Harmony ~ KaIra Fiction [OnGoing]

Scene 4 : Realizations

At the Singhania's lawn.

With solemn look, Kairav sat by the flower bed, staring at everything but nothing. At the age of five, he had to go through a lot of situation, from his heart surgery to his recovery, then getting to know about his parents and their separation, to craving for his mom's love and care.

He was yet not at the age where he can understand whatever was happening. But he observed well.

Though he was away from his "big family" but he lived happily with his mom till now. There were days to be sad about, there were days they rejoiced, there were days they fought, there were days they cried, there were days they learned how to survive, but at the end of all those days they had love, contentment, happiness and thankfulness to God and to each other.

His mom gave him all the love and support she had. Yearning for a father was natural, but can a loving doting mother be replaced?

"Mumma..." He missed her. And he was getting restless. As a child, he wasn't sure how and what he was feeling. But he was restless. He wanted his parents. But his mom wasn't near. It's been half a month that she went for wrapping up her business in Goa. They used to talk daily, but couldn't since last two days.

And his dad, was out of town, it's been a week, but he promised his baby that he will meet his baby as soon as he comes back from his office work.

Kairav got up, "I will call Papa and ask him to go and help mumma in her work and bring her back sooner."

He turned around to see his dad standing there at the gateway. His face beamed.
"PAPA..." He dashed towards his dad and straight into his arms, hugging him. "Papa, you are back!" He was happy to have his dad back.

They hugged and Kairav showered Kartik with kisses. Kartik was overwhelmed to have Kairav, but as he was already overly sentimental today, his tears slipped.

Kairav, noticed it, wiping the tears "Papa I missed you!" Kartik smiled. But Kairav can see his dad was sad. Kairav was feeling down all day but was happy to have his dad back. He remembered how his mom used to hug her to cheer him up whenever he was sad.

"Papa, stand up" Kairav demanded of Kartik as Kartik was kneeling down to Kairav's level. As Kartik stood up, Kairav stretched his arms, asking to take him up in arms. Kartik took Kairav in arms, with Kairav hugging him tight by his neck. "Now I will give you magic hug" He hugged his dad tight. Kartik smiled. Kairav, after the tight hug, went on to tickle his dad with his small hands.

Kartik let out a small laugh to the efforts his child was making. He was amazed how Kairav had the sense of his dad's sadness and was trying to cheer him up. He was reminded of Naira, keeping her emotions at Bay and trying to keep up to others happiness and satisfaction. If only, the situation between them, wasn't like how it is now, he sighed.

"Yayyy, Papa!" Kairav kissed Kartik again. "This magic always works, whenever mumma used to feel sad, I used to do this magic. It always worked." He continued. "Papa, I wanted you to bring mumma back."

"She'll be back soon baby" Kartik prompted before Kairav starts talking and asking about Naira. Because he had no answers and he was not feeling well enough to talk about her right now. He sensed Kairav's desire to meet his mom and he was feeling too restless himself.

"How about we go out together?" Kartik asked Kairav. "You missed me right! Let's go out, should we go to park?"

"Ok Papa, Park, it is. Then can I have ice creams?" Kairav responded while wrapped in Kartik's arm.

Kartik nodded and went inside the home to get Kairav ready. He took Kairav to the room where Naira and Kairav were staying. "She really has her traces all over the place", he thought, on seeing her room. He was visiting her room after years. So much changed, yet the familiarity remained intact. Kairav brought his clothes and started getting ready by himself.
Kartik turned around, after he scanned through the room, to Kairav, to help him, "here!" he fixed the buttons to Kairav's shirt.

"Papa, can we go to Goa and bring Mumma back, right now? She is not picking her phone and I really miss her." He told Kartik. "When she'll come back, I will pretend to be angry and then I will tell her that I missed her. When we were in Goa, I didn't liked to go to parks but I liked beaches. And I like swings but beaches don't have swings, so mumma used to make swings on the beaches." Kairav rambled on, making Kartik smile."when mumma will come back, I will ask her to make a swing for me, but there is no beach here. I will ask her to take me to any beach. But then we will come back and I will go with you too Papa, we will go to park today and we will find more games to play here. And then I will..." Kairav was babbling, but then Kartik realized something.

He wasn't in those memories. He wasn't feeling remorseful but a thought hit him hard that, if in future, they'll talk about today, what feelings will the memories of today hold for them.

Decision. He. They. Kartik and Naira together. They need to come to a decision. They will have Kairav together. But, he doesn't want a decision where Naira is not there with him. For how long will she be there with him, just because of Kairav. There will come a time when, if she...

He jolted out of that thought. He has lost her once, losing her again, he can't bear to even think about it. He looked at Kairav, who was babbling on with his stories of mom and him and all he wants. There was a time when Kairav used to talk about all that he wants from his mom and dad and all that they should do together. But now, Kairav talks about what he remembers of the past and what he will do with his mom and dad.
His talks are about, him and his mom or him and his dad, and no more about him and his parents together.

"Papa" Kairav brought Kartik out of his series of thoughts, "you weren't listening to me, I was telling you about, "
Kartik hugged Kairav stopping Kairav's babbling midway.

"I will bring my Naira back. I will bring your mom back" He cupped Kairav's face, as if he was holding on to something delicate, he won't let it shatter, with urgency in his tone, "I will bring you back." His eyes welled up again.

"Papa, Papa Kya hua?" Kairav noticed something was not right with his dad. "We will call mumma and ask her to come back soon. Give me your phone?" He extended his hands for Kartik for the mobile phone.

As eager as Kairav, Kartik, immediately, handed his phone to Kairav. Kairav tried calling but the call was unanswered. His heart dropped again. "Papa, since morning, I am trying to call," Kairav complained.

"It's ok, but right now, let's go" Kartik tried to divert his child's mind as well his. He came back from a business tour, and came straight to Singhania's for Kairav. With all the realizations and realty checks, he went through today, he decided to do something about it, but later, for now, he will go and spend some quality time with his baby child.

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