Serendipity

47

"How are things at home?"

It had been a week since Vanraj had moved out. And Paritosh, being the dutiful son had come to check in on his father.

"All is good, Papa," he said, taking a sip of the orange juice in front of him. "Baa misses you a lot."

"And Kavya?" The words escaped Vanraj's mouth before he realized.

Paritosh's face scrunched at that. "No one knows what she's up to. Most of the time, she stays in the bedroom. She rarely comes out. Baa once tried to go in and talk to her, but she threw a fit, pushed Baa out of the room, and locked the door. It was all rather strange."

Vanraj closed his eyes to will the anger growing inside him away. With each passing day, he regretted his decision to marry Kavya. Anupama had managed his family without any unnecessary drama for 26 years. And Kavya, well, she couldn't manage 26 months.

He looked at Paritosh sitting in front of him and cleared his throat.

"Beta, I've been thinking something. And I wanted your honest opinion.

Paritosh put his toast down to pay attention to his father.

"I know I've made many mistakes in life, Toshu," Vanraj tentatively began. "The biggest one was not giving your mother the respect she deserved. She loved and supported me and helped me succeed and in return, all I gave her was heartbreak and deceit."

"It's still not too late Papa. Mom is still home waiting for you. All you have to do is come home. I'm sure whatever misunderstandings you both have can be talked over."

Vanraj smiled sadly. Paritosh had misunderstood him. In taking care of his family, Anupama had disappeared into the shadows and the family had taken her presence for granted.

"I'm not talking about Kavya, Toshu," he clarified. "She is not your mother. I was wrong in expecting that you kids call her Mom. She doesn't deserve it.

"I am talking about your actual mother - Anupama, the one who supported me during my most difficult times in life; the one I cheated. Toshu, life has taught me many lessons. And one of them is that I was wrong in taking Anupama for granted. I was wrong in not appreciating her in my life. I was wrong in letting her go.

"I want to right that wrong, beta. I want Anupama back in my life."

If Paritosh felt any kind of shock at his father's statement, he hid his feelings only too well. He picked up his glass of orange juice and sipped, his throat bobbing up and down, indicating the restlessness he felt at his father's statements.

"What's bothering you?" Vanraj asked, reading his son's emotions correctly.

"Ma is engaged to Anuj Kapadia."

"She is not engaged yet."

"But she has moved on."

"Because she believes I have moved on. I know Toshu, this sounds very selfish, but it's for the best. I have realized my mistake. I know I was wrong in what I did. And I am extremely sorry for it. I also know that Anupama has a very large and generous heart. And she loves her children immensely. She will come back for the sake of her kids. And when she comes back, I promise, I will cherish and love her.

"I just need one more chance."

As Vanraj continued to reason Anupama's return to the Shah household, Toshu stared at his father, for the first time seeing him as to how he truly was - weak and selfish.

In his lifetime, he'd seen the cold and callous way his father had treated his mother and justified that treatment time and again. And today, that very same woman became the reason behind his success. All because he'd had a disagreement with Kavya. Paritosh didn't know what had transpired between his father and Kavya but even he knew that Anupama was not the solution.