Unkept Promises

Letting it all out

Avantika's POV

After so long. After such a long time, I felt the soothing warmth of mom and dad's embrace and I just broke down. I fell apart in their arms and they collected me. I felt like Aaru today - a small child who just wanted to lay their head in their parents' laps and soak up all the comfort, all the solace. It was as though, I was letting go all of that anguish, the pain inside my heart in their embrace. I cried bitterly, all my ugly cries - and they waited patiently while I did so.

That was always the thing with us. Being an introvert, I have always been more emotionally connected with my parents than anyone else, and after getting married of course with Abhiram. To my misfortune, my husband had failed me here, up to that extent where I wondered if the connection had even existed in the first place, but I was sure of one thing - my parents would never fail me. Never ever. Whenever I needed a shoulder to cry, mom and dad would be there for me. They would make me let it all out, then calm me and then we would speak of all the qualms and the perturbances. That's how it would be. That's how it would be today too.

Once I had visibly calmed down, dad still patting my back, I saw Abhiram standing on the threshold on the living room and the kitchen staring at us, guilt evident on his face and his eyes - a longing emotion in them. He was distraught, one could tell that, but today I was far too fallen apart myself to even think about him.

"Beta (child), can we talk now?", mom asked me, her hand smoothing my hair and patting my head gently.

I managed a nod in between my occasional whimpers and hiccups. I could see a big wet patch on dad's shirt from all of those tears and snot. I cringed at that.

"Mom, dad, pl...please speak with Avi, I will be in the kitchen to make us some food.", Abhiram whispered nervously and his voice was chocked up with emotions. As soon as he had said those words, he swiftly sauntered into the kitchen, avoiding even a single glance at the three of us. Again - guilt.

I settled down mom and dad on the couch in our bedroom and got for them some water from the dining space. They had come home after so long and I had not even offered them water yet.

"Avanti, leave all this and come here my baccha (child). Tell me, what's wrong?", dad asked.

"Is it about Abhiram beta (child)? Even a stranger could see that something's just not right between the two of you. What is it Avanti?", mom cupped my cheeks.

A lone tear escaped my left eye which she was quick to wipe.

"Shh, nahi rote baccha.", she cooed at me just as how I would coo at Aaru when he would be distressed.

(Shh, nahi rote baccha - Shh, don't cry my child)

"Mom, dad, there's a lot to tell. A lot has happened and a lot has been devastated - and all of this is too much. I have tried, tried so hard to process all those emotions, to understand, to fight, to simply stand firm, but its too much.", I began.

"Your parents are with you Avanti. Tell us, we are here to stand strong for you, hmm mera baccha (my child)", dad consoled me.

I nodded at him and decided to narrate everything. Every single thing. It had become too much for me to keep all of those things bottled up within and now I knew I needed to vent out. And who would be better for that than my mom and dad - the only people who would understand me without judgements. Again, Abhiram was in that list too - mom, dad and Abhiram had been my safe haven, until he decided to desert me.

Anyway.

Instead of letting my mind meander here and there yet again, I began narrating all of what had happened. Right from the day of our anniversary six months back, the dispute which had occurred and how Kinjal ended up in the hospital. The way she mocked me and then played the victim card. The manner in which everyone then decided to villainize me, especially Abhiram without even listening to my side of the situation once. Along with how he still continued to be cold and impassive and accusing despite of me extending the olive branch multiple times to how the truth was exposed and the evil which Kinjal personified. Every single thing.