It was Mrs. Dhanjani. "It's getting late. Come....Sakshi." There was an uncertainty in her voice and she was stealing glances at Akshay.
"I'm not going." Sakshi said. At that we all turned to her.
"Why?" Aunt Ruby asked.
"That's exactly I want to know. Why? " Sakshi said with anger in her eyes.
"What are you talking about? Your father is waiting, come." She said and turned to the door. Surely she sensed the tension in the room.
"Indeed he's waiting. But at his home." On Sakshi's reply she stopped. "Isn't he there mom? Waiting for me! Us!" She turned slowly. She had fear in her eyes and guilt.
"We know what you did. But we want to know why?" Akshay said very calmly. The calmness in his voice was cold. Cold enough to hit on bones through the flesh.
"I... I don.. don't know what you children talking about. It's la.. "
"Enough." Akshay shouted this time way louder that I cringed and Shruti jerked. "It's late and you want to go to your house with your husband to live a peaceful life and I won't stop you...." He inhaled sharply and started again. "But before that... I want to know why... Why you left me and father behind? Why you chose him over me? Why you left your son to mourn upon your death that never happened? Tell me mo... Mrs. Dhanjani." Akshay fixed his gaze at her. Aunt Ruby's face was like a deer caught in the light.
"You know that your father and I, we weren't happy together. He was always busy, never had time for me. For us. I passed 7 years with him in hope that gradually he'll give us time but that never happen. And then one day I met Arihant in a conference. Then after some of our meetings we started seeing each other. 2 years, but your father hadn't even noticed once cause he was a workaholic. One day I asked him for divorce but he refused and even after that his behavior towards me, to us hadn't changed. What more can I expect from him. Weren't 10 years enough to fall in love. But we never fell in love with each other." She stopped with tears in her eyes. She came to Akshay and tried to touch him but he moved backwards. "I couldn't have taken both of you. Trust me son I never wanted to leave you behind but I knew your father will find out the truth. I took her cause I never wanted her to spend a life like mine. You were older and I knew you can handle yourself. So I..... "
"Yeah I handled myself very well. You know after knowing that my mother and little sister died and I even couldn't see their bodies I locked up myself in that very house for 2 years. I went into depression, was unable to recognize anyone for 6 months. But you were thinking that I handled myself well." Akshay had tears in his eyes and he was laughing at his mother's face. I never had seen him like this, none of us. He was always the wise one among us, calm, patient. But today he was on the edge of breaking.
"You took her cause you know she can be easily manipulated. She was a little girl. You left me cause you thought I would handle myself. You made all these decisions yourself because you thought it was worthy. I had loved and missed you all these years prayed to God to send you back to me. But you know what, now I think I wished for wrong. I wish I never had prayed for you." He turned around and went my window Shruti was going to him but Sakshi held her hand. She has a pleading look in her eyes to Shruti stopped. Sakshi kept her right hand on his arm.
"Bhai. I'm sorry. That you had have to suffer all these alone, but now that I'm here. You'll never be alone. I'll be there by your side. I don't know either you wished wrong or not, but I wished for the right thing. I wished for you and father. And now that I have gained my wish I won't let it go." Akshay turned and hugged her. Aunt Ruby was crying now. Soon my parents along with Mr. Dhanjani came.
"What happened?" My mother asked to Sakshi's mother. Mr. Dhanjani came and hugged his wife. "It's him. Isn't he?" He asked tenderly and she nodded her head.
"I want to see father." Sakshi said to Akshay. My parents were looking here and there cause they knew nothing.
"Akshay and uncle are staying at our house tonight you can come with us." Shruti said to her.
"Can I Ananta?" She asked to bhaiya and her parents looked at her. They were right there but she was asking to bhaiya it also surprised my parents.
"What's happening here Mr. Dhanjnani?" My father asked to Sakshi's father. And he exhaled loudly.
"There's something we need to talk about." He said to my father then turned to Sakshi. "I know you're hurt and angry. But know one thing child that what we did, we were young and in love. We thought that was the right thing to do at that time. Now when we look from here we know that we made mistake. But we love you and your mother never stopped loving you Akshay. We are very sorry. I'm not saying you to forgive us just....don't hate your mother."
Saying this he took aunt Ruby and my parents followed them. Soon Shruti, Akshay and Sakshi left for Shruti's house. Bhaiya side hugged me.
"Everything will be alright." He said to assure me but it felt like he was assuring himself.
YOU ARE READING
Together.. Till Death Do Us Apart.
Romance"Tell me Ka... Mr. have you slept with her when we were still together." She said with anger but hurt and jealousy was evident in her features. She saw him flinch when she stopped herself from calling his name. "You don't know the truth. Let me expl...
