Destiny or Coincidence?

Abhilash Ponnam

I got inside the car thinking about her reaction from our earlier call. She never does like that and she even sounded a little bit off to me while talking. It felt like she was trying to hide something from me. I know that she won't do it wantedly unless she thinks that I might get hurt because of it. 

Even yesterday night she didn't call me and reasoned that she was feeling sleepy. I know her well to know that even if she was feeling sleepy, she will call me to say good night. But she didn't do it and it's tugging at the back of my mind repeatedly that something is wrong with her. 

She assured me that she is doing fine but even in that assurance it felt like she was trying to convince me along with her.

So I immediately called my mother to check up on her while I reached there for myself to see if my queen is fine or not. 

I cannot think of anything else except for her. What if she is really hiding something from me? Why is she feeling stress? Is Everything fine? Did she eat anything from last night or not? Etc etc. It's like my stress is increasing with each passing second being away from her.

All the way to her house, I felt restless and anxious about her well being. I have seen her crying and hurting enough that I can't see her crying over again. It will kill me from inside if I see her getting hurt again. 

I even asked mom to check up on her but even she too didn't call me back which is making me even tenser. 

The moment I reached her apartment, I immediately sprinted to her house without wasting a second but the moment I got inside, I was stunned to see my mother and her father hugging each other. 

What???

What the hell are they doing??? And why are they hugging each other like they knew each other for a very long time???

I wanted to go and rip them apart from behaving like that but from the corner of my eye, I saw Athira coming towards my direction by making me forget momentarily about my parents and concentrate on her. 

The moment my eyes landed on her, all the feelings I felt a while ago returned back with full force that I quickly took big strides and reached her by taking her in my arms. 

It felt like it's been so many days that I felt her this close with me and her being in my arms securely. But it was not that long technically. 

Still, I missed her a lot that I wanted nothing but to be near her and now her being in my arms like this is called happiness. I felt content and rested with her. She is my sole reason to be calm and relaxed. She is my oxygen and drug at the same time. 

"I can't believe that you are here in front of me. That too safe and sound. Oh my god…. It's unbelievable" said mom excitedly that I looked at her to see if I was right. 

"I accept. Even, I feel the same way" replied uncle with equal happiness making it even more confusing. 

"What's going on here?" I asked whispering to Athi about what's happening in both frustration and shock. 

I have never seen mom behaving like this and it's really making me surprised. 

"I too don't know but according to their expressions and words, I have a hunch that they might know each other from the past and they might be close friends or even more. I am not sure because even I am as confused as you guys are" she said shrugging carelessly that I glanced at Dev to see if he too finds it awkward or not and returned my gaze on them once again.

Yup, he too finds it awkward. So I am not the only one who thinks it's kind of an awkward situation.

They were talking among themselves and we were watching them with Athi being in my arms but the next question of uncle made me stiff immediately by catching Athi's hand for support.  

When mom didn't reply, he asked if she was alright but she nodded and kept silent for a moment before answering his question again.

"Girish is dead Mohan," said mom with a sad expression that I felt her pain from standing this far to her. 

"Life gives lemons to everyone I think," uncle said after a moment making Athi tense up because we both know what he meant by that. So I assured her that I am here, by squeezing her hand lightly. 

After mom realized it, she started crying by clutching onto uncle's shirt and even Athi turned around hugging me by crying herself without making any noise. I wanted to go to mom and hold her but at the same time, I wanted to hold my baby too.

I was in a dilemma until I saw that uncle was consoling her. It looked weird but I realized that they might be good friends if they are crying for each other's loss. 

After that emotional moment, they got on to Adi's childhood topic making me think about uncle if I have seen him before. Because it looks like he knows a lot about my family. 

I need to ask my mother after this about him, but at present, it looks like they need some privacy, so I started dragging Athi with me when she suddenly froze on the spot by making me look at her in confusion before mom's words struck my ears. 

"Mohan, that baby in the photo…." mom said making uncle tense up lightly "Is that the same person whom I am thinking it might be?" she asked looking into his eyes with so much hope that it was not understanding about what they were talking about. So I asked my girl about it. 

"Who?" I whispered near to her ears so that only she could listen to what I was asking about.

"Me" she too whispered, making me frown at her in return. She was looking intently at them without batting an eyelash that it was scaring me a little.

What the hell is happening here?? It's all very confusing.

"I am not blind to not recognize her Mohan. I have clearly seen the photo and I know very well what I have seen. But I want you to tell me the truth" said mom with a loud voice that it made me come out of my thinking state. 

I was thinking about all the events and why is it so confusing when mom broke another confusion. She was shouting at uncle with frustration but he was looking silently at her without uttering a word. It was even making me frustrated that I wanted to aid my mother but Athi stopped me from doing so. 

So I just stood there looking at them while pressing my palm and controlling myself from lashing out. 

