Separated Love

Chapter 18: Manish and Kartik Have a Heart to Heart

    I look into the mirror as I'm getting ready for the day. Kartik comes behind me and looks into the mirror. He blows a kiss at me, but I know it's to make fun of me for earlier.
    "Kartik!" I elbow his stomach. He can't help but laugh. "Why didn't you tell me that Papa was there?!" He's trying to respond but struggles to get words out between his nonstop laughter.
    "Naira, you were throwing me off with all of your flirting! Before I could even saying anything you ran into Papa. Now that's not my fault."
    "Yeah yeah yeah." I laugh but I'm still embarrassed from earlier. "Anyways, I'm almost done packing some outfits I had here from before. Do you need to pack or are you done? Also, I want to go see Papa, Bhai, and Keerti di before we head back home. You also need to talk to Papa before we leave Kartik. You need to make things better with him."
    "No I don't have anything I need to pack, and WE need to go talk to Papa, remember?" I'll be there with Kartik when he starts the conversation, but I don't want to be there the entire time. Papa deserves alone time with Kartik without anyone coming in between their discussion. They probably haven't talked alone and properly in a very long time.
    "Kartik, I will help you bring up the conversation, but I think this is a talk you both need to have alone. How would you feel if there was a third person there when me and you discussed the past?"
    "Ahh I know you're right. It's just going to be so hard." Kartik looks so defeated.
    "Honestly Kartik, I don't think it's going to be that bad. You're just anxious about it and overthinking it. Parents always forgive their kids for all of the mistakes they make. Papa has forgiven you in the past for how you used to treat him. I'm sure he has it in his heart to do that again. He loves you." I hope what I said gives Kartik the vote of confidence that he needs. He simply nods and carries my bag to bring it downstairs. I hug his arm and kiss it. "You'll be fine Kartik." I smile at him and thankfully he returns the same smile.
    We walk downstairs and the first person we see is Papa. I nudge Kartik and he struggles to say his name. Please say something Kartikkkkk.
    "Uhh...uh..." Papa turns to look at Kartik. Well at this rate neither one of them is going to start talking soon. I interject the lack of conversation occurring.
    "Papa, Kartik needs to talk to you." Papa looks at Kartik expecting him to say something. Kartik's eyes start filling with tears. Papa immediately understands and puts his hand on Kartik's shoulder. Kartik breaks down at this gesture. He quickly hugs him and begins to cry his heart out. Seeing this I take it as my cue to leave them alone. I walk over to the kitchen where I see Dadi watching what just happened. She is crying watching this too.
    "Naira, I didn't realize what you did for this family until you left. When you were here I used to assume you caused the issues, but in reality you were the only one solving them. Manish and Kittu haven't properly talked in so long all thanks to Swarna." Dadi says her name with so much anger. "I'm sorry I never understood your value before, but I won't make that same mistake again." I quickly hold her hands and tell her not to apologize. "Naira, Kittu was so broken without you. I would see him all the time just sitting alone deep in thought. He was so worried about Swarna that he stopped caring about himself. He was afraid of being selfish and losing his mother. So called mother." I decide to stop Dadi.
    "Dadi, I know Ma has made a lot of mistakes, but don't hold so much hatred towards her. At least not now when she genuinely wants to get better. She hasn't been in the right state of mind. Please promise me you'll give her a chance. Please." Dadi pouts and looks down, making my heart melt. I can't help myself and give her a big hug which surprises her. She ends up returning the hug with the same enthusiasm. "I missed you Dadi. I missed you a lot." She tells me to stop crying and shows me in only the way Dadi can that she missed me too.
    "I promise Naira. Naira, please take care of my Kittu. I don't want him suffering anymore. Get him the help he needs, and then once he's better, I want you to get checked immediately for your ankle. You shouldn't be going through this pain. I want you both back to how you used to be Naira. I miss the way things used to be." I smile and hug her again to comfort her. We sit down and talk about everything that happened in my life the past 2 years. After sometime I go to check on Kartik since it has been a while now. Him and Papa are smiling and talking about me. When I arrive their conversation comes to an end.
    "Hey! I heard my name. What are you both talking about?" They both look over at each other acting completely clueless. "Come on Papa! I heard you always took my side when I wasn't here. Now I'm here and you switched teams as soon as you got your son back?" Papa starts laughing and stands up to give me a side hug.
    "Beta, we both were talking about how proud we are of you for taking the initiative to learn Business Management. I can't wait to show off my daughter to the rest of the world. You will be a successful businesswoman alongside us businessmen." I hug Papa back hearing what he just said, but I also know that's not what they were talking about. It's okay it's there conversation and it should remain between them. 
    "Alright Naira. Should we head out?" Luv Kush come running in and hug Kartik and I.
    "Please Bhaiya Bhabhi don't leave. We've missed you so much and you're already leaving!" They both say as they cry. Kartik and I both go on our knees.
    "Kush please stop crying," I tell him as I wipe his tears away.
    "Come on Luv don't cry. We will be back soon!" Kartik tells Luv.
    "You guys can't blame them. The house wasn't the same these past 2 years. You and Naira being here brought the life back into this house." Dadi says as she continues to cry. Kartik gets up and hugs her. I personally don't want to leave them either, but right now this is the best thing to do.
    "Dadi, once I get Naira's ankle treated we will be back to stay here and will never leave again. Naira needs to also finish up her course and I need to get my treatment as well. Hopefully by then Ma will be better as well, and the situation at home will be a lot better." Dadi continues to cry softly.
    "Dadi, I promise we will come visit you in between when we get the chance. It won't be this long. You guys are always welcome to come there whenever!" I say hoping to provide something to make everyone happy. We continue our goodbyes and get into the car. "Kartik, I feel bad leaving when they're all this upset."
    "I do too Naira. Don't worry though. We will all come back stronger from this." Kartik and I hold hands while he drives. "Naira, can I tell you about my conversation with Papa?"
    "Of course Kartik. You don't have to ask." His grip on my hand gets tighter.

