Chapter 1 :" Hidden Secrets "

10 Years Later

Lavanya Sanskar Maheshwari opened her eyes and felt a smile curve at her lips to realize it was the weekend until she remembered her scheduled visit to the Orphanage and the smile left her face as she wondered for the umpteenth time if she was making a mistake.

When she tiptoed out of her room after getting ready, she had hoped to avoid meeting her family because if she looked at them, she may very well change her mind. Unfortunately, her luck failed her as she stumbled upon her father who was drinking his cup of coffee in the living room.

" Good Morning dad " She greeted her father and bend down to kiss his cheek as she did everyday for the last ten years, she loved her father so much and she hoped that her actions will not end up hurting them .

" Good Morning Princess, are you going somewhere?" her father asked once she sat beside him, and she never lied to her parents. She was supposed to be the good girl that her parents would always be proud of.

" To meet with Gauri, dad and she wants to give some of her old dresses to the orphanage so we may visit the orphanage as well " 

Lavanya answered back ,it was true Gauri her best friend had promised to bring few of her old clothes but that wasn't the only reason for the visit .

" Do you want me to drop you off at the orphanage Princess? " her father asked yet another reason she loved him ,he would do anything for her .

" No dad, Arnav Bhai, and Kavya are coming with us. We are planning to take Arjun uncle car" She answered back and saw the surprise in her father face that she already had planned the day out without telling him . She had hoped to avoid this conversation hence held on to the silence till now. 

" Is my daughter growing up that she no longer wants her dad company? " he teased her but Lavanya already guilt-ridden heart felt terrible at his words that her father's face grew serious when he noticed her unhappiness.

" Princess, I am just teasing you. Go on and have fun with others. And I need to take Yuv to the practice later " her father answered back and she let herself smile for his benefit.

Since she didn't want to face her mom as well, she sneaked out without talking to her hoping her father would explain about her whereabouts as she took her cycle and drove to her best friend's house. She already saw Arjun uncle car parked outside her best friend house which meant everyone had gathered just like she asked them .

Once she walked inside Gauri house , she felt misgiving about her plan, she didn't want to drag them into her problems and she decided to do it all by herself instead .

" Change of plans, I am going alone " She spoke once the four of them got into the car.

" We are already here and why would we not come with you " Kavya , her cousin spoke up but Lavanya didn't want to drag them in to her problems .

" If my parents found out ,it will hurt them and I don't want them to know you were helping me either " Lavanya answered back .

" Then why do it, Sis? " Arnav Bhai spoke up, he was her cousin and one of the most loyal person in her family and she knew he must have had reservation about her plan and wondered why he was helping her.

" She is doing it because of Swara aunty , I already told you everything " Kavya ,his sister answered her brother with a puff of annoyance .

" But you can talk with your parents Lavanya, instead of going behind their back. Ask them what they know about your birth parents and why they were worried that when you find out about them, you will hate them " this time it had been Gauri ,her best friend who spoke up leaving Lavanya confused about her actions .

Lavanya had been happy with her life and she never once wandered about those who gave birth to her from the moment she had been adopted until last year when she overheard her parents talking, it was an accident she didn't mean to over hear their conversation. It had been her birthday and her father gifted her a new phone and since she usually keep her parents picture as wallpaper ,she went in search of them to take a picture of them together . She knew she was intruding when she found her mother was crying but when her name was mentioned she couldn't make her presence known to them either.

" She is growing up so fast Sanskar, and we decided to tell her the truth by then. I am scared she will hate me once she found out about her birth parents . " her mom's words came as a surprise because she didn't think her parents knew about her biological parents either until that day.

She tried to forget she ever heard that conversation until a month ago, it had been her 16th birthday and her mom remained tensed throughout the day and she kept saying that Lavanya was growing up so fast that Lavanya knew it continued to bother her mother and since she was too much of a coward to ask her parents, she decided to find the answers on her own

" Because I don't know why mom was scared and if the news indeed upset me as she believed, I want to have time to come to terms with it before telling them I know " Lavanya answered back, it seemed logical to her at that time, if finding about her biological parents upset her like her mom believed, she didn't want her mom to find out about it, she had been hoping to come to terms with it on her own then tell her parents that she already knew about it and she was completely fine and doesn't hate them.

" See Lavanya got her reasons, now stop trying to change her mind. You both promised you would support her instead you are busy trying to make her feel guilty,I don't know why you agreed to come if you were going to be so disapproving " Kavya answered back to the others taking her side.

