The Birlas' - PARINAMA

Chapter - 24: A Father and A Daughter

At Bansal Paradise:

The thoughts didn't let Roohi sleep even when her father was the one putting her to sleep. She got up at once startling Abhimanyu. She hugged him and pushed her head into his chest. Her grip was so tight that he could feel the fear in her body language. He tried to calm her but she refused to calm down. A shiver ran through her and she tried snuggling more as if that was even possible. 

Abhimanyu had enough of it. He couldn't let her fret like this. May be sleeping over the issue wasn't a brilliant idea. Time to get down to business then. He pulled Roohi out who was struggling against his efforts. He had to hold her down firmly by her shoulders to stabilize her posture. 

"What's bothering you Ru?" He asked calmly.

The "Ru" from his mouth encouraged her to speak. 

"Poppy! I am sorry. I am really very sorry" She cried again. Abhimanyu tried to make her stop crying but she was having none of it. 

He finally firmed his voice and said, "Enough! Stop it. Stop crying!" 

Roohi stopped immediately as if she couldn't disobey that tone no matter how zoned out, she was. Even her subconscious recognized the tone of her father. 

"Good! Ab bolo jo aapko bolna hain. Poppy will listen. Okay!" He coaxed her to speak as he rubbed her back gently. Roohi gathered her voice, 

"Maine aapko bahut hurt kiya Poppy. Sabko hurt kiya aur sab gussa hai. Mujhe pata hain yeh baat. Aap toh sabse zyada gussa ho. But aap please aise mat karo mere saath" 

She pleaded and her tears were back. Abhimanyu sighed. He assumed that she was talking about the slaps. He wasn't proud of slapping her anyways. 

"Ru! Aapko bahut bura laga na?" Abhimanyu asked and Roohi nodded. 

She hated how he was acting all calm when he was in reality, raging with anger. She didn't want her father to change the way he treated her just because of this one incident where she hurt him bad. She wanted her stern father who wouldn't hesitate to whack her when she crosses a line. No matter how much she hurt him, she expected him to treat her the same. That love, that concern and that right to admonish can't go anywhere for any reason. Her Poppy doesn't have that option.

Abhimanyu caressed the right cheek first and saw if his slap left a mark behind. He would have hated that even more. He did the same with the other cheek and there was no sign of any mark. He looked at Roohi and said,

"Bahut zor se maar diya na Poppy ne. Sorry Ru! I shouldn't be raising my hand to you...." Abhimanyu had a lot to say but Roohi cut him off. 

This is what she was afraid of. Whenever they push him to do something he hates, he reacts first and regrets later. She didn't want him to regret his reaction because he was nowhere wrong. It was her mistake, and she should be the one apologizing. Not the otherway around. So, she won't accept his sorry. Simple. 

"No Poppy. Aap sorry kyun bol rahe hain? Mujhe is baat ka bilkul bura nahi laga" Roohi spoke looking straight into his eyes.

"Aap kyun aise kar rahe ho Poppy? Mujhe acha nahi lag raha." Abhimanyu was taken aback by the reaction.

"Aap mujhse gussa ho na? Galti meri hain na? Aap kyun sorry bol rahe ho?" Her words shocked him but he composed himself.

"I didn't have to slap you to explain you. Main waise bhi samjha sakta tha. I lost my cool and I am not proud of it. So, I don't mind apologizing." He clarified his stand.