Chapter- 18

The sun rays filtered through the curtains, and the faint aroma of coffee beans drifted through the quiet house, settling into every corner.

Ekansh settled down in the dining room alone, the silence of the early morning pressing around him. He felt exhausted, helpless, and even frustrated. Last night he tried talking to Ekta again, but she shut herself down, like she always did, and for the first time, the silence behind her unspoken words felt heavy and suffocating to him.

Back then, he had a lot of things to focus on, earning money to feed Ekta, finding a suitable place to live, the café, learning cooking, jobs, and his own emotions that weren’t fully processed. But now that his life was getting back on track, he was back in the presence of his sister, he was finally retracing the gaps he had once ignored, and he could read more into the situation.

Ekta trusted him, but her not telling him the truth stemmed out of something far deeper than just hesitation. The constant fear gleaming in her eyes, Ekansh wanted to know the reason, he wanted to know why she was reluctant to open up even to him.

Imposing or forcing her is not an option either, as it would only push her further away, but being soft and patient was also not working, as Ekta chose avoiding the conversation rather than telling the truth. He felt stuck between protecting her and reaching her.

A pair of arms wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Ekansh smiled faintly, placing his hand over hers, “Good morning, princess.”

Eshita hummed softly, her chin resting against on his head. That was what her bhaiya used to call her… something she had once held onto like her most precious treasure. Sweet memories flickered at the edge of her mind, pulling her back into a time where things were simpler, softer, and safer.

Six-year-old Esha sniffed loudly, her small figure curled up on the couch, eyes glued to the screen. She was watching her sunday favourite barbie movie, her tiny fingers clutching the cushion tightly as tears streamed down her cheeks.

On screen, the princess stood alone in a tall, shadowy tower. The woman who was supposed to take care of her, kind, gentle once, now spoke in a cold, sharp voice. The princess reached out to hold the lady but the woman turned away leaving her alone there was no one to help her.

Esha’s lips quivered. Tears rolled down her cheek. Little heart of her didn’t understand politics, betrayal, or power. She didn’t know what control or manipulation meant. All she knew was; Someone kind was being hurt. And no one was stopping it.

“Esha?” Ekansh’s voice came from behind as he walked into the room, but the moment he noticed her crying, his heart dropped.

“Esha!” He rushed to her side instantly, crouching in front of her, panic flashing across his face. “Kya hua? Kisne kuch bola? Did you get hurt?” His hands moved over her arms, checking her as if she might be injured.

His sister has a knack for getting herself injured every other day. She can’t keep her curious self in control, sometimes a ladder turns into her next adventure, or sometimes a tree becomes her experiment station; she knew how to climb them, but getting down was not downloadable in her system yet.

Esha shook her head, hiccuping between her sobs.

“Toh phir ro kyun rahi hai, baacha?” Ekansh asked softly, cupping her face.

She pointed toward the TV, her lips trembling, “Vo…”

Ekansh followed her gaze to the screen, confused. He watched how the Barbie, or whatever they were called, were locked inside a room. He let out a small sigh of relief, rubbing his forehead.

“Esha…” He muttered under his breath, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

Esha’s eyes snapped to him. “Aapko hasi aa rahi hai?”

Ekansh immediately straightened, “Nahui… I was just… achha, I am sorry, sorry…” He said quickly, noticing a new stream of tears. He felt like kicking himself.

Esha sniffed again, turning her face away stubbornly. “Aap jao, I don’t want to talk to you.”

Ekansh sat down beside her, pulling her into a side hug, “Sorry na, Eshu. I won’t tease you again. Bata bhaiya ko… kya hua?” His tone softened like melting ice cream.

Esha snuggled closer into his warmth. She could sulk later, for now, she was sad. Her gaze returned to the screen, “The Princess is sad…” She whispered. “Why is no one saving her, bhaiya? That woman is so mean. She said she loved her but…” her voice cracked.

Ekansh watched her for a moment. Then he pulled closer into a side hug. Tenderly he wiped away the tears from her cheeks, “Sometimes some people don’t know how to love properly, Esha.”

