I get to love you

3

They say love is a journey

I promise that I'll never leave

When it's too heavy to carry

remember this moment with me

I get to love you, I get to love you

It's the best thing I'll ever do

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~2 months later~

Imlie saw the nursery door open, going in she finds aryan looking over an empty cradle swinging with wind lightly 

"Abp...what are you doing?"

"Imlie, cheeku never slept in this right?" 

Imlie stops. It had taken some mind tricks puppy eyes and emotional blackmail to make aryan believe the boy she adopted was cheeku. She'd enrolled him in the school aryan wanted too...and it has been so good to have him around...for her as well as aryan. They have been living as parents 

But she knew this day would come.  Somedays aryan would cry saying his cheeku was fading away. At days like those she felt it was okay to deceive aryan,because cheeku,the adopted one had given him comfort by being there in real

"Imlie ?"

"No aryan, he didn't "

"Who's..who's that kid. He's not my cheeku..he's.."

"He might not be your cheeku, but you are his baba for sure abp"

"Why...why did you do this imlie ? You..you lied to me?"

"I'm sorry.  I tried...i tried to tell you the truth..i tried...but you were miserable..you would scream and cry for him..i..i..don't regret lying to you aryan...i was scared "she says hugging him

"Shit ! You tried to tell me...and i had hit you..i...imlie..leave me"

"What?"

"Leave me imlie ! I'm going crazy.  I was imaging..a kid..i..i hit you...it's not safe..for you..for him..i can't live here..leave me please "

"Aryan. You are not going anywhere! I'm not gonna let you..specially not like this" imlie says hugging onto him tightly 

"Jungli..please..let me go.."

"It's okay aryan. I know it's hard...it was for me too...but i can help you..let me.."

"You can't imlie, I'm going-"

"Amma?baba?" A tiny voice interrupts at the door 

"Cheeku are you-"

"Where are you going baba? Are you going to leave me like he did..? I promise I'll be good..don't leave me..i like you and amma both.." He asks with tears forming in his eyes

"Cheeku..he isn't going to leave you. Neither will amma. Even if you do naughty things we'll still love you okay?" imlie says going to him wiping his little tears 

"But..but baba-"

"Come here" aryan says looking at him, making him sit on his lap

"Do you think I'm weird?" Aryan asks

"Umm..maybe..you cry..that's scary..but amma says you have nightmares..I've had some too..it's okay..it'll be better..and....you behave like I've been here from a long time..but..i like it"

"You do? Well then...baba is a little sick..but i promise i won't scare you again..and that's why i have to go.."

"You are not going ANYWHERE" imlie says adamant 

"I'm with amma, sick people should rest at home..with families "

"Very good ! Now cheeku, bring baba's tie and amma's saree" imlie says holding aryan's hand 

Tying him tightly she high fi's with cheeku 

"Now that we've tired him..he won't go anywhere...you should go and sleep..it's a little late right? Go to bua and tell her you'll sleep with them today.  Amma and baba have some business to handle" she says kissing his forehead 

"Now let's deal with my other baby" she says climbing on the bed

"Tell me about him imlie.."

 "Well...aryan i wasn't sure about adopting..i couldn't ask you..obviously..but then when i saw his records..i knew it was fate..his parents were in a accident while his mother was pregnant..they both died..the day he...was born.. and that day i had my miss..carriage... he lost his parents the day we lost our child" 

"Imlie that's just.."

"Hard to believe? I know.  He used to live with his uncle for 3 years, but he dropped him in the orphanage saying raising kids is expensive..."

"Asshole"

"And Aryan remember when we thought i couldn't conceive...we decided to adopt..and when when you thought..you could be a father....you asked me no questions..you were ready to raise whoever's kid it was..so please don't send him away..he is our cheeku..and he deserves his parents just as much as we deserve our child right?"

"I won't send him imlie...just look at that kid..he's...yes he's our kid"

"And one more thing aryan. When in future..we are ready..with our relationship mended properly....I'm here and so are you. We can have a kid again"

"Kid? I want a whole cricket team " 

"Don't push it ! Having a single kid is a trouble enough..and i might have went through proper therapy..but I'm still scared...that fear is embedded within"

"I guess you'll need you mentor's push then?" Aryan says smiling 

"Guess i will . And Together we can do it...not 50 50 this time...it's 100 100. Your pain is wholly mine..and mine is yours" 

"I would have hugged you but.."

"But what?"

"I'm tied here" 

"Promise me you won't leave and I'll open you"

"Imlie..i just want to keep you and everyone safe...i don't trust myself at this point..."

"But I trust you aryan. You can never hurt us. No matter what happens...and your pills are working..we'll start therapy soon too. You'll get better...but stay" 

"You are so stubborn!"

"I've learnt from the best. Someone made our marriage a game and was stubborn to win everytime!"

"What can i say? I like winning "

"Then why did you let me go?" 

"Because i don't like winning from you. I like winning with you and for you."

"You need to stop pushing people away aryan. Lucky for you i loved you enough to return back"

"You..you loved me? Since then?"

"Kinda...not like carrying your payal talking to it love...but more like i couldn't imagine a life without you in it..the thought of never seeing you again...."

"Are you gonna keep teasing me about the payal?"

"Oh yes ! I thought i just had one competition with Mrs lambigadi. But here you had an affair with Ms payal too. What a player huh" 

"But still i love you the most" aryan says pecking her lips moving forward 

"Even more that our kids?"

"Kids it is now? Well yes, I'll love their amma the most. Because she was the best thing that's  happened to me..and she gave them to me..and please Open me now"

"Nuhuh, while we are at it....let's make the most out of it, shall we?" She says holding his collar pulling him close 

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The end