Khushi was sitting on her bed with a her laptop and a pencil in her mouth. She had her hair in a bun and was wearing one of Adi's t shirts which she stole from him.
She was divising the budget for each thing that they had to do. The wedding was to be very grand.
The door opened and Adi came in with his laptop and settled down beside her.
She told him the things she had jotted down. He made some sketches of how the things could be done.
They discussed the things for about two hours.
"12 baj gaye. Let's do it tomorrow. Neend aa rhi hai mujhe."
(Its 12. I am sleepy.)
Khushi said yawning and closing her laptop.
"Tu soja. I'll complete this sketch and then go."
(You sleep.)
Adi said still concentrated on his work. She nodded and slept as soon as her head hit the pillow.
He completed the sketch and looked at the time. It was 12:30. He looked at her sleeping form and smiled.
He covered her properly and kissed her head. He switched off his laptop and kept his aside.
He took a blanket from her cupboard and laid down on the couch. He kept a hand under his head and other on his stomach and started at the ceiling.
He looked at Khushi sleeping peacefully. The sleep which would be disturbed in some time. He sighed and closed his eyes.
He had just fell asleep when he heard her murmers.
"Mumma! Papa! Nhi. Please! Let me go."
He immediately got up and took her in his arms. He placed kisses on her head and murmered sweet things in her ears.
"Shh! Its ok. You are not alone. I am here. We are here. Shh!"
He kept mumbling. She panted for a while clutching his t shirt and slowly her breathing evened. Adi got inside the blanket and laid down comfortably.
She snuggled into him as if hiding away from everyone and seeking protection.
He sighed closing his eyes. It had been 11 years. 11 years since that horrible incident which had given her these nightmares.
He couldn't blame her though. If something like that had happened with him God knows how he would have dealt with it.
God! It was painful to even imagine it.
His heart went out to the girl in his arms. He loved her so much that he couldn't see her in pain. But he could not do anything to take her pain away except to be there for her always.
Placing a last kiss on her head he slept.
After what felt like only 10 minutes he heard his alarm ringing. He groaned.
'Its 4 already?'
He looked at her still in a deep sleep. He was thankful that she was a heavy sleeper else his secret would have been out already.
He took his laptop and went back to his room. He slumped on the bed and slept again.
The morning that followed, when Khushi saw the blanket on the couch she sighed thinking.
'He slept here. He must have seen me getting nightmares.'
She knew that he occasionally slept in her room but didn't know the truth. He daily slept in her room and went to his room at 4 in the morning.
Her mind went back to the day and tears formed in her eyes.
It was her parents' wedding anniversary and they had gone out to celebrate.
They were returning back home. She along with her parents were sitting at the back seat and their driver was driving them home.
"I like that place. Dobara chal sakte hai."
(We can go again.)
Her father said.
"Me too. Iss baar Khushu ka birthday wahi celebrate karte hai. Haina. Sweet 16."
(We will celebrate Khushu's birthday there. Right.)
Her mother said kissing her forehead. Khushi smiled and nodded.
They were talking and laughing when suddenly there was loud bang.
The car was hit by a large truck with such intensity that the car was rolled over completely.
Her parents covered her protecting her from much damage. She fainted due to the impact of the accident.
When she woke up she found herself in hospital. The doctor informed her that she had fainted due to the impact of the accident. She had a fracture on her leg and a few minor injuries there.
She asked about her parents and the doctors told her to contact her family first.
Her parents had a love marriage and their families were against the marriage. So she had never even met her family and did not even know who her family eas except for her parents.
'Kisse bulau?'
She had thought crying.
'Adi!'
She thought and immediately called him. He along with Bhavna and Devesh immediately rushed to the hospital when they heard the news.
Adi went to see her while Devesh and Bhavna talked to the doctor. They were informed that her mother was brought dead and her father was fighting for his last breath.
"Nhi! Mumma! Kuch nhi hua mumma ko!"
(No! Nothing happened to her!)
Khushi cried and fought to get out of Adi's arms. Her body was bought to them.
"Mumma! Aapne kaha tha na ki hum mera birthday celebrate karenge. How can you leave me like this! Mumma!"
(You said that we would celebrate my birthday.)
She cried and hugged her cold body. His father was seeing everything and he too had tears looking at his wife, his love lying there lifeless.
He asked for Devesh. Devesh held his hand with his own eyes filled with tears.
"Dhyaan rakhna meri beti ka please. Koi nhi hai uska iss duniya mai. Meri bachhi-"
(Please take care of my daughter. She has no one else. My child-)
"Papa!"
She hugged her father and sobbed in his chest as he caressed her hair. She felt his hand drop.
She looked up and saw the doctor. Bhavna held her close.
"Papa! Papa! Nhi! Aap yaha kya kar rhe ho. Save my father!"
(No! What are you doing here.)
She yelled at the doctor. Bhavna hugged her to her chest and she sobbed till she was exhausted.
Devesh carried her in his arms and they took her home.
They told everyone about the horrible incident and no one knew how to react.
The next day when Khushi woke up she was numb. It was her parents last rites. ************************************** Please do leave your comments.
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