Esha blinked, confused. She looked up at him, “Par mumma kehti hai na love is a good feeling. A positive emotion we should feel.”

Ekansh smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair away from her damp cheek. “Mumma is always correct, baacha. But not everyone understands that feeling the right way. Sometimes it’s just control, not love.”

“Toh princess ne kuch galat nahi kiya?” Esha asked softly. “But then why is she getting punished?”

“The princess didn’t do anything wrong,” Ekansh said gently. “She isn’t getting punished… she’s just getting a reality check. Stories like this… fairy tales you read… aren’t always about happiness in the moment. They aren’t about what’s fair. They are about what happens next.”

Esha looked at him like a clueless owl. She was too small to understand the logic her brother was explaining. For her, stories were about the present, about the dreamland, about the happy endings every girl deserved. The in-betweens didn’t sit well with her. Everything was supposed to be a happy beginning and a happy ending... nothing else.

Ekansh noticed the look on her face and pointed toward the screen where the princess now sat by the window, quiet but not broken.

“Lool at her?” He continued. “She’s still kind. She is crying but not yelling or cursing. She didn’t become bitter person just because someone chose to hurt her intentionally. That’s what makes her strong. Not that she isn’t hurt… but that she doesn’t let the hurt change her into someone she’s not.”

Esha was quiet for a long moment. “Will someone save her?” She asked finally.

Ekansh glanced at the screen, then back at her. His sister loved happy endings, she couldn’t accept anything less, but life was not always like that, but as long as he was there, he wouldn’t ever let her feel otherwise.

“Maybe,” He added. “But sometimes… the important lesson a princess learns is how to become strong and how to save themselves when people you love betray you.”

Esha’s grip on his T-shirt tightened slightly. “I don’t like that lady…”

Ekansh shook his head fondly. “You are not supposed to, Esha.”

“I want to be like that princess. Soft, kind, and beautiful.”

Ekansh tilted her face, raising her chin, “You are already a princess, baacha.”

Eshita frowned, “But how? I have everyone… and in the movie the princess is alone.”

Ekansh nodded, “Being a princess can’t be defined as being alone or suffering. Every girl in this world is a princess. The movie might have a sad princess, but she is also strong and bold. And there are also many just like you who have a family which will never leave her side no matter what. Tu apne bhaiya ki princess hai na. From today onwards, I will call you princess. Hmm?”

Eshita’s face beamed like a child who had just won the lottery of unlimited chocolates, her eyes lighting up with pure joy. She threw herself at Ekansh, wrapping her arms tightly around him, because for six-year-old her, being called a princess by her bhaiya was her biggest gift.

Eshita’s hold around Ekansh tightened slightly, that same warmth spreading through her chest… but this time, it carried a quiet ache along with it.

“Kya hua?” Ekansh asked, sensing her unease.

Eshita tried to shrug it off, saying nothing, but she was always open with her bhaiya. She never hid anything from him, and even if she tried to lie, he caught on easily.

With a deep sigh, she dropped onto the chair beside him. “Aapko yaad hai bachpan mein aapne mujhe princess bulana kab aur kyun shuru kiya tha?” She murmured quietly.

Ekansh reached out, resting his hand on her head. That was the most beautiful memory for him, a promise he had made to himself to never break. But with time and circumstances, he himself had broken so many vows he once took that now all that felt left behind was a void of guilt.

“There is nothing that has changed between us, baache,” He, reassured her.

Eshita needed time, he understood that. The hurt he had caused, or even their father had caused, wouldn’t fade away with just a few conversations. He had to make efforts, and he would.

Eshita nodded. She knew that, she had seen it too. They had grown up, but other than that, nothing had changed. Her bhaiya was still a softie, but also the fire-spitting dragon she called him. He still cared for her like she was six, but also knew how to ground her with his firmness. He knew when to hold her close and when to stand strict with her. Everything that she was ignoring in her hurt slowly started to become visible to her again.

“Did you sleep well?” Ekansh asked, trailing her thoughts.

