Ravi the Unknown Prince (14 page)

Your wife is local and you went to school with her, the guy wrote here that she is beautiful.

You are here to visit a sick man. How is he progressing?” he asked.

“He passed away the same day I arrived,” I answered.

“I am sorry for your loss,” he said as he continued to tell me about myself and my whereabouts, he seemed to know more about me than myself.

When I could get a word in, I asked him whether this person was following me and my family around.

He told me that every three months he gets an update, and knew exactly where I was and what I was doing.

He said he did not think that he was following us on a daily basis but once he knew where we were based he would leave, and then return to make checks.

“Your son Nizam is at a private school in London, “Harrow” is written down here,” he said.

“That is right,” I replied.

Then he told me that he studied in London and he enjoyed living out there. He said that his father had done his studies up in Scotland and because his mother could not get used to the cold winter months he returned home and started his own practice over here.

“Your uncle, Mr Latchman senior, is prepared to release half of his fortune to you as from now; which is the sum of” and he said the amount in dollars.

I asked him to repeat the amount because I did not fully grasp what he had said and he wrote it down on a sheet of paper and handed it to me.

My eyes nearly popped out from their sockets when I looked at the figures in front of me.

He told me to think about it and that he could get that money transferred into my bank in Kuwait or any-where else in the world.

He would give me the transaction papers to take away with me for security purposes.

“You will also receive a photocopy of this part of his ‘Will’ to take with you in case you were being questioned about how that money came into your possession.

Mr Latchman is flying in tonight, his plane was under-going some checks, and he always stays at the same hotel where you are at the moment. You would have to spend a few extra days to meet with him.”

I told him that I only came with an overnight bag and, he said it was, no problem and that Ruby would take me and my son out shopping to buy three items of everything I needed and the same for my son.

“I would recommend elite brand shirts, they are the best. Ruby will bring me the receipts.

One other question, is your room comfortable? You may ask for what-ever you require and the staff at the hotel will do your laundry.”

I told him that the service was excellent and asked him where my uncle was coming from on his plane.

He told me from Manaos Kingdom in the Rupununi. Then he said that he went out there a few times to visit him and that there were plenty of cattle and beef production in that area.

I said to Mr de Silva that according to history Manaos Kingdom was destroyed by a mighty earthquake.

He remarked, “That was centuries ago, Doctor Latchman with the Muisca Tribe. Now it is a flourishing city with Hanif Lachman as their ruler for the past twenty years.”

I could not believe what I had just heard. “My uncle is the ruler of Manaos Kingdom and how did he get to that position?”

He told me to meet him in the hotel lobby at 11am the next day and that he would reunite me with my uncle.

“How did my uncle make his millions?” I asked

“You will have to ask him in person doctor, I am only allowed to disclose certain information,” he answered.

“Please call me Hasan,” I said to him.

“I am Edwin,” he replied.

I could not take in every thing that he had told me, it was as though I was living a dream and the night mare would soon be over.

More like, in a state of trance and waiting to become conscious. I needed to ask him more questions; but my appointment time was over.

Everything he had told me so far came as a shock, especially the money side of it and my blood uncle a ruler of a Kingdom.

In my head I was trying to convert the amount of dollars he had written down on a sheet of paper; into American dollars and English pounds and I was getting muddled up with the figures.

I wanted to find out how my uncle made his fortune before I agreed to touch any of it; but that question would have to come from me.

He rang his secretary and told her to bring my son, and that she would be taking us out shopping and to get the taxi from the hotel.

The woman brought Husain back and Edwin asked him how he spent his time with Ruby.

He said that he was teaching aunty Ruby to play chess and she won a few games.

Edwin was smiling as he placed the papers back into the folder, “You think that she was good?” he asked.

“She is brilliant Mr de Silva, I can make a champion out of her,” he remarked.

Edwin burst out laughing then he told his wife where to take us shopping, and the taxi could drop her home and that he would be home later.

“How late?” she asked.

“May-be an hour or more,” he answered. She was looking at him in an odd manner and was not moving from the spot on which she was standing.

He looked at me and said, “Women have suspicious minds, I am seeing Mr Roopa in five minutes and I don’t know how long this meeting will take.”

She picked up her hand bag and I shook hands with Edwin, and said, “I will see you tomorrow.”

He gave his wife a hug and said, “I will see you at home, my dear,” and he shook hands with Husain.

We followed the woman to get to the exit of the building, she was not looking too happy and then suddenly she met with Mr Roopa coming in.

He said to her, “Is Edwin upstairs?”

She answered, “He is waiting to see you, Mr Roopa.”

“I better hurry then,” he remarked.

After that the woman was more relaxed and smiling; when we came out-side the taxi from the hotel was waiting.

She sat with the driver in front and Husain and I sat at the back. She told him where to take us and to come back in one hour.

I spoke with my son in Arabic so that the other two would not understand our conversation.

I told him that we were spending a few extra nights at the hotel and that I was going to meet with my uncle in the morning.

We going shopping and that we were allowed to buy three garments of each item we chose, such as three shirts, trousers, and underwear, and not to go crazy as we were being followed.

He grabbed my arm and said, “By who, dad?

“Someone my uncle paid to find me and please be on your best behaviour. When we get back to the hotel I will explain everything to you.”

