The Distance Between Us

Track Twenty Seven - Brothers & Sisters

To say that Armaan was surprised at Riddhima's request would be an understatement. He'd thought that Riddhima would toil over the decision for at least a few days before coming to a conclusion. But, she was asking now. He was bowled over.

"What?" Armaan asked, shocked.

"Can I see her now?" Riddhima repeated.

Armaan's words had made her realize that blaming Shilpa was wrong. Really, what was the poor girl's fault that her father was an asshole? And, if she was being completely candid, she loved that Shilpa had given up on him because of her. She hadn't even known Riddhima then, but knowing that she had a sibling somewhere, who her father had abandoned, was enough for her to know that Shilpa genuinely cared.

Blaming Shilpa for what had transpired between her mother and Shilpa's father (that man would never be Riddhima's father. Never.) was wrong. Because, of course, it wasn't her fault. Riddhima just needed someone to take her anger out on, and Shilpa had been the easiest target. So, she'd done exactly that and then started blaming Shilpa for everything, even though none of it was her fault.

If, she blamed Shilpa for carrying that man's blood in her veins, she'd have to blame herself too, because much as she hated it, she shared that man's DNA. And nothing could change that. He'd never be her father, but he'd always be her sperm donor.

"Um... Yeah. Sure," Armaan answered skeptically. Riddhima grinned at him.

The two of them set out to find Shilpa, leaving all the people in the room baffled at what had happened in just in the span of a few minutes.

"Hey!" Armaan greeted Karan. "Is she okay?"

Karan scrambled up from his place on the floor and stood up. "I think so, he replied. "But she hasn't said anything, no matter how much I knock.

He looked to see Riddhima standing behind Armaan and was shocked.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. "Was what happened at breakfast not enough?"

"I... I just wanted to apologize for saying that to her," Riddhima replied in a small voice.

"Apologize?" Karan confirmed.

"Yes," Riddhima answered, nodding frantically. "I didn't think. It was just a shock and took all my anger out on her and that wasn't fair. So, I want to tell her that I'm sorry."

"Please don't say anything to upset her further," Karan pleaded.

Riddhima smiled at him and nodded. "I won't."

She turned and knocked on the door. "Shilpa," she said, "it's me. Riddhima. I... Look... I... God, this is difficult. I just... I'm... Sorry! I'm really, really sorry for... I'm sorry for calling you... God, that was so wrong. I'm sorry for calling you that, essentially equating you with garbage. And, I understand if you don't want to talk to me, but... Um... I would... I'd really like it if we could try to have a civil conversation. I'm not... I can't make any promises, but... Uh... Can we at least talk?"