The Choice

Chapter-14

Tarun helped Devyani is setting the table, he had decided to stay with his parents over the weekend. ''Are you fine?'' Devyani asked worried. All these years she had never seen her son that quite.

''Yes mom, why do you ask?''

''You have turned silent, that worries me.'' She expressed her concern

''Nothing like that, its just I am self assessing myself. I need to know where I am wrong.''

Devyani smiled, her husband was right Tarun was missing Kajal. She said noting just nodded, serving food to her family. Tarun ate in silence, his parents too decided not to probe. 

''Dad, Is it wrong to like something good in appearance?'' Tarun asked his father when they were seated in the hall as a family.

Jatin smiled, ''No. In fact the first impression is always on appearance , but making it  bench mark is wrong. Why do you ask?''

''Just wanted to know where I am going wrong.''

''Tarun, you are not wrong. I won't ask you full fill all expected out of you but I will ask you to stand up for something you believe in. Son, world is divided into right and wrong, we all are expected to take a side and we should, because the ones in between have no value. They are considered to be cowards.''

''Like me!'' Tarun concluded. ''Just because  I decided not to interfere between Praveen and Sejal, I am a coward. Is it my fault that I am a calm one? You know it dad , I would never prefer a confrontation, and Praveen wasn't a kid that he required me to stand up for him.''

''Yet you should have. Wrong is wrong, there is no justification to make it right Tarun. People who trust and love us expect us to stand by them, even when they are capable enough to do it for self.'' Jatin reasoned

''Dad I never did a thing to hurt Praveen, he was and will be very dear to me. I miss him.'' 

''Then go and sought it out. What's stopping you?''

''He is getting engaged, he didn't bother to invite me. Guess, he is no more interested in keeping his friendship with me.'' Tarun sounded heart broken

''Is it only about Praveen? Or you are just substituting Praveen for Kajal.'' His father teased

Tarun smiled, ''Its about both. I lost 2 most important people in one go, It has to be me or else why would 2 people just turn their faces away from me. But I don't understand, why didn't she confront Sejal straight on that day, she is bold she could have done that easily. I did say sorry dad and I meant it, yet she refused to come back.''

Jatin stared at his son for a minute, did Tarun realized that he just mentioned Kajal as important. He smiled, ''Son, you need to sit and relax and everything will fall in place.'' Tarun nodded, he decided to take a walk alone for sometime before hitting the bed. He still couldn't understand that the reason for Kajal's annoyance wasn't on Sejal's words, it was on him for not standing up for her.

After about half and hour Tarun decided to retire for the night. He moved to his bedroom in his parent's house. He smiled as familiar room freshener odor welcomed him. He looked around, he had missed this place a lot, specially after Kajal walking out. He was thankful that his mother had kept all things the way he liked, he brushed his fingers over the the old furniture and his belongings. His eyes then went to the wall that had his large wedding picture. It was being clicked randomly. Kajal was smiling wide, her eyes  lowered and fixed on her bangles and Tarun had his fixed on her face with a big grin on his lips. The candid moment had come out beautifully as a picture, he recalled talking random things to her. He took a step and stood close to Kajal's picture, watching it keenly. His lips unknowingly stretched into a smile recalling their moments. The first time she scolded him in Shimla he had concluded her to be rude, but his opinion changed when he found her talking to his parents. She sounded lively polite and not to forget intelligent. After that he kind of enjoyed riling her up. The anger was always on the tip of her nose, her eyes would spit fire whenever he would ask something stupid. He chuckled, his finger brushed along the outline of her face  as his heart raced. He missed her, he  missed them.