Amrutha, a girl who has a family yet longs for a loving one. What happens when a truth about her life, her utter existence comes to light? What drastic events will unfold? How will she handle it? What will she choose?
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I opened the door and walked in, and I was not ready for the sight in front of me.
"APPAAAAAA!!!" I screamed. Or thought I did because he did not budge. He just sat there on the floor, back rested to the table.
"Appa, what are you doing here? Moreover, why the hell are you sitting on the floor?" I asked. But there wasn't any response. I felt something churn in my gut. It was something bad. My mind didn't want to think of stuff but couldn't resist the urge to believe. I didn't want to go any closer and look.
What if something is wrong with him? What if he's unconscious? Or worse, what if......
NO! NO! NO! No way in hell is he going to leave us so soon.
I mustered all my courage and went next to him, I bent down to his level. His eyes were shut. I'd be lying if that didn't scare the shit out of my already scared ass. I concentrated on his belly and was relieved to see it move up and down. He was breathing, he was just asleep.
But why was he sleeping here? I moved my eyes to his face. His tear-stung face. It hurt to see the dried tear marks on his ageing face.
*He's not going to stay like this for long,* I promised myself.
My eyes wandered around his face and right below, he held a picture tight to his chest. I tried to pull it out but the old man's grip was too strong. I didn't want to wake him up, so I left it be and started searching the surroundings for anything odd. Nothing was found except an old album and it didn't take me time to understand what had happened. He has been doing this a lot lately.
He walks into this room. The room that hosts all the memories of Amma and baby Amrutha. Takes out the albums and goes through them for hours together. Reliving every moment in his head over and over again. He doesn't deserve this, hell no one deserves such pain.
I slowly lifted the album off the ground and placed it on the shelf. Now time for the photo in his hand. I wiggled and tugged on it. It was difficult but I finally got it out of his clutches.
My curious ass, flipped it to see what exactly had made Appa cry to sleep. It was a baby photo of Amrutha. I was surprised to see it because he never takes her pictures out of the albums. Just thinking about telling Appa about her got a smile on my face.
*Now imagine her in this house as Ms Amrutha Gowda!* my subconscious intervened.
"AMRUTHA GOWDA!!!" It fits so perfectly like it was meant to be said together.
Unknowingly I kissed the photo and got up to keep it back in its place when something stopped my legs from moving. I looked down to find Appa holding my legs. He was wide awake.
"Why are you taking away my daughter from me?" He said. The sadness and longing were obvious in his tone. "I've lost her once. Don't take her away again." His words were killing me.
