A/N: Things are slowly coming to a close guys! Around three or four chapters left!!!!
***
The funeral was peaceful, but heart-breaking. Sanaya had met us there and I couldn't recognise her; she looked dull and pale, eyes gloomy.
Neither of us said a word, not even the boisterous Khushi who realised it was a grave atmosphere and remained quiet.
We all hugged each other, comforting one another without the use of any words. I couldn't help the occasional tears from slipping out, even though I didn't know Jai's grandma much.
My heart still clenched inside my chest in pain at the prospect that Jai was hurting more than I could ever imagine.
He had lost his brother and now his gran, too.
Glancing to the side, I watched Jai try to stay strong, his figure stiff. His facade was slowly coming undone as the tears slipped out of his red eyes but he tried to keep it together, his jaw still clenched in determination and his arms folded over his chest.
Jai...
My chest tightened at his expression. He looked broken; lost and angry as well.
I hope Gran rests in peace in heaven. I pray that my plan goes well. Please be with me, God.
I opened my teary eyes and found the people that had gathered around for the funeral, clad in black, were slowly moving away.
Sanaya and Mohit had already walked away, but I didn't bother looking back. I couldn't take my eyes off of his grandma's grave.
It happened all too suddenly.
She was laughing and so healthy when we saw her and now...
I shut my eyes tight before I looked up at Jai. He stood there, staring at the grave, unmoving, and so I reached out and grabbed his arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
He looked down at me, and managed to let out a small smile.
Jai brought his hand up and laced our fingers together. We slowly turned around and my eyes wandered around, in search of some very important people.
And it wasn't long before I found them either, standing with Sanaya and her family.
Beside me, Jai stopped walking abruptly and his grip on me tightened.
I swallowed, hard, and looked up at him to see his eyes narrowed at the two people he clearly despised the most.
Geena aunty looked up and spotted us standing on the slanted hill. She nudged Prem uncle and gestured to us before covering her mouth, her eyes watering as she stared at Jai.
Prem uncle's face was stoic, but his eyes seemed to reveal something else beneath the hardness. Jai's body trembled beneath my hand and I looked up, taking in his rage-filled features.
All of a sudden, he ripped his hand away from my grip and stormed towards them like a savage animal.
Sanaya gasped and Mohit stepped forward, trying to stop him from losing control of his actions. The fact that Mohit was in front of him, holding him back didn't seem to deter Jai from the pure fury that was clearly etched across his features.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he snarled instead, directing the words at Prem uncle.
A glimmer of remorse flashed through his expression but he tried to remain calm.
"Jai–"
He scowled, eye twitching. "No, don't. You don't deserve to be here."
"Jai, please calm down," I rushed out.
A lump formed in my throat as my eyes watered at his drastic reaction to his parents.
Obviously the plan had backfired—I had stepped over the line and made a huge mistake, foolishly thinking that Jai would welcome them with open arms after a small chat.
Clearly I was too excited about this and didn't think it through. But still, a part of me believed it would work if Jai just gave them a chance.
Geena aunty had begun to cry and Prem uncle sighed, squeezing his eyes, his face scrunched up as if he had sucked on a very sour lemon.
"Why the fuck should I calm down?! Tell these people to leave. They put my Gran here. It's all their fault!" he said manically, his face contorted with rage.
Sorrow pierced through me upon witnessing him like that.
This was a bad idea.
"Jai, please," Sanaya pleaded.
Mohit silently gestured with his head for her to leave with Khushi. With remorse and sympathy in her eyes, she slowly turned, dragging a sobbing Khushi along with her.
"Jai, ho–" Geena aunty tried to say something but got cut off by a loud roar.
"Why are you here?!"
"Karishma called us, Jai."
Prem uncle's voice suddenly cut through the tense air. Everything had gone quiet and Jai stopped struggling in Mohit's arms.
He turned to look at me in disbelief.
"You called my parents...here?"
"I just..." I suddenly felt small, as if I was being scrutinised under the spotlight. "I wanted you guys to talk it out. I wanted our Gran to be the reason why you become a family again. I know she'd want this," I said, my heart beating rapidly due to fear.
Seeing the look on Jai's face, I didn't know if what I did was the right thing to have done.
"Ka—"
Jai was cut off this time by Geena aunty.
"Don't be mad at her. She spoke to us and raised a lot of good points."
She pointedly looked at her husband whose eyes were filled with guilt.
"It's—" Prem uncle cleared his throat, "time we talk, son."
"About what?" he said tersely, his voice resembling a low growl. "There's nothing to talk about."
"There's lots of things to talk about, Jai," Prem uncle snapped.
He heaved a great sigh, fingers rubbing his forehead.
"Look, I know I haven't been the best father—"
Jai scoffed. "Yeah, well, no kidding."
"And," Prem uncle continued, forcefully, "I've never been there for you. I know that. And...after hearing Karishma explain things and say that all you wanted was to be loved and cared for–"
My eyes blurred as I witnessed Jai slowly breaking down right in front of me.
"–I realised, I'd been going about it all wrong. I'm a horrible horrible father, son. What I did with....your Gran, I have no excuses for that. I just—I was so obsessed with making and seeing Aman—my first born—as the perfect son to be an example to you and the son that I tried so hard to shape into me, that I ended up neglecting you and everyone else. I turned into an ugly version of myself and it's not one I'm proud of."
Jai ran a hand through his hair, chuckling humourlessly.
"So, you come here and apologise and expect, what?" He shrugged. "You think I'm gonna forgive you or something? Just like that?"
Prem uncle ran a hand down his face.
"I know you won't and I don't expect you to. Especially not after how I spoke to you the other day. You hate me, son, so I...didn't bother trying to get on your good side. Everything you said about Aman was right. Always. He had derailed but I didn't want to admit it. I didn't want to admit that I was wrong and that I failed as a father because I was so obsessed with seeing him as the picture perfect son. But, you have no idea how much I've regretted everything I've done in my life. How much I regret losing you,
son.
When Jai said nothing, Prem uncle pushed further.
"Can we please talk?"
Jai said nothing.
He looked completely shattered, but quickly looked away and over his shoulder at Gran's grave.
I hesitantly touched his shoulder, not knowing whether he'd get mad at me for calling his parents and getting them to come without his permission.
But, Jai didn't get mad at me.
He turned around and glanced at me briefly.
"Please," I pleaded with him a final time.
Jai sighed and turned to his parents.
"Alright. We'll talk," he said, his voice firm.
***
After a long drive home, I was in the kitchen making coffee with shaky hand.
It had been a while since Jai and his parents sat in the living room to talk. The more time ticked by, the more anxious I was beginning to get.
I glanced into the living room — and just in time too, as Geena aunty was bawling her eyes out and Prem uncle looked like he was struggling to keep his composure.
He just looked so crest-fallen as Jai spoke, gesturing with his hands.
Turning back around, I bit my lip, tapping my fingers impatiently on the kitchen table.
I wanted to serve them coffee but didn't want to intrude on their conversation either.
As I deliberated on what to do, all of a sudden, I heard a loud cry. With a jolt, I spun around on my heels but let out a deep sigh of relief as I watched Jai and Prem uncle hug, hesitantly.
Geena aunty had her mouth covered, her eyes red as she also watched the scene before her.
A small smile grew on my face as I watched Prem uncle swipe at his eyes. I didn't want to interrupt their private moment and so turned around again, adding a little bit of sugar in the cups of coffee, joy in my heart.
I only hoped now that things would be better in the future and that Gran would be proud of me.
Gran...I hope this makes you happy.