UN-RAVEL : The inner strength.....

UN-RAVEL 4.... SURREAL....

"Why? Why did you leave me? Where were you? I missed you so much." As I sniffle into his chest he pats my hair to calm me down and mumbles "SORRY" repeatedly. I nod my head and I can feel his body calm against mine. He kisses my forehead and wraps his arms around my petite frame and I snuggle deeper as I sob lightly.

"Oh my god! You both look great together. May no bad omen fall on you." I hear Dai ma say from among others as her voice is filled with happiness but with trances of teary voice that can be felt, maybe she cried out seeing our brief union.

Later that night I sleep in my bed, in my home being content. All this seems so beautiful. It's surreal. I drift into deep sleep memorising the recent events and smiling at the newly found bond between me and my father.

Oops!!!

My father and me. I chuckle at the thought how Ivaan corrected me earlier. It is a fine day that turns out to be perfect.

I snuggle into my pillow more as sunlight keeps irritating my face. Gosh! This sun. Man can't he sleep and let me do the same. Soon I feel the heat disappearing and I smile. I am proud that the sun herd me.

Well that's what I think.

Soon I feel a dip in my bed and I am surprised, but the next thing makes me snap my head. Allow me to correct my self I wasn't surprised but scared as I was at the verge of shivering. That's the reason the moment I felt a touch I snapped up.

"Hye, relax. It's me." I sigh hearing Mr. Malhotra. He smiles at me as I fall back on my pillow and keeps patting me lightly and I smile snuggling a little more into the pillow. "Hye, sweetheart. Wake up. It's morning." I nod in disagreement lazily. I could hear him chuckle.

"Sleeping beauty, you got to wake up so that you can have your food." What the fudge? Food! Man it's life. I wake up a little to faster this time and move my hair away as he smiles looking at me. Since, yesterday's confession he is only looking at me with his angelic smiles and believe me he has world's most beautiful smile. But only when it's genuine.

"Wooh!!! Miss. Foodie Malhotra, seems to be hungry as hell. Come on get freshened up and ready. Let's have our breakfast together and then we can go out and have our own day." My lips part from ear to ear hearing him and soon he leaves asking me to be quick.

WOW!!!! My first day with my dad. God! I can't explain how excited I am. I rush to my wardrobe and start searching for an appropriate dress for the day.

Skirt with top. No!

Floral dress. No!

Baggy shirt. A big NO!

A ball gown. Have I lost it. Fudge! I am mad.

Woolha! Calm down Zamira, you are just going to have a day out with your dad, you aren't going on date with Bieber or Mendes. Urgh.... I know I probably am crazy. They won't even know that I exist. Fudge! Concentrate Zamira. Concentrate. What will look apt? What would mom have want me to wear?

Ummm....

A denim, with grey and red shirt, grey scarf and grey shrug with grey boots. Perfect! Simple and elegant.

I quickly rush to washroom and freshen up. In a whoosh, I run down. And there he is sitting on the table working on his phone. I check my appearance once and turn to look at his smiling face. Shit he got me.

"Good morning, Zamira. You are looking beautiful. Come sit." I smilingly nod and sit besides him.

"So what do you want to do for the day." He asks me putting his phone aside.

"Umm...." I get thinking. "Anything, you want." I say nervously. He chuckles looking at me and then nods in disagreement. "It is your day sweetheart, you lead the way. I will just be a chauffer."

"NO." I almost screamed hearing him call himself 'chauffer', that's not the way I want him. He looks at me with a little shock. "I mean, you aren't my chauffer." He chuckles hearing me and pats my face gently.

"Relax, sweetheart. I didn't mean in that way. All I wanted to say was that I want you to lead the day. You are my priority now. So tell me where shall we go first." I smile at him nodding in approval.

I smilingly reply, " Botanical garden and then maybe Brooklyn Bridge." He nods agreeing to my proposal.

"Mind me asking, why?" He continues with a glint of spectacle in his eyes.

"They are kinda my favourite places here." I reply a little awkwardly. He nods without questioning me further.

Soon we drive our way to Botanical Garden and park our car before we enter.

This isn't my favourite place but definitely mumma's favourite place. She love plants and flowers and this place is heaven of flowers. Million different colour of flowers, shrubs and herbs line the garden with numerous plants. There are a few animals too around.

"Hye, turn over Zamira." I hear my father's voice come from a distance and I turn towards him as he clicks a pic quickly. I chuckle seeing him stumble a bit but then stabilising his own self. We continue clicking funky pics together, walking from one path to the other covering entire garden. With a few moments in between where I was about to stumble but he held me and then never left my hand. Exiting the garden with numerous memories we walk towards a restaurant SIP 'N' BREW, I was hungry as hell when we went there and soon gobbled down our favourite food and I realised we have striking resemblances, obvio, he is my dad after all. Then he took me to a shopping mall and forced me into purchasing all that I had liked and I had literally looted him but nevertheless, he didn't care about that.

Now we are standing in front of New York's, not only biggest bridge but even the biggest tourist attention BROOKLYN BRIDGE. It time nearing to evening and this place is quite crowded.

"Come on run." My dad holds my hand and starts running along with me, without a warning by the time I can interpret anything I realise I too am running along with him. I can just see his hair swinging backwards and so is his coat.

"What happened?" I ask being totally curious of his actions and panting along the way as due to extensive running I am quite out of breath. He turns around and placing his finger on his lips sends a simple whisper my way "Shh...." I silence myself and follow him till we reach more then half way through the bridge and as we stop I start panting heavily resting my hands on my half crouched knees trying to take in as much as oxygen I can.

"You have really, a very low stamina." I turn to face my father and nod as he is absolutely, right. Though I am very slim still I can't run alot. That's the reason for all my poor grades in sports which were so damn encouraging, that I left sports totally. Mind noting the sarcasm.

I feel a slight pat on my shoulder and look directly into my father's eyes that are sparkling in the dim moonlight and I pass him a confusing look and he raises his hand. So I follow the direction for my eyes to only land on the setting sun. Entire fatigue becoming the forgotten business I look at the sun in aww. I hate had so many desires of looking at the setting sun from this bridge. My eyes tear up a bit realising that my father just completed a wish from my bucket list. I cup my face and keep staring at the very beautiful sunset. Soon I feel my dad place his arm around my shoulder and I turn towards him.

"I love you, dad."

He smiles and touches his forehead with mine making me feel at peace and bliss at the same time.

Keep smiling
Stay blessed
&
For now signing off
SHIVIKA 😊....