Endless Love-OS

His own eyes stared back at him, imbuing his heart with that memory which enabled him to triumph over that traumatic incident whose memory was incapable to being put up with, over the last ten years. His eyes became glassy for the water had successfully made it to the edge of those cascades and surging to flow down as he looked at the masterpiece brought to life by the artistic hands of his dexterous artist wife Kalpana; his Kalpi. The large picture frame hanging on top of the bed, augmenting the wondrous aura of their appealing bedroom, was in a league of its own and close to his heart, not because it was her first Valentine gift for him after marriage, neither because it was a painting of him. That picture had always been a souvenir of arrant comfort as well as an enduring perception to him that he was the love of her life; her inamorato for eternity. "I draw what I love; My passion." That's what Kalpana would always say about her drawings and depictions of nature that was not her profession but hobbies at which she indeed was a dab hand. The memory of that unprecedented day collided with the others replaying in his mind, begetting the massive explosion of emotions that rushed through every fibre of his being.

They say that bad memories make you cry, but Life's ironic and the fact is, it's the happiest of memories that would drag you toward the pool of tears- It was not the first valentine's day of their lives, probably the first one with they being saturated in each other's love thrice profoundly. There was no constraints, no impediment, no stones left in their life, which though was not perfect, yet wonderful like a fairy tale owning the two of them as one soul and the ocean of their unconditional undearment. They wished each other first thing in the morning, in the best possible way a man and wife can. A few hours later Kalpi looked quite sexy in her blouse and skirt as she was getting dressed in saree, just then Raghav popped up in front of her eyes, "Kalpi, let me make you wear this saree!" He said, excitement etched in his face as he smiled like a child that was about to play his favourite game. Knowing from last experience where this saree session could lead to, Kalpi gave him a haughty look, sufficient for him to learn that she wasn't buying his idea. "No, thank you. I can man..." he showed off his lightning quick reflexes, as he hastily grabbed hold of the saree from her hand, without giving her a chance to finish her sentence . "You dress up and wear Sarees for me, so as a husband it's my duty of share work to you." His lips curved up on one side in half sexy smile, that toyed with mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Oh!! My loving, caring and responsible husband, where does your so called duty go when I spend My weekends cleaning up the mess you make of the entire house, hmmm? She spoke, pulling his cheeks, making a way out of his lips for a hysterical laugh. Raghav chuckled and began laughing, at that point she too joined him in the laughter, before she began speaking again, "Morever, if it was for you, I wouldn't clothe myself with anything." Raghav was a bit surprised at her statement, but then she had every right to be naughty and smutty with him. "Whooo, Keep your wildness and dangerous intentions in check my hungry tigress! He said, "Till I return home in the evening." Winking , he added. This made them burst into laughter once again.

Kalpi suddenly heaved a sigh of surprise, then let out a gasp of pleasure, experiencing the soft touch of his rough fingertips against her velvety skin, as he tucked the top edge of the plain end of the saree into the waistband of her skirt without warning. Proceeding further, his adept hands draped the saree around her lower body, meanwhile Kalpi took notice of his expressions, frowns, sighs and smiles. And then putting the finishing touch on his work he put the palla of the saree neatly on her left shoulder. "Done!" he spoke. Placing hands on her shoulders, he stepped back a little. Sliding his gaze up and down her body, he gave his wondrous work a final check, "Hmmm. Perfect. I'm too good!" He praised himself as if he had defeated Alexandar the Great in a battle. (he inherited this Saree phnana talent from his father, khandani sareewalas) 😆

Kalpi's eyes gleamed with joy of the sight of her husband's handsome face, which at the moment looked like a child's. Without further ado, she hugged him tight and spoke, "Yes you are! My personal Saree wala, My Raghav. I..." "Love you so much." He completed her statement.

"Hey?" he whispered, as he detached her upper body from his. "Hmm?" she looked at him questioningly. He took a small red velvet casket out of his pocket and handed it to her by saying, "A gift on the day of love, as elegant and classy as My lovely wife."

Had it been possible to pluck the stars from the sky, Raghav would have definitely brought one for her, ergo he chose the star on the earth- a round brillian cut diamond, which bagged him a look of surprise on her face, twinkle in her eyes followed by her divine smile. He bit his fervent lips at the innocent, or more like a sensuous sight. Unable to hold back the sudden sensation that set the urge to eat that sweet thing off her lips on fire, he grabbed her, pulling her closer to him, and let out a loud groan as her knee crashed into his thigh. Blood rushed to her cheeks as he stifled her soft moans when he smashed his lips into hers and kissed her repeatedly. In no time the room was filled with her silky moans mingled with his smacking groans.

Later on at the mention of his Valentine gift, he was dragged out of the house for office with a promise of surprise gift once he returns.

By lunchtime various guesses and assumptions about the surprise had almost eaten up Raghav's brain. Talk about heavy diet of bollywood romance, he came back home in the hope of getting surprised with romantic candlelit dinner follow by their sensuous love making under dim lights and aroma of scented candles, with red and white rose petals and heart shaped ballons scattered everywhere around the room to behold their empyrean love. But, As soon as he stepped into his room his grin which had been giving tough competition to the chesire cat a moment ago, jumped out of the window, for there was no light of even a white pillar candle, let alone scented candles and roses. The shine on his face turned off like a lightbulb turned off due to a power outage. His patience began to snap. Grumpy, he began to turn around to call her name at the top of his voice, and there he caught it, his gift which left him bereft of speech and rooted to the spot in surprise for a minute or two. "You like it?" at her voice, he managed to move and turned back toward her. She was standing there in her striped apron, a wooden spatula in her right hand, patches of white flour on her cheeks; aftermaths of baking his favourite coffee cake. He was amazed at how even her messy look turned out a beautiful and delightful sight to behold. "Like it? Baby, this is certainly the best gift I've received so far!" he said, his baritone voice soft, like a caress. "Well then, you owe me a thank you?" She said, there was a challenging glint in her eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by Raghav. Chuckling he walked up to her. With a stroke of his fingers, he tucked her hair behind both of her ears, then cupping her face in his hands, he whispered "Thank You," before placing feathery kiss on her forehead, "Thank you," He whispered again, placing light kiss on her eyelids. He kissed her on nose, cheeks; everywhere on her face, whispering Sweet Thank you before every kiss.

Kalpi was so riveted by the avalanche of his velvety kisses that she simply couldn't realize when she was pulled into his arms in a tight embrace, her head rested against his chest as she listened to his beating heart, she was drunk on his male scent, his fragnant cologne. Her head spun and she slid her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoes, and leaned in to devour his lips.

