Mysterious Are the Ways of Destiny!

Chapter - 19

This chapter is not edited.

"Dadi, where did I go wrong? I know I was not able to pick up your calls, but I was in Operation Theatre myself.", Idhant posed this question at his grandmother, Uma.

His flight back to Delhi was scheduled in morning tomorrow. Diwali was after three weeks precisely in the month of November. It was decided that Neerav and Disha would be engaged one day after the pious festival and then the marriage would happen on 19th December.

Uma gently stroked the head of her grandson which was perched in her lap. She exhaled a deep sigh and with full grit and determination answered,"Well, it's time for you to find out yourself."

Idhant, who was sat by her feet on the carpeted floor, frowned," Umm, what do you mean dadi?"

"Don't move from here. It's an order!" And with that, she left her room switching off the lights on her way.

"Girish..Girish..", a few seconds later, Idhant could hear her grandma shouting her father's name.

"Ji maa?", Girish answered almost immediately. "The lights in my room are not working. Come and check.", He folded the newspaper he was reading and made his way towards his mother's room.

Idhant had understood his dadi's plans, but he also remembered her warning laced order. That's why he kept himself glued to the floor.

The moment Girish entered the room, Uma locked it from outside and in a stern, yet pleading voice said," The lights are properly working, son. Please talk it out with him.."

Girish who was still clueless about the whole scenario asked," What do you mean, maa?"

Instead of Uma, Idhant answered," I am in here." And with that, Girish turned on his silent mode and kept standing on his spot in the dark room.

Five had passed and to Idhant, it seemed like an eternity had passed. He could locate his father's silhouette quite near to him, and yet his father, the one he so deeply loved and admired, seemed so far away from him. He could not take it anymore and in the curtain of dark, his tears started rolling down his eyes. It was the thing about dark. It gave you the liberty to be yourself without showcasing your weaknesses to any naked eye.

The irony of the situation..two souls stood so near, yet oblivious to the others' emotions. Two souls who cared about each other deeply did not know how to initiate a conversation. Certainly, destiny has its own mysterious ways.

Idhant did not mean to, but a timid voice escaped his throat without his permission and pierced Girish's heart," Papa, I did not want dadu to die."

It was as if someone had taken Girish's heart into his hands, squeezed it mercilessly and then tossed it aside carelessly. This was what the vulnerable voice of his son did to him. He did know he had hurt his son so deeply. Trying to escape his own nightmares, he had tarnished the brightest star Ahuja family possessed. 

Using the little light from the closed window, he moved towards his son and bent in front of him.

Idhant's cries only grew louder and when his father's hand touched his hair, he could not help leaning into his touch. 

'Your son was so desperate for your warmth, Girish. And yet, you were so selfishly immersed in your own ocean of grief, unknown to his misery', Girish's heart chastised him. 'Now it's the time to make things right.'

And thus, he hugged his son, his son's bitter cries muffled by his chest, and started running his hand upside down his back. When he sensed Idhant had calmed down a bit, he started narrating things from his own point of view.