บท 39: 'Stawbellie'

"Dear God, forgive our sins. Help us to become good children from now on."

The trio saw the guests together with Dr. Miles pass through the kitchen to his home office. They dropped their heads out of embarrassment. They continued reeling off their prayers until they saw them entered the room.

"Dear God, forgive our sins. Help us to become good children from now on. What do you think they are going to talk about?" Xhemin can't help but asked in the middle of their prayers.

"I'm suspecting they have other business," Ziggy answered and twitched his nose.

"Young sire, Little Miss, please don't talk while praying" Ang cupped his head as he noted how many times the three say their prayers. The task was giving him severe headache.

"Sorry…" The two said in accord and continued reciting their prayers.

However, their conversation did not stop there. They made hand signs to each other to communicate. Since Ang was sitting on the table while the three of them was kneeling under it, he didn't saw them gesturing to each other.

'How did the beast find you?' Ziggy signed to Xhemin. The three who grew up together made language and hand signs that only the three of them knew and understand.

'No idea' – Xhemin

'I guess it was because of Farmer Su'- Huzey

"Dear God forgive our sins. Help us to become good children from now on." They continued praying while gesturing to each other.

'Where did the two of you went last night?'- Xhemin made a sign as she glared at the two of them.

'Ziggy's night out,' – Huzey

'You didn't tell me'- Xhemin

'What for? You can't come anyway, you are a minor'- Ziggy

Xhemin pouted and withdrew from making hand signs. The two gorillas turned eighteen on the first quarter of the year. Since then, they had always been using their age to bully Xhemin. Most of the time, they teased her saying she can't do-this and that-because she's a minor.

"Dear God forgive our sins. Help us to become good children from now on" Xhemin gazed at the door of Dr. Miles home office wondering what on earth could be her grandfather and the beast was conferring about.

"Dear God forgive our sins. Help us to become good children from now on" The three was at their five hundredth prayer when the home office door sprung open. Farmer Su and Darryl paced out from the office together with Dr. Miles.

Xhemin withdrew her eyes and lowered her head again, embarrassed. She recited her prayers slowly and didn't dare to move. Unknown to her, just as Darryl stepped out the office, his eyes were unto her.

"Dr. Dugmoch, I don't think punishments are necessary" The beast said without departing his eyes from her.

"Young Master, I hope that you could leave this matter to me. These children are not only my descends, they are also my students under a very strict curriculum" Dr. Dugmoch explained. He saw how the Young Master looked dotingly on her precious grandchild. It frightened him a bit.

While her grandfather was talking to the beast, Xhemin who overheard them lifted her head. The beast's hazel eyes welcomed her stares. She shivered at the sight of them.

"Dr. Dugmoch…" The beast still wanted to convince Dr. Miles about the three's ordeal, yet he saw Xhemin shook her head asking him not to. "…. I understand. It was nice meeting you and your household" Darryl continued.

He satisfied himself with the view of her and retreated after some time. More of her and he might lose himself again. He headed out to the door hastily; afraid that his emotions will overthrow him, and he might not want to leave her side again.

Dr. Miles followed the guests into the yard and minutes after, sound of engines departing from Richmond ranch flooded the place.

Xhemin sighed upon the thought of the beast's departure. Although it made her comfortable, her heart otherwise was longing for him again; knowing it would take another forever to meet him again.

"The three of you, to my office now!" Dr. Miles commanded as soon as he slipped in to the dining room heading towards his home office again.

The three crawled their way out from the table and followed Dr. Miles, not daring to say any word. There is an unspoken rule in this household: When Dr. Miles is mad, never react and never talk back.

"Rivendell's OCELP will start next week, for this season, I'm going to make a recommendation to the board that the three of you go through a different curriculum and training." Dr. Miles started, he was referring to Rivendell's Outside Campus Extensive Learning Program.

Every mid-year, Rivendell send out their students outside campus to have an actual practice of their field of expertise. Dr. Miles is one of the respected professors and board member in Rivendell. Xhemin and Ziggy who are both training under a science curriculum are his advisory.