Sleep forgot to hit the door of his eyes, that night, or perhaps, the colossal elation shaking a leg inside his frame had deprived him of it. Beaming, he kept on watching her innocent sleeping face and the painting alternately.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That was one of the most beautiful days of his life, but today, on their twelfth Valentine's she was not by his side, to make plans with him, and surprise him with her artistry. His heart became heavy, vacillating between gratifying remembrance and dolour. When he could handle the heaviness of his heart no longer, he dropped down onto the foot of the bed, covered his face with his palms, and let his heart shed its sorrow out, through his eyes.

A dreadful accident had crippled his heart and turned his life topsy-turvy. To Raghav it seemed worse than death at the time. The tragic irony of life absconded with his love and happiness all of a sudden, splashing the reality of life into his face that we all are mere puppets in the hands of destiny. Five years of wedding bliss, and they were full of beans, cocooned in the prepetuity of endearment. It was a proud day for Singania family. Kalpi had touched new heights in her career, being promoted to company's new CEO, that too at just 30. Raghav indeed was a proud husband, so overjoyed at remarkable achievement of his wife, that very proudly he shared the news with all his friends and his office staff. He took off early from work, and decided to surprise her with something he hadn't done for her before, about which he didn't have to scratch his head much as the answer popped up promptly and that was Cooking.

"And now we add some water, so that it doesn't burn." He said, talking to his two year old daughter Ruhi, sitting in her high chair at a safe distance from gas stove, eyeing her Daddy fight the Pan with Spatula, warily. Considering the amount of water he added into bindi, he was complete novice in cooking. Just as he dalloped salt into bhindi, the baby squealed, hitting her forehead with the inside of her little fingers, as if she had caught the boo-boo, Daddy dear had just made.

Kalpi was just a few miles away to eat the most weird bhindi , when a drunken truck driver, coming from the other direction, hit her car, it flipped over again and again and landed by the side of the road upside down, with a crash. Kalpi was taken to the nearest hospital immediately.

Raghav was rolling out the dough like a reuleaux triangle, when his phone rang up and the very nexy minute he was running out of the house for the hospital like a maniac.

He reached the hospital in no time and was forced to wait outside while doctors were doing their best to resuscitate his wife and bring her back from the edge of death. Alternating between sitting on a bench outside the operation theatre and pacing up and down the corridor in fear and trepidation, he prayed for her well being and speedy recovery. He didn't know why but he felt angry at himself, maybe he was angry at his misfortune. First his parents and now his bad luck was behind his Kalpi. After 8 hours of emergency surgery, which seemed like ages to Raghav, the door of the operation theatre creaked and the doctor came out. Raghav immediately stood up from the bench and went speechless. Doctor looked into his eyes. A hodgepodge of fear, unsaid queries and hope had flooded them with unshed tears.

After exhaling a long deep breath, doctor managed to enounce words,"The injury to her head was grave. The good news is that she's alive and the bad news is that she had slipped into coma after surgery."

Raghav's heart stopped beating for a few seconds, his senses, his organs; his entire body had been paralyzed by the stroke of bad luck for a moment. Somehow he limped toward doctor and asked in a low, shaky voice, "What are the chances of her recovering fully?"

"To be honest, the chances of her pull through it are unknown, it could be days, months, years, forever or...never." Doctor replied, pausing for a second before never, patting him consolingly on shoulder, his voice full of commiseration at his plight. " he continued, "You have to be strong. Hope is the elixir..." "I want to see My wife doctor", Raghav interrupted distressingly. "Ok, in an hour." Came the reply.

Kalpi had been shifted to special ward. Raghav trod slowly to her room in choked desolation. Taking a deep breath, he called on all his courage, before walking in. As soon as he stepped into the room, a tornado of emotions ripped through him- anger, sorrow, fear and anxiety. None willing to wait for its turn in line. Devastating dread ploughed through him, and he couldn't hold himself straight. He stumbled backward until his back hit the door and slipped down to the floor. Tears welled up from the bottom of his soul, found their way out his eyes and ran unchecked.

His spry, sparkling Kalpi, whose smile was his happiness, and voice his music laid there in the hospital bed lifeless, bandages wrapped around her forehead, bruises on her face . Her tiny body was hooked up to several machines, a tape on her arm holding the various tubes and wires in place. As still as a statue he kept staring at her hand constantly, waiting for her to move it and gesture him to come closer. Alas, it didn't happen.

He stood up, pulled a chair beside her bed and sat down. He'd never seen her so calm before and that calmness was killing him every passing moment. He picked up her cold faint hand in his and kissed it several times.

"Hello Pretty woman, Oh, Miss CEO Congrats hun." He said trying to hold back the tears, "I know you can hear me Kalpi. Please open your eyes and talk to me." He kissed her on lips like the prince who kissed his princess on her lips and brought her back into his life again, however his princess being more stubborn seemed not to give a chance of winning her over easily. He placed his head on her chest lightly and tuned in to her heart beat- right now the only proof of her being alive other than the EKG machine. "I love you and I need you, Ruhi needs you, come back My love please. He whispered in a profoundly sorrowful voice and his tears started sopping her Johnny.

"It's impossible. Without you my life will be bleak and meaningless." Said the voice in his mind, concomitant with a series of memories embracing their cute fights, witty repartee, her pregnancy, their sweet time and what not.

Even after one month there was no improvement in Kalpi's condition, she was still comatose. Raghav did his damnedest to wake her up, he was there with her almost all the time, with a lamp of hope to getting her back, in his heart. He didn't want their baby to see her mother in such grievous conditions. Despite her constant cries for her mother he kept her from seeing Kalpi. Her developing mind was not balanced enough yet, to take in the severity of their life. But how long he could have kept a daughter away from her Mother? A new hope suddenly sprang in his heart that warmth of Ruhi's proximity might do the magic that his couldn't.

As soon as Raghav put Ruhi down onto the hospital bed, an endearing smile adorned her cute face. She lay down beside Kalpi, wrapping her little arm around her Mumma's waist, expecting to be loved, hugged and caressed by her. When it didn't come up, she poked Kalpi's cheek with her tiny finger. Kalpi didn't respond to anything, Ruhi's smile, her voice, her touch, nothing could bring about a movement in her body.

