AUTHORS' POV
"Hum toh aapko humesha yaad kartein hain(I always miss you), Begum."
For a moment Nimmi got still. Everything around her just froze, her heartbeat felt as if it has stopped in that moment. Her eyes got wider, her nerves got erratic. Every bit of her body was screaming that her Ram is here but she refused to hear them.
"No he's not. He doesn't want me.", she let her tears flow, sitting there like a dead soul. "Then why do I feel...why do I feel he's here?", she asked herself on the edge of breaking.
"Begum?", a low broken, painful voice called her. The same voice that held authority and power around the world, love and devotion for her.
Nimmi couldn't accept the fact that he was here. She was scared to even move, to turn and find that it's just her mind playing tricks on her. But for once she wanted to, she wanted to believe, put her trust, she wanted it to be real.
Taking a deep breath and the tiniest ray of hope, she stood and turn. The moment Nimmi turned, her world stopped in those eyes. Her body left all the strength she was trying to hold for 2 months. Her heartbeat was beating as fast as the river flowing behind her. All her emotions came to the surface. Her eyes forgot to blink, she just stayed transfixed.
The man she wanted to be with, the man she ran away from, the one who was her first and last love, was standing right in front of her. This time she didn't stop the tears that welled up in her eyes.
"Ram is here. My Ram is here. He's here. For me, he came for me. My Ram.", those were the words that were screaming in head on repeat in emotions of joy.
Vikram was no different, it looked as if this was the moment that he was holding up all his strength for. All those days that he showed being strong, those days when he tried being strong, when he stood strong. It all flows away in that moment.
His Nimmi, his Begum was standing in front of him. But she didn't look the same. She was lost, gone, hiding from everyone. She looked too fragile and broken. Still she was THE MOST beautiful woman in the world in his eyes.
Vikram didn't remove his eyes from her, he didn't want to look away, he couldn't look away.
He took slow steps towards her. Like a man walking towards a tiny little bird that's in a trap, scared of the cruel world. Their eyes were still looking only at each other .
Involuntarily Vikram's hand moved towards Nimmi and finally he felt his wife first time in 2 months. He caressed her cheek softly with his thumb. The familiar touch that they both felt, brought back all all the emotions they held for each other.
The moment Vikram touched her, all the walls that she built around her collapsed. She left all the last bit of strength in her. She gave up on being brave for that moment.
Nimmi's tears were flowing non stop. Her silent tears turned into sobs and then she just couldn't take it anymore and cried her heart out. She cried screaming out loud. All Her pain and misery came out in that one touch. Not even the noises of blowing wind or splashing and flowing of river could cover it.
Nimmi fell on the ground, her screams kept getting louder and louder. Vikram couldn't see her in this situation but he knew he had to let her cry her heart out. She needs to let it all out. She had it let it all out, let it all go.
Nimmi did cry a lot in these 2 months, but never did one she broke to this extent. Nimmi held her knees tight hugging them tight. Vikram didn't let her go. He didn't leave her hand not even for a second.
He held her tighter and tighter in his embrace. He wanted to reach her heart, where there was only pain and suffering at this moment. He wanted her to feel the warmth and love she needed.
Nimmi screamed so loud that it felt someone had teared her apart in two pieces. Vikram held her tighter. His heart was breaking down by each second. Never in his his wildest dreams he thought, that he'd see his Begum like this.
All her energy left with that last scream. She couldn't do it any more. Vikram still didn't say anything, giving her as much time as she needs.
She kept sobbing in his arms, her face buried in Vikram's chest. His shirt was damp by now. Nimmi did not say a word, neither did Vikram. As much as Nimmi cried today. Vikram did too.
He cried with Nimmi's every falling tear. He screamed in his heart with Nimmi's every painful scream. He broke equally as she did.
No one knew how much time had passed with them sitting by the river. Vikram still didn't leave his Begum. Not even for a second. Fearing she might slip away from him again.
After what felt like forever, Vikram looked down, only to see his beautiful fairy sleeping soundly in his arms. She looked so relaxed in that moment. As if she slept after months. She wasn't even moving an inch. He adjusted their position a little and that's when he noticed she was wearing white dress. He didn't have to ask anyone to know that Nimmi was wearing it for her Ram because she wanted to feel him close to her, to feel his presence, his love.
"I promise you Begum, we will be together again and soon. You will live again, we will live again.", Vikram made a promise to his sleeping beauty and kissed her forehead.
After 2 months he kissed her again. He knew Nimmi loved forehead and nose kisses. But he also knew he might be able to give her, At least for now, so he wanted cherish the memory for himself.
Vikram gently and very carefully picked her up. But when he did his mood got sour. Nimmi felt much lighter then before. He knew she wasn't taking care of her when he saw her. But this is not what he was expecting.
"Begum, I don't like this. You can't do this with your Ram. How can you be so careless? Looks like we need to take care of your diet first.", Vikram moved towards his car and gently placed her on the passenger seat buckling her seatbelt.
Driving as softly as possible and not disturbing her sleep Vikram reached his house and brought her in.
The moment he entered the hall Cellphone came in rocket speed. Smelling the air and started barking. "Shh...", Vikram immediately shushed him. And just like a good boy he did, but he couldn't hide his excitement and kept wiggling his tail and kept on huffing and jumping around Vikram.
Vikram ascended the stairs and brought Nimmi to his room. Placing her on the bed he covered her with duvet, wrapping her completely.
Just when he was about to remove his hand from under her head , Nimmi turned and tightened her grip on his hand. This brought a small smile on his lips.
Vikram knew he can't sleep next to Nimmi so was gonna go sleep on the couch but his Begum holding his hand like this, was making it impossible for him to do so.
He didn't wanna go away from his Begum anymore. Vikram sat beside her, holding her hand and setting his head on the head board.
Vikram was exhausted from all the continuous events from last 2 days. But sitting next to Nimmi and seeing her at peace took away every bit of exhaustion.
Cellphone sat by her legs and put a paw on her legs as a protective gesture. He was happy but sad at the same time as she was sleeping and not playing with him.
"She will spend time with you too. Just wait a little more.", Cellphone looked at Vikram then back to his Mumma.
Looking at her he too went to sleep. Vikram still wasn't sleeping. His eyes were fixed on Nimmi. Her eyes had gone deeper, she had dark circles, her skin looked pale, her lips were dry, even her hair looked different. There was no shine in them.
But still, in that vulnerable state she managed to look like the shining moonlight cascading on the bed of river like silver sheet. Glistening over the water.
Vikram turned and adjusted his head in his palm by the pillow and removing his other hand he stroked Nimmi's face gently putting a strand of hair back and removed her glasses.
This was the first time ever, when they were together and didn't speak a single word to each other.
Meeting each other after months and still didn't felt the need of exchanging words. Sometimes being silent is very powerful. Saying something without heart are mere words but silence with immense emotions of love holds a universe.
——————————————
Double update is here...
Do let me know how Did you like the chapter?
What do you think will be Nimmi's reaction when she wakes up in the morning?
See you all in the next.. and yes something exciting is coming up soon and fun too. We might see our old bubbly talkative silly jealous Nimmi again..so be ready for the roller coaster 🎢