Page 29 of The Unwanted Husband
Was it because she had some hope on resurfacing the case her father had filed over a decade ago?
Isha stepped outdoors and the voices grew louder and one of them was not what she expected to hear. Ashok was there too.
She stopped, looking out into one side of the yard where Ashok was teaching the twins how to swim.
Isha found Ashok’s ability to handle kids fascinating. She had her eyes on him and didn’t have time to look away when he looked in her direction so she waved sheepishly.
“Come join us.” He waved her over but she shook her head. She knew how to swim but it would be a hassle to wash her hair and shower again.
No energy for it.
She walked to the edge of the pool and looked down at the kids. Ashok was giving attention to one kid at a time as they bobbed around with floating pads attached to them. A few moments in, Ashok dipped one of the kids’ heads under water and she felt her stomach drop only to shake it off as the little one came out from under the water, laughing.
“You are not Vish, little guy, you’re a fish.” Ashok laughed. “You are just like Sami when it comes to swimming.”
Isha let out a laugh and pulled up her knit pants before dipping her feet into the water and sitting on the edge of the pool. She was so focused on Ashok and the little boy, she didn’t notice the little girl had waddled toward her.
“Vaish, no escape. You have to dip your head under water,” Ashok called out from a few feet away and the little girl clung to Isha’s leg.
She let out a squeal of surprise, and let out a laugh. “Vaish, go to Ashok.”
The kid only clung to her leg harder and just the way the little one held on to her, it made her heart melt. She never gave them any attention and yet they were so warm to her.
How was that possible?
“You think Isha will save you?” Ashok laughed moving toward her with a smile on his face.
As her uncle approached her in the water, the little girl started to climb up her leg, water dripping all over her clothes. Isha found the gesture from the little kid so welcoming she didn’t mind getting wet.
“Vaish, what’s the matter, go to Ashok,” Isha said into the little girls’ ear, as she clung to her.
Ashok only laughed. “She is such a daddy’s girl.”
Isha’s heart flipped in her chest. Confused, she asked, “What do you mean?”
He shook his head. “Vaish sees her dad in you, that’s why she is clinging to you.”
Ashok’s words made tears roll down her cheeks, uncontrollably as she hugged the little one. She was not sad but the emotion she felt was overwhelming.
At that moment, she didn’t care what she was wearing or that she had to take a shower again. She held the child to her and slowly slid into the water.
“I’m a daddy’s girl too,” she whispered as she planted a kiss on top of the kid’s head. “Let’s do this together.”
*****
Later that night, she was browsing on her computer, when she heard a faint knock on her door. Surprised the kids were still up after what was a strenuous activity in the pool, she thought they would be knocked out.
Her eyes were downcast as she opened the door, expecting to see one of the twins outside but it was their uncle. He had a pair of shorts and a loose t-shirt. His hair looked ruffled like he had left it to dry after showering.
“Do you have a few minutes?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
“Can we talk in the office?” he asked and she wasn’t sure what he wanted to talk about that late at night.
She nodded and followed him down the stairs. He held the door open to the office for her and stepped in after her. As soon as she went in, she noticed a large yellow envelope that she had not noticed earlier in the day when she left the room after work.
What was that?
