Chapter 70: chapter 70

SHIVA“Uncle, I screwed up royally this time. She is hurt and angry. I have no idea how I am going to convince her,” I whine.Uncle Bala chuckles, “You sure as heaven deserve it.”“But you don't even know what I did,” I say.“I don't have to know it. I am sure if Gowri is pissed off with you then you should have done something big. This time I am not going to be your wingman. It is time you grow mature in the relationship and start fixing things on your own,” he says in a serious tone and leaves my office much to my protest.I sigh. Great! I have no idea how to cool off Gowri. The whole night I kept thinking about her and the ways I could apologize and clear the misunderstanding between us but I couldn't settle on one idea. Maybe just give her a call and start small with a hi.Yes, that is right! I will call her. The worst that can happen is she not picking up the phone or yelling at me. I dial Gowri's number and before I can chicken out click the call button.It rings and I wait patiently for her to pick it up. When I am sure she will not pick up, the call click and I hear her voice. “Hello,” she says. It is her tone that wipes away the grin on my face. She sounds so unsure of herself and on the verge of tears.“Love, are you okay?” I say in a concerned tone.I hear a sniffle. Oh no! What the hell is happening with her? Why is she trying not to cry?“I am okay,” she replies trying to keep her voice firm but it comes out weak.“Gowri, just cut it out and tell me what is happening?” I practically yell out on the phone.The line is silent for a minute and I think she has hung up but then her voice comes low, so low, that I missed out on the words nearly, “My father...,” her voice breaks. What happened to uncle? A thousand thoughts race through my mind.“He collapsed...,” she says trying to keep the calm in her voice. “Admitted in hospital. I am going there.”Before I could get the chance to ask anything more, the line goes blank. She hung up on me. It doesn't take me a long time to decide what I have to do.I close my open laptop shut and run to Uncle Bala's room.🍀🍀🍀🍀GOWRI“...I heard a scream and rushed to your house to find your father lying on the floor motionless. Your mother was sitting next to him. She was crying and screaming at him to wake up. We tried to wake him up but he didn't open his eyes. So, we called the ambulance. We sent your mother with him. But she is not stable enough to handle the situation. I am sorry to say that your father's pulse was weakening. Come here, as soon as possible.”The neighbour's words echo in my mind as I get away from the auto.“Anna, I will be back in five minutes,” I say to the auto driver and run to the house. I barely slept yesterday weeping after what happened between me and Shiva. But today when I woke up with dark circles under my eyes, I was resolute and determined to remove Shiva from my heart and stop dreaming about getting into a relationship or romance. The idea was solid but the only problem was I couldn't stop thinking about the kiss or the way his eyes had that warm look. But when I received a call from my neighbour exactly half an hour ago, my day turned from bad to worst. My father. He passed out all of a sudden and...Gowri! Stop! Don't think about it. Focus on what you have to do. Get that bag and pack on the clothes and start your journey as soon as possible. This is not the time to get emotional.I take a deep breath. But it does nothing to calm the raging emotions. I have to keep my cool. I can't lose it. I have to go to my hometown as soon as possible.I lock the house and turn around to head to the gate but stop short as I see the auto missing. Instead, Shiva's car is parked. Confusion plagues me as Shiva comes toward the house.“Where did the auto go?” I ask him.“I sent him away,” he replies.“Why did you do that? I told you that my father... I want to go to my hometown as soon as possible. I want to be with my mother. Why are you doing this?” I say getting frustrated trying to keep the tears at bay. “I sent him away because I am taking you there,” he says.WHAT? Why is he suddenly interested in my life? After one week of radar silence. After telling me the kiss was a mistake. I don't want him to do this. He can't be cold and warm like he wishes. He can't play with my feelings.I shake my head, “No, I will go on the bus or train. You return to your office.”He rakes a hand through his hair and pleads, “Let us not argue now. Please, get in the car.”“No, you don't have to do this. We will get div-” he doesn't let me finish the sentence as he suddenly closes the distance between us. His eyes pin me with an intense look. “Stop doing this,” he says.“Doing what?” I ask confused.“Being stubborn.”“Yes, I am stubborn. Give me way,” I say getting irritated with him. Anger is the best emotion. It keeps my other feelings in check.He steps closer and whispers, “I am your husband. Get used to me being there for you at difficult times.” I stare at him stunned. But I don't get to fully process his words because suddenly he lifts me off the floor and into his hands.My eyes widen in shock and I shout, “Shiva, what the hell? Put me down now. Are you kidnapping me?” “I know you are the stubborn one in both of us but at times I can be brutally stubborn,” he says as we reach the car. He puts me down and opens the passenger door.I glare at him but he only glances at his watch and says, “You are wasting time.”I grudgingly get in the car. I want to go to my hometown as soon as possible. That is what matters now. I will deal with Shiva later. But no matter what he does, I am not going to let those stupid emotions overwhelm me again.🍀🍀🍀🍀SHIVA“What exactly happened to your father?” I ask Gowri when we are half an hour into the journey. “His BP level reached its maximum and he collapsed,” she says in a grim tone.“High BP? What is he stressed about?”“Which father wouldn't be stressed when his daughter is going to get a divorce?” she asks.WAIT!DIVORCE?HOW DID THEY KNOW?I slam the brakes and the car stops with a jerk. I turn to stare at her in shock.“Do your parents know about us?” I ask thinking things have gone out of hand. She shakes her head no. I start the car and I realize what her sentence meant.“Your sister is getting a divorce?”“Yes.”“Why? I thought they were a good couple. Ajay loves your sister right?”“I don't know Shiva. Recently, I am learning that sometimes no matter how much you love a person, the other person will not return it,” she says in a bitter tone looking out the window.OH MY GOD!SHE MEANS ME.But the problem is I love you too. Please don't hate me yet. I would have confessed to you today if this didn't happen. But now, my confession has to wait because I don't want to trouble you with this. And no matter, how much you try to push me away now, I will be here for you. I know, I messed up things but I will make it right. Please, don't lose hope about me yet.  I think but don't say it out aloud. Things would have been different if I wasn't so keen on protecting my heart. I would have noticed early that she too has feelings for me and it would have been another story where she wouldn't push me away or regard me with suspicions.But I guess sometimes we complicate simple things. 🍀🍀🍀🍀