PROMISE TO BE YOURS

CHAPTER 17

JRS and Mrs Silva were babysitting Ragavi while Rudhi took Raghav for one of his medical check-ups. "JRS Rudhi is going to flip when she knows you are making a tree house for a 4 year old" Little Ragavi was sitting on her grandfathers lap and playing with his phone. He had uploaded many games and cartoons for children and taught Ragavi how to play. The little one was all ears "I love Jay arles grandma" "I am sure you do honey because he is the only one in this house who is dancing to your tune" she gave a cute smile with a dainty childish shrug "you don't worry my jewel, I will talk to your mama when she comes" "I love you this much Jay arles" "JRS you must stop giving in to all her demands" "Mrs Silva what do you think of Rudhi" "Meaning" "Meaning do you think Rudhi is a spoilt person" "Oh no she is the most sweetest person I know" "so my Ragavi is also going to be exactly like her. When Rudhi was a baby her mother was like you worried that I will ruin the child but she grew out to be the favorite among all. "when I met Rudhi she was working in one of the hospitals I used to take the kids from the orphanage. She used to be very kind and friendly and over the months we kind of found solace in each other. I think she was looking for Raghav and you in me and I was looking for my children in her"

"After my wife was" he swallowed and made a sign. 'She nodded her understanding'. My sole reason to live was Raghav. I walked out of my father's life and Gupta followed me as he had promised my mother that he will never leave my side. Knowing my father my mother would have thought I needed that support in life. Gupta and I worked in the same company while the family was in the village along with Raghav. I hated leaving my son alone although I knew he was well taken care of and loved. Once both Gupta and I got promoted we got the family down to live with us. I missed my Gauri but I had Raghav and I tried to make the best out of what I had. Raghav was not just my son, he is my friend, mentor and our relationship went beyond father/son. This is when Rudhi was born the fifth child and only girl. From the day she opened her tiny eyes she was loved and adored by all of us. The only person who was not blind with love was her mother Radhika. She thought we were all crazy to love a child so much but that is how it was.

Ragavi was now sitting on the recently installed swing and JRS was helping her to push. Mrs Silva was watching them and listening to the parts she did not know in the Rudhi/Raghav saga. She prompted JRS to continue. "Raghav and I was fascinated with the baby from the day she was brought home. I cannot explain why but I saw my Gauri in little Rudhi. I used to go straight to her cot when I reached home, picked her and went to our side of the house. Raghav would follow us and we will shut the world out so we could spend time together. Rudhi would play on the floor or bed smiling and gurgling. Raghav would do his home work while discussing school stuff with Rudhi and I would keep an eye on them while doing my officer work" "Did this happen very often" "Almost on a daily basis and Radhika was not happy but Gupta managed to convince her to leave us to our selves. I still don't know if I did it on purpose or it just happened but between me and Raghav we alienated little Rudhi from her family. We very selfishly refused to share her with her own family. Rudhi had most of Gupta's ways but Radhika was not happy and she took it out on poor Raghav. He never complained to me but I knew it was happening.

"Rudhi became a very important part of our life and we did everything with her. We travelled around the world. OH in the mean time something very dramatic happened in our lives. SRS my father was fatally shot by a female staff member in his household. My mother had a personal maid and companion by the name of Matilda. She came to the Singhania mansion when SRS got married to my mother. It was arranged and doomed from day one. My mother was very close to me but SRS insisted that I went to college in London and during my absence he managed to get Matilda to slowly poison my mother until finally she was dead. SRS did not inform me and I came only after the funeral. I was never close to SRS so we lived in the same house but never had time for each other. When my mother was in the hospital it was Gauri who helped her and she was quite close to my mother. After her death I went to thank her with Gupta. A very sweet and pleasant girl. We ended up being good friends and finally lovers.