BEYOND THE CLOUDS (Completed)

Chapter 15

“When I was travelling to Boston, I promised myself I will never be weak or off guard ever again. And I never am since then. Even though my badepapa was a successful businessman, he took some absolutely foolish decisions on the personal front. One of them being my forced birth and the other was setting up a trust fund for my parents and making me manage it. It left us no option but to come face to face each month. My granddad thought that maybe at some point they might start feeling for me.” The remorse in his voice was eating her alive.

“But to this date their interest lies only in money. Unfortunately for them, the only way to run their lives, passes through my signatures. The day one of them doesn’t turn up on these meetings will be the day I know that he or she is dead.” The coldness in his voice scared her. 

“This is the reason why I drink…every single time I see my parents” he seethed

“I cannot help the rising ache within me that almost threatens to kill me. So I drown myself in alcohol until I cant think or remember anything. Until I can feel no pain for anyone living or dead. Until I cant even remember my name and the names of people who gave birth to an unwanted child and left him unnurtured. 

“M sorry Sidharth” her sobs were uncontrollable, making them both bob on the couch.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you” she heaved.

Wiping her red face wet with tears, he tried to calm her down “u didn’t hurt me baby, I know u wouldn’t ever… Shhhh” one of his hands was rubbing her back while the other patted her head gently.

She fitted herself in the crook of his neck, wetting his shirt with her tears.

“Don’t cry love. M taking your word, that we will be stronger together. My parents aside, I am over my past... its gone and today I declare it buried... forever. I promise” His gentle touch and assurance had stopped her tears.

“Promise me one more thing” she pulled back to face him and held his face

“You will never get wasted on alcohol” she wasn’t sure if she was asking or ordering, but with that, he stiffened.

Letting himself lose out of her hold, he patted her back to get her off him and took out a packet of smoke from his pants.

“May I? he asked, pulling a cigarette out. She hummed and bent down to pick up the ashtray from the coffee table base.

Taking two three deep drags of the cigarette and almost filling the room with the burnt smell, he sighed looking sideways to where she was seated now.

He felt bemused, looking at her pink nose and reddish eyes.

“I haven’t seen a prettier vision than this, love” he fondly cupped her face with his free hand and she let out a giggle.

“You should see me when I put on my charcoal mask. I bet that pretty vision will haunt you for days” she sniffled, rubbing her nose and picked up the Ashtray, gesturing him to can his smoke.

He did and in the next second she was on his lap again.

Her arms circled around his neck while he put his hands around her waist, holding on tight.

“You never agreed to not drinking” Her muffled voice tensed him again. He pulled her back to face him

“I cannot make a promise I don’t trust myself to keep love. Badepapa had his reasons, but even a brief interaction with them drives me to madness. But for you, I will try, I can promise u that” he said anxiously looking at her.

He sounded earnest, leaving no space for her to argue. Satisfied that he might atleast put an effort to stay away from intoxication, she let got of the topic.