Helping Hands (SS)
Chapter 2
The seed was planted .... Khushi had spent a long time now abroad in the states and she wanted to go home .... see her parents they would be furious, hurt, mad, angry - they would all have to traverse the myriad of emotions before forgiveness and acceptance of her and Aarav. How much had she missed of their lives how much had they missed of her life ... Aarav ... her success... and her failures ... they would have shared all of it but to date she had only allowed them to share in her failure.... was it really failure .... failure from their view point, disappointment ,hurt and grief.... she had not given her family an opportunity to allow them to overcome that.
Her thoughts then and now were very different ...at the time she was scared, young, pregnant, and single...now she was a parent and older and more experienced...how differently would she have handled that last meeting with her parents, if she could go back and replay that scene. It was etched in her mind forever - it never changed, or faded, it was not a black and white image, fading at the edges. It was there in bright bold full colour - it was in her mind and it was as though it happened yesterday.
What was the worst that could happen if she listened to Aarav, she would returned home, build a few bridges, not everyone would forgive her but then again not everyone would remain angry. She reran her last encounter with her parents and family in her mind… she had survived the last fall out and she would again if need be … yes it might be painful but this time she was more experienced and she had Aarav she would survive. There was so much to gain and so little to lose. She ran scenarios of the possible outcomes of a repeat meeting and every which way she played it out it was never as bad as history had recorded. With that in mind, decision made she was going back to Delhi and Lucknow and try and meet her family and repair broken bonds. Had she severed them or had her family … now when Khushi looked back she couldn’t define who had … events had taken place, words said, actions taken and then nothing. Neither side had had opportunity to sit and talk – She had certainly not made any effort to re contact her family because it had been so painful breaking away and then time stepped in and had just ticked away …and now almost 9 years on she was revaluating herself, her life.
She had kept tabs on everyone, every individual throughout the last 9 years now it was time to repair and heal those relationships.
Payal was the weakest link and that’s where she would start…
“Wow! mum this is a fantastic house – is it really ours? or just for the summer holidays?”
It’s ours … I have decided no more running away we can have two homes one in the states and one here. Then you will always have somewhere to come back to when we want to. If things work out its not far from your cousins house and you guys can meet up and play.”
Khushi had picked a location, not far from Shantivan but far enough away to hide but close enough to walk to if required.
She had sent Payal a message to meet for lunch at the Comfy Corner – she had made the invitation very simple and clear.
It’s been a long time, I’ve missed my sister at every turn, I have never forgotten I think its time to heal and move forward, I can’t change my past but I can change my future.
I hope you will be able to be a part of it …. You don’t have to declare it to the world I can be your best kept secret … I hope you will meet me…. Sorry and Love Khushi.
There had been exchanges of emails -very carefully worded on both sides and now finally a face to face.
Khushi had tried on about ten outfits and they were strewn across the room …
“Mum stop! Enough!.. This outfit is fine, you will look peng.”
“Kya?”
“peng mum peng it means lovely, beautiful”
“Aarav, you don’t understand this is a really important ..”
Aarav cut his mother off.
“Mum! If you don’t get dressed there won’t be anything ..your meeting will have vanished you will still be here thinking… I mean how mum? How can you be so good at work and here you can’t even dress yourself or get yourself to a meeting… I mean … I’m the child and you’re the parent and here I am dressing you and trying to make sure you at least get to the meeting … If you mess up there that’s on you but take this and go change”
Khushi sat at the Comfy Corner in a private seating area shaded from the sun overlooking the pond, she was an hour early; she hadn’t been able to eat anything since yesterday.
She had ordered a drink but not touched it, and she had been twisting the corner of her dupatta until the little pom pom had come off and now the gota was coming undone at that area.
Then she saw her … Payal still the same slightly plumper but essentially the same walking towards her.
Payal and Khushi looked at each other … Khushi big welcome speech evaporated, and silence followed …Khushi was speechless for the first time in her life. Silence ensued both were frozen in time, memories of their last meeting resurfacing. Both stared at each other unable to move or say anything tll the waiter appeared “Would you like to order more drinks?”
This mobilised both girls into action “tea please” in unison.
4 cups of tea later “Only you Khushi can drink 4 cups of tea and have nothing to say”
“Payal I have missed you” and that’s all it took for the dam of emotion to break.
Both were hugging and tears flowed freely for a long while.
Payal updated Khushi on her life … she had married Akaash had three children two boys 5 and 3, Ahaan and Aadi and a girl just under a year her name was Akashya. She was married and lived with the family, Dadi, and Akaash’s parents and Akaash’s elder brother Arnav. Akaash knew she was meeting Khushi today and they had decided not to tell any of the family.
“Khushi smiled …that’s OK I met you and that’s more than enough for me”
“No Khushi, a lot of things were said and they can’t be unsaid, but Akaash and I have decided that it’s time to move on- here” and with that she hand Khushi a envelop.
Khushi hands were trembling as she opened the envelope – an invitation to Akashya Khushi Singh-Raizada’s first birthday party at Shantivan at 4 :00 pm and the invite was for as many as you would like to bring.
More tears flowed …”Khushi ab bus bi karo. The past we will talk about in time ….you left and you never came back, you never even glanced back at me to ask how I felt about everything. I have always had your side in all of this and always will. Now tell me more about you – no one knows anything much about you – what happened? What have you done in the last 9 years …. Do you…. have a child?”
And with that she Khushi smiled….. “Aarav 8 years old very old for his age and far too serious ……. I never wanted my decisions to have an impact on your life – I wanted you to be able to marry whomever you wished to without having me as a stain on your reputation – so I left and went very far away”
“Khushi where are you staying… am I allowed to meet Aarav …. He is my nephew, your son?
“Payal, I’m not married and have no one on the horizon is that going to be a problem?”
“Not for me and Aakash or my children…. Dadi doesn’t say much about you .. she knows you exist, she’s aware the cloud you disappeared under and she knows me – my relationship with you will not have any repercussions’ for me and if they do Aakash said he will deal with it including his mother. Arnav doesn’t really get involved in family business unless someone says anything to upset us and then he deals with them with an iron rod. Buaji, Mum and dad are going to be the ones to contend with especially Bua ji and I think Dad – but even then Khushi when you’re name has come up in conversation and recently it has when naming Akashya … I think there was only regret and what if’s. I think one step at a time but the doors that were slammed in your face will open very easily it’s only going to take you to knock. By the way are you ever going to introduce me to my nephew ”
And with that discussion flowed about Aarav.
It was a long time later after several missed calls that Khushi and Payal left.
Edited by harrybiggins - 3 years ago