Wishpered Promises Of LoVE

Questions over Questions

Everyone standing in the room froze on their spots. Gasps after gasps escaped all of their lips.
"Daddy, you cannot do this? This…by doing this two innocent lives will get ruined, Daddy. Neither Princess nor Re, none of them would ever get to stay happy,"Tune let out her thoughts in a shaky breath.
  "How can you be like this? It's…it's so unreasonable. Why don't you want to understand anything even after knowing everything?"At the same time, Hrew asked Andrew…not able to comprehend his father's words. Yes, his father was becoming really unreasonable even after knowing everything.
"Uncle, I know Re bro's condition is serious…and you don't want Azel to suffer with him. But uncle, the thing you are scared about…Re bro's illness would take a turn for the worse only when something from his past will get triggered. So, there is nothing to worry about. He will continue to live his life just like now even in the future as well,"Diaan tried to assure Andrew with the facts, hoping at least now Andrew will see things in the bigger picture.
   "And how much do you guarantee of his past not getting triggered at anyhow, Di? Can you give me a hundred percent assurance that his past would never haunt their lives in the future? And his illness would never affect her life?"Andrew's questions made Diaan to shut his mouth. Because not only Diaan…nobody in the whole world could ever assure such things.
   "But Daddy…"Hrew started speaking when Azel raised a question,"What would have been your reaction if I would have been in Re's place, Daddy? Would you have given him the same advice you gave me?"It was now time for Andrew to stiffen. He never thought she would ask him such a question ever.
   "I..I…"
"What happened, Daddy? Why aren't you speaking now?"Seeing Andrew stuttering like that, Azel once again questioned her father. "I would have done what would have been right at that moment,"Andrew said, not meeting her gaze. He could not lie looking into her eyes.
"Right at that moment…right for whom? As in for me or for Re?"She raised her one eyebrow at him…waiting for his answer,"Princess, what kind of question are all these? Why are you interrogating me like this? And why will you be in that condition?"
  "Let me rephrase my questions for you, what if I would have such health issues but I loved Rehan the way I love him now. Would you have still behaved like this, Daddy?"Azel paused her talks, darting her eyes at her father's…noticing each and every movement of his. "I guess you don't have the answer…but you know I have it. If the situation would have been like that then you would have surely given me permission to date Re. And you know why the situation is different here? Just because…."
   "Just because I'm your father. And I want the best for you,"Andrew finished her sentence before her. "Then what about Rehan? Doesn't he deserve happiness, Daddy? Just because he is dealing with something…which is not even in his hands, does that make him any different than us? Does that snatch his right to live his life?"Azel said, making Andrew to keep quiet once again.
She again continued,"Daddy, why don't you understand he has no fault in whatever happened with him. It…it was GOD's decision. But now after a decade when that boy held my hand, with just a hope that I would not leave it…ever. When GOD has given me him, how can I let him go, Daddy? How can I break his trust? How can I break the heart of the only person who protected my heart till date? How can I leave his hand whose only support is me? Do you think you will separate me from him…and I will stay very happy? If you are scared thinking my being with Re would be the cause of my tears in future then I'm not scared of those tears as well, Daddy.
At least those are better than this pain that I'm feeling right now. I love him, Daddy…I didn't love him just to be with him when everything will be beautiful and perfect in his life. Rather I loved to stand beside him, holding his hand tightly in each and every situation of life. How can I leave him now, Daddy? Please I..I beg you don't be so cruel toward our love…please. Please don't separate us. He…he will not be able to take it. He..needs me, Daddy. But I need him more than that.
I..I will give up on anything you wish for, Daddy…but not him. Just not him. Please,"Azel could no longer hold onto her stoic face, soon her tears washed over her face once again. At this point she knelt on her knees, begging him for her love.
