In the small living room, grandma was sitting on her old sofa that was covered properly with a freshly washed sheet, beside her was John and facing them was Leigh. She was on a small sitting stool.
The old grandma has her eyes puffed after crying for a while, her blood shot eyes kept staring down on the ground whereas John was lost in confusion after what the girl told.
Leigh indeed was worried that the old woman would not be able to accept the reality that has struck her suddenly but pretending to be the real Leigh when she was already found out seemed to be quite foolish.
"You… you killed my child! Sob, sob… sob," the old lady trembling voice was filled with sorrow, her cheeks were completely drenched with her tears after she took off her glasses.
She looked helpless and hopeless and her eyes has lost the shine to live anymore. Leigh could see that immense love the old lady had for the real Leigh.
'At least someone loved her,' she let out a sigh. Her heart was heavier, she was feeling really guilty for making an old women cry but it wasn't like she could do anything about it.
'I am sorry, I couldn't live as you for the most important person in your life, but if still given the chance I will take care of her more than my own life,' Leigh was lost in her thoughts for a while and finally said, "I am sorry for your loss. I came here because your granddaughter asked me to live as her so that you can be happy. I will leave if you want me to".
The fake Leigh has told everything to both the old lady and the man without hiding anything but the loss was, too heavy that the grandma couldn't help but blame everything on a girl who was there to substitute her granddaughter.
"How can you- how can you… cough… accept to live as my child after killing her! You rogue, you should've been the one to die instead!" the old lady couldn't control her temper and got up to beat Tia with her thin wrinkled hands.
The girl kept her head down, burdened by the fact that it was her fault that the real Leigh died, she silently took the slap on her back with the thought that those slaps might lessen the pain of the old lady.
…
"Are you alright?" John sat next to Leigh.
The girl after being slapped came outside of the room and sat in front of a small pond full of colourful fishes. She sat there till it was evening and only when John came and sat next to her, did she come out of her long drawn negative thoughts.
Leigh bit her lips as she glanced at john with a curious look. At first silence remained on her lips but she thought of not replying quickly as irresponsible and so she said, "Yes".
She soon turned her eyes back at the pond, staring the beautiful fishes with glistening scales, "That, you don't seem to hate me even after knowing the truth".
She was curious since he sat next to her without any hostile look on his face.
John was carrying a bowl of porridge in his hand; he handed it over to her.
The girl in confusion stared him for a while until he broke the silence, "Eat it. You haven't had anything from morning and I bet madam Iam wouldn't have fed you anything before sending you here".
Still Leigh didn't take the bowl, her eyes kept staring the man in confusion since she found him weird.
John took the bowl back that he has outstretched toward her and placed it in between them, keeping his leg hung while sitting at the edge of pond next to her, he took a deep breath.
"What's there to hate you? Should I hate you for being a part of terrorism or should I hate you for trying to save the young lady?" he glanced with a smile on his face.
His tears have dried up after waiting for the real Leigh for about six months. Even he had known somewhere in his mind that Leigh might not be able to make it back forever but a hope was still lingering which ended with Tia sudden presence in the house.
The girl remained silent for a while and averted her gaze from him, "Still you should hate me for pretending to be Leigh".
"Where you thinking that we will kick you out?" he asked and smiled.
"Shouldn't that be the case? I am a terrorist! You should be scared of me and calling the police. This is how normally people do".
She looked so serious saying those words that made John wonder if this naïve girl was really a terrorist.
He shook his head and smiled wryly, "There is nothing left for us to fear you," he suddenly changed the topic and hid his sorrow expression well, "I don't know what you liked so I just cooked normal porridge for you. Eat it quickly before it gets cooled and come inside, madam is waiting for you in the living room".
He stood up after finishing his words and left Leigh with a whole lot of curiosity.