He was feeling restless fro the evening. He felt a constricted feeling in his chest and his eyes burned ready to shed tears any minute. She understood him as she held his hand and patted his forehead. He drifted to a restless sleep.
After a couple of hours he woke up again and saw that Naira was fast asleep. Not able to bear it anymore he got up , took his mother's photo from his bed stand and rushed to the garden. Sitting down on the garden bench, he broke down finally seeing his mother's photo.. " Maa, I am sorry Maa. I have been a very bad son to Papa. How many times have I accused him of killing you, when all he did was to hide the truth just for fulfilling the promise he gave to you.." he sobbed..
"Maa even after I have known the truth, its ten days now and still I have not apologised to him or called him "Papa". Somehow I have not been able to meet his eyes.." he cried hugging his mother's photo close to his chest.
"Tomorrow is your ceremony day Maa. All these years I have thrown bad tantrums and have never allowed him to do the puja for you and have done it myself.I have never let him do his duties towards you. How will I be able to earn your blessings tomorrow Maa? I have been so bad" he broke down completely.
He felt a warm hand hold his head. Naira held his head close to her with tears in her eyes. " Karthik, control yourself Karthik. " she held him tight as he continued to sob in her hands "Maa, Maa" was all he could say..
Naira allowed him to cry for sometime. When her finally managed to compose himself, she sat beside him, wiped his tears " You and I have made mistakes with respect to our parents. But you can make it up. And what more can be better than making it up tomorrow? Please do not think your mother will be angry with you. Mothers can never be angry with their kids." she said softly as he listened to her keenly
"Naira, but how can I face him tomorrow" Karthik said with closed fists.
"Karthik, you made a mistake and you have accepted it yourself. Then why are you feeling bad to face it? Please listen to me. You need to tell him two things tomorrow" she said as he looked at her with questions written all over his face.
"One the word what he has been yearning to hear from you for years and the other which you need to tell him from your heart for what you have done" she said firmly. Karthik continued to look down
"Come sleep now. Everything shall be okay in the morning" she said lovingly and ruffled his hair. Karthik went to their room with her and held her hand for support as she slept.
Once again he got up before her and went down. It was just dawn and no one except Swarna was awake. Swarna was in the kitchen working. Karthik stood rooted to the spot not knowing what to say to her. He just went to the kitchen and stood near the doorstep. Swarna seemed to be lost somewhere as she was staring into the blank space.
Karthik noticed that the milk was about to boil and spill over. He rushed and switched off the stove bringing Swarna out of her trance.
"I am sorry" Swarna whispered while Karthik stood there awkwardly not knowing what to say
" Can i have some tea please" he asked politely as Swarna was overwhelmed. It was the first time he had ever asked her something.
"Sure, why not. Please wait for 2 minutes" she said as she hurried to make tea.
"Is he awake yet" he asked her. Swarna smiled to herself at his stubbornness of not referring him as his father. " After all whose son is he. Like father Like son" she spoke within herself.
"No, he is not awake yet He was awake for a long time thinking about..." she stopped worried as to how he might take it
"About Maa right?" Karthik completed it for her.
"Yes." Swarna said softly and placed the tea on the kitchen counter for him and turned to leave the kitchen when Karthik called out again" One minute"
She stopped with her back facing him as he said " I know I have been wrong. I shall surely speak to him today. I just need some more time for things with both of us. I hope you understand" he said in a low voice
Swarna turned around with a smile on her face. " I have never wanted to take your mother's place. All I wanted is that for both you and Keerthi not to miss out on a mother's love. Which is why I promised your mother to take care of both of you." she said with moist eyes.
"I know and I am sorry" Karthik said not able to meet her eyes and not knowing what to do he fumbled for the tea cup and took a sip of the tea. " Nice tea, thank you" he said.
"Not an issue. Please do not say sorry. Anyone in your position would have reacted the same way" Swarna said " Please talk to your father. It is okay even if you never accept me. But your father deserves your love." she said and left the room as Karthik stood with a determined look on his face and started walking towards his father's room slowly.
He entered the room and saw that his father was resting on an easy chair with his eyes closed. Karthik walked up to him knelt down and put his head on his father's lap relishing the moment after years. He was determined not to cry but the warmth of his father's lap melted him instantly to tears as he silently let go of his ego
He felt Manish's hands run through his hair. Gathering courage, he looked directly into his father's eyes and said " Sorry for what I have done and said. I have said unacceptable things and never respected you even as a human, I feel very guilty. Please forgive me" he said and sobbed on his father 's shoulders
Manish broke down on seeing his son so vulnerable. " No beta, please don't cry. I have promised Soumya that I will not let my children cry. You did not know the truth and hence you were angry with me. It is okay . I can bear your hatred but not your tears" Manish said holding his son's head close to him.
"Can I call you Papa, Am i eligible to call you that after what I have said and done" he said as
Manish looked at him and said " What did you say? I have been dying to hear that word from you all these years."
"I love you Papa" Karthik said and smiled through his tears as Manish hugged him and said " I love you too Beta. I love you very much"
Karthik's eyes fell on his father's bed stand which had his mother's photo just like how he had and realised that his father had always loved his mother as always. He smiled at his mother's photo and thought " I am feeling very light today Maa. Thank you for being with me"
"You should do Puja for Maa today. I do not deserve to do it or earn her love" he said in a choked voice.
"Today, we will do puja for your mother together. I am sure she would be watching over us right now. She always loved you and will always love you" Manish said with a chuckle.
"Papa , you should tell me Maa's and your love story sometime" Karthik said mischievously with a wink.
"You are as naughty as always " Manish said with a laugh.
"There is a lot of time left for the puja and I am feeling little sleepy. You also rest for sometime with me na" Manish said as Karthik obliged and lay down near his father.
Karthik took the initiative and hugged his father sideways. He felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders and the restlessness of the night faded away as he felt his eyelids heavy with sleep.
There was a person who was standing near the door watching all this happen with tears of happiness in her eyes. After all the person who united her with her mother had just cleared years of misunderstanding with his father and she did not want to ruin their moment.
"Thank you Ganga Maiya"she whispered to the heavens above.
Note: This was just totally random. I wanted something of this sorts in the show. An intense moment between Papa Beta. Hope we get to see it soon before the new step brother track complicates it..
Looking forward to your comments!!
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