it is a security breach or against protocol. I am talking to my sister. I do not believe anyone until she tells me she is ok.”
Aliya laughed.
“You have been angry for one week. I have been angry my entire life.”
“I still trust Ben. I understand they are not my friends. But I do still talk to him. I don"t know what information could be useful, so I tell Ben everything. I am mad at Neal but will tell him everything if he comes in tomorrow. I want to live. I cannot tell you how aware I am of how much I want to live. I had never thought of it. Everything was hypothetical. Now it is not hypothetical. When Neal talked about the new security, I listened. You need to pay attention.”
“I do pay attention. But I don"t like it. I hate that I was never given the option to be average. I didn"t get to choose. I am also very aware of how much I want to live my life. You had security, and still, you were moments away from death. What is the point of living like this if I can die tomorrow without experiencing anything? I told Dad that I was going to Brown. I want to live whatever little life I have.”
“What did he say?” asked Aliya with curiosity.
“He said he would make a few calls. I am applying for early admission. I do not want to be like Arman, socially awkward and stuck in Seattle studying political science at the University of Washington. I hate political science.” Said Aryan.
“That is amazing.” Said Aliya.
“We went off-topic. Alex, I am not the person to lecture anyone on their flaws because I am filled with them. But I know my flaws. I liked you when I met you. I am furious at what you did. Not only did you hurt Aliya, but you compromised her security. But for once, I would like my sister to decide her life, and she has made one to give you another chance. I am going to respect it and give you another chance. I don"t think Aliya has ever made a mistake. I make all mistakes for both of us, and I am constantly trying to fix them. I can see that you are trying to fix yours. I know how hard that is, so I really appreciate it. It requires much courage to stand up and say sorry. Anything else you want to say to me.”
“Aryan, trust me, I know I made a mistake. I am sorry for the pain that I caused her and the pain that I caused you.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Aryan looked at Aliya. “You need to talk to Melia.”
“I know. I don"t know where to begin. So much time has passed.”
“It is not getting better with each passing day. I thought you were good at maths.”
“You ass.”
“I need to get going.” Said Aryan finishing his drink.
“You are not staying over for Star Wars?” asked Alex.
“No. I spent last week talking to Dad, uncle, making decisions, and defending decisions. I am tired. And I think you two need some time alone.” Said Aryan getting up. “I will see you after SAT. Have fun at the auto show. Uncle told me you are invited to the family brunch. Then I will show you the house. Till then, take care.” Said Aryan shaking his hand.
“Thanks. You too.” Said Alex getting up and shaking his hand.
Aliya got up and hugged Aryan. “Thanks.” Said Aliya.
“You will be ok, kiddo.” Said Aryan, and he left.
“Did you have dinner yet?” Alex asked Aliya.
“No, I was waiting for you.”
“Do you have to study?”
“Not today. Just sleep.”
“Okay.”
They were eating.
“I talked to my parents about this weekend. We will leave Friday night. Lufthansa. I have your ticket. Come here, and we will go together. We land Saturday morning. My car will take you to the Steigenberger Hotel. Shower and then meet us at the auto show. It is about thirty minutes from your hotel. Don"t be late. I will be furious if you make me miss something. My dad will be there. He will get to know you in phases as we walk around. I have a preplanned route. It will take us two days to see everything. We will have dinner with my parents, and we fly back Monday. Any questions.”
“I want to buy something from your parents. What would you recommend?”
“Nothing. My parent’s security is stricter than mine. No perishable products are allowed. No perfumes, no alcohol, no food items, and no flowers.”
“Not even if it is on original packing.”
“No. The security will open it and tear it to pieces. You can inject something through the cork. They will not allow it.”
“What about electronics?”
“They can screen it. But they will wipe it out. I reported your hack to the company. They are paying much more attention to devices now. You don"t have to get anything. Just be there and be yourself, especially in front of my mom. She is trained to read body language. One look and she knows so much about a person. That is why she is good at sales. You know the dreamhouse you want, and she knows how to bring it to life. Flawed or perfect, be yourself.”
