How is everything going? " Ramya asks me in her chirpy and energetic voice and I can hear Sid mumbling and talking in the background as well.

" What is he saying? " I ask .

" Nothing. Just troubling me as always. This guy really needs a beating from me! " She hisses the other second and then there is a loud this of something dropping.

" Sid!! This stupid man! Stop touching my stuff! " Ramya grumbles over the phone and I know that they are busy together in their mess so sighing softly I cut the call and look beside me where Urvi is sitting.

"Hello Urvi. " I speak in a soft tone but she doesn't reply and scribbles on her homework sheets.

I can't let my hope down. I have to make her love me only then I will be able to-

" Meera. " I hear mother-in-law walk towards us in the living room and I smile at her which she returns with more to its addition.

" What are you doing? " She asks.

" Nothing. Dhairya isn't back yet and she was doing her homework alone so I thought of helping. " I say at which she nods and walks away with a look that says ' best of luck '.

I sigh and look back at the girl. She is still a child and the way she writes is crooked as well so maybe I can help here.

" Hey Urvi. Would you like if I help you? " I ask making sure to sound the sweetest I could ever.

" No. " She sternly speaks in her baby voice but cries out the other second when she is not able to write a given word properly.

She tries it for a while. Around five minutes and then starts crying.

Oh.

Crying babies are so hurtful.

" Hey little girl. " I scoot closer to her and she gazes up at me with teary eyes.

Aww

" Don't cry baby. I will help you. " I say , smiling.

" N-No. I don't want y-your help. " She stumbles on her words , wiping her cheeks with her small chubby palms.

" Please. " I mumble softly and sniffling she doesn't say anything and simply passes her notebook to my side.

See.

Simple , it was.

I smile widely and make her grab the pencil and then grab her little hold over it as I make her overwrite with me.

She does it with full concentration. There is hesitance in her eyes and fear but it vanishes with the sentences that we write together.

From words to sentences and from sentences to emojis ; it takes a while but not much to make her smile and giggle.

" See! It's that simple. " I laugh with her watching the donkey that she just made. It looks more like a bamboo stick wearing rags but who cares.

She giggles full of cute laughter and I get along with her as we do more of them.

Her round soft brown eyes gape at me with awe at times and then claps with me when we complete a part from her homework.

Almost half an hour later I feel a presence over us and when I roll my eyes on that very direction , two - now very familiar - orbs are staring at me as usual.

His eyes are orotund now. Deep , dark and bottomless. As if I am peeping in an endless well. Abandoned , full of darkness and things that must never come out in light.

Dhairya is a person whose truth is as twisted as mine.

I know it. He will know it.

Those orbs tell me a story. A story I am not familiar with but can sit and understand with a point of view , if I am given a chance to.

But I won't ever be able to.

That part is not for me - or anyone.

" Papa! " Urvi exclaims with loving and excited eyes.

He walks towards her with his eyes still matching mine.

Look away , dear Dhairya.

It's not your turn.

Let's take it slow.

You can't fall for me. Not now.

Not so quick.

" Look Papa! She helped me in completing my homework. " Urvi stands on the couch with her notebooks and shoves them to his side at which he takes a brief look at them before smiling at her.

Dear.

That curl in those full lips.

Maybe that expression isn't meant for me.

" Okay , my pie. That's good. Now come on , let's go to sleep. " He grabs her into his arms and is walking away without giving me another look but I ask ," Won't you have dinner? "

" No. I already ate. " He speaks while walking up the stairs.

------

It's midnight.

Actually half past one to be specific. The clock hung upon the wall in my room makes a loud sound as I stare at it.

Tick-Tock

Tick-Tock

Suddenly a sound resonates around me and I realise that it's actually from outside.

I step out from my bed and walk outside, tip-toeing, and look around only to see Dhairya walking in the corridor.

What is he doing outside at this time?

He is walking down the stairs.

For water , probably?

But he doesn't walk towards the kitchen. - It's somewhere else that his steps are moving towards.

Now-

As a good person, I should not care what he is doing at this unholy hour or where he is going but- who says that I am a good person?

Well , I am but...... Curiosity takes the best of me , mostly.

So , as usual , I am curious.

Following him , I reach down the stairs and watch him walk out the backdoor that leads to the backyard.

This evening Shivi showed me the entire house so I know the places now.

Eerie silence fills the backyard that is lit up with fairy lights but rather than going to the right where it's the sitting area , he walks off the stoned path into the grassy bedded darkness.

Now , I don't want my anklets to make any noise but it's practically impossible not to do so , so I stand close , as much as possible and peep into the darkness where he is going.

His shoulders are tense , actions alarming and before reaching towards a small wooden door , he looks behind him making me shove myself behind a pillar with my heart in my mouth.

Good deeds!

He didn't see me . Did he?

A few seconds later , I look into the darkness again and frown when I see the place empty.

Huh?

Dhairya?

Where is he?

I slowly walk into the darkness. Following the path he walked on.

There is almost nothing that is visible but I carefully walk into the place and move close to the wooden door.

Is this supposed to open?

But why is it hidden behind creepers?

My hands trace the uneven texture of the door as I try finding a door handle , knob or something that can open it up but there is nothing.

How am I supposed to open it?

Observing the wall with keen eyes , even if it's very dark , I find a little crack that separates the door and the wall.

I shove my fingers into it and pull the wooden ply towards myself which opens without a single sound.

But as soon as I open the door my feet freeze to the ground. My heart hammers inside my throat and chest clenched tight. Eyes are locked at the view and breath lunging out of my lungs as if someone is choking the living life out of me.