Chapter 7: Her Parents and Bandages??
They say that home is where the heart is. That it's a place where you feel comfort and peace. But right now my heart was far from peace and comfort it was beating at 90km an hour or at least that's what it felt like. I had just gotten off a 7 hour flight from Italy to London and was sitting in a car with Armaan, Muski, Abhi and Nikki who had come to pick us up and were taking us to my parents place where we would be staying since most of the wedding ceremonies were happening there and after a lot of persuasion from Muski and Armaan who reassured me that it would be alright did I agree. I couldn't believe that I was actually back in London the place where I had been born, the place were I had spent most of my childhood, the place were I had many memories good and bad but it was also the place where I had broken all ties with my father. I looked out the window as the sights of London passed by us in a blur. What was going to happen when I came face to face with my father after leaving 8 long years ago?? I didn't know but one thing I did know was that it was not going to be a pleasant meeting. There was not going to be any "Hi Beta I missed you" or "Beta I'm so glad to see you" that was never going to be heard nor said. There had been a time when me and dad used to spend hours talking to each other, playing games, watching t.v. I could still picture those memories that we used to have and now everything had changed. One moment had changed everything I was still mad at my father but there were times when I wished that everything would be back to normal between the two of us and I still hoped that maybe one day it would be. "Were here" I snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of Abhi's voice and looked out of the window to see my former home. It was still the same as I had seen it 8 years ago. It was a white mansion with large pillars going around it. In the middle was a large set of wooden French doors and there were large windows going around the house. The lawn was still well kept and the flowers and plants were still bright as ever. Stepping out of the car I could feel my legs start to wobble, my heart started to pound in my chest, my feet become frozen and hands started to sweat, it was only a matter of seconds and I would be face to face with my family once again. I suddenly felt a hand grip mine and I looked to the right of me and saw a pair of grey blue eyes bore into mine. I looked back and saw him blink back at me reassuring that he was with me and that it would all be fine. I gripped his hand back and taking a deep breath we started walking towards the front door and waited for someone to come.
Hearing the sound of the door open I looked up as I heard my name being said out loud "Riddhima" there standing in a plain white sari was my mother Padma Gupta! She still looked the same only a few years older. Her hair was still left open. Her green eyes still had a shine to them but they looked tired and had lost the spark that they once had. I looked at her trying to absorb the fact that she was really in front of me lest she disappeared. Not being able to control my tears anymore I ran into my mom's arms and cried my heart out trying to fill the void that I had felt for the last 8 years that I was away from her. Breaking out of the hug I wiped her tears away and she wiped mine and we all made our way inside.
R:"I missed you mom"
P:"I missed you to beta and I am so glad you came anjali is going to be soo happy"
R:"Mom this Armaan and you remember Muski, Abhi and Nikki"
P:"Yes I remember Muski how can I forget her she's like my daughter how are you beta??"
M:"I'm fine aunty"
P:"Abhi Nikki how are you both"
AN:"Were fine aunty"
P:"Soo you're Armaan I have heard a lot about you from Riddhima and I just want to say that I can't thank you enough for standing by her side and for always being there for her, since she left home it really means a lot I was very worried about her and not being with her I got…. just thank you"
A: "Aunty… plz don't cry! And you don't have to say thank you to me okay so save it! I did all that for myself!"
P: "Yourself??"
A: "Yeah that way you wouldn't have any reason to not love me"
R: "Armaan!!!! Mom ignore him!!"
P: "Ha ha beta it's okay he's right thought I do love him"
AR: "You do!!"
P: "Yes and I can't wait to see your wedding!!"
R: "Thank you mom!! I love you!"
P: "I love you to beta"
A: "Hey I love you too aunty!!"
P: "Aww I love you to beta and it's Mom not aunty!"
A: "Sorry I mean Mom!"
After sitting with mom and catching up mom told us all to go and rest before Di and My Father returned home from the hospital and so here I was sitting in my room looking out the window while Armaan sat on the bed and read a book.
