Just because he can handle pain doesn't
mean he deserves it!"What am I doing, Laddoo? I am just
informing her that the man she left for
Richard, died in an accident and the last
name he took was of her" he pointed a
hand at Garima "the woman who didn't
bother to even come to his funeral
despite the news being well broadcasted
that the owner of Kundrra Industries died in a fatal accident with his grandson being the only survival. I am not hearing the crap that you never heard this news despite it being the headline for days.""Karan..." Garima started but he turned to Rishab "Anyway how did your grandfather die?" His voice considerably softer for Rishab from earlier.
"He was killed by a gangster. The investigation is still in process" replied
Rishab, looking down. Karan frowned
at that and then turned to Garima who
didn't match his eyes. Karan had enough
reading of people to know that something was off about this. There was something Garima knew and Rishab didn't!"And where's his father?" Karan asked, pointing a finger straight at Rishab. Rishab knew this question would come up at some point and was preparing himself to answer it calmly but as soon as the question was voiced out, his eyes filled with moisture as memories of his family flashed in his mind. He could feel Garima staring to shiver at the memory as well and knew he had to stay strong, at least for her sake but couldn't stop the tears from overflowing his control. Karan saw both their's reaction and immediately knew the answer was going to be another tragedy.
"My dad died along with my mom and my younger sister in a housefire. I was only eight and had gone out with Dadu and Dadi to the nearby temple. We came back only to watch our house burning. It was my grandparents who raised me since then." It was Rishab who finally replied after a couple of minutes. It had been years since the incident and yet he couldn't shake the image of his house, with his family inside, being consumed in fire while he struggled to be freed from the hands of his fellow neighbor who was stopping him from running inside. He remember the feeling of helplessness making him cry harder. By the time he next saw his family, he could barely recognise or identify anyone from the burnt leftovers. The memory still felt horrendous and heart-chilling.
He only had his grandparents all his life, to call 'family', since he was eight. He still remember the years of sleepless nights he had after that, fearing something will happen to them as well. Then he lost his Dadu and now, he was on the verge of losing the only family he had left behind.
Karan realised the sappy mood in the room and decided to change the topic. "Anyways, out with your story, Mrs Gonsalves. I really need some good sleep" he turned back sipping the wine while Garima took a deep breath before starting "I met Richard during the college days..."
"Okay, so we are beginning from your love story... " he rolled his eyes "Never mind, continue. Let's get this over with."
Garima exhaled and took a deep breath
as her sour body ached, Rishab settled on his knees beside her. Holding her palm, as she continued "We wanted to marry each other but neither was he rich enough to match my family's financial status nor was he accepted in my conservative Hindu background since he was a Christian. He didn't have a family of his own either which created the whole orphan issue as well.""Yes, we get it. Not accepted in your
family. Continue" commented Karan,
disinterested. Her love story, her life. It's
always her!"I got married to your grandfather
Harshveer Pal Kundrra. I honestly tried my best to move on from Richard. Initially before your father's birth, it was easy, as your great grandmother was also here. She gave me a company when your grandfather would be out for work but then after she died, I felt lonely. Harsh cared a lot. He probably was the best possible husband I could have ever asked for, but it's never easy to forget the first love. I still tried to love Harsh, give our relationship a chance and your father is the biggest proof of how much I tried."