“Noted. Does the auto show has a private showing?”
“They have a press day. But it is boring as they wait to unveil the cars to the press. They drive the car to the podium and then let people take pictures. But that means no one is talking or telling me about the car. And I am waiting in the area instead of looking around. I was frustrated. Hence we go on normal days. Again, no one knows anything about us. We are normal people who are looking at cars. My dad and I have one deal. We do not read the reviews of the cars. Dinner on Saturday will be all about cars. If you want to get my parents something, ask Ben to buy it so it will clear security.”
“That is a great idea. Thank you. I don"t want to come empty hand. Are you nervous?”
“Terrified.”
“I am surprisingly not nervous. My parents love me. I am an ideal husband. I am submissive and innocent. I don"t play games. I don"t know why I am doing so badly here. Don"t worry about your parents. I will take care of it. Focus on your studies.”
“Okay.”
Alex and Aliya arrived in Frankfurt, and the cars for waiting for them.
“Don"t be late.” Said Aliya.
“I won’t.”
He was waiting at the Frankfurt Messe when he saw Aliya.
“Hey. This is my dad, Ethan Hunt, and my mom Scarsa Hunt. She also wanted to join against my warnings of being super bored.” Said Aliya making the introductions.
“Nice to meet you. I will keep you company.” Said Alex shaking hands.
“You don"t like cars?” asked Scarsa.
“Not as much as Aliya.”
“No one likes cars as much as Aliya. I”
Aliya cut her off. “Mom! We are on a schedule here. Walk and talk people. Walk and talk!”
Alex extended his arm to her mother, and they began walking.
It was late evening.
“Aliya, I am so done. Do the rest tomorrow. Aren"t you tired from the flight?” asked Scarsa.
“One more.”
“Tomorrow. You have all day tomorrow. Let the poor guy eat.”
“Okay.”
They arrived at Aliya’s home.
“Victoria? I thought you had reservations all over Germany?” Asked Aliya.
“We changed our plans for tonight. Hi. I am Victoria.”
“I am sorry. Alex, this is Victoria, my parent’s house manager. This is our chef and her husband, Henri.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
“Please, this way. Would you like something to drink?” asked Victoria leading the way.
“No. May I use the restroom?”
“I will show you the way.” Said Henri.
“I will freshen up as well. I will be right back.” Said Aliya.
Everyone was seated at the table when Aliya returned.
“Here. These are from Alex.” Said Aliya placing a bag on the table.
Scarsa opened the two boxes.
“It is an antique map reader in mahogany. It is from Europe in the 1930s. I read that architects use magnifiers for blueprints.” Explained Alex. “I read that brokers sign many papers. I found a pen that comes with a laser measure.”
“Thank you, Alex. These are very thoughtful. Ethan, what are you doing?” Scarsa asked, looking at Ethan fiddling with the newspaper.
“It is a magnifier. I am magnifying.”
“Stop playing with the toy.”
“It is not a toy. It is a complex device.”
Scarsa cut him off. “How is Aryan? Did you talk to him?”
“He is fine. I thought you wanted to talk to Alex.” Asked Aliya.
“I talked to him all day while you two ignored me. He was the only gentleman.”
“It was my pleasure, Mrs. Hunt. I enjoyed our talk.” Replied Alex.
“He is so lovely, and you are so rude, ignoring your mother.”
“I asked you to see the new Audi R8. I want that car,” said Aliya.
“We will talk when you are in college.” Said, Ethan. “There were so many electric cars. Have you ever driven an electric car?”
“No. E-Tron was disappointing. I wanted it to look more modern. When the Tesla guy talked, I wondered why they put that technology in a sedan. Who wants a 3-second acceleration in a standard saloon car? It is like fitting nitrous oxide to Fiat Punto.” Replied Aliya.
“I think that is a byproduct and not the intention.”
“I get that. It requires a significant infrastructure change. Our security would not be fine with an electric car. Some bad guys are chasing us. Wait, wait, timeout, guys. Let’s have coffee and charge our cars. We will begin the chase in one hour.”
Ethan laughed.
