One Week Later
The sky was full of blazing stars. The crescent moon was smiling at the people below. There was silence all around. Abhishek was sitting in his room and working on the laptop. Beside him, Diya was sleeping peacefully.
Divya entered the room and sat down on the bed. She said, "Abhi, tomorrow I have to go to finalize the place for the boutique. Mom-Dad have to go to Lata Bua's place. Can you pick up Diya after her school at 12 Noon." Abhishek thought for a while and nodded. Divya smiled. She trusted him.
She laid down to sleep, unaware what the next day had in store for her.
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Next Day, 12:15 PM
Divya's meeting had been a big success. She had managed to find a good place for her boutique at a reasonable price. She was happy and was in a hurry to reach home to share the news with her husband. But before she could, her phone rang. It was a call from Diya's school. She answered the call and was told that Abhishek had yet not reached to pick her up and his phone was not reachable. Promising to reach soon, she cut the call and took a cab.]
Divya was shocked would be an understatement. She called Abhishek but his phone was not reachable. She was highly disappointed and hurt by his behaviour. She reached Diya's school and thanked her teacher innumerable times for taking care of the little child. And then, she took Diya back home.
'Diya'
The mother-daughter reached the home at the same time as Vinay and Swati. They opened the door and entered the house. Swati asked Divya, "Abhi was supposed to pick her up right?" "He did not come," answered Divya. At the same time, her phone rang. It was Abhishek. She answered the call, "Yes..she is with me at home...your phone wasn't reachable...Hmm." It was clear from her behaviour that she was hurt by what had happened. She carried Diya to their room and helped her change.
Fifteen minutes later, Abhishek entered the room and looked at his wife and daughter. "Divya...," he began. Divya showed him her hand and spoke, "You are the most careless person I know. How could you....what if something had happened to her...what if the teacher wouldn't have noticed her...what if....." She broke off. She did not wisht o imagine anymore "what ifs". Abhishek spoke, "I was struck in traffic."
Divya looked at him. She now knew that he had not behaved carelessly but her heart was not ready to accept that a man who was so perfect could also do something wrong, even if unintentionally. She did not notice when Diya left the room.
Abhishek tried to hold her hand but she said, "Leave me Abhishek. You will only scratch the wounds." Abhishek whispered, "Give me a chance to heal your heart."
Diya came with a glass of water and sat down next to her mother and said, "Stay away from my Mumma. You hurt her."
"We don't need you," whispered Divya. Diya hugged her mother and said, "Mumma, please forgive Daddy. He is a good boy." Abhishek smiled at his daughter's innocence but Divya left the room.
Divya entered the living room and went to her parents-in-law. She dragged her mother-in-law to the guest room and made her sit on the bed. She, herself sat down on the floor and said, "Why did he have to get struck in traffic? Why did he have to do something wrong? Even if unintentionally, but why?"
Swati smiled and said, "You love him, don't you?" Divya nodded and said, "But I am afraid." "Hmm. Is it helping? Being afraid?" asked Swati. Divya shook her head in no. Swati said, "Then try the opposite. Leave your fear behind. See if it helps."
Divya looked at her mother-in-law with admiration. She had explained such a big thing so easily.
She hurried back to her room and saw Abhishek sitting on the bed with Diya on his laps. Pain was easily visible on his face. She sat down next to him and hugged him tightly and said, "I love you, Mr. Abhishek Divya Srivastava." Abhishek broke the hug and looked at her face. He smiled and said, "I love you too, Mrs. Divya Abhishek Srivastava." Diya clapped happily. Her parents chuckled.
_______________THE END_______________
So, how is it? The chapter and the story?
The epilogue will take some time.
For everyone who thinks that it is an abrupt ending and there are plot holes, please be patient enough to wait for the epilogue.
~Purnima