Unsettling...

It was my cousin's wedding, i am still studying and had an exam so i stay back , my family went without me my father had told me to call him if my exams get over but i wanted to surprise them so i am going alone .

I was driving on a quiet road the rain was heavy . there was lots of fog ,it was hard to see .After a long drive i saw a woman with her child ,they were soak in rain .

they were asking for lift but no one was helping them the baby was shivering . i have a niece that looked like the same age of the baby so I stopped to help them.

i rolled my car window down and asked "where are you heading ? .do you need help?".

She replied " i was heading two blocks away but the rain started and I didn't bought an umbrella, can you drop me please ? no one is helping my child will catch cold " .

I replied " why not i was heading the same way hop in ".

She got in and sat on the passenger seat with the baby .

She said " i am really sorry for getting your car wet. i can pay for the wash " (bowing her head a little as sorry) .

I replied " no worry its just rain water i will get it wash don't be sorry ".( waving me hand as don't be sorry its okay) .I reached for my bag in the back seat and removed a Towel from my bag to give them towel to dry themselves she dried herself and the child .

I asked

" how old is the baby ?

Is it a boy or a girl ?".

She replied

" 1 year old its a boy

, his name is luca".

I replied

" what a cute name ".

Soon,we reached her destination.

I said " here you go " .

She said " come inside for a tea its raining badly you can get into an accident because of the fog " .

I thought about it and looked outside and yes the rain was really bad so i nodded and went inside .

I said " it's a beautiful house do only you two live here ?" .

She replied

"yes its just two of us ".

I said

" i see.

what about your husband?" .

She didn't reply just twisted her sleeves.

i understood she doesn't want to talk about it so i changed the topic .

I asked

" is this handmade ?". Holding a scarf .

She replied

" yes its handmade i made it , my mother taught me ".

I said

"ohhh its great it has really good colours really good for winter" .

i smiled .

She smiled back and said " i will get you tea just wait here ".

i nodded.

I notice that she only talks when i ask something and never looks at her child.

the house is dusty like no one cleaned it or lived here for a long time .

i realize that i was out for a long time but didn't feel thirsty like the time never went ahead its unsettling .

While waiting for the tea i looked out of the window the garden was beautiful and the sound was calming cause it was raining outside then a thunderclap happen i flinched badly and accidentally hit a table with a flower vase .

I looked at the luca thinking he might have gone scared from the noise but no he was playing with his toy no crying no flinching .

I went to the kitchen looking for her and she was still starring the tea like nothing happen .

I asked " did you hear that ?".

She replied " hear what ?".

I stare at her and said

" nothing is the tea ready ?".

She replied

" yes its done go sit on the couch , I will bring it. would you like to taste some cakes I brought ?".

I replied

"sure why not ".

I walked back to the couch and sat . After a while she came .

"Watch your steps" i said.

Pointing at the vase.

"Ohhh" she replied

looking down and accidentally trips on the edge of the carpet .the cup shatter .

Luca flinched at the noise but I didn't hear it .

I said " sorry for the vase ".

"Its okay ". She said "It was an accident. Its not your fault you didn't see ".

with a sigh she bend down to pick the broken places of the cup and vase .

The cup had hit the ground but I didn't hear it .

I asked " see ?" Confused .

" what ?".

You said its not my fault I couldn't see , why would you say that ?".

She asked

" i said see ?, ohh it was like its okay you didn't see the table next time be careful and slow down so you can see thing infront of you ".

"ohh okay ".

I thought why would she say look in front the table was behide me not in the front .

After a while she came with the tea i thanked her and drank it but i felt dizzy and fall just when i notice that Luce haven't made a noise as we got in the car and in here it was unusual for a year old .

After sometime i woke up in a hospital and saw my parents and a iv drip in my arm my hand bandage .

I asked

"why am i here ?", What are you all doing here ?, Where is the mother and luca ?".

My parents didn't reply but called the doctor as i woke up .

After doctor checked me some police officers came with my cousin who had his wedding .

The police asked me

" how are you feeling do you remember anything?".

I replied " yes i was driving , i saw a mother and child, luca a year old i helped them i drop them at her destination she gave me tea and i got unconscious and woke up here ".

The police showed me two photographs and asked

" are this two the one you helped ?".

I took the photos from their hand and i replied" yes this is luca and his mother i help them .

The police showed photographs.

My car.

A scarf lying beside it.

A tiny shoe, soaked in rain.

My fingers went numb.

The room spun.

When I reached the photographs of the accident, my hands began to tremble. Before I knew it, the photographs slipped from my grasp.

They took me to see them

she was wearing the same scarf I was holding in my hand and asked her did you made this . I took the scarf in my hand trembling .

the scarf fell from my hand as I lost my balance and stood with the help of a nearby table .

now that I think about it , i remember that night when I heard a name by a woman .

Luca maybe that's where my mind picked up the name . That night is still buried somewhere in my mind.

“That night is still buried somewhere in my mind. It feels like it’s waiting for me, and when I’m alone, their faces return in my dreams and thoughts to haunt me through the nights.”

I went into depression and got many anxiety attacks whenever i saw a mother and child on the road , i went to therapy for a long time .

That night, I made a mistake by not being careful. it cost three lives --mine and theirs. even though I am alive but i am not the same as before .

That day ,it wasn't the weather that was unsettling. ​

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