Seeing him all tensed Shruthi came and stood beside him.

"Kittu"

"Come, let's go" saying that Krishna took his bike keys.

"Where to? Why are you so tensed ?" asked Shruthi.

"Come, I will tell you."

Within 15 minutes, they reached to hospital where Suma has been working. Krishna got a call from Karuna half an hour back that his father's health was not good and the doctors in their town suggested them to take him to Mumbai. Karuna along with Venkat's friend who is also their neighbor started to Mumbai. When they reached the outskirts of the city Karuna called Krishna and informed him the condition of Venkat, he immediately told the address of City hospital and informed Suma to take care of them. Luckily she went to hospital early that day to check on her patient. She took care of him while Krishna was on his way to hospital.

Shruthi was so sad seeing Venkat's condition. She was crying uncontrollably, Krishna is not any better he was devasted seeing his father lying on hospital bed. It pained him so much to see his father in hospital and that too in such a critical condition.

Even after two days, there was no improvement in Venkat's health condition. These days Krishna and Shruthi didn't had anything as they were so occupied with the fear of losing the only parent for both of them.

On third day, Krishna father expired. Krishna and Shruthi was shocked when the doctor revealed this news to them. He didn't knew that his father's health was not stable from the past few months and was taking treatment without anyone's knowledge.

He started to feel guilty for leaving his father in their town. Later, the funeral was conducted in their town. After everything was taken care, that night Krishna went to his father's room ,he took their family photo from the wall and started crying his heart out sitting on the floor. He missed his father so much in those 8 years when he was away, finally when he was waiting for his father to come and live with him but god separated his father from them.

When he was remembering his childhood days with his parents, the door opened suddenly; he wiped his tears away and looked up to see Shruthi standing there crying. She silently came and sat beside him. They both looked at the photo which was taken when Jyoti was alive. Shruthi hugged him tightly and started sobbing. He controlled himself but failed to restrain the tears from falling down his eyes.

It has been 2 months since that fateful day. Both Krishna and Shruthi were still mourning, all the childishness left her while Krishna became a workaholic. She was depressed, Krishna also lost his original self too and became a bit more arrogant. He is behaving like the way he used you behave 8 yrs before.He tried to stay strong for Shruthi but he couldn't bring himself to do that. Krishna tried to console her few times but whenever she saw him she used to cry more which made Krishna more sad. Slowly he started avoiding her and immersed himself in office work which made Shruthi feel more lonely.

Initially , Karuna stayed with them for few weeks, later her son came and took her with him. After Karuna left with her son, Shruthi's condition became worst. Though Suma was there for Shruthi to share her sorrow but Shruthi always expected Krishna to share her sadness, she craved for his attention all the more now. She tried to talk with Krishna but he always ignored her. Whenever, she tried to initiate a conversation, his answers were just monosyllables. Krishna used to spend most his days at office and came home late. Sometimes he comes homes early but will continue working on his laptop till mid-night.

Daily she would cook food for him and pack his lunch. Then she used to spend some time with Sunny, Suma tried to cheer up Shruthi but she used to be very calm. She was craving for his care, love and attention but Krishna was least cared about her.

Though they both are living in same house, she was missing him badly. He didn't intentionally avoided her but his misery made him behave like that. Though he missed her chatter, her smile and her childish nature but whenever he tried to talk to her freely she used to remember Venkat and then she cried in front of him which made him more guilty for leaving his father alone in their town.

One night, Krishna was working on his laptop, busy with his work. After preparing dinner, Shruthi came to living room and waited for sometime but he continued to work on his laptop.

"Kittu...."

"hmm"

"Dinner is ready"

"You go and have it , I have a conference call in an hour."

"But..."

"Don't disturb me, Just go and have your dinner." snapped Krishna while Shruthi was scared to see him angry.

She came to dining room and sat on chair, looking at Krishna from there and waited for him to finish his work.

After half an hour, she again went near him as she was hungry and she doesn't want to eat before Krishna.

"Kittu, Shall I set the dining table now? I am hun...." Shruthi couldn't finish her words as Krishna words interrupted her.

"I'm busy now, I will have it later. You go to sleep" said Krishna typing something on his laptop without even looking at her.

