Her Not So Fairytale

15. Lost

I had no idea how to get out of the tension in the room.

"How are you? " Finally I asked.

She gave me look of disbelief.

It had been nine years since I moved out of this house and six years since I lost contact with everyone. And now I return and ask her about her well being. It did sound weird.

"How are you keeping up? " I asked again.

"I don't know. "

Her eyes welled up.

"sh.. " I moved ahead to comfort.

She hugged me like a lost child.
"I don't know di... Maa..."

I held her tighter.

"She will be fine. You will see. Within few days she will be back in this house. "

"But doctors said.."She trailed off.

"Doctors asked to pray for a miracle and I believe in miracles. She will be fine." I asserted.

"Promise? " Her eyes were full of hope which needed reassurance.

"I promise. " I spoke knowing I was promising something beyond my control.

We stood there in silence holding each other.

I smiled slowly tucking away her hair.
"Soon she will be back to question you about your boyfriends."

"How do you know that? " She forgot that we were talking our mother.

I gave her a smile reminding her that I was in her shoes too.

We shared a small laugh.

Kunal came back to the drawing room glancing at our bonding.

"Sria actually Keyra moved to your room. Guest room is cleaned. You can stay there. " He was speaking hesitantly as if afraid of my reaction.

"Why guest room? She can stay with me if she's OK. " Keyra mumbled the last part.

I smiled at her genuinely and nodded. I shared a relieved look with Kunal as her reaction to my presence was something we actually feared of, even though we didn't address it.

Kunal went back to hospital with his dinner saying he would send back uncle soon.

"He is always running around? " I asked as his car moved away.

"Hmm... He is on leave for the past two weeks. Worried about everything! " She said feeling sad about her brother's plight.

That night I waited for uncle to return home. Keyra was already asleep.

She said after the accident most of the nights she would spend at her friend's. Since no one would be at home for her company.

I wanted to talk about the same.It was mom who met with the accident but all of them were hurting emotionally. They couldn't be there for each other and was left in their own miseries. All of them needed to sit together and talk. Let it all out. Otherwise the scars they would left behind would last longer and deeper than any physical ones.

Uncle returned around 10 p.m. I knew he needed rest but also I knew maybe I won't be able to reach him later.

So I sat by the side as he had dinner and spoke about what I noticed. I asked him to let me help them.

He stared at me for a long time.

"Sria, when Kunal said he had informed you. I didn't think you will show up. I knew how hurt you were of your mother's behavior. I won't say I wouldn't have blamed you for it too. But you surprised me when you showed up. " He gave me a small smile.