Social Distancing (COMPLETED)

Chapter 28

The next day came soon. Amulya was not ready to talk to her parents about Alaric. She had an idea how that conversation was going to end. But she had to do it, before her parents spoke further with Rahul and his parents about the wedding.

She sat in front of her laptop waiting for the call to connect. A few seconds later her dad picked up.

"Hi papa" She smiled at him.

"Amu!" he exclaimed "I missed you. How are you doing? Are you taking care of yourself?" he started firing the questions.

She answered all of them before moving to the reason she called.

"Where is mama?" his father called out to her mother, who came onto the screen a few seconds later.

Her parents were looking at her expectantly waiting for her to break the news. He almost backed out, but again she had to do it; now or never.

"I met someone" She told them waiting for it to settle down.

"What exactly do you mean?" he mother asked, already knowing what her daughter meant. She just didn't want to accept what she doubted.

"I met a guy. His name is Alaric. He is my neighbour here. He is a very sweet guy. I'm in love with him, papa" she finally said it.

The secret was out in the open now. Her parents knew. She half expecting her parents to cut the call of, but her mother would never miss a chance to let her know how much she disappointed them.

"We trusted you, Amulya" she snapped at the girl. "We believed that you'd know your limits. We allowed you to go all the way to another country, paid for you education and is this how you repay us?"

"Mum I−"

"I' don't want to hear you reasons. Was this why you said no to Keshav?"

"I didn't even know Alaric when I broke it off with Keshav"

"So now you are talking back to me? Whose influence is that?" her mother snapped, obviously blaming Alaric because Amulya stood up to herself.

"No one's mum. I decided I'm done with you guys deciding my life. Why do I have to marry the guy you chose? I can't just love anyone just like that, you know?"

"Oh, don't talk like you haven't just loved that guy" her mother rolled her eyes.

"Ma, this is different. Alaric is a sweet guy. You'll love him"

"Too bad I'm never going to meet him. You are not marrying that guy and that's final"

"Mum, I love him"

"ENOUGH AMULYA" it was quiet for a second, Amulya stared at the screen, tears forming in her eyes as she saw her father shout.

Twenty five years of her life she never heard him raise his voice.

"Enough is enough. Stop playing all these games. You are not marrying a British guy and that's final"

"But, papa" she was yet again cut off

"I don't want to hear it. You aren't getting married to anyone but Rahul. It's chosen. I never expected you to turn out into a disappointment" he said as he stared at Amulya's mother "We should have killed her when we found out it was a girl"

That line was enough to push her off the edge. Sobs raked her body as she cried. Her father wished she was dead. Why; because she fell in love with someone outside their community.

"You heard your father Amulya. It's final"

"But Madhan got to marry the girl he loved. Why can't I?" She knew her sister in law wasn't from their community, or religion.

"It's different"

"Explain to me ma, how is it different?"

"You have changed Amulya. The old you wouldn't have spoken to me this way. You are so ungrateful. I have raised you, fed you, sent you to school, paid your bills, and is this how you treat me?"

"I'm not some charity case mum. I didn't as to be born; it was your duty to those things. I am very grateful for that but you cannot control my life; decide how I breathe"

It was silent for a moment; her mother was out of words.

"It's your life Amulya. You choose if you want to marry him or not. But if you choose him; you are dead to us."

~*~

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04.05.20