*Akhila Pov*
I continued to cry holding myself when I felt a hand on my head. I looked up to see Mom looking at me with tears sitting beside me.
“Mom!” I said placing my head on her lap.
“Don’t cry Akhila! You should have never known about this.” She said caressing my hair.
“I never wanted you guys to know.” I said sobbing more.
She chuckled and said “We should be the one to that say that line.”
“When did you got to know?” Dad asked staying little back from me.
“Few months before we came here.” I replied vaguely.
“That’s why you came here.” Mom stated and I nodded.
“That’s why you made this trip for us.” Dad said and I nodded again.
“You both will always be the perfect couple for me and I don’t want any problems to be there between you both just because of me.” I said opening my eyes.
“Never think like that Akhila. We never fought because of you.” Dad said kneeling beside us.
“Don’t lie!” I said turning away.
“Ok! We fought but that was way before dear.” Mom said and I shook my head.
“How can you forgive Dad like that Mom?” I asked her stopping myself from crying more.
“Who said I forgave him? I still taunt him do you know that.” She replied and I chuckled.
“And I want her to because I have two options one is to stay forever taunt free and the other is to stay without her. Which I can’t so I chose the taunts.” He said.
“I know what I did is nothing but a grave mistake. Trust me I wish I can go back and change it.” He added and I nodded at him understanding.
“But then you wouldn’t have been here.” Mom said.
“I am a mistake Mom. She didn’t want me right?” I asked her.
“You researched?” Mom asked shocked.
“Yes! I found the letter from your room and went to the orphan. As I was the one who got adopted they told me that I was left there when I was few months baby and also about her.” I replied biting my lip.
“You shouldn’t have Akhila.” Dad said and I just shook my head.
“Before dying she has sent a letter to you about me and then you brought me with you. Otherwise you would have never known about me right? And I would have always stayed orphan forever.” I said.
“And we thank god everyday that we got the letter. Otherwise we would have never known about a wonderful girl.” Mom said.
“No Mom! You are lying. I am the reason you both still fight. If I am not in this world then you both would have been happy.” I said not accepting her words.
“Is that what you think? Let me tell you something Akhila.” Mom said and I just stayed quiet.
“Your Dad was not settled when we got married so he was always busy with his work. We used to have small fights and I have this insecurity that he is cheating because of few friends gossip. One day I drove him mad with the accusation and he just left the house at night. Next day he came home saying he cheated on me.” She said and paused.
“It was not your mistake Mom. People have insecurities.” I said holding her hand.
“I know! But that day our marriage started falling apart little by little. He apologized to me everyday but the life just got lost in our marriage but we stayed together as Priya was just five. Then one day we got a letter about you after nearly three years. I thought that was the end.” She said and I closed my eyes tightly.
“We have already sent Priya to her grandparent’s house thinking she shouldn’t witness our fights. We went to the orphan because we can’t leave you there after knowing about you and then brought you home. Even Priya returned on the same day.” Dad said and I nodded without opening my eyes.
“I just went into this numb state Akhila. Like everything is over for me. If you want me to be honest then I would say his cheating entered my mind everytime I looked at you.” She said.
“I can understand Mom. I thought that must have happened.” I said sighing not having the strength to cry anymore.
“But then you just became a shadow behind me. Where ever I go you just stood beside me all the time. Take it kitchen, garden, anything. You used to hold the end of my Saree and just stand like that until I remove it from your hand. We were told that you never talked in the orphan and do you know what your first word was?” Mom asked when I looked at her.
I shook my head because I never asked them.
“It was ‘Ma…’ and that just made me cry holding you.” She said and I hugged her.
“Then you started doing whatever I was doing. Like if I hold a big spatula, you used to hold a small spoon. I just got so close to you and kind of we both worked on our relation. Then everything went good. We used to fight in between but our love just increased.” Mom said and I smiled hearing that.
“So if you had not entered our lives then we would have got separated and then Priya would have had to suffer. And there would have been no Ritika and Kritika in our world. And this all happened just because of you which just make you the miracle in this family. Never think anything other than this.” Dad said placing his hand on my head.
“You are our daughter and that will never change no matter what others or you even think.” Mom said and I smiled hugging them both.
“Please forgive your Dad dear.” Mom whispered.
“I was angry on him to hurt you like that but now I just want you both to be happy.” I said and they nodded.
“We need to tell them.” Dad whispered.
“No!” I said shaking my head.
“We would have told them but we know they can never hide anything from you so we didn’t.” He said.
“You wanted to tell them! I never wanted to tell anyone about this.” Mom said shaking her head.
“We need to!” Dad said looking at us pleading.
“No!” I said pleading him back.
He sighed and said “You take rest Akhila.”
We three got up to see my room door closing at that moment. I frowned but just lay down on my bed drifting off into sleep after they left.
*Khushal Pov*
I stumbled back taking each step with each word I am hearing. She is crying and I want to console her but how can I when I fully know that I triggered something which she didn’t want to think about.
I left the room and walked robotically to his house and saw that the light is off. I just sat there near the door leaning on it.
I just drifted off into sleep with only one thought that I lost her.
*Kalyan Pov*
“Be quiet Uncle!” I said glaring at him as he is making sounds.