Eshita sighed, “Obviously, aapke uss herbal juice ko peene ke baad mujhe neend na aaye… aisa ho sakta hai?”

Ekansh whacked her shoulder lightly, “Better than your pills. And I gave you the option to talk to a doctor…”

“It’s shrink you were talking about,” Eshita sassed back.

Ekansh raised his hand to get hold of her ear, however Eshita immediately blocked her ears protectively.

“No violence so early in the morning,” She warned, though scared. Her brother was proving he hadn’t lost his fire-spitting dragon spark, but that didn’t mean he had to remind her of it every day. Once a week was fine.

Ekansh raised an eyebrow, “Who started it? You don’t call a therapist a shrink. They can help you, Eshita. You might have many things on your mind they can guide you…”

“Aap ho na uske liye,” Eshita cut him off softly. She reached out, holding his hand in hers. “Therapy is good and has its own advantages, I know that… but it’s also for people who aren’t willing to open up with their own family. And me… main aapse baat karna, apni baat aapke saath share karna prefer karungi, bhaiya, rather than a stranger. They won’t judge me they will just do their job but I won’t be comfortable. Please…” She pleaded cutely.

Last night, she slept in Ekansh’s room, as the girl was still weak due to the sedative. She would have gone back to her room as Ekta was present Ekansh’ room already. Otherwise she she had been sleeping in her brother’s room for the last two days, finally at peace. The urge to swallow those pills had also reduced; it only came when she was alone, but with her bhaiya’s presence, she felt anchored… safe in a way she hadn’t felt in years.

So last night, when the thought of sleeping alone crossed her mind, her mind drifted toward the pills, but before it could fully drown her, Ekansh asked her to sleep in the same room. The bed was big; the girls shared it, and Ekansh took the couch, anything that was comfortable enough in the moment to be around each other and wear off the tension that hung heavy in the air.

Ekansh sighed. As long as she agreed to tell him her thoughts, he was ready to give in. Therapy was undoubtedly important and helpful, but it was also the truth that those who knew you inside out could sometimes reach where strangers couldn’t. All she had to do was speak up, and he was there to listen, he would never leave her alone.

He rose to his feet ruffling her hair playfully, “I will make some juice for you.”

Eshita scowled the moment he turned, running her fingers through her hair, annoyed. “I just straightened them. Why do you have to spoil my smooth and silky hair?”

“Advertisement kar rahi hai?” Ekansh asked sarcastically. “Smooth and silky? Next will be what? strong and damage-free?”

Eshita followed him into the kitchen. “No! It will be frizz-free and voluminous. You can’t imagine how much I have to spend on my hair care routine. It costs above my pocket money.”

Ekansh nodded, “Obviously. Itna hi agar ek tel ki bottle mein invest kar liya hota toh abhi tak tere baal kitne badh jaate.”

“You are sounding like mom,” Eshita shot back without thinking. Only bit her tongue, noticing how Ekansh stiffened.

Talking about their mother still hurt her bhaiya. At least she had good memories before her mother passed away, they played, teased, and had meals together. But her bhaiya… he was a whole different story.

She stepped forward, hugging him from behind. “Mumma ki yaad aa rahi hai?”

Ekansh’s grip tightened on the glass he was holding. “I remember her every day, Esha. I just hope one day she can she be proud of me.”

“She is proud of you, bhaiya/Ekansh!!” Eshita and Virendra’s voice echoed into the kitchen with conviction.

The siblings turned, only to find their father standing there. Ekansh looked away. It was hard to explain what he was feeling. He had failed in many aspects of his life. He had succeeded in making his own path, finding financial stability, or even building a name for himself... but relationships?

Relationships were fragile… family was everything. That was what his mother believed in and taught him. But here he was, someone who had lost hold of both somewhere along the way.

“Bhaiya…” Eshita murmured quietly, resting her hand on his arm.

Her brother was the most attached to their mother. She was his sounding board, his safe place, his strength, his home. He shared every tiny detail of his life with her, and eventually, it became hard to cope with her absence. How he survived and suppressed his feelings all these years… she could never fully understand. She had her father, his presence was suffocating, controlling, but at least she had someone of her own. She fought him without caring for the consequences, just to feel that sense of belonging.

