The Light at the End of the Tunnel

And everything fell in place. (29)

IT WAS afternoon, February 5th, and Aru came back from therapy. Which was stupid, because she was completely fine. However, Mini, Brynne, Hira, Drew, and everyone had ganged up on her so...

She closed the museum apartment door behind her. Krithika was sitting on the couch and looked up at her. "Oh, hi, Aru."

"Today."

"Yes, I know. Today," her mother sighed, placing down her mug of tea. "Sit. Ask me questions."

Aru sat. "Why didn't you tell me the whole story?"

"I didn't get a chance to. I was always going away on trips-"

"Right. Those business trips," Aru felt herself slipping into the interrogative mode so she calmed down a little. "Where were you going?"

"I monitored him all the time."

Aru almost fell off the couch. "You stalked dad?"

"It's...complicated," she said defensively. "It was needed."

Aru narrowed her eyes. "What happened 16 years ago?"

"The agency had just started around then," Krithika said wistfully. "The Council of Guardians was good friends with your dad. He did most of the work for that agency. But..."

Aru waited as Krithika breathed deeply. "He and them got into a fight."

Krithika seemed to replay the conversation in her head. "The agency wanted to merge with the government. But that would mean more work shifts. And with the way things were going, he'd probably have to leave us. He didn't want that. However, me and the council were good friends too."

"Suyodhana told us that we would have to leave somewhere else, otherwise we all couldn't be together. I tried to talk him out of it, saying that a simple conversation would be fine. But much happened, and honestly, I'm not sure what happened. And somehow he came to the conclusion that he would have to overthrow the agency."

"He left and took Kara with him," Aru guessed, because obviously. Krithika nodded. "Speaking about Kara..."

"Kara...Her mother leaned back. Something Kara and her did. "She's three years older than you. She was a result of something I had with someone else before your father, who later died in an accident."

Aru stayed quiet. As her mind processed the information, she thought of all the ways this could have turned out differently.

"Do you hate me, Aru? I haven't been the best to you, so I understand."

Aru hugged her. "I don't hate you mom."

I pity you.

But she didn't say that.

Her mom sighed. "Thank you. I'll talk to you more often, I promise. You can trust me."

"I know."

————

Five days later, she walked into the agency's medical wing, which had kind of become a second home to her. Aiden lay on the bed and he greeted her when she came in. "Hey. I haven't seen you in forever."

Aru frowned. "It's been a week? Or a bit more than a week."

"Felt like forever," Aiden tried to shrug before wincing in pain. "Finally remembered I existed, huh?"

"I've had a lot going on," Aru said defensively. "I would've come sooner."

Aiden sighed. "It's okay. Also, I heard you're going to therapy. That's great. And I'm glad you're doing that. I'm proud of you."