Crooks and Straights

by Masha du Toit

  And to keep himself warm,

  Will hide his head under this wing.

  Poor thing!

  -oOo-

  “What happened, Dad?”

  Karel was in the kitchen, looking lost. Mandy bustled around him, making tea.

  “Dad, what happened?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. They took him away, and we just had to wait there. Nobody told us anything. For hours.” He shuddered. “And then when they were done they brought him out all curled up. I thought your mother was going to attack that nurse.”

  “Is he going to be okay?”

  Karel licked his lips. “I think so, Gia. Now that he’s home and safe. He just had a horrible time there.”

  “The monsters,” muttered Mandy, thumping down the kettle. “To treat a little child like that—!”

  “It’s all over now, thank God,” said Karel. “We can get back to our lives. That’s what Nico needs now. Normality.”

  “And the certificate? Did they give you the certificate of purity?”

  “Yes, yes, that was all fine. Everything is settled now, and we can put it all behind us.”

  Gia looked at him doubtfully. Surely he did not really think it was going to be that simple?

  “But Dad, what about the Belle Gente? They didn’t accept your payment, did they? You don’t think they’ll—”

  “Really, Gia, I thought we’d gone over all of that. Yes, your mother insisted on paying that con-artist, but luckily for us his payment system didn’t work. And as it turns out, we did not need the man in any case. Nico tested negative, so all the worrying was for nothing.”

  Gia gaped at her father. Surely he could not really believe that? But he seemed so calm in his certainty.

  The noise of the shower ceased, and a few moments later, Saraswati called from the bathroom.

  “Karel? Can you come here a moment?”

  Her father came back just as Mandy poured the tea. “She wants us to go get some things from the health shop,” he said, taking his cup and blowing on it. “I’ll just finish this, then we can run. Can you go to her, Mandy? The boy is calm now, but I think she needs a hand undressing him and getting him to bed.”

  -oOo-

  From the moment she got in the car, Gia knew something was wrong.

  It seemed strange for Saraswati to send them both away, at a time like this. The things they were getting were none of them urgent.

  She turned as they drove off, and saw nothing alarming. Only Granny and the caretaker walking slowly toward them, deep in conversation.

  Karel found a parking spot, and they went first to the health shop, then to the pharmacy. By the time they got back to the car Gia had to stop herself from telling her father to hurry. As soon as she opened the front door, she knew it was too late.

  Her parents' bedroom door stood open.

  One of Nico’s socks lay in the corridor.

  Saraswati and Nico were gone.

  Gone

  “But I don’t understand. Why did she go?”

  Karel stood in the bedroom he shared with Saraswati, staring at the open cupboards.

  “We got through all that Special Branch stuff. It’s over now. And he’s got his certificate. Why would she go now?”

  “Dad—” Gia felt at a loss. Did he really not know? “Dad, it’s the Belle Gente.”

  Her father turned to her, his look more dazed than angry.

  “You think she’s running away from the Belle Gente, because of that contract? But that’s just— just crazy stuff. Why would those people want a little boy? What could they possibly want with a seven-year-old—? ” He shook his head in frustration. “Anyway, that contract cannot be legal. I mean, maybe if me or Sari signed it. But you are his sister. You don't have the authority to agree to that contract.”

  Gia wished she could share his certainty.

  “I don’t think they operate according to the law,” she said. “Or anyway, not laws as in courts and judges and that. It’s more like a bargain. Like in the old stories.”

  Her father was not listening to her.

  “Where’s Mandy? She must know—” He was on his feet again and pushed past Gia, calling out Mandy’s name. Gia heard him checking the backyard, then come back through the kitchen.

  “She’s gone too.” He glanced at his watch. “They must have gone together. Listen, Gia, you stay here, in case they come back. I’m going to go to Mandy’s. Maybe—”

  The front door slammed behind him.

  -oOo-

  The house felt very empty, once her father was gone.

  Empty, and silent.

