Dad's pov/ David's pov
10 years since Venkat left. 7 years for Robbie and Rayan and 3 for Ishan.
As a father, I know I've failed. I know I've not treated my family with the respect they deserve.
But what about me? What about my dreams and ambitious. I had a few dreams, I wanted my kids to accomplish them. But no, four boys and none of them could.
It's not like I wanted to kick them out of my house. Yes I kicked Venkat out, not the twins and Ishan. It was their choice to the walk out. And since then, I've hated them and almostly regretted to give birth to him.
I've kept my daughter out of their reach because I didn't want her mind to get manipulated by them.
A corner of my heart says that I shouldn't have forces my kids to do engineering as their career, but other also says that they shouldn't have betrayed me like this.
Now, I didn't wanted to loose my daughter, Aana. I made up my mind that I wasn't gonna force her to do engineering but whatever she wanted to do.
Yeah.. I know Venky, Robbie, Rayan and Ishan had tried to talk to her multiple times, but now she's enough scared of them to trust on.
Yeah.. I know that my sons do love Aana. No freaking doubt that they would sacrifice their lives for her. But, they've hurt me and my wife enough. I didn't want them to hurt my daughter too.
It has been two weeks now that my dear sons have barged into our lives. In the start, things were very awkward and there was tension. But slowly and steadily I could feel the comfortableness around
I think... I was supposed to hate being around them. I feel like, I should frowne everytime I see their ugly faces. But... Something inside of me feels like home.
Ps:-And I hate that feeling.
I came back home after a stressful day from work. My wife, Trisha was on the sofa and Ishan's head was on her lap and she was stroking his hairs. Both watching television together, peacefully.
I lips twitched in a small smile at the scene but anger instantly grew from inside of me for doing so.
"Oh! hey honey" Trisha waved at me cheerfully "welcome back home"
"Hey" I exhaled
"Hey dad" Ishan smirked at me. I ignored him and went into the kitchen to eat something. It was only 7:00pm so dinner still had one and an hour left.
I started to search for some chips and my beer.
While I was in search of my snacks, I heard some soft, tiny footsteps come into my direction, running.
It was Lucky, she's cute. I can't deny that. She's like a little bundle of joy. She's always energetic and jumpy. No doubt Aana loves her more than her love for choco Lava cake.
She tugged at my pants looking at up at me. Her small frame making her look cute.
I just stared down at her in bored expressions "what?" I asked enough rudely to make her face frown
"Want food" she said pouting
"Ask your father" I shrugged her off
"Dadda's no howm" she squealed.
I was tall and she was so tiny. I was worried she was gonna break her neck if you continues to look up at me any longer.
"You can wait" I ignored her looking away anyways. I'm cold hearted, it's not my fault I'm like this. I'm also good at hiding my true feelings.
Then I heard a small sob. Oh shit!
I quickly scooped her up in my arms and bounced her back and forth. Great! I made a four year old cry now.
"Shh.. it's okay. What do you wanna eat?" I asked her softly
She sniffled and swang an arm around my neck "chippees" she breathed out
I chuckled "you mean chips?" I asked and she nodded
I took a chip out from the packet and fed it in her mouth. She began to munch on it loudly, I wasn't annoyed because I too make loud chewing noises. I too took a chip and ate it. Me eating and simultaneously feeding her from time to time.
We both were having a great time having our snacks, the cutest little lady in my arms before Lucky's dad decided to ruin the moment.
"Heya munchkin, what's goin on?" Venky came into the kitchen smiling at his daughter and me, his father.
I rolled my eye. He really does irritates me. Even if he's doing nothing but smiling
"Dwddy!" She squealed and open her arms jumping into her dad's arms
"were having fun with pappa?" He asked smirking
"Yeah, before you decided to ruin it" I grumbled
He laughed silently "so Luck madam, what did you do all day?" He asked to his daughter
"I played Legos with uncle Ishan and watched a movie with Aama"
"It's Aana" I corrected her
"Ya ya" she shrugged me off. Not gonna lie, that was really sassy for a four year old.
I tried to hide my smile threatening to spill itself off.
