Duty of Love

Chapter 13

Meera's POV

" Dad, your coffee? "

" Meera , will you sit with me for a while"

I stared at Dad perplexed

" I just wanted to talk to you" he told me

I sat down beside him while he folded the newspaper he was reading and took a sip of the coffee.

" Nice coffee" saying this he smiled at me.

I smiled back and waited for him to speak.

" I always prided myself on doing the right thing but how I let injustice happen in my own home is beyond comprehension. Now, I would be taking this guilt to my grave"

Before I could interrupt, Dad continued

" Maybe not at first, but later I wanted to break the ice between us . You were young and as elders it should have been us who should have behaved maturely but  everytime I would stop myself as I didn't want to ....." he stopped suddenly.

" go against me" I heard Mom saying

I turned to see Mom coming towards us . She sat near me. To be honest , I was feeling uncomfortable as well as elated.  This was the first time Mom and Dad were talking to me so openly.

" After your marriage,  it still took a little bit of time for us to become normal. Then your Dad talked to me to let the past be but still I was not able to let go off my anger. What people say is true, we are more hurt by the ones who are near and then it becomes difficult to get over it. " Mom's eyes filled with tears. My condition was also not better.

"When Adi announced your pregnancy,   that moment I thought to let the past go and embrace the future. But it was  becoming very difficult to cross the chasm which we created. By that time, you also have withdrawn away from us"

" Mom, I...."

" No, Beta , We don't blame you. It was our actions that led to that" Dad said

" I thought once the baby comes, it may help us in reducing the distance between us . So I let the matter be and that was the mistake ...no...sin that I did tha..t cost us 5 yea..rs" Mom was silently crying by the end.

There was silence for a couple of minutes

" Once Devu and Anshu came, we could see a different  you.  You were glowing with happiness. Adi was on cloud 9.  Anaant and Aparna also started spending time with us.  So we thought everything  was on the mend but didn't  realize it was all just a mirage. We didn't understand that our silence were only making you go more away from us. "

I could see guilt more than pain in her voice and eyes as she was speaking.

Hearing Dad speak I looked at him,
" At one point, I thought of talking to Adi but then stopped myself as once his choice was taken out of his hands and I didn't want to do that to him again . But I wish I had spoken to him then what happened now would have happened much much earlier" Dad said regretfully

Suddenly,  Mom folded her hands in front of me

" Please forgive us , Meera " Before I could say anything I saw Dad also folding his hands in front of me.

I was not able to do anything other than  nodding my head in no. Tears were flowing uncontrollably from all our eyes.

" I know mere words and sorry are not enough to forget the pain you endured who should have been treated like a princess but has been ignored. Its time for our retribution. You have time and time again proved your worth now please give us a chance to prove we are worthy of you. "

Mom's words were continuously running through my mind from morning. Its true that I don't hold any grudges. They are my family even before I came here as the daughter in law.  Mom was right about one thing. After the kids were born , I too distanced myself fearing rejection. Now they have taken the first step, asked for a chance to right the wrong.

More than them , I think I deserve the chance. A chance to have a happy family , a family whom I love and who loves me. A chance to have a partner to whom I could share my deepest fears and craziest wishes. I felt the hope that I have hidden in my heart all these years suddenly taking a life of its own .