Horizons of Love✓

Part 23D

Too sleepy to proofread. Will do it tomorrow. Dont forget to play songs.

Na jaane ye ishq aur kitne nazare dikhayega,

manzil milegi ise ya raaste par reh jayega.

Arnav was now alone there, unable to believe that after all these months, even after his so many efforts, they were still so distant. Just like the two banks of a river. They don't ever meet, do they?

Garima reached there while searching for him.She was surprised to see him sitting on floor. His drooped shoulders, shadowed profile screamed sadness even in the dim light of the terrace. "Arnav? Beta kya hua? Aap thik ho?"(Arnav? son whats wrong? You okay?)

"Aunty aap yahan?", he turned towards her, making no efforts to hide his wet face. Everyone already knew about his sorry state.("Aunty you are here?")

"Bitwa ye aapka phone baj raha tha bahut der se. Aap yahan akele kyun baithe ho?", Garima had no idea of their fight.("Here, your phone was ringing continuously. Why are you sitting here alone?") She gave his phone and was leaving from there when Arnav in dire need of support in this pool of negativity & hopelessness spoke up, "Aunty vo kabhi wapis nahi ayegi."("Aunty she ll never come back")

Garima understood what he was talking about with this cryptic sentence. She changed her mind about leaving him alone. Again he must have proposed and Khushi must have disposed. Khushi was being tough nut yet Guptas were determined not to force her into anything.They had failed to understand her pain in past, didn't want to repeat it again. Garima knew her daughter wasn't wrong in her stance but she also felt bad for her son-in-law. She had seen him repenting like anything all these months, she had seen his suffering but still she had no idea how to resolve this deadlock between the two. She had supported him earlier going against her family and will do the same now. She sat down beside him patting his head.

"Khushi ne phir mana kar diya?", she asked, he nodded. Both sighed.("Khushi refused again?")

"Bitwa humne aapko phele bhi kaha tha, ye raasta mushkil hai. Aap chaho to abhi bhi piche hat sakte ho. Aarav ke liye jo chal raha hai bura nahi hai, thik-thak hai. Aap dono kaafi samajhdaari se sab sambhal rahe ho. Humein bharosa hai, DM ki kripa se, aage bhi sab thik hi chalega."("I had warned you in the beginning that it will be a difficult path. You can quit even now. You both are being good parents to Aarav. You have handled things nicely. Everything ll be fine in future too with God's grace")

"I know Aunty. Lekin sab sirf 'thik-thak' se 'acha' bhi to ho sakta hai? Main uske saath rehna chahta hun, hamesha hamesha ke liye. Aise alag alag nahi. Par ab mujhe lagta hai, Khushi mujhe kabhi maaf nahi karegi. Meri sari koshish bekaar hi jani hai", Arnav was directionless. ("I know Aunty. But can't things be 'better' from just 'okay'? I want to be with her forever. Not as two separate persons. But now I have started to feel like she ll never forgive me. All my efforts will go down the drain")

Garima felt proud of him that moment. He was so much in love with her daughter. What else does a mother want? She also realized that he was dejected and needed someone to encourage him, show him the positive impact of his hard work of months, give him hope.

Creation is hard work of years and destruction takes just a moment.

"Beta jab tumhe apni galti ka ehsaas hua tha to tumhare pass kai raaste they. Tum maafi maang kar apni zindagi mein aage bad sakte they, Khushi bhi waisa kar sakti thi. Ya fir pachtawe mein doob kar Khushi ki baat maan kar uss se, Aarav se door ho jaatey, khud ko chot pauchate, dard dete, 'devdas' ban jaate. Vo kya bolte ho tum log aajkal haan 'self destruction mode' mein chale jaate. Jo bhi uske saath hua uske baad Khushi bhi udaasi mein doob sakti thi aur tum bhi, aise mein Aarav kis haal mein hota? Hota bhi ya nahi..."("When you realised your mistakes, you had many options. You could have apologized and moved on, even Khushi could have done that. Or you could have drowned in guilt after agreeing to her wishes and parting from her and Aarav. The self-destruction mode you guys call it, right? Khushi could have been depressed too. Could Aarav take birth in such circumstances?")