A secret treasure of the past

40. Smile

Hello guys!
I wanted to share something. When I started this story exactly an year ago I wanted to write something about depression and how one can take a step back in that one moment when you feel like your life is worthless. Trust me not just in stories but in real life also if you can take a step back when you want to commit suicide you will not regret.

The tragic news about Sushant has been very disturbing. I know things are very difficult in the present scenario. But please be kind to people around. In this hour of distress let's be understanding. Let's polish ourselves to be kind and accomodating of everyone's needs. I have personally been through that space. So anybody who wants to share anything please feel free to send me a message. Sometimes talking to strangers helps. Please be safe and happy.

And coming to the story I haven't updated it as I was deeply affected by the events around but please bear with me. I am not able to reply to a lot of your comments also because I am juggling between work from home, an emotionally demanding husband and daily chores. All those lovely comments are precious and the reason I feel like updating. Thank you for bearing with me and showering your love on this story. Here's a new chapter.

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Shriya's Residence,
London
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Shriya stood flabbergasted. She kept blinking her eyes looking at the anxious eyes of Raghav. She nodded her head in a denial. She kept saying to herself this is not happening. She tried to run away but Raghav held her arm and questioned "Why Sweetu? Am I not worthy of being your husband?". Shriya felt a warm tear drop run down on her cheek.

She tried to remove her wrist from his tight grip. He was in no mood to leave her hand. "I need answers Sweetu! For god's sake stop running away" he spoke in a rough tone. Shriya turned towards him and spoke "Do you want a broken woman with absolutely no emotions for a wife? Do you want a person who is robotic or more like a living corpse? I can't be a wife Raghav. It's quite a responsiblity. Everyday for me is a quest. Every minute thing seems like a challenge. I cannot complete my daily routine as such. You think I am in a state to take up this huge responsibility?".

Raghav left her hand and his eyes softened. He knew she was battling depression but lesser did he know it was important that she restores her faith in life and people. Shriya looked at his eyes and said "I don't want to be a burden on you".

"You are not a burden Sweetu! You are my woman. I will not pester you about marriage. Hell! Our bond is much more stronger than any marriage. You have always been mine from the day I saw you in the basketball court. I felt something special. I don't know if you remember it but on that fateful prom night I gifted you my watch and that's when I decided that you belong to me" Raghav said looking away from her eyes on the last statement and rubbing away tears from his eye.

"I am sorry Raghav for ruining your proposal. I really love you but..." before she could continue he covered her mouth and said "I am not a road side Romeo to not understand my Sweetu. I know you better and stop giving me explanations. I thought you were the one who always put forth a long list of rules and demanded" he said raising an eyebrow. That statement brought a bright smile on Shriya's face as she remembered their conversation in a bus in Bangalore.

"You never cheered for me during basketball matches! You actually dared not to follow a rule" Shriya spoke in a mock authoritative voice. It has been so long she has commanded that it almost felt alien to her. But it was her Raghav. He could make her feel powerful and also make her loose herself completely in a snap.

Reminiscing those moments both were lost in a silly banter about their school when they heard "Fighting is a bad habit! Ghost will come and bite you" they looked at Arihan and realised he was apparently waiting for them in the car.

Both Shriya and Raghav spoke in unison "Guilty as charged!". They looked at each other once again in surprise for saying the same words at the same time. The lawyers in them took over at the same time. Arihan shouted "jinx! I want a chocolate".

Raghav walked towards him and questioned "Zoro! What about all those which I gave you few minutes ago?" Arihan looked away accepting he ate all of them and whined "Let's go pednanna to oul home quickly".

Raghav forced a smile quickly to hide his remorse and asked Shriya to come towards him. He placed Arihan's hand in Shriya's hand and covered it with his own hand. He gently spoke "Arihan that is your amma and I am your nanna. You are our son just like Daniel is Lucy aunty and William uncle's son".

Arihan looked at both of them and said with an excited tone "So we will stay in one house. I can have both amma and you. I was thinking I will have only amma. I can have my toy house like Daniel's. Shall we buy a dog? Can we have a family photo on the wall? Will you both dlop me to school togethel and give me two kisses?"

Shriya started showering kisses on her little munchkin. In the process Arihan moved his head and a kiss peppered on his father's neck. Raghav who was holding Arihan rose an eyebrow and looked into Shriya's eyes.

Shriya was utterly embarrassed before Arihan. Raghav spoke to Arihan without breaking eye contact with Shriya "Zoro baby! What do you think happened to your Amma's cheeks? Are they pink or red?"

Shriya glared at Raghav with big eyes for putting her on spot. She quickly retorted saying "Arihan baby! I think you should take your nanna to school along with you. It seems like he doesn't know how to recognise colors".

Arihan innocently nodded to his mother. He jumped into her arms and shouted "Yay! I have amma now! I will tell to Nikki, Daniel, Frieda, Justin and Autumn" and plopped a kiss on Shriya's cheek.

Raghav dropped the idea of going home. Arihan slept peacefully on his mother's lap. Shriya dozed off to sleep along with Arihan and Raghav couldn't get himself to even take rest. Shriya asked him to stay over as it was late.

He moved to the study to find something to read but he found a navy blue book that had a picture of Shriya's parents on it. He opened the book and on the first page it was written in cursive big bold letters "Miny".

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A/N:

Do share your thoughts on the chapter.
Also I was thinking to have an interaction with all of you.

It's like I will ask a few questions to you guys and you can ask me anything.

What say?