Iniquity: a tale of guilt and love || Completed

11. Glimpse!

~ Every crack that had been bestowed upon you, I promise I will heal all, one at a time~

Suman stood rooted to her spot, as much as it hurt her to see him leave like that, she was more worried for him. She knew if he could be this careless about himself while he stayed at home, he can be more reckless when he would be staying away. With hurried steps, she moved towards their room, to find him packing, more like throwing everything in a suitcase. She was remainded of that one day well spent, when she had packed his stuff, hid his passport, watched movies and did everything else together. How much she had missed that carefree laugh on his face?

" Shravan! Is it important to go?", Suman asked meekly, as she stood beside him, taking the shirt from him and folding it properly. She almost expected him to snatch it back or snap at her, but he did neither.

" How does it even matter Sumo? Sorry, s-suman!", She heard a meek reply and it took her all her strength to not warp her arms around him and tell him how much it did matter.

" You won't take care of yourself Shravan", it was more of a statement than mere assumption, " what If something happens?", Suman asked again, as she fought back tears continuing to pack his stuff. It was as if they were having a normal conversation after centuries.

" There is nothing more left to happen, everything that could have already has", a throaty laugh escaped his lips, but the sight of his face was as if the smiles pained him. Suman narrowed her eyes, these days everything he spoke meant something deeper, it seemed, as if there were layers around him.

Suman sighed, as she turned to face him.
"I am worried Shravan, to let you go alone. Let me also come with you?", Suman requested, her fears taking over her self esteem. For a second, she thought she saw tears in those overtly expressive eyes of his. But the next second, they were gone.

" You have work here suman, and you can't babysit me all the time. You have your own life", Shravan stole his gaze from her as he tried to conectarte on the packing.

" I have nothing important than you", Suman wanted to let him know but she didn't.

" It is not work, is it? You are just leaving me, and everyone else? Right?" , Suman asked and Shravan hid his face again. He should knew suman could read him.

" It is not like I play a very important part in your everyday life suman, or for that matter anyone else's. Don't make a fuss out of it. Work or no work, my existence doesn't matter. The last time I checked you hated me", Shravan shrugged as he picked up his trolley and kept it aside. He looked up to find tears rolling out of Sumo's eyes.

"Sumo!", Shravan rushed to her, his arms encircling her. Everything else was forgotten to him.

"Don't cry Sumo, I am not worthy enough of them", Suman could almost read the pain in his voice, for the first time it was that evident to her. Something was off, something that was burning him alive and he was  tolerating in silence.

"What is wrong Shravan? Tell me please, I beg you. Something is there, which is eating you alive, share with me Shravan, please", Suman almost begged him, still in his embrace, and his hold on her loosened. Her heart dropped, would he leave without answering?

But to her shock, and also to tear her heart apart she felt his tall frame lean in to her, before falling down on his knees. Suman sat down too, in front of him, her eyes expectant. A ray of hope flickered in her eyes, maybe he would open up to him. Shravan raised his eyes and in the next moment, he had spranged forwards to embrace her, tightly. Suman also held him tight, her heart was shredding into pieces. She had never seen him this vulnerable, Shravan Malhotra had always been another name for strength.

Everything came to a stand still, but her insides thrashed mercilessly, when the mighty person in her embrace, broke down into sobs. Hiccupping like anything, he whimpered and cried like a lost child, who didn't know who to look for anymore, his tears forming a pool in the hollow of her neck.

"I am sorry Sumo, I am sorry! I am really very sorry!", He chanted it like a devotee chants a holy mantra, something that gives him divinity. Suman was completely taken aback, the trembling in his body and and his heart wrenching sobs shook her to the core.

"Shravan!", She helplessly rubbed his back, to calm him down, she couldn't bear it anymore. She couldn't see him this shattered, the reflection that she had clearly seen in his eyes today, it was his broken heart, evident as a face is, in a shiny mirror.

Shravan suddenly broke the hug and before she could react he hurriedly wiped his eyes, and face. Cursing himself for falling weak he avoided her gaze and picked up his blazer and phone.

" Take care sumo- suman! And I am sorry again!", Without waiting for his reply he walked past her, and everyone else downstairs and sat in his car, on his way to airport.

Suman stood completely frozen. What had just happened? Was it a nightmare she saw or really her Shravan cried that badly in her embrace? Her shravan! The realization finally dawned on her. Every grave mistake he did on one side and her love for her on the other. She loved him, endlessly and unconditionally. A small smile broke on her lips, she really did love him. And she will bring her love back. Determined, she was about to go to Pushkar when her cell phone rang. Mamiji had called her to Tiwari Killa.

Shravan rested his head on the back seat of his car, the tears he had managed to conceal somehow, flowing again. He wasn't sure about coming back here again, but a huge burden had lifted off his chest when he apologized to her, face to face. Only that, she wouldn't ever know how deep his sorry was. Or for that matter, for how many sins had he apologized altogether. Sighing he wiped his face, and sat straight. He had lots to do before he completely falls apart.

Suman didn't know what to expect, when she drove over to Tiwari Killa. She didn't see anymore reason for mamiji to chid her, she had already paid the debt and the intrest. Moreover, everyone was to shift over to America, by next week or so. Hesitantly, she knocked the door of the house that was once her home, and little Dabbu rushed to open it. A hesitant mamiji was standing behind her, a more nervous smile adorning her face. Preeti, who had accompanied suman, raised her eyebrows at her mother. Suman looked at her mamiji who dismissed Dabbu to go and play, before holding Suman and dragging her to the couch of drawing room.

" Suman beta", her voice quivered, as she held her hands in between her own and looked up to her. Preeti and Suman's masiji, alongwith mausaji and her mamaji stood near them. Everyone was curious like anything.

" Suman beta please forgive me", her mami spoke and everyone gasped in surprise as mamiji began crying. Suman was horrified.

" Mamiji?", Suman's voice was more like a whisper.

" No suman. I am, I really am. For every taunt I hurled your way, for trying to curb your spirit under the burden of a debt which was not even yours. Everytime I have blatantly preferred everyone else over you, everytime I scolded you for trival things while dismissing Preeti's even grave faults, for all the unwantedness you had to face because of me. I have loved you beta, just not like my own daughter, and I am really ashamed of my behavior. In my quench to reach my son, I made you take that horrible and forced decision to marry, initially Aditya and now Shravan", her mamiji was by now weeping. But Suman's mind now froze on only one name, the name that was the core of her existence, Shravan. A few moments later, her mamiji's crying broke her reverie, and Suman wiped off her face.

" No matter what mami, I have loved you like my own mother. And a mother never apologize to her daughter. So, please stop crying. I don't hold a single grudge against you", Suman spoke as she hugged her mamiji who in turn hugged her, first time with all her heart.

An hour later, when Suman left Tiwari Killa, her heart was happy, she now had a family to rely on, in a true sense. She had craved for a mother's warmth and today she have had it. Smilingly she entered Malhotra Mansion when the silence haunted her. Sighing she moved towards Pushkar's room, to talk to him about Shravan.