aurore - an unusual love story √

part eighty one

Bhoomi stood quietly in the balcony. The morning sun soothened her skin, and a restless soul.

The scars of chicken pox had started disappearing. This was her first.
And as much as she hated the marks the disease left, she was extremely thankful that it struck her at the right time.

Enabling her to reasonably avoid some very awkward situations.

Sonara, didn't I tell, he would fight for you?

Bhoomi rubbed her face with the back of her palm.
No, she wasn't cheating on Som. She respected him from the core of her heart, and would marry only him of all people in the ruthless world. Because she knew, he valued her. The way she wished to be valued, just that, by someone else.

Jai Prakash Raichand was a closed chapter whatsoever, but why did his face still wake her up in some lonely nights? Why did the news of him leaving behind everything for Sonara, stop her heart, even after everything?
Why did Som's presence in her life please her to the utmost extent, yet 'his' absence, left a void?

She would never know.

The only thing she knew was, she hated herself at present. A huge much.

_____

When Jai stepped inside the Raichand mansion after twenty six long days, with a gleeful Humaira in his lap, he inhaled the aroma of his house with the whole of his lungs...

A soft smile appeared on his face, when his mom came running down the stairs with tears in her eyes, and almost crashed against him..

The maids and valets too appeared, greeting him.

Jai felt beautiful. Very beautiful.

Humaira was almost eating away her thumb. Siddhi pulled her in her lap and plopped kisses on her tiny face.

" Where's he? " , Jai cautiously asked.

" Upstairs. " , Siddhi grew stern.
" Come with me. "

Placing Humaira back in his arms, Siddhi walked up the stairs.
Jai followed, still unable to decide what he would actually ask his father, yet again, upon standing before him.

Siddhi knocked on the door to their bedroom.
It was locked from the insides.

" Raghav, open the door. Why did you latch it? " , Siddhi banged loudly.

Jai stood behind, silently. Calming himself as much as possible. Surprisingly, Humaira too was quiet, as if able to judge the urgency of the situation.

The door clicked from the insides.. Siddhi immediately pushed it open.

Jai could gather, the insides were dark, mostly because of the heavy curtains.

Siddhi stood at the door, and declared.
" Jai is here. Talk to him, for god's sake. "

Jai could immediately hear him exclaim from the insides,
" Has he returned, forever? "

" Just come out for once, Raghav! " , Siddhi hissed.

Jai stood, holding his breath.
Just moments later, his father appeared at the door.

Leaving him utterly horrified.
What had he done to himself??
Layers of unshaven hair covered his face. His eyes, tired, had deep patches of black beneath.
He looked destroyed, completely.

However, the smile that he had appeared with at the door, disappeared in flashes of a second.

When his eyes fell on the kid in Jai's arms.