As Arun’s tenth birthday approached, Chee and Chris decided it was time to upgrade their living situation. They moved from the small apartment to a spacious semi-detached house in a more affluent estate. Chee, Chris, Benny, and mawmaw settled into the new house while Arun continued to live with his grandpapy and meemaw.

Arun’s life took a significant turn when his grandpapy passed away when he was 12. The loss was a heavy blow for Arun, who had been very close to his grandpapy. With his grandpapy gone, it was time for Arun to move back in with his parents. By the time he joined them, Chee, Chris, Benny, and mawmaw had already acclimated to the new house, which added to Arun’s discomfort. The large, quiet home felt cold and impersonal compared to the warm chaos of his grandparents’ place, and Arun struggled to integrate into this new environment.

Arun met Chris’ mother, his mawmaw, for the first time when he moved back home. Unlike meemaw, mawmaw was more forgiving and had a gentler approach to handling Arun’s antics. She believed in giving second chances and tried to understand Arun’s perspective.

“Arun, come help me wit de laundry,” mawmaw called out one day.

“But I’m busy wit my experiment,” Arun protested.

“Busy wit nonsense! Come here now!” she scolded, but her tone softened. “Look, I know you love your experiments, but we all need to pitch in around here. Okay?”

Around the same time that Arun moved back home, Lime and Dus relocated to a different estate with their parents. The cousins lost contact for a while, leaving Arun without his usual partners in mischief. Transport within the town had improved somewhat, but traveling across estates was still a half-day’s work involving multiple bus routes.

The initial days at home were tense for both brothers. Benny, who had been enjoying the only child treatment, suddenly found himself with an older brother who took up space and attention. Arun, on the other hand, saw Benny as just another version of Lime and Dus, thinking he could boss Benny around as he did with his cousins.

“Benny, go fetch my tools from de shed,” Arun demanded one day, eyes glued to his experiment.

“Why should I? Do it yourself!” Benny retorted, crossing his arms defiantly.

“You tink you can talk back to me? Just do it!” Arun snapped.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Their squabbles were frequent, and mawmaw, Shari, and Charm often had to step in to mediate.

“Arun, you can’t boss Benny around like dat,” Shari said, pulling him aside. “He’s not Lime or Dus.”

“But he’s just a kid!” Arun protested.

“Dat may be, but he’s your brudder. Treat him wit respect,” Charm added.

Mawmaw chimed in, “Boys, if you don’t learn to get along, you’ll both be in trouble. Family is important, and I know you both can do better.”

Arun began secondary school and quickly became engrossed in various science experiments. While he excelled in the sciences, his performance in languages, history, and geography was less than stellar. Arun found it hard to connect with the material in those subjects, often feeling bored and unmotivated. His science classes, however, were a different story. He would light up with enthusiasm, eager to learn and experiment.

“Arun, you’re a natural in science class,” his teacher remarked one day. “But you really need to work on your history essays.”

“I know, sir,” Arun mumbled, staring at his feet. “I just don’t get why we need to learn about all those dead people.”

His classmates noticed his brilliance in science but also his struggles in other subjects. While some admired his talent, others teased him for being hopeless in languages and history.

“Hey, science whiz! Can you help me wit dis history homework?” a classmate mocked, holding up a textbook.

Arun sighed, “I’m not good at history, you know dat.”

“Yeah, but you can build a robot to do it for you, right?”

Despite his scientific prowess, Arun was a loner in school, with very few friends. His introverted nature and preference for solitary activities made it hard for him to fit in with his peers. He often spent his lunch breaks in the library, absorbed in books about science and fantasy.

One evening, Arun sat on the porch steps of the big house, staring at the sunset with a book in hand. Benny, now more prominent in Arun’s life, bounded up to him. “Whatcha reading, Arun?”

“Just a fantasy book,” Arun mumbled, not taking his eyes off the page.

“Again? You’re always off in your own world.”

“Better than dealing with the real one,” Arun replied with a shrug, lost in his thoughts.

Arun’s interests extended to electrical projects as well. He made a lamp, a rain sensor, and even a wireless microphone that transmitted to an FM radio. These projects often left him lost in his own world, completely absorbed in his work.

In addition to his scientific pursuits, Arun was introduced to church and began attending Sunday school with Benny. This new environment provided him with a sense of community and a different perspective on life.

Shari and Charm, two of Arun’s cousins, started to play a bigger role in his life, especially when Chee and Chris were away. Shari and Charm were older and more experienced, guiding Arun and Benny through various adventures and helping them navigate their family dynamics.

“Come on, Arun, let’s go explore de park,” Charm suggested one day.

Arun sighed, closing his book. “I guess a break won’t hurt.”

Chee and Chris’ relationship began to fray. Chris’ frequent absence was due to her running away from conflict, and she started to travel more for personal reasons than business. She was often accompanied by a female companion, which added to the tension at home.

“Mom, when are you coming back?” Benny asked one evening over the phone.

“Soon, Benny. Just a few more days,” Chris replied, her voice distant.

Arun grew up introverted, keeping to himself and finding solace in his own thoughts. His world was one of books and solitary games, where his imagination could run wild without interruption. He preferred the quiet and comfort of familiar surroundings, rarely venturing out to make new friends.

The transition back home was challenging, but it brought the two brothers into closer proximity, and they began to learn about each other’s lives. Despite their differences, they found a way to connect and support each other in the years that followed.

Despite the challenges, Arun found solace in his experiments and the new relationships he was building. The large house, once a source of discomfort, gradually became a place where he could explore his passions and grow.