Her Sanctuary

30. Home?

Avinash POV

I look at the grey and white tile covered mansion sprawled in front of me. I let the cab go, as I was contemplating ringing the door bell. A man in the attire of a security guard pops his head out from a small window, I hadn't noticed.

"Yes?" he says as I hesitate for a minute and say my name. He nods, giving me a small salute and opens the gate.

"Sir talks about you sometimes. I was very happy when he told me you'll be coming today." He says as I smile and nod, unable to answer. He leads me down as I look at a row of palm trees on one side and a garden in the other. There was a small marble covered area with three chairs kept on it around the table.

I could see my father's car and a Jaguar, which I guess belonged to my brother in the garage.

I avoided stomping over the grass, or the flowers that covered the boundaries and took the concrete driveway. I stood under the roof as the wooden door in front of me opened.

"Avinash, come in child." My father says keeping the door opened as I walk in shaking hands with him.

"Hi... I..." I say handing him the bag with the wine bottle that was around my wrist of only working hand, for ease of carrying.

"This wasn't necessary." He says as a woman enters in her late 40's. She was wearing a baby pink suit with a Banarasi dupatta, as I noticed the imprint of a strand on the fabric of her shoulder, pointing that she was wearing an apron and might be coming out of the kitchen.

"Oh, my child. Come in." she says, looking at me from head to toe. "You are your father's son." She says keeping a hand of blessing on my shoulder before leading me to the couch as my father takes a seat opposite me. She sits adjacent to him, and opposite me as a woman, who I guess must be the maid walks in with glasses of water.

"You have an amazing house." I say as she nods.

"Thank you. We just shifted here last year." My father says, his wife adds.

"It's really big. The old one was smaller I could clean it without extra help, but this... It's better for when Deep ji has his clients over. There's an office, a Jacuzzi that your brother has wanted for the longest time." She says as I take a sip of water.

"He'll give you a tour of the house, after dinner." Ravdeep says as I nod.

"Where is he?" I ask, knowing that he'll be leaving for United Kingdom by day after tomorrow.

"He's just packing. He wouldn't have heard you enter with those huge noise cancelling headphones he has on, all the time." His wife, Kavita says getting up and moves up the stairs.

"She blabbers when she's nervous. Usually she's a very calm and quiet person." My father says, as I nod smiling.

He does deserve all this and more.

"I'm happy for you." I say as he smiles.

"I'm proud of you." He says as we hear a pair of footsteps running down the stairs.

Vikram, walks down in his converse and a grey hoodie with blue slim fit jeans. He has his mother's brown eyes, while I have my father's grey-green orbs. The shape of his face may be like his mom too, but the nose, the ears and the way he walks and carries himself reflected my father, too clearly.

"SP Avinash." He says coming to me, as I get up from my seat for a handshake. The same voice that I had heard in the precinct and was afraid to turn, because I thought it was my father.

"Or should I call you, Bhai?" he says as I chuckle.

"You can call me whatever you like, Dr. Vikram." I say as he takes a seat beside me.

"I had a sense that there was more than you were letting on, but this... well. It's a good surprise." He says as I smile.

"So, Royal veterinary college, London... I've heard from Samayra, how it's a very big opportunity." I say as tea was served with homemade cookies and namkeen.

"Yes, at first I was worried about dad's health after me but now that I know you're here. I feel better about going." He says as my brows furrow and I turn to look at the man in question.

"What's wrong with your health?" I ask as he just shakes his head.

"Nothing serious. Just..." he was saying as his wife interrupted.

"Are you vegetarian? Like I made Non-veg, but before I set the table, I wanted to ask you."

"Non- vegetarian is fine." I says, as she nods getting up to leave.

"How's your job?" my father asks, as I nod.

"I've been on a medical leave for almost a month now and my plaster opens in two weeks, maybe then. If there's no complications and I pass my medical exam." I say as his wife walks in again.

"So, when are we expecting to plan a wedding for you?" she says, as I shift uncomfortably. "I know a few good girls that I can set you up with."

"I'm actually seeing someone." I say as Ravdeep interrupts.

"We know her. It's Sabina. Samayra's elder sister." He says.

"But isn't she divorced, and your father tells me that you've never been married, why would you..." Kavita was saying as his son speaks up.

"Mom, Times have changed." He says and turns to look at me. "Sabina is a gem of a person. She's like my elder sister too. I grew up with Samayra. My mom was working at that time, so her mom was more than happy to entertain us after school till my mother was free. Sabina may come off as rude, but she's really kind hearted and was very protective of me and Samayra during school time." He says as I smile.

"Sounds like her. And yes, she's really amazing." I say as he nods.

"He has a son, right?" Kavita interrupts as I nod.

"Yeah, His name is Danish. He's a soulful little fellow." I say as she smiles.

"I'm sorry if you think that I've crossed a line, I just want what's best for you. We are happy with what you want." She says as I nod.

"Where do you work?" I say politely trying to change the topic.

"I was an accountant at a law firm. It helped make ends meet and pay for Vikram's expensive private school. They suck money like anything. But then Deep's work caught on and I quit about 6 years ago, so I could take care of the house."

I was trying to make an impression of this woman and how she was nothing like the woman who raised me.

Kavita got up, and went up to set the dining table as I asked Vikram about his plans after PhD, if he wanted to settle abroad or move back. He was telling me, how life in India is slow paced and fulfilling compared to long shifts in western countries, as I looked around.

Kavita worked a standard 9 to 5 job, for her child's education. She cooks, dresses simple and even helps the house help. She also thinks that I could do better in life than a divorce woman which according to orthodox thinking is a compliment.

In the thinking of the older generation, a bachelor only marries divorced or widowed woman, if he's incapable of finding a Virgin bride.

If she knew how even more destroyed and fucked up I was from the inside, let alone being a virgin.

If she knew, how Sabina had rescued me from my own demons.

She wasn't as beautiful as my mother was, in the old pictures hanging by the wall. My mother had soft blue eyes, and skin so fair that she would turn red in sunlight. She was tall, slim and curvy at the right places, and maybe that's what got to her head.

Kavita was a short, petite woman at about 5'2", had big beautiful brown eyes that reflected the kindness in her soul.

I wondered how amazing Kavita was, and how shitty my mother was.