“It would be nice for a track car. BMW Vision was the right idea. But it is BMW, so it will be shit.” Said Aliya.
“I thought you were a fan of all German Engineering.” Said, Alex.
“Not BMW. I hate it with all my heart. They are not pretty. They are not easy to drive. They are not a good price. The guy at BMW was like, oh, it is a skill to drive BMW. It is thrilling. No, it is not. Lamborghini is thrilling. But it does shake like a spring at two sixty. Mercedes has a clear image. We want comfort and safety. Audi has a clear image. We want speed with comfort. BMW is aaaaaaa.” Said Aliya screaming. “It is not fast, comfortable, safe, or cheap, just shit.”
“You just turned sixteen. How have you driven all these cars?”
“Yes, Aliya. How have you driven all these cars?” Asked her father, reemphasizing the question.
“Oh boy! I was ten or eleven, and we went to Seattle to visit my uncle. This was before we had security. Dad parked the car outside because it requires scanning to enter the house, which takes forever. Dad and Uncle were talking, and I was bored. I snagged the keys and convinced Aryan to jump the wall. The wall was high, and the car was parked beside it. We climbed on the wall and jumped into the car. I had never driven a car before but had seen Dad drive. I mean, how hard could it be? Turns out not at all. Mercedes is awesome. I drove around for thirty minutes, and we were coming back, and I saw my parents and uncle waiting to greet me. My dad opened with his usual anger, but my uncle interrupted him. He pointed out that I drove the car well, and if I wanted to drive, let me drive. I have driven all these cars on a track.”
“I did not know that. What did you have to do?”
“Mine is from England. There were three weeks of classes and then two or three tests. Then an instructor sat with me as I went around the track. That is it. I got it in one summer. I had to learn to drive a stick shift with an old hand break. At our old London house, there was a sloped driveway. Dad stood in front and told me to park the car. If I went too fast, I hit Dad. If I went too slow, I would roll back into London traffic. I did it perfectly. BMW requires skill, my ass. I wanted to hit that guy with my shoe.”
Alex laughed.
“That reminds me. Aryan jumped from the tree. I don"t know the whole story. Nobody was talking at that time. What happened?” Asked Scarsa.
“Oh! Neal knew that we used to jump the wall. He installed the wire that we have now. Aryan came up with the brilliant idea to climb the tree and jump over it. We had to climb higher than the wire and leap across. We climbed up, and when I looked down, I told Aryan to back out. He jumped anyway and broke his ankle. Everyone came running because Aryan screamed in pain. I got down, and we went to the hospital. When we came back, Neal opened his tap on Aryan. On the way to the hospital, Aryan told me you were right. I shouldn"t have jumped. Neal was right there, and he put all the blame on Aryan. He said many things, and it made Aryan cry. Was Neal wrong? No. But could he have been calmer? Yes.”
“Was Nathan there?” Asked Ethan.
“Yes. Neal didn"t say anything wrong. He just said… I don"t want to talk about it. Nobody wants to talk about it. That was the last time Aryan talked to Neal ever. That’s it.”
“You are not scared for Neal, right? You are fine with him?” Asked Ethan.
“I have no interaction with Neal. He was not wrong. Aryan was lucky that he just broke his ankle. He could have died or, worse, been paralyzed for all his life. But he didn"t have to bring Aunty into this; that how she would have been disappointed in her son. They were both right. They were both wrong.”
“That is unfortunate. How is he now?” said Scarsa.
“This was years ago. He is fine now. He is playing lacrosse. He is applying to Brown.” Said Aliya.
“He will be close to you at Harvard.”
“Or MIT.” Said, Alex.
“Since when are you applying to MIT?” asked Scarsa.
“Since I met Alex.”
“MIT is an amazing school. She is excellent at maths.” Chimed in Alex.
“I know. I don"t want her to study and have no fun, no other experience.” Said Scarsa.
“I promise you she will have fun. MIT is tough, but it is also amazing. I will be there to guide her.”
“Are you moving to Boston?” asked Ethan.