"Athira said that she is the baby in the photo whom Priya was carrying in her arms." said mom with a loud voice while still glaring at him with anger. I was looking in between both of them not knowing what's happening here. 

And what is it with that photo and Athira that mom is so persistent about it. What does she want to know about that picture? And why is she becoming this angry about that photo? But all my questions were answered the next moment when mother said those words. 

"And that baby is my daughter Mohan. It's my daughter whom I thought had died years back in that accident" She shouted from the top of her lungs by clutching his shirt and shaking him to respond. 

I immediately froze on the spot listening to her words which struck me like a bullet in my heart. 

What is she talking about? How can that baby be her daughter? She doesn't have any daughters, right? I would have known if I had a sister or not. Right??

No no no… That's not right. They were talking about the picture of Athira's family photo and the girl aunty was carrying in her hands is Athira. Then how can she be??? 

It felt like a bucket full of ice water had dropped upon my head after realizing what my mother was trying to say. 

No way. It's impossible. How can Athira be her daughter? It's not possible.

No... NO….

It's just a misunderstanding Abhi. Please be patient. It might be just a misunderstanding or something else might be there. It can't be true. 

Athira can't be her daughter. It can't be.

I was repeating these words in my mind by making my grip somewhat tight on Athira but I was failing miserably by the look on Athi's face. She stood like a statue without reacting to anything. 

"SHE IS MY DAUGHTER MOHAN. SHE IS MY DAUGHTER" Mom shouted again by crying her heart out and shaking him but he shook his head repeatedly in frustration and pushed my mother backside by pulling his hair and shouting at the same time. 

At that moment I observed him. I can see his pain, fear, loss, hurt, guilt but all the more there is a pain in his eyes. A lot of pain where it felt like he was frightened of missing something. Some valuable to him. And at that moment I realized one more thing that my mother might be right. But that realization shattered my heart into millions of pieces because what if mother was saying is true then Athira might be my sister. 

And I fell in love with my sister.

"YES SHE IS YOUR DAUGHTER HEMA" he finally shouted looking into her eyes with pained eyes of his. I can clearly see his pain and loss for his daughter whom he loved so much. And I understood that he didn't want my mother to find out about it because Athira became dear to him and to say frankly, she became his life. 

I didn't get the chance to delve on that topic because the moment he said those words out loud, my mother fainted that I rushed to her side my catching onto her before falling. But the mistake I have made is that the moment I have rushed towards my mother, even Athira fell down like a robot by having faraway look on her face. 

Dev immediately took hold of her and started calling her but she was not responding to him. Even I tried calling her repeatedly from my place but still, there was still no response. 

Here my mother has fainted in my hands, and there my girl was not responding to anyone while uncle was just standing here and looking at us with an unbelievable look on his eyes. 

I really don't know what to do at this moment. It's like all the doors have been closed in my brain at the same time by not making me realize about anything. 

I was looking at all of them and mostly in between my mother and Athira. 

"Abhi…" Dev shouted, looking at me that I came back to my senses listening to his voice.

"Call Adi… We need help" Dev said, getting up and carrying Athira to the hall.

I called Adi and informed him to come here immediately and lifted my mother from the floor and gently placed her on the bed while looking at her sleeping form. 

Adi was there in mother's apartment that he immediately came within two minutes and called my name from the call. I shouted for him to know that I was here and he got inside looking at all of us. 

"What the hell is happening here? Why is Athi looking like that and not responding to me?" Asked Adi getting inside and taking a seat beside me.

He glanced at uncle and froze on the spot making me understand that he too knew about it or even up to some extent.

"What happened to mother?" he asked glancing back at me as if nothing happened. But I saw everything and chose to keep quiet for the time being.

"She fainted" I answered looking at her.

"What? How?" he asked getting up and taking the bottle of water in his hand making me realize that I even forgot to sprinkle water on her face to get her into consciousness. 

I was so lost in the moment that I am unable to understand a thing except for the words which have been said a while ago. 

She regained consciousness after Adi sprinkled water on her face. He gently took her hand and made her sit on the bed by placing a pillow on her backside for support. 

"Are you ok now?" Adi asked looking at her in concern. But the moment she saw him she started crying by hugging him that it tugged my heart a little, but ignored it.

"She is alive Adi. She is alive '' Mom repeated while crying onto him and making my assumptions correct about him knowing about the truth. 

"Shhh…I know mom" he said consoling her and continued "Stop crying mom. Now stop crying" He said with a gentle voice that it felt like they both betrayed me. 

Why hasn't he said anything about it before if he knew about her being our sister? 

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Hello everyone,

Here is your awaiting chapter. I hope that you like it.

I know that I haven't updated it for a long time and I am sorry for that because I was busy with my personal life and got these days.

But here I am with three chapters in a row. So do let me know your thoughts and opinions on this chapter.

Don't forget to vote comment and share it if you like.

Love....

Sprinkle....