The Ordinary love

II

Grandma didnt say anything throughout the way to home..she gazed out into nothingness outside the window..
"Grandma, we got home"
"Oh...h..ok"
I hold a hand of grandma and slowly got off the car, and just before we were about to opened a door, a voice of  a lady stopped us.
"Ms.Sabitri "

I dont need to look back to know who she is because only she has this high pitch voice and unfortunately, is our neighbour who lives just opposite of our house.
She was with her husband.
" How are you,ms savitri?"
"Yea..ok" replied grandma almost like a whisper.
"I heard that Chandra is doing PM's operation. How is he?"

Its not even half an hr and the news  has already spread out everywhere.
I shake my head. Seriously these aunts. Their mouths and ears are more faster than a light.

"Yea" grandma heaved a heavy sigh with narrowed eyebrows.
" An operations are nothing to him ..its just today.."she glanced at me and paused..
"You know..we are just worried about him." Her husband continued ..

She wanted to say something but she kept looking at me and held her words.
Grandma just smiled thinly..Despite of her nature like an old grandma in just her early 40's , there was some sincerity in their words..I dont know how much weight is there in their words  but yea, everyyear, on this day, they comes to our home and asks about him.

" we are just ...you know" her voice was dry and her eyes squeezed. A pain and regrets were visually shown in her eyes along with the glimpse of tears.
Her husband hug her arms.
" he is okay, dont worry"  grandma assured her using all her strength to make a sound.
"And..yo.."
" i need to prepare a dinner, will talk you later" having said so, grandma entered a house.

Its still a bright day. Nobody prepares dinner at this time but they seems to understand her words and didnt say anything further.
 
**
I couldnt sleep. Tonight is unexpectedly black with a heavy rain like  it is crying, screaming wholeheartedly, and this chilled air, It feels like it is trying to say something to me. I am feeling this air, this rain like i am having a deep conversation with them.
I changed sides of my bed again but still couldnt sleep.
The things that happened today has stuck in my mind.
That uneasy, indescribable, hurted gaze of my father, that incomplete words of neighbour aunt and more,grandma cooked dinner straight 2'o clock till 9 without any single word.  If its just these things then i would have ignored it but the silence of my grandma for more than million of days that i could hardly counts has always made me question. There is definetely something,i am sure. I have this confusion, this question, this eagerness to know,from last few years.
I want to know but i dont know how to ask morever, what to ask.
I closed my eyes.

I was in a deep thought when i heard a noise outside. Someone opened the door. I stayed quiet. May be, its dad.
I looked at a clock that was on my side table.

Its 3:00 am.

Its preety late. May be its because of PM's operation today.
I changed my side again, ignoring the sound outside but only after few minutes, i heard a noise again, quite unusal one, like someone is talking.
Who might be talking this late?
First, i tried to stay quiet and ignore but the voice buzzed more. i had messy  mind today and now, this curousity to know whats happening outside is killing me and before i knew, my curousity led me to the sound. I followed the voice
And It led me towards my dad's room.
I walled as quietly as possible and slowly eavesdrop from the door.
He was talking with someone.
Only when my ear touched the door,i realized that the door  was ajar which made it easier for me to take a peek.

Room was dark but with a little light of his mobile, i could see his face.
He was leaning on the bed hugging his both knees, mobile on the floor, messed up hair, scrambled shirt, soaked clothes and that indescribable eyes.
Its hard to believe that he is the same person seen in this morning.
" Everything gonna be okay, trust me" says a man on the line .
His mobile was on speaker mode.
"Its been 12 years.."  he emphasize the words as a pair of tears fall down his cheeks.

My heart squeezed tightly with a surprise and pain.

A face that was beeming with his beauty was now scattered. A voice that was full of confidence was now trembled. I have never seen him so weak and vulnerable.

" Come back..." he hold the mobile tightly when he didnt get any reply from other side.
" please " his voice trembles as tears break down again from his swollen eyes.
I grabbed the knob of door as i felt the sudden  pain in my chest.i felt like i was being struck by lightening seeing him in this situation for  the first time in my life.
How long has he been suffering? How long has he been holding his pain? How long has he been in this vulnerable broken stage that i am still unaware of. How long has he been crying all alone? How long..

I jolted  when a sudden hand grabbed my shoulder.
"Grandma, grandpa"
"Lets go " grandma slowly wiped her tears.
"But" i looked back to that dark room and then to them.
" lets go" grandpa requested with his red teary eyes.
" um" .
There is definetely something i am unaware of.  I nodded but i cant stand anymore, i need to ask them therefore, I followed them to their room instead of going to mine.

Grandpa made her sit on their bed. I went to sit beside her.
After a moment of silence , i decided to speak.
" grandma, was ..was he always like that? "
She raised her head and look at me with her surprise gaze.
" always like that? ". She looked towards grandpa. They look at eachother as if i had asked the most unreasonable question.
He heaved a painful sigh then sat beside me,saying absolutely nothing.

She, then, took out the photo frame from her bedside drawer. She hold the frame as if it was the most dearest thing to hold.
" do you think he was always like that?" She gave me the frame.

When i flip the frame, i was stunned .