Seasons- Blooming in Love

🌺His biggest Achievement🌺

Adhira 

We settled on a stool and I noticed there was not a sign of dust, everything kept intact. Even the polish of those trophies never got tarnished and I got the answer of my own question. 

"I did not belong from a very rich family." Uncle said in a low voice, his eyes stuck on the medals placed in front. "And from a very young age, I learnt that without money no one would love you. I had six sisters to marry and my father was not in a good condition." 

The silence in between those words spoke volumes to me.

"I know I was a brick to Samar. When he used to get silver, I encouraged him to get a gold. I wanted him to be capable and strong from a very young age." He pressed his eyebrows but the frown never left. "I had no problem with his photography Adhira." His eyes turned towards me. 

"Then why he left home at 17?" Samar ran out from his house, everyone knows the story behind his success. 

"One day I found him lurking on a thin wall trying to capture the evening sun. He was with Vedansh, bunking the classes with him. Samar fell of the wall and his back and elbow hit the ground. Before I could pick him up, he stood up with bleeding elbows and still captured the shot." Concern painted his voice as his shoulders started shaking. "I wanted him to be protected but he started behaving like-" He sighed. 

"And you were worried that he would hurt himself." 

Uncle even kept the pictures Samar captured. They were decorated on the wall. "I shouted at him for getting one or two marks less but it was my fear that he would completely risk himself for this obsession." 

"But you understood with time that-"

"Samar could not be kept apart from photography and " He took a deep breath "and You, Adhira." His words ring once, twice and again and again into my ears until I adjusted the information. 

"What we have is different uncle." Something calm, protected... something that feels like home. But when I think of his eyes after I left him, It told me an entire different story. To me it is something that feels like home but to him- what we have for me is like the air he breath in. 

"I would be the luckiest father if you joined our family as his wife. One day he would become a father and understand what it is when you see your children being worried, hurting themselves and hiding things from you but till then I will just-"

"You will just?" Samar was standing on the door, his frame covering almost all the space. His eyes were red and swollen. "Keep pretending like usual like you always do, dad?" 

Mehra Uncle's heartbeat got so fast that even I could hear it in the pin drop silence. My locket was dangling from Samar's fingers and his eyes were locked with his father. 

"What would you do if Adhira hurts herself in one of her shows?" Uncle asked to which Samar entered inside the room. 

"That would never happen because she knows how to rise from failures." He snap. "and I never expected you to always play the strict father role when you are clearly not!" Uncle looked away, his lips twitched. 

"Why did you keep all my trophies? They don't mean anything right?" He held a medal and stared at it. "I have already tarnished your reputation and I didn't want to show my face." 

"I have always been proud of you." Mehra uncle's voice broke, his body was shaking. He is such a giant man it almost feels impossible to watch him like that. 

"And I have always loved you, dad." Samar sat on his knees in front of Uncle. "You remember where we went after this photograph?" 

Mehra uncle went into a wave of nostalgia, smiling. "You said you wanted to have Rajma chawal after all the running." His voice got hoarse as if he was this close to breaking down. "And then your mother had already made it." 

Samar pulled his father in a tight hug. "I am sorry dad. For running away, for not understanding your love, not being able to see your care behind the mean words." 

Uncle patted his back, both of their shoulders were shaking. "I am sorry son. For trying to pressurize you. I am the luckiest father in the world to have a son like you Samar." 

When the broke the hug, their shoulders were stained with tears. "You both got together?" Samar smiled at me when uncle asked and I smiled back. "Finally!" He placed his palm on my head. "Always be happy beta." I closed my eyes absorbing his genuine blessings. 

"You said you are not going to come inside, right?" Samar showed me my locket and I got my answer. It must have fallen behind when I was walking in and he picked it up. 

"I brought it in and noticed these golden lights coming out from this room so I walked inside." He side eyed his dad. "Socha tha dada ji ne khazana daba rkha hoga " (I thought grand father buried some treasure inside.)

Uncle slammed a slap on his head lightly. "It is so much more than any treasure, son." Uncle said and left the room for both of us. Samar went through all his medals and trophies, this time he was not sad about his achievements. I am glad they solved the miscommunication and now all these trophies bring pride to him. 

He was finding something from the trophies and medals. He picked out a beautiful tiara, embedded with beautiful flowers. 

His steps turned towards me, holding that tiara in his hand. "Adhira." My breath still hitches the same when he takes my name like this. "All these trophies and medals... certifications and yet-" He place the tiara on my head, caressing my cheekbones "My biggest achievement is you." His fingers trace my face before he touch his lips, feather soft into mine. 

A winner of almost everything and yet his biggest reward is me? I stare into his eyes when he held my hand delicately.  "You take me everywhere right? If I took you somewhere, would you walk with me Adhira?" I nodded and blindly followed him as the air of September brings out the smell of Coffee grounds and cinnamon tea. 

I walked out of the room and Uncle aunty smiled at us. We reached the ground, all types of flowers enhancing the beauty of flower beds. It reminded me of Lohri when I danced with Samar for the first time. We were near the Bougainville wall. In January end- it bloomed pink flowers and currently it is red. 

He stood in front of me, holding my hand. Flowers from my favorite tree were falling on us. Sunlight fell on him, reflecting a beautiful halo of strength and confidence in him. "Adhira." Caress from his hands on mine reached till my shoulders as he pulled me closer. 

"I never believed in fate or coincidences, nor did I believe in Love but what would I say now? When you were there all my life, existing like a spring but then going back from it. You were meant for me but I was too busy in my grief to say it." 

His fingers caressed my cheekbone as he planted a soft kiss. 

"Had I stopped and said hi years ago you would have painted my life with colors just the same right?" His eyes changed from softness to a sharp look of concern. "But this is not I want from you, my precious flower." 

It is normal to have misunderstandings with parents but if they aren't sorted at the right time, it creates distance.

What do you think about the confrontation? Comment below!