Amelia

Truth Comes Out

Celia, Delia, Amelia and Ronald were seated now in the living room. No one was speaking a word, the silence was impenetrable, when suddenly Ronald broke the ice, "Your castigations and below dignified behaviour towards Amelia were closely overheard and witnessed by me. I don't want to frame a question in order to start extracting the reasons of such unruly behaviour from you two, it's better you start, continue and finish on your own, not missing any of the details to be communicated."
Saying this Ronald took a back seat and waited to take in all the information that he had been deprived of for years, kept in total darkness of or his own blindfolded love towards his daughters had prevented him from deciphering a situation so cruel.

"Delia you speak. Just relate it to him," whispered Celia.

"Why should I be the one to start, why should you be the one to have your own way always."

"Be quite both of you!," said Ronald angrily.
"You'll do as I say. Begin Celia and continue Delia."

And thus Celia began to narrate each event and the mundane routine that always passed in the house, what works Amelia did and how they threw out orders at her to be followed. Delia reiterated the works and duties that were forcefully bestowed upon Amelia, how at times she herself shouted at her and how Amelia's movement outside the house was generally restricted. All of this was not conveyed with a guilt in the eyes, embarrassment on the face or a soft tone with the face pulled down, rather it came out brazenly with assertions to vindicate the cruelty bestowed on them, in a high tone often satisfying their actions in the name of some vague fault of Amelia, they continuously tried to divert the blame and make Amelia a justified cause of their actions.

"Are you both done saying things," asked Ronald after a while the twins had stopped with their explanations cum justifications of such a behaviour towards their sister. "Your actions cannot be justified by any words that sound like an appeal to ignore your ungracious attitude. How you have treated Amelia behind my back has not only vexed me but also disheartened me as I was never able to give you a decent upbringing, I feel like a fool for not being able to decipher this action that has been in play for years earlier due to your pretentious claddings. Treating your own sibling like that is the last thing I could have imagined to be done by you."
"And Amelia come here"
Amelia was standing against a pillar at a distance from the conversation area, when her father called she quickly went over to him.

"Why didn't you let me know all of it earlier? What prevented you? Didn't you trust me enough to be of any help to you or were you enjoying the treatment that was being subjected to you?," said Ronald in a subtle though harsh voice.

"No-No father," cried Amelia, "Don't say I never trusted you..", said she sobbingly.

"Then why didn't you tell anything?"

"Father you are always so busy, it is only on a few weekends that you come home and I didn't want to bother you with my petty problems, that's the only time I get to spend with you and let it be all in good spirits. I never kept my problems above you and as far as my sisters treatment towards me you wish to gain full knowledge of has never been exceedingly derogatory. They have treated me with contempt at times but maybe it is because they both get along in a better manner than we three can. The work I enjoy, that keeps me engaged. There has always been just a single problem of getting locked up or restricted to move out of the premises. I have nothing more to state," saying this Amelia took a seat and remained silent.

"My child! You have muddled my thoughts. I know not whether to feel sad about you  or to blame you for compromising your basic comforts and thinking such indecent behaviour to be a  'petty thing'. Kindness my child is quite different from suffering. We may have to move out of our comfort zone to accomplish an act of kindness but continually receiving disparaging attitude is in no terms equal to being a helpful soul, rather it can attract blame for not standing up for your own rights. I wish you understand this soon my child."

"I'm sorry Dad. I never thought it to be as big a thing as it is. I always underestimated the degree of unruly behaviour that was showed to me by my sisters," said Amelia crying out, and now wiping off her tears she said, "But now I won't let you down. I won't be a mere object in the hands of my sisters to get their work done, earlier I feared that they may expel me from the house leaving me devoid of shelter and food, for this I would really like to thank my sisters who asked me to visit the Sunday market today, that made me realise of the life that thrives outside, and how well I can be a part of it and how fear is not being thrown outside the cottage but being enclosed within its very walls."

"Amelia my darling, not only your sisters, you needn't fear anyone, be assured of your own worth and live life on your own terms," said Ronald getting up from his seat. "Now I must leave for my business as I have to resume my duties immediately, Amelia go up and back your bag, you're coming with me, or better still I'll buy you new clothes on the way."

The twins were not only struck with jealousy but also astonished by the sudden decision of their father to take Amelia with him, they were confounded too by not knowing how and on whom the daily house duties will fall.

As soon as Amelia holding Ronald's hand turned to leave the cottage, a harbinger, sweating from his incessant run appeared at the door and regaining his composure announced, "Does Ms. Amelia lives here? Our lord will arrive shortly."

This news had enough capacity to make everyone flabbergasted. This sudden unfolding of the arrival of a harbinger carried on with the announcement for Amelia, whom no one had called for earlier, left Celia and Delia gaping.