The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 48

Amidst all the media frenzy, fifteen days passed in a flash for Aparna and Nishant. Be it office or their home, they were pestered time and again with random questions, which sometimes were easy to handle but sometimes they just took a ugly turn: especially, when it came to her divorce.

However, she always found Nishant beside her to whisk her away from all nerve-wracking questions to a world of their own. Right now, they were sitting in his bedroom working on a design for their current client.

Aparna looked at Nishant, who was looking at his laptop frowning hard. He bit his lip trying to concentrate and she felt a sudden urge to kiss him hard. Shaking her head, she looked down at the part of the design she had been working on. Suddenly her phone rang and her face brightened looking at the caller ID.

Prakriti!

“Hi, sweetheart,” she greeted and instantly pulled away the phone from her ear as Prakriti screamed with joy.

“Mama, I won the painting competition today. Yipeeeeee!”

“Congrats, darling,” she replied beaming from ear to ear.

Nishant rested his back against the sofa and looked at Aparna, who was smiling in her full glory. Not able to resist, he went and sat next to her. Then, he took the phone away from her and put it on speaker.

“Hi, princess,” he said and heard a mad squeal from the other side.

“Uncle, I won the painting competition today.”

“That’s great, princess. What did you make?”

“It’s you, me and mama.”

Aparna fell silent as she heard her.

When both of them did not respond, Prakriti continued, “Ma’am said it was the best. Mama, she has sent it to you.”

“Ok, princess, we will check,” Nishant said looking at Aparna, who looked a little overwhelmed to answer.

“I need to go now. Bye Mama, Bye Uncle,” he heard Prakriti saying joyfully.

As the call disconnected, he kept the phone and took Aparna in his arms.

“Let’s see what she made.”

Aparna opened her personal email and clicked on the mail send by the school. Somehow her hand shook with effort as she clicked on the attachment in it.

The painting loaded to its full on the screen and everything became still around them. Staring at the image in front, she saw Prakriti standing with one hand in his and one in hers.

Nishant’s smile vanished as he looked at himself in the painting. There was a chocolate sticking out of one of his pockets. Not able to take it anymore, he looked away. Letting her go, he stood up and walked out to the balcony.

Don’t cry, don’t you dare cry, his heart warned him.

But somehow his brain refused to listen. Tears fell down freely as the image came back again and again in front of him.

His daughter! His princess!

Aparna closed her laptop and thought to herself:

Was this a coincidence or sheer stroke of imagination?

She looked at the balcony and saw him standing with his head lowered. Slowly, she walked to him and was not surprised to see tears in his eyes.

“You are so like her,” she said to Nishant, wiping his tears off.

He looked at her questioningly.

Aparna placed her arms around his neck and said, “Strong, crazy, irrational and super-super emotional, just like my Prakriti.”

Nishant just smiled and looked into her eyes. When he did not say anything, she said, “Well, when you have the same birthdays, you got be similar, right?”

“Same birthdays?”

“Yep, born on 15^th July as you,” Aparna replied letting him go.

He was about to say something when he phone beeped. Sighing, he went inside the bedroom followed by her. As he looked at the message sent by his brother, he smiled.

Perfect opportunity!

“25^th is Mom and Dad’s anniversary party. I want you there,” he said sitting down on the sofa to work on the design.

“Nishant, no.”

“Yes and no arguments. Now, can we get on with this design, please?”

Aparna looked at him and frowned. No point discussing this: he won’t listen. Scowling, she sat down next to him and started with the work.

******************

Two days later, Aparna was getting ready in her bedroom when her phone beeped. Smiling, she picked it up knowing too well who it was. But her eyes widened with surprise as she saw a message from an unknown number.

“You are not welcome in the Naik household least of all in Nishant’s life. Stay away. He does not deserve someone like you. Take this as a warning: don’t come to the party. Otherwise......”

Even though the threatening words were meant to scare, but somehow the message did not intimidate her. She thought of calling Nishant but then decided against it. He must be busy with all the preparations. No point disturbing him.

“Something wrong?” Madhu asked standing at the doorway.

“Nothing that I can’t handle.”

She was about to check the number again when Harish announced that the car had arrived. Quickly, she shoved everything inside her bag, and with one final look in the mirror, dashed out of the door.

As she got down the stairs, she saw Siraj standing near the car waiting. He smiled ear to ear as he saw her.

“Where is he?”

“Bhaijaan is at Naik Villa,” he said taking the bag from her.

She was a little disappointed that Nishant hadn’t come to get her. But she understood. With a huge occasion like this, it is natural for him to be busy. Sighing, she sat down in the car.

Siraj got in the driver’s seat and extended his hand towards the glove compartment. Opening it he brought out a small envelop and gave it to her.

“Bhaijaan gave this for you,” he said smiling at her.

Aparna opened the envelope and found another envelop. When she opened that she found another envelop. Sighing, she kept on opening envelops and finally when she was about to lose her patience, she found a note in the last one.

“I love you.

And, Sorry for sending Siraj.”

Keeping the note back in the envelope, she asked with a smile on her face, “Is your Bhaijaan always this crazy?”

“Always ma,am,” Siraj replied laughing. 

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.