APPLE OF OUR EYES

8. LACK OF REALISATION ??

"I am not!! Because what you have done is no child's play."

Karthik's patience is unparalleled when it comes to his family, his son. But that day, he didn't have any patience or kindness left in him for his son. That alone told Abhimanyu how wrong he was to hide such a big thing from his parents. 

Until now, the kid was only thinking that his parents would be disappointed because of his decisions, which spoiled his career. 

But Karthik, his father, successfully made him question every single thing. His mind was reeling with 1001 things but his father's words reached past them as he continued "Waise bhi....Bachon ko apne parents ki zarurat hoti hain. They usually depend on their parents for guidance, support, comfort, assurance and at times even correction which only they can offer. But you clearly passed that stage and how." 

Those words..... Karthik had always envisioned saying these words to his son with pride, a broad smile on his face, congratulating his son on his maturity and independence. He had dreamt of the day he would tell Abhimanyu that he had grown up, making him a proud father. Not in his worst nightmares did he imagine to say those words to his son, not in celebration but in disappointment, sarcasm, an aftermath of betrayal. 

"You don't need us to protect you from harms way anymore. You can deal with it on your own.  You are an adult and you have the right to live your life on your terms. As long as you don't do anything illegal or immoral, you should be fine by yourself." He declared monotonously, his voice devoid of all emotions. 

Abhimanyu, for the first time, in his 20 years of life, was scared to this extent. He wasn't this scared when the doctor manipulated him into believing that he won't be able to play badminton ever in his life again.

 He wasn't this scared when he attended all the treatment sessions himself, despite hating needles and hospitals. 

But right now, he is terrified. 

His mother, just walked away declaring that she is dead to him. His father announced that he should be fine by himself. He was too terrified to even cry. He just tightened his hold on his father's hands, almost believing that he will have his father with him, by physically restraining him that way. 

He shook his head as he pleaded his father "Maybe I can but I don't want to be. Yeh sab .. yeh sab mat bolo aap please Dad. This.. this is not at all done. I will always want you by my side. M...Mai kitna bhi bada hojaun, 25 ka hojaun ya 30 ka, I will always need you. Please don't say such words, Dad. You are hurting me." 

Karthik felt his heart squeezing, as he saw his son fumbling for words, his tightened hold, those desperate, scared and lost eyes..... everything hurt Karthik much more than it hurt Abhimanyu but the betrayal he felt because of his son's actions superseded everything. He was breaking inside, but Karthik didn't let it show because he didn't want to. He knew that his son needed this reality check more than mollycoddling. 

"You can't say something, do something and mean something else Abhi. It doesn't work that way. Life isn't as convenient as you think it is."

"Mujhe nahi pata woh sab Dad! Mujhe nahi samajhna kuch bhi life ke bare mein!!! Mujhe bas itna pata hain ki aap mere Dad ho. Main aapka Bacha hoon. Hamesha rahunga." Abhimanyu yelled, not liking his father's words a bit. 

"Abhi!!!" Karthik raised his voice at his stubborn son but Abhimanyu was in a mood "Kya Abhi Dad? Main Bacha hoon toh hoon. You can do nothing about it. Main chahe kuch bhi karloon, jitni bhi galtiyan karloon, I will still be your kid. Aapka Bacha. Just because maine kuch galti kardi, you can't say such words to me. I don't deserve them!!" He stood for himself stubbornly.