SACRED BOND

CHAPTER FIVE- NINE YEARS LATER

ARJUN'S POV
“ Papa! Papa!” I heard my daughter calling out to me as she rushed inside my room,hiding behind my back, I turned and had one knee on the floor and I looked at her “ Anahita, what have you done ?” she pouted at me “ Nothing papa, it's just.....” she couldn't finish her sentence as the nanny walked into my room, I guess looking for her “ Good morning sir” the nanny sighted Anahita behind me “Anahita, you need to get ready for school,please let's go” Anahita looked at me and then to the nanny and grumpily said “ NO!” while pouting, Anahita could be cute but sometimes troublesome “ Anahita?” I knelt again by her side and she looked at me, she looked so much like her mom, she was a perfect image of Saanjh, she had her eyes, nose and lips, and then I spoke while holding her face in hands “ Anahita it's school week okay, your break is over, you need to go to school” she raised her head and looked at me “ But papa......” I looked at her sternly “ No buts Anahita, you are a big girl now, you shouldn't always have run to me okay, you are giving your nanny a hard time Anahita” as I spoke she kept her head down, I knew she had become sad due to the conversation,so I raised her head to look at me “ Am sorry papa” she said “ It's okay, it's good you know you did something wrong okay and apologized for it” she shook her head, and I took her in my hands and hugged her, “ Anahita promise me you won't give your nanny a hard time again ” I raised my hands at her to pinky swear, and she joined her hands with mine and she said “ I promise Papa” I kissed her on the cheek. In came Amyra with her school uniform all ready for school “ Papa!” she ran and hugged me “ You are all ready for school Amyra” she looked at me and smiled, Amyra had her mother's smile “ Yes papa, it was Anahita, who's making us wait” I chuckled “ My little princess is all grown up” I tickled her and she kept laughing “ Papa stop!” she kept on laughing “ Am way to old for that now Papa ” I took both Anahita and Amyra in my arms and walked over to the nanny “ You can get her ready now” so I handed both of them to the nanny, I knelt down to their heights again “ Papa needs to get ready, for work okay, while you get ready for school, hmmm ” they both shook their heads “ okay papa” they said “Ain't you both forgetting something ” I looked at them, they both looked at each other and then back at me, and they smiled and they mouthed "Oh” raising their little fingers “ We haven't kissed Papa”  they both cupped my face with their little hands and then they both gave me a kiss on my left and right cheek each “ Have a great day at school,my princesses” I stood up from the floor “ We will papa” they both said in unison, as they walked out with the nanny. It has been Nine years now, since Saanjh left us, and my princesses are nine years old, they are all grown up. I haven't gotten over her loss till this day, Saanjh could not be completely forgotten by me, others could but not me, Ma has been persuading me for awhile about getting married but I had always turned her down on the issue..........

I was currently in my office, going through some files when Prernan walked in “ Arjun, the meeting we have with the Japanese will be starting in exactly 5 minutes ” I shook my at her engrossed on the files in front of me “ Prernan I need this printed out immediately” I handed her a piece of paper “we'll be needing it for the meeting ” she nodded and walked out with the piece of paper.
As about three hours after we were done with the meeting, and I walked back to my office slouching in my chair,in came Prernan sitting on the three seater in my office “That went well” she said looking at me “Yea it did ” I sat properly on my chair with both hands on the table “For them” I said “For them?” Prerna replied, I stood from my chair walking around my office “Yes for them Prernan, with out us this collaboration wouldn't be possible” she looked at me still not getting it,I smiled “ without the Malhotra companies,they could never pull the deal,I made sure of that, No company in India would take them” as she looked at me ,she began to understand “ You did your findings, didn't you Arjun?” she smiled “ Yes I did, without us,the Japanese are  vulnerable businessmen in the country,they had no other choice but to collaborate with us or they lose both their profit and capitals” I smirked ,she stood from her position and walked up to me “ You cunning bastard” she smiled at me “ This past years, you've completely changed to a different person, when it comes to business, hmmm” she tapped me on my shoulder “ I've got things to do” and she walked out of the office.........

“Arjun Beta” my mom called out my name on the dining table “ Yes ma” she was looking at me sternly “ Arjun we need to talk my dear” I looked at her while trying to swallow my dinner “ Ma about what?” she looked at me like I had grown two heads “About your second marriage ” I looked around knowing my daughters were there, I did not want this conversation around them, and I looked by at my mom to please understand the situation “ You left me no choice Arjun” she seemed unfazed to what I was using my actions to tell her,she was about to speak when I jumped in “Okay ma, we'll talk about this after dinner” I sighed, she could be a very stubborn woman at times.
“Arjun Beta, you in there” as she walked into my office “ Yes ma” I was sitting by the other side of the room, on a more comfortable cushion “ Arjun my dear, I'm sorry,if I was to forward at dinner” she said as she sat by my side “Its okay ma,I understand where you were coming from as a mother” she sighed “ Arjun about the issue on ground,you need a woman in your life,it has been Nine good years since Saanjh left us,may her soul continue to rest” I was becoming a little uncomfortable with Saanjh's name been mentioned “ I know,your daughters are your main priority,but Anahita and Amyra are nine years old, they would want a mother figure at this point,and I want a wife for you” I looked at her, my eyes were already bloodshot “ Ma! My daughters lack nothing ” I told my mother,and she looked at me like I knew nothing about the issue on ground “Ma what is it?” she chuckled “ Anahita and Amyra are no longer babies Arjun my dear. They have been to school and seen others been with their moms,you think your daughters feel nothing” she looked at me firmly again “ They do Arjun, because they are kids vulnerable to have a wanting feeling of what a mother's love would be like,Amyra had approached me once, asking about what her mother was like” I didn't know about this, I thought I was in control over those issues “ the poor thing cried, after I told her about Saanjh,Amyra said she wished her mom was alive” I looked at my mom's face, she seemed really concerned, she turned towards me and held my face in her hands looking into my eyes as she spoke “Beta, I know you haven't yet let go of Saanjh, but your daughters needs this.If you can't do this for your self do this for them, they will need it” she said to me and she started to walk, out of the office “ Ma!” she turned looking at me, I didn't know what I was about to do, all I thought of was Amyra and Anahita's faces, if my daughters would be happy about this decision,then I'll do it for them, I stared at my mom and finally said “Ma,  I agree, it's all left in your hands, find the suitable girl for my daughters.Am only doing this for them Ma” she walked back to me and kissed my forehead “ Am happy you made this decision Beta” I hugged her “Just leave everything to me okay” all I could think of in mind “Saanjh I am really sorry”................

Could this decision, destroy what Arjun had built with his daughters over the years or could it med the only broken heart in the Malhotra mansion. 😉😉😉😉😉
More to come...............