Unkept Promises

The reason - Part I

Abhiram's POV

It had been near about two weeks since our accident, or perhaps, a planned accident, but inspector Trivedi hadn't yet found any lead. It was as though, whoever had been behind our accident had simply vanished in thin air. Neither the driver was to be found, nor the car which had hit me. Avi and Pratik suspected that it might have been abandoned somewhere farther away.

Presently, we could do nothing but wait for the investigating officer to come up with some concrete lead. Pratik too wanted to probe further into his suspicions, and was actively keeping an eye on Kinjal's activities.

"So Avantika, how are you, and how are things?"

Presently, we were sat in Dr. Godbole's clinic for our session.

Avi turned sideways to glance at me, and then looked at Dr. Godbole with a polite smile.

"Things are well doctor. You have been of so much help for us. I might not have forgotten, I mean, that's not even practically and emotionally possible, but your sessions and exercises have most definitely helped me sort out those bitter feelings. And that makes me feel good from within. There's no constant nagging of something weighing down on my mind.", she elaborated.

"That sounds really good Avantika. We have a gradual, but steady progress rate, and I am happy for that.", Dr. Godbole asserted.

"And you Abhiram. How about you?", she turned to face me.

"I am good too, Dr. Godbole. Your sessions have helped me with my guilt. What I mean to say is, instead of wallowing in guilt, and wondering about the what ifs and had there beens, I am channelizing all of my energy into our relationship, into rebuilding what I had broken."

That's how it was supposed to be. In the earlier sessions, when I had spoken with Dr. Godbole how the guilt of what I had done affected me, how it prevented me from probing deeper into what all I can do for us, she helped me deal with those emotions, those regretful, hurtful thoughts.

Even though we did not have an answer to the prime instigating factor behind my reaction, these sessions had proven to be really helpful in handling our scattered emotions, some haywire thoughts.

"That's what I like to hear Abhiram. I am glad for the way we have progressed in all these weeks.", she offered yet another polite smile and scribbled a few things.

"Abhiram", she turned to me yet again after some time, when she was done noting down some things.

"I will be asking you a few questions now - mind you, these will be really crucial, and so, I want you to take your time to think, introspect and then answer me. Is that fine with you?"

"Of course doctor.", I answered firmly, but I could not shake that feeling of nervousness, the slight anxiety which had began brewing in my mind at her words. What would she really want to speak about now? I mean, from her words, it seemed that whatever it was, the matter at hand, the questions in her mind - they must be decisive enough for us for her to refer to them as crucial.

She sensed my nervousness, my Avi, like she always has understood me, since her arm crept out in my direction, and her palm caught ahold of my hand. She squeezed it in assurance - that much needed assurance.

"Kinjal is five years younger than you, right?", she started. I passed a quick affirmative nod as an answer.

"So tell me how was your relationship with her in the childhood since she was born? From one of our earlier session, I have gathered that after a certain period of time she began acting out. I want you to describe how the two of you were, how your bond was before she started acting differently.", she was quite descriptive in her question and I had already started gathering things in my mind, memories of the past, those few glimpses which flash upon your inward eye. (PS : a subtle reference to Wordsworth's Daffodils)