||Love That Brings You Back - ON HOLD||

Chapter 3: The Fateful Night ~ Solace In Your Arms

Thank you everyone for your votes and comments! I was a bit sick and am still unwell. Won't promise, but will try to make next few chapters quicker. I know it's all sad sad. Inshallah in few chapters, things shall get interesting.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kartik didn't know how to start but felt the need to tell her. Naira could feel the hesitancy in his voice when he was speaking "Naira ek promise karogi?" Naira nodded in positive "hmm" He took a deep breath and started "Promise me whatever happens, tum humara sapna pura karogi?" He paused before continuing "Chahe mein tumhare saath hoon ya na hoon" Naira, who had her eyes closed until now, loosened the grip on Kartik's shirt. Her eyes shot up with fear and her face turned pale. Still in his hold, she looked at him with horror in her eyes. She questioned with a broken voice "What are you saying Kartik? Why are you talking like this?" And the damage was done!

There position was such that a teardrop dropped from Naira's eyes and fell near Kartik's cheekbone. The hot sensation that he felt from her tear and looking into her sad eyes made him feel extremely guilty. Guilty for hurting her with his words when he already knew how her reaction would be like. She stared at him with blank eyes. Without speaking a word, he gently wiped off the tear marks that formed on her face. He cupped her face and brought it down near his face. With all his love and affection, he dropped a kiss on her forehead. His lips lingered there for sometime. Then through his eyes he motioned her to put her head back on his chest. Without protesting she complied with his wish and closed her eyes with an unknown fear.

She waited for him to continue, "You know Naira! There is nothing about me that is hidden from you! Tumhe toh pata hai Mom ke bare mein! I know that we barely talked about her. Kabhi zaroorat hi nehi padi. I remember her, but not so well. After Mom's death, I know Ma as my Mom only. Ma was mom's best friend and she used to visit us often. We used go to her house too, especially me. We shared a great bond since I was a child. I was 5 years old when Mom passed away after giving birth to Keerti. She made Ma promise that she will take care of Keerti and me in her absence. A year passed and in that one-year we became Ma's world.

Dadi proposed Ma to get married to Pa. Ma immediately refused and so did Pa. Where Ma wasn't ready to take her best friend's place, Pa couldn't imagine anyone else in his life other than Mom. Dadi made them understand that we needed mother's love and support, especially Keerti as she was only one. She tried to reason that for how long could Ma keep taking care of us! Someday she would have to settle down and leave us. Ma's answer was clear that we are her children and she would never leave us. She was adamant on her decision. Eventually Pa gave his consent for the marriage for our sake.

I was old enough to understand the happenings. So I asked Ma; why couldn't she stay with us in our house? Ma replied with a smile that she will be with us all the time and for that we didn't have to stay in the same house. I was very upset and told her; how my friends told me that my Mom is dead and she isn't my Mom. I had tears in my eyes and asked her; can you not become my Mom please, just like Dadi had asked?" Ma had no answer for my innocent question. That day Ma just cried holding me in her arms.

The wedding was kept very simple. Soon our house became a home again. Even though Keerti was younger than me, I was always Ma's favorite. Nothing had changed even when Karun was born in 3 years time. While Ma kept showering me with her love, she had never let Mom's memories to fade away from my mind.

When I was old enough to understand, she told me; how it was my Mom's dream to become a doctor. Her family wasn't supportive of her dream and got her married when she was in 2nd year of her medical school. It was an arranged marriage. When Pa found out about it, he wanted Mom to pursue her dream. By then I was born and our family became her priority. Pa just couldn't convince her to go ahead with her dream, but she told him about her wish. She wished to open a hospital. Mom also told him that may be one day I will chase her dreams. She didn't want me to chase it to fulfill her dream, but only if I shared the same dream as hers.