“Why are we going there like some thieves?” He asked frowning.
“Duh! What do you think we are going to do going there?” Sanjay asked.
“We are going to steal the photos and no one should know about it.” I said and Bharghav’s frown just increased.
“I don’t want to steal anything.” He said shaking his head.
“You don’t have that kind of talent so don’t worry. We both are going to steal and you are just like a security if we both got caught.” I said rolling my eyes.
Everyone is busy in the game and decided to sleep. So we three just walked away from them without catching any attention thinking this is the right time.
We three entered the room and searched the photos for few minutes and finally found them.
“Yes!” Sanjay shouted and I glared at him.
Then we three suddenly heard footsteps nearing us. We just panicked and started searching where to hide and finally opted behind the bed as the headboard can hide us.
“What happened Dad? Why did you ask us to come here?” I heard Ri voice.
“I need to tell you something.” I heard Uncle’s voice not Bharghav Uncle.
“I am tired Dad. Can’t we talk tomorrow?” Priya Di asked.
“I think it is better to not tell them.” Aunty said tiredly.
“No! I have waited all these years just because of one reason. Now we don’t have that reason so I can’t hide it anymore.” He said stressing.
“Don’t hate him or something.” Aunty said.
“Do they know about us?” Sanjay whispered and I shook my head.
“You both are scaring us. Please say what it is.” Kritika said.
“I.. I cheated on your Mom.” He slowly said and I just looked at Sanjay with wide eyes.
“Nearly twenty one years ago.” Aunty added.
“What are you guys saying?” Priya Di whispered.
“We were fighting and then one day I just did it. Trust me that was the worst day of my life.” He replied.
“Our marriage was falling apart when he told me about it the very next day. For nearly three years we just stayed like that just for you Priya but we know that our separation is inevitable.” Aunty said and I frowned.
“Then.. we got a letter one day from that women who wrote it before dying as per her relative saying my Daughter is there in an orphan.” When Uncle said that I just sat there stunned.
Do they have another sister now? I thought and then remembered Priya Di saying Akhila Di is an orphan last Christmas.
“Oh god!” We three whispered.
“You know about her being orphan?” I asked Bharghav whispering.
“Priya told me one day.” He whispered back.
“Akhila… Akhila is…” Priya Di stuttered.
“Yes!” we heard him whispering.
“Oh God!” We heard three people saying and then felt the bed moving like they are sitting on it.
“How did you forgive him Mom?” Kritika asked surprising me even Sanjay was surprised.
Aunty chuckled and said “I didn’t! Because I love him so much. When we love someone then we can’t forgive them when they hurt you.”
“Each day he looks with guilty at me even when I ask him to just forget it even though I didn’t. But today we are together is only because of Akhila. If she had not entered in our lives then I.. I don’t even want to say it.” Aunty added.
“I don’t even know want to say.” Priya Di whispered.
“Please don’t cry. We can’t see that.” Uncle said and we three just stopped ourselves from getting up hearing that.
“Don’t tell Akhila Di.” Kritika said.
“Yes! Please don’t tell her.” Ri added.
“She will not be able to bear it.” Priya Di said and I smiled seeing the sister’s love.
“She already knows.” Aunty said and the room just went silent.
“From when?” Ri asked.
“One day we both were fighting and she heard everything. Ritika actually told me that Akhila is also going to a movie with them but looks like they didn’t.” Aunty replied.
“She knows from that long?” Kritika asked.
“She even sent both of us to world tour so that we both will be happy.” Uncle said.
“We don’t hate you Dad. When Mom is ok with it then who are we right.” Priya Di said.
“We just need some time to think about all this.” Kritika said and then we heard few footsteps leaving the room.
“Why do we always hide like this when they start discussing some family secrets?” I asked Sanjay whispering.
“No! They start discussing only when we hide.” He said.
“This is my first time.” Bharghav said.
“We need to console them.” He added.
We both nodded taking the photos in our hands and keeping them in our pockets and got up from our place.
They three are sitting on each end of the bed and just crying. I walked towards Ri and held her in my arms and she just cried.
After sometime I heard Priya Di asking “Did you guys hide again?”
“Yes!” We three whispered.
“Don’t tell this to anyone.” Kritika said.
“We know!” We three whispered again.
Few minutes later they got up and washed their faces to go and be with our friends as it is not good for all the hosts to stay in a room.
“I will go home.” Sanjay said and I am observing that he is kind of lost in his thoughts.
*Sanjay Pov*
Hearing all that I just remembered how Akhila Di talked to me that day like she is going through something nearly similar and now I can understand what she is talking about.
I walked towards my house and saw that someone is sitting near the door leaning on it. I walked near to see that it is Bhai.
“Khushal!” I said shaking him but he didn’t move.
“Bhai! Bhai get up.” I said and he slowly opened his eyes.
“Get up Bhai.” I said again and he stood up looking at me shocked.
I opened the door and we both walked inside. I looked at him and said “Shall I show you the room?”
He shook his head and walked towards the couch. He just lay down there and drifted off into sleep.
I brought an extra bed sheet from my room and covered him with it before going inside my room to sleep.
What will Mom and Dad say seeing him in the morning? I thought before drifting off into sleep.