His Scarred Butterfly ✅

40 - WEDDING DREAMS

திருமண நாள் எண்ணி
நகா்ந்திடும் என் நாட்கள்
சுகமான ஒரு சுமையானேன்
(Counting the days for my wedding,
I am passing my days.
It's a pleasing burden.)

Krishna, Paayal and Diya gathered on the floor of the hall. Diya immersed herself in her colouring the book with her cute childish strokes. Krishna and Paayal were immersed in admiring their cute child.

While the trio was cherishing their shared moments, Paayal's father Dipendra entered the hall, and immediately a puzzlement raised in his face. He approached them, thinking who was that new man sitting with his daughter.

Diya noticed the arrival of Dipendra and exclaimed, "Nana, Look here. My Papa came!"

Paayal and Krishna, prompted by Diya's excitement, turned back to see Dipendra, standing up.

By hearing Diya's words, Dipendra was momentarily confused. He wondered whether the man present there was Diya's biological father.

"Hello, uncle," Krishna greeted with a smile.

When Dipendra saw him close, Krishna looked familiar to him. But he couldn't remember when and where he saw him.

"You... " Dipendra paused, trying to remember where he saw him.

Paayal interrupted enthusiastically, "Papa, I am very happy today after 6 years because of his arrival. So..It must be who?"

Dipendra narrowed his eyes and soon he remembered where he saw him and what he said on that day. "Giving what you can is help. Giving what they need is love."

"Oh, I can remember you, dear. You are Paayal's friend, right?" Dipendra inquired with a smile.

Paayal exclaimed, "Not only my friend Papa, He is my Maa and He is my love, Krishna," She blushed at the end of her sentence.

Dipendra was taken aback with the revelation, widening his eyes in shock and disbelief. "What?? Is it him who left you after knowing your pregnancy?"

Krishna forced a smile. "Sorry, uncle...." He paused, turning to Diya and said softly, "Kuttima, You carry on colouring the book. We will join you soon. Your friend butterfly is waiting for you to colour it, right?"

"Yes, Papa," She responded, and diverted herself to the colouring notebook.

Krishna turned to Dipendra again. " Sorry, uncle. I misunderstood her," He narrated everything that happened in their relationship and apologized again.

After listening to everything, Dipendra's voice softened with understanding, "Oh, it's okay, dear. Now, I can understand why Paayal was adamant in loving you in all these years. You are such a good person. When I saw you for the first time itself, I could sense your good nature," He smiled gently and added to Paayal, "So.. Now you will marry him na?"

"Yes Papa," Paayal blushed.

"Shall I arrange your marriage then?" He asked with an affectionate smile. Finally, His daughter withdrew her stubbornness and got a gentleman who would take care of her like a baby. It filled him with tranquility.

Krishna and Paayal looked at each other and nodded their heads, a mix of happiness, shyness, and dreams for their shared future shining in their eyes.

"Then what about your fami.."

Before Dipendra could complete his sentence, Krishna turned to him and added with a forced smile, "Uncle, I have no one by my side to discuss my marriage. My parents passed away. Though there are relatives for namesake, I don't have any connection with them. So, I have to take responsibility for everything in my life. I don't have any particular wishes or demands regarding the wedding. But, I have a request. If you don't mind, Shall we arrange our wedding in my home which is in Madras? Because, it is the home where my Mom and dad lived. That house is filled with their love. I will feel their presence there, if our marriage takes place there. I will feel their blessings too," Krishna said, his voice cracking at the end. Paayal held his hands and told him not to cry through her eyes.