yun hi tu mere saath rehna

Chapter Thirteen

“Shhh, it's okay, jaana,” Armaan whispered softly, hugging a distraught Abhira. “Sab theek ho jaayega, Ira. Tum itni tension mat lo. Hum sab hain tumhaare saath.”

Abhira was desperately clutching at his shirt, snuggling as close to him as she could get under the blanket that she'd thrown over herself. Discovering the truth about her mother had left her inconsolable and rightly so. When Abir had whispered that godforsaken name is when the fragile threads holding Abhira together had snapped. Wordlessly, she'd run away from the lawn and found solace in her room, hiding under the blanket as she was wont to do.

Mishti had tried to get under the blanket with Abhira, but Abir had stopped her. He understood quite well how Abhira wouldn't want to be so vulnerable in front of them. No matter how much they loved each other, it was Abir & Mishti who had inadvertently become the bearer of such devastating news for her. She was extremely fragile at the moment and wouldn't be able to separate the messenger from the doer. In such a situation, being near her would only aggravate her pain even more. 

“Abhi nahi, Chaand,” Abir murmured gently, hugging his wife to his chest. “Iss waqt usse humaari nahi… Armaan ki zaroorat hai. She won't be able to express herself as freely with us. Aakhir, jo bhi ho… Itna bada jhatka laga hai usse, aur woh bhi humaari baaton se. We should give her some space.”

Mishti reluctantly agreed. She understood why Abir wanted to give Abhira some time before they spoke to her. Yet, she worried for her child who was going through such a tough time. Turning to Armaan, she said, “Armaan, agar ho sake toh aaj tum yahin reh jao… Abhira ke paas. She really needs you.”

“Lekin, main kaise…” Armaan trailed off, surprised at the suggestion, even though he was extremely thankful that they would let him spend the night.

“Armaan, itne mahino tak toh waise bhi tum aur Abhira ek hi room, ek hi bed share kar rahe the na,” Abir explained. “Jo hona tha woh toh tab bhi ho sakta tha. How does it matter? And anyway… Tum aur Abhira dono adults ho. You can decide what is best for you and your relationship. Hum beech mein dakhal dene waale kaun hi hote hain. Plus, we trust you both. Aur, tum rahoge toh mujhe aur Mishti ko tasalli rahegi, ki Abhira ka khayal rakhne koi hai. I don't think iss waqt woh hum dono mein se kisi ke saath comfortable feel karegi. Warna hum hi ruk jaate uske paas.”

“Thank you!” Armaan exclaimed, giving both of them quick hugs. Satisfied that he would be able to be there for Abhira, he strode inside the room, stopping at the foot of the bed. Tentatively, he reached inside the blanket, catching hold of Abhira's hand in his own. Recognizing his touch, Abhira immediately pulled him inside. 

Armaan exhaled sharply, his relief palpable. He had been afraid that Abhira would shut him out too, but she was reaching out to him, leaning on him, and nothing made him happier. He slid inside the blanket, his heart breaking at the sight in front of him. Abhira was weeping breathlessly, her entire frame shaking with sobs. Gently, he pulled her off the bed and into his lap, folding her in his arms, where her hands immediately clutched him tight. 

Which brought them to now. Abhira's grip on Armaan's shirt was ironclad, as if she was afraid that he would disappear if she let him go. Armaan responded in kind, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, pulling her into his chest. He kept running his hands along her back in a soothing gesture, all the while whispering in her ear, reminding her that she was not alone, that he would always be there for her. Eventually, Abhira's sobs quietened and Armaan looked down, realizing that Abhira had cried herself to sleep. 

Making sure not to wake her, he gently pried her off his lap and laid her down on the bed, getting in beside her. He was surprised that her grip on his shirt did not loosen throughout the process. She kept holding on to him, and even if Armaan had wanted to, he would not have been able to pry himself away from her. Once they were both lying down, Armaan gathered Abhira back into his arms, and she snuggled in his embrace.