Darien Caruso
TWO YEARS LATER
"Here, Daddy, catch!" squealed Mila.
I caught the ball as it came my way before throwing it back to her, with a smile.
As Mila ran after the ball to catch it, I glanced at Tiara, who was seated in her wheelchair nearby.
Tiara was still alive. It was a relief but it still hurt me to see her in the state she was. Tiara was paralysed on her left side. With a blank face, she was always unresponsive to anything anyone spoke anytime, even though I spoke to her every day and night. She needed motivation and that, I made sure to give abundantly.
There were definitely improvements in her, after all the regular occupational and physical therapies. She moved at times; her right limbs tried to move her left ones. But whenever she felt me watching her, she would turn still again. I don't know the reason why she has been hiding her movements from me. But I trust her reasons; I believe she doesn't want me to see her struggling so I'm waiting for the day she is ready to show me her improvement.
She can hear us. I know she can; her expressions change at times when listening to Mila. I've caught her watching Mila with a half-smile often.
Mila... I'm so lucky to have got an understanding daughter like her. She wants to see the improvement in her mother's condition as much as I do. She listens to me when I speak to Tiara and echoes my words to her when I leave them together, even if it was just for a few seconds.
Unfortunately, whenever I see Mila, I remember Tiara's wish to have lots of children. She had a lonely childhood until she met Ray. She wanted to have more than a few children, so that her children would never feel the loneliness she felt in her childhood. I don't know if that dream will ever come true but I can only think about it the day Tiara is ready for it. Till then, I can only make sure Mila never feels lonely by ensuring that she is always surrounded by family or friends.
Ray had been sentenced to five years in state prison. Two years have elapsed; just another three more years left before he will be released. I believe he would have changed by then. If not for the blood we share that flows through his veins, at least for the care Tiara has showered on him. She cared for him like he was her own baby when she was still a child.
We both want him to turn over a new leaf into a good person. And this time he returns, I'm sure he will say sorry to her, even if not to me. I never knew how to show how much I care for him; I still don't. I hope Tiara would be much better by then to show him the care he craves. With Tia, I want to help him begin life afresh, getting a good job and finding the one who will reciprocate his love.
"Daddy, you didn't catch the ball!" Mila's voice drew me out of my thoughts.
"Sorry, baby. I'll get it." My mobile phone buzzed inside my pocket as I turned, looking for the ball. I checked to see a missed call from Isma. "One minute, baby."
I called Isma back while Mila ran to get the ball; Isma answered the call instantly.
"Hello, Isma."
"Hi, Darry. Mom's asking if you'll be coming for dinner."
"Of course we will. What a question? Today's a special day for Rina, we'll surely be there."
"Alright, Darry. Bye."
"Bye, Isma." I disconnected the call to see Mila bouncing the ball while waiting for me patiently.
A little distance away, I noticed Narissa seated at a bench, in the same park, lost in thoughts as she watched her adopted daughter playing on the slide. An unfamiliar man approached her.
"Hola, bella dama! Eres el amor de mi vida. (Spanish: Hello, beautiful lady! You are the love of my life.) I can't sing like you; I don't have a mesmerizing voice like you do but I've lost my heart to you, babe. Would you accept my love?"
"Hey, you? Here? Again?" asked Narissa as she stood up, taken aback.
"Yes, me, Niel D'Costa! I'm glad you still remember me today, babe."
Narissa rolled her eyes before glaring at him. "No way, do you expect me to believe that you haven't moved on after all these years?"
"Just three years, babe. I tried; I honestly did. But I couldn't find another you."
Narissa frowned.
"You rejected me because you were already in love with Daniel that day. I heard that you are alone now, babe. Would you give my love a chance?"
Narissa turned away but remained silent.
"Give me one valid reason why my love isn't worth a chance, babe. I'll leave you without a word and won't appear before you again."
Narissa glanced at Niel before lowering her gaze to the ground. "I loved Daniel."
"But he's no more." Niel stepped towards her.
"But then I fell in love with Darien."
"But you divorced him and let him return to his wife."
"Because he loved her so much. I don't think anyone would ever love me that much."
"I know and I would, babe. Just give me a chance, will you?"
Narissa met Niel's gaze with a frown. "How do you know all this about me?"
"Because I love you. I'm tired of listening to your sad voice and your sad albums. I want to make you happy again; I want to hear your happy voice in your songs again, babe. I want to be a father for your daughter, Neeza Suzana, the child you adopted to ease your loneliness. Won't you give me the privilege?"
