The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 36

The next couple of days it was all about exploring the city of Darjeeling. On Prakriti’s and Aparna’s insistence, Nishant agreed for the toy train ride and was thankful that he had. Not only did it take them through an array of breathtaking views of the mountains but also gave him the opportunity to know Prakriti.

Sitting on her mother’s lap, she was talking joyfully, but Nishant still felt a certain point of hesitation in her. As he looked at her when she pointed her small fingers outside at one of the mountains, he observed that although she was smiling but her eyes were not communicating the emotion. Her eyes were constantly roaming about here and there as if looking for someone.

Same like her mother.

Nishant suddenly stood up and started to walk away, when Aparna stopped him.

“I’ll just be back,” he said reassuring her.

He returned after 15-20 minutes and sat down on his seat. Both Aparna and Prakriti looked at him questioningly. Smiling, Nishant took Aparna’s hand in one and Prakriti’s in his other hand and squeezed them tight.

“There is nobody in the train to bother us. So, there is nothing to be scared of. Relax, both of you,” he said looking out of the window.

For a minute, Aparna was confused and suddenly realised what he meant. How does he do this? How does always understand what she is thinking? Shaking her head, she kept on looking at him trying to figure out what was it that had brought Nishant in her life. Her reverie was interrupted by Prakriti’s unstoppable chattering.

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It was almost 6 in the evening when they finally started off for the hotel. Prakriti had already fallen asleep in Aparna’s lap by the time they settled inside the car. She herself was yawning. Nishant looked at her and found her trying hard not to close her eyes.

“Give her to me,” he said stretching his arms to take Prakriti.

At first, she shook her head but then when he insisted, she picked her daughter and placed her in his arms.

Nishant enclosed his arms protectively around the little girl and placed his hand on her head so as to prevent it from rocking against the movement of the car.

Aparna slid a little in her seat and rested her head against the head rest, closing her eyes.

He looked at her and smiled. Both mother and daughter are the same. Stretching his arm towards Aparna, he pulled her to him and placed her head on his shoulder. Looking at both of them sleeping on each of his shoulders, Nishant felt whole. His family was complete.

His family!

Wow!

His heart swelled up with the love he felt for these two wonderful people. Closing his eyes, he thought to himself, is there any way to stop this moment right here, right now. He did not want to let go of this feeling ever.

Nishant was thinking about all these things, when the cab driver said they had reached the hotel. Trying his best not to wake up Prakriti, he shook Aparna slightly, who woke up with a start.

“Sorry! Have we reached?”

Nishant nodded and opened the door. Holding Prakriti safely in his arms, he slid out. Aparna rushed to his side to take her daughter, but he refused to let go.

Opening the door of their room, he straightaway went to the bedroom and placed Prakriti on the bed gently. He was smoothening the blanket when Aparna started to take it from him.

“Let me do it,” she said feeling guilty of letting her daughter sleep in his lap during the whole journey. And, on the top of that she had also fallen asleep.

How could you, Aparna?

“Go and sit there. I’ll take care of this. All these years it has always been you for her. Let me take care of her now,” Nishant said settling the blanket around Prakriti and gesturing Aparna to sit on the sofa.

She smiled and sat down, and looked on as Nishant made sure her daughter was all comfortable and settled in. Once he was done, he came and sat down next to her.

“I love her.”

Aparna turned towards him and smiled lovingly.

“How can you stay away from her?”

Slowly her smile vanished thinking about her reasons of keeping Prakriti away from her. She lowered her head trying to hide the regret in her eyes. If only she had the money to afford the high-profile schools in Delhi.

Nishant noticed her lowered head and turned towards her. Tipping her face up, he looked straight into her eyes.

“You and Prakriti don’t need anyone else, I know that. But will you still let me be a part of you guys. May I call her my daughter too?”

For a minute, Aparna kept on looking at him not knowing what to say. What Nishant was asking for almost seemed like a dream. After her divorce, she had never hoped for this. Sharing her responsibility with someone else almost seemed like a miracle.

When Aparna did not reply for a long time, Nishant sighed. Maybe, she still does not trust him that much. He understood how she felt. Maybe he would have done the same thing if he had been in her shoes.

“It’s ok. I understand it not easy to trust after all that has happened. All I can say that she will always remain yours. I am just asking to be a part of both of you.

Saying this, Nishant got up from the sofa. Then, he turned towards her and lowered his lips on her forehead.

“Go to sleep. It’s pretty late,” he said placing a kiss on her forehead.

As he turned, Aparna clasped his hand.

“Don’t go.”

There was something in her voice that made him turn towards her.

Tears were streaming down her eyes as she looked up at him. Nishant instantly slid down to his knees and palmed her eyes, brushing off her tears.

Aparna turned her face sideways and kissed his palm, trying hard to gulp down the onslaught of tears.

“Aparna, I...” Nishant had just started to say when she placed a finger on his lips shutting him up.

“Don’t say another word.”

Breathing hard, she clasped his hands in his and said, “All my life till now I have regretted everything that has happened and I am still doing it. But, there was only one thing good among all the bad stuff. And, that’s her. She is everything I have.”

Nishant watched her as she tried hard to clear her throat to speak and for once, he did not want to help her. He wanted her to say everything that was in her heart right now.

Aparna wiped her tears and cupped his face in her palms and said in a voice clogging with emotion, “If you call her your daughter then, promise me you will believe it in your heart before committing to it. Don’t break her trust as mine has been broken.”

Nishant’s eyes misted over hearing her plea. He sat next to her and engulfed her in his arms. Then, tipping her face to his, he said in a heavy tone, “She is my daughter and there is nothing or no one in this world who can take me away from her. I love you and I love her. And, I would rather die than to break your and her trust.”

Aparna saw truth of his words in his eyes and she enclosed her arms around him, placing her head on his chest. If she had any more doubts then they were all vanished as she heard the heavy and galloping beats of his heart.

Nishant placed small kisses on her forehead and instinctively moved towards her temples. As his lips reached her cheek, she whimpered low in her throat. Her fingers touched the exposed skin of his neck and the suppressed desires in him erupted.

Their lips were only inches away when Prakriti moved in her sleep audibly. 

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