Page 17 of Tiger's Voyage

I rushed up to the garden. “Hello, Phet! It’s so nice to see you too!”

Phet peered at me over a lettuce plant and cackled with delight. “Ah! My flower grows hardy and strong.”

He stood up, dusted off his hands, and embraced me. A small puff of dust floated into the air. He adjusted his robe and shook it out. Clumps of rich, fertile dirt fell off the front where he’d been kneeling.

Phet was about my height but his back was hunched, probably due to age, so he appeared shorter. I could clearly see the shining bald spot gleaming in the center of his wiry bird’s nest of unruly gray hair. He looked at Kishan’s hiking boots and let his gaze travel slowly up Kishan’s tall frame until his shrewd eyes stopped at the younger brother’s face.

“Considerably sized man travels by you.” He took a step to stand toe-to-toe with Kishan, put his hands on Kishan’s shoulders, and tilted his head up as he peered into Kishan’s golden eyes.

Kishan patiently withstood Phet’s scrutiny.

“Ah, I see. Deep eyes. Many colors there. The father of many.”

Phet turned around to pick up his garden tools while I gave Kishan a surprised expression and mouthed, “Thefatherofmany?”

Kishan shifted uncomfortably. Color flooded his neck as I elbowed him and whispered, “Hey, so what do you think he meant by that?”

“I don’t know, Kells. I just met the guy. Maybe he’s crazy,” Kishan said nervously as if trying to hide something.

I pressed, “What? What is it? Wait a minute. You’re notalreadya father, are you? Did you and Yesubai—”

“No!”

“Huh. I’ve never seen you look so disconcerted before. There’s something you’re not telling me. Well, doesn’t matter. I’ll weasel it out of you sooner or later.”

He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I eat weasels for breakfast.”

I whispered back, “I’m pretty wily. You won’t catch me.”

He grunted in response.

Phet chanted singsong, “Crazy, crazy. Lazy, daisy,” then hummed happily as he ducked into his hut.

“Come, come, Kahl-see,” Phet announced. “Talk time.”

Ren changed to a man and touched my arm briefly, but then took a few steps back. “Phet’s not crazy,” he said to Kishan, and then turned to me and grinned. “‘Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.’”

I smiled at him and countered his Shakespeare with an African proverb. “‘When the fool speaks, the wise man listens.’”

Ren bowed gallantly. “Shall we?”

Kishan grunted and shoved Ren aside. “Ladies first. After you, Kelsey.”

Kishan put his hand on my back and ushered me inside, not moving it from my waist. I got the distinct impression he was trying to prove something. I turned to see Ren grinning good-naturedly as he followed us in and sat on the bed.

Bustling around in the kitchen, Phet began making us a meal. I tried to tell him it wasn’t necessary, but he insisted and soon set large platters filled with a spicy vegetable stir-fry and eggplant fritters on the table. Kishan filled a plate for me before preparing his own.

I took mine to Ren, who accepted it with a cocky smile and winked. I stumbled as I walked back to the table, feeling his eyes on me. Ren sat on the bed and watched me openly as he ate by himself.

Kishan had already filled another plate for me after glaring at Ren. I thanked him and then Phet, who dismissed my gesture.

“Phet knows you coming, Kahl-see.” He touched his nose and winked, “Bird’s soft voice to Phet’s ear. Tell me tigers approach soon nearing.”

I laughed. “How did you know it was the right two tigers?”

“Birds glimpse the whole lot. Birds are knowing many thing. Say two tigers smitten. Only one garl.” He laughed uproariously and then smiled and patted my cheek happily. “Be-u-ti-full flower captivate many. Beforehand petite bud. Now bud is ajar, half-blossom. Next, the rounded bloom come into flower. Then the perfect bloom and flower life complete.”

I patted his brown, papery hand and laughed. “Phet, would you mind if I took a bath after dinner? I feel sticky, dirty, and tired.”