Undying Love |✔

Chapter 31- When She Saw the Light

"I think it's about time I tell my parents about us, Avni." Amit declared one day when they both were stargazing at her apartment's balcony.

"You sure?" She looked at him with a hint of doubt. She was worried about their reaction, as she knew how conservative they were.

Amit nodded a little.

"Then I'm with you." She smiled and squeezed his hand in understanding.

After that, she waited for the time when she would get to meet his parents. But, little did she know that planning to do something was easier than doing the task itself.

Every time Amit gathered up the courage to call his parents, he postponed it to another appropriate day.

He was nervous whenever he tried to bring this subject to his parents, as he knew his Paa's reaction would not be a good one.

However, one fine afternoon, Avni forced him to make that phone call. In her opinion, it was better if they knew the truth, as lies seldom did anyone good.

The outcome was something he had expected all along. But it was a battle for which he wasn't prepared. A battle where emotions, expectations, hope, and above all, ethics and values of different generations were against one another. And it was one, where he was clearly on a losing end.

He wasn't sure what he should say to make his father agree about their relationship. He wanted to tell him he respected his wishes too and wanted his approval for this relationship. That he was not deceiving and he was finally at a place where he was free and happy.

But, all his unsaid emotions couldn't form words when he heard his Paa. His father, being a resident of a village, where people didn't miss a chance to demean him, didn't like the idea of him being with an educated girl. So he declared his decision in a very clear term.

"Come back home without that girl, or don't come at all."

These were the words he last heard from his father. When he chose the latter, his father cut the call without a word, cutting all ties with him in return.

*

Avni had wished to turn everything out well, as she knew the importance of parents' in a child's life.

But alas, all her hopes got crushed when she heard his father's decision.

"What are you going to do now?" She had asked Amit with sadness.

His only reply was to give a chaste kiss on her lips, and say, "Live here, do my job, and tolerate you,"

She wanted to argue with him. Tell him to find an alternate path. Tell him to go to his village and talk to his parents; that no parents ever wanted their children to be unhappy. But just when she started to speak, Amit's one shake of head forced her to gulp all her arguments. Now was clearly not the right time.

That's how their discussion came to an end for the time being.

***

Amit felt incomplete after that day. He pretended to be okay. But where one part of him was happy with the fact he'd stood up for himself. The other part was anxious at his parents' silence. It was gnawing at him from within, making him detached from everything.

He even called Aamir to know about his Paa a few times. But every time his reply was less than satisfying. "He is okay, but a little ashamed."

"And, how's Ma doing?"

Aamir was the only way he got all the information about his parents, and he was thankful for this reason.

"She misses you a lot, Amit. But, she is also a little upset about you not coming back home,"