"Gaurav, you know a new elderly couple had moved in to the vacant opposite apartment" - Aditi was telling her husband who was busy with his newspaper.
"Hmmm..." Gaurav responded without looking.
"They looked old, unwell and tired of life" she was busy with her cooking and in her thoughts about the elderly couple.
Gaurav looked at her in the kitchen and slowly walked up to her and gave a hug from behind and said "why you are so worried about them baby?"
Aditi turned and looked at his eyes without uttering a word.
Gaurav could see her eyes getting ready to be filled up. He pulled her into his chest and held her assuring.
"Renu don't trouble yourself, we can manage with bread today", Raman was trying to make his wife sit on the sofa.
Raman should easily be over 70 years; with all grey hair and the wrinkles on the forehead he could not hide the fact that he has seen it all in his life.
"I am unwell most of the days, that way can't keep you starving daily na" she responded trying to cut vegetables on the dining table.
Renu looked much older and she was very weak and tired. She looked completely unwell.
"You're tired and not well, don’t push yourself beyond the limits, if something happens to you I won't even get the bread that i am talking about" he sounded
worried and concerned.
Renu stopped cutting the vegetables and now the tears were flowing freely in her cheeks.
Aditi couldn't control her tears listening to this conversation from outside the door of her apartment. She decided to help the elderly couple
She opened the door slowly and asked "May I come in".
Before the elderly couple could say something, she went it saying "I am Aditi and I stay in the opposite apartment. I heard you both talking and thought me
would take the liberty to say this, today I would bring lunch for you both" she went to Renu with a smile and stopped her from cutting.
Renu was completely surprised the way Aditi entered and talked. She turned and looked at Raman who was equally stunned.
Raman managed to compose himself and started to say "But..."
"No buts or anything...consider that you're getting lunch from your daughter's place" Aditi told held Raman’s hand and walked towards her apartment.
Raman slowly moved towards Renu and stood by her side watching the door through which Aditi left.
Aditi was completely in thoughts as she was preparing the lunch. She made sure every dish comes out well and was really doing her best. upon finishing the
cooking, she went and sat in her couch thinking.
Meanwhile Raman was sitting in the sofa with Renu with both of them deep in their thoughts.
"What are you saying? Have you become so big that you're talking to me like this?" Raman was furious
"This is the problem papa, you still see me as a kid" Aditi shouted back with tears running all over her cheeks.
"So what do you wanna say me now?" Raman was looking more serious now.
"I have told you I want you to consider this as my only request" Aditi was pleading
"Not until my death" Raman shouted
"But why?? What is so wrong in this??" Aditi was trying all means to make her father understand
"I do not want to argue what is right or what is wrong, I do not vouch this and would never vouch it" Raman said in a confirming tone.
"Papa how can you be so stubborn even after 2 years of me requesting and literally begging to you" Aditi was in tears and was growing desperate.
"Stubborn...me or you???I am telling you for one final time that this is the last word from my side on this topic. If you think you're old enough to take your
decisions go ahead and do what you think is right" Raman completed this sentence and walked into his room slamming the door. Renu was standing helplessly
watching the fight her husband and her kid are having.
Aditi and Gaurav went to the elderly couple's home and accompanied them to their place for lunch. Raman & Renu were little embarrassed but were overwhelmed by
the compassion showed by the young couple.
After general introduction they all had lunch together. Raman and Aditi were discussing so many things as if they knew each others for a lifetime. Renu and
Gaurav were smiling and listening to the discussions barring few instances where they had to get involved.
The lunch was over and the elderly couple was sitting on the couch with Renu and Gaurav in front of them. By now they all felt like one happy family.
Raman looked at Aditi and said "you both remind me of my Son and Daughter in law".
Aditi went and sat next to him and said "you remind me of my Dad, uncle"
There was a moment of silence in the room.
"I threw my son out of the house for he wanted to marry a person of his choice and I was not forgiving for a long time how much ever he tried to make up and
one day I got to know that they were killed in a road accident. I was shattered for their but more for the reason that I didn't give him one chance to make
up. I would never be pardoned for my mistake" Raman was crying and Renu too had tears in her eyes.
Aditi was crying her hearts out too, She went and hugged both of them and said would you consider me as your daughter.
Gaurav was looking at her wife who came out of the house much against her father's wish to marry him. Her father was a widower and he died later that year
due to cardiac arrest. Aditi and Gaurav had always repented for their mistake and were praying for forgiveness.
Renu and Gaurav were looking at a Father and a daughter who finally got the redemption for their mistakes..............