“I would go for her. I have nothing holding me in Seattle. I want to buy a new house, but then I thought, what’s the point? I will buy one in Boston, New York, or wherever she accepts.”
“He lives in the house you designed, Dad. It has a hidden two-floor lab.” Said Aliya trying to change the subject.
“The dungeon house?” asked Scarsa.
Alex had his mouth wide open.
“What? His parents said that some people had a turn of events, and they bought the house.” Asked Aliya.
“Yes. The house was built for a public figure, and that was meant to be a sex dungeon with swings and a soundproof basement.” Said Scarsa.
“Don"t tell her that.” Said, Ethan.
“I don"t want her to have a healthy understanding of sex. She is old enough. We built the outer structure and completed the inner structure when things fell through. It is a very unique layout. Graham thought it was a good investment. It is beautiful from the outside. We completed the cosmetics as per their requirements. Graham thought it was a good place to store documents and run a desk. He knows it was a sex dungeon. The beams on top are heavy to support a three hundred kg swing. That is why there are pillars around the room. They need to support those heavy beams. But Alex, the basement can be closed because our client wanted it to be completely soundproof. Also, Ethan left space for a skylight in case a need arose.” Explained Scarsa.
“I would like a new house. So many things make so much sense now. Like, why a sink in the middle of the room.”
Scarsa was about to say something when Ethan stopped her. “Nope, don"t tell him. My daughter is dating him. Don"t give him ideas.”
“I am so embarrassed. I did not know. I am very respectful of your daughter. I would never ask her anything of that nature. I am mortified.” Said Alex hiding his face.
“See, now you have made our daughter’s sex life boring.” Said Scarsa to Ethan.
“Mom! Could we please talk about something else? Dad, what did you think of the Bugatti? Did I tell you Alex drives one in Seattle?”
“Yes. I am not a fan of Bugatti. The new Ghost, though, I liked that one.” Said, Ethan.
“I liked the SLS. It was a surprise that Audi and Mercedes were launching in the supercar category. But R8, that car is beautiful. I also found the new Fiat 500 to be very cute. I could do things to that car. I would love to drive that. I have never driven a Lotus. Those cars are beautiful.”
“Lotus is not considered to be a reliant car. Let’s skip that. Alex, did you like any car?” Asked Ethan.
“I am not that into cars. My car was a present from my father. I got a new one of the same model.”
“Why? Did you have an accident?” Asked Ethan.
“No. It was stolen by my ex-girlfriend, who caused the events of last week. The police found the car, but we were not comfortable with it anymore.” Said, Alex. “I want us to move forward. If I want a new beginning, I cannot have it while clinging to the past. It is not even the most important thing right now. The most important thing is for me to support her while she gets through her SATs.”
“Have her take a break and have some fun too.” Said Scarsa.
“I will make sure.” Said Alex with a smile.
“Are you coming tomorrow as well?” Aliya asked Scarsa.
“No. Alex, I enjoyed your company but cannot look at cars for hours. They all look the same.”
Aliya gasped. “How could you.”
“Just pick a colour and buy one.”
“We should head to bed before this goes any further. Alex, I will walk you out.”
“Why are you walking him out?”
“He is staying at Steigenberger.”
“Why? Have him stay here. I will get his things sent to your room. Aliya, you have got to be cool. Take a breath, smell the roses, and stop following the maps and plans.”
“It is like we are not even mother and daughter.” Said Aliya confused.
Scara was shaking her head. “Go to bed. Good night.”
“Good night.”
They were in Aliya’s room.
“I need to shower. I smell like cheap perfume and petrol; not even sure how that is possible.” Said Aliya. “Make yourself at home.”
She showered and was already asleep by the time Alex showered. They spent the day at the auto show and returned to the dining table.
“I cannot walk anymore.” Said Ethan sitting down. “You need to shorten the path. We don"t need to see every car.”
“Then how would we know when someone launches a new cool car? So winner,” said Aliya.
“Ghost surprised me. I think I will buy it. Yours is R8, obviously.” Said, Ethan.
