In Sunshine or In Shadow ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 13.1 - Two Steps Back

It was on her last day of mandated leave that Riddhima decided to address the one issue she had yet to face: her brother, Viraj.

Her younger brother had come to her, the only one who had been able to drop everything at once and rush to his damaged sister's side. He had even kept the family at bay when they had wanted to come, knowing she was humiliated enough with just him at attendance. He had slept in a chair by her hospital bed, brought her hot chocolate to try and comfort her away from her nightmares, had even prayed for her to find her strength again.

But she had looked away from him while she had lain in that bed. The hot chocolate had sat on her dresser until it had turned cold and congealed. She had shut her eyes and ignored his pleas to God for her to get well. Riddhima had done what she had never done throughout her entire childhood. She had turned her back on her brother.

That was unacceptable.

So she picked up her phone and listened to the rings. "Hello," Viraj said in his chipper voice.

Riddhima took in a breath. Here goes nothing. "Hey, Viraj."

"Riddhima?" Her name came out in a gasp.

"Yeah," she said.

"Oh wow…I mean, damn it's good to hear from you."

"Yeah, I'm…I'm sorry I haven't called," she said.

"That's okay. I mean I called a bunch of times so you didn't really have to." It was left unsaid that she'd rarely ever answered those calls to talk to him and when she did she would say she was fine, very busy and end the conversation before anything could really begin.

"I should have," she said solemnly, "You've been so worried about me, I know it."

"That's okay."

"Viraj, please, let me just apologize and admit that I treated you like crap when you were here," Riddhima said.

He then did the unthinkable. He laughed.

Riddhima frowned at his mirth. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Riddhima, but I'm not sorry. It's just…you used your Big Sister voice."

"My what?" Now she knew that was her Explain Or Die voice.

"You were scolding me just like when we were kids," he said, "It was nice, like normal. You sound like yourself again."

Yes, she suppose she did. "I feel more like myself again," she said.

"Yeah, I can tell. I'm so glad, Riddhima. I've…well we've all been worried up here. Meera and I were thinking about coming down soon."

"You still can if you want," Riddhima said, "It would be nice to see you all again, but I'm…I'm still not completely better. I'm seeing Dr. Cargill and she's telling me to take it slow."

She didn't have the heart to tell him that she would rather they stay. She loved them, but right now she felt like Lavinia, Lucretia and the other women like her had only just left and were hoping for a return visit. If her true family came down she was worried that too much company would send her falling backwards.

Viraj took the hint. "How about we just stick to phone calls. Maybe when Annie is out for Spring Break we'll both come by and see you for a weekend."

"That would be good," Riddhima said with a genuine smile.

Their conversation turned to their typical topics. She told them about the team, simply mentioning that Vansh had helped her through a rough patch rather than give him the details of her night with tequila and her Glock. Viraj announced that Annie had a boyfriend which turned into a round of teasing from her about him being an overprotective father while he reminded her of her boyfriends in high school.