Whereas her bhaiya… he was alone. He had Ekta, but not someone who could look out for him, reassure him, or hold him together when he was drowning in his own grief.

Ekansh stepped back as Virendra tried to reach out. He knew his father meant well, but for now, after everything that had spiraled out, he wasn’t looking for comforting words or empty reassurance, he had many more pressing concerns to look at.

He glanced at Eshita. The worry in her eyes softened him for a moment. Gently, he patted her head. “I am fine, princess. Bahar jaa… check on Ekta if she woke up.”

Eshita opened her mouth to argue but stepped back, walking away. Her brother’s eyes flashed a warning, and that was enough for her to drop the topic. She would talk to him when their father wasn’t around.

Anyway, she herself was on a cold war with her father. She wanted him to feel the pinch of every ignorant glance, every deafening silence, and every unspoken accusation. Once she was satisfied, she would sort it out with him... if she wanted. Her father was her superhero. He wasn’t supposed to fail. He wasn’t supposed to do anything wrong like he did. So yes, according to her, her anger was justified… so were the resentments.

Ekansh ran his hand down his face before looking at Virendra. “I want to take control over the security of the house. The head guard. He is your private detective… I want him to do background checks and surveillance work.”

Virendra was taken aback by the request but gave in instantly. “I don’t have a problem with that, Ansh. But why? Did something happen…?” He trailed off as Ekansh’s face closed up again.

Virendra sighed. He knew he wouldn’t get an answer. His son was being kind and polite despite the anger, and his daughter was being defiant and silent as if he didn’t exist. Both his children were making their anger known, not in words, not by crossing the lines of their bond, but in ways where Virendra preferred being called out for every wrong he made them go through than what they were doing now, the quiet distance, the silent punishment. It hurt like hell.

Ekansh contemplated for a heartbeat before he murmured quietly, “For Ekta.”

There was a lot going on in his mind, and before he let his thoughts spiral any further, it was better to talk it out. After his mother, his father seemed like his best option. Maybe after letting his thoughts out… he would finally be able to find the right way.

Virendra leaned back on the counter, letting his son prepare the juice and gather his thoughts. Cooking was always a form of escape for both his son and wife, something he and Eshita lacked. Like basic survival skills, they knew how to make a mess out of a beautiful place, but making an edible meal was like an alien speaking human language.

He was relieved that at least his son had found peace in what he was doing now. He just wished his daughter too found something that grounded her…

“I want to know about Ekta.” Ekansh spoke suddenly, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Not everything, but at least enough to understand what she went through. When I found her, she was a little girl disheveled, petrified, on the verge of giving up… but somehow she held on to everything. It took years to bring her out of the darkness that surrounded her. But still… she isn’t fully herself.”

Ekansh kept aside the glass and turned around, looking at his father, agitation seeping into his words. “I tried asking her many times, but every time I did… she just... there is a heavy silence I am left hanging on. I want to know about her to help her, dad. But kaise… mujhe samajh nahi aa raha hai.”

He exhaled sharply. “With Esha, I know her. I can deal with her, I can mould myself as per the situation and be the dictator or the cool brother she wants me to be. I can heal her with time and rebuild what we have lost within the last five years. But Ekta… I-I am just clueless. It’s like I am standing outside a locked door with no idea what lies behind it or how to even begin opening it.”

Virendra calmly picked up the water jar, filling the glass before forwarding it to his son. “Drink.” His tone left no room for argument.

Ekansh complied, feeling slightly grounded yet still the same restlessness clawing at his insides refusing to settle.

“The girl is very important to you, right?” Virendra asked once Ekansh kept the glass down.

Ekansh gave a small nod. “Both of them hold their own place in my heart, Dad. I can’t let either of them feel alone or unprotected. I want to be there for both… with Esha, I know how, but Ekta…” He trailed off helplessly.