“Yes. I liked the concept cars this year: LF and Revolte, even the Renault tiny car. Mom is right. Cars should not look the same. They should be exciting. I really hope someone produces Batmobile.”
“You will have an accident in one minute. Batmobile is cool, but you have obstructed view everywhere.”
“So does Lamborghini, but who cares when you are the fastest? Say a little prayer and merge.”
Ethan laughed.
“How was Melia’s internship?” asked Scarsa.
“Really good. She was in New York. She reminds me to thank you every day.”
“I just made an introduction. Rest was all her. Has she met Alex yet?”
“No. I don"t know how to start the conversation.”
“Do it over champagne. Things always seem better by the end of the bottle.”
Aliya laughed. “The champagne bottle is also very hard. I don"t want to hit with it. Let me think.”
“Did Arman meet Alex?”
“No. Arman has no interest in my dating life. Arman has no interest in me. But I have heard that he has a new girlfriend. He is busy in his world.”
“Did Neal talk to you?”
“About what?”
“Just wondering.”
“Okay.” Said Aliya with confusion. “He explained the new security, and I talked to him about my preference.”
“Alex, why do you live in Seattle?” asked Ethan.
“I had a bad breakup in Boston. I didn"t want to change countries, so I moved to Seattle.” Said, Alex.
“Are you close to your parents?” asked Scarsa.
“To my mum. Do you often talk to my parents?”
“I meet Graham here and there. We do not know them socially.”
“Did you face a challenge dating each other?” asked Alex.
“No. Ethan?”
“No.”
“Are you facing a challenge in dating Aliya?” asked Scarsa.
“I am making many mistakes. I want to be a good boyfriend, but I am failing. I am trying my best. What are your expectations for your daughter’s partner?”
“That is a good question. Someone who loves her so much that they can give their life for her.” Said Scarsa.
“Why do they have to give their life? Some honesty and love would be enough.” Said Aliya.
“Yes, but if you have someone ready to give their life for you, why would you not take that.”
“Because we live in the real world where things like conversations and intelligence matter. Life is about making decisions. I make them all the time. Would be nice to have a partner who doesn"t give me a speech when asked for their opinion.”
“He asked for my expectations. If he asks about your expectations, you can answer him. But that is my expectation.” Scarsa turned to Ethan. “What about you?”
“I want him not to exist. You do not need anyone. You can have a partner when I am dead or forty.”
“See, now that is fantasy.” Said Scarsa.
“I get it. Parents should have every right to want the best for their children. I will try my best to meet your expectations, Mrs. Hunt. Mr. Hunt, my heartfelt apologies.” Said, Alex.
Aliya and Scarsa laughed.
“But I promise to treat your daughter with the respect and love she deserves.” Said, Alex.
“Alex, do you have any questions for us?” asked Scarsa.
“Yes. I want to be careful not to ask anything personal that will compromise your security.” Said, Alex.
“Don"t worry about it. Ask away.”
“What is your favorite building?”
“That question is for Ethan.” Said Scarsa.
“It is for both of you.” Said, Alex.
“Our house in London. A building needs to have a purpose. A building that fulfills its purpose and makes people happy when they see it is the most beautiful building. Even Aliya loves our house. She says it is the right house in the wrong city. So for me, that is the most beautiful building.” Replied Ethan.
“Please! Chrysler in New York.” Said Scarsa.
Alex smiled. “Did you face any challenges in raising Aliya?”
“No. She is stubborn sometimes. But she is brutal to herself when she makes a mistake. Instead of punishing her, I have always ended up consoling her that it is ok.” Said Scarsa.
Alex laughed. “Do you have a special tradition with her? Like she comes here with Mr. Hunt every time.”
“No. Ethan needs tradition to spend time with her. I can talk to her anytime.”
“How did she fall in love with maths?”
“When she was young in Germany, we didn"t have tv, or we had basic tv. My friend taught me a card game called Seep. It is memory and mathematics. It can be played for hours with two people or three people. Now that I think about it, it was even before that. We would need to drive for work, and Aliya would memorize number plates. Then she began adding and subtracting them. Then she started finding patterns. Somewhere in there, she got very interested in math. We did not deliberately push her into math. It was a natural choice for her.”
