Shadows of the Past: 02

Chapter 3: Fading Hopes
My father and I entered the drawing room where my mother and other people were sitting. I was very quiet at that time, or perhaps it’s better to say that I was having trouble understanding what was going on there. Everyone could see my concern on my face, and they were telling jokes and playing with me to cheer me up. But at that moment, only one thought was running through my mind: what is this happening, why is this happening, and why is my aunt here with my father instead of my mother?

My mom sat silently the whole time, tears in her eyes, but she wasn’t letting anyone notice. However, I could sense her pain from her face because I had never seen her like this before, and who else could understand her better than her daughter?

We sat there for a while, and then after some time, my mom told me, “Come on, it’s been long enough; let’s go home.” She held my hand, and we headed towards the door. By this time, all my happiness had shattered because when I entered that house and saw my father, I thought that now I would have my father back, everything would be as it used to be, and he would go home with us, and we would always be together. Little did I know that my happiness would shatter in just a short while, and I would be left with so many questions in my mind.

Chapter 04: The Mystery
We stepped outside and hailed a taxi to head back home. During the journey, I tried many times to ask my mom why my father didn’t come with us and why my aunt was with him there. However, she ignored me each time. Maybe she wasn’t ready to answer my questions, or perhaps she didn’t want to make me go through the same suffering she was experiencing herself.

Well, then we reached home. Once we were home, I asked the same questions to my mother again. Upon hearing them, she hugged me tightly and began to cry loudly. Seeing her like that, I also became upset because who can bear to see their mother crying like that?

When she noticed that I was upset too, she wiped away her tears and said, “Don’t worry, you can meet your father every day now. Your grandmother was unwell, so your father went to be with her to take care of her. He had asked me to come along, but you know your school is here, so I refused to go. I sent your aunt with him because when your father goes to work, someone needs to be with your grandmother, right? We can’t leave her alone. That’s why your father and your aunt were there.”

Hearing all this, I asked, “If they went there just for grandma, then why didn’t they meet us for so long, and why didn’t they tell us that I’m here with my mother?" To this, my mom replied, “Well, they did tell me, and it was actually me who sent your aunt with them. I didn’t tell you because you would insist on going with your father, and it wouldn’t have been right for you to go there because your grandma is unwell, and there would be so many germs that could make you sick. I also told your father not to inform you. Now, let’s go have dinner, and then you have homework to do for school tomorrow. And there’s no need to worry anymore; I’ve told your father that his daughter misses him, and he said he’ll come to see you every day.”
Although I was quite young at that time, but I had a feeling that what my mom was telling me wasn’t the whole truth. It felt like there was something else she wasn’t telling me. All of this was like a mystery to me.

To be Continued...