Tangled ✓

Magic of words

~~Advika~~

"Are you planning to stay here all night?" A voice echoed around my cabin. Ignoring the voice, I strained my concentration over my designs. 

"This is not how everything works, Rose." He said and I again ignored him. I heard his soft footsteps walking into the room and towards my chair. I sensed his presence so close to me but didn't raise my head.

"Rose." He said gently but I didn't budge. Serves him right. I have no intentions to respond. 

I then heard the chair scraping and from the corner of my eye I saw him pulling a chair beside me and flopping into it. 

Still I kept ignoring him. 

"What is this? Are you shutting me out?" He asked and I kept my concentration on the papers in front of me that were resting peacefully on my desk.  

I then felt his fingers tracing my temple. And then he plucked a strand of my hair behind my ears which has been disturbing my vision for so long. 

I then heard his chuckle, "You're as stubborn as me. Your mom always claims that you inherited my genes."

I sighed irritatingly. I hate being called stubborn. I'm not being stubborn. I just want to make my point clear. 

"Rose, talk to me." He said, gently patting my head. I swatted his hand away and a chuckle escaped his lips.

He then turned my chair effortlessly towards him but I refused to look at him.

He sighed, "Rose, don't you trust me?"

I just rolled my eyes at his stupid question. Placing a finger under my chin, he raised my head and now I have no other option but to look straight into his eyes, silently questioning him.

"Do you really think I would do something that will hurt you?" He asked so gently.

"Then why are you doing this? Don't you know that this will hurt me?" I asked in return.

"I do know sweetheart but I have reasons to do this."

"What?" I gritted my teeth.

Closing his eyes, he released a deep sigh. The great Prakash Deshmukh has always been an energetic and handsome man even when he is in his fifties. I myself haven't witnessed him falling sick. But today, staring at his tired face, for the first time I felt like he is aged and I know the fact that it's actually not his age that tired him. 

It's the fact that he witnessed his son in law passing away right in front of his eyes. It's the fact that his loving daughter has turned into a widow right in front of his eyes. It's the fact that his grandson became fatherless right in front of his eyes and during all those times he had no option but to stand back and watch all of this happening. And I know that for the first time in his entire life he felt helpless.

But it doesn't give him the right to bring someone in Viraj's place.

"I was so happy when you got married. I felt like you found someone who will care and protect you with his life." This time I saw his eyes tearing up and unknowingly my eyes welled up too. "But it proved that anything might happen at any time."

"Papa…." No. I don't want to remember those moments again and again. I only want to live in those beautiful memories Viraj left for me.

"Now… I'm with you to look after you but tomorrow I might not be…" This is not him. My papa has always been optimistic. His growing age or the thought of his death has never been barriers in his life. 

"Papa….. don't say that. Nothing is gonna happen like that." I said immediately. My poor heart can't take that. I know that after Viraj's demise it only survived because of my Adiraj. But it can't take any more deaths.