The love of my life

21. A final lookback

Daman had a hard time moving on from Ekansh, and maybe she never did.

Some people say, that you never fall out of love... You just find someone worth loving more.

Sometimes there's a person in life, who you fall for. He might not be perfect in every aspect, or he might just be a bunch of walking red flags put together, but you imagine a forever with them, and that makes it hard to move on with someone else.

But If you are lucky, you'll find a person who loves you nonetheless. He doesn't care about your past, just about your happiness in the present.

He'll do any silly thing to keep a smile on your face, even get kaju katli in the middle of the night. All you have to do is, let that person in.

Sangram was that person for Daman. He didn't play guitar, or wrote poetry for her, but he got her flowers and chocolates.

And most of all, he was emotionally available.

He was open to her wants and needs and never once did she feel like he didn't think of her as a priority.

She was loved and cherished. He didn't even touch her for the first few months after their wedding. They played chess, watched movies, sang songs aloud on long drives, cooked together while choreographing a new dance step every now and then, that used kitchen instruments as props.

Her use of wooden ladle as an oar on a boat to navigate while tapping her foot and rotating 360 degrees was a hit among them for a good few months.

She used to sit in her cabin smiling at her husband's text thinking of the college canteen visible from her window where she and Ekansh used to have tea.

She would feel a turmoil build inside as she smiled at how lucky yet unlucky she had been.

She had gone to meet a few guys for the arranged marriage. One asked about her virginity status, to which he was met with a cup of cafe frappé on his face and oxford shirt.

Another wanted dowry, and one was proposing an open marriage.

And there was another guy that just didn't match her vibe.

And then she had met Sangram on a wedding. He was on a leave as the families introduced them.

"This is my daughter, Dr. Daman. She's doing her Masters in Animal nutrition." Her mother had said and his mother had smiled looking at Daman.

"Oh, you're so pretty." She had said wrapping her face in her hands and then hugging as Daman felt awkward. If you meet someone for the first time in their life, how is it okay to invade their private space?

"Hi, mom... You asked for me?" Sangram had said as his eyes locked with Daman. She noticed how his brown turban, beard of military cut and a height towering at 6'2" with his biceps outlined by his grey blazer made him look straight out of a fashion show.

"Yes, beta... This is their daughter, Daman. Will you please keep her with you? We are going to the gurudwara for the Anand karaj." She had said as Daman turned to look at her mom.

First, they bring her to the wedding of a distant cousin she barely knows, now they'll leave her with a stranger?

"Ummm... Okay..." He says awkwardly.

"Ok kids... Take care." Her mother had said as they slowly walked away.

"I... I'm sorry..." Daman said as Sangram slipped in the chair across from her.

"Your first?" He says as Daman frowns.

"The matchmaking stunt?" He says as she laughed.

"Nope... Like fifth-sixth." Daman says, already liking the guy.

"Ouch, mine's third in the one week that I have been here." He says.

"Here? Lemme guess... From Canada?" Daman guesses.

"Unlike 60% of the Punjab's population, Nope... Indian Navy. Captain Sangram Ghuman." He said extending his hand.

"Dr. Daman Shergill."

"Are you disappointed that you can't leave India if you marry me?" He asked, sarcastically.

"I'm not planning to leave India, ever." She says as he seemed shocked

"Wow, be my wife." He says as she laughs.

"Seriously?" She says as he nods.

"You're educated, beautiful, Punjabi, from a sikh family and you don't want to go to Canada? You know how hard that is to came by?" He says as I laugh.

"No, I just... I love it here... It's like... There's more value of relationships, more free time to be human not work sternous hours of shifts like machines... Life is... Slow... and beautiful. I do want to travel the world, don't get me wrong. But this is... Home." I say as he nods.

"My father was among the martyrs of Kargil, I wanted to serve the country and I hope my daughter/son does it too. No compulsion though even if he wants to be an MMA fighter." He says starting on a serious note and ending it with a laugh.

That just described Sangram. He could make sad serious things, hurt a little less. He filled her life with joy and laughter, no matter the sadness.

They talked for a while as topic strayed to the past, "I got recruited by the NDA after +2, I did my B.tech. under them and well... There was study and training and... Just... A lot of things... never had time." He says as she smiles.

"I... I invested my feelings in the wrong person." Daman said with a shrug as if it wasn't a big deal while her heart wretched for survival.

"It's... Your past. If you're ready to move on, that's what matters." Sangram had said.

"I thought i was ready to move on and made another mistake." Daman says with a shrug.

Sangram picks up a napkin and takes out his pen.

"Do it at your pace, But I'd like if I was an option." He says trying to scribble something.

"I've seen this in the movies and the pen usually writes over the napkin without tearing it apart." he says as Daman laughs and hands him, her phone.

"Put it in." She says as he laughs typing his number.

The next leave sanctioned in Sangram's name was for his wedding to Daman. Through phones, facetime and texts, he became her confidanté and her go to person.

He was her best friend and she was his happiness.

He was the source of light in her life, until Tejas... As if... Giving a parting gift to her, to sustain her happiness before he left her forever.

He gave her a reason to wake up everyday.

He gave her the true love of her life.

His son, her pride... Tejasveer Singh Ghuman

++++++Author's name++++++

All chapters after this will be based in present, and the story will move on from there... 😊

Lots of love ❤

Reet