Haunting Past

By Shweta Nadar

The words couldn't come out of Lily as she stared at Josh. Her loose braid left some strands of her hair swaying with the wind. Through her glasses, you could see the spark in her deep brown eyes. Her lips curved in a small smile that she was trying to restrain from getting larger. With flushed cheeks, her eyes fell to the ground. "I love you", she heard him repeat the words. He was about to go for a third and louder one but she shushed him. Nevertheless, he picked her up and spun her around.

They were in the backyard of her house in the middle of the night. She had her pajamas on and a scarf draped over her shoulders. He was in his dark blue jeans and brown jacket with a white T-shirt under it. They rarely got to sneak around like this these days, she could feel her sister at the other side of the back door. As he put her down, she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, whispering as she gently tapped his head with hers, "I love you too".

As the stars watched they both just stared smiling madly at each other. Two knocks followed by a pause and a third knock got them out of their little world. This was the signal from her sister that it was time to get back in the house. "One day, there won't be a signal and I'll never let you go" Josh whispered, placed a kiss on her forehead, and walked backward a couple of steps before turning and moving to the exit gate of the backyard. Lily's sister was at the front door stalling their brother, talking about his shoes and how he should try to re-organize them or find a new shoe polish.

Lily's brother Roy worked as a mechanic at the local motor repair shop. He and his large group of friends who all worked there or at the nearby sports center were the talks of the town. They were known to hang out at the Andora café every Wednesday. They had their classic, vintage, fancy, all kinds of bikes parked outside the café in a straight line, almost like an exhibition. They were known for their cool rides, street fights, and rigged police records but to his sisters, Roy was the loving, caring mother, father, and brother in one. He had been since Lily was 10 and Lacy 8, he was barely the new step-brother who after their parents passed away became everything to them.

Lily walked in trying to hide all the blush on her cheeks. "Lily, will you tell Lacy to stop bothering me about shoe maintenance". Lacy turned to see Lily and he used her distraction to give a playful tap on her head and walked into the house. Roy had done everything to make sure Lily and Lacy never lacked anything. Lily just wished he approved of Josh. She still has shivers thinking of the day she saw a bruised and battered Josh. Roy had thrashed him in front of her because he said he saw him kissing another girl at Andora the day after she told him that Josh asked her out.

She couldn't believe her eyes when Josh took it all silently. Though Josh was new to town, just returned after graduating from college, he was the son of the richest man in town. He could have brought bodyguards or gotten Roy arrested. He showed up all alone ready to be hit at the abandoned car shed behind the shop Roy worked at.

She didn't understand any of it, she cried and cried that night. Josh called her, she didn't pick up. He left a message, "look outside your window". He was there in the backyard. He was still there after 30 minutes and she gave in. She told her sister to stand guard and just stood in front of him. "There was no girl. Your brother doesn't like me, I don't know why but I don't want to lose having you because of that. I respect you and your brother, I'll find the reason, I'll right all my wrongs whatever they may be. Please trust me." Soon after, she found out from the café owner and her brother's friends that Josh was speaking the truth, there was no girl. That secret night meeting was the start of many on the path to falling in love with Josh.

One Sunday night after dinner, she sat next to her brother on the couch as he flipped through the channels on the TV. Her eyes on flashing lights falling over his white T-shirt as she worked up the courage to tell or ask or talk anything about Josh to him. The doorbell disrupted the moment. It was Josh gathering his breath, drenched in the rain. He looked straight at Roy and said, "Can we talk alone?"

Once left alone with Roy, he said, "I know why you hate me. You know that I am the one who killed your parents".

No one spoke for a minute.

"I was 14, it was something that has haunted me all my life. I'm not that kid now. Everything changed Roy."

Silence.

"I didn't think things would turn out like this. I'm so sorry Roy"

Again silence.

"I never learned who was in the car I hit until now." he couldn't bring his eyes to meet Roy's. "Why didn't you do something worse to me?".

More silence.

Roy finally spoke with a rough voice looking anywhere but at him, "You remind me that my father is gone, but I've seen plenty of crooks and I know you aren't one. I've had my share of mistakes and heart to believe the I-am-changed emotion, any kid would change after that!’ After a long pause he added, "Just tell me, will my sister want to be with a man who murdered her parents?"

By Shweta Nadar