A: "Baby what's the matter... What are you thinking??"
R: "Nothing."
A: "Riddhima what's the matter please tell me"
R: "It's just… I'm scared."
A: "Scared?? Of what??"
R: "………..My Father"
A: "Your Dad.. you're scared of him why??"
R: "I just don't know how he is doing to react when he sees me I mean I know it's not going to be good but what if he……."
A: "Riddhima… listen to me… I know things with your dad are not on good terms and your both upset with each other after what happened but remember why we are here not just for Anji but for info about sameer remember and I am here for you okay! And so is mom! So don't worry your pretty little head off."
Voice: "Who shouldn't worry there pretty little head off???"
I looked towards the door hearing the voice and there standing in a white pencil top and blue tight pair of jeans was my Anji Di! She still looked the same with her long black layered hair and dark green eyes that were similar to mine but just a shade darker. Getting up from my seat I ran towards her and engulfed her into an embrace and cried for the 8 years that I had been away from her, cried for the times when I needed her but couldn't reach out to her, cried for the times when I needed a sister around me but didn't find one. Breaking out of the hug I looked at her as her own tears were spilling out of her eyes. Wiping them away I lead her to the bed and sat down with her to catch up for lost time.
Anji: "So Ridzi It's been so long how are you?? I missed you soo much!"
R: "I'm fine Di and I missed you too… I know it has been a long time."
Anji: "Ridzi…. I just want to say… that I'm sorry!"
R: "Sorry for what Di??"
Anji: "For everything that happened. I wish I could have done something! Maybe papa wouldn't have gotten so angry I mean I know you didn't want to get married to sameer but I didn't I just stood there and watched! I mean no one even bothered to ask what you wanted. We all just assumed that you were ready to get married and stop modeling. I'm so sorry ridzi that I wasn't there for you when you needed me and that you had to leave."
I sat there in awe listening to my Di as she spoke. Here she was apologizing for something that she didn't do nor was she at fault in anyway.
R: "Di why are you saying sorry! You didn't do anything wrong! I know if you had gotten the chance you would have tired to make everything better, but what has happened has happened and we can't change that. I know things are not good between me and dad but don't feel bad okay and besides the important thing is that I am here right! I mean how could I miss my own Di's wedding!! Now please smile okay. Now tell me all about my new jeej!"
Di and I sat and talked for hours after we did with the "I'm sorry" stuff. Di told me about her soon-to-be-husband Atul and I told Di about how Armaan and I met. We had sat and talked for most of the day and hung out like we used to when I was still at home. We then took Muski,Armaan, Abhi and Nikki around the house and showed off all our memories that we had in the house. We showed them all our hiding spots that we used to go to when we got into trouble and were running away from mom and dad. We had then sat down to have lunch that mom had made which I had missed so much and it felt good to eat home made food after such a long time. After lunch we had decided to take a walk to the near by park where we all played around on the slides, the swings and even played in the sand as if we were 6 years old again.
It was around 6:30pm and we were sitting in the family room and watching a movie when the door bell had rang and mom went to open the door and in walked my father Shashank Gupta. I sat there and froze as he approached all of us. I could feel my stomach forming into knots and my mind spin with worry as to what was going to happen next.
Sha: "Padma what is SHE doing here??"
P: "Shashank she… she is…"
Sha: "Padma I asked you a question what is SHE doing here!!??"
Anji: "Papa she's here for the wedding and I asked her to come and besides she's my sister!"
Sha: "Is that so! Well I guess no one bothered to ask me if it was okay, but I guess since all of you have already decided then she can stay here she can as long as she doesn't come in my way. Do you hear me!!"
