bounded by shadows

chapter 15

author Pov:

As the days went by, Natalie noticed a change in Janaki. The once silent artist had started to revive, but not in the way anyone expected. Her revival came with an unexpected surge of anger, directed squarely at Michael. Every morning, Natalie was jolted awake by the sounds of their bickering, a sharp contrast to the peaceful days that once were.

It amused Natalie to recall how, in the early days after Janaki arrived in France, she would often speak highly of a handsome, blue-eyed man who had made her flight experience comfortable and safe. Janaki would praise this mysterious savior, recounting his kindness and good looks. But to everyone's surprise, this man turned out to be none other than Natalie's brother, Michael.

In those early days, Janaki couldn't stop praising him. She called him kind and handsome, a true gentleman. What once were compliments about Michael's handsomeness and charm had now transformed into exasperated complaints. "That irritable monkey," Janaki would mutter under her breath, and Natalie couldn't help but chuckle at the irony.

Today was no different. The household had become accustomed to the daily disruptions caused by their clashes. This morning's argument, however, took a comical turn. Michael, dressed in his usual pristine white shirt, had an unfortunate encounter with Janaki's orange t-shirt in the laundry. As the clothes mixed, his shirt turned a bright, unmissable shade of orange.

The scene in the living room was chaotic. Michael stood there, holding up his now-orange shirt, his blue eyes blazing with frustration. "You've got to be kidding me!" Michael's voice was a mix of disbelief and anger.

The situation reached a new level of absurdity when Michael stormed into the kitchen, his once pristine white shirt now an alarming shade of orange. "What happened to you?" Natalie asked, trying to stifle her laughter.

Michael glared at Janaki, who was standing by the sink with a guilty yet defiant expression. "Your friend here," he said, pointing an accusatory finger at Janaki, "thought it would be a brilliant idea to wash her bright orange t-shirt with my white shirts."

Janaki rolled her eyes, her own frustration bubbling over. "Maybe if you labelled your precious shirts, this wouldn't have happened! And who wears white shirts all the time, anyway? It's like you're asking for trouble."

Natalie, trying to keep the peace, stepped between them, though she couldn't suppress a giggle at the absurdity of it all. "Okay, both of you, calm down. It's just a shirt."

Michael pointed at the shirt, then back at Janaki. "This is the last time I let you near my clothes."

Janaki crossed her arms, her face flushed with anger. "Well, maybe if you didn't leave your clothes lying around everywhere, this wouldn't have happened!"

Natalie shook her head, trying to mediate the brewing conflict. "Alright, enough. Michael, you need to be more careful with your clothes. And Janaki, maybe double-check before you do the laundry next time."

Natalie sighed, shaking her head. Despite the constant bickering, she couldn't help but see the underlying tension. It was clear that there was more to their relationship than just irritation. There were sparks of something deeper, emotions that neither of them seemed ready to confront.

In the quiet moments, Natalie saw how these interactions were affecting Janaki. The vibrant, hopeful girl who had once praised Michael was now struggling with her feelings of anger and frustration. And Michael, though he didn't show it openly, was also grappling with his own emotions.