Sorry for the delays guys, I know I always say I'll try to be more consistent, but somehow it always goes the other way. I'm really sorry about that. I hope you'll like this chapter. Please make sure to do alot of comments on the dialogues... Enjoy! <3
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Rahul had a small smile tugged at his lips. As he read further memories began flashing before his eyes
A tiny Ania refusing to let go of his finger on her first day of school. Her running into his arms after every achievement.
The countless nights she had cried herself to sleep after missing Baba, only to fall asleep in his lap
The way she would still instinctively look for him whenever she was scared
"Only you know how to calm me down during my panic attacks" Rahul paused
His grip on the paper tightened slightly. He remembered every single one of those nights. The nights she'd sit on the floor, unable to breathe properly
The trembling hands
The silent tears
The fear in her eyes
He remembered staying awake beside her until dawn, talking to her about random things just to distract her mind and make her feel relaxed . Never once had he considered it a burden. To him it was simply what a parent did
He continued reading
"You are my everything..."
His vision slowly began to blur. He blinked once ,Then again but the words became harder to read
A warm tear finally escaped, landing softly on the paper. He immediately wiped it away before it could smudge the ink
By the time he reached the final paragraph
"Please dont ever leave your daughter i dont even know how to survive without you" his chest felt unbearably heavy
He lowered the letter for a moment and closed his eyes.
Taking a slow breath, he looked at the last two lines
He looked at those two words again.
Your daughter
For years, He had tried to become everything they had lost. He had worried whether he was strict enough, Whether he was caring enough, Whether he was raising them the right way. Whether, despite all his efforts there would always remain an emptiness that he could never fill
And yet...
Without him ever asking without him ever expecting it. His little sister had answered every one of those doubts with a single line
Your daughter
He smiled through his tears.
Slowly folding the letter, Rahul looked up.
Ania stood there nervously, her fingers tightly intertwined.
She had been watching him too anxiously to even breathe properly
"...Bhaiya kaisa laga?" she asked hesitantly
Rahul didn't answer. Instead, he walked towards her
The same little girl he had promised to protect years ago. The same little girl who now stood before him, waiting anxiously to know whether he'd liked her card. His thumb gently brushed away the strand of hair resting against her cheek
Without another word, he pulled her into the tightest embrace he had ever given her. His arms wrapped around her protectively
Ania immediately hugged him back, resting her head against his chest and a smile appeared on her face
YOU ARE READING
Nearest & Dearest
General FictionIt's a family story , a desi family story . A 28 years old boy , Rahul taking the care of his younger siblings , a younger sister and a younger brother while managing his business after the death of his father . A family saga with lots of drama .
