Siren of Hearts

33. Their Loss

Siddharth took a moment of heavy silence, as if the weight of the past pressed on his shoulders. "In the rage of the conflict between the groups, they... did something, and... my grandma was holding me tightly, my mother..." His voice wavered as he struggled to articulate the painful memories. "She had Shraddha hidden in her lap. The next thing we saw, our house catching fire."

Ishita sat there, stunned by the intensity of Siddharth's revelation. "Luckily and also unfortunately... my father was there to rescue us. He took me and Shraddha out of the fire first, then dragged my grandma out. Then... he went in to... get my mother. We kept waiting outside... and they never came out." The words hung heavily in the air as Siddharth's voice trailed off. Ishita could see the pain etched across his face, the clenched jaws revealing the depth of his raw emotions. He ran a hand across his face, as if trying to shield his vulnerability. "We kept calling – 'Dad, Mom, come out, our entire house is burning.' But they didn't listen." Siddharth fell into a heavy silence, the weight of the unspoken tragedy echoing in the room.

Siddharth sighed, composing himself and gaining control over his emotions. "Here, you've heard it all. My father put his family ahead of his duty. You ask any elders in my neighborhood, they say I'm just like my father. I agree with them – my father and I are much alike, not only in appearance but also in mindset. So, if you think what my father did was wrong, then I'm not the noblest as well. I work in the emergency rescue department for my family, so that I can protect them just like my father did. Tomorrow, if you become a part of my family, then be dead assured I'll put you, our family, above everything."

As he uttered the words "our family," Ishita felt a surge of trust in his sincerity. However, amidst the clarity Siddharth provided, some lingering thoughts still confused her.

He stood up to leave but turned to look at her. "I don't care about what others think about my father, who died trying to save his family, Ishita. I'm proud of him, proud to be born as my mom and dad's son. But yesterday, when your mom said my dad was a 'selfish coward,' I kept silent because I wanted to let you know the truth first. From now on, if she utters a single bad word against him, I'll lose it. I'm sorry. Take as much time as you want, think as much as you want, just don't keep me in the dark. It hurts me to see your emotional and internal struggles. Take care." Siddharth left, understanding that Ishita needed more time to process the shock and make a decision, respecting her need for space.

Siddharth, ready to head to the station on a Monday morning after spending the weekend with his sister and grandma, walked into the kitchen. However, he immediately sensed something burning on the stove. In a rush, he moved towards the stove, only to glance back and see his grandma sitting on the sofa.

"Grandma, something is burning on the stove! Be careful!" he quickly turned off the stove, then approached his grandma. "Ask Shraddha to handle the kitchen in her free time. She was..." His words trailed off as he noticed his grandma closing her eyes, leaning against the back of the sofa, a framed picture of his childhood, where he was with his father, mother, grandma and Shraddha are posing in a row, placed to her side. 

Concerned, Siddharth took a seat next to her. "You didn't sleep well last night..." He placed a hand on her shoulder to check on her, only for her upper body to collapse completely onto his thighs. His worry deepened as he touched her forehead, realizing it was cold.

"Grandma? Are you feeling cold? Grandma, are you okay?!" Siddharth's voice reflected his immediate concern. 

In a state of panic, Siddharth's logical instincts kicked in. Though his heart resisted, his trembling fingers sought the side of his grandma's neck to check her pulse. The realization hit him like a freight train – no pulse, no breath. Panic surged through him.

"Grandma, I'm getting late for work. Grandma!" he called out desperately. Shraddha, alerted by the urgency, rushed over. "Bhai, what happened?" Her eyes widened in alarm as she saw their grandmother.

"Ask Mr. Patel next door to get his taxi ready," Siddharth instructed urgently. Shraddha nodded and darted out to fetch help. Siddharth, in a quick decision, lifted his grandma onto his shoulder.

"Grandma, hang on. I'll take you to the hospital. Hang in there," he pleaded as he emerged from the house. Their neighbor, Mr. Patel, stood ready with his car, sensing the urgency. Siddharth gently placed his grandma in the car, and both siblings joined her inside.

The car sped towards the hospital, Siddharth and Shraddha calling out to their grandmother in desperation.

Ishita walked into her parents' house with a determined mind, ready to confront her mother. Mrs. Raichand was on a phone call when Ishita barged in, but the determined daughter was not willing to wait.

"Mom," Ishita began, trying to get her mother's attention. Mrs. Raichand, however, showed her hand, signaling Ishita to wait. Frustrated, Ishita sighed, "Mom!"

Her mother hung up the phone with a tired sigh, acknowledging Ishita's presence. "What?" she asked bluntly. Ishita took a moment to gather herself before laying out her discovery.

"Did you know Rajat Gupta, the fire station chief of our old hometown, died along with his wife, on the same night as he died?" Ishita referred to her biological father.

 Mrs. Raichand, aware that Ishita had figured out the truth, sighed again and admitted, "Yes."

Ishita looked at her mother in disbelief for a moment, processing the weight of the revelation. "Then how could you say that my father died because of Rajat Gupta?" she demanded. 

Her mother glared at her, maintaining her stance, "Because he ran away, leaving his duty like a coward."

Ishita interrupted her, unable to contain her frustration, "Enough, Mom! Please, stop it. That man and his wife sacrificed themselves to save their kids. And what about you? You're my MOTHER. You should be teaching the importance of human values, while you're humiliating a man, a son, a husband, and a father. My father would have been disappointed seeing a woman like you."

The confrontation escalated as Mrs. Raichand, enraged by Ishita's words, slapped her daughter in a fit of anger.

Ishita sighed, trying to block out her mother's words as they clashed against her ears. "You know, Siddharth said he is proud of his dad, proud of being his parents' son, doesn't matter if the world is not even aware of their existence. While you, a CEO of a world-famous publishing company, I feel ashamed as your daughter," she declared with a heavy heart.

The words hit Mrs. Raichand like a tidal wave, and she clenched her jaw in response. Ishita continued, her frustration pouring out, "I had always thought you did everything for my well-being. But now, I realize you've been doing it for a worthless grudge, trashing your own daughter's happiness. You sent me away from Siddharth years ago, now tried to make me hate him for something he was not involved in. For something he has a lifelong trauma of losing both of his parents. I feel sorry for both of my fathers."

Feeling the weight of the situation, Ishita turned to leave, but her mother stopped her with a stern declaration, "Ishita, now if you cross this door, I'll consider I don't have any daughter."

Ishita felt her world shatter at her mother's callous words. How could her mother be so inhuman? In a moment of anger, she turned around and threw her car keys and apartment key on her mother's table. "I don't have any mother," she declared, the pain evident in her voice. With that, she turned around, tears streaming down her face, and left the room, leaving behind a trail of heartbreak and shattered relationships.