  Gia went back into her parents’ bedroom, searching for clues among the scattered clothes and open drawers. Where had Saraswati gone? How long did she plan to stay away?

  Everywhere in the house she found signs of desperate haste. Suitcases had been pulled out of the top shelf of the linen cupboard, and somebody had gone through the sheets and blankets. The toothpaste was missing from the cup in the bathroom, and so were Nico and Saraswati’s toothbrushes. Nico’s shoes lay scattered all over the floor of his room, and there was a stack of his t-shirts and underpants piled on his bed.

  The box with his overlocker monster and materials was missing from his cupboard.

  At first Gia hoped to find a note, but she soon gave up on that.

  As she searched, her anger grew. To be sent on a fool’s errand, while her mother made her getaway. Saraswati could have trusted her, allowed her to help. Even if she did not want to say where she was going, anything was better than just going, without even leaving a note.

  Maybe Paddavis would know.

  She called his name, quietly at first, then with rising irritation. No answer. Useless creature. She should never have trusted him.

  Had Saraswati really gone off with Mandy? That seemed unlikely, and Gia could not shake the image of Granny and the caretaker that she’d seen from the car. She was out the door and down the stairs into the street, dodging pedestrians and dogs.

  The caretaker’s door was closed, but then, it always was, so she knocked hard and waited, trying to hear past the noise of her breathing and the pounding of her heart. After a minute or so she knocked again, but she knew it was no use. No one was home.

  Once again she ran, this time down the street to Granny’s shop. But she slowed to a walk, and then to a stop. She could already see that the shop was locked up, dark and quiet.

  She’d never seen it closed before. That, more than anything, made her certain that Granny, at least, had some knowledge of where Saraswati had gone.

  Gia turned and walked back up the hill.

  What now? Why, and when, and where, and how long, and what could I have done—

  Over and over until she wanted to smash her fist into a wall so that the pain would distract her. She stamped up the stairs to the front door, and slammed it so hard that the knocker rattled.

  Saraswati must have asked Granny and the caretaker for help. How long had she been planning this? Why had she not asked Gia for help, or even hinted at her plans?

  That thought smoldered, hot as a cramp in her belly.

  She tried to imagine Karel returning with Saraswati and Nico, but her mind kept slipping away, unable to focus on the picture of how it would be. Being alone became suddenly unbearable and she took out her texter and sent a message to Fatima.

  Can you come over?

  She stared at the little screen, willing the letters to appear, and sure enough, less than a minute later the texter buzzed.

  Sorry! Stuck helping mom. Tomorrow?

  Gia closed her eyes and waited until the disappointment passed.

  Sure! Message me when you can come.

  After another moment, the reply arrived.

  Will do. Anything wrong?

  After several false starts, Gia gave up in even trying to explain.

  Tell you when I see you.

  Okay, take care then, hugs!

  A car door slammed, and a mom
ent later the burglar gate clanged. Gia ran to the front door just as her father came in.

  “Did you find them?” But she already knew the answer even before he spoke.

  “No.”

  “Was Mandy home? Did she know anything?”

  Karel went through to the living room, heading for the phone.

  “No. She wasn’t home yet. Her daughter thought she was still on her way. Promised to phone.”

  He had the phone cradled against his chin and started dialling.

  “Hello. Hello? I’d like to report— Hello? Yes. I’d like to report a missing person. Two. Missing persons.”

  -oOo-

  “So— wait. What?” Fatima took a big bite of scone, then licked the cream off her fingers.

  “Your mom took off because she thinks the Belle Gente are going to kidnap Nico?”

  Gia tried not to be irritated at Fatima’s obvious disbelief. She took a bite of scone herself, finding that she was hungrier than she’d realised. There had hardly been any supper last night, and she’d skipped breakfast, feeling too tense to eat.

  So strange to wake up in a house with no mother, and no Nico.

  It was a relief to be away from home, but the story of why Saraswati had left seemed unreal here in the bustle and buzz of the mall. Fatima’s mother had swung by to pick Gia up that morning, and dropped the two of them off at Cavendish Square while she did some serious shopping. Gia and Fatima had headed for Café Rosa, a favourite meeting place.