Ruhi's baby heart had certainly sensed that there was something wrong with her Mother. She started crying bitterly, Raghav immediately reached out to pick her up and comfort her in his arms, pool of tears gathered in his own eyes though. "Paaa! Mum Mum?" she mumbled, looking directly into his eyes, pointing her finger toward Kalpi. Raghav saw query on her tear-stained face, her brows forming the barely perceptible frown. Raghav was speechless with sorrow, had nothing to say in response to her so unclear yet so clear words. After that day he never took Ruhi to Kalpi, until she hadn't been a little mature to deal with her Mother's state of being superfluous calm and quiet.

It was really hard for Raghav to cope with Life's challenges without Kalpi being there to deal with them along. He had no other option than to collect the broken pieces of his heart and stick them back together for his unconscious wife and his toddler needed the strongest of him. For almost a year his office visits were restricted to a few minutes of his time to sign official documents. His friend cum business partner Sammy and his loyal and devoted staff handled everything unbelievably well in his absence, and emerged as his big support system in the hardest period of life.

He wanted to bring Kalpi back home, but Doctors didn't give him green single to do so, as according to them the best for her is to stay in hospital under the care of doc, all the time. Since then he'd go to visit her daily, spend hours sitting beside her, read novels and newspapers to her, and do nothing but stare at her sleeping face, holding her hand.

He understood that he couldn't do anything to change the situation so he'd to grit his teeth and put up with it. He did get back to life, take charge of all the responsibilities totally in his hand after a period of time, but those who knew him closely could see through his sham smiles and futile efforts to appear normal.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Just as Raghav's text message alert went off with an almighty beep, pulling him back into the contemporary society from the joy and affliction of remembrances, he wiped his tear stained face with the back of his hand and walked over to his closet. He took out his finest coat and donned it, before moving across the room to pick up his car keys that lay on the bedside table.

On the way to the hospital, he pulled the car up in front of a florist's, and within the next five minutes he had beautiful red roses, pink lilies, red and white carnation tied together on sticks with a red ribbon, blushing over his hand. The entire city had air of being swamped with love potion. From stores to malls, Valentine's day seemed to reign supreme that time.

As soon as Raghav strode into the hospital, he got greeted by the quotidian sight of Mrs. Braganza's bonny smile. She was a middle aged Hospital receptionist, a regular spectator of Raghav's unlimited love for his sleeping beauty for seven years. "Hey Handsome!" she said and her eyes travelled down to the flowers in his hand, with a look that said they were adorable. Her cultured voice chirping, her hands lifted as she leaned onto her desk, putting manicured fingure over a file, rested before her on the desk. "Hi beautiful." Raghav spoke, walking up to her desk.

"Before you propose to me with these flowers , let me tell you that I'm only gonna break your heart for I'm already taken." Mrs. Braganza had smirked a little, before she looked up at him, raising her chin slightly and tilting her head back.

Raghav laughed quietly, immediately. Everytime she toyed with him playfully, a smile promptly cropped up on his face. "Uh hmm, I do think that we could have made a beautiful couple if,... I were not taken too." He gave her a frisky wink, at which she was unable to stop her own smile from spreading across her lips. Ragahav pulled out the bar of chocolate that was in his pocket, in midterm of her smile, "For now, this for you," He said, as he handed it to her as a simple token of gratitude for bringing long ropeable smile on his face, once in a while. "Aha! I'm a chocoholic, thanks!" she spoke, "But I like flowers as well." She gave him a comical grin. "Sorry-these are for someone else." Chuckling, he said before he turned around and walked across the lobby toward the elevator. "Crazy guy!" breathed Mrs. Braganza after his retreating form.

Raghav reached forward to push the up button. The elevator door ping open and a old couple walked out slowly. The gentleman nodded his head in his direction, with a gentle smile, out of courtesy, which he returned twofold, gently stepping into the elevator, wonderstruck for reason mysterious to him. He reached forward and hit the button for the sixth floor, where her room was, and watched as the doors close slowly. The moment they shut, Elevator shuddered before lurching into life, so did Raghav at a sudden sensation of a tight grip around his upper arm. He immediately turned his head toward it, only to descry his wife in a cold sweat, with her eyes sealed shut, hands holding his arm tightly, as if it was some sort of Harculean task required her strength to the utmost. All in all, she looked like a skittish cat, who was afraid of being trapped in elevator. A low chuckle involuntarily slipped past his lips and he let out a small, uncontrolled laugh.

In a trice the air shifted and Raghav felt slight disorientation. The elevator had stopped. The doors were open, and Kalpi had evanesced.

The inexorable pain pierced his heart anew, to which he didn't want to pay any heed ,so covering it up with a one liner "Wherever you go, our network follows!' he stepped out and the elevator doors pinged closed behind him.

Within less than a minute walk he reached where his soul lived. He slowly pushed open the door. And there she was lying supine on the bed, her chest moved up and down slowly at a constant rate, her eyes were closed and she looked very serene as always. Sunlight peeping through the cracks of the window curtain, illuminated the entire room, and it too appeared undisturbed and serene. He walked up to her and stood over gazing down at her. She was so beautiful even in her deep slumber. Raghav wanted to sommer hold her in his arms and take somewhere very far away where even her unconsciouness couldn't follow them.

He bent down a bit, and held the flowers out toward her face,"Most beautiful flowers for the most beautiful woman. Happy Valentine's Day My Love." He spoke up. He let the flowers fragnance mingle with the air being inhaled for some moments, so that it might curl up inside her head, fill her senses, and overwhelm her innermost self. Leaning down he kissed her forehead and then straightened himself up and put the flowers into the vase on the bedside table. He pulled the chair from the corner of the room, arranged it at the side of the bed , reached over and picked up the thick novel, which was at the top of the pile on the table, and sat own. "Hmm, let's see if Mrs. Ivory finds out her husband is having an affair?" he said, opening the book to where he'd left off the day before.

Before he resumed reading her a beautiful yet rugged love journey of Lara and Joe Ivory, he had a sudden thought. His one hand coupled up two halves of the book and placed it back on its previous locus while the other held hers firmly. "Hey, would you like to hear a new story today? A real story, not action packed as fiction, still very exceptional, because, it has us; the story of you and me?"

No matter how many times he tried, he couldn't even lay the foundations of delineate their very own love story; their fairy tale, which did have a happy climax, howbeit, it couldn't have been categorized as one of the happily ever after story through her prolonged sleep. And this reality was equally gut wrenching as it had always been, since the very first day of its kick off. He encased her hand in both of his and rested his gently against it, and In no time all his cells were indulging little by little in reminiscence of the saga of their love that flourished against all the odds and that Kalpi didn't need to be told, for it had been written on her heart for aye already, and was as fresh as a May gowan somewhere in her mind.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Kalpi, will you wait for me? One day I'll come back to take you along, and we'll be together forever after that!" said teenager Raghav to very young Kalpi, wiping tears out of the corners of her eyes with the knuckles of his thumbs.

