New Beginnings

2- When She Arrives

Regardless of getting constantly scolded by the maids, I still roamed around the mansion instead of taking rest.

I couldn't waste my time resting, knowing that I was going to leave this place anytime soon.

Every nook and corner reminded me of our memories.

The dining room: where we discussed about day while having dinner while sitting in an extra long dining table. Dad hated its extravagance but Mom loved those things and if Mom wanted that then it was going to stay.

The living room: where we would fight for our favourite T.V shows as it was Dad's rule to enjoy some moments together.

The Balcony: where Mom and I would have heart to heart talks, while looking at the beautiful flowers planted at our garden. There wasn't a single place where I didn't have any memory with my parents.

This mansion was my happy bubble. The place who had seen me grown up. My parents were gone but at least I had their memories here which would soon be collecting dust in my absence.

The doorbell rang. As I was near the main door, I opened it instead of the maids who regularly opened it.

My eyes widened looking at the person standing on the door. I rubbed my eyes and saw again, yet Mom was standing there.

How was this possible? Mom wasn't alive. Looks like fever had got into my head. I had now started getting hallucinations.

Hitting the side of my head, I looked at her again to see Mom standing there, looking at me with a confused expression.

"Umm..dear. I am your Aunt Meera. Your lawyer must have told you about me?" she said in a questioning tone, stupefied by my behaviour.

"Oh yes! Please come in. Don't know, what has gotten into me. Instead of you, I am seeing my Mom's face." I welcomed her inside along with giving the explanation for my actions.

"Looks like your mother never told you about me," she said chuckling but her eyes looked sad.

I shook my head lightly in response not understanding a thing.

"Your mother and I are identical twins..sorry were," she explained in a sad voice.

To say I was dumbfounded was an understatement. When lawyer uncle told me about an maternal Aunt, I was expecting a distant relative, not this. Why didn't Mom ever told me about her sister? Weren't twins supposed to be super close?

I had many questions in my mind but thought better to not ask her anything, seeing we just met.

"Oh dear! Why did you open the door? I would have come. Sorry, I was at the terrace, so it took time to come down. You go and take rest. I will take care of the guest," one of our old maid said worriedly.

I nodded and left for my room, not before giving my estranged Aunt an awkward smile.

~~~•~~~

A week has passed by and I had succeeded in avoiding my Aunt. She did try to come and talk with me but looking at her was enough for me to burst into tears.

Her face was a constant reminder of what I had lost. I would never forget my parents, but my Aunt's face was like a salt to my wound.

So I holed up in my room, spending my time by talking to the pictures of Mom and Dad.

There was a knock on my door. I thought it must me a maid so I asked her to come in.

It wasn't maid at door but my Aunt. I instantly turned my face to the other side, not wanting to look at her and asked her to leave my room.

"I know you have been avoiding me and I didn't say anything because I understand your pain but how long will it continue? Plus I have come here to ask you to start packing. Your fever has gone down and we need to leave soon," she said, giving me a shock.

I turned but looked at the wall behind her and asked in a broken voice, "So soon?"

"Yeah, I know this is difficult but we need to leave. Umm...do you need to gather any transfer paper from your school/ college? Sorry, I don't know your age. Your lawyer just gave me your name," she asked in a sheepish voice.

I rolled my eyes at that. It was same situation here, I was also informed about her name and nothing else.

"I am fifteen and there's no need for transfer papers as I finished school last month and vacations are going on, right now. Next year, I will be attending junior college.

"Don't worry, I won't make a fuss and will start packing. You can start the preparations for leaving," I answered still looking behind her, not having courage to look at her face.

"Ok, let me know if you need my help," saying that she left my room.

The moment she closed the door behind her, my tears started rolling down. It was hard to fake composure but I didn't want her to see me as a fragile girl.

I knew, she was going to take my responsibility from now onwards. And so I had to try my very best to not become a burden on her, more than I already was.

No one was going to see my pain. This pain was something I had to bury deep inside.

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