Love Happens

6

"Why didn't you let her in? Do I know her?"

"No. She won't be comfortable living here with me. She has her friend with her, so I sent them to the guest house. I don't want any of us to not be comfortable, so it is best we don't live together."

"I hope it is what you said."

Anand, Lakshmi, and Poonam reached home. His mother venerated Poonam grandly before she entered the home. She hugged her sister Riddhima and exchanged pleasantries, and they proceeded to the room to greet Anand's father, who was now bedridden due to his accident.

"Oh, Grandfather. How are you?" Poonam leaned in and hugged him tightly.

"I'm well. I hope to get on my feet as soon as possible. I miss walking a lot. I hate being confined to the bed. I feel suffocated, but..."

"All this shall pass. Don't worry. I'm here now."

They exchanged warm smiles at each other.

"My child!"

Ananya heard her father's voice calling her. Her friend told her to listen to him, but she kept on walking.

"If you have even an ounce of pride, don't turn back."

"My princess, I'm a weak and old man. I can't run or shout for long. Can you please stop and listen to me?"

Ananya sighed and turned, looking at her father without pity. "Explain."

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't ask for an apology. I asked for an explanation."

Poonam and Lakshmi were out on the patio having coffee.

"This family has double standards. When I wore a modern outfit, Mother rebuked me and told me I couldn't enter the house unless I had something decent. But look at you. No one questioned your clothing."

"The daughter and daughter-in-law can never be treated the same way. I'm the apple of this house. Don't think you'll ever be equal to me. Don't even try to think like that because the thought itself is dangerous."

Lakshmi dissuaded her lips from uttering what they wanted to say because if she would, she would say something that may bring the end of her stay at the house, so instead, she chuckled.

They sipped their coffee in silence until Poonam spoke again.

"Were you not going to attend Mr. Pandey's birthday party with Grandmother and father? Get ready. I may even go along with you."

"Why am I not welcomed into the house?" Ananya asked her father.

"Who am I not to welcome you? It is your house too. There is a birthday party later, and considering you had a long journey, I don't want your rest to be disturbed. You should spend the night at the guest house today, and tomorrow, when the party is over, I myself will bring you here."

"Why do you think we're here, Father? It is to be a part of your birthday."

"I appreciate the effort, and I'm so very happy about it."

"Your face doesn't show that. All I see are fear and panic. Are you in any way hiding something?"

"Why would I? I'm an old man. There's nothing left for me to hide in the world."

"I stand by my words. If you won't take us to the mansion, we won't..."

"Don't be stubborn."

"You taught me to be. You said, Always voice what you want and stand by it."

Her father was taking them into the house through the back door, as he said the front door was a mess because of the preparations happening for his birthday. He made the excuse because he didn't want her to encounter Riya and Ranbir, as then he would have no explanation to give her.

"You won't attend the party, my dear. I want you to rest after your long journey," he said.

Ananya kept wondering what he was hiding and why they were being so secretive about themselves. She wasn't listening to him; rather, her mind was on who were downstairs. She looked at him and then ran to go down to check for herself what was there.

Ranbir and Riya were discussing their outfits for the night in the living room. Ananya saw their backs from the stairs, and she spoke, asking who they were.

"Shraddha?" Both of them recognized the voice and turned immediately toward the empty stairway.

Riya asked Ranbir if he heard her voice to confirm she wasn't hallucinating. He told her he did, and she got up to check who was upstairs. His father had covered Ananya's mouth and taken her into the room, warning her not to step out or speak until he returned.

"Who are they? What are you hiding?"

"Shraddha should not try to return. I swear I'll murder her with my own hands if I see her. I haven't forgotten the pain she put me through of losing a child." Riya thought as she scoured through the rooms on the floor. She hated Shraddha and everything related to her. She hated her to the extent that she made sure her home in Ladnun was demolished and the remains were poured into the sea she died in to leave the world with her. If ever she were to return, she would kill her in a more brutal way, slowly and gradually, so that she would also understand the pain she went through when she lost her child.

"Step aside. Who are you hiding?" Riya moved Ranbir's father to the side and opened the door to the room he made Ananya wait into. She saw her back which looked exactly like Shraddha's figure.

"Shraddha!" she shouted and the lady turned who was the friend Ananya came with.

"I'm Sarah. Uncle's distant family."