Destiny Tales

Chapter 22 : A Month Later

It's beautiful. Life with Kabir is just how Khushi imagined it to be. Destiny Tales is about to wrap up, and a new chapter in their lives has begun already. Every night, Khushi counts her blessings and shushes her fears. What if this all vanishes? What if this goes away in an instant. She is not used to living in this beautiful world where everything makes her smile and everything makes her happy. There's one tiny hiccup though. Kabir hasn't yet made anything official. But that's okay, she convinces herself.

One of the most amazing mornings has just taken shape. Kabir, as per habit, wakes Khushi up with a cup of frothy milky coffee, unlike the black one he savours. Every day he makes two cups of coffee. One for him and one for her. Their choices are so similar to them. She likes it sweet, he likes it bold. But the base? Same. The beans roasted, bittered and then powdered to form something completely else. Their relationship is similar. They went through so much. But they came through. To form the perfect concoction. One filled with love.

As Khushi wakes up, Kabir kisses her forehead. A habit he has developed. One that he cannot let go of. As both of them savour their morning coffee, Khushi leans on his shoulder and blows a gentle kiss on the curve where the shoulder meets his sturdy arm. He ruffles her hair. This is perfect. Just them.

The final day of the shoot is in a few hours. So many memories. Such a journey. One that made them walk away, yet the one that brought them closer. As both of them leave for the set, Khushi suddenly feels weak. She doesn't tell Kabir anything, but she is now worried. She has been feeling weak lately. She doesn't know what to do about it.

Finally, the day goes on and Khushi takes quite a few breaks throughout the shoot. A worried Ahir asks Kabir about what's wrong and Kabir, worried himself, is clueless. As both of them look at Khushi with worried eyes, she tries to avoid their concerned gaze. Ahir is still trying his best to hide his feelings. Especially when he sees Kabir and Khushi together. It is hard, isn't it? To suppress your feelings in the deepest and darkest corner of your heart? He is trying. He isn't successful, but he still tries. Perhaps, after today, things will change. For there won't be any more shoots. He might not keep in touch with Khushi, he hasn't decided yet.

Khushi is completely aware of Ahir's behaviour. He has become cold. Aloof. She hates it. She loves Kabir but Ahir is an important part of her life. Why does he have to choose? What about friendship? She loves Ahir with her heart. As a friend. That night when she had told Kabir that she loves him more, she wasn't joking. It isn't possible for her to love anyone like she loved Kabir. But it is possible to love a little less. For there are so many types of love, aren't there? She loved Ahir. Less than Kabir. But she did love him. She loved the calmness he brought to her troubled life. She loved the perspective he gave for everything that bothered her. Today of all the days, she needs to talk to him. Before talking to Kabir. For she knows, her fears are real. This weakness hides something bigger. She doesn't want to talk to Kabir about it, before she is absolutely sure of what she wants to do. And, she needed Ahir today. To talk. Just, to talk.

She knows she cannot do that anymore. For the sake of Ahir. He needs to breathe. He cannot be caught in the whirlwind life of Khushi's. She cannot be so selfish. Not anymore. That kiss in her dream? She still remembers that. How could she dream that. She assures herself that it was nothing. But some part of her heart knows that it was her confused mind, that was pushing her towards a storm. Thank god Kabir is fine. Thank god they are together. She is happy. She is the happiest with Kabir. But, she would have wanted Ahir to be in her life too. She is ashamed of the person she is becoming. Selfish, mean and thinking just about her happiness.

A sea of emotions sweep her away and the day goes on in this chaos. She reads her lines beautifully, yet resorts back to her world of thoughts. Perhaps she is confused. About what she is going to do about her state. Should she tell Kabir? Or should she not? Ahir looks at her intently, when nobody is looking. He can tell, something is wrong.

Something is. Something is terribly wrong. Khushi is two weeks late. She has never been late in her entire life. And when she had the endless bouts of weakness for these past few days, she realised something is different. She is different. But, will this be a new beginning in their lives? Or will this bring her to another crossroad?