“It’s Juozas. He asked me about my mother the
other day.”
There was a brief silence.
“Oh my,” Bridget said. “Well, what did you say?”
“Nothing.” I turned and looked at her closely “And now I’m a
little concerned.” I waited a second before continuing. “What’s going to happen
when the kids grow up and start figuring things out on their own?”
Katie nodded. “You know, I never thought about that.”
“I don’t think anything’s going to happen,” Bridget said.
I crossed my arms. “Well, what would you say if London asked
you where you were born? Or what is was like growing up there?”
Bridget shrugged. “I would lie.”
“Of course you would. But it wouldn’t be that easy. They can
sense dishonesty just like anyone else. And that would create some distrust.”
“You may be right. But I don’t think it will affect much.”
I exhaled and faced the forest. “I’m just afraid I’ll lose
my bond with Juozas if he knows I’m feeding him falsehoods.”
“Well, it would help if you weren’t so playful with him,”
Bridget went on.
I turned and gave her a cold stare. “What do you mean?”
She paused, giving me a look of pity. “You’re too fun-loving
and cheery when you’re around him. You need to be more firm.”
I laughed. “ What? He’s just a child. That’s how it’s
supposed to be.”
Bridget walked up to me. “What I’m saying, Emily, is—you
treat him like a human. He’s a Mamluk. And he should be firm like them.”
“He’s not just a Mamluk. He’s part human, too. All
the children are.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean they should grow up to be
sympathetic. Toughen him up a little. You will always be able to enjoy fun
activities with Juozas. But in your day to day interactions, don’t be so
lighthearted.”
I huffed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I teach
him all the right things. He knows not to be kind to slaves or servants.”
“But as you say, Emily. He will start to figure
things out on his own. And his sensitive manner might change his views.”
I didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. I somberly
walked to the edge of the mountain and took a deep breath. “I don’t know. I’ll talk
to Dalia about it.” I bounced on my feet for a moment as I looked down the
hillside. “Come on. Let’s head back.”
Chapter 48
I was on my way to Dalia’s room when I saw Juozas running
through the hallway.
“Hey, slow down there.”
Juozas stopped and jogged to me. “Hey, Mother. Where are you going?” He playfully marched beside me, smiling wide.
“Stop that, Juozas. I’m on my way to see Dalia.”
His face got sad as he went into a normal walk. We came to
the end of the hall and ran into Audrey. She was holding a wooden bucket in one
arm and a stack of cleaning cloths in the other. I ignored her and carried on,
glancing at Juozas to make sure he was doing the same.
But just before we could turn the corner, Audrey slipped and
fell into the wall, dropping the bucket and spilling water all over. Juozas
quickly went back and helped her up.
“Are you all right?”
I spun around in a rage, huffing like I was about to blow
smoke. “Juozas!”
He shuddered and looked at me in shock as I glared back at
him. Audrey picked up her things and ran off. Juozas slowly came back to me. I
put my hand on his shoulder and watched him like a hawk.
“What was that? You know right from wrong.”
His eyes watered. “I’m sorry.”
I sighed and put my head down for a second, then looked up.
“Son, I love you. But you can’t show kindness to those who are lesser
than we are.”
Juozas reached up and wiped his eye. “Yes, Mother.”
I smiled and gave him an encouraging look. “Never again.
Okay?”
Juozas nodded.
Chapter 49
I found Dalia in her room and asked to speak with her. She
kindly agreed, and we decided to go for a walk in the garden. We headed to the
front entrance and went outside. It was
other day.”
There was a brief silence.
“Oh my,” Bridget said. “Well, what did you say?”
“Nothing.” I turned and looked at her closely “And now I’m a
little concerned.” I waited a second before continuing. “What’s going to happen
when the kids grow up and start figuring things out on their own?”
Katie nodded. “You know, I never thought about that.”
“I don’t think anything’s going to happen,” Bridget said.
I crossed my arms. “Well, what would you say if London asked
you where you were born? Or what is was like growing up there?”
Bridget shrugged. “I would lie.”
“Of course you would. But it wouldn’t be that easy. They can
sense dishonesty just like anyone else. And that would create some distrust.”
“You may be right. But I don’t think it will affect much.”
I exhaled and faced the forest. “I’m just afraid I’ll lose
my bond with Juozas if he knows I’m feeding him falsehoods.”
“Well, it would help if you weren’t so playful with him,”
Bridget went on.
I turned and gave her a cold stare. “What do you mean?”
She paused, giving me a look of pity. “You’re too fun-loving
and cheery when you’re around him. You need to be more firm.”
I laughed. “ What? He’s just a child. That’s how it’s
supposed to be.”
Bridget walked up to me. “What I’m saying, Emily, is—you
treat him like a human. He’s a Mamluk. And he should be firm like them.”
“He’s not just a Mamluk. He’s part human, too. All
the children are.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean they should grow up to be
sympathetic. Toughen him up a little. You will always be able to enjoy fun
activities with Juozas. But in your day to day interactions, don’t be so
lighthearted.”
I huffed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I teach
him all the right things. He knows not to be kind to slaves or servants.”
“But as you say, Emily. He will start to figure
things out on his own. And his sensitive manner might change his views.”
I didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. I somberly
walked to the edge of the mountain and took a deep breath. “I don’t know. I’ll talk
to Dalia about it.” I bounced on my feet for a moment as I looked down the
hillside. “Come on. Let’s head back.”
Chapter 48
I was on my way to Dalia’s room when I saw Juozas running
through the hallway.
“Hey, slow down there.”
Juozas stopped and jogged to me. “Hey, Mother. Where are you going?” He playfully marched beside me, smiling wide.
“Stop that, Juozas. I’m on my way to see Dalia.”
His face got sad as he went into a normal walk. We came to
the end of the hall and ran into Audrey. She was holding a wooden bucket in one
arm and a stack of cleaning cloths in the other. I ignored her and carried on,
glancing at Juozas to make sure he was doing the same.
But just before we could turn the corner, Audrey slipped and
fell into the wall, dropping the bucket and spilling water all over. Juozas
quickly went back and helped her up.
“Are you all right?”
I spun around in a rage, huffing like I was about to blow
smoke. “Juozas!”
He shuddered and looked at me in shock as I glared back at
him. Audrey picked up her things and ran off. Juozas slowly came back to me. I
put my hand on his shoulder and watched him like a hawk.
“What was that? You know right from wrong.”
His eyes watered. “I’m sorry.”
I sighed and put my head down for a second, then looked up.
“Son, I love you. But you can’t show kindness to those who are lesser
than we are.”
Juozas reached up and wiped his eye. “Yes, Mother.”
I smiled and gave him an encouraging look. “Never again.
Okay?”
Juozas nodded.
Chapter 49
I found Dalia in her room and asked to speak with her. She
kindly agreed, and we decided to go for a walk in the garden. We headed to the
front entrance and went outside. It was
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