Kalpi sighed, and her deep eyes expressed sadness, "I'll!" she spoke, nodding cutely, and Raghav suppressed his smile' "Promise?" he asked.

"Promise!" she replied, And the next some moments were simply worthy of being encapsulated in a camera, or limned by a painting, as they were in possession of a sight that was too adorable to be missed.

Kalpi had jumped up to hug him, her arms around his neck, her legs dangling in the air, and she was clung to him like a damp clothes against a wet body. Raghav was taken aback at first by unexpected experience he'd just experienced, which was not unreasonable as she'd never physically expressed the affection he knew her heart held for him,however, her mind needed to grow up in order to get to the bottom of its elucidation.

In two ticks his amazement had been replaced by sheer delight, his arms spontaneously hooked around her, pulling her more firmly against him and he twirled her around making her giggle like anything.

There was one thing he was very sure about that time that what he felt for her had only one destination and that was love; just love.

Kalpi had made a promise with a boy she knew for only a half year, nevertheless had bonded with for a lifetime.

Raghav was only 15 years old when he lost his parents in a car crash. Their love for each other must have been mighty deep, to such an extent that even death couldn't separate them. They set foot on the the final stage of their love hand in hand, leaving behind a son all by himself in the reality of a cruel world.

Sudden death of the owner of Singhania Construction created a vacuum at all level, leaving company scurring arround for right administration, and its ommission had the business insolvent.

His relatives had lent colour to the saying 'People reveal their true colours during worst storms of your life', he had been altogether devastated, shattered, helpless and destitude when Sahil Kapoor who had once been his Father's business partner brought him into his house to transmogrify him into a puppet of his,😆 when the time arrive . That's where he descried her, as a light at the end of the tunnel, a dream from life or a reason to live? Raghav had not a semblance of either thought that time, but, for how long?

Sitting on the floor of Kapoor House's lavish drawing room, across from him, she seemed to be wrapeed up in something, but what? That Raghav didn't notice as sitting right beside her on the couch, tapping quickly on the key board of her Smart phone using middle finger, Kapoor Princess Pakhi momentarily grabbed his attention, by the haughty look on whose face Raghav knew for sure that he'd never like to have a glimpse of her again.

He shifted his gaze back to Kalpi, and watched as her hand moved a pencil effortlessly across a white drawing paper. About a minute later a chubby lady entered into the picture from the Kitchen, "Kalpi, how many times do I have to tell you,Do your homework and concentrate on your studies only? Don't waste time on doing anything stupid, got it?!" Her anger visible on her face as well as audible in her voice. She bent down and quickly grabbed the paper, In a flash it had been torn up into small uneven pieces. If only she'd noticed that her 10 years old baby made her sketch.

Raghav failed to solve the mystery of what amazed him more? A young girl being scolded by her mother for drawing or a ting prick he felt somewhere inside his internal being, during the time that the radiance of her smile brutally killed by dejection.

Later he learned that the girl was the daughter of Junior Kapoors- Prem and Pakhi's caretaker Kamla, and if his life was a storm of devastation, hers was no less. Her father died of tuberculosis when she was just five years old. They were hit hard by misfortune. When education and degrees could have been her armor against the challenges of life, Kamla had none. Somehow she managed to get a job at Kapoor house and worked hard that she might afford to give education to her daughter. She used to take Kalpi along at work after her school, so that she could keep an eye on her as she studied. Prem and Pakhi were very fond of Kamla a lot, but neither of the kapoors had a warm feeling for Kalpi.

Since Kamla'd understood the actual worth of money in the life, all her dreams and hopes impromptu directed to Kalpi and her progress toward to be a rich woman. Rigidity of life's up and down concealed Kalpi's sad eyes from Kamla's. She failed to see that her extremely clever and obedient daughter didn't laugh like other children did, nor did she ask for anything.

In less than a week Raghav had realized that he and Junior Kapoors couldn't pull together, as Sahil Kapoor had given a long rope to his children, and about Sahil's wife Neetu? Well, to be able to see through her fake concerns didn't require an eagle eye. To Raghav she seemed nothing but an annoying big mouth duck.

The only person who never annoyed him in there was Kalpi. That studious, sensible and calm almond shaped eyes girl had forged a liking toward herself in his being. There was no two ways about it, after all they were meant to be together.

It all started with him help her solve a tricky maths problem she got stuck on. Next day she showed her gratitude to him via a Thank You card, she made keeping from her Mother, and magically a way to hearts sprang up.

They became so close in a very short time. Two people who hardly smiled, injected moments of laughter and being happy into each other's lives. They would listen to each other's words of wisdom, share their problems and griefs with each other, go to their favourite place- nearby beach, now and then and relish the remarkable sight of fisherman fishing against sunset over there, whereas others were not really aware of their growing affinity.

Raghav taught her how to balance studies with hobbies, and their camaraderie served as a much needed punch for his purposeless life, which all of a sudden directed him to achieve something big. And taking first step toward the dream he moved to the US, with the assistance of his Father's very old friend Mr. Mishra, leaving behind an innocent girl, linked with him through a promise.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Time flies! It had been 15 years since then. Kalpi grew up into a beautiful, industrious, wise and successful young woman. A PGDM from IIM Bangalore, and a position as Chief Marketing Officer of Kapoor Construction added dimensions to her glory. She left no stone unturned in fulfilling her Mother's dreams, while Kamla had not changed much. She was still the same subservient lady who only knew how to ditto Kapoors. Despite having a number of attractive job offers kalpi had to join Kapoor Construction corresponded to Kamla's wish. Sahil kapoor had lent them money for her college fee, consequently Kalpi had a perpetual duty of gratitude toward him as per Kamla, despite it that the loan had been paid within first three years of her tenure. She had always been interested in working in a Financial Institution, but Sahil's job offer happened in advance of it and she couldn't turn it down, however she had no issue with working under him as long as she was satisfied with her work.

Kalpi was happy and contented with whatever she had pulled off, hitherto. Her shinning at the edge of being perfect life would have touched the door, if a little twing had not been there in her heart. The person whose memories had always been there with her like her knight in shinning armour, during all these years, never showed up again . She knew they were not fully mature when they made that beautiful promise to each other besides, who keeps such promise as childish anyway? she did though,Yet she had not let any boy gain access to the centre of her heart so far.

