I gave a soft knock on Pari's door and popped my head in, " You busy, Princess ?"
She was sitting on her study table with the scrapbooks opened, " Just putting the latest pictures from Khushi's birthday, Mom must be waiting to see them."
I sat on her bed and she came to sit next to me, settling her head my shoulder, "So what did you want to talk about?"
I cleared my throat, "You know Princess, remember we talked about this morning ?About what your mom was saying ?"
Pari picked up her head off my shoulder to look at me, " Dad, we have been over this so many times and you know that I am not ready to get married."
"Sweetheart, you can't take care of us for the rest of your life, you need to start a new phase of your life."
"No Dad, I refuse to abandon my siblings. We lost Mom when I was only fourteen and Khushi just turned fifteen. I won't make her motherless again. I may be her sister but I have loved her like a mother these past years ", Pari's eyes filled with tears. I reached out to cradle her face and drew her close to my chest. "I can't abandon my children Dad, I know the pain of losing a mother, I can't let them suffer again.", she spoke in my chest, her body shaking with sobs.
At this very moment, I felt so hopeless,lost as to what to say to my daughter. My daughter who was a mother to her siblings, a daughter who took care of me and steadied me. I didn't know how to console her because her words were true; she is a mother to her siblings but how would I face Geet if I fail as a father ?
I drew her back and wiped her tears away. "Baby, your siblings would never want you put your happiness before theirs. Do you think they would be happy knowing you are refusing marriage because of them?"
Pari stayed silent for a few moments and I knew my words had some impact on her. "I won't go against you Dad and I know you want me to be happy but please give me some time to think."
I stood up and planted a kiss on her forehead, "Take your time to think. Your mother made me promise on her deathbed to get you married to a man just like myself and I have never broken a promise I made to her. That promise means a lot to you too ." She simply nodded.
Going into my room, I went into the cupboard and pulled out a velvet box. Going back to Pari's room, I opened the box and placed her mother's kangan in her palm. "Hold on this Princess, it's time you keep what belongs to you."
Though I didn't want to leave her alone but I still gave her the space she needed, I wandered off to the terrace. Setting on the bench, I lifted my head to gaze at the bright stars and somewhere in that sky, my Geet was there too.
"Geet, I need you here baby. I need you. I couldn't be a mother to my daughter today like I said I could be. She needs you Geet. We need you." Tears blurred the bright stars and I closed my eyes letting my sorrow run free."
I am here baby,I am always going to be here with you.
********
I don't know how long I sat on the bench letting my tears out but well into the night with a splitting headache, I made my way inside the house. Soft sobs outside Pari's room stopped my dead in my tracks. I slowly pushed the door open and Pari sat there with her back towards me.
There my daughter was sitting the darkness with her curtain opens with the moon and stars illumining her room. But it was the kangan and her mother's picture frame cradled in her hands that broke my heart. It was the tears that streamed down her cheeks, it was the sobs that shook her that made me want to cry.
"Mommy, I don't know what to do. I just don't know what to do. I don't want Khushi to be like I was when you left us, she can barely get ready in the morning without my help. Neev is older now, but he is still that messy eight-year-old boy. What will happen when I leave? How will I take care of them?" She stopped to take a breath and then hugged her mother close to her chest looking at Geet's kangan. "But how can I forget your last words? You want your Princess married to a Prince just like Daddy. I can't hurting Daddy the way I been lately. I know he wants only my happiness but how do I tell him that I don't want to leave his kingdom? "
Her words became too much to bear but yet I stood there with silent tears unable to reach out to my daughter.
Soon her exhaustion got to her and she drifted off to sleep with the picture and kangan still in her hands. I went up to her pulling the blanket over her. I wiped the last of her tears, took the frame and kangan and set it on her night stand. " Daddy is sorry he made his Princess cry.", I said running a loving hand through her hair.
*********
I opened my eyes just the first rays of light touched the room. Sleep hadn't come easily last night with my worry for Pari. It was far too early for her to be awake but I wanted to check up on her.
Walking quietly, I checked on Neev and Khushi before I stopped at Pari's door. I had left the door open a bit and slowly pushed it open. I was surprised to see Pari's eyes flutter open.
