Joy was taken aback when he saw Margaret Oliver sitting beside her husband in his chamber. With a very astonished expression Joy slowly walked inside, " Sir... you summoned me? "
" Not me. Your aunt did. Settle down. "
Joy could sense a heavy air inside the place. Specially when he looked at Margaret...he knew something was terribly wrong.
" Is something wrong? " , Joy uttered.
" Everything's wrong my child, yet nothing seems to be. " , Joseph Oliver smirked, while Margaret remained silent and serious.
Joy too remained silent and stared questioningly.
" Joy... you have spent almost twenty five years of your life with us... twenty one at our place itself.
Yet... very carefully we could be able to hide from you, something that wasn't easy...but something that we just had to ...being parents. "
Joy's features stiffened as he tightly grabbed the handle of his chair. He wasn't ready for almost anything now.
" Diana happened to us when you were twelve, and Christina too was of your age... you have seen my girl grow, haven't you...? "
Joy stared at a paperweight on the table, still.
" Diana grew up amongst you... considering both of you to be her own family, her own part...
She loved Christina as her own elder sister... you know that don't you? "
Joy now looked straight at Joseph. Through the corner of his eyes he saw Margaret staring at her with sunken eyes.
" I...really don't understand the significance. " , Joy uttered distinctly.
" Joy... Diana doesn't know we are talking about her to you today... but as parents we decided that it's necessary... owing to her worsening health conditions. " , Margaret Oliver uttered slowly.
Joy didn't really gather what was happening. So he kept shifting gazes from one person to another in the room.
" Joy ... we understood that Diana was emotionally vulnerable when she reached her adolescence. She behaved strange...threw things... uttered slangs... was jealous of everyone and everything, and ohh yes... how carefully we concealed that from you.. your mum...and everyone else who resided at the mansion, by shifting to one corner of the villa and while you stayed at the other corners. You remember everything don't you? "
Joy remembered. Yes... they did one day shift their dwelling to one end of the immense villa...almost secluded from the rest of the house. Servants, and her mum as well were taken aback at such a drastic step...because the Olivers were always very endearing. But then, they behaved so normal even after that, people actually overlooked that thereafter.
So... this was the reason. Joy's growing surprise showed on his face.
" I know Joy...it's hard to believe because Diana's personality splits. Her every drastic change in behaviour has only been witnessed by her parents till date... apart from that, Tudu and Dr Matthews have known. No one else did. "
Joy's throat felt dry. He had till date only known Diana to be something else... not something to be liked much, but definitely not this. This seemed even more terrific.
" Joy... Diana won't keep us whole if she came to know that we are discussing this with you. But we really don't see a choice.
Joy... Diana has a sort of possession on everyone involved with her life. And that applies to everyone, me ... her mum... servants, her very selective friends, you... and used to be with Christina too. "
Joy felt a pain in his throat, and also a chill down his spine...
" ...and if anyone of us hide anything from her... she breaks down and drifts into being vulnerable and aggressive at the same time.
And currently she is going through such a phase. The reason being... you. "
" m..me...??" , Joy almost whispered.
" Yes Joy... we believe you.. but she doesn't. She doesn't believe that the girl at your place is your sister. "
Almost as if struck by thunder Joy stared at Margaret who uttered the words.
Anushka's last encounter with Diana, her words, her threats, flashed through his mind.
He had always known that the Olivers were not safe for anyone, specially anyone connected with Joy, now being Anushka. But at present his every fearful assumptions were taking the face of truth, a truth more severe than he had imagined, a truth that involved the ugly dysfunctions of human mind that no one could control.
Joy almost springed up from his seat.
" What do you mean? Why will I lie...why the hell?? "
Margaret stood up and reached him immediately, ran her palm down his cheeks.
Joy stood stern...and shaking a bit from inside.
Joseph had also stood up...concerned.
" We know that very well my child. Why would you lie? And if you say that again now, we would again believe you. But we had to make it clear that Diana won't, and if you by any chance keep lying, her wrath would increase manifolds and that could be harmful to some innocent soul maybe. "
Joy knew very well which innocent soul she meant. He immediately shifted away from her. " I am not lying. She is my sister. Shelly. I really didn't know of her neither did she of me. But after we did..she decided to visit my village and met with an accident. That's all. There's nothing more to it. " , Joy knew he was shaking. But he didn't know if his extra pitch made the lie seem like a truth.
" Calm down my boy! " , Margaret walked close again.
Joy did succeed in controlling his momentary outburst. He instead was now filled with concern for the one who lay at home, unaware of some impending danger.
He then suddenly threw a question, " I don't really understand what concerns Diana so much! Even if she isn't my sister, what has she gotta do with that? " Joy knew he was shouting again.
Joseph Oliver stiffened. His jaw bones grew firm and an unforgiving expression appeared on his face. " That's what we are trying to make you understand Joy. Diana isn't well. You cannot explain everything she does. But all we know is, she cannot bear lies spoken by the ones she loves. "
Joy stared for sometime. Then uttered distinctly..." Make her understand please... I am not lying.
And before leaving may I ask one thing today, was Christina a victim of the wrath of your dear daughter?"
In moments the air inside the room changed. Joseph Oliver's features grew crueller than ever. He almost jumped off his chair and grabbed Joy by his collar before he understood anything.
" This was one of the exact reasons we thought a million times before sharing this with you. Boy, truth too can make us blind, specially bitter ones. A curtain of my daughter being mentally ill fell on your eyes... and you began judging her. For your kind information, my daughter grew worse after Christina left on will. She loved her like hell. More than herself.
And you blame her? You blame my daughter for a girl who left you?... you bloody..."
" Joseph! " , Margaret shouted in horror.
Joseph stopped. And immediately let go Joy. He knew he had crossed limits. " Diana had nothing to do with Christina's departure. Emboss this in your mind. And forgive me. "
Joy stood. Dumbstruck. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe.
****
Diana breathed in a lung full of fresh air. The rooftop was her favourite place, because she could see the whole Rungpo from there. The Rungpo her father almost owned. The Rungpo she almost had a grab upon.
Diana smiled. She knew she though didn't keep an eye on all the houses visible, but most only on a small cottage on one corner of the village.
There. A bulb glowed at the verandah of the very house.
Diana sighed.
How beautifully she could have decorated the house and made it her own...
But...
She wondered why though her hyperfunctionating brain didn't trust the poor accident struck girl. She so wanted to trust her being a blood relation to Mr Montgomery. But she trusted her distrusting brain more than anything else. She knew, its indications were always right.
Diana sighed again. The world had always underdone her capabilities. Only if it knew. The only one who had come to know, unfortunately couldn't share it with anyone else before leaving.
She was good indeed. Too good to handle.
Shelly. I hope you too turn out to be good enough.
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