Chapter 9: chapter 9

We didn't know how well time passed with the priest. He gave me his golden rosary and a pendant which had a mother Mary's image in it. I smiled and received the precious gift from him. He didn't know it was my birthday though but he had a habit to be kind and giving so he gave that to me. I took birthday blessings from him and we took off. This time I switched on my phone and found mom's 100 missed calls. Ugh... 100 are less to say. I know now what was waiting at home, but I was still happy. Next uncle didn't take me home, but he took me  a few miles away to a really ramshackled house. I was a bit nervous, a scorpion creeped out of the house door I screamed out of fear and uncle held me close to him. I asked him whose old house was it. He said it was old but full of memories and dark secrets. It was written Rebello house outside, on a now rusted name plate. It was written in cursive. I resisted entering the house but uncle took me inside. I don't want to go, I yelled. Still I went, the floor deteriorated and fully covered with mud.  I could barely walk, the floor had cracked,  was of wooden type, kaccha floor. The termites had eaten off the floor as well as the house furniture. The drawers, photographs which were black and white, were already consumed. Small termitariums and ant hills were a part of the house ecosystem now. As usual I tripped something and uncle took care of me. It was a metal box, I thought something would be in it. I loved it and uncle assured me to keep it. We went scanning thorough the old house where all secrets had turned to mud, and everything has been digested by the termites into excreta. My only source of buried secrets was uncle and that newly found old metal box. The box had almost undergone oxidisation but I knew something was safe in it. We left the house and uncle took me to another church where we attended my birthday mass. After the mass we went to the park to cut the cake which uncle got for me from my favourite bakery. I almost finished the cake as I was gulping each bite he looked at me. “Ruey you will become fat, enough of the cake now,” Laughed uncle, but I didn't listen to him. I kept putting the delicious cake down my gut. He told me that there was more to eat and he knew food makes me happy. As I was eating my last bite he told me, “back to my secret baby?” “Oh yes!” I squeak in excitement. He narrates : “ Her name is Ruella, and I called her Ruey. She looked just like you and your mom. They both were identical mirror twins. They were sisters. Now one of them has been in the grave because of my fault. I was everything with that girl and now you.” Rue : ( personal ) Sorry for the mid interrupting lines people but still I felt pangs of jealousy flowing inside me, but I didn't bother she was already dead poor lady. May be she would be my aunt, but now I am only my aunt. Ugh funny... I didn't interrupt and I let him continue. Uncle Royce :“It all started on 2nd of September. The month of love according to me. I was handsome that time, now I look old. That's surprising to me how we fell in love. It was during  college mid semester. In between there were many programmes, but this one was up to  change me and my life forever. It was a cooking event and she loved cooking. She was a part of it and I loved eating. We were opposites. Study wise she did well but not as good as me. I was obsessed with my career more. I wanted to be the best businessman ever. All I wished for was run behind success. I only went for the cooking fest because I wanted food. I didn't know that I would get something more there. I visited every stall, nook and corner of the fest area, start till the very end. I ate a lot there. It had a variety of food. Among the cooks was your aunt. She was a fresher and I didn't interact with her much since before. She had made mango cheese cake and cheese pudding. I gulped the first bite then the second. I enjoyed, we exchanged numbers. I was happy to have her's and she was happy to have mine. She had many males behind her. I didn't care up then because I didn't love her that time. We texted for approx one hour on a day basis, she didn't mind because back then we were only friends. Being friends we always helped each other. Now comes another twist, back then your mom and dad were also friends and we didn't know about it. Instead of Ruella one day I bumped into your mother. I was astonished on knowing about mirror twins. Later Ruey told me everything. Eventually I and Ruella dated, went out, I helped her in studying too, but my grades were never affected because of her. I enjoyed her company and decided to tell her what I feel. Since I couldn't hold it for long, as in any guy approached her that made me angry. On exact 2nd of September the next year before telling her what I feel I got an email saying,‘MR. ROYCE YOU ARE SELECTED FOR THE BUSINESS PITCHING INTERVIEW, YOU WILL HAVE TO JOIN US ON 5 SEPTEMBER ITSELF. KINDLY TAKE A NOTE AND PLEASE COME TO KOLKATA.’I was overjoyed by this and I decided to go. Without talking to Ruella. I thought I will get her after that. That night I was busy packing things and I called Ruey to inform her I am going, before this she had called me several times, so I thought that she didn't pick because she was angry with me. I thought of going to meet her, but when I went there I saw a horrific sight. Ruella's mom was crying with her body in her arms.