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Back turned, nose in a book, dad is an easy target.
With a delighted squeal, Chloe pounces, wrapping her arms over his shoulders and around his neck. “Gotcha!”
Dad feigns surprise, “Betrayal at the hands of my own daughter! I should’ve known this was coming!”
Chloe can’t stop from giggling and eventually loses her grip. Dad tackles her to the ground with tickles until she yields.
“That will teach you not to interrupt in the middle of my research,” he beams.
Pleased with herself for getting dad’s attention so effectively, she’s still curious, “What’re you reading?”
He holds the book out to Chloe, so she can see the glossy pictures, “You know the story of Rama and Sita, don’t you?”
Chloe nods. She prefers stories of adventure and heroism over romance, but what child doesn’t know how Rama killed the great demon-king, Ravana, to rescue his wife, Sita?
But she’s confused, “Don’t you study the Hoysala though? That’s not one of their stories.”
Dad chuckles slightly, “Not traditionally, no, but this is a different telling of Rama and Sita, this is a translation of Ramachandra Charitapurana, which tells the story from Ravana’s point of view.”
Her brow knits tighter, “But Ravana was evil. He stole Sita.”
“And Ravana was purified by Sita’s devotion to Rama before being slain by Lakshmana.”
“I think I like the other version better.”
“Ah,” dad holds up his finger and taps the side of his nose, “but there is merit in knowing all sides of a story.”
“But it’s just a fairy tale,” Chloe insists. “There’s a magic arrow!”
Grinning, “You are too smart for your own good. What’s life without a bit of magic?”
“It’s not real –”
“That’s enough, Chloe,” mum chastises her gently from the doorway to dad’s study. “Time for bed.”
“Yes, please get this little bandar off my hands,” dad snickers.
Chloe sticks out her tongue, but quickly retracts it and begs, “Tell me a story before bed.”
Mum holds out her hand, beckoning to Chloe. “Haven’t you had enough of stories tonight?”
“I wanna hear about the Great Battle!”
“But you know it by heart,” mum counters.
“It’s better when dad tells it!”
Casting a glance at each other, like they’ve already indulged her enough for one evening, mum and dad sigh. They know she won’t settle down til she’s satisfied.
Dad caves, “Alright, but you have to go to bed. Promise?”
Chloe crosses her heart and dad takes her by the hand, leading out of his study.
“You know who gifted Parashurama the axe, don’t you?”
Of course, she does.
----------
Dad’s never brought her to one of his excavation sites before. He beams even brighter at Chloe’s every ‘ooo’ and ‘ahh’.
“This is our history!” he gestures between their hearts. “Lost for generations! But reclaimed through years of research and hard work. And we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of what can be learned here.”
Chloe nods, but doesn’t fully understand.
As dad oversees to the rest of his team, Chloe wanders closer to the ruins.
She admires the intricate stonework. Glancing over her shoulder, she dares to trace the lines of the carvings. As if charged by some visible energy, the stone hums beneath her fingertips.
She gasps a little, shocked by the sensation. Dad’s excitement makes sense now; being here, it’s like the past has come to life and isn’t just some old story from the dry pages of a book.
A trumpet-like sound, startles Chloe away from the wall.
Bashfully, she looks around for the whistleblower, but everyone’s still listening to dad explain the next phase of the dig.
The trumpet blows again. Chloe trains her ear to determine its source. Once more and it’s clear, the sound is coming from the other side of the wall.
Using the engravings as hand and foot holds and without so much as a second thought, Chloe starts to climb.
She’s nearly at the top when she hears dad calling her name, shouting at her to get down.
Breathless, when she hoists herself over the edge, Chloe nearly faints at the sight on the other side. An elephant herd bathes in a nearby riverbed.
“Dad! Dad! You have to see this!”
“Hang on, Chloe! I’m coming to get you!”
Some of the other workers run for a ladder, but dad scales up the wall same as Chloe.
“Come on! You’re going to miss it!” The elephants aren’t in any sort of hurry to move on, but Chloe’s eager for dad to join her before the other men get back.
He pulls himself over the edge but doesn’t dare stand up as Chloe does. From his seated position he gapes, “Would you look at that?”
Gently he tugs on her arm to get her to sit next to him. Chloe obeys, but can’t tear her eyes off the sight.
“They’re so much bigger than I thought,” she marvels.
“It would’ve been safer to take you to a zoo if all you wanted to do was look at was the wildlife,” dad chuckles.
Chloe snuggles under his arm, “But this is way better.”
“Just don’t tell your mum, I let you climb an ancient wall in order to see them.”
It will be their secret.
----------
Mum packs the whole apartment into cardboard boxes, saving dad’s study for last. But for every box she seals up, dad removes one book or artifact from another.
Chloe giggles as it happens again.
Mum doesn’t think it’s funny at all. Reaching her breaking point, “You realize we have to move, don’t you?”
“You think I don’t know that?” dad snaps back. He mutters under his breath, “Stripped of my research funding and position at the university – I’m disgraced.”
“Then act like it! Show some humility! Don’t just carry on as if nothing’s changed!”
Chloe ducks out of the doorway. Mum and dad have argued before, but not like this – this scares her. Hiding with her back against the wall, Chloe closes her eyes and listen.