I sat there paralyzed as my fathers words boomed in the silence that had engulfed the room the second he had walked through the door. I had gone from being his once upon a time loving daughter to being referred to as "SHE". I could feel my eyes begin to tear up as I was once again being faced with my father's indifference towards me. As soon as he had left the room, I got up from the sofa not being able to control my tears anymore and ran towards my room and shut the door behind me. I leaded against the door and slowly began to drop down to the floor as my father's words rung in my ears. Slowly gathering myself into a ball hugging my knees I cried allowing my pain to surface. The pain of seeing my father after 8 long years and knowing that he still hated me and that maybe the hope that I had of everything returning to normal was never going to happen.
A week had passed by after that incident and me and dad had stayed out of each others way as much as possible. We tried not to speak to each other unless it was necessary. Dad had spent most of his time either at the hospital or in his study doing work. I on the other hand had spent most of my time with Di and Mom in helping with the wedding arrangements that needed to be finished. Armaan had told me a number of times to go and talk to dad about sameer but every time I had approached dad I would remember how he had reacted when he had seen me and would back off. I didn't know what to do. I knew I needed to talk to Dad but I just couldn't gain the courage to go and talk to him. I was afraid that if I spoke to him again that it may end up like it had before and I didn't want to go down that road again. I know I had come here to get information on Sameer's whereabouts but somewhere in my heart I also wanted to make amends with him. I didn't want to fight with him anymore. I didn't want this cold war between us to continue. I wanted my dad back. I knew we had both made mistakes and had been angry with each other but that didn't mean that we couldn't start over. 8 years. It had been 8 years since I had even sat down and spoke to him, laughed with him over a silly joke, watched a t.v. show with him and made fun of it, or even just given him a simple hug. I stared at the children playing around me as I sat on a bench at my favorite park that I would always come to when I just wanted to think and be alone. Just watching all the children playing and laughing with their parents made me think of all the times that dad had brought me to the very same park and pushed me on the swings as high as he could making me giggle or all the times he had sat down with me in the sand and made sandcastles with me. I wanted that back. I wanted my dad. I wanted him to be there when I got married. I wanted him to give me away like he was going to do with Anji Di. I wanted him to be there when I had my own children and they wanted to play with their granddad. I didn't want them to grow up to have the same relationship with Armaan that me and dad had and I wouldn't let that happen. No! I was going to fix our broken relationship at any cost. Making up my mind I got up from the bench and made my way home to talk to my dad.
Knocking on the door of my father's study I stood there waiting for the door to open. I couldn't believe that I was within seconds going to be face to face with my father after 8 long years. I could feel my heart pound in my chest like a drum so fast that I thought I was going to have a heart attack and I began to panic. "I can't do this I have to leave right now!! I'll talk to him later yeah that's a good idea." I was about to turn around and leave when the door opened and my father's voice boomed in my ears
Sha: "What do you want??"
R: "I… I.. I…"
Sha: "Didn't I tell you loud and clear that I didn't want to you to come in my way!!"
R: "….Y…Ye…Yes.. You… Did… But…"
Sha: "But What!!"
R: "I need to speak to you"
Sha: "I don't want to hear anything! You can leave"
Hearing his words he had made it clear that he didn't want to hear nor listen to anything that I wanted to say but I was not going to back down I wanted my dad back and I was going to get him back!!
R: "No I am not leaving until you listen to me"
Sha: "………….Fine I will listen to you once and that is it… come in"
I walked inside the study room that I had been in 8 years ago telling off my father and leaving and now here I was in the same room 8 years later trying to amend our relationship.
Sha: "Okay what do you want to me hear so badly"
R: "I want my dad back"
I stared at my father as my words resounded in the room making my feelings and hope real. I waited to see any type of reaction from him but he just stood there with a blank expression on his face making it hard for me read. I waited for a few more seconds and when he didn't say nor change his expression I decided to finally let out my feelings to my dad.
