Destiny's Play!!

Chapter - 89

Karan had seen her get off the taxi and had waited to be sure it was her, and that he wasn't hallucinating. It was her. He couldn't breathe for a few seconds. She had come back. After two months of absolutely no contact she had returned. On her own. How he had missed her. He knew it was really cold and she had a tendency to feel overly much of it but he wanted to stay there for another few seconds to get himself under control. He had wanted to run to her and hug her and never let her go anywhere again. It had been two really long and really hard months. What was she doing here? Uday hadn't mentioned she was coming to visit. Yup, his brother had kept him posted on her. His only source of information on her that she was doing fine. As for Manya she had refused to have any contact with her in the beginning but she had finally started texting her. He had asked Nilakshi to not talk to her about him and she had kept her promise though she had refused to talk to him about her as well. The dogs barked and she looked up. He had to let go of them and they ran to greet her. He walked slowly taking his time. She wore a cream heavy wool coat but he could bet she was still cold.

As he had approached he had noticed her pale pallor. She seemed to have lost a bit of weight as well not that she had a lot to begin with and he wasn't happy. The least she could have done was take care of herself properly. It was so hard to not skim his fingers on her cheeks, to not take her in his arms and hug her. He hardened himself to not do any of those because he didn't know yet why she was here. She could be here for holidays or just a short visit and then return. And so he had been a bit gruff. He had seen the hurt immediately. But what had she expected? She hadn't even called him in two months and he wasn't sure if she had wanted him to call her she had definitely said no visits. Though he did notice her luggage. It didn't seem like she was here for a short visit. If she was staying longer and then returning how would he fare this time because he hadn't fared well at all last time round. He hadn't been interested in doing anything reverting back to being his grouchy self. And everyone had been out of patience with him. He had offered her coffee and she had given her assent. He had needed to keep himself busy or give in. She had tried her hand at small talk but with his monosyllabic answers she had finally told him she had resigned. For a second his heart elated. It meant she was back. And the next he had been concerned. Why had she resigned? Had something gone wrong? Or had something bad happened? And he had carefully asked her the reason. She had been about to tell him when the kettle whistled. He had been irritated. It seemed so had she. And then she had started talking and crying at the same time. It took everything he had to not go and take her in his arms and calm her down. This time round she had to come to him and tell him how she really felt. Avni had missed him just as he had missed her. She had been just as miserable too. Was he sad? Nope. He was happy. Very happy. He wasn't going to let her go anywhere this time. No matter what happened.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" he asked her.

Then watched her get surprised. She wiped her eyes to get a better look at him. Then she got up and came to stand in front of him. She gazed at him. The love he had seen in her eyes all those weeks ago was there, only stronger.

"I meant for you to not come see me," she said as she sniffled, "but not that you never even call or send me a mail," she complained, "I missed you so much. But it seemed you didn't miss me at all," she said in a small voice.

"Not miss you?" Karan repeated slowly as he narrowed his gaze. "I haven't thought of anything but you these past two months," he said tightly, "didn't feel like doing anything, meeting anyone. Sleep and food was just that a necessity," he said and took a step closer to her. Avni felt the heat radiating from him as his emotions took control. She was fascinated by the play of changing shades in his eyes as the intensity grew. Her heart accelerated in its beat as she heard how much he had suffered on her account. She realized how she hadn't taken a step back as he had taken a step forward. She stood there gazing at him, "You think it was easy to let you go," he said angrily, "you think it was easy to not come after you the very next day and bring you back," he thundered as his eyes blazed but she wasn't scared of him. She could never be scared of him no matter what his mood. He would never hurt her, never. "Every day I wished for you to return. Every single minute I hoped you would call and ask me to bring you back home," he said as he shook his head trying to reign his emotions in but it seemed they weren't listening to him this time round, "you think you were miserable," he said and laughed with no humor, "you don't probably know what the word means Avni. I thought letting you go was tough not being able to see you hear your voice was tougher than that," he said as he looked at her seeing her eyes shine with love and promise, he gave in. He stroked her cheek gently with his right hand. His hand shook a little as he fought for control to not crush her to him, "and the toughest was to not come after you," he said gently, "Avni I had never thought I could love someone as much but...I can't bear to live without you. I know I am being selfish when I say this but I don't know how long you have to wait to get a job here or in a neighboring city I can't let you go away again. It will kill me," he said softly as his thumb pad wiped the little tear that escaped.

