When We Met

Apna bana le....

Kiran called out to Miraya as she was leaving her room to make her way to the temple. Her mother was sitting in her chair, staring at something, when Miraya walked into the room. "Aaja, bache! Join me."
Miraya took a seat next to her mother after glancing at the watch and realizing she had some time left before she needed to show up. (come, baby!)

At that moment, her gaze fell upon her parents' wedding album. With a beaming smile on her face, Miraya questioned, "Aaj kese yaad gyi albums ki? That too your wedding album?" (What reminded you of these albums?)

"Bas aise hi," Kiran answered with a smile. (just like that)

With awe, she continued, her gaze fixed on the countless memories of her parents' big day. "Dad was crazy about you and it is so evident in every single one of these pictures," she said. "Look how he is staring at you, even while you are looking away from him."

She sighed and continued, turning the pages to see more pictures, "Wish I was this lucky to find such a great love. I guess I never will."

"You're far luckier than I ever was", Kiran said, taking Miraya's hands in hers.

"Please mom!", Miraya exclaimed, laughing at her mother's comment as she attempted to release her hand from her grasp.

Grasping tightly, Kiran declared, "Look at me! I'm saying this for a reason. I was fortunate enough to find a man who treated me like I was his entire universe . Yet, I said you were luckier because you've been given this opportunity twice." Miraya disbelievingly met her mother's gaze.

Kiran said, "You were lucky to find Veer who loved you dearly," her eyes calm and her smile soothing. "And now Ruhaan, who loves you more than life itself, who loves you like it's breathing for him." Miraya simply turned her head away from her mother, tears gathering in her eyes, not believing a word she said.

With a gentle touch on her hand, Kiran said, "Listen bache! It is impossible to change the past. However, you need to remember that someday someone will come along and it will make sense why everything happened the way it did. Everything will make sense. The loss, the heartbreak, the tears that soaked your pillow for weeks until the agony subsided. And you'll finally accept that true love—someone who enters your life and never leave your side."

"And you believe Ruhaan to be that true love?", Miraya asked, turning to face her mother. Kiran nodded, a smile on her face.

Miraya went on, ridiculing her mother's statement and asking, "Why would a guy like him, love a girl like me? He has no reason to. Why would he choose me when he could literally have anyone?"

Kiran glared at her daughter and answered, "Because you're amazing. You're a wonderful human being, the best daughter, sister, and friend anyone could ever ask for. You are shutting your eyes to the truth if these doubts are the result of your own insecurities. Ruhaan is in love with you. I sense it, every time you're around him; and I see it, every time he looks at you."

Miraya clutched her mother and sobbed on her shoulder, "I don't know ma!", tears streaming from her eyes. "I do not want to get hurt again. What if he doesn't love me? What happens if he deserts me, as Veer did?"

"That is not going to happen. Ruhaan loves you and he will always be by your side. He will hold your hand, and there will be no more room for pain in your life. It will happen and it must happen because you deserve the world's joys and a love that nurtures you and makes you grow. A love that teaches you to love yourself and a lover who will respect you and be profoundly in love with you. You deserve a partner who will care for you and never let you shed a single tear. And that love is Ruhaan," Kiran noted as she gave her daughter a soothing back pat.

"Jitti reh bache!", she said, wiping away the tears from Miraya's face and planting a kiss on her forehead, "Hamesha khush reh." Miraya sniffled, gave her mother a hug, and left the room without saying anything more. (always stay happy, my baby!)