Forbidden Desire by Ritesh Prasad (best books to read ever TXT) 📖

same but had never revealed my own family trauma to her.

 

“Then what happened next?” I enquired.

 

“Nothing I just said, “Don’t you dare even try to touch her again, otherwise I will forget you are my Dad and the consequences will be very very bad for you.” I just took my Mom out of the room. While he was still lying on the floor trying hard to get up. I left him in the same state.”

 

“I was calming my Mom who was still crying. In the meantime I heard “THUUUDDDD” a sound like something heavy fell on the floor. We rushed and saw Dad was unconscious may he was trying to get up then misbalanced and fell again. But this time there was no movement in his body. We somehow put him up on the bed and Mom gave him some water, he felt asleep after drinking. Later in the evening while returning from College my Mom called me over cellphone and said that Dad’s condition was deteriorating and asked me to reach home quickly. When I reached home he was breathing heavily we both got very scared and without wasting any further time with the help of some neighbours we took him to hospital where he was immediately admitted to ICU. Thereafter I called you.”

 

“Okay, really feel sad to know about this; anyways don’t feel bad everything that happened was an accident, it was not your fault. You were only trying to protect your Mom…that’s it. Anyone else would have done the same thing in that situation, calm down he will be fine. I will give a try and talk to him once he is back from hospital.” I consoled and hugged her tight.

After my much persuasion she agreed to have the lunch. I served the plate for both of us and we ate quietly.

 

Post lunch she fell tired and went directly to bed for a nap so I didn’t disturb her either, it was necessary too, as she has been in so much of mental trauma for the past few weeks. She was holding my arm and fell asleep and I was there by her side watching television. It was around 4:00 pm my mobile rang and I saw Kaushik’s name flashing in my mobile. I wonder why he is calling me at this hour of the day and the thought of the consequences of Kaushik catching me with her cousin sister in my flat raised my adrenaline level immediately. I took my cellphone and rushed towards the kitchen while Sakshi was still asleep and answered his call in low voice.

 

“Hey Rohit….where the hell are you?” He said huffing.

 

“In my flat…resting after lunch.” I tried to be poised while answering him.

 

“Didn’t you get the Uncle’s news?” He enquired.

 

“Nope”. I replied in crisp.

 

“I was in office for some urgent work while I got the news from one of the relatives in hospital. I haven’t call Aunty yet, I am rushing home you please call Sanjeev and reach hospital immediately.” He said all those in one breath.

 

“I am not getting you… what has happened? Is something serious?” I asked him still confused why he was so nervous.

 

“Rohit….Uncle is no more, he expired few minutes back.” He said in a single straight tone.

“Whattttttt?? I can’t believe this.”

 

“Even I can’t, but this is true he is no more with us.” He confirmed and I felt numbed. I don’t know how to react after that; I just kept silent holding my cellphone.

 

“Rohit! Rohit! Are you there??”

 

“Yeah”. I replied gaining my senses back.

 

“You please rush to hospital immediately and please don’t disclose this news to Sakshi or Aunty over the phone. We need handle this sensitively Aunty might collapsed if she comes to know this over phone.” He said.

 

“Okay as you say. I am reaching hospital quickly….when are you expected to reach?” I enquired further.

 

“Hey Rohit do one thing, as it might take much time for me to reach home, Why don’t you go home and bring everyone to hospital before someone discloses this news to them over phone.” He said changing his plan.

 

“Okay that would be better. At least I would be there with them in this adversity.”

 

“Great… I will directly reach hospital.”

 

“Okay come quick.” I said and disconnected the call.

 

I came back to room while Sakshi was still sleeping. She looked like a small baby resting in peace who had no miseries in life. But soon she was going to face a disaster, I spoke in my mind. I don’t know how I would handle this. But I decided I would not disclose the news of her father’s death until we reach hospital.

 

“Sakshi …Ohh Sakshi…get up baby.” I said while jerking her body softly.

 

“Please Rohit....let me sleep for a while.” She said in sleeping tone.

 

“We need to go home and from there we need take Aunty and reach hospital.”

 

As soon she heard the word hospital. She got up in jiffy.

 

“Hospital… Why? Is something serious? Is Dad ok?” She asked holding both of my arms.

 

“Yeah... he is fine. Actually doctor from the hospital had called on Kaushik’s cellphone that some urgent test needs to be done and family member is required for the formalities. Since he is busy in some urgent office work, so he has asked me to accompany Aunty in hospital with these formalities. He will reach directly there as soon his work is completed.” I said and turned my face before she could catch that I was lying to her.

 

“Formalities? What kind of formalities… I am not getting your point. Please tell me what’s the real matter.” She confronted me again while I was getting ready.

 

“Sakshi…There’s no time to explain things to you right now. Get ready we need to reach hospital with Aunty quickly. The test is important and unless the formalities are over they can’t proceed further. Hope you now understand.” I said and started looking for my home keys pretending to show it was urgent and we need to hurry.