Through gritted teeth, “I’m onto something big this time, Robyn.”
Mum tuts incredulously, “And what makes you so confident you can convince me of that when you couldn’t even convince the grant committee?”
“Because I discovered this… I’m going to find the Tusk of Ganesh.”
Chloe’s curiosity getting the best of her and she peers back into the study; she catches the gleam of something in dad’s palm, but she can’t make out what is it. Mum stares at the artifact. Dad trains his eyes on mum, waiting for her say or do something.
Finally meeting dad’s gaze, skepticism rising in her voice, “And how do you intend to do that without your research funding?”
“We have savings –”
“So you’d leave Chloe and I with nothing?”
“Only until I find the Tusk and get my position back. Its discovery would mean everything to my country.”
“What about what this would mean for our family?”
“Someday Chloe will appreciate what this means for our –”
Mum scoffs with disgust, “Chloe needs you to be here for her now – not someday.”
Dad has no response and mum continues to pack away his study, throwing things in boxes now instead of delicately wrapping them.
Softly, “I thought you – of all people – would understand.”
Mum halts in her tear through the room but doesn’t look at him. “I do, Kushal. But you don’t have to prove who you are to anyone.”
“Easy for you to say. You haven’t been deemed a –”
An artifact sores past dad’s head and hits the wall with a crash. Dad jumps to his feet and stares at mum in astonishment.
She shakes with anger, “Don’t you dare. You are not the only one who gave something up for this marriage.”
Dad hangs his head, “I’m sorry, Robyn. That was unfair of me.”
Mum stays rooted to her spot, stunned by her own outburst. Dad crosses the room to wrap his arms around her and mum buries her face into his shoulder.
“I’m not asking you to give this up, but I need you to look up from your research on occasion and see how fast your daughter is growing.”
“I will,” dad promises. “She’s already proving to be just as clever and willful as her mother.”
Chloe’s stomach churns. She hadn’t realized how much dad’s attention had turned away from her recently. He always makes time for her whenever she asks, but she has to ask.
An involuntary sound almost like a sob escapes her at the realization.
Mum and dad’s head whip around to spot her still lingering the threshold.
“How long have you been there, Chloe?” mum asks.
Chloe chews her lip, unsure how to answer.
“How much of what we were talking about did you understand?”
Again, Chloe shrugs, “Not much. What’s the Tusk of Ganesh?”
Mum’s soft chuckle is a relief to Chloe. A sign that mum’s not angry anymore and things will go back to normal.
Except they don’t.
Dad sighs, “I’ll explain another time. You should take Chloe to the market, Robyn. I’ll clean this up and finish packing.”
The new apartment is cramped and there’s no room for dad to have his own office, so his desk and research materials are crammed into the living room, occupying every free space.
He leaves on a month-long expedition before they’re completely settled. And when he returns empty-handed, it’s obvious, even to Chloe, he has every intention of going back.
----------
In the rare event dad’s home, he and mum argue behind closed doors. They have another big one just before he leaves again.
Chloe pulls one of the books off dad’s shelf to block out their muffled voices. She knows they love each other – this is just about dad’s expeditions.
Mum’s had to pick up more shifts at the university library to make ends meet while he’s away; more of which she has to drag Chloe along as well.
Boredom hits easily, sitting quietly beneath the front desk. Chloe staves it off by climbing the stacks and unintentionally playing hide and seek with mum’s supervisor. Her supervisor hates Chloe’s visits almost as much as she does.
Chloe’s loitering in the ancient Hoysala section, when she hears footsteps echoing down the corridor. She recesses into the shelves, fearing the supervisor’s wrath.
“Come on, time to go home,” mum calls. As Chloe pokes her head out, mum can’t help but grin, “How is it I always find you in the strangest of places.”
“Cause they’re more interesting.”
“I suppose they must be, otherwise your dad wouldn’t wander off so much too.”
At the mention of dad, Chloe pouts. He’s been gone for weeks.
Mum shakes her head, forlornly, “I’m sorry, possum. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”
He surprises them a week later, holding his arms open for Chloe to run into. “There’s my little bandar!”
Beyond excited, Chloe crashes into him, nearly knocking him over. She could forgive him practically anything so long as he came home.
“Kushal! What happened?” Nothing ever escapes mum’s notice.
Chloe pulls away to get a better look. His smile is marred by a split lip, his skin is bruised and cut, and his shirt dirty and torn – Chloe’s never seen dad so disheveled.
But he grins and bears it, “Nothing I couldn’t handle.” He leans in close to whisper to Chloe, “I slipped and fell – silly, old dad, right?”
Giggling, Chloe hugs him again. “I could teach you how to climb better.”
“I bet you could –”
“Enough. Chloe, bedtime. Your father needs his rest.”
Chloe knows that look on mum’s face; she wears it every time Chloe’s teetering on the edge of trouble. She knows better than to argue, but dad’s only just gotten home, she wants to see him.
“I’ll take her,” dad offers, carrying her to her room and tucking her in.
“How long will you be home for this time?” she asks as he’s about to shut off the light.
Dad sighs and crosses the room to peck her on the cheek, “As long as I’m able.”
He closes the door behind him with a soft click; Chloe instantly tears off the covers. The cold floor sends a shiver up her spine, but she tiptoes to the door, straining to hear their conversation.
