LOYALTY

The Truth

The woman slowly stood up from the couch upon getting hard stares from her son.

"I'm listening." He waited, observing her moves.

"I- I saw her today." She played with her fingers. She was afraid that Akira would not like it if she tells Jaison about her past. She clearly remembers Akira telling her to not talk about her past ever again but when her past was coming back to haunt her, did she expect her to stay silent. Mrs.Kim had also witnessed Akira getting panick attacks where she would keep on repeating the same line 'She'll kill me'. The first and the last time Mrs.Kim ever saw Akira being that vulnerable was when her aunt physically abused her and her brother. The fact that Amrita was behind bars made her stay quiet. Maybe it was someone else. Maybe Akira clearly remembered that woman's face from the accident and it kept flashing before her eyes but all her doubts vanished when she saw her with her own eyes.

Amrita.

She saw her roaming freely around the city today. She couldn't believe her own eyes. Mrs.Kim was on her way to shop for groceries with the driver when her attention was grabbed by a woman walking on the footpath in shabby clothes. She looked more like a begger with clothes torn from the edges, face uncleaned, hair uncombed arranged in the form of a nest. Even though Mrs.Kim had seen that woman once but she could never forget her. Even though there was a doubt of how she was able to get a car she was damn sure no one other than Amrita could have such an impact on Akira.

On seeing nothing but confusion on Jaison's face she elaborated further." The woman who hit Akira was her own aunt."

"She has a relative other than her brother?" Utter confusion dripped down his voice. He searched his mother's eyes for answers.

"Jaison, have you ever thought what was Akira's reason to agree to this marriage?"

No. He actually never gave it much thought. It didn't matter to him. What mattered was she was here with him sharing every moment with him.

Even if her reason was money it hardly mattered to him but deep down in his conscious he knew money wasn't it.

"She refused to speak of it but- I think its high time you know about this." Mrs.Kim made Jaison sit down on the couch and held his hand, sitting across him.

She slowly began narrating the story of how she was able to convince Akira for the marriage with Jaison. The more she spoke the more enraged he got.

"I knew she had some problem with her family but she hardly opened up. One day she came to restaurant with a busted lip and swollen cheek." A memory of the healing wound near her lips flashed before his eyes. That day he had noticed the bruise. He clenched his fist at how ignorant he was." She finally told me her dilemma. Her aunt isn't normal, Jaison. She is a lunatic. She threatened to take their lives, she even physically abused Aryan for years." Maybe that was the reason he got so scared of him that day." Akira wanted Aryan out of that place and at the same time you got into that scandal. Spending time with her I had started to see her as my daughter in law but I knew she wouldn't agree. I still feel guilty that I used her weakness against her to make her agree to this but-" she kept a hand to his cheek and proudly looked at him."- I knew you'll treat her the way she deserved to be treated and I'm proud. I'm proud that I raised my son right." She eyes swelled with tears.

Her purpose of life had been fulfilled. The dream she saw had bloomed into fine colours. She was able to make her son a better man than her husband.

"As per the deal her brother was sent to USA and the aunt was sentenced to jail but how is she roaming around freely? I- I don't understand. I had my doubts when Akira would scream that she'll kill me but I thought that Amrita was in jail but-"