FADING DARKNESS

CHAPTER 31: LOVE'S LOVING TOUCH

"Sometimes it's very hard to move on, but once you do, you'll realize it's the best decision you've ever made. "

Abhay and Piya stood in a comfortable, peaceful silence, his arms around her waist, hers on his shoulders, as they leaned their foreheads against each other, their noses almost touching.

"I think I have loved you, for a long time." he confessed after a while, still holding her close, his own eyes twinkling with happiness in the light of her smile. "I just didn't know whether I would say it."

"How come?" she asked, and in between the spaces of all their words, she could still hear the echoing of Abhay's I love you' and the bubble of warmth in her chest kept on expanding.

"I didn't know whether what I felt for you was love. I wanted you happy, I wanted to be the one to take away all the sadness of your life, I wanted to give you reasons to smile each second, and I-I just wanted to be with you through it all." Abhay didn't know where all these words were coming from. It wasn't as if he had practiced them or heard them before, but it all came to him naturally, and even as he spoke, he could feel the truth of them deep in his heart. "I didn't know whether three words could tell you-make you understand everything. But," he added, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears, his lips curving into that dimpled crooked smile that made her fall in love with him all over again, "I realized I had to start somewhere. I had to make you understand that you made me realize that I had a heart and that it was yours."

For a few moments, Piya simply stared at him. His words had made him lose hers. He seemed to understand it, his eyes softening as he brushed his cheek with his knuckles. Piya's hands left his shoulders to clutch the collars of his heart, her heartbeats so loud and happy that she was sure the whole world would hear it.

"I love you, Abhay." she said finally, and the smile was there in every part of her-her eyes, her lips, her cheeks and even in her closeness. "Of course I understand what you mean." She hugged him, pressing her cheeks against his chest. "It's unfair you had to confess now." she mumbled into his shirt. "I want to spend time with you- but I have to go- the children will be waiting."

She moved back a little, reluctant, but Abhay held on, leaning forward to kiss the tip of her nose. "We'll spend time together-soon." he told her, smiling. "There's nothing more I want either."

"Tell me you love me again."

"I love you." Abhay said, softly, his voice layered with warmth.

Piya's answering smile almost blinded him in its brightness and he leaned in once more, to give her a soft kiss before they parted for the night.

********

"Do you think whatever Arjun knows what he is doing?" Madhu asked her husband, late at night, as they lay side by side in the darkness. "I mean, I've never seen him so alive, but-"

"I think he's taking a step important to him." said Arnab quietly. Earlier, when he had arrived from office and found out about Rudra, he had been proud of his son. "After a long time, I saw a glimpse of the old Arjun."

"Yes, he shut us out as he grew up." Madhu mused, sighing. "I mean, he loved and responded to us and all, but I always felt that he was holding things back and-" she turned sideways to glance at Arnab. "We've failed as parents, haven't we?"

Arnab sighed, running a hand over his face. "Our children have grown into fine human beings, in spite of us, Madhu. I wish Piya-"

They both fell silent then, not knowing what to say to the other. The clock ticked by, loud in the silence of the room. And then Madhu spoke.