CH 6 || Forgive Me

Namit

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I went into the house with uncle and I was mentally prepared to be scolded by everyone, afterall everyone was hurt because of my selfish nature. But I can't tell them that I was being selfish in order to not hurt them as I knew if they would have seen my previous self they would have gotten hurt for sure. I went into the living room and there I saw Nitya, Riddhi and Rohit talking to each other and watching a movie. Rohit is Neeraj uncle's son and my cousin and Riddhi is his wife. Riddhi,Rohit,me , Dhruv and Arjun are childhood friends. We all studied in same school and after that Rohit and Riddhi went to Germany to study. I, Dhruv and Arjun went to New York where Arjun chose to study law and me and Dhruv chose business management. Riddhi always loved Rohit but Rohit was unaware of her feelings but finally she confessed to him in Germany and he reciprocated her feelings. They got married 7 months back in India but I didn't attend. I had my reason which only I knew back then and now Dhruv and Arjun also know none of my reason will convince Riddhi to forgive me. I remember once she was so angry with Rohit in school that she didn't talk to him for five months and now I am in the same condition or should I say worse situation than him.

Uncle cleared his throat to gain their attention and they all turned towards us.

"Look children....whom I have brought." Uncle said and I smiled but they were looking very angry and I was not surprised as I was expecting this.

"Uncle I can't see anyone. Whom are you talking about?" Nitya said to uncle while ignoring me. I missed the opening of her fashion boutique held last year. It was such a special day for her but I ruined it when I didn't even call her that day. It was Samaira's birthday that day so I drank a lot and passed out while drinking only to wake up next day.

"Your brother Namit." uncle said excitedly.

"Uncle looks like you forgot that my beloved brother lives in London and he will never come to India." Nitya said

"Yes dad, and did you forget that he only loves his work then why would he be here." Riddhi said to uncle.

"Guys I know you all are angry and I deserve it but please don't ignore me. I am sorry guys." I said to them making a sad face.

"It won't work on us Namit. You really have disappointed us. You detached yourself from us and didn't even care about anyone and now you are just asking for forgiveness. " Rohit said to me. He was angry too but at least he wasn't ignoring me like Nitya and Riddhi.

"Nitya let's go to my room I have to show you something." Riddhi said and they both went to Nitya's room leaving me, uncle and Rohit behind.

"Well sorry son....I forgot to tell you that you have to face not only your parents' but everyone's wrath."Uncle said to me and I sighed.

"You care to tell us why the hell you didn't come to India all these years? We agree that you have work there but you missed every important event as if you were trying to avoid us and when I tried to talk to you , you always ignored and said you were busy and have work."Rohit said to me and disappointment was evident on his face. He used to be the person after uncle to whom I used to go for any advice but this time because of my stupidity I ruined everything.

"Yes Namit, Rohit is right. I also need to know the reason as I am very sure it's not only work, but something else as well. And also I have some questions regarding what happened in my office few hours back." uncle said to me. I could clearly see how curious and confused he was.

"What happened in the office Dad?" Rohit asked uncle but before uncle could reply I said something to them which they were not expecting.

"I will not keep it to myself anymore. I will tell you guys why I was avoiding you all. You are right Rohit I was avoiding you all. I was being selfish and coward. I will tell everything to everyone. You all gather in the study room , I will just freshen up and join you all." I said to them.

"Rohit can you ask mom and dad to be there as well?" I asked Rohit to which he replied that they are out and will reach in an hour and I nodded.

"And also call Nitya and Riddhi. I know they are very angry and they will not listen if I will ask them." I said to which uncle replied,"I will call them as they will not deny me."

I went to my room only to find it was still the same, and also clean. I know mom would have made the maids clean it daily in hope of me getting home. I smiled and looked around my room, after getting fresh I went to the study room. I found uncle and Rohit sitting on the chairs and Nitya and Riddhi on the couch. They were not looking at me. I knew that I will have to tell them as my plan has to start from tonight's party only and I thought of telling mom and dad after they come back as I don't want to waste any time now.

I took a seat on the chair in front of the table and I didn't know from where to start.

"Uncle if your guest is not going to say anything then I am leaving with Riddhi Bhabhi as we have to get ready for tonight's party." Nitya said to uncle and Riddhi nodded and when they were about to get up from the seat I said,

"I love someone." and everyone looked at me even Nitya and Riddhi were also shocked after listening to my confession. I then told them everything except for the fact what happened to Samaira on the spring party night in college. They were just staring at me after listening and no one said a word so I broke the silence.

"Aren't you all gonna say anything?" I asked

"Who is the girl Namit?" uncle asked to which I replied "Samaira Kashyap."

"You mean the one who works in my company right?" uncle asked and I nodded and again there was silence. Nitya, Riddhi and Rohit were just staring at me as I have told them any horror story.

"Guys please say anything, you all have to help me in winning her back." I said to them and Nitya just got up from her seat and came towards me running and hugged me and she was sobbing.

"Hey kiddo why are you crying? What happened?" kiddo is the nickname I gave to her when we were in school. I rubbed her back and pulled back from the hug.

"I am sorry bhai....we didn't know you were going through all of this and we thought you don't love us anymore. I am really sorry bhai."she said to me while wiping her tears.

"You don't have to be sorry , it was my fault, I didn't tell anyone and just shut everyone out from my life. I am sorry." I said to her.

"I am sorry too, despite being your friend I didn't understood your situation." Riddhi said with a sad face and I knew she was about to cry.

"Hey not you too Riddhi." I said and hugged her.

