Chap 15 I’m Always with YOU …
The farm house was a two rooms set, attached with a well equipped kitchen, and a lobby arranged in a rustic look, complete with cane easy chairs and an old antic brass table with a glass top. Pots with natural green plants arranged well to add to its beauty, surrounded with an uneven lush green garden, developed naturally, resembling a small hill top, tall mango and custard-apple trees and backyard used for growing vegetables. On one side was a swimming pool, attached with a water slide, covered on all sides by tall bamboos, tied together so as to create a private area to relax without any prying eyes. Credit for maintaining the farm so well went to Raghav and his family, who stayed in the caretaker quarters in the front.
Hearing the horn of their car, Raghav came out and opened the main gate , welcoming them with a RAM- RAM and a pleasant smile on his face. Ghazal was meeting him after a long time, yet she could not miss his natural affection for her and Vrinda, whom he was seeing for the first time. His wife was already in the kitchen, with tea ready with a plate of cookies and potato chips. A shy woman with a pleasant face, she bowed her head and tried to touch her feet, but she retreated and smiling wished her with a namaste .
After tea and snacks, Ghazal and Vrinda headed towards the pool, while Arun was talking with Raghav. Slipping into their costumes, both of them got into the pool, sliding through the water slide. Splashing and swimming, an activity both of them loved, Vrinda having learnt swimming in her school, thoroughly enjoyed herself. Arun joined them a little later, three of them played pool volley-ball, accompanied by Vrinda’s shrieks of laughter . Ghazal watched her angel with wet eyes, her heart filled with mixed feelings, that of happiness as well as remorse. She was oblivious of Arun’s eyes watching her, with a tender look on his face, his heart heavy with the thoughts about where his ego and misunderstanding have taken their life. For an instant, their eyes met and he quickly looked away.
Three of them ate their lunch in the garden, Arun and Vrinda played badminton after that and Ghazal sat with a book on the garden swing. The cool wind and swimming had its effect and she dozed off in the reclining position on the swing, with book in her hand. A slight caress on her cheek made her open her sleepy eyes, bringing a smile on her lips as she saw the familiar face of Vaibhav, smiling down at her with loads of love and affection in his eyes. He sat down on the swing near her, holding her hand in his and bringing it to his lips, kissing it tenderly. Her eyes filled with moisture at the tenderness and before she could say anything, he asked, “How’s my angel ?”
“I’m not good, Where have you been, all this while? I missed you so much. Shona don’t ever leave me alone. I was so lonely without you…….”, She replied with a tear flowing down her cheek.
He wiped the tear gently with his finger and hugged her close in his arms, soothing her and moving his hand in her hair. She relaxed and smiled at him with all her love in her eyes. “I’m always with you honey, never feel yourself alone. Whenever you’ll think of me with eyes closed, you’ll find me close to you. But you have to promise me one thing, that you’ll always be happy. I can’t bear to see you cry, You know na honey?”, He said caressing her hair,with one hand, and the other arm around her shoulder.
She nodded and smiled at him fondly. He hugged her once more, she held him tight, closing her eyes and feeling his love. Suddenly someone shook her arm, startled she opened her eyes to see Vrinda and Arun standing there and Vrinda saying something to her. Unable to grasp what she said, Ghazal stared at her blankly and then looked around for Vaibhav, growing impatient to find him gone, realising a bit late that she had been dreaming and he had been a part of her dream. A wave of sadness filled her again, hiding her tears, she smiled at her angel and getting up , walked with them towards the house. Evening was fast approaching, with Sun going down slowly and gradually, shades of red and yellow colouring the sky.
Hearing the horn of their car, Raghav came out and opened the main gate , welcoming them with a RAM- RAM and a pleasant smile on his face. Ghazal was meeting him after a long time, yet she could not miss his natural affection for her and Vrinda, whom he was seeing for the first time. His wife was already in the kitchen, with tea ready with a plate of cookies and potato chips. A shy woman with a pleasant face, she bowed her head and tried to touch her feet, but she retreated and smiling wished her with a namaste .
After tea and snacks, Ghazal and Vrinda headed towards the pool, while Arun was talking with Raghav. Slipping into their costumes, both of them got into the pool, sliding through the water slide. Splashing and swimming, an activity both of them loved, Vrinda having learnt swimming in her school, thoroughly enjoyed herself. Arun joined them a little later, three of them played pool volley-ball, accompanied by Vrinda’s shrieks of laughter . Ghazal watched her angel with wet eyes, her heart filled with mixed feelings, that of happiness as well as remorse. She was oblivious of Arun’s eyes watching her, with a tender look on his face, his heart heavy with the thoughts about where his ego and misunderstanding have taken their life. For an instant, their eyes met and he quickly looked away.
Three of them ate their lunch in the garden, Arun and Vrinda played badminton after that and Ghazal sat with a book on the garden swing. The cool wind and swimming had its effect and she dozed off in the reclining position on the swing, with book in her hand. A slight caress on her cheek made her open her sleepy eyes, bringing a smile on her lips as she saw the familiar face of Vaibhav, smiling down at her with loads of love and affection in his eyes. He sat down on the swing near her, holding her hand in his and bringing it to his lips, kissing it tenderly. Her eyes filled with moisture at the tenderness and before she could say anything, he asked, “How’s my angel ?”
“I’m not good, Where have you been, all this while? I missed you so much. Shona don’t ever leave me alone. I was so lonely without you…….”, She replied with a tear flowing down her cheek.
He wiped the tear gently with his finger and hugged her close in his arms, soothing her and moving his hand in her hair. She relaxed and smiled at him with all her love in her eyes. “I’m always with you honey, never feel yourself alone. Whenever you’ll think of me with eyes closed, you’ll find me close to you. But you have to promise me one thing, that you’ll always be happy. I can’t bear to see you cry, You know na honey?”, He said caressing her hair,with one hand, and the other arm around her shoulder.
She nodded and smiled at him fondly. He hugged her once more, she held him tight, closing her eyes and feeling his love. Suddenly someone shook her arm, startled she opened her eyes to see Vrinda and Arun standing there and Vrinda saying something to her. Unable to grasp what she said, Ghazal stared at her blankly and then looked around for Vaibhav, growing impatient to find him gone, realising a bit late that she had been dreaming and he had been a part of her dream. A wave of sadness filled her again, hiding her tears, she smiled at her angel and getting up , walked with them towards the house. Evening was fast approaching, with Sun going down slowly and gradually, shades of red and yellow colouring the sky.
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