New Beginnings

14- Bonding with Uncle

Even though Aunt wasn't feeling well, she came out of her room to eat breakfast with others.

Uncle and twins looked like they were in shock upon seeing her.

"What magic did you do, Trisha? Look at Mom's face, she is blooming like a flower whereas she looked like a dry leaf earlier, when we went to her room", Rishi asked looking astonished.

Everyone chuckled hearing his words while Aunt ruffled his hairs affectionately.

"We cleared out our problems, nothing else", Aunt answered instead of me and we all sat down to have breakfast.

I must say that the men in this family really knew how to cook. Food was soooo tasty that I couldn't stop eating even when my stomach was about to burst.

After breakfast, Aunt went back to her room to take rest. Raghav and Rishi too left towards their room arguing about something silly.

I also stood up to go to when Uncle stopped me. I was scared thinking that he was angry with me because of my behaviour yesterday.

Praying that he won't scold me, I waited for him to talk.

"Are you free, right now? I want to speak about something", he asked in a hesitant voice.

His voice didn't seem angry. Relief spread throughout my mind, now that it was clear that he just wanted to talk and wasn't going to yell at me.

I nodded and we moved towards the living room.

"Thank you for talking to your Aunt. I know it must be really hard and awkward for you after hearing our past but it really meant a lot to her", He said giving me a small smile.

"You don't have to thank me, infact you should be angry at me as it was my behaviour which caused her to fall sick in the first place", I told him still feeling guilty.

He shook his head slightly and said, "No one in our family trusted us, atleast you are giving us a benefit of doubt".

I just gave him a small smile in response. I never knew that my opinion on them mattered so much to them.

"Enough of the depressing thoughts, let's push them away for now. I know we didn't get a lot of time to know each other and its totally my fault.

"I didn't know how to talk to you without feeling guilty of not telling you about your mother and I, so I stayed a lot of hours working at the restaurant to avoid the awkwardness", he said sounding guilty.

I just sat there with dumbfounded expression, this was a news to me. I was thinking he was a workaholic to work this much but he was actually avoiding me.

"Please say something", he pleaded .

"I don't know what to say", I told him genuinely not knowing what to say in this situation.

"Please dear, my mind won't be at rest if you don't say something. Please. you can even yell at me", he pleaded, looking really guilty.

"There's nothing to yell. I am angry but you shouldn't have stayed away from your family because of me. You working extra hours, robbed you from spending time with your wife and children", I said knowing how Aunt used to eye the door everyday waiting for him to come home.

He sighed and said, "You are right. I will apologize to them as well. And will spend more time at home. From now on, I will try my best to be there for you too. Will you give me a chance?"

He looked at me with hopeful eyes while asking for the chance.

"Last chance", I told him cheekily.

"Last chance", he repeated letting out a huge sigh of relief.

"Sooo, any boyfriends?" he asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"Unclllleee", I groaned.

Why is this topic favourite for everyone? Whenever there was a family function, the relatives made it their life goal to ask every teenager about their relationship status.

Even if someone was in relationship, who was going to inform them, knowing fully well that the news would spread like a rapid fire.

"Come on, tell me do I need to shoot someone?" He pestered again, making shooting actions in the air.

I shook my head at his antics and asked him, "Do you even have a gun?"

"Well that depends on your answer. Boyfriend or no boyfriend?" He asked raising his eyebrows.

"No boyfriend", I replied chuckling at our conversation.

"Then no, I don't have a gun. And I really like your decision of not having a boyfriend", Uncle said, looking proud.

"I haven't made a decision of not making boyfriend, I just never found someone", I murmured pouting.

"Did you say something?" Uncle asked.

I shook my head to say no.

"Wanna help me in cooking lunch?" he asked standing up .

"I can only make coffee", I told him sheepishly.

"Come, I will teach you", he said smiling.

I smiled at him thankfully as he didn't make fun of me, instead offered to teach me. I stood up and went to join him in the kitchen.

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