" What did Kavya threaten you with to make you come with us? " Lavanya asked Arnav Bhai after few minutes of silence in a bid to have some diversion

" I didn't threaten him with anything, just told him Gauri will be there as well " Kavya spoke up with a glee full smile.

And Lavanya saw the way her best friend blushed and even Arnav Bhai looked a little taken back to have his secret which wasn't really a secret out . To spare them from embarrassment she stopped asking any more questions.

" Lavanya whatever you learn inside that Orphanage , just remember we are still your family " Arnav Bhai answered back once they reached the orphanage and the familiar place where she lived for six years came into her line of sight .

********************             

Latha Rai had worked in the orphanage ever since her husband died in an plane crush and she lost the child she had been carrying as well . And the Orphanage had been the one place that gave her hope to face a new day, it felt like she belonged there just like the kids who lost their parents, she lost her family and if she could in any way make their lives better it would be worth the long working hours she spends in the Orphanage taking care of them.         

Latha tried to remain impartial to the kids, tried to treat them the same, and yet she had always had a soft corner for Lavanya, and when the little one got adopted into a good family she had been over the moon in happiness for her, over the years they visited the Orphanage often that Latha knew Lavanya was happy with her family, so she hadn't prepared for the question most kids in the Orphanage ask her from Lavanya of all people.           

" Can you tell me anything about my birth parents? " Lavanya had asked her and she had been too surprised by her question that it took her a moment to answer, all the kids in the Orphanage had asked her about their parents at least at one point of their life .           

" It had been just a week since I started working here, Megha came to my room and told me that Savithri Dida wants to see me in her room,  the only thing I knew about the day you arrived had been the fact a man dropped you off in the Orphanage and he claimed to be your distant relation.            

He only talked with Savithri Dida that I didn't know what else he told her but over the years I found out. He had been sending a huge donation for the orphanage, and later I learnt from Savithri Dida that he agreed to keep sending those donations until you get adopted ,it played a part in Dida's reasons to never show you to the adoptive parents who came to the orphanage . And don't blame her, she didn't have any other choice, the orphanage would have struggled without his donation "  Latha told Lavanya who was a bit taken back by the truth  

              **********************

As a child, Lavanya never understood the reason for her seclusion but now she did. Though she was hurt by Savitri Dida actions, she understood her as well. Feeding them who depend on the orphanage was more important than finding a home for her.

" Did the donations stop after I got adopted? " Lavanya asked Latha warden because she didn't want to learn her adoption caused troubles in their life .

  " No Lavanya, your parents were more than generous after your adoption. The orphanage isn't struggling anymore , as you know we almost have double the kids than before " Latha warden answered back at least that gave her some comfort even if she couldn't know more about her birth parents .                  

Lavanya knew from the early day how giving her parents were to everyone in need. But when the warden couldn't help her with anymore she was prepared to leave but a small question lingered in her mind, so she turned around to ask her. 

" So why did Savithri Dida allow my dad to see me, " Lavanya asked the warden because if they were trying to keep her from being adopted then she didn't know how they let her father meet her.

" Well, it was because I told him that there was one more girl in the orphanage. Then he demanded to Savithriji that he should be allowed to see you " the warden answered back.

" But why? why would you tell him and not the others? " Lavanya asked perplexed by the knowledge

" Because i saw you that day when i came to pick the little baby ,you wanted an chance to be adopted , the longing in your face that day made me realize we have been unfair towards you " the warden answered back . Making Lavanya's heart filled with more love towards her for thinking about her happiness first. 

Lavanya returned back to  Gauri and her cousins  who were playing with the others kids deflated that she couldn't find any new information that was useful. She thought of approaching Savitri Dida but her parents were always in touch with her and she didn't want them to find out she has been asking questions .   

She quickly told them about what she learnt and they were disappointed with her as well since she couldn't do any more they decided to leave . Lavanya walked inside Savithri Dida room to drop off the check her father asked Lavanya to hand over on her visit.           

When Dida received the check, she immediately recorded it on her computer, she knew Dida was meticulous in keeping up with the records and it made her wonder if they were any way she could find the man who claimed to be her distant relative, she knew he had donated a huge sum to the orphanage and it gave her hope that all was not lost as she went back to her cousins to rope them in her next plan.

P.S: " That it for now. Let me know your thoughts and Feedbacks. Click the thumbs-up icon if you liked it ."

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