"Kalpi, you're supposed to be with him by now! Hurry up my child!" Kamla all but pushed her out of the huge metallic door of their building. Was she half as beaming on her wedding day as she'd been today? Kalpi wanted to ask her Mother, but she decided otherwise. She lifted her long white gown slightly with both hands and began to walk toward her destination. In a while she left the city behind and get into a land which seemed too beautiful to be real. Trimmed emerald grass beneath her feet looked so fresh, as though it had been recently renewed, and the flowers growing all over the place looked rare and precious. The crystal clear sky, the fresh air which seemed infused with honey and roses astonished her. She turned around and her heart missed a beat, to hold up the weight of the delight her eyes suddenly met up with, it was a tree line pathway leading to a beautiful greystone castle that mesmerized her up to the hilt. The place was beautiful beyond belief that one could have spent the entire life over there cheerfully. She took a heavy breath and closed her eyes, taking in the ethereal silence of the environment breaking only by sweet chirps of some birds playing from one tree to another, and to break it further a clatter of hoofs along with a horse grunts emerged from behind the castle. Her eyes immediately opened as she heard the trample of hoofs grow louder, quicker. Her heart and her body worked on polar movements; the former beat as fast as the hoofs of the horse, while the latter stiffened in an effort to prevent trembling as she sighted a luminous white horse emerged from behind the castle cantering toward her, his satiny white mane flying in the wind, and the towering man on his back unidentifiable as his face was hidden behind a mask of dark blue velvet cloth that left only his eyes visible, still Kalpi was certain that he was not for whom her Mother had dressed her like a Princess, for he seemed even better.

The man pulled the reigns, forcing the horse to stop with a loud neigh, a few steps away from her. Once the horse was calmed he dismounted smoothly to stand next to it. Even with his face hidden, he looked every inch a fledging king in his smart attire. Dressed in white breeches and a delicate white shirt over that a striking navy blue coat with white facings and gold buttons, his boots were spotless, so highly polished that they glittered in the bright sun. His shoulders broad and straight like a warrior, his chin slightly down as he looked into her eyes . The initial moments of perplexity had faded away by the curiosity that was oozing out of every fibre of her petite frame and to her surprise she wasn't afraid or worried. Her curiosity reached another level eagerness at the moment that he began walking toward her, taking slow, deliberate steps. Up close, His brawny , almost six feet body had towered over her and she had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes.

Her hand reached up to his face, he didn't protest at which betokened his consent to unveil his face unto her, Kalpi felt a wave of relief swept over her hastily. Just as she was close to strip velvet cloth off his face, "Kalpi!" Kamla's shrill voice barged in from somewhere and everything went Stygian straight away.

Her eyes fluttered open, she woke up a little confused and shaken. She took in and let out a deep , audible breath, yawning she flipped over only to sight Kamla with her oh so beaming smile, and Of course, who else could it be? Of all disrupting things, her Mother's uninvited voice, reserved the right to cease her dream at the climax. She immediately sat up and leaned against the headrest of the bed. "Maa, what happened?" she spoke sluggishly.

"Finally you woke up sleepyhead." Kamla ensconced herself in bed before Kalpi, "It's your sangeet ceremony today and you were slumbering peacefully till afternoon?" she bleated, faking anger and continued speaking , "Your Prince is up so early and thus far practicing for the evening and look at you, lazybones." Still too drowsy to pay head to whatever Kamla had been speaking, Kalpi reached up to rub her eyes, and opened them slowly to find Kamla leaning toward her forehead.

Kamla pushed her dishelved locks away from her face and kissed her forehead, cupping her face, radiating her maternal affection, she then slid her hands down kalpi's arms and a smile appeared at the corner of her lips as she took her daughters hands in hers and looked down at the dark colour of beautiful mehndi design adorning them. "Deva! You know Kalpi, it is believed that darker the colour of the bride's mehndi, the more love she will get from her husband!" smiling broadly she looked over to Kalpi, who was listening to her calmly with unreadable expression on her face. Kamla resumed speaking, "That we already know how much Prem Baba loves you, right?"

Kalpi was going to tie the knot with Prem Kapoor in two days, one of the most eligible bachelors in Mumbai city, the apple of her own Mother's eye, Sahil Kapoor's heir and whatnot. The best resort in the city was booked for pre-wedding functions and rituals that had begun with their engagement ceremony, five days before.

Life is full of surprises, some of these surprises are highly unexpected yet equally pleasant. Despite the par excellence efforts of the most beautiful woman around, in order to go steady with him, Prem fell for the girl, he had looked down upon during their early days. This miracle came to pass while their working as a team on a joint venture project with another company. He was struck by Kalpi's intellect, She was a one off, no one else had her skills, so beautiful was her simplicity in its own glory, so deep and rich were her knowledge and instructive experiences, she had absolutely grown up into elegance and was not the type to ignore, how come he didn't notice it all before? now that he had, she instinctively became the biggest share holder of his attention. Even though it should have started with friendship, the lover boy having no patience left in him to follow the norm, jumped directly to marriage. His proposal too was incomparable- One day he sneaked into her office cabin before she arrived in the morning and kept a binder on her desk and hid behind the curtains. The moment he felt her presence his heartbeat shot up, but he managed to keep his breaths quiet and careful. Kalpi angled the binder so it faced her and flipped open the cover. The first sheet left her taken aback for some moments as it read "Ten reasons you should marry Prem" from first to tenth, all of them told her the same thing "Because he loves you so much." As soon as she finished reading, he showed up with the last sheet of the binder in his hand, seeking the answer to- "I Love You.Will you marry me?"as he recited it. Kalpi's mind was having trouble processing what he had said, it was actually a shock to hear it from his mouth. It was really hard to see the sense in him fell in love with her, but the sincerity of his sentiments reflecting in his eyes was really something; something hard not to take notice of. Prem was probably out of luck, in view of the fact that Kalpi rejected his proposal for she couldn't make a room for him in her heart. How would she when her heart belonged to someone else? so what that someone else had perhaps forgotten all about her? it was about her feelings ultimately.

