The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 103

Everything froze around Nishant as he heard Prakriti. His heart thudded against his chest as she stared at him.

Her father!

Was that possible?

As his eyes adjusted through the mistiness of tears, he saw Aparna staring at him as she came and stood behind her daughter.

“Do you want me to be your dad?”

Prakriti bit her lip again as she thought about the situation. Suddenly panic rose in her eyes and she moved further away from him.

“Would you hit me too?”

Prakriti’s question went through Aparna’s heart like a bullet. She clutched the handrail of the staircase for support as reality hit her.

Nishant was so stunned that he couldn’t say anything. Instead, he closed the distance between them and pulled Prakriti in his arms.

The anguish and pain that little mind had been holding on just poured out and she sobbed uncontrollably.

Aparna rushed down the stairs and slid to the floor, and ruffled her hair.

“Shhhh! Sweetheart, it's okay.”

“No, let her cry,” Nishant whispered as he tightened his arms around Prakriti.

Prakriti hiccupped twice as her sobs slowly silenced and she peaked at Nishant’s face.

He just smiled and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.

“Princess, I’ll never hit you. And, I promise I will not let anyone else ever do it either.”

Her eyes widened as she heard him.

“Trust me?”

Prakriti just nodded and Nishant picked her up in his arms. For now, he only wanted this.

As the cakes rolled in, everybody surrounded them. They cut the cakes one by one but Aparna felt uneasy all of a sudden. She looked at Nishant, who although was smiling but it was not reaching his eyes. He looked away and pressed his temples, and instantly she knew that the clouds of the past had again darkened his horizons.

Once everything was done and everybody had picked up their drinks, she whispered something to Lakshman, who instantly rushed to the dining room. As he handed Aparna a small bowl, she tapped the glass to attract everyone’s attention.

The moment everybody turned to her, she turned towards him and spooned something from the bowl.

As the spoon went in Nishant’s mouth, his eyes widened with realisation.

Meethi Dahi!

But the next second his eyes clouded again with everything that had happened.

“There was a time when I used to think that my life had ended the day I left Mumbai.”

Nishant neared her to stop her but she just shook her head.

“For 3 years, I struggled to get a grip on everything, which left me bruised, battered and broken. And, yes weak.”

“I can fight the whole world but not without you. You are my strength. I am nothing without you.”

His words burst inside her head and for once Aparna forgot everything whether it was her pain or the physical wounds.

Seeing the passing emotions in her eyes, Nishant came near and clutched her hand tightly in his.

Aparna bit her lip trying to control the tears waiting to burst. She looked up at him and everyone in the room just vanished. It was only them again. She placed her hand on his heart knowing it will never beat for anyone else other than her. But today it was not about her, it was about him. Since the time she had met him, he had always kept his promises. Now it was her turn.

Aparna took his hand in her palms and hugged it to her heart.

“But 1 year ago, you made me realise that I still had a lot of life left in me. You made me realise I had the strength to fight and stand against the whole world. But Nishant, I cannot fight it alone. You are my strength. I am nothing without you.”

Nishant was so stunned with what she had just said that he couldn’t move a muscle. He stared at her as her words filtered in.

Aparna let go of him and extended her hand towards Prakriti. As she came and stood next to her, she picked her up.

“One day you had asked me if you could call her your daughter. She is your daughter, our daughter. Please be a part of our lives, not because I am saying so, but because you want to.”

It was Prakriti who responded first as she hugged him joyfully but his gaze was on Aparna whose eyes shone with something more than love.

“Uncle?”

Nishant heard Prakriti’s plea but he couldn’t say anything. He was so astounded by everything she had said that he couldn’t budge.

He knew everyone was looking at him expectantly but the woman standing in front took centre stage.

In the past months, he had almost lost the hope of being with them or even seeing them for once. But now, the hope bubbled inside and spread through him all over. And, finally, as it entered his heart, it completely took over. As his heart started to beat with renewed energy, he felt life throbbing through his veins.

He wanted to touch her, wanted to take her in his arms and say yes a thousand times but couldn’t do anything. He wanted to grab the happiness waiting in front and cry out with joy.

Instead, he just stood there and kept staring at her, not willing even for once to look away.

Aparna looked at his quivering lips and misted eyes, and instantly knew he was too choked up to speak. Slowly she moved near and placed her palm against his cheek.

Just as her touch spread through his being, he closed his eyes and let out the anguish he had been holding for so long.

Aparna pressed her face to his chest and circled her arms around him as he buried his face in Prakriti’s neck. 

She didn’t need any answers.

The thudding of his heart and tears answered all her questions.

“Can I call you Daddy now,” Prakriti asked Nishant as he lifted his head from her shoulder.

Just as he nodded, she asked joyfully, “Do I get double the chocolates now?”

Nishant and Aparna burst out laughing followed by everyone else in the room.

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