If She Knew

Chapter-47

I didn't realize when I fell asleep on the bed of palm leaves that Kelvin had strewn over the cave floor; it was probably the side effect of the painkillers he had given me last night. I had expected to be frozen out of the cold by now, but it unusually felt warm. I opened my eyes to realize that I was swaddled in a comfy jacket. It was the same jacket Kelvin was wearing last night.

Did he wrap it around me after I fell asleep?

My eyes searched for him across the cave and finally found him sitting by the entrance, glancing outside in deep thought. He was rubbing the arms of his t-shirt with his palm to shake off the undisguised shiver.

Did he bear the cold all night so that I don't feel cold?

"Kelvin," I mumbled, catching his attention.

"Oh you're up," he muttered, glancing at me with a feeble smile.

"Didn't you sleep?" I asked, getting up.

"It's not really a safe place you know, someone had to stay awake," he replied, straining to restrain a yawn.

"Thanks for this," I whispered, looking at the leather jacket still enveloped around me.

I knew I should return it to him now, but I felt a strange longing to keep it to myself for a little more while. No particular reason. Well, that's what I told myself as an excuse.

"I've something for you," he apprised, rising up.

I checked my phone while he took out something from the bike's 'secret' chamber (well, of course, just detective stuff). The clock informed me that I had slept for around five hours, considering that I was definitely awake till three.

The morning sun was partially concealed by blue shades of dull cotton candy clouds, its less vibrant rays trying their best to filter the lustre glow over the cave. A gloomy weather to start the day with.

Kelvin returned with a file and a forensic bag in one hand and a bottle in the other. He first passed me the bottle to drink some water. I was indeed thirsty. The hunger didn't matter at that time though.

He sank down beside me and handed me the file without any word.

"What's this?" I asked, skimming through the pages.

I was left stunned for a moment as I realized what it was- Pappa's autopsy report. Something I never got a glance of.

"Your father didn't die of a heart attack," Kelvin spelled out, "I mean he did, but not naturally."

I felt a lump forming in my throat. What did he mean?

I checked the pages carefully once again.

At the bottom of the page, there it was:

'Cause of death: Heart attack'

'Narratives: overdosage of heart medicines.'

No, this couldn't be. I used to give Pappa his medicines myself every night. I couldn't commit that serious of a blunder in any way. Was I the cause of his heart attack-?

As I tried to explain it to Kelvin, he interrupted and clarified my disconcertment.

"See this."

He unzipped the forensic bag, revealing two identical medicine bottles. I instantly recognized the one that belonged to Pappa from the label that I had once added myself.

Kelvin spilled a few capsules from that bottle on my hand. I opened a capsule as he had asked me to, exposing the contents. He brought out another capsule from the second bottle and exposed its contents too. Mine had about thrice the amount of fillings than his.