“Don’t lie to me, Kushal. What really happened?”
“We were ambushed. It seems a group of graverobbers happened upon our dig site and decided to make a quick rupee off what we’d already uncovered.”
There’s a long pause before mum says anything. “I don’t think they were there by mere chance, Kushal.” A drawer opens, followed by some rustling. “This came while you were away.”
Chloe dares to push the door open a silver; she blinks against the bright light. When her eyes adjust, she watches as dad stares at the piece of paper for a long time.
Unable to bear his silence any longer, mum speaks up, “Whoever wrote that letter would stop at nothing to keep you from finding the Tusk.”
Dad folds the letter and puts it in his pocket. “There’s no reason to suspect there’s a connection between the two.”
“So you’re just going to ignore the threat?”
“No, it means I need to move faster and that it’s not safe here for you and Chloe anymore.”
“How can you go back there after what happened? After that letter?”
“Robyn, I’m closer than anyone’s ever been to finding the Tusk. If I quit now –”
“To hell with the Tusk, Kushal! Will this all have been worth it if you get yourself killed?”
Chloe gasps and for a split second, she thinks dad spies her through the crack in the door, but he says nothing.
Instead he holds his ground against mum, “I can’t walk away. This is too important. But you should go. Take Chloe far away from here – go back to Australia –”
“Not without you.”
“I’ve already made up my mind, Robyn.”
“You stubborn bastard,” mum whispers. She almost sounds helpless, Chloe’s never heard her that way before.
----------
Their next apartment is on the wrong side of town and in the oppressive summer heat, all activity on the street below grinds to a halt. There’s an uncomfortable closeness about the apartment, as if the walls are trying to suffocate them.
Mum mutters under her breath about the persistent state of disarray, the dodgy neighborhood, the commute to the university, their empty savings. She never utters a word against him, but Chloe suspects mum’s greatest cause for concern is dad.
He spends hours at his desk, drafting requests for funding. He promises this will be his last expedition, Tusk or no Tusk. Chloe wants to believe him, but she’s not sure she does anymore; mum doesn’t.
Too hot stay inside and too dusty to play in the street, Chloe dangles her feet over the edge of the balcony. She rests her head on the railing.
She’s been avoiding mum and dad like this all morning. She thought they were all supposed to be happier together, but they’re not. She blames the apartment.
Behind her, Chloe listens to the sounds of their daily activity; the scratch of dad’s pen, mum’s footsteps as she attempts to tidy up the books and research notes which have been strewn about.
Mum groans and there’s the rustle of a trash bag. Moving as little as possible, Chloe shifts just out of mum’s view, so she can’t ask her to take the garbage out. She knows she’s safe from the chore when mum’s footsteps vanish down the stairs.
It’s really too hot. Chloe marvels at how the cats are even too lazy to howl for milk.
There’s a crinkle of paper and Chloe turns just in time to watch a discarded draft soar past the newly empty bin. He grumbles to and starts over.
Neither he nor Chloe notice mum reenter, but softly she calls to him, “Kushal.”
“I’m working.”
“I know, but you have a letter from the Ministry of Culture.”
Her hand trembles as she holds it out to him. Dad’s almost hesitant to take it himself, but once in hand, he tears it open.
“Dear Dr. Acharya, after reviewing your application, we are pleased to inform you, the Ministry of Culture has accepted your request for a grant.”
There’s a spark in dad’s eye and he begins to read more rapidly, “We recognize the significance of your work and are hopeful the discovery of the Tusk of Ganesh will aid in our restoration of the Hoysala Empire to its rightful place in Indian history. You will find the details of the grant enclosed and we wish you the best in your endeavor.”
All the arguments and strain of the past months and years are forgotten in a moment, as dad scoops mum in by the waist and kisses her deeply.
His eyes are still wild with excitement as they break apart. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
Flushed by his sudden exuberance, mum’s brow is knit with worry. “Yes, of course it is.”
Chloe pulls her legs up over the edge, “This means you’re going away again, doesn’t it?”
Dad’s grin fades, glancing between the pair of them. His gaze finally falls on Chloe and he sighs. Sitting down beside her, “It does.”
Chloe chews her lip. As cramped and miserable as they’ve been here, she doesn’t want dad to leave. She doesn’t want to watch mum struggle to get by without him. Chloe doesn’t miss the empty feeling in her heart from when he’s gone.
“How long for?” she asks.
“Once I review the Ministry’s offer, I’ll have a better sense –”
She unconsciously scoffs in disbelief.
Dad barely flinches, “This is a huge opportunity for me.”
“So? Like you even care what happens to us when you’re not here.”
“Chloe!” mum exclaims.
Dad’s response is quieter, “That’s not fair.”
“But it’s true,” Chloe insists.
Chloe crossly holds his stare, waiting for dad to defend himself, but he holds his tongue.
Mum is not so cowed, “Chloe, I think you ought to go to your room.”
“No, Robyn. I’ll go. I have work to do at the library.”
Dad packs up a few books and journals along with his letter from the Ministry of Culture and leaves.
Mum sends Chloe to her sweltering room anyway. Chloe’s watching the cats in the back alley from her window when the humidity breaks and rain plummets into the dry streets below.
