Chapter 6
eel didn’t say anything. They’d been standing at the gate for at least three minutes and Kaavi was immobile, rooted to the spot. Eventually, she took a tentative step forward and immediately retreated. It was clear she had huge resistance to crossing the threshold of this house.
‘He told me the only time I would put my foot into this house would be over his dead body.’
‘We can leave if you want to,’ Neel said gently.
He’d realised earlier that day that whatever Kaavi was dealing with was deeper than he could imagine.
When his parents came over, they advised him to stand beside her, support her and listen without judgement.
Not everyone’s family was the same. Kaavi said she’d been through the worst. He didn’t know what could have been so bad for her to feel this way, but he believed her and would be there for her.
She didn’t respond. They stood there for another minute or so. Then Neel heard footsteps approaching.
‘We should just bulldoze it,’ a man said, coming up behind them.
Kaavi spun round and ran into his arms.
‘Sen, you’re here. You cut your honeymoon short. Why did you do that, you silly man,’ she said as he squeezed her tight.
‘It was boring,’ the woman next to him said.
‘Hey!’ Sen grinned at his wife as Kaavi let go of him.
‘I’m kidding,’ his wife replied and winked.
She opened her arms to Kaavi.
‘Come here, babygirl.’ she said, gathering her into a warm hug and smoothing her hair.
‘It’s going to be okay,’ she whispered.
Kaavi nodded and then turned to Neel. She smiled awkwardly.
‘Neel, this is my cousin Senthil and his wife Shona. Guys, this is my husband, Neel Naran,’ she said casually.
Sen shook his hand and Shona smiled.
‘So you’re back together again?’
Kaavi and Neel answered at the same time: ‘It’s complicated.’
Sen didn’t probe. Instead, he looked over Kaavi’s head at the house.
‘Shall we go in?’
‘You two carry on. We’ll be in in a moment,’ Kaavi said.
‘Just remember, I’m your cousin, but I’m also your lawyer if anyone hassles you here.’ He then said to Neel: ‘But I’m not a divorce lawyer so uncomplicate it.’
Before Neel could respond, Shona pulled her husband towards the house.
Why did Kaavi need a lawyer? Here? In her family home.
They watched the couple enter the house and Neel shoved his hands into his pockets.
‘Let’s get back into the car,’ he said.
‘I will go in. I promise,’ she replied.
‘I know you will. We’re not leaving. I just think we should talk in the car.’
She didn’t fight him. She just followed him to his car.
‘Kaavi, I have to ask this. I can’t be quiet about it any longer. Did your father do something to you?’
Kaavi’s head jerked to look at him.
‘No! He never touched me. I really mean it. I don’t remember even being hugged by him,’ she said. Neel let out a breath of air as relief hit him.
‘Why didn’t you go through with your plan at the hospital?’
He knew why she hadn’t, but he wanted her to make the realisation on her own.
‘I don’t know,’ she said.
‘You had it all planned. You were going to parade our marriage in front of him. Revenge,’ Neel said.
‘I did say that, didn’t I?’
‘I’ll tell you why you didn’t go through with it.
Because you’re not that type of person. You’re trying so hard to be that cruel person, but you’re not.
Why did we sit in the hospital for more than eight hours if not to be there for your mother?
Kaavi, you’re not your father’s daughter.
You’re kind. You’re loving. You care about people.
You’re the type of person who can forgive. You’re just fighting it.’
‘I wasn’t kind when I left you. I didn’t care about your feelings,’ she replied, looking down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
Neel’s shoulders sagged as he remembered her leaving him without a trace.
‘We’ll discuss that another time.’
They sat in silence together for a few moments.
‘I’m ready to go in,’ Kaavi said, opening the car door.
When they got inside, Neel looked around. Sen was talking to his father and grandfather while Shona and her mother-in-law were sitting together on a couch near a window.
Kaavi’s mother sat alone on another couch in the centre of the living room.
As if Kaavi could sense what he was thinking, she leaned into him: ‘My father’s only sibling died when they were children. He didn’t have any friends and we were not allowed to speak to the neighbours.’
Neel ran a palm over his face. Not allowed to speak to the neighbours?
Kaavi went to her mother and he followed.
‘Mom, you’re free.’
Kaavi sat next to her mother and Neel was opposite them in an armchair.
‘Am I? Will I ever be free? Were you free when you walked out of here, leaving it all behind?’
Kaavi sat back.
‘I—’
‘It’s okay, Kaavi. I know why you had to leave. I know why you hate me. I know why you can’t forgive him.’
‘I don’t hate you, Mom,’ Kaavi said.
Neel noted that Kaavi didn’t add that she loved her mother.
‘Have you eaten? There are sandwiches in the kitchen,’ her mother replied.
‘I’m good.’
‘It’s going to be a private funeral,’ her mother said.
Kaavi nodded.
‘Sen is dealing with the list of people who will attend. You can tell him to add Neel’s family, please.’
