The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 99

Nishant woke up in the morning with a heavy heart. He knew it was late for he could hear the bustle downstairs but all he wanted to do was curl up somewhere and go off to sleep again.

At least, she would be there.

He closed his eyes and was about to turn to his side when he heard Shefanjali’s voice through the doorway.

“Nishant, are you awake?”

“Yes, bhabhi,” he replied in a small voice as he sat up on the bed.

Shefanjali entered the room and offered him the cup of tea, which he brushed off.

“Happy Birthday!”

He just nodded acknowledging her but did not say anything rather pressed his forehead trying to lessen a rising headache.

“Mom and Dad are waiting for you downstairs.”

Realising that Nishant was in no mood to talk, she kept the cup on the side table and stepped out.

“Time is a great healer but it does not take away the marks. Live with them if you have to but don’t make them your life. Have the tea; it will take away the headache at least,” she said closing the door behind her.

Slowly Nishant got up and had his bath and then went downstairs. Apparently, Sid had gone to Kasol to collect some work stuff and rest of the family was gathered in the dining room.

As he entered, his mother and father engulfed him in hugs wishing him happy birthday followed by his brother.

“Everything will be okay,” Dhruv whispered his ear as he hugged him.

Nishant was seeing everything, observing everything but he felt nothing. Not a single wish touched his heart. He was completely cold inside. His heart had suddenly turned into this lump of ice, which was not melting soon or rather ever.

There was nothing so warm in this world to melt it.

As soon as the breakfast got over, he went upstairs and opened his laptop. If sanity has to be there in his life then work was the only way to get it.

Nishant was discussing the plans for the current project with Dhruv and Vikrant when he heard a commotion from downstairs.

“Nishant, come downstairs, somebody is here to meet you,” Shefanjali said peeking from the door.

“Surprise!” he heard a familiar voice say as he reached downstairs in the hall.

Mechanically, he smiled and saw Naina Chawla standing with open arms.  He returned her hug as she encircled her arms around him, and wished him.

“Aren’t you happy to see me?” Naina asked looking at him strangely.

“I am.”

He was about to go back upstairs when she pulled him down and said, “Come on, stay here.”

Sighing, Nishant turned his back towards the main door and watched her as she picked some toffees from the coffee table. She offered him one but he refused. She put one in her mouth and impulsively hugged him again.

But then all of sudden she let him go and moved away.

Nishant looked at her and instantly everything around him whirled as the scent, which had never left his senses for a minute spread through.

Stop it, he commanded himself.

She is not here, so stop it.

But something was wrong. For the first time since morning, his senses were alive as they had once been in her.

The sudden silence in the room and Naina continuously gesturing him to look behind propelled his hopes but he squashed them and still did not turn.

“Nishant uncle!”

The air around him stilled completely and then started to buzz in his ears with severe intensity.

Princess!

Slowly, Nishant turned, taking one step at a time. His heart thudded against his chest and his brain failed to register anything. Agonised to even look ahead, he looked down at Prakriti, who ran towards him.

Forgetting every little resolution made since morning, he opened his arms. She jumped in them and as her small arms went around his neck, Nishant closed his eyes and long held tears slipped out.

“Happy Birthday, Nishant uncle,” Prakriti said tearfully.

Then, she placed a tender kiss on his cheek shyly and brushed away the tears. Overwhelmed, he gulped trying to clear his throat. 

  

“Thank you, Princess. Happy Birthday to you too. But what are you doing here?”

“Mama says, we are here to celebrate both our birthdays,” Prakriti replied beaming from ear to ear.

“Yes, sweetheart, your mother is absolutely right. Do you know who I am?” Shefanjali asked offering her hand to Prakriti.

She tightened her grip on Nishant and looked at him with doubt.

“That’s one of your aunties. Her name is Shefanjali.”

Dhruv looked on as Nishant completely ignored the one person he had longed to see. Sighing, he came forward and ruffled Prakriti’s hair.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

“Dhruv uncle,” Prakriti shouted at the top of her voice and slipped into his arms.

As he took Prakriti, Nishant tried to turn away but couldn’t. He knew she was standing, watching him but the ordeal of the past months just didn’t give him the energy to look at her. 

Aparna’s eyes had not left his face for once since the time she had entered the guest house. Although he was talking with Prakriti, she could see that there was severe restraint in him as if he was trying to control everything inside him.

Madhu and Harish entered and went towards his family but Aparna stood transfixed at the door. She blinked twice trying to clear her eyes, which were continuously becoming blurred with the tears. She willed him to look at her with everything she had in him.

Come on, Nishant, just once.

But he did not. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on Prakriti, who was busy getting introduced to everybody around.

However, the taut muscles of his face and hard as stone jaw line betrayed the torment inside.

Sid, who stood behind her, squeezed her shoulder and smiled reassuringly beckoning her to go on.

Slowly, she started to walk towards him but stopped the moment she saw him cringe towards the table.

Do it, dammit! It’s now or never.

The moment she came and stood in front of him, she saw him close his eyes.

Tears welled inside her and she bit her lip to stop them at bay and cleared her throat to say what had been swirling in her mind since so long.

“I love you.”

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.