R: "Do you remember when I was 4 years old and I had been playing outside in the mud all day after that big rainstorm and then I had ran inside and with my dirty hands and feet and touched everything that came in my way including one of your important documents. I still remember how mad you had gotten at me but the minute that you saw me start to cry you stopped yelling and toke me into your arms and just hugged me and said "It's okay you didn't mean to ruin daddy's paper's so don't cry and always remember that no matter what you do good or bad I will always love you" 8 years ago I had again made a mistake but you never gave me a hug and said that it was okay when I cried… instead you made me leave. I know that I made a mistake and I know that you are still mad at me but there has not been one day since then when I have not wanted to call to say sorry. I know what I did is not forgivable I mean I insulted you in front of everyone and I didn't marry the man that you had chosen for me and I know that I disobeyed you but I didn't want to be a part of deal and I guess instead of trying to have a normal calm conversation with you I just yelled and made things worse. I know you probably don't want to listen to me anymore and you want me to leave but before I do I just want to say that I am sorry for what I did and I hope you can forgive me because I would really love to have my dad back so that he can be there when it's time for me to be given away, so that he can be there when I have my own children but most importantly just be apart of my life again. I miss you dad and I love you and I hope you can forgive me one day."
With tears rolling down my cheek's and the hope of getting my dad back fading way I started to make my way out of his study when suddenly a voice from behind me stopped me in my tracks…
Sha: "Riddhima…. you forgot your hug"
I turned around in my spot and saw my father with tears rolling down his face and his arms open wide. Not being able to control myself any longer I ran into his arms and cried. Cried for the 8 years that we had been apart, Cried for the times when I needed my dad, Cried that the cold war between us was over but knowing that I had finally gotten my dad back.
After what felt like eons dad and I separated from the hug and then did something that we hadn't done in a long time… Talked. We sat down on the floor of his study and just talked about everything from Armaan, to my job, his work at the hospital, I told him about the murder accusations and how I felt that sameer maybe behind all of it and surprisingly dad was more then happy to help. I had even gained the courage to tell dad how Armaan and I wanted to get married and how we were engaged and what happened next shocked me to the core. Dad got up from his spot went out the door and yelled for everyone to come into the study. Once everyone had come Dad took Armaan's hand and placed mine inside it and with the biggest smile that I had ever seen on my dad's face in a long time he blessed the both of us and said that he would get us married ASAP!! which everyone hooted at and caused me to blush. Dad had then even gone on to apologize in front of everyone for what he had done which no one had expected him to do since it was very rare that my dad apologized.
Dinner followed after that and we all sat around the table talking and getting teased well mostly me and armaan were getting teased which at first was fun but soon got to be really annoying and so looking at Dad for help to get everyone to stop backfired cause Dad started too so taking matters into my own hands I got up from the table and huffing and puffing I stomped my foot on the ground and went to my room and the second I had closed the door the sound of laughter reputed behind me. Everyone then tried to talk to me but I won't listen until finally Dad come and said that he apologized on everyone's behalf and that they were only just having fun did I listen and come back to the dinner table.
We all then sat around outside in the backyard and played games and talked. I had found out from Dad that Sameer was still living in London and was planning on opening another hospital. I also found out that Sameer still lived at the same address that he lived at 8 years ago which surprised me because I had thought that maybe he would have at least moved once. I was about to ask dad another question when Dad announced that we all should get some sleep since the next day Atul's family was coming over for lunch. Heading into our respective rooms I quickly changed and climbing into bed snuggled up with Armaan and closed my eyes not only feeling over the moon that I had gotten my dad and family back after 8 years but that I had also gotten information on Sameer that was going to help clear my name.
Ello I'm back!! YAY shanky and ridzi are happies again!! ! So That was Chapter 7 I hope u liked it I hope it was long enough.😕 Also don't RES unless u won't edit!! 😃 Also I am going to be ending this FF in the next part 😭 I know I'm sad 2!! But I have a new FF that I want to start so look out for it 😃 anywas I will let u all read now bye bye!!
P.S Shorry for any errors 😳
XOXOXOXOXO
Tashu
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