CHAPTER 9
“Ishuu, how are you sweetheart?” her aunt asked on the phone. “It’s been a few days since we talked.”
“I’m doing well, mom.” She was happy to see her aunt had fully recovered from her illness.
“I can’t believe it’s been a month since you went to India. I’ve never been away from you for that long. Even when you went on vacation.” She was used to clingy parents but not clingy kids.
“I miss you too, mom.”
“How are the kids doing? I can’t believe they will be a year old in a month.”
Isha fell silent. She couldn’t believe it either.
“Ravi and Samikhya were going to bring the kids to California to celebrate their birthday.” Her aunt’s words sent chills down her spine.
Isha had planned to take the entire time they were in America off from work just so they could travel together. Something she had not done with her brother. Ever.
“Isha, are you there?” her aunt asked after a moment.
She could not respond for a long moment and next thing she saw, her aunt was switching their call to be on video. She accepted it, swallowing the deep pain in her throat.
“I’m here mom,” she said sitting up in bed.
“Isha, listen. I’m one of the few people who can tell you I know what it is to lose a sibling.
I lost one too. And just like you I also had my responsibility.
Life has to go on.” One of the reasons her aunt would always be her role model for how strong the woman was.
It had shaken her up to see her fall ill after the news of her brother’s accident a month back.
“Yes, mom. I know.” She looked away from the phone screen.
“Listen to me Isha.” Her aunt paused until she looked at the phone. “Let’s celebrate their first birthday. Bring them to San Francisco. They belong here with us. It is too much to expect Ashok to take care of them by himself. They have all the paperwork needed for the trip anyways.”
“No.” It was the only response that came out as a whisper.
“What? Why not?” Her aunt seemed taken aback.
“I don’t know if—” her voice was lost when the door to her room opened slowly. She looked away from the screen and let out a laugh.
“What is it, Isha?” her aunt asked, curious.
Isha could only laugh. “See for yourself.”
She adjusted the camera to show her aunt the little one who stood tentatively by the door. Her aunt let out a sound of endearment and that seemed to encourage the kid.
Isha didn’t know which of the twins was at the door. “C’mon in,” she said suddenly feeling joyful about seeing the kid.
“Hi Vaishu, come to grandma.” Isha felt crappy that her aunt could recognize the kid over a video call and she could not.
“Mom, how did you know that was the girl?” she asked as she kept her eyes on the baby who was now crawling around the bed toward her.
“The girl has a name and I know it’s her because she has my sister’s eyes.” Her aunt laughed.
Familiarity struck her at that point. It was the reason she thought the baby girl’s eyes reminded her of her brother.
Like the kid was amused by the attention, she came closer to the phone as Isha held it up in front of her. She didn’t know if the kids could interact with people on a video call but the little girl seemed to be responding.
Soon, Isha heard another twin. The boy had learnt how to walk and he zoomed over to where his sister was, as if curious about the commotion.
“Isha, I’m so happy they are used to you now. You should bring them here soon.”
Isha chose to only nod instead of telling her aunt it was not feasible to bring the kids to America. It would be a burden for her aunt, even if she was willing to take care of them. It was best for them to be in India, especially if Ashok had family to support him.
For the next ten minutes, Isha watched her aunt interact excitedly with the twins. To her surprise the kids were responding with their babbles and her aunt was stoked to spend time with them.
She finally ended the call and went downstairs with the kids and their nannies.
Ashok was nowhere to be seen. She was glad the kids didn’t have another meltdown like they did a few days ago.
No one knew why they were so upset and after that episode, they woke up from their nap like nothing happened.
After what happened, Isha felt slightly comfortable around the kids. Their large roly poly eyes didn’t scare her anymore. They found a way to coexist. They didn’t look at her like she didn’t belong there. She minded her own work while they played around her in the same space.
The work that she was doing for her job back in San Francisco and very little progress she made in identifying the lawyer who had worked with her father during the lawsuit.
Nothing turned up on the internet and she didn’t know how else to locate the lawyer who might or might not have the paperwork from a case that was filed over a decade ago.
How the heck was she supposed to do something like Ashok said? Easy for him to say!