The Many Tales of the 2-Souls Ninjas

Chapter 14: Family Plan

Nemo Farid:

"Sweetie," my mom says. She looks away from the clipboard in her hands and looks at me. "I still don't really get it."

"Neither do I," my dad says. He stops setting up the museum's exhibits and looks at me. "How exactly did you get a 'starring role' in an upcoming movie? I mean, what were you even doing at a movie studio?"

"Uhhh," I say. I look to my side and see Akio just standing there with his arms crossed. When he sees me looking at him, Akio just shrugs his shoulder.

"Uhh, I was just...there," I answer, trying to be as truthful as I can. "And the producer, I think, saw me, and for some reason that I still can't really understand, he said I have potential to be 'Boston's new stars'."

I shake my head when I'm done talking. It's the day after I was "hired" and after my parents asked me if I wanted a sneak peek at the newest exhibit at the Boston Natural History Museum where both of them work as curators, our conversation somehow turned toward my new job.

"Potential," my mom repeats.

"To be an actor," my dad goes on. "Nemo. It's not that we don't believe in you. You're our son. We do believe in you, and you are a very smart kid."

"Thank you for all of that, Dad," I say, "But I sense a 'but' incoming. What's the 'but'?"

My dad sigh when I say this. His head bounces up and down like he's trying not to say what he wants to say but the words force their way up.

"But, do you remember your second-grade play?"

Almost immediately, I see a flash and I find myself back in the second grade, doing the play. I can't remember exactly what happened but I do remember my mom and dad, along with all the other parents, cheering, laughing, and taking pictures. Shortly afterward, I remember all of them screaming and running for their lives. Then the manager of the Franklin Park Zoo telling me and my parents we are forever banned from the zoo. The flashback ends with the zoo staff taking our pictures and thumbprints.

"Yeah, Dad," I say through my teeth. "I remember my second-grade play. They still have our pictures taped in the ticket booths. On the bright side, it's not like we go to the zoo a lot anyway."

"The second-grade play," Akio whispers. "What happened during your play? And what is this about a zoo?"

I wave my hand, motioning for Akio to be quiet.

"It wasn't my fault," I whisper, leaning to tell Akio without looking too suspicious in front of my parents. "At least, not entirely. The goat was the one that chewed the ropes. And I didn't know that myth about mice and elephants was true."

"What?"

I wave my hand again and turn away from Akio.

"Nemo," my mom says, "So what are you going to do? Are you going start acting?"

"I don't know," I answer with a sigh. "I honestly don't. I mean, for now, I guess I'll do it and see how things go."

"Really," my dad asks.

"Yes, really. Dad. Besides, I won't be alone. Noon will be with me."

"Oh, Noon," my mom says with a big smile. "The girl from your class? Oh, she's lovely."

"Yeah," I say, "She is. Anyway."

I look to the side at the exhibit my parents have been working on since early this morning.

"Mom. Dad. What is all of this?"

I take a step back to fully look at the new exhibit. When I do, I see a whole display of beautifully shining flowers behind a large glass window.