Arith : The Undiscovered Planet
CHAPTER 2

15 years later…

“Son your Mission is in a month’s time, right”? Eric’s dad asked.

“Yes dad. I can’t wait to fulfill this mission”. Eric,answered . Right now, they were in a restaurant , eating (obviously). He lovedspending time with his dad. After spending a month with his dad, he would goback to his own apartment.

“Dad, I have been training for two years, so I think I’mprepared. Although my instructor said it is a bit tougher when you’re actuallyon space exploration, but then he said it was the most exciting experienceever”.

Eric and his fellow astronauts had been in an intensetwo-year training. They had learnt astronomy, oceanography, physics, orbitalchanges. They had been practicing how to launch. Although, they hadn’t launchedto space, they had to work in a stimulator for hours, to mimic the noise andtremor of launch. Eric felt he was familiar with these, but he also had it atthe back of his mind that even if the stimulator had mimicked the noise andtremor, it couldn’t mimic the acceleration and speed of the true launch. Well, Eric felt assured that if there wouldbe any difference between the ‘false’ (mimic) and true launch, it would be slight.

Eric and his crew members had also been taught about ‘weightlessness’, the key point of space travel. They’ve had repeated flights in a trainingplane labelled the ‘vomit comet'. During this planes parabolic loop flight, anyone inside felt weightless. Also they hadseries of training in a very large tank of water, to make them accustomed toweightlessness.

“I love that you followed your heart. Keep up with it.” Hisdad said. “Ever since I lost your mum and her brother every part of me died. Ieven died more when you made known your intentions of being an astronaut.Though , I’m glad, you made the best out of it. Well … that was before I knewyou were soon going on a mission” .

“Dad, astronomy isvery interesting. It’s highly improbable that astronauts die during spaceexploration. So I’m interested in knowing how and why I lost mum to spacetravel, considering everything; my lectures, practices, exercises. There wasjust no way mum and uncle Kelvin could have died or floated away”. Eric saidreassuring his dad.

“Although it’s been fifteen years, I lost your mum, it stillfeels like yesterday. I remember her practices, floats and she looked sogigantic in her garb” His dad smiled sadly and continued. “first exploration was so successful, everyonecame to congratulate her. Offering her gifts. The I.S.E.A awarded her with lots of gold medals. She andI were so glad”.

Eric saw that his dad was sombre, he had to cheer him up bysaying:

“That’s why I’m here dad, to keep up mum’s legacy” . He tookhis dad’s hands and continued

“Do not worry dad, Iwill make you so proud, okay”?

“You have alwaysmade me so proud son, you have always been the best student. Kudos son”!

“Thanks dad”. His dad nodded at him beaming.

“Hope you and Zach are good”.

“Sure dad, he’s my bro”. Zach is one of his crew members.His best friend. Like him, Zach’s mumwas dead. Maybe that was one of the reasons they got along very well.

Eric’s phone rang. His senior colleague and aunty wascalling him. Tessy was his mother’s best friend, so he always called her aunt. Shewas always looking out for him, as if he were her own son.

“Hello aunty”

“Hey dear, where areyou”?

“I’m with dad at sweetbear restaurant”.

“Okay love, when you’redone, can we talk about something? Like later, in my house, let’s say around 16:00?

“Sure aunty”.

“Okay dear, I loveyou”.

“I love you too”.

“My regards to yourdad”.

“He will hear aunt,take care”.

When the call ended, his dad nodded at him. He already knewwho called.

“Aunt Tessy wants tosee me, so that we can talk about something. She claims it’s very important”.He told his dad.

“Okay dear. Iremember when we were in high school, Tessy , Zach’s mum ; Olivia and your mum were best of friends . I had threefriends then. So the six of us werecalled the ‘Famous six’ . We were so close. Then your mum and I started dating. We had you when we were both sixteen andseventeen respectively”. Eric’s dad said with a thoughtful expression.

“Ooh that young! It’snot surprising that people think you’re my elder brother , dad . I will be twenty five in three monthstime and we’re going to celebrate it after I’m back from space. I willdefinitely be back. Okay? I’m so happy Ihave you dad”.

“You’re everythingto me son. I love you dear. Always know that”. His dad said and continued:

“When are you seeing Tessy”?

Eric checked his watch and saw that he had two hours morebefore going to see Aunt Tessy.

“In two hours time dad”.

“Okay, since we’redone eating, let’s go home”.

“Okay dad. But Iwon’t be going home, I will just have to see her, I know she would be doingsome chores . I could just help her out “.

“Alright then son, seeyou when you’re done, ok?

“Okay dad, and do notthink too much, okay”?

His said to his dad and reassured him by hugging and peckinghis cheeks. Then Eric and his dad departed from the restaurant.

************

Eric stopped his car by aunty Tessy’s garage. The house wassilent as if no one was in it. Maybe she was inside, sleeping. Well he would knock to replace out. When he rang the doorbellseveral times and there was no response, he looked around his aunt’s enclosureand deduced that there was only one car in the garage (aside from his car). Hisaunt had gone out with her favourite car. Eric smiled at that, she wasexpecting him in two hours, he didn’t expect her to stay here all day waitingfor him . Well since he’s already here, he would just look around at theflowers in the courtyard. He came over here to prune her flowers 2 weeks ago,so he was delighted to see the flowers blooming. This neighborhood was for thewealthy. His neighborhood was for the middle class, just like his dad’s.

