aurore - an unusual love story √

part ninety four

" I've graduated. " , Sonara blushed.

Jai stared deeply at her, his eyes twinkling.

" I'm so proud of you, lioness! " , he almost whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Her lips curled into a smile.

Lioness....
The word soothed her ear drums, her heart, her soul, as if her entire existence. And the depth of his voice made it even more magical.

They were seated on the bed. Sonara immediately prepared tea, despite his thousand denials, once they had got a bit out of the trance. Now it was time, they talked, and talked, and talked.

" I so wish, I could see you grow, beside me... Sona...  " , he added, sadness dripping from his words.

Sonara immediately lost the smile, and stared at him.
Heaving a huge sigh, she murmured,
" Only I know how I have lived without you Jai....

Every step I took made me search for you beside me, every day ended with me weeping... with the showers on in the washroom....  "

Jai pressed her shoulder.
" You're wrong.

You are not the only one who knows. I too have gone through the same. " , his voice cracked.

Sonara slowly caressed his cheek and pleadingly stared into his deep brown eyes..
" I would have died but not left you Jai, had I known, your part grew inside me, layer, by layer.....  "

Jai thoroughly stared at her face, controlling the gust of emotion desperately trying to find its way..
All he said was.... " Ayaan....... "

" When he was eight, he had a bad fever, that did not subside..

Mary aunty and other doctors were trying their best. They assured me he would heal, but I was so so devasted...

I screamed everyday to myself, alone, cursing the hell out of me, for wronging a father, for not letting him know that he.....he had.....his flesh and blood in my deposit, without the slightest of knowlege...

I felt...like..if something.....something wrong.....happened to....him, I....could not even....forgive myself....for not letting you.... "

Sonara cupped her face and wailed. Jai immediately grabbed her by the shoulders and calmed her down.

" Shhhh.....shhhh....
Everything's fine now, don't you see?
We are here, together!
Soon, each one of us will let go of every tinge bit of the past.

Calm down....

Humaira does exactly this, do you know?
Whenever she is upset, like... doesn't score according to her expectations, or watches a sad movie, or gets hurt by a friend, she runs to me, cups her face and wails. I pull her into a hug, carress her hair, only then does she calm down. 

Now I know where she's got these traits from. " , Jai smiled.

Sonara's eyes cried, but her lips couldn't help curling into an expression of joy.

" Humaira.....has grown into.....a beautiful woman, with a beautiful heart..
I cannot even thank you for.. " , she stopped.

" Thank me.....?  " , Jai stared, in disbelief.

Sonara immediately nodded a no.
She knew she was wrong.
Humaira was not hers alone. She could never thank a father, for raising a daughter.

" I did not mean it...
Actually, I'm so overwhelmed at present that, I hardly know what all I should speak to you.. " , she somehow spoke.

Jai cupped her face.
She seemed uncomfortable regarding her own daughter, and that hurt him a lot.
" Humaira is ours, Sona...
She is as much mine, as is yours.