----------
Unsurprisingly, dad is home late. Chloe listens through the crack in her door about his meeting with the Ministry of Culture over tea.
Dad’s cup clinks with a saucer before he continues, “Taking my past scuffles with bandits and the threats to my family into consideration, they’ve offered a small relocation stipend for the pair of you. You and Chloe could be far away from here as I conclude my work.”
Mum blows on her tea.
The seconds tick by.
“Please take it.”
“I told you once before, we’re not leaving without you.”
“Robyn, if another one of those letters arrives –”
Mum inhales sharply; Chloe holds hers.
Even seeing how dad returned from several expeditions, the danger doesn’t feel real. She and mum have got nothing to do with it.
“They will make good on their threats this time.”
“Then don’t go. Maybe there’s a reason the Hoysala legacy was lost.”
“You know I can’t walk away, especially not now the Ministry of Culture has –”
Mum scoffs darkly, “We really don’t have a choice in the matter, do we?”
Chloe rolls over so as not to hear the rest. She doesn’t like the idea any better than mum. All the different apartments aside, this is the only home she’s ever known. She doesn’t know where she and mum would even go.
But Chloe has less say in the matter than mum and packing beings the next day. Chloe’s done with her room rather quickly, barely unpacked from the last move.
----------
Angry as she was with him at their parting, Chloe misses dad desperately.
Chloe’s never met mum’s parents before. They are severe and she doesn’t like the disparaging things they say about dad. Mum promises this is only temporary.
Despite everything else, Australia is a wild and untamed country. Chloe is fascinated by it.
At the very least, exploring her grandparents’ yard keeps her out of their way. They’re not so charmed by her excitable ramblings about her discoveries and they purse their lips as she chatters away during supper.
They remind Chloe of the few times she met dad’s parents except they were better at pretending to be interested in her retelling of the line of Hoysala kings.
Chloe comes in from the yard for lunch, coated in dirt.
Grandmother tuts disapprovingly, “There’s a letter here for you, but wash up before you come to the table.”
Chloe’s heart leaps. She didn’t exactly leave many friends behind, none of whom she gave her new address to, which means there’s only one person it could’ve come from.
Chloe sticks her tongue out at her grandmother’s turned back before running off to wash up. She probably hasn’t met grandmother’s cleanliness standards before returning to the kitchen, but she doesn’t care.
Laying on the table, the envelope bulges oddly, but dad’s spindly handwriting is clear.
Chloe tears open the envelope and a golden figure falls into the palm of her hand. Her eyes widen as she examines the artifact more closely. At first, what she thinks is a chip out of the artifact is actually part of its teardrop shape. Turning it over in her hand, Chloe gasps.
Dad has sent her a likeness of Ganesh. He’s sent her the remover of obstacles. He must be close!
Eagerly, she pours over the letter.
My dearest Chloe,
You wouldn’t believe where I am. I hardly believe it myself. Its marvels are beyond words, but the longer I am here, the more I long to share it with you.
This is only a small token of what I’ve discovered, but it is also my promise that one day I will bring you here so that we may experience these wonders together.
I love you, my little bandar. Try not to give your mum too much trouble, but do not let that stifle your curiosity – you never know here it might lead you.
Love, Dad
Chloe read the letter again, but it gives no indication where he is or when he might be coming home. Tears prickle at her eyes and she clutches the Ganesh figurine tighter.
----------
When grandfather leaves the house for the afternoon, Chloe slips into his office. She runs her finger along the spines of his library until she finds what she’s looking for.
Except his collection of works on the history of India is much smaller than dad’s. All of them seem to begin with the travels of Marco Polo then skip directly to the colonization by the British Empire. They hardly touch on the rich culture and history dad taught her about – the part Chloe yearns for.
“What did I say about my office, girl?” grandfather snaps, spooking Chloe from her reading.
“I was homesick.”
“I told you to keep out.”
She doesn’t bother to put the book back on the shelf before leaving. Grandfather slams the door shut behind her.
Balling her fists, Chloe goes in search of mum. She hates it here; she wants to go home. Mum will understand.
Grandmother and grandfather have been no more welcoming to mum than they have to Chloe, turning up their noses every chance they get. If she and mum are such a burden, Chloe can’t help wondering why they let her and mum stay here.
She finds mum in the kitchen, head bowed over an untouched cup of tea.
Behind her, grandmother chatters away to herself, “You never ought to have married him –”
“Mother, please” mum croaks weakly.
“Fine then. Don’t ever say I didn’t warn – Chloe! Hasn’t anyone ever taught you it’s rude to eavesdrop?”
Chloe shakes her head. Her gaze fixed on mum, “What’s wrong?”
“Your mother’s had rather some unfortunate news, child.”
“Mum?”
She finally glances up, her eyes red and puffy, her cheeks are already stained with tear streaks, but her arms open wide to embrace Chloe.
But Chloe is hesitant, standing in the doorway. She squeezes the Ganesh figurine in her pocket, silently asking for the courage to go to mum.
Mum’s arms lower, the longer she waits, til she’s fingering the teacup in front of her, unable to hold Chloe’s gaze for any more than a moment.
Swallowing, “There was an attack on your dad’s camp. He – he didn’t make it, possum.”
Chloe shakes her head, “I don’t understand.”
“He was killed.”
“No. It’s not true.”
