We left the house around 2 a.m., and with heavy hearts, my parents were following me. I had hired a cab before, which was waiting for us. I gave the cab driver the address, and the cab started moving. Neither of my parents had any idea where we were going.
I was in a daze; there was a lot to digest; I was not getting which one to concentrate on; lots of revelations in a day of which I had no clue; trapped in my own fucking world, never questioned, never spoke, never dared to do anything; only led me to be where I was at present. I don't give a damn about my parents' situation; their 'karma' bit them strongly; they are tasting their own doings differently.
I didn't ask for a shitty, rich life; this life only took everything from me. I didn't deserve any of this; I needed to go through everything only because I was his son. How fair was it to me?
He can't just use and leave me as if I were nothing in his life; our 4-year relationship didn't have any effect on him. It was so easy to say goodbye; how the hell can he be heartless? It was worse compared to my dad's crime.
"Where are we going?" A question from my dad brought me back to reality, reminding me of the fact that I was the fucking son of a murderer: "You will come to know." Was my reply. After 25 minutes of the ride, we reached our destination. I urged them to get down.
"It looks like cheap, little, shabby surroundings. Why are we here?" That was my mom, who has not yet accepted the reality, for fuck's sake. "Get used to these shabby surroundings; from now on, we are going to live here." "What? You must be joking." Give me a fucking break. "If you want a roof on your head, follow me, or else there is always an option for you, which is the street. Be my guest and spend the remaining life on this street, which you fucking both deserve." With that, I started walking, and they were following me.
I was not getting how grateful I should be for my late grandparents. Who had gifted me a 2-bedroom flat; they had foreseen the future of our family, I guess, and informed me not to disclose this to anyone. At last, they made sure we had a roof when my mom neglected them till the last day they were alive.
"We are here." We were in my flat. "Whose flat was this? Are we going to live here?" My dad: "Yes, it will be mine when I turn 22." "We can't live here; it's too small. Where is the furniture? No fancy items. How can I live here? I can't, I can't, honey. Say something. Why are you silent? Please do something." My mom's desperate pleading voice.
"Mom, accept the reality that you are not a 'princess' anymore. Your 'palace' has been sealed and taken away by the bank. We are left with fucking nothing. You should be grateful to your parents. This was their gift for my 15th birthday; they are the ones who finally saved us." "What, really? I had spent a fortune on them; at least they could have gifted a house, a big one, fully furnished." She is really testing the water.
"Can't you be grateful for what you got? They didn't take any of your money, so stop fucking complaining." "Don't shout at me." "Well, don't make me. If they didn't give us this flat, we would end up on the street. Why are you not getting the reality?" She started sobbing bloody tears, which will come in handy, which had only an effect on her husband.
"Look, Mom, soon you will accept the reality; it will be good to lead our lives; it implies to both of you that we are left with nothing. I will start hunting for a job after a few days; as this news spreads everywhere, it won't be easy to find one. I can't provide you with anything else. Mom, especially you, give up on your spending hobby. I will look after you both and provide you with 3 meals a day; that's it, don't expect anything else."
"What about my shopping and other things?" "Are you serious? This news is a fucking sensation. I am fucking daring to dream of the aftereffects. For a few days or months, getting a job will be bloody hard in any reputable company. You are fucking worried about your shopping; you are poor, and we are left with nothing." With that, I stormed towards one of the rooms by implying the other one belonged to them. It was a 2 BHK flat with good space, minimal furniture, a couch, and a dining table, which was enough to lead a life.
Due to exhaustion and frustration, my mom drained most of my energy, and sleep took over.
The next day, when I woke up, the first thing I did was check the news and social sites. As expected, we were highlighted with family photos floating everywhere, excluding my sister; I am sure her husband took care of it, and the final touch was given to our miserable lives.
After getting freshened up, I made my way toward the hall. My mom was still sobbing on her husband's shoulder; I was sure she was going to take forever to accept reality. It was very hard, especially on her bloody spending. By seeing their eyes, I can conclude that they have not slept the whole night.
I entered the kitchen by taking a glass of water. I sat in front of them and spoke.
"I am going to order food. We can't live like this, Mom. Why are you even crying? I am not getting what your problem is over here. Are you crying because we have a small, cheap roof over our heads, not a luxurious one, completely missing the point that we can be roofless? Why the hell are you guys not accepting reality?" "It's hard; try to understand us, especially for her." "Yeah, right, it is fucking worse for me. Are you not getting that? Because of you guys, I am fucking facing the bloody consequences. I didn't abandon or turn my back on you guys. No matter what, I am sticking to you guys. What else are you expecting from me?" "What about your sister? We can ask for her help. I spent a fortune on her wedding and gave her a good life. She can help us right if we ask her." "I am not stopping you; try your luck; I am going to buy something." With that, I left the house. I needed fresh air. Bloody. They are doing their best to suffocate me inside. They are fucking thinking that she was going to help us, like in their dream.
By covering my face, I started walking for a few days or even a month; covering this way was inevitable. I stopped when I spotted the park; it had been like a decade since I had visited one.
After entering the park, I took off my mask, and I lay on the grass. Oh God, it feels so good. I never thought it would be so relaxing. I had given pause to every thought that was flooding my brain, no matter how I could not escape from reality. I had only a few thousand left with me, and somehow I had to lead a life with this amount till I find a job that may take months; the possibility of getting one was fucking hard.
After thinking a lot and calculating the pros and cons, I started dialing my friends' numbers. Everyone got their own picture after seeing the news, but at least I would get one helping hand, only one lifeline. Life can't be so cruel, yet again, I was proved wrong. Once you start to taste something, especially 'falling,' it will make sure to last for a day, months, or maybe years together. When I dialed my friends' numbers, calls went to their voicemail, they were not reachable, their phones were switched off, and no answer. If I am not mistaken, a few have blocked my number, and I need to remind myself that they were my last option.
After trying a few more times, I gave up, needed to move my ass from here, made my way toward the grocery store, and after purchasing, made my way toward the flat.
After entering, I could see bright colors on my parents' faces. "Am I expecting some good news?" My dad spoke. "We called your sister, and she wants to talk to you alone." "Alone? Why? You could have asked what you wanted, right?" "Meet her; she wants to talk to you and ask for her help." "You could have invited her here." "She wants you to meet in a café by noon, so we didn't bother to invite her. Don't mess this up; she is part of the family. For sure, she will help us." "Ok."
Why the hell would I think of messing with anything when I was eagerly expecting some help? The only question hanging in my mind was why she wanted to meet me alone.