We arrived at this British store which took over one street and we headed straight for the men’s department.

In this massive store one could buy anything they required from A to Z, but it comes at a cost. Only the rich and famous would shop in a store like this.

I chose three shirts and asked Ruby her opinion. She told me not to buy the magenta colour as it did not suit my light complexion.

She told me that she always buys her husband’s shirts and I asked her to pick out another colour and she chose a red and white stripe to go with my other two; one blue and the other a light brown.

I bought trousers, underwear, socks, and handkerchiefs. She asked me whether I was going to buy three suits and I told her that I bought a few suits in London on my last visit out there and I liked their fashion.

“Only two sons you have, Doctor Latchman?” she questioned.

“Yes madam,” I answered “and please call me Hasan, and you don’t mind if I call you Ruby?”

“Not at all,” she replied.

Husain had done his shopping in the boys section and Ruby went across and was chatting to the female cashier and then she took those receipts from her.

When we were on our way out we met with the taxi driver walking towards us and he took all the bags from us.

While he was loading them into the taxi, Ruby told me not to give any of the staff at the hotel a tip.

Your uncle has done that and he gave generously to each one of those who would take care of you during your stay at the hotel.

“Thanks for telling me.” I replied.

When we got back into the taxi I asked her if my son could try some of the local ice cream.

She told me that she would take us to a lake side ice cream parlour and that she knows the proprietor.

She looked at her watch and told the driver where to take us. It was a short drive away, where there was a lake with ducks and geese swimming in the water and pink and white flamingos that stood on one leg on the bank of the lake.

We got out and went into the parlour the man behind the counter was looking at me and Husain as Ruby greeted him.

“Family visiting you Ruby?” he asked.

“Friends uncle,” she answered.

The short obese East Indian man quickly wiped his hand on the blue apron he was wearing and stretched out his hand.

“I am please to meet you young man, and this little fella must be your son, he said, “I am Samaroo.”

“I am pleased to meet you sir,” I answered as I shook his hand from across the counter.

We ordered our ice cream and I insisted on paying but Ruby said no and that she would take the receipt to Edwin.

“What about our driver?” I asked her.

“It is up to you, Hasan, if you wish to invite him,” she replied.

I went outside and brought the driver in and told him to choose what ever flavour he required.

Afterwards, we took out tubs of ice-cream and went and sat on a bench over looking the lake.

Ruby told us that those ducks and flamingos came from other parts of the world and that lake was a stop over for them.

“How long would they remain here before they moved on?” Husain enquired.

“Sometimes a week or more and then they would be gone,” she answered.

I asked Ruby how she got that name, East Indian people were either Muslims or Hindus.

She told me that her parents became Christian and she just followed in their foot-steps.

She gave me some advice as we were walking back to our taxi. She said what ever information I was given today by her husband Edwin.

I should keep to myself and not disclosed it to anyone for the time being.

I asked her, “What about my wife?”

She replied, “Not even your wife or son, for as long as you remain over here, you can’t tell who is a friend or foe.”

I thanked her and told her that if ever I needed some advice while I was out-here, I would come and see her.

She laughed and remarked “Any time, Hasan.”

We all got back into the taxi and headed out to Ruby’s house, which was about ten minutes drive away.

She lived in a quiet leafy suburb; when we arrived outside her residence which was a large white detached house with a green painted roof. Edwin’s car was on the drive and she said Edwin at home.

She bade us farewell as she got out, and said “I hope I will see you again soon, but if I don’t have a pleasant journey back to your home in Kuwait.”

She waved to us and we waved back.

“Lovely and friendly lady,” I remarked.

“Like my mum,” Husain replied.

When we arrived outside our hotel, two men came out to take our shopping bags up to our room.

After the men had left the room Husain told me that he was going to study Law and come back here in Georgetown to work in Mr de Silva’s Law firm, but he must do his studies in England.

I said, “Son in that case I will have to find a job in England to support you and Nizam so that all of us can be together.”

“Who is this Hanif person dad, and what was your meeting about? Husain enquired.

“Edwin told me that he is my uncle, my father’s only brother and that he was searching for me for over nine years.

Tomorrow I am going to meet him in person at around 11am. I want you to remain upstairs until I send for you, in case our meeting does not go too well.”

“Dad, please be careful,” he said.

That evening after our supper we had an early night; our wake up call was at 7am and breakfast at eight.

I
went downstairs into the lobby at 11am and I could see Edwin and an elderly, light-complexioned gentleman in the far corner of the room.

They were sitting together on a long sofa talking and drinking tropical fruit juice from two blue glasses on a small table that was in front of them.

When Edwin looked up and saw me approaching he stood up from his seat and said something to the elderly man.

The man stood up and walked towards me as I came closer and he embraced me for a few seconds.

Then he said, “I am your uncle Hanif and I am happy to meet you at last Ravi, you look like your handsome father Arjuna. He was my only brother.”

As we sat down together he held my hand in his and said, “I don’t think that you can remember me, it has been such a long time.”

“Vaguely,” I answered “You came a few times to visit my father and he called you Bhai [brother] and then you never came back.”

Edwin who was still standing said, “You two have a lot to catch up on and I must get back to my office.”