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‘My love for this nation, my dedication to its citizens and my relentless quest for a transparent democracy were the very shackles that blinded me to the responsibilities of fatherhood and accepting Vishnu as my son before the country. In my fervour to contribute to the greater good, I inadvertently neglected the personal bonds that define us as human beings. That was my only mistake. I feared that I would be judged by the people, and they would not like a man like me who had such complex personal relationships, who had a son outside marriage, to wield any political power.’
He joins his hands before the camera as he continues.
‘I know the elections are near, and this revelation can be crucial and can work against me, but I have no regrets for the step I have taken. For the first time in my life, I want to prioritise my kids over my career. I regret hiding this truth from my nation, which has given me so much in life. I apologise to the people of this country from whom I kept this truth. And most importantly, I want to seek forgiveness from my family, whom I hid it from, and my son, Vishnu, whom I have hurt the most by my neglect and selfishness. He has always fulfilled his duty towards me, and now, it’s my turn. I’m fortunate that Vishnu is my son. He is ‘Vishnu Pratap Walia.’ I wish I hadn’t delayed this so much. I truly apologise to everyone.’
Ayaan silences the TV and turns to Dad, who is now in tears, as he gazes at Vishnu, who, like me, is unable to react. The room falls silent as Dad waits for Vishnu to say something, but Vishnu just steps back, glaring at Dad.
“What have you done?” Vishnu growls. “Do you even realise what you have done? Why now?”
Dad is about to reply, but Vishnu shakes his head in denial as if in a daze.
“I’ll speak to your PR team. We can still salvage this. I’m sure they’ll shed light on how to do damage control,” he adds, turning around and taking out his phone from his pocket.
“Vishnu,” Dad calls out, but he doesn’t listen. He dials some numbers on his phone, his fingers shivering in the process. Dad reaches him and turns him around, snatching his phone.
“Let me handle this now,” Vishnu snaps. “You can’t risk your chances of becoming the CM at this point. I won’t let that happen. Moreover, I don’t want to be the reason you hold back from your political aspirations.”
“Stop blaming yourself for anything, Vishnu. You yourself said that the damage is done and we need to control it. But don’t you understand? That’s exactly what I have done today. I put an end to the damage that I had been doing for the last three decades by not giving you your rightful name and position in our family. Today, I have finally gathered the courage and taken the most important decision of my life, which I should have done years ago—accepting you as my son, as my heir.”
Dad takes a step forward to meet Vishnu’s emotional gaze.
“Yesterday, when you told me that I am your entire life, it held up a mirror to the choices I’ve made throughout my life,” Dad confesses to him. “It pricked my conscience, Vishnu. I was selfish. Over the years, I could see I was causing pain to my son, yet I couldn’t bring myself to stand up for him and his rights. I couldn’t have been more cruel, more and insensitive. You have devoted half of your life to me and my goals...to a man who couldn’t even address you by your true name. But not any longer. I want to put my son ahead of my career.”
“But how could you put your career on the line?” Vishnu rebukes, upset that Dad actually took such a risk. “You’ve waited your whole life for this position. You deserve that position. We all know how much you have strived for it. Now, when it was just within your reach, how could you let it go?” Vishnu is literally shivering as he retaliates to Dad’s actions
Dad’s eyes moisten with fresh tears as he replies.
“Stop thinking about me so much. I don’t deserve it. I have no regrets about what I did today. I couldn’t care less about the outcomes of the upcoming elections—whether people still vote for me, whether I win or not, whether I become the CM or not. It’s irrelevant now. How can I become a good politician when I know I lack as a father? My focus now is on being a good parent to my children, which is more important to me than being a good politician. I’m determined to fulfil my new responsibility as a father and prioritise my children’s love over everything else. They are my world, and I’ve finally realised that.”
I am left speechless by Dad’s confession. Suddenly, we hear him break down and cry, a cry full of helplessness, remorse and vulnerability. Despite being weak, he still stands up, and we see him looking at Vishnu, his hands clasped together with tears streaming down his cheeks. “I’m sorry, Vishnu. I should have told you this sooner. Please forgive me, my son,” he says.
Before his cries turn worse, Vishnu separates his joined palms and hugs Dad tightly. It’s the first time I see Vishnu shedding tears. Although he always presents himself as being strong, Dad’s plea for forgiveness and his acknowledgement of him as his rightful son today had the power to soften even Vishnu’s resilient heart.
Dad is the first to break away from the hug.
“I regret delaying this for so long, Vishnu. I’m solely responsible for complicating our lives. How could I do this to my own son?”
Vishnu wipes Dad’s tears and firmly grasps his arms before responding. “You know, I had always envisioned what I would do on the day you sought my forgiveness. Each time, I pictured myself either not forgiving you or reluctantly accepting your apology, thinking of my promise to Maa. But I was so wrong. I forgive you—with all my heart. Because I can see in your eyes that whatever decision you’ve made this time, risking your career, is not easy. Yet, you did it for me. That makes me one hell of a luckiest son in this world.”
His words shatter Dad once again, but Vishnu doesn’t allow him to cry. He holds him firmly.
“I’ve always seen and admired my father as a strong man, and that’s how I want to see my dad…always.”
“Dad…” Dad echoes his last words with a smile.
Vishnu nods, calling him Dad again.
“My son,” Dad hugs him tightly once more and strokes his back. “I longed to hear you call me Dad. I have waited a long time for this and can hear this word for a lifetime.”
Vishnu, too, was desperate to call him ‘Dad’ all these years, and today, his wish finally got fulfilled. I brush away my tears as I witness the two unite. It’s an emotion I can’t express without shedding a few more tears,happy tears.Ayaan comes and stands beside me, rubbing my arms and giving me a side hug. I am overwhelmed with happiness. I smile at him before turning to Dad, who kisses Vishnu’s forehead with love.
He then gazes at me, gesturing for me to come to him. Without wasting a second, I rush into his embrace and wrap my arms around him tightly.
“You did it, Dad,” I express, pride evident in my voice. “I am so proud of you. So, so proud.” I plant a kiss on his cheek before voicing my immediate question. “But how? What made you change your mind so suddenly that you confessed it like this? Openly before the media and didn’t even inform us once.”
Dad looks at Kailash uncle, who smiles back at us with joy. Dad again turns to me.
“A long-time associate of mine, someone like an old ally, recently gave me some advice. I always knew what I was doing was wrong, Meher. But despite having realised my mistake, Vishnu’s words yesterday shattered my heart. That was a turning point for me. My children have done so much for me, and it’s time for me to be there for them from now on.”