"It will kill me too," she whispered as she gazed into his eyes.

His fingers flightily skimmed her cheeks and she felt her heart flutter. He had gone from starting in a mild tone to getting angry and then being gentle in flat thirty seconds. For a man who spoke less he sure spoke a lot today with his eyes, his expressions and his words. She could never doubt his love for her. A man who had kept his promise just to make her happy even when it had hurt him so much. She leaned into his hand as she rubbed her cheek against the rough texture of his hands. He smiled. Then as if he was done controlling himself he snatched her to him crushing her to him in his big mighty hug as his chin nuzzled the top of her head.

"I will never let you go again Avni," he said in a muffled voice as he kissed the top of her head.

Avni smiled.

"I just might not let you go of me again either," she said shyly and heard his low laugh. She raised her head and he cupped her face in both his hands.

"You lost weight Avni," he said as he frowned a little.

"You did too," she replied and frowned more, "you should have taken care of yourself," she said and punched him lightly in his chest.

Karan just smiled as he framed her face. It had only been two months but it seemed longer somehow. He brushed her hair away from her face as he saw her cheeks grow red. But he didn't laugh he adored it. He simply bent down and kissed her forehead.

"You know," Avni said shyly, "I wonder if you find me beautiful," she said.

Karan wasn't sure what she meant but her soft question definitely made him look keenly at her.

"And why do you say that?" he asked.

"You never kissed me," she whispered her cheeks turning red as tomatoes.

Karan stared at her with his mouth slightly open. Did he hear her right? Of course he did. Her face was so red. He wanted to laugh once he had recovered from her words. But he refrained. It was a sensitive thing and for her to voice it. He would tease her over it later for sure but for now he smiled. So she thought he didn't find her beautiful and so he hadn't kissed her.

"But I did kiss you," Karan said devilishly. Avni looked surprised then she frowned probably thinking when had he kissed her? "On your head, your forehead," he said in a teasing tone.

"That is not what I..." she started incredulously when she noticed his grin. He was teasing her.

"Meant," he finished for her then got all serious, "I know what you meant Avni, and just because I never kissed you doesn't mean I don't find you beautiful," he told her warmly, "but the slight negligence on my part can be rectified easily," he said.

Avni looked at him then lowered her gaze. What had made her say that? She wasn't sure but she wanted him to kiss her. He framed her face lovingly with his hands and bent his head to kiss her eyelids, then the tip of her small nose and just when he thought Avni might squirm in protest he gently kissed her just lightly grazing her lips with his. And Avni thought she was in heaven. The love, gentleness and the depth of his emotion staggered Avni to her core. This was her first kiss ever and he knew that too making it special for her taking care to not hurt her. And she loved him all the more for it. Just when she thought it would end he deepened it and Avni didn't know if she had been in heaven before or she was there now.

Karan had deliberately started gently knowing fully well how much this moment meant to her. To him too. This was the first kiss they shared as a seal to their love for each other and he wanted it to be special for both of them and it was. Much more special than anything else. Her shy innocent response, the way her hand glided over his shoulder tentatively was everything he had expected and more. As he broke away and touched her forehead with his as he looked in her eyes. This one moment was locked away for an eternity in his mind and heart and soul. He smiled and Avni smiled back.

"I love you Avni more than I can put into words," he said softly.

"I love you too Karan with all my heart," she responded.

They were together. At last.

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