She gluped softly and looked down."Dadu(grandpa) I–I wanted to talk with you."
The old man nodded his head still not looking at her.
Vaidehi sigh and entered his room, "I– dadu I–" She stammered and gulped a lump.
"If you don't have anything to say , Vaidehi you can go." Grandpa said in a stern voice.
Vaidehi looked at him, tears clouded her eyes.
She held back a sob and walked near him and sat near him legs and with a shaky voice she said," I–I am sorry dadu(grandpa). I–I know that y–you're angry with me but, I have a reason dadu(grandpa). Please talk with me once. Please let me explain it dadu(grandpa). Please."
Tears roll down her face and she body shook lightly as she sobbed.
Grandpa had enough of all this, he quickly made Vaidehi sit near him and wiped her tears but still maintaining his disappointment.
"I swear on my chocolates, dadu(grandpa)I would have told you every thing. Even I came to tell you but, I was afraid th–that you will be angry." Vaidehi look at her grandpa as tears stream down her face.
"And even after knowing your grandpa, you thought that I will be angry with you over this? How can you think like that, Vaidu? Give me just one reason to be angry over such a great achievement of my favourite grandchild." Grandpa's face held hurt as he look at Vaidehi, who immediately looked down in sadness.
She did a big blunder, she to thought herself.
"I am sorry grandpa. I am not your good grandchild anymore right? You hate me right? I broke your trust. But I swear grandpa, I didn't mean to. You know how much you mean to me. You are more important to me than ma and baba,(mother and father)but , I–I was stupid who thought that you, my favorite person , the one who taught me to walk, the one wh–who taught me to ride bicycles , would stop me from living my dreams." Vaidehi sobbed and held her grandpa tightly and continued, "Please tru–trust me dadu(grandpa). I–I would never do that. I would have never hide such big thing from you, ne–never. I tried, I–I swe–swear I trie–" She couldn't complete her sentence as she broke down.
Grandpa held her and rocked her back and forth. She looked so vulnerable.
A lone tear roll down the old man's cheek and he never saw his brave and bubbly grandchild breakdown like this.
He know that he has to make a decision. It like to let this butterfly fly out of her cocoon.
It will be hard, not just for him but for each and every member of this family to let go of her but, it time, he thought to himself as he patted Vaidehi's head protectively securing her him warm and safe embrace.
"Vaidu, baccha(kiddo) here look at me." He made her sit properly and made her look at him and wiped her tears.
"Grandpa I–" The old man shook his head and made her eat some apple that was kept on the table.
"First eat and then we will talk." He said faking stern voice which made Vaidehi smiled weakly.
Grandpa Raghav's heart clenched looking at Vaidehi's face. Her face lost all the spark and has dark circle under her eyes. Looking at her face, made him feel guilt for not hearing her explanation previously.
"Dadu(grandpa)." Vaidehi's voice bought him out of his reverie.
"Bacha,(kiddo)tell me everything. And don't be afraid. It just me your grandpa." He said softly and patted her hand.
Vaidehi smile and nodded her head," So, as you already know that I had given an interview for LD fashions few weeks ago. So, day before yeaterday, I got a mail from them stating that they want me to join them on their main headquarters. In New York" She whispered the last part and closed her eyes tightly.
"Baccha(kiddo) look at me." He said softy and Vaidehi closed her one eye and tried to look at him and her antics made him chuckle.
"Vaidu, why are you so afraid? This is really a great new," Vaidehi face bloomed a big smile but listening to his next line made her nervous.
"Do you really want to do this?Can you handle yourself there and promise me to take care of yourself? Can you Vaidu?"
"Dadu(grandpa) you don't worry, you remeber Rithika, my bestie? She lives in NYC with her husband and her three year old son. I can stay with them. Dadu(grandpa) this is my dream, I saw this dream ever since I was a kid. I want to go there Dadu." Vaidehi said with a new spark in her voice.
"You grew up too soon. I still remember that cute, little Vaidehi with two piggytails sneaking and eat chocolates. And you used to come running to me when Vansh used to steal your chocolates. " The old man's eyes shone with unshed tears , and look at her grandpa , she couldn't control herself anymore as tears roll down her cheeks.
"Preapare for the DAY. You are going to New York ,baccha(kiddo)." Vaidehi squealed with tears still streaming down her face and hug the old man.
"Wipe your tears ,no more crying." He said and wiped her tears, "Its time to celebrate. And before that, we need to tell this big new to everyone." Grandpa added.
"I have to leave in a week , Grandpa." Vaidehi said emotionally.
"I will miss you."
"I will miss you more, old man."
.
.
.
.
Each and every family members of Aggarwal family sat in hall area with a curious face, as Raghav Aggarwal, our very own grandpa ordered them to come, as he has something important tell.
Vaidehi stood near the staircase with Vansh and Sanvi on either side of her. She nibbled her nail in nervousness and Vansh frowned looking at her.
"Don't be afraid. It will be fine." Sanvi whispered.
Vaidehi face changed from nervousness to confusion as she saw Reesha comming out of her room hiding her face with a big scarf.
She heard a low chuckle and she turn to look at Vansh and Sanvi, and frowned.
Grandpa Raghav and grandma Prashanti came out from their room and seeing them everyone sat straight.
"I have a big and happy news to tell evergeone." Grandpa announced and sat on his chair and there Vaidehi gulped in nervousness.
"Our Vaidehi got a job." As soon as he said that, squeals and congratulation can be heard around the room only to be broken by grandpa again.
"News is not over yet. She got a job in LD fashions. For their main headquarters."
Silent.
After that followed a calm silence. A silence before storm, Vaidehi thought to herself.
"WHAT!?"
"WHY?"
"HOW?"
"No, baba (father) she can't go. How will will handle her self all alone?" Vaidehi father said sternly.
"And it impossible for her to stay there all by herself. What she will eat?" Her mother voiced her concerned.
"It time for her to get married, what she will do with this job?" Rati bua(aunty) said and made a face.
"RATI! Control your insensitive words! Its my decision to send Vaidehi. And NO ONE will question my decision. And about her going there alone is not a problem anymore. I trust and believe my grandchildren. They all her brave. And I know our Vaidu is a superwoman. It's her dream to do this job and are no one to become a hurdle between her dream. We should support and cheer her because she achieved it in such a young age. And Rati, when marriage has to happen ,it will happen. It's time to let our little butterfly out from her cocoon. " Grandpa looked at Vaidehi with a proud simle.
Vaidehi eyes shone with tears as she heard her grandpa's words.
She nodded looking at him return a big smile.
New York ,here I come, she thought to herself and squealed internally.