“Finding out about someone isn’t always easy, Ansh.” Virendra’s tone softened, “But are you sure, you want to do this, Ansh? You told me the girl came down with a panic attack yesterday. That means her past isn’t something small... it’s something deeply rooted, something serious. Are you sure you want to dig into something she has clearly buried for a reason? Will you be able to handle the truth? Will you be able to stand by her, wrong, right, everything, without letting it change the way you see her?”

He sighed softly, “Because if Ekta doesn’t want to tell you anything, it might be out of fear… or pain she isn’t ready to relive. Can you handle that kind of truth...the kind that doesn’t come without breaking something inside you?”

Ekansh nodded, without missing a beat. “I am. I don’t know what her past is, but I want to find out. If not everything… going against her wishes would mean I am breaking her trust, and that’s not something I want. I at least want to know who hurt her, who has left her this scared, so that I can understand what I have to do… correctly, cautiously… without hurting her further.”

Virendra nodded slightly, “Then find out. If you are ready for the consequences of what you might discover, then helping someone find their way out of their darkness is not wrong. Keep the boundaries intact.”

He understood where his son was coming from. Ekansh’s love for Ekta was the same as his love for Eshita, he loved both the girls equally and wanted their well-being above everything else, but it was also important to understand that some battles are not meant to be fought for someone, but alongside them, at their pace and with their consent.

✨✨✨

Eshita paced outside Ekansh’s room, hesitant. Her bhaiya wanted her to check if Ekta was up or not. Definitely, it wasn’t a big task, but after everything that had happened yesterday, she didn’t know where to begin with Ekta.

Last night, Ekta didn’t even glance her way, as if she were an invisible ghost. Eshita understood that Ekta herself was spiraling, but the unfamiliar feelings rising within her were new and unsettling.

When her bhaiya ignored her, she knew it was his anger. When Vani chose silence over an outburst, it was her hurt. When her parents chose silence over consequences, it was their gentle disappointment. Or even when her own soul chose silence over an outburst, it meant she was overwhelmed, trying to hold herself together before she broke.

In a way, she knew how to deal with everyone’s silence, even her own. But when Ekta stayed silent, ignoring her mere presence… Eshita felt lost.

She can easily go to her brother and tell him what exactly went wrong yesterday, but she didn’t want to do so. Her bhaiya would help her make them sit and talk it out, he wouldn’t blame her, he would understand her nature, but Eshita wanted to take the first step.

Pity… she never felt that for anyone. Empathy, yes, that was the category Ekta fell into, but that too only to a certain extent. Sympathy… neither did it come naturally to her nor did she believe in offering it easily. Maybe it was just her complicated self... and that was also fine. She was born upside down, always overthinking everything. Not her problem!

Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand to push the knob when the door opened in full swing.

“Ahhhhh!” Eshita and Ekta shrieked in sync, stepping back, startled.

“What the fuck/hell?” They muttered together.

Eshita glared at Ekta. Ekta glared right back at her.

“Darwaza dekh kar nahi khol sakti?” Again, both said it together.

“Main bhoot hoon?/Darwaze ke aar par aapko dikhta hai?”

“Can you stop?” Again, they snapped in unison.

Eshita stepped forward, placing her palm on Ekta’s mouth just as she tried to speak again.

“Pehel main bolungi,” She declared. “Okay?”

Ekta blinked, slightly taken aback by the sudden closeness and authority, but nodded instantly.

Eshita gave a small nod and stepped back. It wasn’t hard. It wasn’t difficult. All she had to do was tell Ekta her thoughts… and end it. She will.

✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

Was Virendra right in what he did?

How do you see Eshita and Virendra’s bond?

Is Eshita right in trying to hurt her father?

What do you think about Ekansh’s way of handling everything?

✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

The story is moving at a slow pace, but don’t worry; this book won’t end at 30 chapters. I have not decided how many chapters there are, but definitely more than thirty.

I am peeling each layer of the story at my own pace with the given feedback. With time, each and every part will be revealed with the given justice to each character, especially Ekta.

Do share your views!

 Next Update: Wednesday!

Thanks for reading!!!

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