6. Trauma
After we were done with her home tour we were on our way back to the main hall.
I quickly sent a text to my PA to buy a swing that can accommodate two people. Obviously, I don't want to keep standing beside her.
"Did it bore you?" She asked breaking the silence.
I nodded no.
"I don't know what's wrong with mom. She is very excited to show you around. She has been reminding me from the morning as if you are some customer or it's some national monument."
"I'm not bored. It's good." I said.
She nodded and we went down.
Mr. Harish is back from the office.
"Papa" she ran into his arms. She was not that happy when I came.
"Good evening uncle!" I wished.
"You can call me Papa, Beta, no need to get formal." He said.
"Okay, papa," I replied.
We sat at the dining table to have our dinner. It was raining heavily outside.
I'm not someone who compliments people. But they are my-in-laws and I have to build a bond with them.
"You are really great at designing Mom. The interior is great." I complimented.
"I hate to say it but this interior is done by cheeku. I hate to admit but it's the first thing she has done perfectly."
"Bhai I always do things perfectly."
"Not a chance."
I looked at Papa and he nodded in confirmation.
So she did the whole interior?
"Ishu didn't want us to miss her presence after she left so she did this interior before she went to do her Masters." Mom said.
"She just didn't want you to forget her. So she just marked her territory." Ishaan replied.
"Bhai!" she whined with an irritated expression.
All of us shared a laugh and continued with our eating.
After we were done eating I was about to leave but Mom stopped me.
"Beta it's raining heavily. And it's already late. So just stay back."
"But.." I wanted to deny but Dad spoke cutting me off.
"No buts Abhinav just stay back."
"Isha take him to your room." Mom ordered Isha.
"Why my room?" She asked in a shocking tone with a slight hint of discomfort.
"Cuz he's your husband," Ishaan answered rolling his eyes at her.
"Very funny bhai! I know that but I just.."
"Forgot?" He asked mocking her.
"No! Let's go." She said turning to me and I followed her.
"I can stay in the guest room if you are uncomfortable. " I said unable to control myself.
"Why would you?" She asked turning to me with shock plastered on her face.
"Because of the way you reacted back there.." I said unsure about her intentions.
"Oh, I was just planning to sneak out to have ice cream after all go to sleep." She said casually.
Was she really planning to go out at this time?
"Don't you know it's dangerous to go out at this time? And you are planning to sneak out?" I said in a stern voice.
"I didn't know going to my kitchen was that dangerous. And DON'T YELL AT ME!"
Was I yelling? Shit, I was just concerned.
I followed her silently.
I went into her bedroom and walked towards the couch.
"Where are you going?" She asked breaking the silence.
"I thought you were angry?" I said it like a question.
"I am but why are you going there?"
"Well, I um.. to sleep?"
"Come sleep on the bed."
"Aren't I supposed to sleep on the couch since you are angry? Aren't you punishing me?"
"I'm a mature person Mr.Abhinav." She said in a sarcastic tone.
I walked towards her and settled myself on the bed.
She started placing cushions and pillows in the middle making a wall.
"Don't cross!"
I chuckled at her antics.
"What's funny?" She asked pouting.
"No, you are very mature," I said pointing towards the pillows.
"Sleep!" with that she turned to the other side.
"Sleep," I said to him and turned to the other side.
The sound of rain increased increasing my heartbeat. Suddenly there was the sound of thunders. I started to pull the quilt closer. I was wishing just one thing in my mind.
"Please don't get darker. Please don't get darker."
And of course, the power went off.
All the horrible memories started to play in my mind. I can feel my body shivering and I am sweating in this cold weather.
I am unable to process anything. I was about to turn around and move closer to Abhinav but when I was about to turn the door opened and bhai came running towards me.
He came and hugged me tight. I didn't lock the door because I never do that.
I hugged him back tight. Abhinav is looking at us with concern and shock plastered on his face.
"What happened?" He asked.
"She is afraid of this situation," Bhai replied still holding me.
"I'll get water. " He was about to get up.
But I held his hand and pulled him back onto the bed.
"Stay" I muttered. And he sat beside me.
"Sorry Abhi she's scared of this weather and you being here slipped out of my mind," Bhai said after some time. He calls him Abhi, Abhigya Sweety, Abhishek, and Abir by their names.
"Don't be. You were just worried about her." He replied still concerned.
"Power" I muttered still in my brothers' arms and my hand gripping Abhinavs' hand tightly.
"I'll go and see." Bhai got up and nodded looking at Abhinav and he nodded back.
Bhai left and Abhinav pulled me closer by holding my shoulder. I got closer and rested my head on his shoulder.
After some time bhai came back.
"Sorry cheeku the transformer blasted and the backup is not working. But I will bring light right now."
He was about to leave when Abhinav called him.
"Ishaan!"
Bhai turned back.
"Relax! Do you have candles at home?" He asked.
"Yes!" Bhai literally ran out to grab candles.
He came back after a while with candles.
Abhinav got up freeing his hand from my grip after patting my hand and started helping Bhai in lighting candles.
They both were looking so handsome in the candlelight.
I am so lucky to have them not because they are handsome but because they care for me.
After they were done lighting the candles they came and sat on either side of me.
They started to talk about random things to divert me. I was actually diverted. I am normally afraid of weather like this but with them, it seemed perfect.
I didn't realize when I fell asleep.
Seeingher shiver and tense like that scared the hell out of me. When we finally managed to divert her she fell asleep in Ishaan's lap with her hand still in mine.
After making her sleep properly we both sat on the couch.
"What happened to her?" I asked.
"It's her trauma. She is afraid of this weather rain, thunders and darkness remind her of the past that she always wanted to forget."
"What happened to her?"
"She was kidnapped by one of my father's rivals when she was 10. On that day too it rained heavily with thunders and there was no power. She was held captivated for a week when police finally traced her and saved her. From that time when all these three happened at the same time, she reacts like this. She says she is afraid of being taken away from us again." Ishaan said and a single tear fell from his eye and he washed it off.
"Is she afraid of darkness?" I asked so that I could take care of her. I don't want her to feel scared again.
"No! Any of these things individually don't affect her. It's the combination that scares my cheeku." He replied.
"And your parents.."
"She used to react like this in front of them too. But when she saw Dad crying she started acting in front of him as if she had forgotten that. But she never did."
I hugged Ishaan. He really needed that.
After some time he left to his room and I slept on my side of the bed.
When I woke up in the morning she was not beside me. I started worrying and went looking for her.