CHAPTER 24

"What?" we echoed in the chorus. We couldn't digest what we heard a few minutes back.

"please go out for some time. We need to talk personally", I requested the make up artist without saying a word she left from the room.

"Why didn't mother come to see us all these years. Even though they were divorced, why didn't she? And what made you come here, Now?"Divya questioned in grief.

"you are my granddaughters, I always wanted to see you and so your mother. But, your father shifted his house without letting us know."

"After three years I figured out your place and tried to meet you girls .but your father, Mohan warned me and didn't allow me to see you "

"he kept on changing the house every two years without leaving any clue."

"now, how did you come to know our stay? How you come to know about this marriage? "

"The shopkeeper nearby your apartment is from our village. He gives me updates about you, but I didn't dare to meet you. I feared he might shift again. Now, it's your marriage so, I couldn't resist myself to see you. "

Seriously, father shifted house so many times. Maybe that is why we couldn't have close friends outside. We never knew the reason behind our frequent shifts in the house, and we never dared to ask him too.

"Why didn't mother come along with you?" I inquired in confusion."

She started to look at the ground instead of seeing us. "She died one year after separated from Mohan," she said with a deep sigh.

"how, how did Mom die? "

she closed her eyes to control her tears, but drops started to roll down her cheeks. She wiped her tears and cleared her throat "she died due to depression. She adored you both, but since Mohan never let her see you both, she went into depression," she stated.

I went near her, touched her arm and stroked it softly " I am sorry to hear this. I had never seen our mother. Is there any photo with you? "

"your mother took all her photos with her when she got married but, when she got divorced, Mohan burnt all the photographs of your mother. That's why no one had your mother's memories."

As I was about to ask her more about my mother, She got up and saw my father coming from far. We could see the fear in her eyes.

I wanted to know more about my mother. But she was not in a situation to hear.

She said," I didn't want to ruin everything. This day is special for Divya.I'll give you my number. Now, I need to leave," she said in a shivering tone.

As our father approached us closer, she handed me a paper having her phone number and started to leave.

Unfortunately, my father saw grandma. She started walking away from him and didn't even dare to look into his face.

She hated him for sure. Well, who wouldn't hate the person who was responsible for her daughter's death? But, her fear took over hatred. She lowered her gaze and walked away in silence without giving a glance at her father.

Father came towards us. I couldn't control my frustration and asked him,

" why, father? Our mom was alive. Why? did you do this to us?"

I saw various emotions in his eyes. For a second, I thought he was sad. But immediately, his face burnt in anger.

I again said," she is dead know. You stole us every chance to meet Mom. You even burnt every photo of her." I raised my voice.

I sternly asked," why, father? Why?"

"We were divorced. I don't want her around you. So I didn't allow her." He replied coldly.

I said, " She died without seeing her daughters. You didn't allow us to see our grandma also. What harm did she do to you? Exactly what kind of person are you?" I was shouting hysterically. Divya tried to calm me down as others might hear our conversation.

Tears were flowing from my eyes. But my father was standing there coldly like a stone. His eyes gleamed in hatred. As he saw me shouting, he became angry and shouted, "Enough !!! Get ready soon, Divya." Saying so, be walked away.

I hugged Divya and started crying out loud, "what kind of father is he? he gives importance to his pride and ego.nothing other than that bothers him"

Our mother was desperately searching for us. She died when we were not around her. What had happened in the past? Why is my father like this? There were a lot of unanswered questions.

Soon we pulled up ourselves as we asked to hurry up to go for the rituals of the wedding. We left the venue. It was time for muhurtam.

Divya adorned in a beautiful red lehenga and a red dupatta given by her in-laws. Her groom was waiting for her. Divya and Ramu( her husband) looking into each other's eyes. No doubt, Divya was looking beautiful. Her groom was also looking handsome with the light pink sherwani. They both looked perfect and complemented each other.

In the presence of our near and dear Ramu & Divya exchanged vows for a lifetime.

I was crying out of happiness. I wished all the joys in the world for them. I saw my father with no emotion, stood like a rock. I wasn't sure how I would stay alone in the house without Divya. It's the worst nightmare, which is a reality that I need to accept slowly.

Soon it was time for her vidayi ceremony. I couldn't let her go. We both cried uncontrollably. It was the most heart wrecking moment for me. Finally, with so much of pain in heart, I let her go. She sat inside the car with a heavy heart, waved towards her. They drove off. She left me. Tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrollably.

I returned to the house, couldn't stay in the place anymore. Especially after hearing to grandma and the agony that she went through. How could the father be so cruel to the mother? I felt rage from the bottom of my heart.

"Why don't I go to grandma's house instead of staying with him?" I suddenly thought.

Immediately, I took the phone and dialed it to her.

"Hello," from grandma's side,

"grandma, I don't want to stay with my father anymore. Take me with you to the village." I cried.

"don't do anything stupidly.be with him."

"I have decided to leave the house. I cannot stay here without Divya anymore. If not your place, I will go to some other place."

"no, no, don't go anywhere. The world outside is bad. Come to my house", she said immediately out of concern. She told me the address and the bus to board.

I packed my things with no one's notice.

While few of the relatives were busy having food, I slipped away slowly. I already threw my luggage from the balcony. Later took my luggage from the ground and walked towards the bus stop.

I was damn tensed as was afraid to the core that someone might recognize me. While I was waiting for the bus, I saw Arvind and Sunil. Oh! Not again ! my whole life turned upside down since the day I saw this Arvind. God! I beg you. No more mishaps in my life.

[END OF FLASH BACK]

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