Entangled: Playfully

Chapter-8

Daniel Adams

I stood there, frozen, staring at the disappearing vehicle in which sat a person who just a moment ago brought back the memories I barely recall in order not to feel the agony I felt years ago.

Sudden hurt and other different emotions build up inside me which slowly but surely deepened the wound which was never healed.

Forgetting about the breakfast I was out to eat, I sat in my car and taking a u-turn I drove to the place which holds a special place in my heart.

I stopped the car in front of one story, big house that holds the memories of my childhood. I walked on the pavement which made me recall my little self who used to practice cycling on the pavement. I glanced at the lawn where I saw myself holding the hand of my sister, running on our small feet in order not to be caught by our father who was trying to catch us; our mother laughing at our father who was unable to catch us no matter how hard he tried. When I grew up, then only I got to know that he used to do that to make us win.

I swallowed hard before opening the door of the house. As I opened the door, a sudden rush of emotions hit me when the non-existing sound of faint giggles and laughter reached my ears which I yearned to hear but couldn't hear anymore.

Taking slow steps inside I halted them in front of the large photo frame hung on the wall, holding my family's portrait. My heart became heavy and my eyes started to moisten up when I looked at the happy faces of my parents and my younger sister.

It's been years since they left me alone. I never knew that the flight they took to come to meet me in college would become their last flight. I still remember the news of the plane crash that left me devastated. The plane crash that left no intact bodies, the plane crash that took my family away from me.

With teary eyes, I looked at the image of my father. "Why did you take that flight? I told you that I would come to meet you then why didn't you listen to me?" I whispered then glanced at the picture of my mother. "Why didn't you stop him? You always used to stop him from making rash decisions then why didn't you stop him that day?" I raised my voice a little.

"I was torn; I couldn't even see you all last time. Hell, I wasn't even aware that you were coming to surprise me. And see what happened... You did give me a surprise... a surprise that no child would ever want to receive from their parents." I again looked at my father's picture "I never wanted to receive a call from your secretary to hear that horrifying news... But I did."

"You used to say that you'll hand over your business and this house to me when I'll grow up and I happily waited for me to grow up; daily, I used to check my height to see how much I had grown. But what I never knew was that you won't be the one handing it over to me... but your lawyers."

"I don't want it, dad, I don't want all this. I want you all back in my life." I cried. "Mom, please tell dad to take all this away from me..." I cried. "Just come back to me..."

My eyes fell on the smiling face of my little sister's picture whose dream of becoming an artist remained a dream. With teary eyes, I brushed my fingers on the picture. "I'm sorry my baby sister, my Princess... Because of my delay to meet you all forced you to take that flight. It was my mistake. Please forgive me, if you can."

Suddenly my phone rang, I wanted to ignore it but a voice inside my head compelled me to take that call. I slumped on the floor when I saw the name "princess" flashing on the phone screen.

Princess, Ariana Knight, wife of my best friend, Xavier Knight who came into my life as a sister two years back. I call her princess because she reminds me of my sister.