Mum’s eyes water, but she doesn’t cry, “I’m afraid so, love.”
“But he just wrote –”
“I know.”
Her vision blurs. She can feel the rotation of the earth beneath her feet and makes her nauseous. For some reason, the only thing that makes sense is to run.
Another growth spurt has made Chloe’s stride even longer, making it easier to outrun the turn of the world. She barely hears mum calling after her.
This was supposed to be it. The big one. Dad can’t be dead.
Then they were all supposed to go home together.
But he is and they won’t.
Chloe doesn’t stop at the edge of the yard. She keeps going, running from her grandparents and their rules, from mum and the reality that they’re alone now.
Maybe, if she runs fast and far enough, she can outstrip grief. Maybe, if she doesn’t look back, the world can never catch up.
----------
Chloe groans at the back of the lecture hall. The entire class turns to stare at her.
“Nice of you to join us, Miss Frazer. Something to add to the lesson?”
It’s not the first time she’s been late to class or butted heads with Professor Harris, but she might just be at the end of her rope.
Shaking her head, “Nothing.”
“Then I suggest you keep your comments to yourself. Now, as I was saying –”
“Except you’ve got it completely wrong. The Persians weren’t successful in their invasion. The Hoysala repelled their forces on several occasions before the Persians broke through. And even then, they didn’t get what they came for –”
“The point is, the Hoysala Empire fell –”
“But only after centuries of victories! You can’t just gloss over so much history with a wave of your hand!”
She watches Professor Harris’s face grow redder as she speaks. She’s not at all surprised when he dismisses her from the class.
Parking herself on a bunch outside the lecture hall, Chloe crosses her arms and huffs.
She doesn’t know why she even bothered with his class in the first place. She had the line of Hoysala kings memorized by the time she was seven; no tenured professor could teach her more than she already knows about ancient Indian history. Just a waste of money, really.
Franky, all of university so far has been a waste of time. Chloe hasn’t learned anything she couldn’t have taught herself and half the required texts are either biased or flat out wrong. No amount of debating her professors will convince them otherwise.
Chloe’s still ruminating on the bench when the lecture ends. Students spill out of the hall; most ignore her, some whisper as they pass.
“That was pretty ballsy correcting Professor Harris like that,” one student smirks, but doesn’t stop to say more.
Minutes later, the long shadow of Professor Harris hangs over her.
“I’ll thank you not to disrupt my class again. You will be on time and silent, and since you think you know everything already, you will submit all your assignments a week early, using only the designated texts. Understood?”
“The first part shouldn’t be a problem –”
“Good.”
“But I can’t comply with the rest.”
His lip stiffens, “And why not?”
“Because I’m dropping your shitty class. In fact, I’m leaving university.”
Chloe relishes the mixture of consternation and relief passing over his face.
“It is a shame to waste such a sharp, young mind –”
Chloe snorts. She can’t imagine anyone more glad to be rid of her. “I can’t think of a worse way to waste my life than attempting to appease dry, old farts like you.”
Snatching up her bag, Chloe marches out of the building and doesn’t look back.
----------
Chloe scrambles to pick herself up.
It’s not as though she had an exit strategy for leaving university exactly – just a gut instinct she wasn’t meant for academic pursuits in the traditional manner.
She scrapes together enough together for a tiny flat so she doesn’t have to explain what happened to mum just yet. The laundromat downstairs offers nothing Chloe’s after, but it’s a job for now and at least she has clean underwear on a regular basis.
She yawns as she folds someone else’s freshly laundered clothes when the telephone rings.
“Bright and Bubbly Cleaners, how can we help you?”
“Yes, I’m looking for Chloe Acharya.”
No one’s called her that since dad died and the move to Australia became permanent.
Tenuously, “Speaking.”
“My name is Bernard Newhart. I’m an old university associate of your father’s. I came across some of his research when sorting through various files and was curious if you kept any of his other work.”
Chloe’s skepticism kicks into high gear. “Why? What for?”
“I’m looking to put together an expedition to explore those regions and –”
“Bullshit.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re bullshitting me and I want to know why.”
Newhart is dumbstruck, so Chloe explains further.
“My father never knew any Bernard Newhart and you certainly don’t want access to his notes for any legal expedition, otherwise you’d be talking to my mum, not trying to coerce them out of me, who you assumed would be an unsuspecting child. So talk.”
“Alright, girly. Cards on the table, I came across his papers while ransacking the old university offices. I found his notes on the Tusk of Ganesh particularly intriguing –”
Chloe tuts, “Oh that fool’s errand? Well, since you missed the warning signs, go ahead, look for the Tusk. Good luck succeeding where better men than you have failed. Goodbye.”
She’s nearly slammed the phone back on the receiver when he shouts, “Wait!”
“Perhaps the Tusk is overly ambitious, but there are other artifacts in your father’s notes which could be worth a pretty penny. What would it take to convince you to let me have a look at the rest of his research?”
Her jaw clenches.
Mum prizes dad’s work above all else, it being the only thing she brought back from India after going to identify the body. She would never allow an absolute stranger to have access to it, but Chloe doesn’t have to imagine what it would mean to mum to have more of it in her possession.
More selfishly, Chloe sees a way out of all this monotony and drudgery. She’s not about to let the opportunity slip through her fingers.
