Feathers Of A Bird

Chapter : Six (Part Two)

(Listen to the music while reading for a better experience!)

I gave attention to the sound of opening the front door.

The fact that I would have to stay with someone who ignores me badly, made me let a deep, heavy sigh out.

I saw some birds chirping and playing around right outside of my bedroom window.
I had been lying awake ever since I woke up at dawn, which was over 3 hours ago. Seemed like a small eternity, though. I didn't even try to go back to sleep, and it's not like I could fall asleep either if I tried.

I had insomnia.

I, back at the age of 14, had started having trouble falling asleep occasionally. And as time went by, it got worse. And now, in the 15th year of my life, I'm a chronic insomniac patient.

I normally had to see the doctor twice per week, but sometimes, if things went worse, I had to see her 3-4 times, which, I, to be honest, enjoyed. The doctor was presumably one of the nicest people I knew. Her name was Arla Anderson.

And unlike most others, she wouldn't just pretend to understand my problems, instead, she truly understood and supported as much as she could.

Speaking of problems, she used to assist with me all kind of troubles, commencing from not being able to sleep for 3 days onwards, to an itching mosquito bite.

I received her assistance to get through the teenage surviving issues too. Moreover, she wasn't boring and strict like other doctors I came in touch with. Sometimes, aunt Arla used to make me laugh until I cried.

"If you can't sleep tonight, I'm gon' sew your eyelids! I will not tolerate my baby having sleepless nights!"
I remembered her saying and as always, it made me giggle.

It's been only a couple months we've met but we've got vastly close to each other.

"Kathy, you're awake, aren't you?
I heard mom calling all of a sudden.

"I am."
I looked back, staring at the door.

"Come down! Look who has arrived!"
She said, in a cheerful voice.

Turning my head back, to the front of me, I whispered,
"Not again..."

She became cheerful as her sister came, but I was sure that some drama would occur and she'll get crazy again.

Seeing her acting like this, it seemed both decent and dark at the same time. It feels good to see her delighted, talking to me in a happy mood. However, there was this certainty that she would go back to normal soon.

And when that happened, it felt like the good days, when she would be all delighted, were the ones causing pain.

Wishing for this to be over soon, I started walking downstairs.

As I stepped down, I heard the laughter of my mom and aunt. I smirked.
"It's been a while since I felt some living vibes in this house, cool!"

I saw a girl taking off her shoes, holding a black umbrella at the entrance of our house.

"Grace, hi!"
I smiled as I waved at her.

She smiled back and slowly said,
"Hey, Kathy."

"Come on in!"

She nodded.

Hearing voices from the dining table, I asserted,
"They're in the dining room, I guess?"

"Hmm."
Agreed Grace.

Just hearing the fragile response, I discerned what I would face if I didn't behave well. No, Grace wouldn't complain anything. Neither would aunt, I believed. The problem was with my mom. She always told me to act well with Grace, even when I was acting well with her. In my opinion, Grace was the one who didn't prefer talking to me.
Letting a sigh out carefully, I looked at her and saw a beautiful girl with a serious face.

"Let's go."
Sighed Grace, in a cold tone as always.

"Good afternoon, aunt!"

I said as we entered the dining room.

"There she is."

She peeked at me from the corners of her eyes while taking a bite from the pizza mom spent the whole morning making.

"It's been a while we haven't met, how've you been, aunt?"

I said as I pulled a chair for Grace.

"Good, if you call it good."

I laughed weakly, couldn't find anything else to say.

Sitting beside Grace, I passed her the fruit basket.

"I'm good."

She murmured.

I looked at my aunt and saw her staring at me with sharp eyes.

"You know, Maddy looked just like you. I little more beautiful, not gonna lie."

I gave her a faint smile.

My heart twitched, not because she just told me that I'm less beautiful, but because she brought up Maddy, my dead sister.