The Power of Destiny

Chapter Six

“Love knows, love grows, bigger than before… the more you give it away, the more it comes back to you.” – Kelly S.

It was now winter and the cold was everywhere. They were already in the winter holidays and Christmas was just few days away. The Christmas shops sold different kinds of dresses, shoes, accessories, and gifts of different kinds. The Christmas lights glowed and shone. Everywhere you went Christmas was always in the air.
Lorna was always thinking of the gift to give Ollie. It was already December and she would soon be going for holidays to be with her family. She had really missed them and also everything back at France. They were now on holidays and she was prepared to travel back.
It was on a Friday, just two weeks before Christmas. It was in the morning when Aunt Lucy told them they were going out since they were travelling the next day. Christopher was at home and they all got dressed. They got into one of Christopher’s car and drove out to a Christmas shop.
They parked in front of one of the Christmas shops and got down. They entered and bought gifts, decorating lights, Christmas trees, clothes, and shoes. They got all they wanted to buy and went back home. Christopher and Lucy went to work, leaving Nanny Rosie with Lorna, Izzy, and Basil.

OLLIE SAT AT THE PARK by the side of their house. She was reading a novel she had exchanged with Sidney at school. It was a fairytale novel about the popular Cinderella. She had also borrowed other novels and had been reading them.
Later in the afternoon, she was still at the park. She had read up to three novels and was in the fourth one, when she heard a male voice behind her. She looked up and saw Sidney. He was in a white T-shirt, blue denim jeans, and white trainers.
“Sid, didn’t you come with Kay?” Ollie asked while he sat on the chair opposite her.
“No, I didn’t. Why aren’t you yet ready?”
“Ready for… oh, I forgot. I’m really sorry; I haven’t even told my dad. Gosh!” she said. “Let me just rush in and get dressed. I’ll tell Ma Pat that we’re going, and just call Kay to make sure she’s ready,” she said and ran towards the house.
Sidney sat back and waited for Ollie. Ollie went in and changed into a plain pink knee-length gown with a black belt, a black shoe with a butterfly design and a pink bag. She also wore a black band on her head. She rushed to Nanny Patricia’s room and knocked. She knocked three times but no answer came. She went to the kitchen and saw her there.
“Ah, Ollie, were you the one knocking?” Nanny Pat asked her.
“Yes ma.”
“Is there any problem?”
“I forgot to tell dad that I’ll be going with Sidney to the library and he’s here.”
“So, should I call your dad?” she asked and Ollie nodded. She washed her hands and cleaned them on a towel. She went into her room and brought out her mobile phone. She dialled Robert’s number and told him. When she was through with the call, she turned to Ollie and asked, “Why didn’t you let him know yesterday?” When she did not receive any answer, she continued, “He was pretty upset but said you could go and come back before 4:00pm.”
“Thanks Nanny Pat,” Ollie said and hugged her.
She ran out and shouted goodbye to her sisters. She went out of the house to meet Sidney.
“Are you ready?” Sidney asked.
“Yep! Have you called her yet?”
“Who?” Sidney asked, pretending he didn’t know whom she was referring to.  
“Kay, of course,” Ollie said, slightly irritated at Sidney.
“Oh!” he exclaimed as though he had forgotten. “We could just by ourselves.”
“But we agreed that we would all go together including Kay,” she said and looked at his face intently. “Or are the both of you quarrelling?”
“Okay, please don’t be upset, I’ll call her now,” he replied, ignoring her question.
“Better!”
He dialed Kayla’s number and told her to get dressed for the library. Then, they went to her house and went to the library.