This fact of course is confidential since Rivendell's keeps the profile of their professors confidential. Each student is also bound with this confidentiality.

"Xhemin, I'm going to send you to a farm in Woodbridge" Dr. Miles continued when the three didn't say a word.

"And Ziggy and Huzey?" Xhemin hesitated for a moment before asking. For some reason, her lower lip began to tremble. She a had a bad feeling about this sudden change of plans.

"They will stay here in Hampshire"

Suddenly the room was fraught with tension.

"What? That can't be! the OCELP will last for about three months!" Xhemin exclaimed, her eyes welled up in an instant.

"Grandad, Xhemin had never been away from home that long. She might be homesick," Ziggy was beginning to get frantic.

The three children had never been away from each other for long. Even when Ziggy and Huzey had trips to the capital city sometimes, they always come home after a day or two.

"Then that's something she need to overcome" Dr. Miles already anticipated this reaction from them. He was very aware how the three refused to leave each other's side.

"Grandad please! This is not -"

"Enough!" Dr. Miles interrupted, "Have not the three of you realized the mess you did? You have push it too much this time. So, this will be your punishment!"

"Grandad, since it was my fault then I'm the one you should send away. Let Xhemin stay here with Ziggy in the ranch" Huzey said for the first time. He stood there for a while thinking the best way to remedy the situation.

"Who says one of you will stay in the ranch?" Dr. Miles asked Huzey in return. "I will send Ziggy to the Hampshire's local hospital to practice and you my dear prince will stay in Loch cottage to focus on the La Agartha." Dr. Miles was referring to the collection of hundred pieces of statue that Huzey was sculpting.

"No!" Xhemin was already sobbing, she knew by then that everything was already planned out and there's no way to talk this out from his grandfather.

"A foreign teacher had been interested in your underwater museum, so he will be your personal attendant in the Loch's cottage"

"Grandad please don't send us away!" Xhemin begged.

"The three of you are not children anymore…" Dr. Miles said, his tone was gentle but threatening "This will be your punishment and all the subsequent ones will be severe than this"

"Now leave, I have to finish some documents" He added, dismissing the three.

"Grandad" Xhemin pleaded once more.

"C'mon Xhem, hush now…" Ziggy comforted her as he wrapped her arms around her. He helped Xhemin on their way out of Dr. Miles home office and unto the stairs toward her bedroom.

The Richmond Ranch was filled with Xhemin's sobs. The Little Miss had never once cried this much and the sound was specially disheartening to the great doctor.

Unknown to the children, Dr. Miles was sending Xhemin away for a purpose.

The doctor sat on his office chair with his hands to his head. He just heard the news of the Staw disease breakout which brought the Lagdameo heir to this side of the country. They came looking for his old patient Mr. Owens, the one they suspected to have the cure.

He told them he hadn't heard of him. It was such a long time since he left this side of the country and didn't send him a word. What he told the Lagdameo heir was all true, but he didn't spill all of it.

He didn't tell them Mr. Owens was also a professor. One of the greatest in Rivendell Academy.

He didn't tell them there was a reason why professor Owen didn't send him a word all these years. It was not intentional, it wasn't just possible.

He lied about his whereabouts. He knew where the great professor was. But even if he tells them, it will not be possible for them to locate him.

The Lagdameo heir was desperate. He seeks for the cure. They suspected Professor Owen knew something about the Staw disease.

Their suspicion was right. Professor Owens did know the cure. How could he not?

The cure was made by his favorite student. An eight-year-old child at the time the Staw disease first broke out in Hampshire.

"Staw from stawbellies grandad" That child said eight years ago as she named the disease from her favorite fruit. Her eyes were filled with innocence at the time, not knowing she made something significant. Her speech was crooked previously which she eventually outgrown after few years.

Now that child was crying in her room. Sobbing relentlessly because she will be sent away from home. It ached the doctor's heart. This was also the first time his grandchild will be away from his side for long, but she must go.

She must stay hidden in Woodbridge until the Staw disease's breakout will subside. No one must know about her. No one, specially the Lagdameo's.