The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 102

Aparna clutched him hard not willing to let go the moment she heard his mother’s voice.

Nishant circled his arm around her and gritted his teeth as he tried to control himself.

“Nishant?” he heard his mother asking, followed by two knocks.

“Yes, Ma, we are fine,” he replied pulling Aparna off the sofa.

Aparna picked up the bra and was about to go inside the washroom when he stopped her.

Then, he pulled off her t-shirt and looked at her as she tried to slip on her bra.

“Stop it!” Aparna warned him shyly looking away.

"Why? It's you and it’s my right to see you like this."

Something changed inside her the moment she heard him. As she turned around and hooked the bra, Nishant slipped behind her and unhooked it.

“What?”

“Don’t wear it.”

“But….”

“No, buts. I love the way they look now: free.”

Aparna looked at him strangely as if seeing a new Nishant.

“And, don’t wear your t-shirt, it’s stained. Wear this,” he said taking his shirt off.

She slipped into the shirt thinking what she would say if somebody asked her about it.

“Tell them the truth,” said Nishant as he pulled out a t-shirt from the cupboard.

How does he do that?

So, nothing had changed. He is still the same Nishant, who could always read her thoughts.

“Nishant, are you guys still fighting? Would you open the door please?” Shefanjali shouted from outside.

“Yes, Nishant, we don’t want you guys to murder each other,” Dhruv said laughingly.

Scowling, Nishant pulled Aparna towards him as she was about to open the door.

“Don’t,” he said burying his face in her neck.

“Mama?” both of them heard Prakriti calling from behind the door.

Instantly, Nishant let her go and was about to open it when Aparna looked at him questioningly, smiling.

“It’s my princess.”

“Our princess.”

For a second, he kept on looking at her and then his mouth landed on hers. As their mouths ignited the fire again, Aparna pushed Nishant against the door and kissed him with a searing passion.

He opened his mouth to breathe but her tongue slipped in and he lost it.

He wanted her.

He wanted to take her then and there but somehow he controlled himself.

Be sane, Nishant.

But as she rubbed her lower body into his, every sane thought just vanished, and he moaned giving in to the bidding of her mouth.

“Mama?”

Helpless, Aparna let go and buried her head on his heaving chest and tried to breathe.

A few seconds later, Nishant released her reluctantly and turned the knob on the door.

As Shefanjali and Madhu took Aparna away, Prakriti rushed inside and bounded off to the terrace followed by Nishant.

“Nishant Uncle, I want to see the mountains.”

He picked her up and smiled as her mouth opened with awe.

“I want to go there,” said Prakriti hugging him.

“You will, princess, one day.”

“Prakriti, come now, you have to get ready for the party,” Madhu said as she came and stood next to them.

Nishant let her go and saw her springing off with Madhu.

As he turned towards the Himalayas again, he almost felt it saying to him.

‘I gave her back to you.”

He closed his eyes and smiled.

‘Ya I know and this time I’ll make sure she stays.’

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

It was 6 pm in the evening when finally all the preparations were done for the twin birthday parties. Nishant could hear Prakriti’s joyful laughter and excited shrieks from other room as he got dressed and he couldn’t help but smile.

For all the past months, he had never imagined his birthday would be like this. The main reason he had come down to Tosh was to avoid all those birthday wishes.

But now he wanted this celebration not because it was his birthday but because Aparna was back in his life again.

Aparna!

The name itself made his heart beat faster than ever. In the past months, he had never ever taken her name once; neither had he seen her. He closed his eyes as the memory of the past hours flashed in his mind.

The moment he had seen her every little strand of agony had vanished in a matter of seconds. Her name had sounded like it had never left his tongue even for once.

He wanted to see her before he went downstairs but he knew that he couldn’t. Since the time she had left the room, she had been surrounded by his family. And, for once he wanted her to bask in the joy of being a part of it.

Slowly, Nishant came downstairs and saw everyone in the hall.

“And, here comes the birthday boy,” Sid said as he came near him.

Nishant just smiled and everybody surrounded him. But his eyes wavered around the room.

Where is she?

Impatience got better of him and he broke away from the group and started walking towards the dining room when Dhruv pulled him.

“Be patient.”

Sid and he started to laugh as Nishant made a scowling face.

“What happened inside?” Sid asked winking.

“That’s none of your business,” Nishant replied as he continued to search for her.

He was about to venture into the dining room when Prakriti bounded down the stairs calling his name.

She gestured him to stoop down and Nishant obliged.

“Happy birthday, princess and you look stunning,” he said looking at her and handing her a chocolate.

But Prakriti looked at him strangely and her eyes narrowed gradually.

“Why did you give me the chocolate?”

“Because it’s your birthday.”

“Why do you always give me chocolates?” Prakriti asked moving away from him a little as he tried to take her in his arms.

Nishant looked at her incredulously not knowing what to say.

He cleared his throat and extended his hand towards her.

“It’s because I love you.”

Prakriti bit her lip as she stared at his hand.

“Shefanjali aunty and Madhu masi were saying that you would marry Mama now. Would that make you my daddy then?”

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.