My voice cracked and my throat dried as I continued telling him everything from the start my loops, my death, the death of my parents, my failures, all of my bottled-up emotions burst out like a wild river I was cursing myself my life, everything around me, I felt pathetic showing my this side to my grandfather.
Sniffle
"It must have been hard on you Ashwin" He was comforting me, crying in his embrace.
hiccup
"You must have been through a lot all alone like that"
"Yes Grandpa"
hiccup
"You must be really tired now"
"I am"
sniffle
"It's fine for you to rest now" He rested my tired body back on the bed and put his hand on my head.
"When you wake up, things will be alright" Sleep took over me my eyes becoming heavy until I closed them.
"Good night Ashwin"
---
"I think we shouldn't leave like this Dad" I am worried about Ashwin and with what happened last night it doesn't feel right to leave him.
"And what are you going to do about the meeting" Dad doesn't look happy with my words.
"But Ashwin Dad, it does feel right" I looked at Mom and my wife to say something.
"I think he is right," Mom said looking at Dad "Ashwin needs his parents with him right now."
"We are also his parents and we are here with him," Dad replied to Mom in annoyance "I checked up on him in the night, he was just tired and nothing more." he said
"But Dad-"
"No Buts, you are leaving for the meeting, do you think Ashwin will be happy if his parents give up on their dream work because of him."
"That's" True Ashwin is really mature for his age and he definitely wouldn't be happy if we stayed here for him, and this meeting is really something we have been trying to get for months.
Conflicted, I looked at my wife for answers but she looked more conflicted than me
"sigh OK Dad we will leave for the meeting but if you think you need to call us then do so" I stood up and gestured to my wife to come with me, we walked out of the room to the entrance with my parents following us.
"Take care on the way," Dad said with a smile.
"Of course and you also take care of yourself," I said to him and we left for the flight.
"Is it really okay" Getting in the taxi my wife asked me with worry in her voice.
"We can't really do anything else, let's just focus on nailing this meeting and we can buy something for Ashwin when we get back"
"Ok…ay"
---
"Ashwin wake up we have to go" Grandpa moved Ashwin's sleeping self, not knowing he was awake, not being able to sleep after his parent's death, he lay in the bed with his head turned to the other side not wanting to go with his grandfather.
"Ashwin?" Grandfather turned his unresponsive body towards him to wake him up, but he stopped when Ashwin's ghoulish eyes looked at him "Yes Grandpa I am coming" He said as he slowly moved off the bed and walked outside his grandfather following him not knowing what to say to Ashwin
Ashwin walked into the car with his grandma already sitting in it crying his grandfather soon got on the driver's seat and started the engine, leaving the house on its way for the cremation
Ashwin was resting himself on the seat with his head resting on the window looking outside of it he saw Aditi
Looking at her standing outside of her house Ashwin's dark eyes brightened from excitement his lips curled and twisted into a smile, not of warmth but a cold and freezing smile as he looked at the one responsible for the death of his parents, soon she was out of his sight as the car moved and he got himself comfortable on the seat the pain of his parent's death has gone from his face now full of excitement of the price 'She' will be paying for his misery, he closed his eyes and after days of no sleep Ashwin went to sleep soundly.