"It is getting late, Kittu. You didn't even had any snacks in the evening and had been working. After having dinner, you can continue" said Shruthi slowly scared of his reaction.

"Don't tell me what to do and what not to do. Go from here and don't irritate me, Shruthi. " said Krishna harshly.

Shruthi was scared with his behavior as previously he never used her name while addressing her he always called her 'biwi' but these days he has been calling her Shruthi and is getting very irritated for simple things. She was getting scared to even say a word to him.

Muffling her sobs, she went to Kitchen and started crying. After sometime, she heard some sounds from living room and peeped in to see Krishna speaking to someone, he speaking in English she couldn't understand completely what they were talking about as he was speaking very fastly and is a bit difficult for her to understand and he was laughing in between and by the discussion she could make out that he was talking to a girl as he called her with some name few minutes. Hearing him talking to some other girl smiling hurt her more. She sat on a chair near dining table, stretched her hand and placing her head on it, she cried more and slowly slept there in that position.

Krishna was having a conference call with his lady Manager who newly joined their company but is working from other city. After discussing the work related issues, they got to know that she studied same college as him in between their talks, that's how they started talking about their college and was laughing in between their conversation.

After ending the call, he came to dining room and saw Shruthi asleep by resting her head on the table. Krishna felt guilty seeing her sleeping on the dining table, waiting for him.

He walked near her and knelt down on his knees and saw her tear stained face, he remembered that he snapped at her when she came to invite him for dinner. He brushed her tears away which were about to dry. Lately, he was snapping at her more. The problems in the office are also making him restless.

He shook her by placing his hand on her shoulder. Shruthi woke up from sleep and saw him kneel down in front of her. She immediately got up from the seat and stood nervously.

"Serve the food " said Krishna standing on his feet.

Shruthi just nodded her head and went to kitchen to warm the food. Krishna sat on the seat and started observing her from there.

She looked so pale and also lost weight. He didn't observed her properly these days. There is no smile on her face but instead she is looking dull.

Few minutes later she came back with the food and served him.

"Did you eat?" asked Krishna before taking the first bite. Shruthi just nodded her head as no.

"Sit " said Krishna and started filling her plate with the food.

Both started having their food in silence, all the while Shruthi didn't even looked at Krishna not even for a second. This pained him more. Previously when they were having dinner, she used to talk non-stop about Sunny or his father or some other things and bug him to tell her about his day. The talkative, childish Shruthi is now where to be seen now, there stood in front of him was gloomy and very dull girl. He couldn't see her like that.

After finishing, Shruthi silently cleaned the dishes and walked into the bedroom.

She laid on her side of bed without speaking a word. Krishna couldn't sleep properly whenever he closed his eyes, Shruthi's tear stained face came into picture. After an hour of tossing and turning, he got up and sat on the bed. At the time Shruthi turned to his side in her sleep, he looked at her pale face. Sighing, he got down from the bed and was about to take a step, her words stopped him.

"I'm sorry, Kittu"

Krishna sat on bed and looked at her thinking that she is awake.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you, Kittu" murmured Shruthi in her sleep.

"Biwi" Krishna called her and shook her shoulder slightly but she didn't woke up, she was murmuring 'sorry'

"Don't leave me, Kittu" whispered Shruthi hoarsely with tears flowing down from her closed eyes.

He slowly wiped them away, took her into his arms and kissed her head.

He remembered their childhood days, their separation, their marriage, her love for his father and her behavior and excitement whenever they went out after coming to Mumbai. And then he remembered her sad and tear stained face after hearing his father's death.

He was devasted and was immersed himself in work but didn't bothered to take care of Shruthi. If he showed her more attention keeping aside his misery she wouldn't have become this lifeless. He decided to change his behavior for her. He decided to start afresh life from tomorrow. His father always wanted them to be happy, if they live like this he won't be happy looking at them. He should leave the past behind and start taking care of her as she is the only person he has in this world.

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So how is this part?Hope you all enjoyed reading this part .

First time staying away from my family during this festival :( . Feeling lonely so that's y the sudden update.

A very happy Diwali to everyone. Take care & be safe :)