  Hazel, Tune and Hrew all were shedding tears in silence. Tune was about to go towards Azel, when Hrew held her hand,"No, Star. This time she needs to speak her heart out in front of Daddy. Maybe only then he will understand how much his actions are hurting her,"even if she wished, still Tune knew what Hrew said was right. There are some battles in life which we need to fight…alone. And this was one of those fights for Azel..where none except Azel, herself could help her.
   Andrew's eyes softened looking at his daughter. He never saw her this vulnerable before…till date whatever she wished for, it was granted by him. He would never want to see tears in those oceanic blue eyes of hers. After his mother and wife, if he loved any girl the most…then it was his daughter…his Princess. She was his life. Still willingly or unwillingly he was the sole reason behind her tears. And he knew it. But what other path was open for him…to save her from future damage? As a father, how could he let her ruin her own life in her own hands? No, he could not do that.
   Andrew held her by her shoulders, making her stand up,"Princess, I already told you my decision. And it still didn't change no matter how many questions you raise…or how much logic you want to put forth. As a father, I have always tried my best to fulfill each and every demand of yours…not disappointing you at all. But now it's my turn, today I'm asking just this one thing from you, Princess. Leave him…break up your relationship with him. I know it will hurt you…but the pain will heal soon, Baby. I'm sure if you will try then you will be able to move on from him. It would not be that hard as well…it is just a relationship anyway. It….."
   Azel jerked her father's hands from her shoulders,"It's not just a relationship…it's…not only a relationship for me. I love him. Why don't you want to understand this simple thing? Break up…move on? Is it that easy? What you would have done if Alan uncle*(Hazel's elder brother)* wanted momma to break up with you when you guys were dating…saying that was just a relationship? How would you have felt if momma would have really left you, after finding out that she was just a bet for you at first?"Although Azel didn't want to say such things…regarding her parents and their past. But her wounded heart…broken self was now out of control. At that moment she felt like burning everything in the fire of her pain.
   As soon as those words left Azel's lips, the whole living room resonated with the sound of a loud slap. Hazel and Tune flinched at their spots looking in front of them…with horrified eyes. Hrew could not believe his eyes as well…what just happened? Was it even true? Diaan and Fayza were frozen in their own spots…looking at everything with widened eyes…not knowing exactly what to do…and what not to.
   There Andrew was still raging like an angry bull,"Don't you dare bring our relationship in between all these? Just because you are our daughter…it doesn't give you the damn right to comment on our relationship,"he said with greeted teeth. While Azel raised her head…her one hand was placed on Azel's left cheek. Hearing him, she chuckled humorlessly,"I cannot even state my opinion regarding your relationship…but you could just declare a verdict regarding my relationship? Why, Daddy? Just because that was about you and momma? And it is about me and Re? In your case every bad thing has a justification…but in my case, you don't even want to see anything? Why, Daddy?"Azel once again asked him…her tone was not harsh…not rude. But it held power…a type of power which nobody could ignore that easily.
   Andrew glared at his daughter…when Hrew got in between them,"That's enough, Princess. Let's…let's get you upstairs. You need treatment right now. Please, Baby…at least you don't lose your calm in anger,"he tried to make his sister calm down. He was well aware of her temperaments…she had a nasty anger.
   "No, Big B…today I want answers. He is asking me to give him the only thing I have been begging from him since so long. He wants me to have a break up with Re…will that make everything alright? Will I stay happy? Why cannot he understand that I'm living just for that man? How can I leave him? Is it Re's fault that he has such a problem? Did he make it himself? Why should he get the punishment for something that he had no hand in?"Azel cried hard…why all these were happening with them. Why? What sin did they commit to get punished like this? Didn't they say love is the purest of all emotions in the world? Then why innocent hearts had to suffer for harboring that same holy feeling?