Even though Prem's anger had always got the better of him, this time to his own amazement , he was more like hurt and restless. Love ain't always easy, he had to hang in there, moreover, he was not the kind of a man to give up easily, hence he knew what his next course of action would be, now his Kamla maa would help him reach his destination(Prem ki nayya hai Kamla ke bharose, uski nayya ko Kammo paar tu karai de).😆

Prem Baba and her Kalpi as one,it was a dream Kamla'd never dared to dream Any Mother would like to see her daughter with a perfect man, and to her, Prem had always been the epitome of perfection. It wasn't easy, but she left no stone unturned and eventually persuaded Kalpi to take the right decision. With time positive changes in Prem were conspicuous and genuine, Kalpi's neutral opinion of him did have transformed into like, but she was not sure whether she'd ever be able to love him? Notwithstanding her inner turmoil, there was no good reason for rejecting him or perhaps the reason was not weighty enough to be shared with her orthodox Mother and likewise society. Sahil and Neetu did put up too much of a fuss. However, at the end of the day they proved to be helpless against their affection for their only son, like hindi filmy Parents, and anyway, set family background aside and Kalpi was one step ahead of their son in every respect.

Kalpi stowed Raghav's memories to the farthest corner of heart as to relieve their heaviness was pretty much impossible, afterwards in a private ceremony she was espoused to Prem.

Kamla rubbed Kalpi's palm, basically four letter- PREM, written within the elaborated patterns, with her fingers gently, as if her Prem Baba were seated on there himself and she caressed his face lovingly. "Kalpi beta, You know how lucky you're with Prem Baba by your side? Chirag lekar bhi dhondti na to aisa ladka na milta!(Couldn't have found a better life partner than him!)", with that she started her extempore speech on My Favourite Prem Baba'.

Kalpi knew her Mother could never pass up a chance to set forth her fondness for her Prem Baba. If she'd allowed it, Kamla wouldn't have minded marking every inch of her body with his name. There was no autocorrect on that, she'd experienced it- Wandering the streets of Goa Kamla and Kalpi were having the time of their lives. Little drizzle falling on their heads bedewed their inner selves with titillating rapture. A vacation one month before the wedding was like a detox for Kalpi to rid her system of unnecessary worries and thoughts and strengthen herself for forthcoming duties and commitments. Though Kamla was hell bent on bringing her Prem Baba along, he couldn't make it, for a work in progress needed his presence back there in Mumbai , and Kalpi came by outright refreshment and recreation time. Clad in lime green sleeveless ruffled maxi dress Kamla who seemed to be the epitome of fat and fanciable Mallu heroine, had turned many heads, "Yay Aunty!", "Totta!", "Maal!", "Hotcha!"(What?? When Kamla is around no other woman has the right to get chedofied by men; not even Kalpi!)😛. Kalpi felt the blood rushing to her cheeks in embarrassment, but then Kamla was Kamla, to Kalpi it was no less than her Hamla'. "Kalpi look!"Kamla exclaimed, apparently excited as she pointed with her hand to draw Kalpi's attention to something to the left side of the road. Kalpi looked over to the left, a slight frown immediately creased her forehead as she spotted a Tattoo Studio by the roadside, What was her one of a kind Mother upto now? "Tattu banwa le Tattu Prem baba ke naam ka Tattu(Get Prem's name tattued on your body)." Kamla spoke up, grinning from ear to ear. Anoyance welled up inside Kalpi, and spread out across her face. She never wanted to be rude to her Mother, but this time she couldn't help it, "Maa, firstly its tattoo not tattu, secondly I'll never get myself inked for anybody, be it your Prem baba or Brad Pitt!" Kalpi vociferated, with a look on her face that said, what do you always talk nonsense?! With her vexation still intact, she turned around swiftly and walked back to the hotel, leaving grumbling Kamla behind.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The sangeet ceremony went through and through entertaining. All friends and family shook a leg to their select songs, but it was Kamla and Neetu's duet performance that stole the show. As soon as they came on stage wearing pink floaty layered tank tops with black harem pants, every spectator's lips spontaneously formed into a pucker, zapping out a loud whistle. Then the music started and made them both sway their hips, left then right. The song was tadakta bhadakta item song 'Sheela Ki Jawaani', considering their age, it should have been 'Sheela Ka Bhudapa' though, and to put the icing on the cake there was a step when Sahil joined them on stage, Kamla clung to his right and Neetu to left, then they both jutted their hips out and hit his legs simultaneously. Poor Sahil actually felt himself being sandwitched between two disproportionate halves of a bun.

When everybody seemed to enjoy the humerous of performances, Kalpi and Prem who were seated alongside in front of the stage, and looked a fairy and her prince, clad in designer royal blue Kurta-pants and Lehenga choli, looked at each other hopelessly. Prem then leaned his face to Kalpi's ear so that she could hear him over the din of loud music, "Even though I know we ought to respect our Parents and should never think any wrong way about them, they can make you feel awkward at times?" he spoke up loud enough for her to hear. Kalpi raised her brows for a split second and then drop them back before she said- "You're telling me!", in a rather loud tone of voice, her sniggering smile mirrored his, as their eyes held a short lived stare.

Very gracefully their final performance became the crowning glory of the event. Prem who had always been all thumbs when it came to dancing left his family stunned by his perfect moves. The choregrapher had selected a romantic song for them, called Sajde Mei Yu hi Jhukta Hu. With the beat of the music, the white lights started flashing and spun around the stage, making them visible to all. After rocking and tapping their feet in place to the music, he reached for her waist, she grasped his left shoulder and locked her left hand with his right. They started to sing along with the song and began to shake their shoulders and hips left then right in unison, having every appearance of being two beautiful figurines inside of a love globe, while everyone else present in the beautiful ambiance of the excellently decorated hall, was gaga over the view their dance merger had created.

The rest of the evening was running smooth, retaining an aura of leisure with much chit chat and laughter, people had indulged in drinks and food. Kalpi was happy seeing all happy faces around her, oblivious to the next twist of fate, on the way to her poised life. They were talking to a colleague when Neetu tapped on Prem's shoulder from behind, to get their attention. They both turned around in unison to see her evergreen smile showing almost all of her safedi ki chamkaar teeth and a quite familiar looking stranger next to her. "Damru, Kalpi, look who I'd like you to meet," she spoke in her usual factitious stylish way,and Prem frowned slightly at being called by his khatarnak wala pet name, that too in public, his Mom deserved a lecture all over again for sure. "This is Raghav, Raghav Singhania, you guys remember he'd come to stay with us when you were kids? You guys should know about his achievements. Sahil came across him in a business conference and invited him over here to your wedding. Isn't it great, Hain heee!" She said, looking at Raghav all smiles, who was now staring wide eyed at Kalpi standing right in front of him, looking down at the floor incessant in turn, unable to look him in the eye, not that he was a bad looking creature, other than his six feet lofty frame he had so much to look at, including his fit sturdy body to fathomless chocolate brown eyes, but her inner turmoil had left her shocked and numb for sometime . It went unnoticed by Neetu totally, for she was busy multitasking, talking and forming a mental picture of him and Pakhi in traditional wear holding hands and walking around the sacred fire, originated about fifteen minutes ago ever since she heard of the rising net worth of his company based in NY city from Sahil. However Prem's possessive eyes did take notice of it. He didn't like another man staring at his Kalpi non stop. What's with him? Idiot! He thought and greeted him formally out of courtesy. Kalpi returned to her room early, on the pretext of having a headache. Nobody forced her to stay, thinking she needed her beauty sleep night before her wedding.