ISOBEL MARCHED to Basil’s door and flung it open. She stood by the doorway and asked, “Basil, did you see my piggy bank, I can’t seem to find it anywhere?”
Basil continued playing with his toys, ignoring Isobel. Isobel became infuriated and shouted.
“Basil, I’m talkin’ to you! Who took my piggy bank?”
Basil looked at her and, “Whoa!” he exclaimed, and shifted his head to see her more clearly. Izzy’s face was red with anger. Then, he started giggling.
“What’s funny?”
“Your face is,” he replied, still giggling.
“I’m not findin’ anything funny. I just asked who took my piggy bank. I had up to ten dollars in it!”
Just then, Peter, Basil’s friend came into the room and looked from Izzy to Basil. Basil bit his lip, if anyone should come in now, it shouldn’t have been Peter.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Peter, your mum was calling you… ” Basil said trying to make him go away, until Izzy interrupted him.
“Peter, did you see my piggy bank? I had up to ten dollars in it.”
Peter cocked his head in a thoughtful way and Basil took a deep breath. Then, he looked at Basil.
“Wasn’t it up to twenty dollars the time you were counting it?” he asked.
Izzy threw an I-knew-you-took-it look, with Basil answering with I-didn’t-take-it look.
“Peter, I really think I heard your mum calling you,” Basil said again.
“Oh, it must be my pants again,” he said, grinning. Then, he shouted, “I’m coming mum.”
He went to the door and looked back at Basil, “I’ll be back.” Then, he ran outside towards their house. 
‘It’ll be better if you don’t,’ Basil thought.
Basil began to try to lighten up her mood. “Um… don’t you think you should stop fuming and laugh a little,” he said and chuckled nervously.
“Just stop it, Basil. I know you took it!”
“Took what? What will I take from you?”
“Stop pretending Basil!” she shouted and Lorna rushed into the room, not surprised. She was already used to them arguing every now and then.
“What’s goin’ on here?” she demanded.
Izzy left the doorway and entered the room. She started ransacking Basil’s wardrobe.
“Hey! What are you doin’?” he asked.
He ran to her to stop her but she shoved him to the floor, more determined now to search his drawers and wardrobe.
“Be careful with that,” he said as she was checking his drawers.
She finished checking then and turned back to him and asked, “Where is it? Where did you hide it … punk?”
“Whoa! Izzy, take it easy on him. You shouldn’t call your brother bad names,” Lorna cautioned and walked towards her.
“But he stole it. He stole my piggy bank and unless he brings it, I’m not forgiving him,” she said and stormed past Basil and went into her room.
Lorna let out a deep breath and turned back to face Basil. She folded her arms with a frown on her face and asked, “What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything. She just burst into my room and started barking that I should give back her piggy bank, as if I took it,” he said and pointed to his clothes scattered on the floor. “And now see what she’s done. She scattered my room. Mommy must hear this,” he said and sat on the bed with folded arms and a sober face.
Lorna chuckled and said, “I know you very well, Basil. If you meant what you last said, you would have been telling mum right now.”     
“Well… I can tell her later. It’s still the same thing.”
Lorna studied him for a while and asked, “Where is it, Basil?”
Basil looked at her and formed an ‘oh’ with his mouth. “Are you still accusing me?”
“Of course. I don’t know who have been teaching you how to lie. I must admit, the person did a good job but yet, you can’t deceive me, Basil. Now, bring it out. You know how hard Izzy has been trying to save those dollars.”
Basil lowered his gaze and replied, “Okay, well… you’ve got me,” he said and sighed, with his shoulders dropping before adding, “Again.”
Lorna smiled and crouched to meet his eyes.
“You know, Basil, whoever’s been filling your head with hopes that you can lie doesn’t mean well for you. Although, he did a pretty good job this time but he wants you to become a bad person.”
“But you always catch me.”
“Yes. And that’s because you’re not a good liar. You’re meant to become good, like your daddy, and not bad.”
“So, you still see me as a good boy?”
“You’ll always be,” she said and pasted a light kiss on his forehead. He allowed her, getting used to the girly kisses. “Now, where is it?”
Basil pretended to be thinking and then asked, “Where do you think I kept it?”
“Um… in your school bag?”
“No.”
“Um…” she thought, her eyes roving round the room and taking note of the drawers that were open. “ I’ll say… that drawer with the key.”
“You always get it right.”
“And that’s to tell you no matter how big and tall you’ll get, I can always catch you if you lie. Now, promise me you’ll be a good boy from now on.”
“I promise.”
“Don’t promise and fail.”
“I won’t.”
“Now, go on and beg Izzy and then, give back her piggy bank.”
“And what if I used few dollars?”
“You didn’t.”
“How’d you know?”
“I can’t see any candy or chocolate and I know those are the only things you buy.”
Basil smiled and got up to open the drawer. He brought out the piggy bank and proceeded to Izzy’s room. He knocked and entered.
“Who’s that?” Izzy asked her voice choked with tears. She was sitting on the chair in front of her dressing mirror.
“Basil.”
“Who permitted you to…?” she said, straightening on the chair. Then, she gasped as she saw the piggy bank in his hands through the mirror.
She got up and turned to face him.
“I knew you were the one who stole it,” she burst out. “Now, give me that,” she said as she rushed towards him to grab it.
He dodged her and continuously changed positions, making her run round him. She became furious and stopped.
“Basil, stop it!” she shouted, infuriated.
“Not unless you listen to what I have to say first.”
Izzy sighed and folded her arms, her mouth drawn in an angry pout. “Go on.”
“I just want to say I’m sorry and… ”
“… I won’t do it again,” she interrupted, rolling her eyes. “That’s what you say every time you do something wrong, and for your information, I’m sick of hearing it. Now, give me that,” she said, making a grab at the piggy bank.
Basil changed it in his hands so she couldn’t touch it and she frowned.
“What’s your problem? I’ve already listened to what you want to say.”
“I’m asking you to forgive me and that I’m goin’ to be a good boy from now on.”
“Hmph! Really?”
“Yes,” he said and smiled.
“What’s the catch?”
“What?”
“You want me to believe that?”
Basil didn’t reply. There was silence until he said, “Maybe you should.”
Izzy studied him for a while and replied, “I can only forgive you when my money is in my hands. Complete.”
“Then, I’m not givin’ it to you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not going to forgive me.”
“Does that mean it isn’t complete?”
Basil didn’t give any reply.
“Okay… okay, I promise, I will,” she said and rehashed his words. “Does that mean the money is not complete?”
Basil gave her the piggy bank without answering. Then, Izzy threw him a scary look and he said, “Check out for yourself.”
Izzy collected it slowly, looking intently at Basil. She had already promised she’ll forgive him, and being someone who didn’t like breaking her promises, it included if the money was incomplete.
She moved to the table and poured out the money from the safe. She counted it and sighed. She turned to look back at Basil to see him smiling like a doll.
“You’re forgiven,” she said, smiling too.
“Yea!” Basil shouted and jumped around.
“Well, as for you changing from bad to good, I can give you just two days to see if you won’t return to your evil acts.”
“I promise I won’t,” he said and went to hug Izzy.
Izzy first tensed and slowly relaxed as he hugged her.
“Thanks, Izzy,” Basil said and Izzy slightly nodded.
She inhaled deeply and asked, “Did you lick chocolate?”
“No,” he replied happily, still hugging her. “Why?”
“Nothing,” she replied. “Just that your hair smell of it,” she mumbled and let her hands go round him.
They stayed like that for some few minutes and Izzy looked up to see Lorna and her mum looking at them with smiles on their face.