The Circle of Life - Addicted Series - BOOK 4

16. The breakdown

I was standing in front of Lia with Mom and Dad. They were trying to speak sense into her, well, Dad mostly because she was hell bent on not letting the kids  or anybody else know. Mom was silent.

"This is the last thing I expected from you, Lia. Even forgetting about the kids for a second. What were you thinking? Manvi had cancer. We all faced it together. Ria had a million complications during her delivery. It is a miracle she and Ari are healthy today. She didn't run from us. We do not hide from the people we love, Lia. We face problems together. That is what strengthens us: being there for each other."

She was just looking down silently. 

"Don't you think that is true?" he asks. 

He was trying to talk to her calmly but I could sense the undercurrent of anger beneath. I wanted to stop him but I knew she needed this from them and me. I am beginning to understand that Lia looks for reasons to not be in others life. She had this deep rooted insecurity that she is troubling others or that she doesn't deserve the attention and love she is getting. I need to make her see the opposite - reasons to stay.

She tries to speak but fails. "Because if you don't, we would have just been with you when we were happy. We wouldn't have shared any of our problems with you." Dad continues his lecture.

"No, Dad. It is not like that. This is different."

"How is this different?"

"Look at me..." she says as tears roll off her eyes. I hold her hand. "I look like a shadow of what I was nine years ago. These days I cannot even walk on my own properly. I am being sick all the time. And this is just the beginning. This is my fate - I am okay with it. But, I don't want this for Nick or Lana and Siddy. I want them to remember me at my best."

"Well, honey if we can't be with you at your worst, we certainly don't deserve your best. Do we?" he asks.

She goes mute and looks at me for help. "I am with him, baby."

"Ma?" she looks at Mom.

"Don't look at me. I am still undecided about talking to you." she tells her.

She screws her eyes and cries as Mom sits with her and hugs her consoling. "Tu mujhe Ma bas bulati hai. Manti nahi." 

"No Ma." 

I ignore the thousand ways my heart was creaking right then and look at Neal calling on my phone. "I will be back. Don't let her out of sight." I tell Dad and walk out.

"Say it Nick. Say that Neal, tussi great ho. You are the smartest guy on earth and I am lucky to have a brother like you."

You can trust the guy to joke under the most stressful times. "What do you want, Neal? I am busy?"

"Reunion and all Huh?"

"Neal?"

"How is she?"

"I don't know..." I close my eyes.

"Hang in there Bhai. Just a heads up. Ria is at the airport with Druv and Ari."

"WHAT? Why doesn't anybody listen to me, Neal?"

"No idea. I cannot pick them up, coz I have your puppies. Are we still not telling them? They will be ecstatic to see her, Nick."

"No! Not yet. I need to talk to them first."

"Okay. I am at Ollie's. Call Ria, will you? And say Hi to Lyana. I will see her soon."

I call my idiot sister. "Hey. How is she?" she answers worried.