Sahil being an out and out businessman couldn't spare his son's wedding function a business deal, there he came face to face with Raghav, whose business was trying to establish roots in India as well, meaning another business opportunity for Sahil. Even though Raghav had never been interested in anything of Sahil Kapoor and family yet he accepted his invitation with the hope that he might see Kalpi over there but definitely not like this.

Raghav stayed at the same Resort hotel that night. There was so much to talk about, so much to clarify, yet neither of them took a step forward instead of tossing and turning all night. The Next morning arose with a new happiness and a pathway to a new life for Kalpi. She should have been happy, excited and elated, but she felt neither of these sensations. She kept on waiting for him for fifteen years and now when she'd decided to move on he struck her with his existence and wreaked havoc on her mind. You don't even know if he remembere you or not? Think of Prem, he's your reality. Came the voice of her conscience.

Rest of the day passed in a jiffy with everybody busy with last preperations and finally the most important evening of her life arrived.

"I know your happiness lies with someone else. And I'll not stand in your way." "I don't want anything more than your happiness." "I don't know why but I feel that you should be aware of that that's you whom I've loved always, since I knew what is love." "I returned to India only for you."

Raghav's words echoed in Kalpi's mind as she walked toward mandap with some naughty girls either side, teasing her nonstop.

Raghav knew he had no right, but he couldn't help it. A part of him terifically restless and uptight, as if someone inside him was telling that he needed to pour his heart out to her. When she was all dressed up to walk down the aisle, he turned up to see her for one last time and shook her to her core.

Her heart was pounding furiously against her her chest, she wished she could freeze the time right then and elope with Raghav. Wait what?! Raghav? Yes Raghav! just then she saw Prem, sitting in the mandap, his eyes twinkled for he was fascinated by her beauty. In that moment she realized that she was being stupid. "Prem, I'm sorry I can't marry you, I just can't do this. You are a nice guy, it just that I'd boarded on the wrong train. 😆 You need to find someone who loves you." She spoke up and immediately turned around, pulled up the edges of her lehnga skirt and ran back down the pathway. Kapoors and Kamla were too shocked to move at this unexpected and weird turn of events, hence remained rooted to the spot in disbelief.

Though an explanation to Prem was outstanding, Raghav took priority over any other thing currently. In no time Kalpi left the hotel premises and got to the ground outside and shouted "Raghav!" but he was nowhere in sight. She didn't feel fully downhearted as she knew where she could find him.

Those who said that love gives you strength, must have meant courage and inner strength only, as there she was, her ankles aching, as she limped along a secluded road, and to top it all the road being devoid of taxi or any other conveyance, for the Resort was remote from the hustle and bustle of the city, added fuel to the stumbling block.

She didn't expect to find herself in her present situation, but then life is unpredictable. Her restless mind was coeval with her worried heart and her aching limbs, and through that, Every fibre of her being seeking solace, and her nearnerss to him was where her solace existed presently.

Feeling overwhelmed, tears welled up in her eyes, and she wiped them with the back of her hand, without letting them spill down her cheeks. Dear Bappa, please bring Raghav here to me. She prayed silently to herself, but Bappa had a different plan. She stopped to take a deep breath. Her bridal lehnga embellished with heavy brocade, pearls, gems, zari and heavy embroidery was rather heavy, over it the chaotic situation she was in at present, it was certainly the heaviest weight her petite frame had ever carried. "Urgh, DJ wale babu mere wings laga de!" She exclaimed as she wiped beads of sweat from her cheek with the back of her hand, which eventually ended up ruining last neat bit of her cosmetic- a streak of frosted peach blusher, while rest of the makeup was already smudged.

"Come on Kalpi, you can do it." She buoyed up her own spirit as no other soul was there to do so for her, then, she began walking down the path again. She'd walked a half mile, before she noticed something in the middle of the street. She continued walking, as the distance shortened her eyebrows rose and a frown creased her forehead when she got a clear view of a white horse standing in the middle of the road. It was not something to frown at, atleast at this point of time, so to rectify her mistake a cross of hope and relief smoothed out the lines freshly descended on her forehead, and spread all over her face. She whooped with delight, as if the horse were waiting for her only. The horse was a mere whose hair were plaited with sacred thread and it might sound funny ,but it was the same one that Prem'd ridden in his baarat, was now on his way back home. Kalpi looked around for her owner, and noticed a man outside the shop across the street at a distance, whose back facing her, and who might be the owner. Alas, she had no money to hire the mare to ride, she realized at once that it was the time whe she had to put her ethics aside and take drastic action in order that she could be with Raghav shortly.

Considering her regular horseback riding lessons in school's extracurricular activity classes, it was not an uphill task for Kalpi. She rubbed the mare's neck and she didn't move, which signified her state of being unafraid and calm, Kalpi took hold of her bridle, then patted and rubbed her back very gently. She put her right foot in the right stirrup and on her first try she swung her right leg over the saddle. Mounted she shouted. "Yeehaw! chal Dhanno chal take me to my Prince." She grabbed the reins tightly and kicked the mare to flee but the animal didn't budge. She tapped her back, kicked, kicked and kicked, "Hil bhi jaa please!"😆 but her didn't move even an inch from her place. Kalpi's heartbeat suddenly accelerated and to speed it up even, she heard a shout in the distance. The man she'd noticed was definitely the owner, it was crystal clear now, for he was rushing toward her as he shouted, "Hey you, who are you? Stop!" It was a call for the last tempestuous try, Kalpi swallowed to clear the lump from her throat. "Please get going Dhanno, for Basanti's sake please! She shouted, almost pleading, as her cheeks grew flushed, And this time it worked, for the mare whose name was Basanti actually would only take off at her name. When the man was about to reach them, she let out a loud grunt and launched into a fast gallop immediately. The man tried to chase her, totes flummoxed for a bride hijacking his Basanti was severely startling, but he was a human not a horse, so in no time he ended up huffing and puffing. "Stop you freaking crazy thief!" he shouted at her, his hands clasping his thighs as he stopped to catch his breath. "I'm not gonna eat it up, Your Horse will be back to you soon along with dues," Kalpi shouted over the sounds of pounding hoofs, she shifted the reins to her left hand to hold in place, and wriggled a thick gold bangle with Prem's name engraved on it, that had been designed for her by Kamla, off her right wrist and threw it behind toward him. "Till then, make do with this", shouting, she slapped the mare over the shoulder with the reins to gallop faster and she spurted ahead, sending a dense cloud of dust up into the air.

