Shruti And Anuj

13 - Disappointment

Shruti leaned against the window as she sipped hot coffee. The skies were grey, overcast with heavy clouds and the gloomy weather matched her thoughts. She could hear the faint sound of Aadhya and Anupama's ghunghroos and the much more closer and therefore clearer sound of the keyboard keys clicking under Anuj's rapid fingers. She heard the pauses between them and had once before caught Anuj cast worrying glances at her when he thought she hadn't been seeing. Shruti sighed internally. She didn't know what to feel about Anuj's concern. She couldn't deny that she had been unable to detach from him completely, so the concern did feel.. nice. At the same time, she hadn't been able to forgive him for whatever had happened.

It seemed as if all of their lives had become stuck in a limbo. Anupama had been unable to prove that Paritosh or anyone else was responsible for the biryani fiasco. She came to the house for helping Aadhya deal with her anxiety for longer times now. Whether this was working or not was debatable. Aadhya did seem to be making a sincere effort to be polite to Anupama since her birthday and seemed to genuinely enjoy dancing with her. But at the same time, the struggle by Aadhya to contain her anger and dislike was obvious too in her rigid and curt manner. Anuj had not proposed to Anupama yet and the only reason that came to Shruti's mind was that he wanted Aadhya and Anupama's relation to improve first.

It was more difficult than Shruti had thought, living with Anupama for such extended periods of time but she didn't have a real option. There was a definite improvement in her health but returning back to her former self who had faced no bullets was yet a long way away.

Sudden loud and angry voices disturbed the silent atmosphere and Shruti and Anuj exchanged worried glances.
'Ch..Aadhya, try to understand. You like Pari, then what is the problem?'.
'You always do that, you always bring the Shahs into everything! I don't want to go!'.
'Enough, now it's getting too much! What harm can a 6 year old cause? So many students will be there, what difference does it make if one more comes?'.
'I KNEW IT! I just KNEW it!'.

Anuj stood up, walking towards Aadhya and Anupama.
'What's wrong?..'
Aadhya moved backwards, not allowing Anuj to close the distance between them and Anuj halted in his tracks. Shruti moved as fast as she could with the help of her walker and stood right behind Anuj, recognising the first signs of Aadhya's panic attacks as well.

'Anupama ji, what is the matter?', she asked.
'Choti..Aadhya came into my room to give me the printout of my entry card for the special art project class tomorrow. I told her that Pari would be joining us too and to take a printout of her card as well.  On hearing that, Aadhya started talking rudely with me, almost ordering me to not let Pari come tomorrow. When I started explaining,.. '.
'Pops, you insisted that I bond with Anupama Joshi ji. It was only for you that I agreed for the special class! And now Ms. Pari SHAH will also be there..'.
'I don't understand what's the problem! Aadhya, we are going together to the art class which you enjoy so much. You like Pari also. Pari will enjoy too..', Anupama's tone changed to a strict one,
'I have tolerated a lot of this selfishness from Pakhi, won't allow you to behave like her anymo..'

This time it was Shruti who interrupted angrily,
'Aadhya loves her Pops so much that she agreed to go out with you tomorrow only for his sake. Had it been Pakhi, it wouldn't take her 2 secs to utterly humiliate anyone and everyone who didn't let her have her way. My Aadhya is nothing like Pakhi and I don't want this comparison again, Anupama ji!'.

Everyone in the room was stunned hearing Shruti's furious tone.
Anupama responded first.
'Shruti ji', said Anupama, coldly, 'I know you have Aadhya's best interests at heart. But this is a matter between a mother and a daughter and I won't bear any interference in that. Anuj as Choti's father and me as her mother are the only ones who have the right to solve this issue related to our daughter'.