"Likitha..." Karthik called her name soon he entered the room.

He can't see her anywhere in the house and felt terribly disappointed.

"Likitha...." He shouted her name again.

"Why are you shouting?"His grandma came and stood in front of him taking the support of the wall.

"What happened?" His mother followed her mother in law to his room and joined them in the conversation.

"Likitha...?Where is she? I can't find her anywhere?" He spoke slowly looking here and there avoiding their gaze.

"Stop shouting, She went to meet her parents"

"She told me that she informed you?"

"Didn't she tell you?" His mother questioned him in worry.

"No" He barely whispered at her with a pale face.

"Did you say her anything?"

"Did you scold her or hurt her?"

"Why do I think she seems to be angry with you, your behaviour, " His mom said in a suspicious tone.

Karthik looked at her with a blank face and gulped audibly hearing those words from her mouth.

Her mom understood his answer and about to walk away from there in disappointment.

"Mom..."

"Mom, listen to me."

"No, I didn't hurt her"

"Why would I? I didn't say anything" He answered his mother shouting from behind trying to gain her attention.

"Why are you shouting at your mother?"

"Likitha went to her mother. She said she is missing her parents and brother."Grandma said muttering asking her daughter in law to calm down.

Karthik doesn't know how to react and felt frustrated.

He looked at his mother and grandmother with a frown

"I don't know what has happened between you both but I can see she is clearly upset with your behaviour"

"I know my son can't hurt a girl, "

"He can't hurt his wife but...."His mother paused and caught him watching her with an empty face.

"I can't deny the fact that he fails to show and express his feelings openly, efficiently."

"I know actions speak volumes but sometimes you have to express your love and concern through words Karthik."

"Sometimes you have to let your words speak much louder than your actions."

"Yes, words have that power to make or break a relationship."

"Communication is one of the basic aspect of a relationship." His mother hugged him for a second and left the place silently.

She knows her son is a man now and there is no need to explain things vividly.

He saw the retreating figure of his mother with a baffled face.

"Don't worry, Everything will be fine."His grandmother tugged his hand and smiled at him.

He caught her hand and tugged it like a child asking her to sit on the bed and spend some time with him.

She quickly sat on the bed and he laid his head on her lap slumping on the floor at once.

She gently caressed his hair with her trembling hand and kissed his forehead lowering her head with difficulty

"I talked to Likitha and She told me everything."

"She is angry with you Karthik, She feels resentful due to your reluctance and actions " Her grandma said frightening him with her words.

"Why? I didn't do anything." He lifted his head and looked into her eyes with a confused look.

"She told me everything and I am sorry fault is yours, Son."She heaved a sigh and looked at him with a sad face.

He lowered his head and muttered something inaudible.

"How can she say something happened behind four walls. I can't believe she did it." He stammered.

"I didn't expect this from her granny, never in my life." He stood up and about to walk away from there.

"Sit..." She shouted at him holding his hand.

He did it calmly like a kid, Whatever he is today, he is always a child for her and him obeys her every order like a kid.

"I am her grandmother and I am a woman she needs someone to share her pain. She shared with me what's wrong in it?" She said defending her granddaughter.

"You too always share your happiness and pain with me, don't be jealous. I love you both equally." She stated honestly.

He didn't say anything and nodded in agreement.

"Poor girl! She doesn't know how to tackle your rejection, She was burning inside with pain."

"She feels you rejected her because of her past and feels guilty for the deeds she did innocently."

"She is worried what if her past haunts her future."S he said trying to put some sense in his mind.

"Rejection."He looked at her in disbelief.

"Yes!" She placed her hand on his cheek and nodded her head gently.

"You thought you might hurt her if you rush to take this relationship further."

"Sad she thought you had rejected her because of her past."

"She thought you rejected her for all those mistakes she committed in her teens." She explained to him in a motherly tone.

"What?!" He shook his head, knitting his eyebrows.

"That's the truth dear.."

"Unknowingly you hurt her self-respect son,"

"She feels you rejected her."She said with a wan smile.

He squeezed his eyes in shame.

"Why did I never thought in this way?" He slumped his shoulders and looked at her grandma with a grumpy face.

"You raised a few unnecessary doubts in her mind."

"It's high time to clear them." She broke the chain of his thoughts.

"Sorry..."

"Sorry granny, you know how much I love her and I can't hurt her even in my dream."

"How can she think I threw her self respect at stake?"

"Now I realise how my actions created a kind of void in our relationship."

"She was burning inside with indignation."He sat succumbing to despair.

"No one is at fault here, What does she know about you?"

"For her you are merely a stalker and the best thing she knows about you is you love her despite knowing her past."

"How can you expect her to understand you in no time?"

"Give time to this relationship, more than that tell her what you feel?", She stood up and about to leave the place.

He went her and hugged her with a heavy heart.

"I am leaving now."

"I promise you I will come back with her," He said grinning at her happily.

"I will be waiting for you both"She smiled back.

He took some time to fresh up and reached Kunal's house in no time.

He parked his car outside of the house and knocked on the door holding his heart.

Several thoughts were going in his mind and he doesn't know how to face his in-laws.

What might be the thinking and what might have she told them about her surprise visit?

He is thinking about all the worst scenarios to make himself ready to face the wrath of his beloved wife before he could step into the house.

Likitha opened the door and frozen at the place to see Karthik in this odd hour.

She fluttered her eyes in surprise and stood hiding her excitement.

Karthik smiled at her in amusement and hugged her quickly not paying any attention to the surroundings.

She quickly pushed him away and looked around.

He took the opportunity and entered the house without asking her permission.

She looked at him in rage placing her hands on her waist and biting her lips nervously.

He chuckled at her actions and glanced around to check whether anyone is present around.

She caught his expression and answered his unspoken question.

"Mom and Dad are not at home, they went to a party....." She spoke turning around moving towards the living room.

He followed her without a word.

She found him following her and gazing at her intently.

"Karthik" She spoke his name with moist eyes.

To be continued.

Tell me how it is?

Thank you.

Take care.