As I entered my room, I found myself drowning in guilt. Guilt of hurting Ridhvi, guilt of making her cry, guilt of disappointing Riddhima, guilt of not keeping in touch with my family over the years, guilt of not taking Dev's suggestion of meeting seriously, guilt of wanting to escape from them, from all the responsibilities.
I have messed up. I have hurt Ridhvi, though unintentionally but she didn't deserve it. She deserved to be happy and be the bundle of joy she is. I need to make up to her. I've already failed my loved ones more than once and I don't want Ridhvi to give up at me too.
I was brought out of my thoughts when my phone pinged with a notification, its lock screen lightening up, indicating a mail from our department manager. It said that my leave for another two days stands cancelled which means I need to report at the airport tomorrow morning itself because no one else is available to replace me. I let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through my messy hair for umpteenth time. Can't they see that I'm not available either. What part of my "emergency leave" they didn't understand? I just arrived yesterday evening, how can I leave this early? But I have no other option because "When your boss calls you for work, you go."
Can I refuse them? Yes!
Will I refuse them? No!
Am I taking this opportunity to run away? Yes!
Am I scared of messing up more, if I stayed here any longer? Yes!
Do I know that I'm being a coward? Yes!
Am I guilty? A big yes!
One moment I was thinking how to make up to Ridhvi, next moment I took the first chance I got to get away from here. I'm a mess and it was better if I stayed away from all of them, they all were better off from me.
*
As per my random guess, I found them in Aditi's room. Ridhvi was also there playing what I suppose was "kitchen kitchen" with them.
"What's happening ladies?" Everyone looked up at me, surprised. I smiled at Ridhvi, she looked at me, ignored me and went back to her game.
"Nothing bhai, we are just having a lunch at Ridhvi's special kitchen." Aditi told me as I made my way towards them, sitting at the other end of the bed, opposite to Aditi. Maa was sitting with her back with the wall.
"Oh! Woww!" I remarked.
"Ridhvi ma'am what will you serve bhai?" Ma asked Ridhvi excitedly.
"Nothing" came her plain response.
"Nothing? You will not serve your papa? Why?" Aditi asked, and from her tone I could tell that she wasn't pretending to be shocked, she genuinely was.
"No! I katti papa!"
Aditi frowned at me.
"I need to tell you guys something important." I said before she could probe into the matter. I had another big reason for her to get angry at me. Why give her one more reason?
"We are listening." Maa said, her tone giving away that she knew I was changing the topic and she probably also knew why Ridhvi was mad at me.
"Ridu we are full, go serve your mother now." said Aditi, sensing the tension in the air.
"Yes. bye bua, bye Dadi!"
No bye for me, my heart observed. This is what you get for teasing your niece, my mind mocked.
"Um actually, I'll need to leave tonight itself." I jumped straight to the point because somethings are better said directly than in circles.
"Why bhai? Why can't you stay for a while more? Even Ridhvi is getting along with you." Aditi was the first one to speak, clearly not happy with my announcement.
YOU ARE READING
Our Paradise
General FictionWhen Aditya Sinha visited his parental home after a long gap of three years to attend his twin brother Devaditya Sinha's funeral, he had imagined various reactions he would be subjected to, from his mother, from his father, from his younger sister b...
