Chapter 17

17

Simon stood in front of the mirror and fixed his tie. He watched through his mirror as Kripa walked in behind him. Simon didnt say a word. He was still angry about last night. Kripa walked upto Simon and hugged him from the back. "Im sorry!" She made this cute face that always got Simon. He turned around and held her face. "Kripa just promise me you wont lie to me again?"

"I promise." He smiled and kissed her forehead. He left her and walked to the bed to pick up his jacket. Kripa silently tried to slip out of the room but stopped when she heard his voice again. "Wait a minute! Just because I forgave you doesnt mean the story is over. You still have to tell me what happened with Angad and..." He turned to look at her. "This time I'm not taking any other answer!" She quietly nodded as he turned around. This was going to be hard to explain!

Simon drove into Mr. Sharma's driveway, nervously. "Oh god.." Simon muttered under his breath. Kripa placed her hand on Simon's. "Dont worry. He's gonna love you!" But that wasnt what Simon thought. Since the time he had first met kripa's dad, there was this nervous energy between them. He remembered the day Kripa had taken Simon along with her to the airport to pick her parents up. Her father had not once said hello to him or shook his hands like Simon had rehearsed before this meeting. He had looked at Simon without any expression and had walked away. Kripa's mother, living in the shadow of her husband had done the same but had given him a comforting smile, accepting him into the family. This was the third time Simon was meeting Mr. Sharma after the engagement party. Even that day had seemed awkward for him.

When Simon parked the car at the end of the driveway, the door opened and they saw Mr. and Mrs. Sharma walk out to greet them. Simon nervously walked upto them and touched their feet, something he had learned to do now."Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Sharma."

"Morning Simon." Kripa's mother smiled affectionately as she shook Simon's hand and then looked at Kripa. "Honey I'm so happy youre back home." Kripa smiled awkwardly as her mother took her hand and dragged her inside the house. Kripa glanced at Simon as she entered the house and saw him standing there, alone, with her father.

Simon watched as Kripa left, hoping that he would die before he had to spend the next moments with Kripa's dad. "Welcome to my house Simon." Simon gave him his full attention. "Thank you Mr. Sharma. Thanks for the invitation. I'm so..so happy to join your family." Simon tried to give his best smile.

Kripa's father smirked and then nodded his head. "Well I hope youre not getting your hopes high in this marriage simon! This isnt the first time my daughter has brought a boy home. I hope that this time she doenst break a heart." Simon stood there not knowing what to think. This was probably the first time he was actually talking to Mr. sharma and his first words were a warning? Simon felt uncomfortable already but saw her father continue. "Well anyways. Since my daughter has chosen someone..chosen you..I wish you good luck!"

"Um..thank you?" Simon tried to sound nice as he followed Mr. Sharma into the house.

"Kripa I'm soooo happy that youre back. I missed you baby!" Kripa saw her mother smile as she hugged her. Kripa smiled awkwardly and nodded her head. Noticing her behavior, Kripa's mother let go of her and studied her face for a moment. "Honey..honey whats wrong? you dont.." She tried to figure it out again but couldnt. "..you dont seem as happy as you should be."

"Why mom? I'm happy. Really...happy..." Kripa nodded her head, as if trying to make herself believe what she had just said.

"Oh come on Kripa. I'm your mom. I know when somethings wrong."

"Mom please. I'm not here to listen to your lecture again. I'm here with Simon so that you guys can get to know him better! But apparently daddy doesnt even wanna see him!"

"Now you know thats not true kripa! Your father invited you guys himself. I had nothing to do with this. Isnt the effort enough to convince you for once that he cares about you?"

"Oh please mom! care about me? tell me one boy he has approved! You know what I'm starting to think? im starting to think he wants me to die alone in pain and despair. thats what he wants!"

"Oh kripa! gosh, you can be so unreasonable sometimes. you know thats not true at all! if he wanted to tie you down somehow he would have never agreed to let you go do your..your modelling thing! Can you please be grateful sometimes?"

"Whatever mom. I should get back to Simon. I wonder if he's still alive!" Kripa sighed and walked to the living room where she saw Simon sit on the couch across from her father. Not knowing what had happened between them, Kripa walked over to Simon and sat on the arm rest on the couch. She looked at Simon and sensed something wrong. "Um dad. Did Simon tell you that he got a really great offer from one of the best modelling agencies?"

Her father didnt say a word for a few moments. "No I guess you left that out in the..the longgg conversation we had!" Kripa flared up but Simon held her hand to calm her down. She took a deep breath and sank back in her seat next to Simon.

"Okay everyone! Lets sit at the table! The lunch will be served soon!" Kripa watched her mom elegantly walk into the living room. "Already mom? We just got here. Whats the rush?" Her father intervened. "I thought it would be a lot easier if we just cut to the main reason for being here." Kripa stood up in anger. "So all we're here for is LUNCH?"

"Wasnt that what I invited you for dear?"

"i thought that maybe..dont you even care a little about getting to know my fiance better?"

"Fiance! Hah! Kripa that word has NO meaning in your life."

