Destiny's Play!!

Chapter - 17

Avni didn't know what to make of Karan. She thought about him as she sat in the car with Manya. The other girl seemed to be just as quiet and thoughtful today as her. She hadn't been able to sleep till the wee hours of the morning but finally she had had a couple of hours' good rest. Breakfast had been a quiet affair. It seemed Nilakshi aunty wasn't talking to Tej uncle over last night's fiasco. Uday was in a different mood too. He seemed irritable today and Manya had been reflective. Not that Avni had a lot to contribute to conversations anyway. She was still wondering about last night's events.

She had apologized he had asked her to change the lame apology to something new. She had told him she had a headache he had dismissed it as if she had made that up pointing towards the swing instead. She had asked for help he had turned and walked asking her to help herself. What was he? Made of stone and Manya thought he was a sweetheart. Was she angry? No. She wasn't she was just upset and then something occurred to her something she hadn't thought of before and that made her feel better. But he had helped her by making sure she didn't fall. When he had walked with his back as straight as an arrow she had followed him putting her feet in the exact same spot and on the same stone he did. He could have gone faster but he hadn't maybe he had known she was following him. He had pointed out the swing so she didn't get hurt unknowingly. And he had been so good to Manya last night how could she forget that. The warmth in his voice even when he had warned her to keep out of whatever was happening. The way he had hugged her before he had left. Of course. He had a strange way of showing his affection or softer side but he did possess one. And how could she forget when he had dropped her home yesterday afternoon? He had absolutely no need to but he had so she didn't have to wait for a longer time at the bus stand. He was a strange man. Not that she had a lot of experience with men, just one and that had ruined her entire life for what it was worth. She sighed.

"What's wrong?" Manya asked her suddenly bringing her out of her reverie. She had all but forgotten she sat next to her as they were going to the college together.

"Nothing," Avni said then gave a small smile.

"You have shadows under your eyes," Manya said squinting her eyes, "didn't you sleep well?" she asked.

Avni hadn't known her face looked that transparent.

"No, I had a headache so I couldn't sleep properly," she replied quietly.

"Yeah, me too," Manya said, "I mean I didn't have a headache but I didn't sleep well either. I just don't like it when dad is so mean to bhai," she said angrily.

"I am sure they will resolve their issues soon," Avni said positively.

"Yeah right," Manya said mockingly, "they haven't resolved their issues in over fourteen years," she said.

"Fourteen years?" Avni parroted shocked. How could a feud between father and son take so long to resolve? What were their issues anyway? It couldn't be so severe. The rest of the family seemed to be fine with it. Was that why Karan behaved the way he did?

"Yes," Manya said sadly, "I was very young so don't remember the details clearly but because of something bhai did dad was never able to forgive him and bhai refuses to bow down. He has been on his own ever since," she said.

"How old is he?" Avni asked.

"He is about thirty one now, he was seventeen then," she said quietly.

What had he done so bad that it has taken fourteen years and counting for them to get over it? But why was she so interested? She had her own share of problems to get over. Why did she want to know? Not that she could help them out. She was unable to help herself. And she didn't want to entangle herself further in their affairs. But she was not as indifferent to others as Karan was. She was a softhearted girl and from what she could see the father and son's tiff was definitely hurting the other members of the family. Nilakshi aunty suffered, Manya was sad well, she didn't know about Uday but it seemed he was affected by all of it too. How come Karan and Tej uncle were still stubborn about it? And how can she assume who was being stubborn without knowing any details? She decided it was best to not interfere.

"Everything will turn out to be fine Manya," she said politely.

"Nothing is going to be okay between the two till dad keeps harping on 'discipline, discipline, discipline'," Manya said angrily, "and even that is not the main problem just because Karan did not become an officer carrying on the old Dogra tradition dad can never forgive him for it," she said, "I mean come on, how does it matter that he did not become an army officer? Look what he became instead. He is successful at what he does isn't that what is most important. I just don't get it," she said frustrated, "which father wouldn't be proud of the fact that he has a son who runs his own company, did everything from scratch taking it to where it is now? Tell me Avni. Which father wouldn't feel proud? But dad doesn't," she said not sure what was happening and why. She had tried talking to her mother about it several times only to be told to mind her business as she was still young and did not know things properly. And that made her angry.

Avni didn't know how to console Manya. She had heard of these things about where parents wanted their children to realize the dreams they had. It was called as pressure. She had no experience of any such thing. Her family had never had any expectations nor had they had any grand dreams for her. There hadn't been any pressure except for...she bit her lip as she put the memory away. She didn't want to think about it or where it had landed her. She cleared her throat.

"Manya no matter how big a divide is, no child and no parent can completely give up on the other," she told Manya who looked at her with hope in her eyes, "things will get better trust me," she said and smiled.

"I guess you are right," Manya said, "you know no matter how much dad instigates bhai, no matter how much he insults him bhai never ever raises his voice to him. He always stays calm even if he is not feeling so on the inside he has never once shouted back," she told Avni, "he even told mom to not fight his case. He just listens or walks away I have asked him several times about what he thinks or how he feels and he always avoids the topic," she said, "you know he is truly a warm hearted person, only because of dad and all the years he has been alone he refuses to show that side to others," she said earnestly as if pleading with her to believe in what she was saying.

Avni already knew a bit about what she was saying. She had experienced it too. Wasn't that just what she had been thinking about a while ago? No matter how cold or rude he had been to her every single time he had in his own way taken care of her. Reluctantly, grudgingly call it whatever one wanted he had been there since the very first time. He had had no need to. He didn't even know her. And yet.

"I understand," was all Avni said and that seemed to make Manya all better.

After that she chatted incessantly. She seemed to be over her upset and Avni was glad. She hadn't liked the gloomy Manya at all. For the remainder of their ride to the college Manya became the chirpy girl, she talked about everything from fashion to movies to books. Avni couldn't help but smile the girl was infectious. But her mind couldn't let go of two things. Karan and what had happened in her recent past. It kept oscillating between the two. She kept wondering why suddenly after the past few months when she had repressed her memory it had started to come around again. And why was Karan making so much presence in her thoughts? She was going mad. There was no other answer to her predicament. And if this remained the case she would be ending up in a mental asylum.

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