Broken relations

13.

It was now dinner and everyone was gathered in the dining room while everyone except bani,when bani finally arrived she came and apologized for being late and took a seat between Vansh and Arnav since that was the only seat and to her bad luck her father was right in her sight sitting opposite her so she had no choice but to stare at the food on her plate,she gently tapped Arnav
"Pass on the curry"she whispered to her brother and he hummed giving her the curry,she put some of it in her plate
"Bani dear"dadi called bani,bani looked at Dadi
"Is everything ok dear"Dadi asked noticing that bani has not looked up once since she came to sit down
"Yes dadi I'm perfectly fine,just a bit tired"that was a lie bani has not slept in the past 2 days and if she did sleep it would only be for 2 hours and that's all,her nightmares has always been one of her biggest enemies bani turned her head and looked straight into her father's eyes who was already looking at her she immediately put her head down and Vansh grabbed her hand noticing this bani slowly started playing with his rings and tracing the tattoo on his hand she has lost her apatite,and playing with Vansh hand has always been her coping mechanism when her anxiety started acting up and Vansh was always the one to notice it between all of bani's siblings she was the closest to Vansh and gauri,they understood her a lot better then the rest
"Do you wanna eat something baby"Arnav asked bani
"No....no I'm fine"bani said "I lost my apatite
Vansh and Arnav looked at their father who was looking at bani and glared at him,bani couldn't eat because he was looking at her,bani could never eat if someone was looking at her it's been a thing ever since she was young
"Just one bite"Vansh said bani looked at him with her peicing eyes
"Please don't force me Vansh"she said and looked at everyone "may I please be excused"she asked mainly to Dadi
"Sure dear and please go straight to bed"bani hummed and went away and 5 minutes later everyone else left

Later that night
Bani got a little thirsty and noticed that the jug in her room was empty,she sighed and made her way to the kitchen,but when she saw her father she immediately turned and as she was about to walk away he stopped her
"You don't have to leave everytime you see me princess"bani turned and looked at her father,her father was one of the reasons she had mental health problems and insomnia,bani ignored him and filler her jug
"Can we talk princess"her father asked
"What do we have to talk about Mr Raizada,there is nothing to be said between the 2 of us and you are confusing me with Anika I am not your princess"bani said as she made her way out of the kitchen

Rahul has never failed his children but he failed bani he hurt a innocent soul bani was his angel bani was the one who handled the news of his wife the best she helped everyone get through it,but he hurt her because she reminded him of his wife and he was not over the passing of his wife
Rahul followed bani and knocked on her door bani opened it but just as fast as the door opened it closed again
"Angel can we please talk,I want to mend our relationship"bani yanked the door open but it was not to talk it was to confront
"Oh so after 20 years you want to 'mend our relationship' do you know what you did to me...I was 5 years old...5 damn it I knew nothing,but it was my fault your wife dieing was my fault,like I was the reason she had cancer,Mr Raizada please I beg of you stay away from me I dont want to talk to you ever again"bani said and closes the door,Rahul sighed
"I told you she would not want to talk to you"he heard a voice say and the voice was jhanvi
"I know....but it was worth the try"he said sounding defeated
"You broke bani...even though it was not you...you are one of the reasons she is how she is today...cold,distant and afraid of letting any man close"jhanvi told him
"Just take my advice it already took a lot of convincing to let bani stay here and I don't want her to leave she has helped a lot with many things in this house mostly relationships she is one of the reasons my marriage is much better now then it was so please...just give ber space I dont trust you close to ber bani is not Anika she does not just forgive,you have to earn it and you knocking on her door asked to 'mend your relationship' is not helping their was hardly even a relationship so you have to make one first but don't do it now...I'm getting tired talking to you now good night"jhanvi said as she walked away from her old friend going to her room
Rahul was left with his thoughts bani was different bani was more fierce and strong bani was also stubborn,Vansh and bani were basically the same person just different genders and people,and Rahul send bani away Vansh also stopped talking to him along with gauri they shared a special bond with bani they still do and Rahul knew that...

Thoughts
This chapter is a bit shorter then the rest ( I know)

So what did Rahul do that bani can't even stay in the same room with him?
What happened 20 years ago?