Him And Her [Editing]

Chapter Seventeen

*4 months later*

Aradhana's POV:

I walked cautiously up the stairs balancing and avoiding any sort of harm to my now fully swollen belly. Oliver was out to buy groceries. Normally, we'd go together but, since the babies were almost due, I wasn't in the state of going outside anywhere. Aunt Pat was in the kitchen cooking dinner and Maureen was busy in feeding Silas. I had lied to Maureen about going for a little shower. I was actually going up to get a very important letter.

My grandpa had given the letter to me before he passed away two years back. He had requested me to keep it and open it whenever I felt it was the right time. The time when I was expecting a happier change in my life. I didn't know what that meant. I think, I do now. On reaching the last pair of stairs, I halted to catch myself a breath. I held my belly again feeling the tiny bodies of my children moving. A smile appeared on my face as I stroked my stomach.

I entered Oli's and I's room while shutting door behind. I walked across the room and reached for the door to my closet door. I jerked it open and stood tip-toed to reach for small rectangular box. The box had been with me since the time my grandma gifted me on my 15th birthday. It was more of a ethnic jewelry box with some warli art painted on it.  I carefully got the box out and whipped the dust off it with a dirty cloth that was lying next to it. I took it with me toward our bed. I placed it on it. I sat next to box and opened the lid. An envelope lay neatly above some miscellaneous things. My hands shook as I proceeded to pick it up. My heartrate was starting pace up. I had to force myself to keep calm. My palms started to sweat uncontrollably. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.

My hands finally touched the envelope. I convinced myself that there was no going back from here. Without wasting any time, I teared opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. My grandpa's neat handwriting read my name.

My dearest Ara,

If you are reading this letter, I am assuming that your journey so far has been mixed with a whole lot of emotions and as much as I know that I am the one putting you through this is one of the hardest things I've ever done. My dear, I know I left you with a twisted life all together. I apologize for that. Oliver is a good guy just like his grandfather. I know for a fact that if things are not going the way it is supposed to, then they soon will. I want to tell you a story...

10th August 1967, the fall colors illuminated San Francisco. Mom and dad dropped me at Stelther's front door. I was supposed to meet Mr. Stelther for my interview that'll get my first ever internship at his real estate agency. I remember when my parents first moved here, they looked up for about five to six houses but, were never really satisfied with any of them. Finally they came to a decision of narrowing down to three houses and then two and finally the one. That was not the end of it. The bank and paper work was not nearly as easy as it is now. Since that day, I always wanted to be the one who helped people find their perfect home.

I remember standing in front of their porche sweating it like pig. I don't know how long it had been until the door unlocked. A boy around my age greeted me with a genuine smile plastered on his lips. He said his name was Darren. He asked me how long I had been waiting. I told him that it had only been a moment. Days and weeks passed by, I had worked hard to prove myself to my parents that I could be well enough real estate agent. One summer afternoon, I was busy sorting some pictures of a 3 BHK house for one of Mr. Stelther's clients. The door of the cabin opened, and he walked  in straight. I think, he didn't recognized me. I did though. His eyes were mesmerizing. They hadn't changed at all. That day I realized, I was flipped. I knew I wouldn't be able to ever remove those eyes out of my memory.

I was informed by Mr. Stelther that Darren was his nephew. Darren and I hit it off immediately. Who knew that in the days to come, we'd become great friends. He was amazing. With an absolutely great personality, character, heart and soul. If I were a girl, I would label him as potential boyfriend and eventually a husband. Unfortunately, I was just a boy. A lovesick puppy. A boy who will never have a slight chance with this boy. America was not yet open to homosexuals or bisexuals or even transgender. So, freedom of sexuality was out of the question in the society we lived in. It was humiliating. It was nerve wrecking to watch him, to talk to him, to share hug or a pint with him without acknowledging my feelings toward him. It was harder living with the fact that he was dating girls and kissing them in front of me, taking me to double dates with girls. But, it used to hurt harder to accept the fact that to him, I'll always be nothing more than a 'bro'.

Five months of knowing him, he invited me to one beachside, bonfire night. Naturally, I went along. I remember getting drunk, out of my mind and cursing him for hurting my feelings and making out girls who didn't love him the way I did. I was out of control. I think, I also tried kissing him. He heard he didn't take it well. He and I didn't speak for over a week. Those were the worst days of my life. I couldn't concentrate on my work. All I thought about was him. One fine day, he knocked my apartment's door. I invited him inside. He commented about how clean I kept my apartment and that it looked homely. I didn't like the tensed atmosphere, I apologized for what I had said and what I was about to do. He chuckled and told me that we actually did kiss. He said he liked it too. That day onwards, things started to fall into place. We spend almost all of our time together. But, didn't really act like couples in front of people. But, at least I was happy that secret or not, we both loved each other dearly.

When the time for making a clear decision on our relationship came, we knew that given the society we lived in, our relationship wouldn't be accepted by anyone. We both knew that in the future, we had to get each other a wife and have children with her. However, I told him that I had to keep a promise. A promise that when the circumstances changed, we had to get back together. I am gutted that this never happened and that it will never happen either. When Darren was passing away, he wanted me to make a final promise to him. He wanted me to make sure that you and Oliver got married. I knew that was the right thing to do. It might seem supid and irrational but, I knew you two would be great together.

My darling, I am not sure if you'll forgive me for this or not but, I hope that life will bring great things your way. Things between you and Oliver will work out, trust me.

FYI, this is a secret between you and I. Okay?

Your grandpa."

The letter slipped out of my fingers and fell on the floor. I couldn't believe what I had just read. I didn't mind the fact that my grandfather was gay. But, the fact that my grandfather was right about Oliver and I's relationship. It didn't have a slightest chance working initially but, things did fall into place. My grandfather's voice rang into my ears as he was saying his final goodbye.

"Promise me Ara that no matter what happens, you'll stay strong and pure till things fall right into place. Promise me not to run away when things get harder. Stay and fight for what's right. Learn to forgive but, never forget. Fall in love with the right guy and love the right amount. Stay and fight for the people who matter. Never ever think what others will say. Do whatever feels true to you and your heart because, it's you who matter and it's you who'll ever matter for you. I love you, darling."

"I love you grandpa. I promise to stay for the people who matter. I am not gonna run again." I whispered.

*_*_*_*_*

Hola people! I am sorry for not writing. This chapter had to take this long to write. I had to choose the right story and the correct words. I know from the very first chapters, I had to reveal the promise Aradhana made her grandpa. And what actually her grandpa planned for her and why it had to end up like this.

Thank you to every single one of you to read this story. I am just happy that there are a fraction of beautiful people like you guys who are happy reading the book and support my characters.