✧It all started with a slap✧
╰┈➤ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒊 𝑺𝒆𝒉𝒈𝒂𝒍
She is beautiful, smart, and an introvert who has no problem putting others in their proper places. She is selfless and compassionate and prioritises others before herself.
She is trying...
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*** 7 years later ***
The cool breeze brushed my face as I lay with my girls. They exchanged a glance, and before I knew it, they were both tickling me.
I rolled onto my back and laughed loudly as they attacked. They were squealing happily and kept tickling my stomach with their tiny fingers.
"O-okay okay stop! My stomach hurts." I laughed and returned my attention to them. Then I returned their tickling attack and soon their faces started to turn red.
Chandira was the first to yell at me to stop, and Rudrakshi quickly followed. "Papa, stop it!" they shouted together.
I immediately stopped, and they took long, deep breaths to calm down. Chandira spoke while pointing her little finger at me. "I am going to complain to Mummy."
She turned to face her mother's grave, as did her sister, who nodded in agreement and gave me stern looks.
"Arre arre nahi, unse mat boliye aap dono. Acha baba maaf kar dijiye mujhe." I drew them to me and wrapped both of my arms around them, keeping them close to me.
(Oh no, do not tell your mother about this, you two. Please forgive me, my ladies.
They pretended to glare at me, so I jutted out my bottom lip and blinked my eyes. Their frowns softened into a sweet gummy smile as they both kissed my cheeks.
"Okay, you have been forgiven. We will talk to Mummy about the good stuff. Happy?" Rudrakshi said, wiggling her brows and squishing my face. Then she laughed adorably.
They both stood up and began to walk between their mother's and grandmother's graves. Sitting down, they began speaking one by one, discussing everything and anything as they always do.
It is Chandini's death anniversary today.
She was buried rather than cremated, as was her wish. Everyone comes to visit her once in a while, except Athwa. He still finds it difficult to accept that she is no longer with us. He was devastated when he saw her on that particular day. His angel was gone, and he would never see her again after that day.
But we consoled each other; I never left his side in these last years, never made him feel alone, and never made him feel as if I had before.
I did, and I am still doing my best to keep it together with everyone.
And it is extremely challenging.
There is an emptiness inside my chest that I can not seem to fill out, no matter what I do, no matter how much I try to do anything in my power to fill that void. It is still there, though, and I doubt it will ever be filled out.
But I am keeping my promise to Chandini that I will be good to both the girls and myself. I adore them, and I believe they love me as well.
I am going to sound rude and ungrateful, but I have never felt loved or cared for like I did when Chandini was here. After her, everything becomes dull and exhausting.
