Love Happens

Chapter twenty-three

The boy smiled as he liked how she thought. He began to go towards them.

The old woman out of rage too replied her. "What a waste of a daughter you are to your family. You'll cry for the rest of your life." she adjusted the rag she made like a bag that rested around her shoulders and moved away. Just then, the boy reached.

Poonam took the man from head to toe before she asked in a not interested voice. "Do you also want alms?"

He chuckled and she stared at him while wondering if he was mad.

"Poonam!"

Her face fell with astonishment when her name rolled out of his lips.

"How do you know me?"

"We'll meet again." with that, he ushered away. She blinked with open lips. She met two strange people. First, the woman, and then the man. However, she found the man stranger. His ambience felt black. She felt uneasy when he was there and suffocated. Whatever it was, he didn't look like a beggar.

The driver returned to the car.

"The accident was major. It will take a while before the road clears. We'll follow the other direction."

"Do the necessary. I can't wait to leave." she replied.

••••

Anand decided to dedicate his full time to ensuring Shraddha's recovery. It has been many days. She was still as she was. In her sleep world. He has become miserable. He has vowed not to talk with his daughter Poonam until the person she put in such suffering forgives her act. And if Shraddha doesn't forgive her when she wakes up, he won't either. But he still gets information about her safety from the man he hired to keep an eye on her.

As usual, he cleaned her face with the soft wet towel.

"Anand! Come downstairs quickly. It's time to watch your father getting sworn in as the prime minister of India." Mother's joyful voice surpassed the living room she was in and penetrated his room. It was a joyous occasion for his father, but only they know how he did all the wrong things to win the election. For example, pairing him with Shraddha and ruining her family's image in public. That reason alone was enough to not make him go.

"I'm busy Mum." he replied loudly so that she could hear.

He took Shraddha's hand which got warmer during the passing days. There's some strange sensation that gushes in his body whenever he holds it. There is comfort, calmness and purity there. It's like a balm for real that can cure you. It is magic. He said it was because he finds peace whenever he holds it. It takes his stress away and it provides him with comfort.

He didn't notice when Shraddha's fingers began to move. Her eyes opened with a jerk. She looked around her surrounding and saw it was nearly evening. The first thought that crossed her mind was she got late for Delhi. However, keeping that aside, her body felt weird to her. All of a sudden, it was energetic, and it was like she was resting since forever and just woke up.

As Anand's eyes captured her gaze, immense happiness shrouded his face and he did the unexpected. He leaned and embraced Shraddha. Knots formed in her stomach, apart from butterflies flying there and yet again, shudders of electric shock went down her spine. Why was Anand hugging her? But then she thought, it was a one-time opportunity. Whatever it was, she should use the best out of it.

Her hands gently got wrapped around his wide back. She closed her eyes as she wanted everything around her to disappear. She wanted everything to seize, and the only thing which should remain was them. She wanted him to squeeze the life out of her through his hug, and happily, he was doing it.