Story of an Indian Girl

Chapter 6

I awoke a little while later to see my clothes changed my hair wet and neatly tucked into bhai's bed. I sat up in bed just replaying all the incidents in my head when the door slowly opened and I saw the pair or eyes I was longing to see. To just hug her soo tight. Never let her go and most importantly apologise to her for not being able to congratulate her on her achievement.

"Di I'm soo sorry... I didnt mean to react this way please forgive me." I ranted on she just came and hugged me tight. I didn't realise when the tears left my eyes and I was holding onto her soo tight just crying away. I shouldn't be sad this was going to take her to a new level of her life. It was a new chapter. I shouldn't be the one holding her back. She's done everything for me from raising me to being there through everything. I can't be the reason she misses out on such an big opportunity due to my insecurities and abandonment issues.

I pulled away from di only to see her eyes welled with tears too.

I quickly wiped the tears of my face and a stray one which left di's eye.

"di congratulations! I'm soo happy for you!! When are we going shopping??" I asked trying to conceal the crack and fear in my voice.,
"I know you're not okay. How can I leave you in this state and go. I'll look for a better university here in India. I don't have to go abroad to study."
"Di you've done enough for karan and myself our whole lives. You've sacrificed enough so that Alisha di could get her dream wedding. So that Rahul didn't have to come back from New Jersey. Sacrificing your Goa trip after 10th because of my dengi attack and 12th trip because karan bhai had his exams. Di you've done enough for all of us it's our turn to do something for you. And di I know about your dream to go abroad since 10th. You sacrificed that too for me since I was so young and Alisha di was too busy. At the mere age of 16 you took my responsibility as both my parents. I can't ask more from you di. You have to go. You have to fulfill your dreams. And I'm fine here. I have Karan bhai and Alisha di as well as jiju too." I explained trying not to break down.
But I saw tears rolling down isha di's eyes. I gently lifted my hand to wipe them.
" I didn't know you noticed soo much about me. I thought no knew that I sacrifices studying abroad to take care of you kiddos. How did you know all this? Priya who told you all this beta?"
"Di It doesn't matter how or when I found out. All that matters is I'm indebted to you for my whole life. More than "like" a mom you are a mom to me di. The amount you sacrificed at that age I don't think even our mother would have done that at this age for either of us. Thank you so much di. But now its time you live for yourself. I'll be okay don't worry about me." I said reassuringly.
" I'm not going anywhere and that's final! I'm not leaving you here in this state." she argued. "Isha Di you're not going to sacrifice more for us I won't allow it. And it's just a minor anxiety attack I'll be fine. You're going and that's all I know! Or else I'll tell Alisha di about your summer rendezvous" I told Di in an attempt to black mail her. "How?!" di asked "how are you okay with me going. How are you being so strong right now?"  di asked amazed. "Priya beta I know you're dying inside. You don't want me to go but still you're being so strong. You're pretending everything is fine! How and why are you doing that." 

"I don't know what you're talking about di I'm completely fine with you going I said averting my gaze."

She just hugged me tight. I guess I'm grateful for that. If she would have asked one more time I would have broken down and begged her not to go.  Which then I would have regretted for the rest of my life.

Since di already had her visas in place all that was left to do was shop till we dropped.

The speed at which one week passed was almost unbelievable. It was as if in a blink of an eye the entire week passed.

It was so decided that Alisha di would go to drop isha di to USA. Settle her there stay for a week or so and then go meet Rahul in New Jersey for a few weeks before returning. Jiju was in charge of me and Karan for those days.

At the time of leaving the house to go to the airport it happened again. I puked and felt all those symptoms again. Just this time I didn't black out. I told jiju the whole scene and asked him for a pill to keep my anxiety at bay just until they went inside the airport after that we'd look for a proper solution. Karan over heard all this and entered the room while jiju was placing the pill into my palm.

"Don't you both think you'll should inform both of them."
"Bhai di will cancel her trip. You know much this means to her. I can't be the one to hold her back. Please bhai don't tell her. I promise after they leave we'll look for a proper solution" I said gulping the medicine down

"proper solution for what?" Isha di asked entering the room
All 3 of us went silent and stared at each other.

"You had another attack didn't you?" di asked knowingly and with concern

"no-" I started to talk when she stopped me and looked at karan

"Karan. You tell me the truth. Or esle..." she trailed of crossing her arms on her chest and tapping her foot impatiently on the floor.

Karan looked at me and I tried nodding no when di interpreted the conversation and completed her or else.

"Karan this is the last time I'm asking. Did Priya have another attack?!" she asked getting really annoyed now.
This is the most annoyed I've ever seen her.

"Isha it's not like that. Priya is fine"
Jiju tried stepping in but di refused to listen. She stopped him too with just a wave of her hand And somehow even tho jiju is older I've noticed he still respects isha di as if she's older. That's the power she had on All of us. And he went silent.

"di it's not like that" I went on to explain. But before I could Karan showed me his hand stopping me and saying
"di no such thing happened. She was talking about the solution of the cooking schedule for the 3 of us."

Ofc she didn't buy that stupid story.

She gripped his wrists tight and dragged him out of the room

Me and jiju tried following but she shut the door and Alisha di locked it from outside. I'm assuming it's Alisha di cause we saw the shadow remain out the entire time.

After about 15 mins we heard the door click open and i ran out to see my brother with tears rolling down his face. This was the first time ever I'd seen him cry.