  “I know, it sounds nuts,” said Gia.

  “And aren’t you supposed to be grounded anyway?”

  Gia shrugged. “Dad’s forgotten all about that.”

  “You’re sure there isn’t some other reason she went away?” asked Fatima.

  “Like what?”

  “Well,” Fatima drank some of her hot chocolate. “Have your parents been fighting more than usual?”

  “I don’t think so,” said Gia, but even she could hear the doubt in her voice.

  Fatima shrugged. “Parents are like that. They don’t tell you stuff.”

  Gia wanted to argue, to explain again about the contract, the test and her mother’s fears, but somehow she did not have the strength. Fatima had listened to her story patiently enough, but Gia sensed that the more she told, the more uncomfortable her friend became. In the end she’d only explained the bare outline, and not even told Fatima that she’d joined the Special Branch Youth Division.

  Even thinking about that gave her a little shock, like a pinch of static. It was much easier to eat her scones and cream, and allow Fatima to convince her that things were not as weird as she’d thought.

  “Your dad must be going spare.”

  “He is. He’s convinced that Mandy knows something, but Mandy says that Mom didn’t tell her anything about where she was going.”

  “Mandy was there when she left?”

  Gia nodded. “She was. I don’t think she knows anything. And Dad’s freaking out about the business too. There’s a lot of work to do on the wedding—”

  She stopped, realising that she’d not told Fatima that they were making Kavitha Pillay’s wedding gown.

  Fatima looked at her, clearly curious.

  “Listen, Fatima, I’m not really allowed to tell you this. And if anyone finds out, and I mean anyone then we can be in serious trouble.”

  “Wow.” Fatima’s eyes were gleaming, and she sat forward. “Give! What’s going on?”

  Gia opened her mouth, but at that moment the waiter leaned in between them to clear their plates. She waited while he piled up their cups and plates. Only when he was well out of earshot did she speak.

  “We’re doing Kavitha Pillay’s wedding gown.”

  “Oh. My. God!” Fatima’s hand went over her mouth. “You’re kidding me, right? Oh my God, Gia, Kavitha Pillay?”

  “Fatima, please!” Gia glanced around to see if anyone was watching. “Keep your voice down, okay?”

  “You’ve met her?”

  “Yes. She’s pretty cool, actually.”

  “Wow.” Fatima sat and stared at her, eyes wide. “That’s so amazing.”

  “Thing is, it’s supposed to be this big secret. Luxulo is super paranoid. He wants to keep it all a secret, nobody must know who is doing the dress until the wedding day. Things can get seriously sticky if this gets out.”

  “Okay, no, wow. I won’t tell anybody, promise, Gia. Luxulo Langa’s no joke.”

  “That’s what Kavitha said.”

  “Really?”

  Fatima was clearly bubbling over with curiosity. To her own surprise, Gia felt reluctant to gossip about Kavitha. “She warned me that we better not fall behind or mess up this job, apparently Luxulo Langa’s not very forgiving.”

  “Oh. And with your mom gone—”

  “That’s right,” said Gia. “She’s finished the toile— or pretty much finished, but there’s still more than a week’s work on that gown.”

  Fatima gave her arm a squeeze. “I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

  -oOo-

  Gia got home just as her father came out looking for her.

  “Gia! Good. Listen, we need to go. Kavitha needs one last fitting with that toile. Can you come? Good.”

  Once again they met the driver in a mall parking lot, and soon they were in the air-conditioned, vanilla-scented rooms of the Pillay home.

  Gia helped Kavitha put on the toile under Mrs Pillay’s sharp eyes.

  “Such a pity that your mother could not come, Gia,” said Mrs Pillay, walking around Kavitha and looking her up and down. “I hope she feels better soon. To have the flu on such a lovely day!”