***Flashback in Kartik's POV***

    I cry heavily into Papa's arms. I feel like a child again who just wants his dad to comfort him and tell him everything will be alright. Papa gives me a tight hug and tells me everything is okay between us.
    "No Papa. I was so rude to you that night. I disrespected you so much time and time again. How do you keep forgiving me?"
    "Kartik, when you become a dad and have kids, you'll understand how easy it is for us as parents to forgive our children. I knew you were in a lot of pain. I've gone through the pain of losing the woman that I loved the most Kartik. I used to feel helpless and pace around the house every night. I thought I would never be happy again. The person that completed me left me feeling incomplete. I understood what you were going through, and in my case I couldn't get your mom back. However, I knew you still had the opportunity and it used to kill me that even though you were given a chance by God to be reunited with Naira, you were taking it for granted. Look Kartik as your father I want to give you some advice." I look at him and nod to show him that he can tell me. "Kartik, your anger is your biggest downfall. You have ruined relationships in the past because you can't see the truth when you're angry. You hurt Naira a lot Kartik by not trusting her. Her dad gave you his princess to take care of, and you broke his trust by treating her in such a bad way. I understand you wanted her to leave the day Shubham died, but then how did you also expect her to be there for you when you yourself told her to go?" I look at him surprised. How did Papa know I needed Naira by my side? "That's so hypocritical and an unreasonable expectation. You need to learn to communicate with her better. I want you to thank that girl everyday for the rest of your life for forgiving you and getting back together with you. I don't know if you would have been able to do the same if you went through a fraction of what she has gone through. You need to make her feel so cherished Kartik." I listen to everything he says and know that he's right. I was awful to Naira, and I will spend everyday for the rest of our lives making up for that.
    "Papa, I'm glad you told me this. You only further confirmed what I was already thinking...Papa I went through hell when she was gone. That night when I was rude to you, I was so drunk. I started drinking a lot to help drown out the pain. I didn't have anyone to confide in. The one person I used to share everything with had left me. So I turned to alcohol to solve my problems, but now it's standing as one of the biggest issues in my life. I have a drinking problem that I'm so ashamed of." Papa looks upset.
    "Kartik you made a mistake by confiding in alcohol, but look at you. You're already taking the steps to get over this addiction. Don't be ashamed of yourself Kartik. Your situations were terrible. But Kartik, why can't you confide in me? Am I not your dad? I want to be here for you when you're in pain. Let me be there for you please. I feel like I have failed as your father if you can't open up to me."
"Papa, I've decided that I'm going to work on our bond. I want you to be that person that I can talk to. I promise you that I will work on everything you said Papa." I try to hold back tears but I can't. "I love you Papa. I'm sorry." He hugs me and tells me it's okay.

***Back to the present***

I'm so happy that Papa and Kartik were able to have this discussion. Kartik needs someone other than me to lean on as well. He is too used to building up and keeping his emotion inside which causes him to lash out and say hurtful things. I'm so happy that I can't help but unbuckle my seatbelt, hug Kartik, and then kiss him on his cheek while he's driving. This makes Kartik happy, and he rests his head over mine while looking forward and driving.
"Kartik, you always used to make me feel cherished, and ever since we got back together, you still do. You don't need to work on that. All I want from you is to continue being your loving self because that's the person I fell in love with. I know we will get over any obstacle that life throws at us as long as we are together."