A Chance to Love

Chapter 47

Prem

I knock on the door calling out for Preeti to open the door. It's few minutes before Bitto opens it but, just as I'm about to enter followed by Sandhya, we hear Preeti asking for her to not be allowed in. I look back at Sandhya to see her tearing up again and notice Bitto awkwardly looking between Preeti to Sandhya.

"It's okay Bitto. Let her in-"

"You don't know what she did?" Preeti cut me off in a loud cold voice, but I don't miss the pain in her eyes.

"I know everything love, trust me please." I see confusion flash in her eyes before she huffs and goes to sit beside Anand on the bed. I look at him to see his face still bent down, he is also holding a cold press to cheek and realise the reason due to which things have escalated so much.

"Bitto, Jiji, you both should go out to see off Mother and everyone else. Maa and Papa are already seeing off relatives and Suraj is seeing off my employees and colleagues. Take Ammu with you as well." I instruct them calmly to which they heed silently. Now on to the difficult things, I motion Sandhya to sit on one the chairs in the room as I close and lock the door. What we are about to discuss need not go out of this room.

I move towards my wife and brother. As I near, Preeti gets up with a huff and goes to make herself comfortable on the bed instead of sitting at the edge with Anand. I take the place she vacated beside my brother.

"It wasn't your fault Anand. You did nothing that happened. Stop feeling embarrassed and look me in the eyes." I tell Anand as I place a hand on his shoulder while facing him. Slowly but steadily he raises his head to look at me. I notice there is moisture in his eyes and it makes my heart clench. I wipe off the tears before they fall and embrace my brother tightly letting him know that I meant what I said. It wasn't his fault. He didn't know. It was nobody's fault but that stalker. I release Anand and apologise for what he had to through.

"Why are you apologising? It wasn't you who hit him or said all those hurtful words to him. It shouldn't be you apologising." Preeti told me while glaring at Sandhya. This brought another set of tears from her and she burst out crying while apologising profusely.

"Preeti! It was her fault either. You don't know what happened with her and why she did what she did."

"Are you telling me you Devarji did something to her for whom her reaction was justified? Didn't you just say it wasn't his fault?" Preeti asks furiously while moving to stand between me and Anand, and putting him behind her as if shielding him from me. As much as this made me feel warm, I was worried for I wasn't doing a good job at handling the situation.

"Preeti that's not what I meant love. I know my brother my wife, I just meant her state of mind was not good when she reacted the way she did. Please listen to her first before you punish her. She has gone through a lot love, please, she needs you." I tell her to which I feel her eyes going soft and finally looking at Sandhya who is still a sobbing mess and still saying sorry in between her cries. Preeti looks back at me and I motion for her to trust me and go to her sister, while I go to my brother and put my hand on his shoulder while assuring him to trust me with my eyes.

As soon as Preeti touch Sandhya, she wraps her hands around her torso while still sitting and continues to cry. This breaks whatever walls of anger Preeti had built around her heart and she returns the embrace crying as well. Their tears are not only for Sandhya's pain and sufferings but also of Preeti's relief. She finally had her sister back and she was fine as well as far as she can see. There was much left to talk, but this moment was all about basking in each other for them, all about letting go of the past. No matter the difference in what they both were letting go, one thing was common, the strength they were using was coming from the other. Moreover, it was better if they got all the heaviness off their chests, for the talk that was coming was not going to be easy.