A wave of the sea whooshed toward him rolling, to touch his booted feet and returned disappointed, deprived of his attention, for Raghav had momentarily engrossed in figuring out the connection between the depth of the sea and his lonliness and despodency.The darkness of the night would overshadow the sea completely, if falling lights from the sky were not there to cast long vertical strips around. As he wandered his eyes along the vacant seashore, he found himself standing alone on the sheet of sand. Alone! Was that his destiny? To be alone forever? He'd heard so many times that fruit of hardwork is always sweet, if so then why did everything around him seem bitter all of a sudden?Nothing had been handed to him on a silver platter, his life had been hard and a struggle, ever since he lost his parents, and in the US it was the hardest, where the only thing he had to do was hardwork, so that he could receive his dividend of happiness on life's preference stocks. In all those years there was only one thing that had endowed him with some comfort and tranquillity and that was a dream, a hope and a wish all clustered together as a craving for a felicitous and prosperous life with the girl who'd stolen his heart when she was a stranger to love, so was he rather. And now it was over it was all over in a moment as if it'd never existed.

While on the other side of the city, Kalpi had a beaming smile spread across her face, tears streaming down her cheeks, her dupatta flying in the air behind her and she was riding the horse like an expert.

The sweet wiff of the sea drifting on the breeze was meant to buck up his mood, but all it did was at variance. He was on the verge of tears when a faint voice calling his name filtered through the loud hoof beats of a horse being ridden, reached his ear having an unpremediated objective to put a stop to the sea brimming over his eyes. He turned around and Kalpi emerged riding a white horse. She arched back as she drew in the reins with a tight grip, as soon as she reached his closest, and it had enough to set Raghav back on his heels.

Since when did men start dreaming of their Princess charmings on their white steeds? Naa this was not real? Or was it!? How could it be? Preplexed by off the wall happening, Raghav found himself unable to tumble to anything of it, he could only gape at her open mouthed. Only when Kalpi dismounted and stood right in front of him, did he close his mouth, gaining his senses back. He stared at her from head to toe, as if she were the eighth wonder of the world. Well at the moment she was no less, dishelved hair falling in locks on her forehead, her face stained with tears and smudged makeup, her clothing rumpled, she appeared nothing of the beautiful bride he'd seen about a couple of hours ago. "Kalpi, aren't you suppose to be at your wedding right now, what the hell are you doing here?" poor soul was so utterly confused, that he really put his foot in his mouth. And then, CHATAKKK... Even the mare shivered once at the loud sound of the slap that had been plastered across Raghav's cheek , place of origin- Kalpi's hand. It just happened maybe because she was expecting something very different. He was about to drift into another world of being shocked, but Kalpi acted at the perfect time, she lunged forward and clung to him, her arms wrapped around him, her head buried against the side of his neck and He felt the dampness of her tears falling down his back for she'd started crying before speaking.

"I broke the wedding off because I love you, Yes, I love you! I love you, I love you I love you!" She spoke through her tears, don't know whether telling this to him or herself? Raghav'd waited a very long time to hear those words and when they finally came off, surprise paired up with euphoria and flooded in his heart, swamped tears in his eyes. "Why didn't you come Raghav, why did it take you so long to come back?! I waited for you for fifteen years. You were always the one and I've always loved you. I said yes to Prem's proposal for Maa's sake, I never loved him." She said, her voice cracking this time as she lifted her face from his shoulder and looked into his eyes. How long would Raghav control the fidgeting love inside him? His left arm circled her bare waist and groaned slightly for her softness, she was so soft and warm to his touch, he buried his right hand in her hair, pulling her closer, leaning into her as his love transformed into passion and its magnitude topped him for those ethereal moments. "I love you Kalpi. I love you." He whispered before he started planting kisses all over face, her forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, lips, no features of her left untouched. His lips were roaming furiously over her face, though Kalpi was taken aback at first, very soon found herself melting under the heat of the rapturous attacks on her face. Once he'd had his fill he rested his forehead against hers, whispering "You're very beautiful."and a soft smile curved his lips which didn't last long because Kalpi had put her mouth against his in a surprise kiss for she also needed to introduce him to her moves. They kissed as if it were their last not the first, and their lives depended on it. A whinny brought their lip lock to a halt and a speckle of red rose on their cheeks as they looked at the animal adjacent to them. Later when Kalpi told Raghav her journey of becoming a horse thief, their shrieks of laughter echoed within the atmosphere. It was beyond any doubt that Raghav's love was her own kind of piece.

Kalpi did her utmost to get her mother back in her life's circle, but Kamla never forgave her daughter for breaking her beloved( uska laal, hara,kala,neela,pila) Prem baba's heart, to her what Kalpi did was no less than a sin for which she could never be exonerated. One night Pakhi's psycho ex boyfriend Ramu, whom she'd deceived with his brother Shyamu, intruded into the Kapoor house and shot the entire Kapoor family and its dear Kamla dead. 😆

Raghav didn't realize he fell asleep in the chair holding her hand and when he woke up he was still holding her hand. He cranked his stiff neck and check his watch. It read 1:00. He stood up swiftly as by this time he had to reach Ruhi's School to pick her up. "Ok baby, I gotta go, I'll see ya later!!" He spoke hurriedly as he bent down to plant a quick kiss on her forehead. Having reached the door he turned around to look at her and said a silent prayer for her to wake up like everyday, before he walked out and closed the door behind him slowly.

He didn't know whether his prayer would work this time or go unheard as always, He didn't know what life had in store for them next, all he know their love was sealed for eternity, no two ways about it.

Come what may, he loves her and will love her forever!

THE END