“Did she ever struggle at school?”
“Yes, art in fifth grade. It was a required class, and she was not doing well. It was bringing down her rank, and she was feeling very disappointed. She cannot draw. She tried and tried, but she couldn"t do it. I talked to Ethan, and we transferred her to a private school where she had more choices.”
“Did you want her to follow your profession?”
“No. I want her to love her job and profession, whatever it may be. There will be a time when money will be low, the boss will be terrible, and there will be challenges. On days like that, the only motivation she would have is that she loves the job. She must love what she wants to do and give everything to it.”
“That is very nice. Aliya told me that you have an astute eye. What are the observations you make about a person?”
“I have an excellent team that runs background checks. Nothing more.”
“Aliya is very well-mannered. How did you teach that?”
“She took a class. What was it called?” Scarsa asked Ethan.
“Charm school.” Said, Ethan. “I am not sure about her manners. She swears left and right.”
“I don"t.” Defended Aliya.
“Just because you do it in German or Russian doesn"t mean I don"t understand it.” Said, Ethan.
“Aliya is very conscious of money. Did you teach her to budget?”
“Yes, by being poor. We didn"t have much money growing up. The money we had rolled over into projects. You probably grew up the same way. Your parents have barebone assets outside the fund. Graham doesn"t even drive. He takes the metro like a New Yorker. Graham knows he needs to roll over the money in the fund to grow it. That is how he built the company. Same with us. We are all money conscious due to lack of accessible money.” Explained Scarsa.
“Why do you only work with high net worth clients?”
“Because of Ethan. He wants to build the best possible house that can be built. That can"t always be done when the budget is restricted. Ethan wants the house to be loved. He is designing a house for a bachelor billionaire in New York. He wants the house for his wife. Ethan has to think about what a wife wants. She would want to host dinner parties, so it has a big kitchen and two dining rooms, indoor and outdoor. She would not want to go to another level to use the bathroom, so the bathroom is split. They are a mirror image and connect in the middle with a shower and tub. She would want a baby changing room in the master bedroom. He designed a baby-changing closet with a baby-friendly sink. It is in the wall, so it doesn"t disrupt the room’s flow, as he is single. He wants two children, so the upper floor is two equal bedrooms with one common room. This cannot be done on a limited budget.” Said Scarsa.
“Will it have a garage?” asked Aliya.
“Yes, with special ventilation.” Said, Ethan. “I am also adding air filtration in the entire house in case his wife or child is asthmatic.”
“Nice.”
“What would you want in a New York City house?” asked Scarsa.
“Garage. Privacy. I don"t want neighbors peeping in.” Aliya was thinking. “You know what would be nice? A clear elevator with a wrapped staircase. Our house has that old-school elevator. I guess it has to be hidden for security reasons, but do you remember the elevator we saw in Berlin? I usually look at a spiral staircase with a skylight or a chandelier. What a wasted space! Put a clear elevator in the middle with the led glass or waterfall. If he has an unlimited budget, I will do something with glass, water, or lights.”
“Hmm. That is not a bad idea. Let me look into it.” Said, Ethan.
“Do you always ask Aliya about the houses you are designing?” asked Alex.
“Lately, yes. We were at the Paris auto show, and she took a picture of Audi. Just the logo in the front. She thought it was stunning. We live in London. You step into a house, and the wood will creak. It drives her mad. The wall in your parent’s house with the moss and flowers was her idea. I don"t remember how you got that idea, but it looked beautiful.”
“It was for the guy who wanted to see plants from every corner of his house in Manhattan. There was no garden, so use the walls.”
“That is right! This plot is twice the size of that one.”
“How long does it take you to design a house?” asked Alex.
“Three to nine months, depending on the requirements, size, and other projects. We don"t want to drag on the process, or the client will be overwhelmed. We do three meetings. I bring one existing blueprint so we can get into details, and I can be upfront with the pros and cons of certain design elements. The second meeting is a review of their design and feedback. The final meeting is the final review and sign-off.” Explained Ethan.
