Stay With Me

Past and Present

Past..

" Maya Auntie and Raj Uncle have such a beautiful love story. Alzheimer's is a terrible diagnosis," Kiara said.

Aditya squeezed her hand over the railings of the seats they sat in at the hospital waiting area. They had gone out in the storm and searched for her aunt hours ago when she disappeared from home.

" You must be hungry and tired Aditya. I should go grab you something. Sumitra auntie is not going to start accepting me as your future wife, if I am letting you starve after running all over the city last night," Kiara said as she pulled the blanket around her sopping wet clothes.

He grasped her wrist before she could go much further from him.

" I think you will need a hospital bed next if I don't take you home right now. You need to get out of these wet clothes jaan," he said soothingly.

" I can't leave them. They helped to raise me after my parents.."

" They will understand. Come let's say bye and then we can come back later to check on them," Aditya assured her.

She relented suddenly not feeling well. Before Aditya came into her life, it was hard for her to admit she was in need of rest or self- care.

" Beta please take her home. You both are getting married in a few weeks. It will not be appropriate if I allow my princess to get sick during her wedding festivities," Raj Uncle stated.

Maya auntie smiled at them softly. She had always trusted Kiara even when she forgot who she was. They had helped raise Kiara after losing their only child,also a girl many years ago. For Maya, Raj and Kiara were her world the past twenty years.

Maya had been a nurse in this very hospital when she found Kiara after a terrible accident. Despite years of love from her adoptive parents , Kiara was skeptical of any happiness headed her way. On the outside she was confident but her insides sometimes left her with doubts.

She felt Aditya's warm hand on her lower back , directing her to leave the room. She merely nodded and went with him.

They reached the quaint neighborhood where she had purchased a condo last year. Aditya had been new in her life back then. He had convinced her to move somewhere else. He had said he was concerned for her safety. She had moved out to be closer to her job.

She pulled out her keys to open the door.

Aditya followed her in.

She recalled how he had proposed to her here some months ago. She had been scared that someone was in her house. But then she noticed the candles and there he was setting the table.

" Jaan go change," he urged.

" What about you?," she whispered.

" I already sent for some clothes. Robert should be here soon enough."

As if on cue the doorbell rang and Aditya left her to collect his things.

She took off the blanket from her shoulders and left it on the couch to dry out.

Kiara turned on the tea kettle before going into her bedroom,

" Tell mother I will be home later today. Kiara's aunt is in the hospital," Aditya told his driver/bodyguard.

" Is Kiara Madam ok?," Robert asked.

Aditya gave a side glance at her retreating figure.

" Madam will be ok. I will make sure of it before I stop by at the house," he assured him.

Aditya took a warm shower and recalled the events of the night.

Kiara had called him all frantic.

She had gone over to see Raj and Maya to find Maya missing. She then headed off to find her aunt.

Aditya had called to see if she made it home. But she hadn't answered his call. However thirty minutes later she called back and relayed that they were looking for Maya Auntie.

Kiara had nearly gotten hit by a car when he was able to pull her out of harm's way in the nick of time.

" You can't help Maya Auntie or Raj Uncle if you are hurt. Now stay with me. We will find her!," he had assured her.

They found her a few blocks away and called Raj uncle to meet them at the hospital. She would be monitored there for a few days and then released if all checked out fine.

Aditya exited the guest bedroom sometime later.

He opened the drawer where Kiara kept the takeout menus. Sometimes after a long day or whenever he needed a break from his family and being the CEO of a multimillion dollar company, he would come here and spent an evening here with her.

" So Mr. Raichand what are you in the mood for today?"

He turned to his fiancee who was looking chirper and refreshed than she had in over twelve hours.

" I would love nothing more to have you with me in our place as my wife," he said holding her close.

She blushed as she slipped out of his arms. He leaned on her shoulder and nuzzled her neck. She was slowly getting used to the PDA.

It was after noon by now. She picked out Thai. He picked soup and a few entrees. They sat together on the couch while they waited for their food.

"Sumitra auntie isn't expecting you home by now?"

"No I sent a message with Robert when he dropped off my things. I wanted to make sure you were ok," he added.

She grasped his wrist.

"Why do you love me so much?"

" I will keep reminding you Ms. Kiara Mehra it was love at first sight for me. You are the only one to make my heart stop and start beating again."

She smiled slightly.

" Should I even ask this but I already know if I disappeared like Maya Auntie, you would never give up on finding me right?"

He covered her hand with his.

" I would never stop searching for you. Even if you wanted to disappear , I would find you and bring you home again," he promised her that day.

Present- 3 years later..

Aditya sighed as he sat at his desk. It was another stormy evening. Tonight especially because it had been over a year now that he had been searching for his wife.

Eighteen months ago she had apparently died on that plane crash. What if she was alive and forgotten him? He had to find her and help her remember everything. Everyone thought he should move on. Kiara Mehra Raichand was most likely dead. But no remains were discovered of his beloved wife since the plane crash.

Aditya fell asleep by eleven pm. Usually he would barely sleep but tonight the pitter patter of the rain of their old bedroom lulled him to sleep.

At 8am a call came on the office line in his den. He had already been up two hours and on his third cup of coffee.

He put on his business like facade thinking the call was related to one of his upcoming deals.

" Sir we have some interesting news.."