 

“But Rohit…tell me na … what you are hiding?” She enquired again.

 

I said, “Nothing… are you done? Shall we leave? We are getting late,” I said and pushed her outside and locked my flat and we came to the main road.

 

We took a rickshaw and reached her home quickly. I said I am looking for a taxi in the meantime you go and get Aunty quickly. I did this because I didn’t want to confront her Mom… it was too difficult for me to handle Mom-Daughter’s interrogation.

 

Anyways we three got into the taxi and rushed to the hospital. I was sitting in the front while Sakshi and her mother were in the back seat. I really had a tough time evading their enquiries about Uncle’s health all the way till we reached hospital. Sometimes I pretended to be busy with my phone and sometimes tried to divert their mind with other questions. Within half an hour we reached the hospital gate.

 

I got out first from the taxi and saw bunch of their relatives standing in the main gate. It was obvious my game of hide and seek was over. I knew once the relatives will see Aunty everything will flash out.

 

So I slowly stood aside and took my phone out and called Sanjeev and asked him to reach hospital immediately. I was explaining to him over phone about Uncle’s death, I heard loud crying noise of Aunty accompanied by other women. I understood Uncle’s death news has bombarded to them.

 

I decided to let Aunty and Sakshi alone for a while and silently watched their agonies from a distant. I felt bad but had nothing I could do. I saw Kaushik coming from the other side of the road. Had relief I was not alone to handle all these miseries. We collectively went near them and tried to calm down Aunty and Sakshi. As soon Sakshi saw me….she started questioning me “Rohit you knew everything… why the hell you didn’t tell me before” and started crying again.

I just hold her and Aunty in my arms and said, “I had no other options than to keep quiet. I didn’t have the guts to reveal this devastating news to you….please forgive me”. They started crying more loudly. It was tough but somehow we managed to console and send them back to home with other relatives. Few male members also returned home with them to make arrangement for the funeral. In the meantime Sanjeev also reached hospital. So we three with other remaining relatives completed the formalities and brought Uncle’s dead body back to home. In the ambulance I was watching Uncle’s face for the last time. It was badly swollen and it was a clear indication of his excessive drinking. I recall those moments when I had first interacted with him when Kaushik had introduced me on the first day and see two years later I am accompanying in his funeral. It was even hard for me to believe that he is no more… How could I expect Aunty and Sakshi to forget things so easily?

 

We reached home and it was about to get dusk. Almost all the relatives had gathered in Uncle’s house for his final departure. All the rites and rituals were followed and in few hours we left for cremation of his body in the nearby graveyard.

 

 

Days kept on passing in similar fashion and soon a month passed in jiffy and as it is said time heals everything. Slowly life of their family also started returning back to its normal mode. Sakshi got busy with her college again and would be a graduate in few months and I as usual was busy with my office and I used to visit her home more frequently now, so that they would feel better.

 

One evening I came early from office instead of going direct back to my flat I went to Sakshi’s house. To my surprise the door was opened by a new person, he didn’t look familiar to me as I knew most of Sakshi’s relatives. Later Sakshi introduced me to her. He was her college friend “Asif” a dashing stylish Muslim guy. I got to know from Sakshi that he had for the first time came to her house today but by noticing his attitude, it was hard to believe that. He behaved in such a manner that he was their family member. He was accompanying Sakshi in the kitchen for making tea and snacks for us. I found this something odd but didn’t utter a word. He was sitting by the side of Aunty and Sakshi and cracking jokes. I saw Raju was enjoying his jokes more than anyone else. I looked at the wall clock it was 8:00 pm. I said, “I got to leave its late.” But Aunty insisted me to have dinner and then leave.

 

“Oh common Rohit it’s just half an hour distance… have dinner with us and then you can leave.” Sakshi said looking at me.

 

“But Sakshi i am tired, i came directly from office. I need to change and get freshen up… Some other day please.” I said and was about to get up from sofa but was interrupted by Asif.

 

“Where do you stay?”

 

“Space town… why?” I enquired.

 

“Don’t worry have dinner with us? I will drop you while leaving from here.”

 

“Asif has a motorbike and drives in Dhoom style within minutes you will reach home…Just sit quiet and have dinner.” She said adding to his words.

 

“No thanks!!! I would comfortably reach home in auto as I always do.” I resisted their request.

 

“See Asif!!! This is his attitude he never listens to anyone.” She said looking into his face.

 

I found this very awkward Sakshi was complaining about by behavior to a stranger. Anyways I didn’t want to create a scene so I kept quiet and agreed to have dinner to make them happy. In the meantime doorbell rang and Kaushik entered. Even he was surprise to see a stranger in his house at this hour.

 

I greeted him and went inside to other room with