70. Too Much To Carry #4
The way she used to lock herself inside rooms for hours. The way I run to hospitals every second day holding her in my arms.
The way she hurt herself just to distract herself from the pain in her heart.
I thought we had left all that behind.
I thought she had healed. But looking at those marks on her arms, I knew I was wrong.
Maybe the wounds had never disappeared.
Maybe she had just learned how to hide them better.
That was the reason the doctors suggested a change of environment years ago and I ended up sending her to America.
At that time, I genuinely thought it would help.
Instead, it only made things worse.
My jaw tightened.
I wasn't going to make the same mistake again. I had to do something before I lost my sister all over again.
As I felt her body relax a little and the crease between her brows finally disappear, I stood up from the bed.
I switched off the main lights, leaving only the warm golden lamp on.
Dhrithika never slept in complete darkness.
After lowering the AC temperature, I quietly closed the door behind me.
Only after stepping into the corridor did I remember that I had left my laptop bag inside her room.
I thought about going back for it. Then shook my head. Not worth disturbing her.
Turning around, I walked towards my own room.
Now, Dhwani.
I pushed open the bedroom door and met with darkness. Every light was off.
My brows furrowed. Dhwani never slept this early. Then why was the room dark?
I stepped inside and switched on the lights.
The bed was empty.Not even a crease on the sheets suggested she had been there.
My eyes wandered around the room and landed on the canvas she had been working on for the last two days.
Or trying to work on.
The painting was only half finished.
Most of it was covered in aggressive strokes of black paint.
Angry.
Frustrated.
As if she had stopped painting and started fighting the canvas instead. Some paint had dripped onto the floor. Among it were faint footprints.
Dhwani's footprints.
I followed them. They led towards the closet. One footprint went inside. Another came back out. Then they stopped near the bed. I stared at the floor for a second.
Then sighed.
Unbuttoning my coat, I tossed it onto the couch. My tie followed. I rolled the sleeves of my shirt before opening a few buttons from above. I know what's coming ahead already.
Walking near bed, I dropped to my knees and looked underneath.
There she was, lying flat on her stomach.
One side of her face smeared with black paint. Her cheeks flushed red.
From crying, exhaustion. Maybe both.
I genuinely had no idea how she managed to fit herself under there.
"What are you doing there?" I asked, keeping my voice low. It's like I do not know any tone other than this now.
These two women have blocked the system of my mind."Come outside."
A small sob escaped her then she turned her face away.
I closed my eyes briefly.
After a few seconds I Mmoving to the other side of the bed, and knelt down again.
"Dhwani."
Silence.
"Dhwani, come out, love."
"No." Her voice came out muffled. "Please go away."
The same answer. For two days. Every single time.
Exhaling slowly, I pushed my arm beneath the bed. Thankfully, I managed to reach her waist. Ignoring her protests, I tightened my grip and dragged her out slowly.
"Let me go! Please." She kicked her legs wildly. "Yugant, leave me!"
I ignored her protests and pulled her into my arms.
Only then did I notice the papers clutched tightly in her hands.
Or more accurately, she had been lying on top of them beneath the bed.
Either staring at them. Or crying over them.
The moment she noticed my gaze, she crumpled them together and shoved them inside her oversized T-shirt.
I chuckled. Why so adorable?
I climbed onto the bed and settled against the headboard, pulling her with me. She ended up half lying over my chest..For once, she didn't argue and just relaxed into my arm.
My fingers moved through her hair slowly.
"What are you hiding now?" I asked.
She stayed quiet for a moment before finally mumbling, "These are not the same papers she gave me."
I looked down at the top of her head.
Oh.
So she finally opened the file.
"Have you read them?"
She immediately shook her head.
"No."
My brows rose.
"No?"
Her fingers tightened around my shirt and I understood she was lying.
"I want to meet My Mumma, Yugant..."
The words came out shattered. Filled with pain and so much longing. As if they had been trapped inside her chest for a long time.
A sob tore through her throat and left her gasping for air afterward.
I immediately tightened my arms around her.But she kept crying harder.
Like a glass that had been holding cracks for years and finally shattered beyond repair.
"I want my Mumma..... pleaseee" she cried, clutching my shirt in her fists. "I want her so much."
My heart clenched. " But you hate her."
"I hate her?" she whispered looking up at me. More like asking me. Then immediately shook her head."No... I don't. I want to meet her please....."