Chapter 56
LD awakens and finds Radha looking out of the window. "My morning hug and kiss, please!" he demands. He sees the tears form. "Radha are you okay?" He feels to see if she has fever. "I am okay. LD, my father treated you so badly and yet you went back to him to invite him here." "Actually, I got off lightly. If anyone did to Charu what I did to you, I would probably kill him. I went berserk in my need to avenge my humiliation and wanted you to be humiliated also. But God turned it and made you my wife and it became my duty to protect your honour and dignity. Radha, I wanted you to be at peace with your father. He is diabetic and has had a massive heart attack. Anything can happen to him at any time. If you hadn't forgiven him and something happened to him, you would be affected for the rest of your life." "Did he treat you well when you went to invite him?" "That is between my father-in-law and me." "So he didn't. LD, why do you love me so much?" "Because you are mine to love and cherish, my LIFE, my world and my everything."
The troops come marching in. "Papa, aren't you ready? We have brushed and are ready for the Pooja." "Five minutes. Look after Mummy for me please." LD rushes to the wash room and Radha lays out his clothes for him. She then takes the children to the Mandir where the rest of the family have started assembling. The Pooja starts at six o'clock sharp. With small children in the house, Dadaji had changed the timings so that they could be there for the prayers also.
After the Pooja, Radha helps with the making of tea while Shamili takes care of the children. The day goes by quickly with Radha packing for the trip back to Coonoor. They were going to travel by the afternoon flight tomorrow and stay overnight in the city before driving up the following day.
The next day, as they say their goodbyes and take the blessings of the elders, both LD and Radha feel as if their hearts are left behind. Feeling better only when they are promised visits by the family, they go on their way.
The children are happy to be back home. They loved the holiday but there was a comfort in being home and being able to sleep in one's own bed. LD had talked to Sweety and she had agreed to move in with them. "Radha, I want you to relax and not be worried all the time about making breakfast and dinner. I want to be able to take you out for dinners without having to rush back so that Sweety can go home."
The first thing LD did on Saturday afternoon was to fix a baby monitor. "When did you get this?" "When we were in Mumbai. I don't want to have Viv and Sid walk into our intimate moments and have to explain to them what I am doing. Being interrogated by them once is more than enough for a lifetime."
On Sunday Sweety moved in to the apartment that LD had been using. A doorway between the two units that had been sealed off had been reopened while they had been away. The hall in the smaller apartment made a nice study room for the children and LD and Sweety set it up. The small utility room that they had been using as a study till then would make a nice nursery for Baby when he or she arrived.
On Monday morning, everyone was ready for school. Viv and Sid would go on Mondays and Fridays till the end of the semester. LD would drop the children off on these days and pick them up at lunch time. Radha would drive herself to work so that she didn't have to wait for LD.
Everything seemed perfect.
LD is in the middle of inspecting buildings for fire exits plans when he gets a call from the primary school. "Sir, we were trying to contact Radha Ma'am but she is busy in an interview. So we are calling you." "That's okay. What can I do for you?" "Sir, it's the twins." "What happened to them?" "Sir, please come over to the co-ordinator's office."
LD races over and is shocked by what he sees.
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