The perfect groom ||

32. Commitments

Ambar POV

I saw a small kid trying to balance the bicycle as I held on to the metallic bars at the rear end, somehow scared to let go but also confident in the abilities of the little one. I run after him holding the cycle tight but not putting weight, balancing him right as the cold autumn wind touches my face. The child's helmet shifts a little as I try to hold him and stop him to adjust the helmet. The tighter I hold, the more it feels like it's slipping through, as the bicycle gets out of my grasp and I look at the sweat in my hand blaming it. I look up at the bicycle, my heart somewhat proud at the little kid with the tuft of black curly hair that were flowing out of the helmet. The scorching sun falls directly into my eyes, as I squint to see and find the bicycle empty, running on its own.

I watch, wanting to hold it, catch up but unable to run as I watch the bicycle go off path, hit an electricity pole and fall.

"Aaahhh..." I jolt up with sudden motion as my head throbs in pain.

I look around to find myself in my bedroom, the space beside me empty. I look up at the clock, and realize how late it was, I reach for my phone and try to turn it on, realizing it was dead.

Dead?

Like my child.

I pick up the charger from the bedside table and plug it into the socket, connecting my phone to it as the room to my bedroom opens.

"What did you do?" my mom screams as my hand falls to my ears almost instinctively.

"Too loud." I say as getting up from the bed as she comes to stand before me.

"She left..." My mother says crossing her hands over her chest as I shrug.

"So? I'm late." I say and walk towards my closet.

"Ughh... You stink..."

"Then don't come close." I say picking up a formal shirt and a pair of formal trousers and then remember this meeting with inspector general and kept it aside picking up my khaki uniform.

"She left for her parents.." my mother says holding the cloth hanger to stop me.

"Good... She needs the break." I say trying to snatch my uniform as a hand connects to my cheek, the sound of the slap echoing in my years.

That killed my hangover almost INSTANTLY as I zone out and sit back on the bed.

"Mom?" I say looking at him as she was close to tears.

"Get your act together."

"She'll come back... She always does. She knows the meaning of her vows and..." I was saying as mom looks at me with guilt and shame reflecting in her eyes.

The worse emotions a kid can see in their parents eyes, knowing they are the reason for that shame.

"Do YOU know the meaning of your vows? And the last time she went was a year ago, she doesn't pack her bag and leave every week... and she has changed... matured so much over the past year... Adjusted so much.. Are you sure she'll come back?" She says jerking the cloth hanger away and wanting to walk out.

"I always thought how do foreigners send their kids out of the house when they turn 18... But with everything you and Chetan have subjected us through in the past year or so... I kinda get it now..." she says and my hungover brain still couldn't comprehend the change of emotions.

"Do you want us out of the house?" I ask.

"I wish, I did... I wish I could live... I so badly wish." She says in a pleading voice as I sit on the bed shocked.