Narissa met his gaze, still appearing uncertain.
"Just give me a single chance, please babe?"
"Alright."
Niel and Narissa shared a smile as Neeza ran towards them.
I smiled before turning away. I would never have to worry about Narissa again; Niel was there for her, to give her the love she deserves and colour her life.
I caught the ball as Mila bounced it near me. She quickly ran a little further and waited for me to throw it to her. I threw the ball in such a way that it fell straight into her hands. She caught it with a gleaming face before throwing it over again.
She didn't realize she had thrown it in Tiara's direction and the ball fell directly into Tiara's lap.
Upon seeing my reprimanding look, she quickly ran towards Tiara to get the ball.
"I'm sorry, Mommy." Mila reached out her hand to take the ball but stopped when Tiara's right hand moved to touch the ball.
I had walked over to them too and watched while the fingers of Tiara's left hand trembled as they touched the ball. She slowly pushed the ball towards Mila, with a single movement of both her hands.
"Tia..." I voiced, wondering if she hadn't felt my presence. She had moved her left hand....
Her gaze switched up to my face. She was looking straight at me. I wasn't imagining this, was I?
I fell to my knees before her wheelchair. She touched my cheek with her palm, as a smile slowly worked its way up her face from her lips to her eyes.
Tears escaped my eyes before I could realize as I finally embraced the blissful seconds I had been waiting for, feeling the warmth of life in her fingertips and seeing the hint of a smile in her face.
"Daddy, Mommy's smiling," uttered Mila, dreamily. I wasn't dreaming alright; my daughter confirmed it.
I held Tiara's hand by my face, unable to control my tears. She wiped my tears away with her thumb as she leant forward towards me. Interlocking our fingers, she rested her forehead on mine and closed her eyes as she began to shed her tears as well in silence.
"Hey... stop... don't... no... not anymore... please... Tia... for me..." I stuttered nonsense seeing her cry her heart out. I couldn't bear to see her cry anymore. I didn't even realize how profusely tears were leaving my eyes too.
She pressed her forehead against mine harder. I wanted to wipe away her tears but she held my hands interlocked with hers tighter.
"Tia...."
"I want you." Her voice quivered behind her tears as she opened her eyes and finally spoke to me.
"I am yours, Tia."
She smiled faintly before mumbling, "And I'm yours."
Our tears have dried; our smiles have resurfaced; for us to resume our life together where we had left off a few years ago at Seattle, the time has arrived.
Some memories were lost due to a traumatic dent,
I was forced to forget the times we together spent.
The image of you was buried in the depths of my mind,
And somehow I failed to recognize the treasure left behind.
Countless mornings came; many nights continued to depart,
But there was an emptiness in the chambers of my heart.
Each day I would feel that there was something I unconsciously missed,
And my soul yearned to remember the owner of the hands I kissed.
I tried so hard to gather pieces of forgotten memories of mine,
Praying for a glint of hope to shine in this life of mine.
Then, a miracle happened when I found a fragment of my past,
That confirmed; you were indeed my very first and last.
Bits by bits; each memory enveloped me in its embrace,
Your eyes, your smile; your breathtakingly beautiful face.
The lost pieces of the puzzle had finally been found,
And I knew; our pure hearts had always been bound.
My sole reason to live is to protect you from any harm,
For you are my life, my love and my lucky charm.
Our daughter is the living proof of this eternal love,
That was showered upon us from the Heaven above.
So, let me grab your hand that was made for mine,
I will make up to you for all the lonely times.
I believe that if I ever got a million chances to live,
You'll be the only one to whom this heart, I'll give.
Because you're the reason why I cherish all the seconds,
The reason of my survival; my happiness in these blissful seconds.
A/N: Please vote and comment..
Hope you like the epilogue.. :)
Thank you everyone for all your support!!! Please comment what you seriously felt about this book..
Hope you enjoyed reading this story! Please recommend this story to everyone you can if you liked it.. :)
This is my second complete story published on wattpad.. It really means a lot to me.. I hope it has touched your hearts too.. ❤
This was an emotional story that made me emotional at some points too.. Though this was not the original ending I had planned, I think this ending is what I would have preferred as a reader too.. So I'm glad I changed the ending.. I hope all of you liked the realistic yet feel good ending.. I hope this book will always remain special to all of you the way it is for me.. :)
Thanks to KatieFlemmings96 for writing the beautiful poem depicting Darien's thoughts, wrapping up the end of this story..