“It’ll cost you big,” she warns.
“Anything.”
“Take me as your partner and I’ll give you access to my dad’s notes, but when the venture is over, I want them back – all of them.”
“My partner? Girl, have you even been on a camping trip? Because these gigs are a lot more dangerous than a tent in the wilderness.”
“I know I lack your experience, but I used to visit my dad’s dig sites and he taught me everything he knew about the Hoysala. I’m invaluable to your little gig. You’re not getting so much as a glance at his research notes unless I come along for the ride.”
Newhart sighs, “Alright, but don’t expect a cut of the treasure.”
That’s fine by her. Chloe’s not after a fee, just the chance of a lifetime. Dad’s notes are just for mum.
----------
Telling mum she’s taking a trip for a research project goes over too smoothly for Chloe’s conscience. But with dad’s research on the early Hoysala kings tucked away in her luggage, Chloe boards a plane to India for the first time since his funeral.
She meets Newhart in an open market. She doesn’t know what to expect from a graverobber – treasure hunter, whatever he prefers to call himself – but a crisp, clean pullover and scally cap were not it. He looks more like someone about to play chess in a park than dig up treasure.
He’s clearly not impressed by her first impression either. Chloe keeps her chin up, trying to exude more confidence than she feels.
They trade dad’s notes at a nearby restaurant, cross-referencing them for details about the treasure. Though new to her, they still date several weeks removed from the end.
Chloe sniffles some as she reads; it’s as if dad were telling her one of his bedtime stories.
Newhart glances at her with detached concern, “You sure you’re up for this, girl?”
“Positive.” Playing it off, “Food’s spicier than I remember.”
“Alright,” he says, though unconvinced. “This could get dicey, so try to stick close, but if you fall behind, I’m not responsible.”
“I’m a quick learner. I won’t have a problem keeping up.”
He gives her another skeptical look then takes the lead. Chloe has to shorten her stride to not overtake him, picking up the ropes faster than he’s dropping them.
Once they’re out in the wilds, Chloe can’t wipe the grin off her face. Using dad’s notes, the pair of them are able to piece together the clues left behind in the ancient temple. Chloe pockets a few trinkets for herself when Newhart’s not looking.
He wasn’t exaggerating when he said things might get dicey. Though he neglected to mention he had drunkenly blabbed about his next big find while at poker with some other… associates.
Adrenaline course through Chloe’s veins as she throws her foot on the gas and weaves through the trees.
Newhart leaps into the jeep as she swings by and keeps his revolver close just in case their tail catches them.
“You get the goods?” Chloe shouts as their pursuers vanish in the rearview mirror.
“Course I did! I’m not an amateur!”
The gold glistens in the passing patches of daylight.
Newhart instructs Chloe to wait outside while he pawns off their haul. He holds out a small bundle to her when he walks out.
“You earned a little something extra.”
Her share is a fraction of her partner’s but it’s more money than mum’s ever made from a single paycheck. Chloe’s hooked.
“So when’s our next gig?”
“Our? Listen, Chloe. You held your own back there, but there’s no we. You’ve got to make your own name in this business.”
It stings, but he’s right. Chloe never once corrected him in using dad’s surname and she relied on dad’s teachings through the whole adventure. Getting behind the wheel was Chloe’s only real natural instinct on this trip.
Newhart returns dad’s notes and with a tip of his hat, they part ways for good.
----------
There’s an eviction notice on her flat when Chloe returns home. She collects her things and leaves the door unlocked.
Standing outside mum’s apartment, Chloe takes a deep breath and knocks.
“Hello, possum. I wasn’t expecting you back for another week. What’s all this?” she gestures to the packed bags.
“I dropped out of university,” Chloe grimaces. “I’m moving back home.”
Mum’s face falls but stands aside and lets Chloe shuffle in with her things.
“I don’t understand. You were doing so well.”
“Can we just leave it, mum?”
Only mum is not about to. “Absolutely not. Were you accused of cheating?”
“No.”
“Did you plagiarize?”
“Mum,” Chloe rolls her eyes.
“Then what was it?”
“Let’s just call it an academic disagreement.”
Mum sighs, “You fought with your professor. That doesn’t mean you have to drop out –”
“It was more than that, mum. University’s just not for me. I can’t devote my life to academia like you. I want to go out and explore the world.”
“There are fields of study in which you could still do that, Chloe –”
“Like archeology? We both know why you won’t let me study that.”
Mum swallows hard and raises her chin. They fought about it before she started university too; it was the worst row they’ve ever had, though Chloe suspects this is about to surpass even that one.
Digging her heels in. “Besides, I don’t think either would suit me very well anymore.”
“Then what would?” mum snaps. “What was your trip for if not some project? Did you even go to India? I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
Chloe winces. She knew lying would come back to bite her in the ass, only now she has no idea which part mum’s more upset about. Chloe is a disappointment regardless.
Tenuously, “I did go to India, but not for a research project.”
She digs dad’s notes from her bag and holds them out to mum. Mum’s hands tremble as she takes them, fingering the pages.
“Someone contacted me about these, agreed to return them if I would lend him dad’s other notes, in order to locate another artifact dad made accounts of.”
“Why not tell me? I would’ve –”
“Because I helped him acquire it.”
