THE FATE (✔)

Chapter 1 - The Guilt

"Mum, she will come late, because she has another necessity to do. She told me, we can have our dinner without her," said Priya while walking towards her mother, Parvati, who was stupefied in the dinning room, holding up her face with one hand on the table which covered by a red table-cloth.

Parvati was intrigued, "Ah? Do you mind to wait for her for a few minutes?"

Priya smiled, "Of course, Mum. But wait. You look pale. Are you okay?" She started to worry after taking a glance on Parvati's face.

Parvati nodded faintly. "I'm fine, baby."

"I'll call Archana di and ask her to come home now," Priya said, about to leave her seat. But, Parvati stopped her. She told her not to disturb her sister.

"Then, let's have our dinner first, Mum. Afterward, we need to see the doctor. Your temperature is quite high. We don't need to wait for her. She must be understand," Priya suggested.

"Alright. But, we don't need to see the doctor. I'm just tired. I promise, I'll take my rest after dinner," argued Parvati softly whilst stroking Priya's hand and pulled her back to her seat. Priya kept staring at her mother, as she was questioning whether her mother was really fine. Parvati understood that gaze and nodded.

"Okay," Priya said, ended of the discussion. The mother-daughter duo enjoyed their dinner in silence.

Once they finished their dinner, Priya accompanied Parvati to her room. She made sure her mother takes her medicine before she laid down on the bed. Again, Parvati called Priya to hold her on, before she goes out.

"I'm so sorry, Priya..." she said gently whilst holding Priya's palm.

Priya stayed silent. "It must be her guilty comes up," she thought. She gave a sweet smile to her mother and stroked her shoulder.

"Mum, it's enough. Aren't we fine now? If you keep fighting with that feeling, you would get weaken. Or this tiringness is caused by you keep thinking about that?" she critically asked.

Parvati smiled faintly, "You."

"Okay. Rest well. I'll wait for Archana di in the living room. If you need something, just call me, like usual. I love you," said the daughter before she hugged and left a sweet kiss on her mother's cheek.

"Don't need to tell Archana about this," Parvati asked.

Priya's eyeballs rolled and she sighed, "I can't promise. Good night, Mother."

***

Priya took her phone out of her room and immediately went to the living room to wait for her sister. She laid back and straighten her body on the beige couch whilst kept scrolling her phone screen. Half an hour later, there was a sound of  car which parked in the garage. Priya didn't take it well. She knew who the owner of the car is.

"I'm home," Archana's voice, Priya's elder sister, broke up the silence, at least the silence from the door to the room where Priya was waiting for her.

"Hello, di," Priya greeted Archana as she put down her phone on the table, stood up to give her sister a hug.

"You are all alone? Where is Mum?" Archana asked while her eyes explored the house, tried to find her mother's existence.

"She is in her room. I hope she's sleeping."

Archana's forehead wrinkled, "Is she fine?"

Priya shrugged, "I'll tell you later. You better freshen up. I'm waiting for you in the dinning room. you must be starving, right?"

"You haven't eaten yet?"

"I'll just accompany you, you know."

"Ck, fine," Archana said her last word while she smiled to her sister and took steps upstairs to her room.

***

"Priya," said Archana when she took her seat.

"Hmm?" Priya hummed.

Archana picked up some food and put it on her plate. "Is she alright?" she asked.

"She looked pale and gets fever. She said she's just tired. But, I think, her guilty was coming back. She told me not to tell you, but if something happens to her, I'm sure you'll scold me. You are more fierce than her," Priya said, gigled around.

Archana was about to eat her first bite. But, hearing a little mock by her sister, she was annoyed and threw a napkin to her. Priya kept giggling. Archana joined her giggles and still go on with her favourite food, garlic naan and butter chicken. The atmosphere became quiet.

"Didi, Mum's birthday is coming. Have you prepared everything?" Priya asked.

Whilst chewing her food, Archana nodded.

"Straightly as per our plans?"

Archana answered after she gulped her last bite. "I hope so." Both of them stared on each other and nodded.

"I'm going to her room," said Archana when she finished up the table.

"Me in," Priya replied.

Archana opened the door quietly. She saw her mother was laying down and covered by a thick blanket and both of her eyes were closed. The two sisters came in.

"Archana? You are home?" Parvati's voice shocked both of her daughters.

Archana sat on her mother's left side, "Yes, Mum, I'm home. I have eaten as well, Priya was with me."

While Priya sat on Parvati's right side, "You haven't sleep, Mum?"

Parvati chuckled, "I could never sleep before my two beautiful daughters come home."

Archana held Parvati's hand which was kinda warm, "Are you okay, Mum?" Parvati nodded as her answer.

"Mum. Listen to me. You don't have to feel guilty anymore. It's been years. You know we are fine now," the first daughter said softly.

Parvati took a glance to Priya and pinched her hand tenderly, "This kid must be told something to you."

Priya acted like she was hurted, "Aw, Mum. I better got this than listen to her many words if I didn't tell her." Parvati and Archana giggled.

"Mum, I don't want you to think about it anymore. It's enough. It's nobody's fault, but that man," said Archana seriously.

"Archana..."

Archana knew what her mother wanted to say. Parvati would tell her that one she called 'that man' was none other than her own father. "I know, Mum. But, he is gone by years, right? Now, there are only the three of us. Our world. If it's not for me, at least keep your promise for this kid, you will never think and feel it anymore," Archana said as she glanced to Priya.

Seeing Archana's glance and hearing to her words, Priya sighed. Then, she smiled, "She's right, Mum. You can join me go to the office to forget about it. At least, you can meet the people there and talk to them."

Archana noded, "Or come to the school, meet my students and play around with them. Years go by, you have never come there. Otherwise, being gloomy like this. It's not good for you, Mum."

Parvati smiled to see the maturity of her daughters. She faintly nodded. But her heart was still restless. Her guilty to her daughters was difficult to remove.

"Alright. Your nods are counted as you agreed. Now, you need to rest. So will I and Priya," Archana smiled whilst pulling up the blanket till it covers Parvati's chest.

Parvati shook her head and replied her smile, "Good night, babies."

"Good night, Mum," Archana and Priya responded at the same time. They gave kissed on Parvati cheeks, one was on the left, another one was on the right before they leave the room.

"Good night, Didi," said Priya, gave her smile to Archana. The elder responded by nod and smile as well. They rested in their own rooms. Archana walked to her room on the second floor with slightly annoyed mixed tired expression on her face.