Eric went to the back yard to look at the plants. He alwaysenjoyed the view of this house, the gardens, the garage, the terrace, the greenhouse. He couldn’t wait to relax in his aunt’s house. He had a room in herhouse. He thought of his mum and uncle. If his mum were alive, she would havebeen so ecstatic to see him on his first space travel. Well he didn’t want todwell on that thought for now. He should just keep himself busy with watchingand admiring the view , while waiting for aunt Tessy.

Thirty minutes later, he heard the sound of a car, he guessedaunty Tessy. She was back. So he went to the front yard to welcome her. Whenshe came out of the car, she wasn’t her usual self. Maybe she was stressed. Buther face lit up happily when she saw him. They hugged and smiled at each other.

“You are early Eric, seems you couldn’t wait to see me . Awwwnnn you really miss me dear” his auntteased.

Eric smiled at her, his aunt always teased him and that washow they got by .

“Sure aunt, I missyou, just like you miss me too”.

His aunt went out in the wild, no wonder she smelled ofwoods and flowers. He removed a flower petal from her wool sweater.

“Thanks Eric, whenyou get to my age, you would forget most things you normally do”.

“Things Like what aunt”?

“Well like always trying to look good. When you get to thisage, you care less about the way you look”.

“Oohh you sound likeyou’re eighty already aunty” Eric teased.

“Fine, just overlookmy state of dress, I was in a hurry to shower , arrange the house and wait foryour arrival. But seeing that you’re here already, I will just have to take mybath”.

“Okay, I will just have to relax in my room”.

“That’s good son” She said.

She closed her car door and together, they headed inside thehouse.

The house wasn’t untidy as aunt Tessy had said. If anything,it looked as neat as it had always been. She always knew how to make him feelwelcomed. She even gave him the I-told-you-so look.

“But it’s very tidy aunt”. Eric said reassuringly.

“Okay thank you dear” She said relieved.

Aunt Tessy was always concerned about cleanliness andtidiness. Hence, she went to take her bath and Eric went to relax in his room. He studied himself in the dressing mirror in his room. He touched hislong blonde hair, which he always tied atthe back. People were always fascinated with his hair. He smiled at the mirror,when he saw his eyes were so blue . The color of his eyes changes with hisemotions. This meant he was so happy . He studied his height, at 6’3, he wassame height with his dad and only an inch taller than Zach and aunt Tessy . He continued tocheck himself out and decided to stop. This is all vain , Eric thought, shakinghis head and waited for aunt Tessy to be through with her bath .

When Tessy was donewith her shower, she called on Eric into the sitting room .

“Your space explorationis in two weeks , no longer a month dear”. She said, when they had settleddown.

“Wow! I’m glad is closer now, I’m so tired of the long wait”Eric said cheerfully.

Aunty Tessy looked at him fondly and said :

“You are the son Inever had, I felt this would come as shock to you. I’m glad you’re intrigued bythis advance, I called your crew members and relayed the message”.

“okay aunt, althoughI’m excited about this , but why was the mission advanced”?

“Well we had some informationthat the C. S. R (Centre for SpaceResearch) Australia, would be going on space travel in three weeks time, so ourown mission had to be forwarded. We can’t have them being ahead of us dear.Okay”?

“This is the only time I’m happy about our vendetta. Itotally accept this change aunt. Thanks for having to call me specifically toinform me”.

“Sure love, you’re my son”.

“I wanted asking ifyou were hungry, then I remembered you just left the restaurant”. She said.

“For the record I’m very full…” Eric’s ringtone interrupted him.He excused himself and picked up. It was Zach .

“What’s up bro”? Ericgreeted.

“All is good bro.Hope you got the message” Zach said.

Eric didn’t have to be told what Zach meant by that.

“Sure I did” he replied.

“Okay that’s coolbro . Mr Kennedy said we will be training actively tomorrow in the neutralbuoyancy laboratory”.

Eric really loved this part of training, which involved practicingin a very large tank of water , so that they could get accustomed to being weightless.Their instructor always told them that for every one hour of space walking, theywould spend seven hours training in the huge pool of water. That at first, had madeEric dumbfounded but as time went on , he became accustomed to the training.

“Ooh thanks for theinformation”.

“Have a nice day”.

“You too”.

When the call ended, aunt Tessy said:

“I can really tellhow excited you are from this info . I wish you the best of luck”.

“Thanks aunty. Well Ihave noticed something about our boss”

“What have younoticed about Mr Josh dear”?

“He has never calledme to relay any information to me. I always get them from my crew members. Mr Joshcalls my crew members and he’s never called me, I’m wondering why. Afterall, healways awards me as his best student. He doesn’t seem to like me very much . Just a thought though”.

“He does like youdear, I think it’s what you’re thinking. He treats you like everyone else. Okay”?

“Its alright aunt, Iwill be on my way”.

“Okay dear. I will seeyou and your dad, during the weekend. Tell him Isaid hi”.

Moments later, Eric was on his way home, smiling at the turnof events.