Page 138 of The Redemption
“Ayaan still had me,” Uncle continues softly. “But Raghav…” He shakes his head slowly. “He had no one. He grew up in a completely different kind of darkness and saw a version of life no child ever should. Violence, fear, power... these were the things that shaped him. He spent his entire childhood craving things he never received.”
He slowly looks at Mom and me again.
“So please,” he says quietly, “don’t judge this entire family because of one wrong decision Raghav made.”
One wrong decision?
Forcefully marrying someone at gunpoint inside a mandap doesn’t exactly feel small enough to be called one wrong decision.
Maybe Uncle realises that too, because he sighs wearily before adding, “My son is not a bad person, Siya. He just made the worst decision at the worst possible moment.”
For some reason, hearing that hurts more than it should. Because every person who loves a dangerous man always says the same thing.
He’s not bad.
He’s broken.
Kailash Uncle leans back slightly against the carved wooden pillar near the mandir.
“It was only in the last two and a half years that Raghav and Ayaan found each other again,” he reveals. “Before that, they were two strangers despite being brothers. It was only then that Raghav truly became part of this family. Only then did things start to change. But healing a man like Raghav takes time. Sometimes years. Sometimes even an entire lifetime.”
Neither Mom nor I interrupt him. We just listen.
“And maybe there’s still a long road ahead for him. With both of you here now… he might finally reach that peace someday.”
My brows pull together as I process those words. I’m not sure whether to feel sympathy or a sense of unease. Because this entire family keeps speaking as if my marriage to Raghav is permanent, as if there’s no escaping it anymore.
Kailash Uncle turns towards Mom.
“A good woman by his side,” he says quietly, referring to me, “and a motherly presence in his life…” His voice falters slightly before he adds, “Those are things Raghav never truly had.”
The room falls silent again. Just then, Haider knocks on the mandir door and calls for Kailash Uncle.
He straightens immediately. “I need to go.”
Mom folds her hands respectfully towards him again. Before leaving, he pauses near the doorway and glances back at us. This time, he genuinely looks hopeful.
“I truly hope,” he says softly, “that one day this place starts feeling like home to both of you.”
Then he walks away. Mom slowly turns towards me. And for several seconds, neither of us says a word.
****************
Night
It’s close to midnight, and the entire villa feels too quiet after the chaos Raghav brought into everybody’s lives. He still hasn’t returned since walking out earlier after warning his entire family about me.
Nobody knows where he is. And strangely, despite how much I want to ignore them, Kailash Uncle’s words from earlier keep echoing in my mind. Especially the part about how broken he really is beneath all that violence, anger, and control.
Mom is finally resting in her room. But before going to sleep, she had asked if I could make her some tea. Apparently, warm elaichi tea helps her to calm down at night.
So here I am, inside what can only be described as a dream kitchen. The moment I step further inside, I notice Meher standing in front of an open refrigerator, completely engrossed in whatever she is searching for.
What is she doing here at night?
I clear my throat softly. “Can I help you?”
She nearly jumps in shock.
