Chapter 4 So, He is Famous?

• Alexander walked in to the house to be greeted by sheer silence. He thanked every being for the boys not being in the hall as he rushed to the doctors. They tended to the bullet in him and stitched up the wounds. He was so used to the pain nowadays and anyways the bullet barely brushed his skin.
• He freshened up and shrugged on a woolen coat and looked for the boys. He heard voices from the television room and sure enough, all were lounging in the room. Only Syrus was not there. He knew they let him watch the match only in stadium.
• He went off to the nursery. Sure enough Syrus was playing with his toys. Guards were standing inside and outside. There was no nanny for Syrus. He was furious to see the boy alone. He looked up and saw Alexander.
• Syrus dropped the toys and ran to him. He raised his arm to be picked up. Alexander picked him up and held him on the good side.
• “Did you have dinner?” asked Alexander.
• “After match,” said Syrus.
• “Hungry?” asked Alexander.
• Syrus nodded. He made Syrus sit on his high chair. He went to the kitchen and found mash and potato. He heated it up and brought it to the kid. He had a juice as he watched the kid eat.
• After he finished the dinner, Alexander washed him and then tucked him into the bed. Syrus looked at him expectantly. He took a book from the shelf and read the story of the sleeping beauty.
• Syrus fell asleep and Alexander ran a hand through the kid’s hair. He got up and left. He found the boys still in the game room. He opened it and all five froze and turned.
• All got up.
• “Why was Syrus in his room without supervision?,” asked Alexander.
• “There were guards,” said Jules as no one else spoke up.
• “Yeah? And you forget that there could be rats right inside the den? What the fuck is more important than watching that kid who thinks you all hung the moon and stars?” asked Alexander.
• “We won the Copa Del Rey and we were not ignoring him,” said Sage slowly.
• “I don’t fucking care even if the team wins Serie A and Champions League,” snapped Alexander.
• “We have all taken care of ourselves as kids. Syrus is not clingy. He will sit and play if left alone,” said Athen impertinently.
• Alexander gave him a look making Athen look down.
• “Well, he did not say anything wrong. We have never ignored him like you do,” said Ezra.
• Alexander just looked at them.
• “None of you are watching any games without the kid having someone to watch over him,” said Alexander and left.
• All five looked at each other. They all loved Syrus a lot. They knew Syrus is not a troublesome kid and is very obedient. They trooped to his room and found him tucked in. He was asleep hugging his lion. They found it amusing that he called the lion Don. Each dropped a kiss on his forehead before they left.
• They did feel bad about leaving him alone. Nannies were never part of child care in the family and guards would have informed them if something was amiss. If Alexander got angry, it would mean only one thing. There was an attack.
• Alexander sighed as he looked out onto the plains. There were crackers being burst and he can see the cheer of the crowd leaving the stadium. The stadium built by his great grandfather. The same stadium his mother was pushing to get rebuilt. He was not sure he wanted to invest in football. Atleast not more than he already does.
• He knew Coppa Del Rey is not a big cup. But, it was better than winning nothing like in the past years.
• He hated everything about the stadium and the team. He turned and saw Syrus standing at the door, clutching his lion.
• The boy was sniffling. He would come to Alexander only when all the boys were not available which means they might be out being part of the celebrations.
• He picked the kid up and they both slept soon after that oblivious to everyone celebrating around them and their fate changing.
• Alexander woke up and found a small head of brunette hair resting above his chest arms around him and he realised that the lion was also tucked into the crook of his neck, probably for making it sleep better.
• Alexander almost smiled as he sat up with the wonderful child in his arms. He always wonders how the child grew to be so kind.
• Having let Alexander give him a bath, Syrus walks by his side clutching his arm and holding the toy in the other to the breakfast table. All five boys looked at Syrus who ran into Jules’s arms.
• Alexander watched as Ezra fed him with ease. He felt ridiculous for feeling a bit jealous of his own kids.
• “So, who is this Miguel Endrizzi?” asked Alexander, remembering the trespasser from the other day. Well, not remembering per se, he just never forgot about him.
• All six looked at him, five faces showed utter shock and bewilderment and Syrus was smiling.
• “S best,” said Syrus.
• “You really do hate football,” said Sage, as if realising it then.
• “He is the best in the world. The best forward and he got transferred to our team for a record fee. He singlehandedly won us this cup and saved us from relegation,” said Jules.
• “World Cup winner with Spain, three time Champions league winner, seven time La Liga winner, three Golden Boots and six Ballon D’or. He is the synonym of best,” said Sage.
• “He also won the Premier League twice. The highest paid footballer in the world, represents the best brands in the world, has the most goals ever in La Liga by a player and yeah, has featured in the FIFA team consecutively,” said Ezra.
• “No football academy till the age of 14 and then got to play for a local club, picked by a Uruguayan club while with them. Premier league B team got him on their spare team and then he got the chance to play. At 18, he played his first Premier League match and never looked back,” said Athen.
• “Known to be a man of his routines and rigorous practice schedules. He is a tough nut to crack. Quite aggressive and somewhat refuses to compromise on field which makes him less liked by the football critics,” said Juan.
• “Well, he is also a narcissist,” said Alexander.
• All looked at him.
• “You said you don’t know him,” said Juan.
• “I did not. I know him but I didn’t know who he is. He was the trespasser alert the other day. Was jogging in our property,” said Alexander.
• “You mean to say, ‘you’ got to meet the Miguel Endrizzi and ‘we’ are yet to see him,” asked Athen, shocked.
• “Talk about luck,” said Ezra.
• Alexander just raised an eyebrow at that. The kids never spoke this much at the table. All the interaction in the table, however, ended when the guards rushed in. Alexander looked at his half eaten breakfast.
• “I have to leave, go on, finish your breakfast,” said Alexander as he got up and left.
• The kids looked at each other and left the food as it is. They made sure that Syrus, atleast, ate.