ICT: Twisted

Three

The next part is here! I hope you'll like it. And if you do, then pls leave some inline comments, they make me happy ❤️

I've reached the location that Samaira haa sent me. As I was about to ring the doorbell,the nameplate hanging on the wall caught my attention.

Oh god! This is the same samaira.

I don't think working with her would be a good idea, I should just leave.

'Excuse me? What are you doing here?' I turned to the side where the voice was from.

It was Rohit Sharma.

He looked so different from the pictures on the internet. Ofcourse they were old ones.

He looked anxious or worried about something as he saw me outside his door.

'Umm sir, actually-'

'What's your name?' he asked interrupting me as if something striked in his mind.

'Alisha' I replied.

'Oh the financial advisor Alisha. Sammy did tell us about you. Come inside.' he said as he rang the doorbell.

Rits opened the door and looked at me worriedly, just like how Ro was, when he saw me for the first time.

'This is Alisha. Sammy told about meeting a financial advisor right' Ro told her and the worry has disappeared from her face.

As I walked into the living room, I saw pictures of their "happy family". There were photo frames hanging on the wall one by one.

There was a picture of them at the hospital when Samaira was born.  And then a picture of them at some vacation. And then came the picture: Dad with Samaira.

She might be some 12-16 months old in the picture and was closely cuddled to dad as both of them were sleeping.

Next to that one  was a picture of Dad with Rohit Sharma and Ritika and then there were two frames with dad and Rohit Sharma's pictures.

I haven't seen dad that happy ever!

'Sorry, but Sammy hasn't woken up yet. You sit here. I'll go and wake her' Rohit said and walked towards the stairs while Ritika walked back into the lawn where she was feeding her dogs.

There were even more photo frames visible from where I was sitting in the living room.

But these photos were different, they weren't just the three of them but the three of us too.

There was a picture of me kissing Rohit Sharma when I was months old baby.

In another picture were all six of us with happy smiles plastered on everyone's faces.

Why would they still have our pictures in their house. Samaira said that they shifted to this house recently, so why did they bother to hang our photos too, when they haven't been on talking terms with mom and dad for so many years!

'Sorry Alisha. I forgot that we will be meeting today' Samaira apologized as she walked into the living room yawing while rubbing her eyes.

'Keep watching films until late night with your father' Ritika glared at her daughter from the lawn.

'Let's not get started now, shall we? Atleast when we have a guest.' Rohit politely asked his wife.

'I'll be back in just 20 minutes. I promise' Samaira said and rushed back to her room.

'So how long have you been staying here?' Rohit asked me as he came and sat on the adjacent chair.

'I have come here only yesterday. But my father's been staying here for a while' The mention of  dad brought back all the pictures of us I've seen there.

It was overwhelming for some reason. I've never been attached to mom and dad and they aren't in touch with any of the old ICT members. But all the articles, pictures on the internet sometimes make me yearn for all the love.

And looking at how Rohit Sharma still has our pictures in his house after more than two decades...  I don't even know how to react.

Ritika has come back to the living room and walked into the kitchen. She definitely was panicking about something. It was visible both on her face as well as her behaviour.

Rohit Sharma might have noticed it too as he walked behind her into the kitchen.

'Is it really necessary for us to interact with people here?' Rits asked.

'She probably wouldn't even know us. Don't panic unnecessarily'

I could hear their muffled voices.

'Coming back to India is really a bad idea. Let's go away Ro, please. This country doesn't feel like home anymore like it used to'

'Relax Rits. Nobody will identify us. It hurts me too but we have to do this for Sammy.'

'But Ro, what if someone sees us and what if they start bringing the past.  How would Sammy react?'

'Right. How would she feel when people call her as the daughter of a traitor.'

'What have I even began talking? Let's end this here Ro. Let's not talk about it.'

'This is all because of me. You two are suffering so much because of me.' His tone wasn't clear to me as I was sitting a bit far but it did look like he was crying.

'You are not a traitor Ro. You did no wrong. They all are wrong'

Just then footsteps were heard from the stairs.

' I promised that I'll be back in 20 minutes right. See I've come in just 15 minutes.' Samaira said as she walked towards me.

'Baba you've come. Eat something before you two start discussing your work.' Ro said as he walked out from the kitchen.

'I'm not hungry dada. I'll have lunch directly.'

'Sammy, have your breakfast' Ritika ordered in a Stern tone and she quickly got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen to her mom.

'These two are a treat to watch. Irrespective of how much she says she's mumma's girl, she loves me the most.' he said as he sat on the couch.

I didn't know what to say, even if I did, I was in no position to say or feel anything. First the photos and next, their conversation.

'Why aren't you talking anything? Except from introducing yourself you spoke nothing.  Tell me about your family.' he said trying to initiate a conversation.

'Nothing to talk about them. We are definitely not an ideal family to talk about. We are on the dysfunctional side.' I laughed as I didn't want to make it serious.

'Sorry.'

'It's fine. It doesn't bother me anymore' I said.

' Come and have breakfast.' he said.

'I've already eaten. I'm full.' I said.

'It's ok. Just have a little.' he said.

'I brought the plate too.' Ritika handed me a plate and Samaira has sat beside me.

They randomly began talking and laughing about something while I and Samaira were having our food.