"What are you talking about Dad? Are you out of your mind!!!" Kripa screamed out of anger and not able to take this anymore, Simon stood up. "Mr. Sharma I think we should head to the table now. Its time for lunch." Kripa looked up at Simon with annoyance and then stormed out of the living room. Simon looked at Mr. Sharma for a few seconds and noticed a kind of expression he had never noticed. His face was angry, yet his eyes were sad. Suddenly Kripa's father looked at Simon too and walked away. Simon knew that this was going to be a very long afternoon.

Kripa's mother served the food as Kripa sat there just staring into her plate. Her father continued eating without looking at her once. Simon sat there,feeling like an outsider. He slowly slid his hand and placed it on Kripa's. She turned to look at him and smiled. She felt bad that her father didnt care about her or her fiance at all.

As soon as her father finished his food, he stood up, startling Kripa and Simon. "I'm done. I'm going to my study to finish some work off." He looked at kripa. "When you guys leave make sure you let me know." Kripa watched her father walk away from the table and she stood up in anger. "Simon. Lets go." Kripa's mother stood up too as Simon looked up at her. "We didnt finish eating Kripa. sit down and finish your food."

Angry already, Kripa looked at Simon. "You must be joking! The man just insulted you so much and you still want to eat in his house?"

"He's your father, Kripa!" Her mother quickly interrupted.

"Oh yea? well when was the last time he acted like one? Mom you have no right to talk in this matter. Youre too caught up being Mrs. Sharma that you forgot that youre a mother too." Simon quickly got up. "Kripa! this is no way to talk to your mother! apologize right now!"

"No simon really its.." Simon interrupted Kripa's mother. "Kripa apologize!" She was so angry at this point that she got up and walked away. "Kripa!" Simon ran behind her.

"Kripa!!" She opened the car to the door but he caught her arm and closed the door before she could get in. "What the hell do you think youre doing? Are you out of your mind?"

"Oh SHUT UP Simon!! I just stood up for you in there and you humiliated me!!"

"What? Kripa come on. You know I didnt mean anything like that!"

"Then why are you still insisting on staying Simon? Do you have no self-respect!??!"

"Self-respect? Hey whoa what the hell? I'm doing this to make you happy!"

"you know what simon? I'm not happy at all. im not happy in this relationship, im not happy with you, im NOT HAPPY!!" She screamed and then got into the car and left. Simon stood there like he was about to die. Those words were like daggers into his heart. And what hurt the most was that the one he loved more than anyone else had stabbed him herself.

Kripa drove the car as fast as she could. She was crying. It just wasnt working. This relationship she shared with Simon was so superficial sometimes, she thought. Yes she cared about him but did she really love him? That question kept frustrating her. She wiped her tears as she sobbed. Suddenly the thought of Angad came to her mind and she remembered him as she saw him last. Kissing Sarah. She didnt want to go over that again.

Suddenly Kripa saw another car come in front of her and she put all her force on the brakes. Due to the impact, Kripa slammed her head on the steering wheel and started to bleed. Moaning in pain, she sat back on her seat and tried to suck in the pain. Not being able to bear it, she pulled her cell phone out and called the first person on her redial list, not being able to open her eyes.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Sarah??"

"Yeah..Kripa? whats wrong?"

"I just got into an accident.."

Sarah opened the door to her apartment and then helped Kripa through the door and to the couch. "Ok sit here and I'll go get the first aid kit." Sarah examined the wound for a moment and then went to the kitchen. Kripa, too scared to open her eyes, rested her head back on the couch. Sarah hurried back and sat in front of her. "Okay Kripa. Relax I'm gonna make it better in a few okay?"

"Yeah. Just..please dont use something thats gonna burn. I cant take anymore pain."

"Dont worry!" Sarah smiled. "Gosh youre still the same Kripa. Scared of any kind of physical pain." Kripa smiled as she remembered that night when she was in more physical pain than anyone else. The night she gave birth to Sana.

"All done!" Sarah's voice brought Kripa back to reality this time. "Thanks sarah. By the way..wheres sana?"

"She's out with her Dad." sarah smiled as she put her first aid kit back together. "What?" Kripa looked at her like she was crazy. "Samar's back?"

"No silly! Samar is never gonna come back! I'm talking about Angad." Kripa felt like this last sentence hurt more than the whole accident she had just had. "Angad? Her Dad?"

"Yeah! Sana insists on calling Angad her "dad" coz Samar isnt here anymore!"

"and you let her? what is wrong with you sarah?"

"Hey hey hey! calm down. whats the big deal here?"

"I.." Kripa didnt know what to say. "Nothing. nothing.." She tried to play it off with a smile. "All i mean is. This way shes going to forget Samar!"

"Oh come on Kripa. I dont think she really wants to remember him anyway." Sarah looked at the time and got up. "Shoot. Kripa im reallyy sorry but I have to get to work. I have an important meeting in 20 minutes. So you can chill here till I get back." She grabbed her jacket. ".and besides, Sana and Angad will be here any minute. ok? Bye love!" She quickly kissed Kripa's cheek and ran out the door.

Kripa froze. Angad was going to be here? She closed her eyes again and fell back on her couch. "Ahh!!" She felt her blood surround her wound and it hurt more than she wanted it to hurt right now.

PART 18 COMING UP IN 10 MINUTES!!!