7 Years & Waiting

Chapter - 38

Amara.......

His palms fit so perfectly around mine...as if our hands were meant to be held together! I looked down at our conjoined hands, still unable to believe that it was his hand in mine. We were sitting at a small judge's chamber of a subordinate court in Delhi and this particular judge dealt with cases of custody of prison-released persons. 

I looked up from our hands to the people standing in front of us. An old and petite man was sitting at the height while Rakesh uncle spoke to him from beneath, apparently explaining him about my merits for Vivaan's custody. He was accompanied by the two men those arrived with Vivaan, one of whom was continuously writing something and the other was listening to every word of Rakesh uncle's very intently. Shubham and Natasha left directly from the station with the promise to visit me later.

I bit my lip as I realized that there seemed to be having some difference of opinion and hence I distracted myself by gazing once again at our conjoined hands. When a minute later, I raised my eyes to the person whose hand I was holding, I found him staring at my face with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What?" I raised my eyebrows in question.

"You have turned even more beautiful! I didn't think it was possible..." he murmured slowly and huskily, his eyes refusing to leave my face. I flushed at his words and tingles seemed to be arising inside me. Oh, my! I smiled and tilted my head so that now it was half-lying on his shoulder.

"I wish I could say the same for you. But frankly...I can't even see your face properly with all that beard" I half-attempted to tease and realized my success when I heard a chuckle from his throat.

"Oh really...If I remember correctly, you used to love my stubble look!" he teased back and I felt the perpetual tension leaving his body.

"Yaa...But more of Leonardo Dicaprio of Inception rather than that of Revenant" I giggled remembering the same joke I shared with Sarthak a few days back. We had the debate for hours on that day. However, I found Vivaan's smile slip replaced by a frown at my words.

"You lost me" he scrunched his eyebrows in confusion and realization hit me like a bucket of ice-cold water. Oh, my Gawd, Amara! You can't say stuff like these to him...Remember! He had been in prison for seven years....seven years! He hasn't seen the outside world!

"Forget it! Anyways...this weekend, we will get an appointment of the best hairdresser in town and get you all cleaned up" I smiled excitedly trying to loosen up his returned rigidity but he simply nodded, his guards up again.

Shit! Shit, Am! You are such an idiot...For god's sake, think before you speak. Remember....what Sarthak told! You'll have to handle Vivaan a bit carefully.....Sarthak! The thought reminded me of my best friend and I smiled turning towards Vivaan.

"Vee...I want you to meet someone....someone really special!" I grinned at the aspect however, Vivaan did not share my excitement.

"Who?" he scrunched his eyebrows.

"He is my..." I started to reply but my words were cut short as I heard Rakesh uncle calling my name asking me to come forward. I stood up reluctantly and walked forward to where he was standing.

After that, the next set of events were a blur as the judge asked about my financial stability, explaining me the criteria of checking in the coming months and the basic necessities of Vivaan that I will have to fulfil at any cost. As if! Then there was certain paperwork signed by me, Vivaan and the prison official after which, we all took leave from the judge's chamber. After half an hour, I found myself sitting beside Vivaan in the backseat of Rakesh uncle's car, as the three of us proceeded towards my home. Our home! I felt excitement welling up my insides by the prospect of him seeing our place.