Prem Vivah

• Dooriyan •

And here starts the official post-break-up story.

Sameer has shifted all his attention to his studies and taking care of his unwell mother. He was trying to take more tuition so that his mind stay occupied with the subjects and his favorite mathematics. He knew he was broken from inside and no sort of work or study will mend the cracked pieces, but he has to live, live for his mother and sister who made him capable of taking care of both of them if the need arises. He can't live like a lifeless statue who had no aim and dreams after getting separated from his Mehbooba. He was strong enough to deal with pain and loneliness alone, he needed no one for counseling. But yes, one thing was surely different in his personality, he was back to his old version of a rude and cocky guy who gives no damn to anyone. Of course, his family and Ankita aren't included in this list, but now he is changed, changed for good or bad the time will tell.

His daily routine was not exciting, it was boring in fact, because the trips to the terrace had completely stopped after that night, and he missed watching the stars and moon with the beautiful girl standing next to him. He missed every damn thing about Naina but he didn't beg for her attention or love this time. He gave her space, he gave her freedom from such a relationship where she was forced to show every day how much it is painful for her to keep contact with him. He didn't want to cause her more trouble and mental depression, he was happy she was happy without him. Only if he knew how wrong he was.

As usual, the morning starts with him making breakfast for his mother simultaneously revising the pages. The 3rd year semester was about to start in a week, and he was not fully prepared for it but he had enough confidence in himself to crack the subjects.

"Tu yahan kya kar raha hai? Jaldi jaa ke ready ho, college nahi jana?" Savitri's soft voice boomed in his ear, and he turned back to look at her worried face with a smile.

"I am ready aai, just yeh breakfast ready ho jaye then I will leave," Sameer replied to her in a gentle voice.

"Main bana leti na." She argued and suddenly started to cough aloud. Sameer rubs her back while making her drink the water, and Savitri calms down after a few seconds of suffocating to breathe. She looked at her younger son with grief in her pale eyes, and said meekly - "Kitni pareshani hoti hogi na tujhe meri wajah se...pata nahi har roz kuch na kuch bimari chalti hi rehti hain."

"Kaisi baat kar rahi hai aap aai, bache bhi toh bachpan me kitne bimar padhte hai...but maa kabhi apni zimmedariyo se nahi bhagti. The same goes for the children too, jab unke parents bimar ho ya lachar ho toh unhe unka ache se dhyan rakhna chahiye hai aur ilaaj karana chahiye hai." Sameer answered her with a sweet smile and kissed her forehead before walking toward the stove to check if the Semolina Upma was ready or not.

"Mere pichle janam ke kisi ache karam ka natija hai tu," Savitri said in a loving tone while caressing his hair, and He just smiled, adding one tablespoon of salt to the thick paste as he felt the Upma didn't taste good and lacked something.

"Ab jao aur jake bahar baitho, main aa raha hu breakfast lekar." Sameer apprised his mother, and She nodded, walking back to the living room.

He poured warm vegetable Upma into two ceramic plates with two cups of hot piping ginger tea in his hands and sprinkled coriander leaves on upma to make it look tastier. He joined his mother who was sitting on the straw mat and delightfully handed her the plate full of the perfect breakfast meal. Savitri was grateful to Ganesha for giving her a son like Sameer who just didn't study hard to give her a comfortable life but also made sure that she is taking her medicines on time and isn't showing any carelessness towards her health. The duo had their breakfast silently, and Sameer wanted to clean the vessels before leaving for the college but he was already running late. It made him upset that his mother would need to wash them.