She has things in common with the politician’s family, but their situations aren’t the same. The politician’s husband held her back the whole time she spoke, so she knew he was there, she wasn’t alone. They were in pieces, yet unified. But crisis has fractured Kavita’s family. The politician’s family shared their story. But her family can’t even talk to each other about what happened to Sunil. The politician’s family want their son’s life and death to mean something, to make a difference, to change things for the better. She wants the same thing for Sunil. Of course she does.

But how? She has no public persona. She has no platform. Lately, it doesn’t even feel like she has much of a family anymore. She isn’t important. She isn’t a somebody. She is just a girl who loved her brother, and lost him, in the most inconceivable way. Why would anyone listen to her? Why would anyone care?

How can she change the world when she can barely stand the one she carries inside?

Heaviness pulls at her. She fills her lungs deeply in an effort to resist the drag. Still, it pulls. She knows what’s about to happen next.

You’re failing him again, Anchor tells her.

The weight settles upon her, heavier and heavier.

That’s what you do, says Gloom. Isn’t it?

Kavita remains there, at the centre of the living room, suspended in a stunned pause, as if locked inside a dark spell.

The metal twist of the front door unlocking shatters the iron shell encased around her. Kavita blinks back into the room and quickly sweeps away her tears. Sweeps away Anchor and Blaze and Gloom, for now, knowing they will be waiting to show themselves the moment she is alone again.

She shuffles back to the cutting board, picks up her knife in her nervous hand and continues chopping the red pepper. She forces her lips into what she hopes is a convincing smile.

“Hello-oh?” Nirav calls from the entryway.

“Hi,” she calls back. Her voice sounds breathy and high, not her own.

He emerges from the hallway with Coal in one hand and a bottle of white wine in the other.

“Hello, love!” He is wearing a pair of black trousers, a blue dress shirt, and grey paisley tie. “I’m so pleased you’re back.” He kisses her warmly on the cheek. Coal wriggles from his grasp and pads off. “Look what I’ve got? Thought we could toast your homecoming with a bit of the ol’ vino. What do you say?”