Chapter 10

 "Mom, I am here, and you have nothing to worry about. I will always be home with you whenever Dad goes to work." Amilda said, and her mother could only smile.

A while later, Sumitra cleared her throat.

"Ever considered going to college?" She asked her daughter, who smiled, nodding her head.

"Yes, Mom," Amilda said.

"Along with your father, I have been saving some money for your college education," Sumitra said.

This made Amilda happy. She got up and hugged her mother.

"Thank you, Mom." She said, hugging her mother.

Minutes later, Amilda walked into her room and stared out of the window as she thought of how Aayan was faring without her.

"I hope Aunt won't do anything to him." She said, taking a breath.

"What do you mean?" She heard her mother ask and was startled.

"Mother!" She called to, turning to face her mother.

Her mother smiled at her and nodded her head.

"Yes, dear, come on. You can let me know what is bothering you." Sumitra said, urging her daughter to let her know what she meant by what she just said.

Tears began to trickle down Amilda's eyes.

Sumitra pulled her daughter close to herself and sat her down on the bed.

"Mother, I love him," Amilda said with tears.

"Who is that?" Sumitra asked, confused.

"A... Aa... Aayan." She said, startled.

"What!, you complained that you don't like him..." Sumitra was saying, but was cut off by her daughter.

"That was before, but since you didn't accept to believe me, I chose to love him. I know that he also loves me." She said with tears as she cleared her face.

"I love him, and he loves me, but Aunt Muni wants to use him. She threatens him with tormenting her husband if he doesn't sleep with her. She wants her husband out of the way." Amilda said.

"You should be happy that you are out of their life. You are my daughter, and I want the best for you." Sumitra said.

"This isn't about me, Mom, but about Aayan," Amilda shouted.

Sumitra looked at her daughter and shook her head.

She got up and left the room. She felt that her daughter was too young for love.

She fell in love with her husband when she was young, and this is the cause of the rift she has with Muni. She should have settled her scores with Muni before marrying, and she doesn't want her daughter to be in any form of danger.

Sumitra walked to the living room and sat still, staring into empty space as she hit her foot on the floor.

"I want the best for my daughter." She said.

Minutes later, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned back to see her husband looking at her.

She immediately got up to her feet.

"What is wrong here?" Yash asked.

"Nothing." Sumitra lied, trying to walk away, but Yash held her back.

"You know that is a lie. You don't seem happy. Just let me know of your worry." He said and sat her down.

Sumitra sat down but kept her gaze on the wall.

"Why aren't you replying?" He asked.

"Our daughter is in love," Sumitra said.

Yash smiled on hearing this and pulled his wife close.

"Do you know who she is in love with?" He asked and Sumitra nodded.

"She is in love with Aayan," Sumitra said.

Yash thought about who Aayan could be.

"Who is that?" He asked.

"You're in-laws," Sumitra said.

"What?, How can she? I don't understand." Yash said, standing up and rubbing his hair.

"This is unbelievable. I can't accept it." Yash said.

Sumitra got up to her feet and held her husband, but he pushed her to the chair and ran into Amilda's room.

"Amilda!" He called out to get to her room door.

He knocked on the door, and this scared Amilda.

"You had better open this door, or I will break it down," Yash shouted, making Amilda tremble as she walked to the door.

She opened the door, and tears flowed down her face.

Her mother walked close to her husband and was about to speak.

"Hold it, Sumitra." He said, and Sumitra could only watch.

Yash looked at Amilda and could see that she was scared.

"Amilda, I know you are in an age where girls fall in love, but I want to tell you that Aayan isn't the one for you. You think you love him, but no, you are only afraid of him." Yash said, and Amilda raised her head and looked at her father.

"He loves me and I know he does, Dad," Amilda said and went back into her room.

Yash looked at his wife, who was in tears, and laid her on the couch.

"I am sorry for pushing you. It's just that I can't let my daughter marry a rapist." He said, and Sumitra nodded.

"I hope our daughter will get to understand us even if all she told me is true," Sumitra said.

Yash looked at his wife as he wondered what Amilda could have told her.

"Can you let me know what she told you?" He asked, and Sumitra took in a deep breath and looked at him.

She began to tell him all that Amilda told her about Muni, and this got Yash upset.

He couldn't believe that his sister had done all that.

"Keep quiet!" He shouted, and Sumitra kept quiet.

He placed his hand on his head and gave out a wicked smile.

Sumitra knew what that meant.

He does not like hearing any bad about his sister. Even his daughter can't, and this is what she had to bear since she married the man she loved.

She knows that he loves her, but he doesn't permit any bad to happen to his sister.

"Yash!" Sumitra called while he paced.

Yash walked into their room and took his briefcase.

"Where are you going?" Sumitra asked as her husband stormed out of the house.

She sat on a couch, and tears flowed down her face.

Her daughter, Amilda, who had been watching them, walked to her mother and hugged her.

"It's all my fault, Mom." She said.

"It's not your fault, Amilda. He has to know of it one day." Sumitra said.

"This is just too early," Amilda said.

"It's not too early. No time is too early, but it can be too late." Sumitra said.

Amilda nodded as tears also trickled down her face.

"Is father going to come back? I hope he is not going to his sister's place." Amilda said.

"I hope so," Sumitra said.

They both hugged and wept.

They both ate their evening food as they awaited Yash's coming, but he didn't show up.

"What happened to my Yash?" Sumitra asked weeping.

Amilda held her mother tight.

"I am sure Dad is fine. He is going to come back to us very soon." Amilda said.

"This is what Muni wants. She wants me to have heartache in my husband's house." Sumitra said.

"Nothing like that is going to happen, Mom. I am with you." Amilda said, but her mother did not reply.

She cried till she slept.

Amilda brought out her mother's coverlet from the room and used it to cover her mother, who was sleeping on the couch.

She also brought out her cover cloth and then locked the house door before lying on a couch. She wished that her father would knock on the door before she fell asleep, but nothing of such happened as she fell asleep.

She opened her eyes in the morning and saw her mother smile at her.

"Is Dad back?" She asked herself.

Sumitra got up and placed a plate in front of her daughter.

Amilda continued to stare at her mother, who was smiling.

Minutes later, Sumitra looked at her daughter.

"I have decided not to be sad." She said, and Amilda nodded, looking at her mother.

Amilda looked at her mother and smiled.

"I am sure he will come back home soon," Amilda said.

"He may also accept your love," Sumitra said.

Amilda couldn't believe her ears.

"Mom!" She called.

"Yes, Amilda, I have accepted that you are in love with Aayan," Sumitra said.

Amilda jumped up and hugged her mother.

"Thank you, Mom." She said, smiling.

She walked to the door and opened it.

"I hope Dad will be back soon." She said, looking out of the house, then walked back into the house to join her mother.

Sumitra walked into the kitchen and started making breakfast for herself and her daughter.

Amilda walked in to join her and helped her with many things.

After making breakfast, they both went to the living room and discussed a bit, after which they both went to their rooms to prepare for the day.

Getting to her room, Amilda walked into the bathroom and had her bath.

She changed into a light gown and then walked to the kitchen, where she met her mother already dressed.