Mum is silent, staring at the research dad left behind at the university. Chloe doesn’t fault mum for not being able to meet her eye. “Was it dangerous?”
Chloe can’t lie to her again. “Yes.”
“How could you do something so irresponsible? Damn it, Chloe. You know better than that.”
“Apparently I don’t.”
“You don’t have to go back to university, but you’ll get yourself killed if you do something like this again. Please promise me you won’t.”
Her knuckles are white from clutching dad’s recovered notes.
Chloe knows what mum’s afraid of, but for the first time, Chloe knew exactly what she wanted out of life. She can’t let that go of that feeling.
“I can’t.”
“Chloe –”
“I’m not going to end up like dad. I know when it’s time to walk away.”
Some treasures aren’t worth losing your life over; if dad taught her nothing else, at least she learned that lesson.
----------
Sam Drake’s an incredibly open book compared to Nate, like someone left it laying out and snapped the spine.
He talks so much, Chloe’s exhausted listening to him. Apparently only pausing for smoke breaks, she doesn’t think she can breathe enough for them both.
“This reminds me of Columbian markets,” he remarks between drags.
“You mean you’ve never been to an Indian market before?”
“Hell, I’ve never been to India before this.”
“Never? Not on any other gig?”
“Hey, I was raising my baby brother on a criminal budget. South America’s about as far as I afford before I landed myself in prison for thirteen years.”
“Ah. That would certainly put a dent in one’s travel plans,” Chloe quips while rolling her eyes at the fact he apparently won’t let anyone else forget.
But Chloe supposes that’s also just where both Drakes’ interests lay at that time. Still, it’s odd getting glimpses into Nate’s life so long after they were a fact from another source, especially as she tiptoes toward confronting her own.
Returning the favor, “I grew up in this city for a time – you know, before half of it was reduced to rubble.”
Cigarette wagging between his teeth, “No shit?”
“No shit.”
“Welcome home, I guess.”
It’s a lackluster homecoming, coming from Sam, but it might just be the first time since dad’s funeral it’s really sunk in.
“Thanks, I guess.” Clearing her throat, “Come on, I’ve got more intel to brief you on now that you’re here.”
Sam’s brow furrows the same way as Nate’s while he reviews the dossier. It’s distracting, but not in an about-to-jump-his-bones sort of way, just endearing enough to make Chloe a little more nostalgic than she already was.
Not that Sam isn’t a game partner, but Chloe misses the particular abandon with which she and Nate used to throw caution to the wind. They were so young and carefree, or so she thought. In hindsight, they were both just ignoring all the warning signs.
Interrupting her train of thought with his final analysis, “Sounds like we’ve got a Grade-A Asshole on our hands.”
“Hmm?” Chloe zones back in, “Oh right. Complete asshole.”
“So it shouldn’t be too hard to convince him I’m an expert in all this.” Sam gestures vaguely at the pile of reading Chloe’s given him to study.
Snorting, “Remind me, which Hoysala king began the patronization of the Kannada language throughout their literature?”
“Vishnuvardhana,” he stammers through the name.
Chloe eyes him skeptically. “You’re going to have to do better than that to convince Asav.”
Throwing his hands up in surrender, “Hey, this was your cockamamie plan, not mine.”
She did briefly consider infiltrating Asav’s ranks herself, but it would be too risky to bring all dad’s research behind enemy lines. And Chloe needs to be able to make a move as soon as she’s ready, not when she can find a window to escape.
“Can I ask what’s probably an obvious question?”
“I didn’t make it a stipulation of our partnership that you couldn’t, so go ahead.”
“Why are you going after the Tusk now? Why not sometime when the country wasn’t in the middle of a rebellion? You’ve clearly had the preliminary research done for quite some time.”
Chloe’s mouth opens and closes, unsure how to respond. He’s not wrong, Chloe’s been sifting through dad’s research off and on for most of her life.
From everything she could gather, there was a piece missing. Her memory of it is dim, but dad recovered a disk which may well be the key to everything. Except it was lost alongside dad and any other research he might’ve had confirming her suspicion.
So long as the disk was lost, she could ignore the itch to chase after the Tusk. But she’s never been one to ignore something shiny gleaming in the dark.
“Let’s just say, I’ve got some unfinished family business to attend to.”
“You too, huh? Thought Nathan and I were the only ones crazy enough to finish our mom’s lifework. Course, had I left it up to him, it might’ve stayed that way –”
“I’m not doing this for him.”
Sam raises his brow at how forcefully she insists.
“His ‘lifework’ cost us his life. I need to know if it was worth it.”
“Asshole dads – I get. Finishing lifework – I get. Finishing said asshole dad’s lifework…” Sam weighs and measures the empty air in his hands and shrugs, “eh, not so much.”
Chloe chuckles darkly. “Does that mean you’re flaking out on me?”
“Excuse me I am a professional. I am in this purely for the fiscal benefit. And just maybe to even the score of massive historical finds with Nathan.”
“You’re so full of shit,” she scoffs.
“I thought that was the idea,” he cocks a grin.
There is something so indisputably Drake about his smirk, but it is the last time Chloe compares working with Sam to working with Nate.
----------
Ganesh tucked securely in her pocket and armed with the prints from Elena, Chloe breathes in deep, trying desperately not to feel like she’s nineteen and dropping out of university all over again, then presses the buzzer to mum’s flat.