"I am also here. What about me?" Rohit asked making a sad face and I hugged him too.

"Namit you remember that you have to tell me about the morning event as well." Uncle told me to which Riddhi asked "What morning event Dad?"

And then I told them what happened in company and turned to uncle to answer his unasked questions.

"Uncle I have actually worked with those korean delegates so I knew the situation which occurred in the meeting room will surely occur that's why I asked you the favour to ask Samaira to handle the meeting as I knew she knows korean and will handle the situation very well."

I told uncle, but I couldn't tell him the whole truth that it was a small step to bring my old confident and cheerful Sama back as I was not ready to tell anyone the dreadful past of her.

"So bhai you told us about your plan then how is today's party be the start of your plan?" Nitya asked me.

"I took the ownership of the party and made it more like a charity event than a business party and called every businessman, lawyer,doctor , journalist to join the event and contribute to the social cause as I knew Samaira never attends business parties and also uncle is going to reveal that M.N.K Industries is the subsidiary of N.K industries in today's party."I told them to which Rohit asked,

"Dad really you are going to reveal it today?"

"Of course son, Namit wanted me to and I found this party a better opputunity to do that." uncle replied. When I took ownership of this party I wanted uncle to reveal it so I asked him already when I was in london to which he agreed as he himself was finding a good oppurtunity for it.

"It means double celebration. I will meet my sister-in-law and Dad is going to reveal the truth." Riddhi said and clasped her hands in excitement.

"Guys but we still have a problem." I said in a serious tone.

"What is that bhai?" Nitya asked.

"Mom and Dad. First of all after seeing you all when I told you all this I have decided I will not tell this truth to them. I will only tell them that I love Samaira and not anything else.They are unaware of my presence and I am sure they must be very angry with me and I am not even sure whether they will talk to me or not. They will only get hurt after knowing everything and this is not the right time."

"Don't worry brother we will help you." Rohit said

"And we too." said someone. Actually it was not a voice of only one person and when my gaze went towards the door I saw Dhruv and Arjun standing there smiling.

"Hey everyone.....you all missed us?" Arjun asked

"Of course" Riddhi replied and went towards them. Everyone was happy and hugging each other and they even forgot that I am also there.

"Are you all ignoring me?" I asked them.

"Guys why do I think someone is getting jealous?" Dhruv asked everyone looking at me and I just rolled my eyes and everyone laughed except me.

"Bhai I must have forgiven you but not completely I still want a compensatory gift as you didn't attend the opening of my fashion boutique." Nitya said to which Riddhi replied and said "Same here."

"Okay I will keep that in my mind but right now you all have to help me first." I said

"Namit we forgot to tell you that we met uncle and aunty. They are in the living room."Arjun said

"Yes you should go now as we have to attend the party as well in few hours." Dhruv said and I nodded. I went downstairs and found them sitting on the couch.

I saw them and realised I missed them a lot. I just wanted to go and hug them but I know they must be very angry. They were talking to each other when I said "Mom" to which both of them looked at my direction. Mom suddenly smiled but then she became sad and turned her face to other side. Dad's expression were blank and he was just staring at me.

"Mom, Dad....are you angry with me?" I asked them.

Well done Namit Khanna..... such a dumb person you are.

My inner self mocked me and I just mentally face palmed myself for asking such a dumb question.

No response came from my parents and then everyone came downstairs and sat in the leaving room.

I gestured others to help me but they just shrugged it off as if they were enjoying. Of course they were enjoying, after all I brought it on myself.

"Please forgive me....I am sorry I have hurt you both a lot, I know I was not being a good son all these years but please give me a chance." I pleaded to them but nothing happened.Dad was looking into his phone now and mom was just trying to avoid me.

I tried every method but none of it worked and my so called friends were having fun, they were smiling evilly at me.

I didn't know what to do when I thought saying something which they would really like me to hear would surely work.

"Please forgive me mom...Please dad....I can't get married like this when my parents are not talking to me." I said and it worked. They instantly looked at me. They were just trying to register what did they just heard when I continued further, "You both heard that right, I am ready to get married and I already have someone in mind."

It was the right moment and the iron was hot so without wasting any more second I striked the hammer on the hot iron. I went towards the couch on which my parents were sitting and sat on the knees in front of them and held both my ears with my hands and said, "I am really very sorry....Please forgive me just this once. I promise I won't disappoint you both ever."

They both looked at me and mom instantly hugged me and started crying. I made her stop from crying and she told me how much she missed me. And when I pulled back from the hug, my dad engulfed me into another one and asked "So who is the girl?"

I was about to reply him, when uncle interrupted and said, "Naveen bhai it's her only. The one we wanted Namit to marry."

Now this was something new and unexpected thing which I was hearing.

"Arvind's daughter?" dad asked uncle to which he nodded.

"Thank god it's her. " mom said smiling widely.

"What's going on?" I eventually asked as I was unable to understand anything.

"Son....Arvind Kashyap is my old business partner, I have worked with him on some projects in the past and some days back I met him in a charity event. He was accompanied by her daughter Samaira. Me and your mom really liked her so we tried to find more about her, and then we came to know that she works in none other than Neeraj's company. We really wanted someone like her only as your wife."dad said smiling.

"Then let's start executing the plan now." Nitya said excitedly.

"What plan?"mom asked and I thought my truth will be revealed now which I really don't want.

Nitya bit her tongue and then Riddhi saved me by replying to mom's question."Plan to get Namit hitched."

I somehow managed to make it up to everyone which I really thought was an impossible task and now my plan had to be executed.