Double checking once again in the vast house of three bedrooms along with bathrooms, kitchen and lawn, it was concluded. "Phew, he's not home."
Tessa was again onto Mom's phone in a secluded corner where no one could know she was playing instead of studying. While Mom was too deep in her afternoon nap to bother checking whether her phone is on the table she usually placed onto.
Sweety turned the door's knob to unlock very very quietly.
After a multiple squeaks she was finally breathing relief when out of the house.
Taking up a ride she went to meet the sister she was closest with. Yes, Avery was closer to her than Tessa. Though they were cousins but their fathers are brothers which ultimately made the first borns have a bond deeper than with the younger ones.
"...put it back in place!" That's what Avery was instructing her siblings to do when she went to open the apartment door. "Sister!" Avery breathed out in shock then threw the door on Sweety's face after she glanced through the peephole.
"Woah! I'd have broken my nose if not for my quick instinct."
"Come in already! Ah yes, sorry for that." Avery made a guilty face behind her spectacles.
"You should apologise first." Sweety pointes our like the elder sister she was.
The next moment she was pulled into the apartment by three pair of arms.
"Hi Sister Sweety!"
"How are you Sister Sweety? These are for us? Thank you!" The bag was already snatched away by the two devils.
"No. I'll open it." Cora, Avery's sister booked claim.
"But you will spill it on the floor. Don't be stubborn!" Genie argued. Sweety has her eyes on Genie. She was Avery's uncle's daughter; living with them for studying in a good school. Her parents were in Odisha, their motherland which was not very developed back then to give the girl proper education.
"Alright. I'll split it in equal pieces for all." Sweety had to intervene before these crackers would bring the building down on ground.
Grace Roulette made entrance in the drawing hall they were perched in finding the eldest of them disciplining her siblings.
"Sweety, how are you child?"
Sweety looked up from her work to view the ageless woman in all her glory. Studying Aunt Grace, she could tel the woman left no alternative go void which helped her in a radiant look.
"Aunt Grace!" Sweety bowed to her Aunt's feet in greeting.
"Blessings to you. How did our favourite daughter happen to grace our home?"
Sweety giggles at the compliment. "You know," she added with a funny accent. "I have my ways."
They laughed at her tone, blooming the surrounding. After a while Sweety inquired, "Uncle's not home?"
"He is at work. You sit, I'll make you something delicious."
"But I brought something delicious and-" she turned to show the snacks she bought on the way here but they had their gazes on the shameless Cora munching up as much as she could.
"Cora! What sort of behaviour is this?!" Grace Roulette came back to her strict persona which she normally used to execute on Sweety and Avery when little. "This monster only needs spanking." She stepped forward to do just that when Sweety meddled in.
"Let it be Aunt. We can eat the rest and... you were about to make something as well." Eyeing Avery she called for help.
"Sis is right Mom." Grace calmed down but glared at the youngest still. "You know, because of you we get to eat tasty food. You should come here more often." Avery suggested her sister after her mother went inside the kitchen to prepare.
"Yeah... as if I stay just next door from you." Sweety popped in a kebab piece while adding sarcasm. "And as if our fathers have no problems in meeting up."
"As if you are not coming here hiding behind your Dad's back." Avery joined the game, laughing lightly.
"As if... we are again a big joint family." Sweety reminded what they lost. What used to be. "I wish I could remember more of our memories. But the brothers got separated in our childhood. How are we supposed to remember everything?" She sighed for the nth time wondering if she could do anything to bring the family back to how it used to be.
"I like your locket. Where did you buy? I also want one." Avery took the locket in her hand rubbing the rocky surface.
Sweety glances down too. "Someone gave me."
"Someone?" Avery raised her brow. "I didn't know my sister also had secrets." Sweety understood Avery meant by her curvy figure finding it almost impossible to date a guy. Specially when the guys look for slim ones. Like Avery.
"Well, you don't know me as much as you claim to." She declared.
"Tell me tell me tell me fast!" Avery acted like a child wanting a candy.
"You crazy? Your mom is here if you don't remember."
"Then let's get down for a walk."
"After snacks." Sweety saw the three eating blissfully. She was glad she brought them some junkies as she knew how strict Aunt Grace could be when it came to raising kids. But... she was open minded at the same time, welcoming daughters to trust her.
"But you have to ask Mom." Sweety cane out of her trance peering at her cousin strangely.
"What permission? Can't you ask Aunt yourself?"
"She doesn't let me out that often." Avery said in whispers.
"Why?"
"For that, you need to take me out of here. I can't fathom to stay here another minute! Scooped up in one room all day, 24/7! Do you know how it feels?!"
"You were breathing just fine until I came fifteen minutes ago." Sweety embraced a stern face. It was automatic whenever she was with her young siblings.
"You! You... know what I mean! Please please pleeeeease!" That was Avery. The blackmailer. Not necessarily involving money but a bucket full of emotions.
Swear by God, Sweety herself never had those tricks under her sleeve or her clothes to convince in this way.
"OKAY! Okay."
"Me too!"
"Yes, me too!"
Avery and Sweety met eyes thinking the same thing. Were these kids listening to them all this while?
"No!" Avery decided before Sweety had to.
"But why??" Cora questioned aloud.
"Stop shouting! This is between we adults. You both are kids and you all are staying here."
"But we also don't get to be out of the house." Cora was the only one who had the guts to twirl Avery within her small fingers.
"Really? Who went to eat three plates of biryani yesterday? Your friend complained you even ate his birthday cake from his plate. Remember the spanking Mom gave you last night? Or should I call her for repeating that!"
Cora did not back down though. "Or should I tell her of your secrets? That boy, Kubair. Remember?" Avery was shocked as she yelled his name loud. But that was nothing in compare to how astonished Sweety was.
This little girl was enough to create wars!
Avery made her face into that of disgust. " I can't believe YOU are my sister."
"Yeah? Get a DNA done then."
"You.. fuc-"
"What is wrong with you all? Sweety has come all this way only to meet you guys, can anyone behave like a decent woman for one day?"
Genie went to help Aunt Grace in answer. When they were done with eating Sweety bid them farewell where Grace let Avery see her out.
The second the sisters hit the ground, Avery was already holding Sweety's phone. "I have to make an urgent call."
"Don't do that puppy eyes with me." Sweety fixatedly mentioned.
"Thank you."
"Wha-?" She understood when Avery took the phone without her knowing. "These sisters are a disaster to handle."
"Oh hii! I know it's been soooo... long since I heard your voice..." Sweety rolled her eyes perfectly.