“Has someone asked for something where you didn"t have an initial blueprint?” asked Alex.
“Yes, every time. The initial blueprint is not something we have done but a barebone version of how I viewed their requirements. We have a form with the request and particular details that the clients fill out. Based on that, I made the initial blueprint. We do not share the blueprint of a house that is built. That would be a breach of contract, like showing the blueprint of your house and informing everyone that there is a sex room. If you want to sell it, we will buy it, take it back to its barebones, and then redesign it per the client’s requirements. So no one will ever have to know.”
“Thank you. I will talk to my parents.” Said, Alex. “Did you ever consider setting up Aliya with someone?”
“No. I want her partner to love her more than his life. How can someone who doesn"t know her? She is part of our social circle, so she knows people. But I want the guy to work hard to get her.” Said Scarsa. “Did your parents set you up on dates?”
“Yes. Terrible, terrible dates. I am shy. I cannot walk up to a girl and ask her out. I have never done that. I have always needed help. I was younger than everyone, and the girls who knew me in my class were not interested in dating me. Even the ones who went along were because of my dad.” Said, Alex.
“What was your worst date besides the one who tried to kill you?” asked Scarsa.
Alex smiled nervously. “It is when they ask me for money.”
“For sex?”
“Some offer something in return. Others outright ask for money. One asked for money to buy her boyfriend a present. I was fifteen when I joined Harvard and twenty when I got my Ph.D. I was thin and tall, and I only knew to talk about physics. I couldn"t drink. I can"t dance. I can"t talk. I had nothing to offer except money.”
“That is so sad.” Said Scarsa. “I understand that. When things unraveled in our life, I was worried that Aliya’s social growth would be stunted if she was isolated by security. We decided to move her to Seattle. Her security is less strict than ours so at least some friends can visit her. She has a bar. Anything that could offset the first threshold. My idea was to get someone to talk to her. I was sure that once they talked to her, they would like her.”
“That worked seamlessly.” Said Aliya with sarcasm.
“You have friends. You have a boyfriend! It did work. You are welcome.”
“I still don"t approve of her drinking.” Said, Ethan.
“You have nothing to worry about. She hardly ever drinks alcohol. Whenever we open a champagne bottle, she barely drinks a glass, and I drink the rest. It takes her a good hour to drink thirty milliliters of cognac.”
“You missed her in summer. She drinks vodka.” Said Scarsa. “She does drink copious amounts of tea. She always has a cup in her hand at home.”
“Same in Seattle.”
“She drinks fruit teas without milk or caffeine. Basically, fruit soup. Thank you, Ethan, for contributing to our daughter’s nutrition.”
“You say it sarcastically, but it is good for her nutrition. You are most welcome.” Replied Ethan with a smug smile. “Do you drink tea, Alex?”
“No, coffee. Latte with milk. I don"t like the bitter taste. I add vanilla syrup and milk to make it sweet. I am not a morning person. I have always hated getting up in the morning. I need extra help to get going.”
“You have done very well on this trip. What time is your flight tomorrow?” said Scarsa.
“Early. We have to leave at six.” Replied Aliya.
“You should head to bed then. I don"t want you to miss your flight. All the best for the SATs. We will not be up when you leave. Alex, it was an absolute pleasure meeting you.”
“Pleasure was all mine, Mrs. Hunt. Thank you so much for your hospitality. Good night.”
“Good night.”
They were back in the room. “I need to shower and pack. I will be back.”
Alex took off his jacket when Aliya came back and kissed him. The kiss caught him off guard, and he was about to move his arms around her when she stepped back. “Right, shower.” Alex smiled as she left. They were back in Seattle.
They were eating.
“Alliya, would you like to go on a date with me this Saturday?”
“Sure. I can"t study after five, so seven?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Why are you nervous?”
“I don"t know.”
“Would you like to sleep or watch something? I need to stay up. I studied the plane because I couldn"t sleep.”
“I was out on the plane. We can watch a movie. Whatever you like.”