I would made eye contacts with dad but he'll be quickly looking away. He was acting so strange. I wasn't used to not taking to my dad for so long. Dad was home but it was equal to him not being home. He would only be looking at the television screen or reading a newspaper or just disappearing in his room for long enough.

I wanted to confront him about the situation. Talk to him about it and try to resolve it. But applause isn't possible with a single handedly, it needs the other one too to make a complete clap. I couldn't do it alone, he had to co-operate too.

I couldn't see mum so depressed. She would be quite all the time. Occasionally giving me forehead kisses as if reassuring herself that atleast her daughter is real and living under her roof. My mum was the brightest human being ever. She would be radiating happiness and joy every single time you'll look at her. But now, her shine was condensed into coldness. It was utter blankness on her face. She wouldn't smile, she would forget to cook food and even do the laundry. Which results in me ending up finishing it.

It was positive from her side. She was going through a trauma. She needed support and I tried to give her as much as possible.

I saw dad coming downstairs with his car keys ans I knew he was about to leave and wouldn't come home for hours. I didn't want him to leave this time. An uneasy feeling grew from inside of me. My stomach churned. I just wanted him to stay.

I suddenly felt sick. My gut feeling started to speak up. Trying to say that something is wrong or is going to be.

He made eye contact with me an looked away, again. He sighed and sat on the couch. It was almost getting dark outside. I worried about him being outside for so long in the night.

He sat at the corner of the couch and tied his shoes.I again looked at him, in hope of a little chat to start. He noticed me staring at him. He sighed and pursed his lips.

"Dad..." I said softly.

"Hm..." He replied now looking away.

"Please stay," I pleaded.

He shook his head and stood up, but I quickly stopped him by holding his hand.

"Dad, please..." I whispered.

"Why do you want me to stay Aana?" He asked turning around to look at me.

Yes, he can get scary from time to time. But I could never not notice the soft spark in his eyes when he would look at me.

"Because.. because I don't feel good. I fee so alone dad, so alone," I said leaving his hand and looking at my lap. I felt him sit beside me. Our knees brushing eachother's lightly.

He pinched my chin lightly and made me look at him. And here they are, tears dwelling up in my eyes.

He caressed my cheek with his thumb, "me too Aana, me too," he said out of nowhere.

I frowned my eyebrows, "t-then why don't you mend things up Dad? Look at us now. We're a mess," I spoke up.

His hand slid at the back of my neck where he massaged my skin a little with his thumb, surprisingly relaxing me. "I don't know how to," he chocked out.

I looked him in the eye for a few seconds before saying, "I'll help you dad. I promise, I'll help you. We'll find a way"

We'll find a way- Ashton's words rung into my head.

He nodded sighing, "we'll find a way,"

He pushed his hand ahead which was at the back of my neck and kissed my forehead and it felt so relaxing to finally be nutral towards my father after so long. I missed him.

He then stood up.

"W-where are you going?" I asked him.

"I need fresh air Aana, I'll be back before midnight. We'll talk about it later," he patted my cheek and left.

He left. My stomach churned aggressively. The uneasy feeling grew wider. But ofcourse I'd to ignore it. I sighed and went into the kitchen to make something for dinner for me and mum. She was probably sleeping in her room or overthinking about everything.

I just decided to make some rice and curry. It would be just fine for tonight. Thirty minutes and I was till in the kitchen when my phone rang. I picked it up and spoke.

"Hello?" Said a women on the other side.

"Yes?"

"Is this Aana I'm talking to?"

"Yes it is, why? Who's this?"

"I'm inspector Lucy and there's some bad news I've for you. But calm down-"

"W-what bad news? Who's hurt?" My heart beat accelerating.

"It's David," my heart dropped. "your dad has been caught in an ugly car accident and I need you and your mom to come to the city hospital as soon as possible,"

Everything felt surreal. I felt numb from the inside and from the outside. I felt lost. This cannot be happening. Not with my father!

"Hello? Are you still there?"

I snapped out of my trance and spoke, "yeah, yeah I'll-I'll be there," I said and put the phone down.

I ran upstairs and shook mummy awake. She jolted up.

"Wh-what?"

"D-Dad. It's dad. He-he accident. He's in the hospital. We need to go now!" I almost screamed. I started sobbed. Surprisingly, mum didn't react as bad as me. She looked stunned but kept herself calm.

"I'll, I'll call the uber. Get downstairs now," I followed as I was told.

In the next five minutes, we were getting in the cab mum had just booked. We sat at the backseat. I was surely starting to hyperventilate. Mum rubbed my back and tried to calm me down.

I did the next thing that came to my mind. I called Venky.It ringed once, twice and he picked it up finally.

"He-hello?" I said desperately loud.

"Aana, hey how'd you call? Everything okay?"

"No. No." I cried.

"Aana? What's going on? Where are you? What's happening?"

"Its-its dad. He's in the city hospital. Please come. I need you. Please come," I sobbed against the phone.

"Oh-ohk. Aana deep breaths. Calm down I'm coming. I'll be there ASAP. Don't worry I'm here. I'm here," I could immediately hear the shuffles of the car keys. He then shouted our brother's names to come out.

I put my phone down and took a long shaky breath.

Everything is going to be okay, Right?

.....