"Hey, you don't talk to your elders like this. Say sorry" Venky frowned
"Sowwy pappa" Lucky apologized
I stayed silent. Did she just call me pappa? I was overwhelmed. My heart warmed. I felt like a grandparent now. It felt good. How much I would hate my sons, hating on Lucky was something equal to impossible. She was a good product from a bad one, her dad.
"Pappa!" Someone hugged me from my behind. It was my daughter.
"Hey sweetheart" I chuckled
"How was your day?" I asked her. She released me stood in between me and Venky who had finished the whole packet of chippees by now.
"Fine, school gave us holiday for some renovation purposes of the classrooms and laboratory "
"Oh, how long are the holidays?" I asked
"Fiwe!" Lucky shouted " my class tewcher said it's fiwe dwys"
"Yes, five days" Aana chuckled
"So five days holiday?" Venky asked
I cought my daughter nod, but looking only at the floor. She didn't seam scared by the boys anymore.
"Um.. pappa?" Venky called me
"Hm?" I hummed not looking at him
"I've an important meeting in two days. It's gonna be on a cruise, for two days max. So if you won't mind, could Aana––"
"No" I cut him mid sentence "she's not coming with you"
Aana just stood at her place, looking down. Both of us debating for her. She was awkward, it was about her but she couldn't talk. I felt bad but she's not going with that bastard.
"She'll be safe, Ishan and the twins are also gonna be there. you can trust me" Venky urged
"What if I say I don't trust you" I snapped looking at him
Aana gave a glance at my face before going back to staring at her toes.
Venky frowned "do you really think I would hurt her"
I stayed silent.
Do I?
Maybe
Maybe not
"You know you can trust me, dad" Venky said as a matter of fact
"I remember denying your offer" I ignored his statement "she's my daughter, where she's gonna go is gonna be my decision" I almost shouted.
I saw Lucky flinch, but that's not gonna stop me from changing my decision.
"No" Venky said sternly "it's gonna be Aana's decision. Where she's gonna go is going to be her decision only"
I was angry, my nostrils flaring. He's so irritating. I said no, then why does he have to argue with me.
"Aana" Venky said "what do you want?"
She looked up at me, then at Venky
"Um.." she said softly not sure with the choice of her words "maybe. But you can understand Venky" she turned to took at Venky. Her back facing me
"Understand want?" Venky said softly. His shoulders loosining up.
He put Lucky on the floor "baby, go play with uncle Ishan. I'll be there in a minute"
"Oh-ok" she slowly made her way towards the living room, closing the door of the kitchen with a soft creek.
Now We both my looked at Aana. Asking for her opinion
"Aana?" Venky asked again
She exhaled loudly "I don't know if I want to go. I can't deny dad's decision" she paused and looked up at Venky "you are a father too, you can understand the worry"
Venky's eyes softened "I'm your brother Aana, there's no reason to be scared of your safety when you'll be with me"
"But-" she was cut of my Venky
"You'll be the safest person alive when you'll be with me"
"Alright" I interrupted "she's not going. That's final"
Venky didn't take his eyes off of Aana "think about it." then he left the kitchen opening the door leaving it unclosed
Aana looked stressed
"You okay?" I asked her worriedly
"I'm confused" she sighed
"Look" I said. She looked at me "do you want to go?"
"No" she lied. I could see right through her. Why was she lying? I'm her father, why to lie to me?
"D-don't lie" I stuttered. She looked up at me blankly
I sighed and cupped her cheeks "if you want to go, then you can go" I couldn't believe that I just said that. I said that only and only for my daughter.
"If you don't want me to go, then I too don't want to go" she replied swiftly
"What if I want you to go? Will you go with them?" I asked flickering my eyes with hers
"M-Maybe" she spoke
I dropped my hands from her cheeks and nodded with a smile plastered on my face, hiding the internal battle happening in my mind.
Is it my defeat or a new start of something I've been ignoring from a long time?
**
Guys, a big big big apology for the long wait. I was so so busy with college, I can't even explain.
Anyways, so this is a chapter that most of you didn't expect. I've heard that unexpected things are always good. Was this good?
I know most of you have hated their dad. Maybe this changes your mind. But you can still hate on him, as you wish...
Tell me what you really feel about the dad now.
Leave a vote plsss... Love you all 💓
Also, I've updated the parents of Aana. Chapter 3, you can go back there and see.
Ashton is also changed. Chapter 9, check it out if you feel so.