Valli's Grandpa (1000 words)

Valli hardly 23 was sitting with her beloved grandma Kamalam in the well-maintained lawn with its various green plants and their colourful flowers and vibrant leaves. She cherished such moments with her when she shared all her thoughts and worries with her more freely than with her mom. Grandma was nearing eighty but was in good health.

“Grandma, Valli began, with her brows furrowing in curiosity, "there is one intriguing thing that is bothering me. Why does my mom look so different from the rest of her sisters? My mom is fair with an aquiline nose while all my aunties are dusky with stub noses. It looks as if my mom doesn’t belong to the family” asked Valli.

Kamalam smiled and said, “All fingers are not alike, isn’t it?”

“No, that is evasive and not the right answer. I am not convinced, Grandma”

Smiling again, Kamalam whispered,” I don’t mind letting you into secret if you promise to keep it to yourself. You are 23 and I see no harm in sharing it with you at this stage of my life. You are more of a friend than just a granddaughter.”

Valli snuggled closer and became attentive as Grandma took a deep breath and started narrating with a sigh.

“When I was your age, I loved a handsome man named Dandapani. We were going steady and were careless when we decided to get married. When he learnt that I was pregnant, he developed cold feet and abandoned me. His parents were very rich and soon found a girl for him from an equally rich background. I was shocked and trembled about how to break the news to my parents. But to my great surprise and relief, they were very supportive. I didn’t want to abort the child as it was delayed. Your mom Sundari was born,” said Kamalam.

Valli's eyes widened in disbelief and said “I can never believe, Grandma, that you were such a bold and passionate person in your younger days falling in love with someone and getting into a problem,” 

Nodding her head with a poignant expression, she replied “True, I was foolish. Luckily my dad soon found a very good man in Gunasekar who knew about my past and was willing to marry me. He regarded Sundari as his own daughter. No one knew except my parents, Gunasekar, Sundari and now you.”

“Did you or my mom ever contact the other man? asked Valli.

“No, I did not meet him again. I cut him off from my mind forever. But your mom when she was around 18 or so wanted to meet her bio dad. He was a very big man in business then. She was rebuffed and ridiculed when she met him at his office and she came back heartbroken and crying. That was the last we ever had anything to do with him. Luckily, she had the warmth and total affection of Gunasekar without a trace of any difference from your aunties”

“OK grandma, the secret is safe with me. This has also answered my question but I have decided to confront my bio granddad once and give him a bit of my mind” Valli said

Her face became serious, “Banish such thoughts. He is a heartless and rough man. He may refuse to meet you or throw you out. Don’t ever do such a foolish thing. Your mom also may not like it,” warned Kamalam.

Valli was adamant and got an appointment with Dandapani the next day. Except for grandma, she didn’t tell others.

“Who are you? What is it you wanted to discuss with me in private and urgently on a matter of importance according to you” asked Dandapani in a surly tone from his tall richly upholstered red chair.

” Sir, this is somewhat personal. You must relax and be calm” said Valli.

“Tut, tut, I have no time for small talk. Tell me whatever you wish to say quickly and get lost” roared Dandapani.

“Cool down, Grandpa. I happen to be Kamalam’s granddaughter and you happen to be my bio granddad” said Valli coolly in a soft voice.

For a moment he was flabbergasted at the nerve of this young and bewitchingly beautiful girl. He recovered immediately and said “I neither know any Kamalam nor would like to know about her. I am a happily married man with my own family. Your time is up. Leave.”

Valli made no sign of getting up from her chair. She said,” How can you be so cruel and heartless to disown your daughter Sundari? What was her mistake in your misadventure with Grandma? I have come here to point out, not at the behest of anyone, but of my own volition. your insensitiveness,”

He stood up pressing the bell and a messenger entered the room.” Take this woman out and see she is not allowed to enter the office anymore,” he said brusquely.

Valli could not suppress her tears at his callous and unfeeling manner and came out crying to the lounge even as many eyes stared at her. She felt then an arm entwining her gently and drawing her close to him. 

She turned to see her grandpa Gunasekar caressing her hair and saying in a loving tone “Valli darling, if you had asked me, I would have forbidden you from coming here. Kamalam told me just in time for me to be here. Why do you look to strangers when I am there for you as grandpa? Am I not giving you my total affection?”  The tears of anger and disappointment in Valli gave way to tears of immense joy.

“One minute, Grandpa,” she said as she ran to a spittoon and spat with all her force.” Let us celebrate this moment in Nirula’s with ice cream. You are the world's best grandpa. You have opened my eyes to what true love and affection are. I am proud to be your granddaughter, “even as she hugged her frail and bent grandpa.