Amelia

Locked Up

"Look here is my cottage, we made it on time. Thanks once again for the extreme kindness that you bestowed. I will definitely remember this," said Amelia on reaching the front gate of the front yard.
"It's all right, please don't embarrass me by reiterating your statement of thanks," smiled the boy. " So shall we meet again the next Sunday?".
Amelia hesitated and then replied, "I really don't think so, we get vegetables delivered at our doorstep and I rarely get an opportunity to pay a visit otherwise."

"Oh! Still I hope that we meet again," saying this the boy said goodbye and handed over the bag to Amelia, then he slowly went down the road.

Amelia totally amazed by the optimism reflected by the boy of still hoping to meet again, stared in awe at him for sometime, watching him walk down the road. Then she turned towards the yard gate, opened it and stepped in, suddenly the realisation that she had not even asked his name or the place of abode gripped her and made her feel annoyed at the sheer lack of etiquettes portrayed by her.
She turned again to call out the boy but till then he was no longer to be found, he must have found the turn of his street or dwindled away in the end of the road.

Dejected, Amelia with a gloomy face entered the yard and then cottage where her sisters were waiting for her in the living hall.

"Look here she comes, after spending two full hours, we are disappointed by a small bag that you carry for we expected nothing less than to see a full market at our doorstep, for what else could have kept you out so long," said Delia with a cunning look on her face.

"No-no sister, I'm sorry for arriving a bit later than what you expected but please don't blame me. I visited the Sunday market for the first time in my life and couldn't help but observe each of the shops with exceedingly keen interest," hesitatingly replied Amelia.

"Look at her Delia she carries a flawless personality and arrives a 'bit' late. Above all, the culprit does not wishes to be 'blamed' either. Then shall we blame ourselves or enslave ourselves to the caprice and whims of you," Celia said looking in the latter statement towards Amelia.

"Yes sister, I think she is useless and we will starve to hunger today without having our lunch at a proper time," replied Celia.

These two twins had their own way to deal with situations. For they fought with each other as real enemies but backed up the statement of the other when they stood united against a third party. Such was the present case.

"No Delia, that won't happen, we still have one hour to luncheon and I won't disappoint you. You will be served your food on time, trust me," eagerly replied Amelia to exonerate herself of all the false assumptions.

"You hear sister! She is asking to trust her," yelled Delia. "We don't even want to see your face less have you prepare a hasty food for us to show how noble your attitude is towards me. Don't try to be a good person," shouted Delia.

Without wasting a moment further, Celia gripped Amelia's hand tight and dragged her all the way up the stone staircase to her room where Amelia was locked after being told boorishly that how will she be deprived of the lunch for the day, and how the twins will satisfy their hunger by going to the delicious bakery in the Sunday market.

"Yes it will be so and you rot here. Stop weeping and don't make us look bad while you falsely impersonate a noble air," shouted Delia, standing outside the locked door.

"Let her remain here and make haste otherwise even the bakery will close for the day," said Celia.

As they turned to walk down the staircase, they saw a person standing behind them, so silently he must have made his way upstairs that no sound made an announcement of his arrival or maybe the faint voice of climbing had been subdued by the excessive shouting and yelling.
He was no stranger but the owner.

Shocked and surprised Delia said, "Dad! You here, what happened? You were not to arrive until next week."

Celia poked an elbow to her, letting her decipher to stay quiet and made an address to her father, "It's so nice to see you so early dad! I'm jolly at this sudden situation of happiness! Would you like to sit for a while or accompany us to the Sunday market? Oh! How foolish of me. You must be tired, come rest downstairs."

All this while Ronald didn't have a glimpse of any happiness or the curve of any smile on his face. He stared fixedly at them with a grave look and then finally said, "Open the door."