  Gia smiled and nodded, but did not trust herself to speak. Instead, she concentrated on making sure that the toile was positioned correctly. She adjusted the fit of a shoulder, then checked that the skirt draped as it should.

  “Not bad,” said Mrs Pillay. “I thought it would be too stark, but it’s really rather lovely. Your mother is a talented woman, Gianetta.”

  “Is it comfortable?” Gia asked Kavitha. “Try walking a bit.”

  Kavitha took a few steps, then lifted her arms.

  “It’s much better now,” she said. “It caught me across the shoulders before, but now it feels fine. It’s not too loose?”

  “It looks perfect to me,” said Gia. “Can we go out into the other room? I’d like my father to see.”

  “Of course.”

  Kavitha moved through to where Karel was waiting. Gia watched her walk, checking the length of the skirt, and watching for any awkward pulling of the fabric. The dress, even in this dull cotton incarnation, looked even better than she’d imagined. The sculpted folds framed Kavitha’s graceful figure without dominating her.

  “Oh yes!” said Karel as Kavitha entered. “That’s the way. Turn around, will you my dear? Lovely.”

  He took one of Kavitha’s hands, holding it up as if he were dancing with her. “Comfortable? Is it tight anywhere?”

  “Perfectly comfortable.”

  “Sit down. Stand up. Move around. Remember, you’ll be dancing in this dress.”

  Kavitha followed his instructions, and Karel nodded in approval. “I think we’ve got it fitting now.”

  “We need the final dress by the end of next week,” said Mrs Pillay. She held up a hand, as though silencing Karel, although he’d made no move to speak.

  “I know, I know, the wedding is still weeks away. But Luxulo is anxious to have this settled. There’s no arguing with that man!” She smiled indulgently, a smile that did not reach her eyes.

  “Of course,” said Karel. “Of course. It will be our pleasure.”

  -oOo-

  Gia watched her father on the drive back.

  He looked exhausted. Now that he was away from the Pillays, his shoulders slumped and she could see the sleepless night in his face.

  “Are we going to make it, Dad?” she asked.

  “What?” Karel looked startled. “Oh, you mean finish the dress in time? It’s
possible. But it’s going to be tough without your mother to help.”

  “Can I do anything?”

  He glanced at her. “I’m afraid you’ll have to. Between the two of us, we should be able to get it done. Problem is, I’ve got another big deadline on Monday that I’ve moved already. That’s the one that will be paying all our bills. So I’m going to be relying on you a bit more than usual, sweetheart.”

  “Okay, Dad. Just tell me what to do.”

  He nodded, but she could see his thoughts were already pulled away from her, as he stared ahead into the traffic.

  The song that had been playing on the radio came to an end, and the news came on. Gia did not really listen to it, until a phrase caught her attention, and she turned it up.

  …strange phenomena. These are often electrical in nature, but seem to affect humans too, inducing a trance-like, hypnotic state. Mr Khwete says that there have been a rising number of incidents of strange crowd behaviour in public places. There are also increasing numbers of the so-called “Guilters”, individuals who leave home and family to wander the streets, chanting meaningless phrases.

  The leader of the Purists, new splinter group within the New Rational Party, Mr Luxulo Langa, has called on the government to act. He says, and I quote:

  “These are terrorist actions of the Belle Gente. We have tolerated these radical elements in our country for long enough. The time for talking is over. We must act.”

  And now for the weather…

  Gia turned the volume down again, frowning.

  Strange phenomena that affected crowds as well as technology? That sounded very like what she’d experienced at The Playground. That strange, hypnotic state, and the way both the lights and the music had seemed to be infected by something.

  Was that the Belle Gente’s doing? But what would that achieve?

  -oOo-

  Unpick the toile.

  That’s what Karel had told her to do, before he went off again.

  Gia looked at the cotton gown, which she had put back on the dressmaker’s dummy.

  Well, that’s easier said than done.

  It was not that she’d never done it before. It was tedious work, but easy enough. The picked-apart toile would become the pattern, according to which the silk of the finished gown would be cut.