Destiny

Chapter 2

 Chapter 2

Sanya knew Amit needed time to think about how much he wants to share with her family. She had tried to tell him it wouldn’t make a difference to her family, but he handn't been willing to take the chance. He didn’t care for himself, but he didn’t want to hurt Gauri.

“Aunty, Gauri was not yet ready for us to reveal her relationship to Amit. She didn’t want to complicate things for Amit with his parents,” Sanya felt really sad for Gauri. Initially she thought Gauri didn’t like her, but found out Gauri stayed away because Amit’s mom wouldn’t approve. Amit and Sanya didn’t give Gauri a choice and finally Gauri started to spend time with Sanya.

“Sanya forget all that for now and tell us why Amit and his parents have kept Gauri hidden all this time,” Sanya’s father, Balraj Patel, spoke up from the other side of the room. He walked over to them and stood in front of them with a disapproving expression. “Maybe I should call your in-laws here so we could clear this up.”

Amit’s head snapped up and he shook his head, “No, Uncle please don’t call my parents, it will only complicate things. I will tell you everything and then speak to my parents later.”

Siddarth thought it was odd that parents would try to hide their own child. What could be so bad about Gauri that her parents would disown her? He waited for Amit to explain, but he had a feeling that whatever he revealed would complicate things for his family also.

Amit looked around at all the expectant faces and thought where to start. It is best to start at the beginning so he can leave some things out, "Gauri is four years younger than me, she and I were both brought up, mostly, by my father's mother. After I was born my mother stayed home with me for a year but when Gauri came along she refused to take unnecessary time off." Amit felt Sanya's hand on his leg and felt relief at her support.

"My grandmother and mother never got along but it got worst after Gauri was born. My grandmother did not like the fact that my mother ignored Gauri. When Gauri was three my younger sister Avni was born and mom decided to quit her job and raise Avni herself. So my grandmother decided to take Gauri and go live with my dad's older sister, who was not married. Dad also agreed since he was tired of all the arguments all the time," Amit stood up and moved to the window to get his thoughts in order.

He turned back towards his in-laws and he could see the disbelief on their faces. He knew he made the right decision about keeping the truth from them. "My grandmother wanted to take me also, but mom refused to let me go. Gauri and I have always been close and I also begged mom to let me go but mom wouldn't budge. My aunt didn't live too far from us so I still got to spend time with them after school and on weekends."

It was thanks to his dad that Amit had been able to stay close to Gauri and his grandmother, "Gauri graduated from nursing school when she was twenty one. My aunt had married and moved away so Gauri continued to stay with my grandmother. Just before Gauri was to start her first job grandmother passed away," Amit needed to get this part out quickly and make it believable.

"My grandmother had a will made a year before she died leaving everything to Gauri. This upset my mother and she decided to contest the will. When it was all said and done the distance between my mother and sister was unbridgeable, not that they ever bonded like a mother and daughter should, even before my grandmother died," Amit closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He, at least, had known what it is to have a mother and a father but Gauri was deprived of both of her parents love.

"I never intended to hide anything from you, I just needed time to convince Gauri to be part of the wedding. She doesn't want to upset my parents and ruin the happy day for Sanya and me," He looked at Sanya's parents apologetically.