   "Are you really my daughter? Look at you, you are talking back with me…defying me every single time…why? Just for that boy? Did he become more important in your life than me? Did you forget it was me who taught you to speak…just to see this day when you will question my relationship with your mother? I taught you to walk…just so you could walk out in front of my eyes? I…"
  "Daddy, why are you not trying to understand her situation as well? I know, Rehan is not a perfect guy. But…each and every person has their own flaws. Nobody is perfect, Daddy. But that is not what defines us. He loves her…more than his own life. Please don't do this with them,"Tune pleaded to her father-in-law…not knowing whether it would have any affect on him or not.
  "Yes, nobody is perfect. Everyone has their own flaws…just like you, Tune. How I wish I would have gotten Hrew married with someone else. Maybe Azel would have never met Rehan. And things would have been really different,"Andrew spat venomously…each of his poisonous words hurt Tune's heart with numerous arrows…shredding it into so many halves.
   "Daddy/Drew?"Everyone present there was utterly speechless at his awful behavior. Hazel sat down on the stairs, holding her own head…tears streamed down her cheeks. What the hell had happened to her happy family? Each and everyone was standing against each other now. This was not something she ever imagined to witness even in her worst nightmares.
"You remember Daddy…you had asked her a question awhile ago, that if she ever considered Princess as her sister or not…did she ever love Princess like she claimed to or not?"Hrew stared directly into his father's eyes which he never did before today. Andrew saw a flame..a flame or rage and aggression in his son's eyes. Hrew was always the gentle…the calm one. He never talked to anyone with disrespect let alone his own father. But today,"Now that I am thinking about everything, I think it's you..who could never accept Star as your daughter like you always said. You never loved her like you love me or Azel.
And why would you? She was a daughter-in-law, right? And you proved the norm yet again, that no matter what happens, a daughter-in-law can never get the place of a daughter at her in-laws house. Maybe she would be treated very well at times…but as soon as some difficulty would arise, she would be the first person to get treated as an outsider, right? You just proved once again, that there is a very thin line between the love of a father and a father-in-law. A father-in-law can never become a father in true means..ever,"Hrew stated gruffly…angry tears left his eyes as well. He really had enough of seeing his wife getting insulted for absolutely nothing. What did that poor soul even do to get treated like this?
   "HREW?"Andrew roared.
  "Daddy, you really think yelling like this would change the reality of how you have been treating her? I also knew everything since the beginning…why didn't you say all these bitter words you have been hurling upon her for so long? What did she even do wrong?"Hrew was seething in anger right now. Tune held his hand, to stop him,"Hri, please stop,"she tried to make him calm down. But how could he? When she was questioned?
   "No, Star. Not right now,"Hrew once again looked at his father,"You know what, Daddy…it's actually her mistake. Yes, she is the one at fault…since the beginning. Because she is too good for people like us..who don't even know how to appreciate the precious things in life. For a reality check towards you, if you have forgotten…it was she, Daddy…the same girl, about whom you never used to get tired of praising. It was she, whom you used to call a little angel…because she had lightened up this house of yours…making it a home. It was her, Daddy…for whom your son is alive today. Otherwise, I might not have survived my paralysis period. It was her, who was with your son…believing in him that he would walk once again…when none of you had the slightest hope of me doing that. When I myself had given up on me…she still never gave up. It was her, Daddy…who handled me, took care of me, loved me, completed me…and made me the person I'm today. It was her, who risked her own life for both your son and daughter numerous times. And this, she is my wife..the love of my life…the mother of children. But how easily you just said that she never considered this family as hers? Did you ever actually consider her as your family? You had asked us to get out of your house, right? Don't worry, I would not stay there as well…where my wife is not respected,"Hazel looked towards her son with defeated eyes. After everything, she really didn't have the right to stop him.  Whereas, Tune and Azel looked at Hrew with helpless eyes. Everyone knew Hrew would stop at nothing now. Once he made up his mind to do something, then he would surely do it. And now also Hrew seemed more than determined with whatever he just said. In all these while, this time Andrew seemed stupefied. Really? What did he do? Yes, he was angry at Tune…but when did his anger turn into aggression like this?