The Accidental Pet ✔️

Chapter 11

When Meara returns to her room, she finds Mayura waiting for her at the dining table.

"Amma, what are you doing here?" Meara enquires.

"Sweetie, you are back early. Looks like WuJi wanted you to rest some more." Mayura says, ruffling her daughter's hair.

"But, I was... " Meara trails off when she looks at the time. She taps her watch. 'Is it broken?' She wonders.

But why did Meara feel that her watch was broken?

Simple. According to her watch, which by the way had beeped when she was inside Darakt, now showed that it was only five minutes since she had left her room.

Which was something impossible. Because Meara had definitely spent almost fifteen minutes talking to WuJi, yet it was like the time she had spent with the baby dragon had not happened at all.

"What is it, Meara?" Her mother asks, dragging the little tree climber out of her thoughts.

"Amma, has it only been five minutes since I left?" Meara asks.

"Yes, sweetheart. Why do ask? Is your watch not working properly?" Mayura enquires.

Meara looks at the wall clock and back at her watch before answering, "No Amma, it's working fine. Maybe I did not read the time properly when I left."

"That's fine, sweetie. Are you hungry?" Mayura asks.

Just then, Som enters looking like he is sleepwalking.

"What are you girls doing up? Are you guys hungry?" He asks rubbing his eyes.

The comical way Som's hair is standing up in all directions and the way the rope holding his pyjamas up is dangling outside his pants makes the mother and daughter laugh out loud.

"No, we are not." Mayura and Meara answer, once they calm down a little, and with that the three return to bed again.

*****

Having slept for over ten hours, Meara wakes up early in the morning without being told by her parents, who, she notices are once again up and about.

Mayura is on the intercom ordering coffee, and Som is checking the news on his laptop when Meara approaches them.

"Amma, Appa, can I go to WuJi? I have finished my morning chores." She says, pointing at the neatly made bed.

"Sweetie, I have ordered breakfast. Why don't you go after we have had it?" Mayura suggests.

"Ummm... " Meara contemplates and is about to say something when Som pulls her to him and makes her sit next to him.

"Meara, looks like you have become very fond of WuJi."

"Mn. Appa, WuJi is very nice." Meara answers.

"I am sure, sweetie." He says, giving his daughter a warm smile before adding, "But Meara, I hope you don't get too attached to it."

Meara's face falls, she understands what her father is trying to tell her. She remembers that WuJi, though very nice, could not be with her always. Because, not only is WuJi a dragon who apparently can't set foot outside the tree, Meara has herself promised him that she will help him get home to his parents.