Short Story – Chained to Shadows Part 2

Work. It was the only thing keeping him sane. Everyday going through the motions. At the office, odd moments found him staring into space but he gathered himself and tried to minimize the distraction of his grief. Keep it tightly under rein.

Grief consumed him the moment his eyes alighted on Amber every day. She was a living reminder of the accident. One he couldn’t wipe out with alcohol or work. She moved around like a shadow, always tending to jobs around the house. He hardly spoke a word to her. Except when her wounds had to be treated.

She had suffered cuts and bruises along with the fracture. The stitches had been removed. The dressings done. He had done all necessary for her recovery. Only the fracture required medical attention now. He took her regularly for the treatment. It felt like the hardest thing he’d ever done.

‘Be ready at eleven today. I’ll be back to pick you up.’ Was his usual order today like on other days. He drove her. Despite her protest that she could go herself, he was determined to do his duty. The doctor was kindly.

‘Healing is progressing well. The plaster can be taken off in another ten days.’ He thanked him and picked up the prescription. The doctor had adjured Amber to apply an ointment on the new scar. The scar compounded the other older one beneath which jagged near her eye and crossed her cheek. Sonya had told him it had occurred during a childhood accident. Her hand had even suffered some burns. She was lucky her eye had been spared.

He drove home in silence.

‘I’ll make lunch.’ Amber offered when they reached home. He didn’t respond. Food didn’t matter much. It was just something one took for surviving another day. He went into his room and began to attend messages from his office. Being a financial analyst kept him occupied most of the day and he was thankful for that now. His assistant had emailed a reminder of a meeting. On his way out, he passed by Amber’s room. Muffled sound of hiccups drew him and he paused, suspended for a moment. Then his feet almost dragging, he went in.  She sat hunched, head buried in her hands. Sobs shook her frame. Tears wet her hands.

‘Amber –’

Her wide eyes flew up to him, her face tear-streaked. ‘Victor. I’m sorry…’ Her wide pleading gaze caught his and he felt an infinitesimal give in the hard solid thing his chest had become since it became devoid of all feeling.

‘Why are you crying?’ He tried to take the harsh edge out of his voice, not completely succeeding.

Fresh tears started. Abruptly, she caught his hand. ‘I’m sorry, Victor. I wish I hadn’t come back. I should’ve died there instead of didi.’ She sobbed harder.

‘That’s a ridiculous thing to say.’ The line between his brows deepened. Guilt climbed inside. He’d brought it on. He was responsible for this crying bout. With his rejection of her and his cursing of Fate on why he’d lost his wife, he’d totally ignored how he was treating Amber and how he could be making her feel.

He reached out and cupped her cheek. The ridged scars felt rougher than the rest of her skin which was soft. Wetness slipped between his fingers.

‘You’re not to carry blame for what happened.’ His own words surprised him. But inside him he admitted it was the truth. It was easier to find a focus he could vent his anger on, a target for his grief but however hard it was he had to see the truth.

He sat down beside her, feeling her go still as his words penetrated. His arms slid around the thin frame. ‘You were right, Amber. You lost a sister too. But I’ve been concentrating on just how I felt.’

The sobs shook her harder. She went into his arms. He felt tears prick his lids. Easier to blink them away. Hard to give in to them. But her sorrow propelled his. Slowly the knot in his throat dissolved and he let go. Silent drops fell. He bent down and kissed her scarred cheek. The instinctive gesture sent a shock coursing through him. He rocked her slightly. Then got up and went out of the room.

#

Filed under: Book Enthuse, Uncategorized