“I ought to be used to your surprise visits by now,” mum teases as she lets Chloe in. “I was just about to put the kettle on. Would you like some tea?”
“Sure. Thanks, mum.”
“Go on and sit. It’ll be just a minute.”
Taking a seat, Chloe watches mum bustle about the kitchen; it’s a scene she’s seen countless times, but Chloe doesn’t think she’s ever taken the time to appreciate just how lovely it is.
Either she’s been hanging around the Drake brothers too much or just enough recently to realize how lucky she is to have mum. Though she doesn’t approve of Chloe’s career, mum’s never let her down. Always been there in every other capacity.
Two cups of steaming tea appear before Chloe as mum sits across from her at the kitchenette.
“So, tell me, what’s new in your life of reckless adventure?” Mum may have reluctantly accepted Chloe’s choice, but that tenuous note never wavers.
Steadying her own voice, “I found it.”
“Found what, possum?”
“The Tusk of Ganesh. Dad found it.”
Mum shakes her head, unable to comprehend. “Chloe, what are you talking about?”
She places the figurine on the table between them. “Dad sent this to me from Belur – one of a set of eleven representing the Hoysala kings.”
“H-how are you so sure?”
“Because I was there. At Belur and Halebidu,” Chloe extracts the photos from her bag and holds them out to mum. “I don’t know for certain he found the Tusk, but he was so close.”
With or without evidence to the contrary, Chloe believes dad discovered the Tusk, and in doing so, discovered the same as her. That had Asav not been on their tail. The Tusk likely would’ve been safest in its ancestral home for centuries to come.
At least, it’s in the hands of its people again. Attempting to steal it out from under the entire country now would be like trying to steal the Mona Lisa. There are too many eyes on it to pawn it off on the black market.
Mum doesn’t so much as glance at the photos; instead her eyes flick between Chloe and Ganesh.
“You followed in his footsteps.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Why?”
“I told myself it was for the money. Convinced myself if anyone deserved to find it, it was me.”
“But it was because of him,” mum concludes. There’s no malice or heartbreak, though Chloe would understand if there was.
She kicked herself and got kicked around enough times for claiming it was any other reason. But mum – mum has reason to resent anything and everything related to the Tusk.
“You could’ve been killed,” mum’s exhausted. They’ve definitely had this conversation one too many times.
“It’s a dangerous business – nothing new.”
“But you never would’ve walked away from this job.”
Chloe opens her mouth to argue, but nothing comes out.
“He would’ve been proud.”
“And you?”
Mum doesn’t respond right away; Chloe chews her lip. Overcoming what dad couldn’t aside, Chloe knows she tread too closely to mum’s greatest fear.
Putting her hand on Chloe’s, “I’m just glad you came home.”
“Me too.”
----------
Once the initial shock wore off, not only did mum look through Chloe’s pictures, but she had them framed and hung throughout her flat.
Chloe glances at the photos of the Ghats, “Have you ever thought of visiting?”
Mum sighs, “I don’t know, Chloe. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back.”
She means since dad’s funeral. A painful memory to be sure, but Chloe’s mind is made up.
“How about a quick mother-daughter trip? It’s already my next stop. An extra ticket shouldn’t be too much trouble.”
“If you insist.”
“I do. There’s something I’ve been meaning to show you.”
Mum raises a curious brow but doesn’t argue.
She hides her gasp behind her hand as the banner for the exhibit comes into view. With hushed astonishment she reads, “‘The King’s Hoard and the Return of the Tusk of Ganesh’.”
Chloe purses her lips, “Not the title I would’ve gone with. A bit too wordy for my taste.”
Still in awe, “It suits. Classic, elegant.”
“If you think so, then it’s perfect. Shall we head in?”
Offering her arm, Chloe leads mum into the museum and toward the gallery.
Chloe’s seen the exhibition in bits and pieces, her consultation was requested on several artifacts, including the Tusk itself, but she has yet to see it in its final form.
The Tusk outshines every other object in the room, especially when hit by direct sunlight, but Chloe’s seen the Tusk plenty. As mum stares in wonder, her attention wanders to the glistening fractals of light, illuminating the darker corners of the exhibit.
She stops in front of a case display containing numerous field notes and letters about the earliest expeditions to find the Tusk. Following the timeline, she recognizes the handwriting on several of the documents.
Dad’s picture hangs above the display case; he’s younger and more handsome than Chloe’s fading memories.
Mum joins her, catching Chloe’s hand in hers. Chuckling fondly, “He hated that picture, thought it made him look too dashing.”
“A funny thing to be vain about,” Chloe hiccups, trying not to cry.
“He was a funny man that way,” she says wistfully.
Chloe glances at mum, tears flowing freely down her face.
Maybe it’s the exhibit, maybe it’s her freshly defined relationship with Nadine, but Chloe’s curious, “Think there will ever be anyone else for you?”
“Not like your dad, but maybe someday there could be someone. For now, I’m content as I am. Thank you for bringing me here, possum. Your dad would’ve loved it. You always were his little bandar.”
Mum rests her head on Chloe’s shoulder as her first tears splash onto her cheeks. They linger here longer than anywhere else in the exhibit, waves of crowds passing them by.