"Daddy? ", she asked as she rubbed her eyes.
"Sorry princess, I didn't mean to wake you.", I said walking over to her bed. I sat next to her, and like Khushi did every morning I woke her, Pari rested her head in my lap silently asking me to give her the comfort her mother once again her.
"It's okay Daddy, I didn't mean to upset you last night." She placed a hand over mine and looked up at me. "I am sorry Daddy."
"Don't be sorry my Princess. I just want to do what is best for you."
"I know, and I thought about it last night."
"And?"
"And my decision is that I will marry the man of your choice." A smile began to form on my lips. "But only if he is willing to wait three years ."
"but baby, why three years ?"
She sat up to face me, " Khushi will turn eighteen and she will know how to take care of herself. And even Neev will be older. You know what I mean ?" she seemed unsure how I would take her words.
I was willing to accept the three years, Yash was ready to wait but would he be wait three whole years ?
"Okay princess, I will only get you married after three years. But there is someone I want you to meet."
"Really? You already picked someone?"
"Yes, but I will tell you about him later on. For now, you need to sleep."
With a smile, she settled her head back on my lap. Running my fingers through her hair, she drifted back to sleep within minutes.
Three years later
The Khurana Mansion was decorated and lit with brightness. The whole house was buzzing with excitement. I ran downstairs with Neev behind trying to direct the servants and the extra staff that was hired.
"Champ, is pandji here yet ?"
"Don't worry, I will check on that. You go check on Pari, The barat will be here any minute now."
With that, I dashed upstairs to my daughter's room. "You girls ready yet ?", I asked with a knock.
"Come in Daddy.", Khushi's voice came.
I entered the room and saw girls surrounding Pari. She stood up and turned around to face me. My eyes instantly filled with tears. My daughter was looking like a true Princess today decked up in traditional red lengha.
A few moments passed and I was unable to find the words to praise my child. Pari and Khushi's friends all filed out.
"How do I look Daddy ?"
I stepped forward and held his sister by the shoulders as I watched her with loving eyes.
"You look so beautiful Princess just like the angel you really are.", I said as he cradled her face in his palm and then hugged her close.
"I wish Mommy was here too. I miss her so much today." I nodded with understanding and wiped her tears away.
"She are here princess, she are looking at us right now.", I said and looked above feeling the presence of her. Her smiling face as she would look at her daughter adored as a bride.
Khushi came and handed me the velvet box, " I think Mom would want you to put the kangan on Di."
I held the kangan for the few moments, reminiscing the day of our wedding when I had first seen the kangan on her. "I fulfilled my promise today Geet. Our daughter is getting married." I slipped it on Pari wrist and hugged her close.
She gazed at the kangan, running her finger over it. This kangan was her mother's blessing on her wedding day. "I love you Mommy, I miss you."
She hugged me, "I love you too Daddy. Your Princess wishes she didn't have to leave her Daddy's kingdom."
"You will always be my Princess, no matter what happens.", I kissed her forehead.
"Dad, i checked everything downsatirs and--- ", Neev stopped mid sentence as he entered the room and saw everyone's teary eyes. He understood why everyone was sad, we were all remembering the special woman. I extended a hand for Khushi and Neev.
I slipped my arms around my children as we took a few moments to remember the special woman we were all missing today.
********
I brought my Princess to the altar and sat her next to her Prince Charming. Yash had truly become her prince charming, ready to wait a lifetime to marry her. Yash had made a place in Pari's heart in no time and I knew he would keep her happy, just like I knew Geet wanted. I watched as the priest did the mantras. She watched as they took their seven pheras together and I threw flowers at them. She watched everything with a smile but there were tears in my eyes. Tears for princess who was leaving towards a new life , tears for my Geet who wasn't here for this special day.
I am here Maan, I told you I would always be here. I felt her soft hand as she laced our fingers together.
Geet was right; she is always going be here, right in my heart, in the faces and hearts of my children. Her memories were here forever, Hamesha and Forever.
So how was it ? Do comment and like.😊
And readers who follow silent suffering, I know that a update has been due for a long time, my apologies. I did get started on it, give a few days
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As always, love, love, love
Reya <3
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
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