‘Neel’s family?’
‘They stopped by earlier,’ her mother replied.
Kaavi shot him a look. He simply smiled and sat back.
‘They are good people. You two will sort everything out,’ her mother said wearily.
Sen came over. ‘Can I speak to both of you in the kitchen, please?’
Kaavi nodded and got to her feet. Neel followed. The kitchen was black and chrome and functional. Not a thing out of place.
‘The funeral is private,’ Sen began.
‘Mom told us,’ Kaavi interjected.
‘The station wants to send a few members to—’
‘Absolutely not!’
Neel was completely lost. The reason he was a brilliant CEO was that he always listened before reacting. He also allowed things to play out before acting. He wasn’t going to jump in and ask for an explanation.
‘Kaavs, I know. I get it. It’s just that they want to show some sort of allegiance. It’s their way,’ said Sen.
‘I know all about their allegiance,’ she spat out angrily.
Neel stepped in. He had to show her she wasn’t alone, that she had him on her side.
‘What’s this all about?’
Facing him, Kaavi said, ‘My father was a cop.’ She spat out the word ‘cop’ as if it tainted her mouth to say it.
Neel’s eyes widened.
‘Yeah, everyone’s hero cop. Just not to his wife and child,’ Kaavi said bitterly.
‘Kaavs, perhaps we could—’ Sen started to say.
‘Fine. Let them come,’ Kaavi cut in.
‘No.’
They turned around. Her mother had entered the room.
‘Aunty Yanam, we’ll sort this out. You don’t have to worry about this,’ Sen said.
‘No, Senthil. It’s a private funeral. The police are not allowed at it. I don’t want to see a single officer there,’ she said firmly.
‘Are you sure?’
Kaavi’s mother nodded to Sen.
She pointed to Neel and then to a bar stool. ‘Sit. You’re eating,’ she said. He twisted his face in confusion but obeyed. Sen and Kaavi watched her mother move around the kitchen, plating sandwiches for Neel.
‘Senthil and Kaavi, I need you to please check on your grandfather. He is now sitting in the backyard,’ she instructed.
‘Senthil can go alone,’ Kaavi replied.
‘Both of you go,’ her mother instructed.
It was obvious his mother-in-law wanted to speak to him alone.
Sen and Kaavi left the kitchen without another word.
His mother-in-law put the plate in front of him. Neel looked at it. Did she really expect him to eat that heap of sandwiches?
‘Listen. Kaavi is going to crash. It’s going to come at any moment and I need to know you’ll be there for her,’ her mother said.
Neel didn’t even hesitate. ‘I will. I’m not going anywhere,’ he reassured her.
‘Thank you.’
They sat in silence until Kaavi came back.
‘I think you two should go home and rest. It’s been a long day. Tomorrow will be longer,’ her mother said.
‘We’re fine,’ Kaavi said. Neel nodded.
Her mother stood.
‘Okay,’ she patted Kaavi on the shoulder and left the kitchen.
Kaavi eyed the plate of uneaten sandwiches in front of Neel.
‘Food is her love language,’ she said and quickly looked away.
An hour later, Neel was out front with Senthil when a man and woman, around Kaavi’s age, walked through the gate.
‘Senthil?’ The woman eyed him when she got closer.
‘Tarisha!’ The woman smiled shyly and Senthil then looked at the man.
‘Rikesh? Man, it’s been a long time,’ he said.
Tarisha hugged Senthil and Rikesh patted his shoulder.
‘This is Neel, Kaavi’s husband,’ he said, introducing them.
‘Neel, this is Rikesh and Tarisha. They are Kaavi’s childhood best friends,’ he said.
They exchanged greetings and Sen led them into the house. Neel followed.
Kaavi was on her feet the minute she laid eyes on her friends.
They group-hugged and stood silently in the embrace for a few seconds.
Kaavi’s mother started to sob. Her aunt joined in and even Sen looked away with tears in his eyes.
When they parted, Tarisha’s eyes were filled with tears. Rikesh looked away. Kaavi still hadn’t really cried.
Her mother was right. She was going to crash, Neel thought to himself.
The pair offered their condolences to his mother-in-law and Kaavi ushered them out of the room.
She looked over her shoulder and said, ‘Aren’t you coming?’
His heart did a flip. It shouldn’t have, but it did. He nodded and followed them.
They sat on the garden chairs overlooking a well-maintained backyard.
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t attend your wedding,’ Kaavi said.
‘We understand. Trust me, we do,’ Tarisha said knowingly.
‘You got married too. We didn’t know,’ Rikesh added.
‘It was very low-key,’ Kaavi replied.
‘Only two people at the marriage ceremony,’ Neel added.
Tarisha gasped.
‘You eloped! I love it,’ she said.
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Rikesh asked softly: ‘How are you doing, Kaavs?’
She looked away. She didn’t reply. Neel reached out and held her hand. She squeezed it back.