Pink's Scrapbook|Anecdotes#106&107|PG:146 - Page 29

-Happily Ever After-

There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat. She had grown up hearing those words as a child and as she got older she had begun to believe them. She had begun to think that she would be like one of those princesses in fairy tales were the princess would fall in love with the prince at first sight. If only that had been true. If only she had been able to understand and feel what it was like to be loved. If only she hadn't lost her parent's the day she had entered this world only to be left in the hands of her aunt and uncle. If only they had made her feel as if she was apart of there family and not a stranger. If only the person she had believed to have loved her had actually loved her back. If only she hadn't fallen into his trap and believed every single word and action that came out of him. If only her life had been different. If only she was able to go back in time and change the fate of her life. She had stood outside her so called home and stared at the closed door hoping it would open. She had hoped that someone would come running and let her back in saying that everything was okay and that they had made a mistake of kicking her out but that had never happened, and so with a heavy heart she had left.

Feeling the car she had been sitting in for the past 2 hours come to a halt, Riddhima came out of her thoughts and looked out the window at her surroundings. She had finally arrived to the place where she hoped her life would turn a new leaf. There standing in front of her was the biggest mansion she had ever seen in her life. It was white with large pillars holding the house up and there was a big balcony in the front.  The grass was neatly trimmed and the fountain in the middle was flowing with the clearest blue water that she had ever seen. Coming out of the car Riddhima slowly walked down the long pebbled driveway towards the door. She had come here to meet the owner of the home in the hopes of getting the job of a nanny who would take care of there 7 year old daughter.  Riddhima was always fond of children and couldn't wait until she had her own. When she had been with the so called love of her life they had often talked about having children one day after they would get married but little did she know that she would end up losing the man who she thought loved her and be left as a single mother in return. Yes Riddhima Gupta was 8 months pregnant with a baby boy and was only living because of him. Her child was now her only family and the only source of love that she could feel. Her child was now her everything and she had promised not only her self but her child that she would do anything in her power to bring him up with so much love that he would never feel what she did. Finally reaching the door she raised up her hand and rung the door bell waiting for someone to open it not knowing what was going to happen next.

It was seconds later when the door opened and an elderly man stood in front of her.

"Yes can I help you?"

"Um..yeah I'm here to apply for the job of the nanny."

"Oh..Your name?"

"Riddhima. Riddhima Gupta."

"Ah yes, your name is on the list please come in."

'Thank you."

As the man moved a side Riddhima stepped in carefully and entered. If she had thought that the outside was nothing short of perfect then the interiors of the home were beyond perfect. She had never seen a more beautiful home then the one she was in right now. She had always dreamed of having a home like this one where she would be living with her own family but it seemed as if that was never in her fate. Riddhima followed the man until he asked her to sit down in what looked like the family room and wait until he went to get the owner of the home. As she sat and waited she couldn't help but look around the room. It was painted in a light shade of purple and the walls were covered with pictures of people she assumed were from the owner's family and as she continued to look she couldn't help but think of her own family that had once been apart of her life. The people who she thought loved and cared about her. Her eyes began to slowly tear up as her mind went back into the past but before she could fully engulf herself a voice from in front of her snapped her back into the present.

"Miss.Riddhima?"

As the voice entered her ear drums Riddhima turned her face towards the sound and there standing in front of her was a young man no older then 27 with dark grey eyes staring back at her.

"Yes that would be me.. and you are..?"

"Armaan. Armaan Mallik the owner of this house and maybe your future employer."

"Oh well it's nice to meet you."

"Same here. So I hear that you have come for the position of the nanny?"

"Yes that is correct."

"And what experience do you have with children?"

"Well..I used to work in a school with kindergartners and I'm sure as you can see that…I'm about to have my own."

"Oh. Congratulations to you and your husband."

"I…I don't have a husband. I'm a single mother."

"Oh..I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay I'm used to the questioning looks and dirty glares by now. And about the job I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get it so I'll just leave. I'm sorry for wasting your time. Goodbye."

Slowly getting up from her seat Riddhima slowly began to walk back towards the door where she had entered knowing that she had not only made a fool of herself but had lost another job only because she was pregnant. She was nearly out the door when a voice from behind her stopped her in her tracks.

"Miss.Riddhima…Wait!"

Turning around in her spot she saw him standing behind her with a mysterious look on his face. Now what does he want?  He probably wants to help me by showing sympathy towards me. Well I don't need it! I'm a strong woman and I don't need people helping me just because they feel bad for me.

"Umm.. Miss.Riddhima …I just wanted to ask you if you at least wanted to meet my daughter before you leave. I mean I have a rule that every time I meet a new person to take care of my daughter that I let her meet them and if she likes the person then I think about hiring them but you didn't give me a chance to say any of that which was why I stopped you. So would you like to meet her?"

"Oh..okay why not."

"Okay great! I'll be right back."

She watched as he hurriedly turned around and went up the stairs leaving her standing near the door. It was seconds later that she saw him reappear holding the hand of a 7 year old little girl with black curly hair wearing a pink and white dress walking towards her. She then saw him let go of her hand and whisper something into her ear and nudge her to move forward. Riddhima watched as the girl slowly made her way towards her and stand in front of her. Riddhima stared back down at her and couldn't help but feel a smile creep up her face. She had never seen such a cute little girl who just made you want to forget all your worries.

"Hi. I'm Riya. What's your name?"

Riddhima hearing her question bent down as much as she could without hurting her baby boy that was resting inside of her and looked the little girl in the eyes and answered her questions.

"Nice to meet you Riya. I'm Riddhima."

"Cool! I like that name but..it's too long. Can I call you Ridzi?"

Riddhima couldn't help but laugh a little at this child she was too adorable.

"Sure you can and you know what I like your name too!"

"Thanks! My daddy gave me that name! He says that my mommy liked that name too! And so before God took my mommy with him she told my daddy to make sure that he named me Riya."

Riddhima couldn't believe what she was hearing. A child at the age of 7 was aware that her mother was no more and yet was very mature for her age. She couldn't help but think about her own child. She just hoped that she would have the strength to tell him about his father and that he would take it just as well as Riya had taken the news of her mother.

"Well..I'm sure your mommy is very happy that she got her wish and that were ever she is that she's watching you and giving you her blessings."

"Thanks!...Ridzi can I ask you a question?"

"Sure beta go ahead."

"Are you…are you having a baby?"

"Yes."

"Really! Wow! That's soo cool!!!!  Can I play with the baby? Please!!!!!"

"Umm…Riya beta…the baby isn't here yet but when the baby does come I'll try to visit and you can play with the baby. Okay!"

"What do you mean you'll try to visit? You're not staying? You don't want to be my nanny?"

"I would love to be your nanny Riya but I can't stay because of the baby so I'll have to go and plus I think your daddy would rather give you a nanny that isn't having a baby. I'm sorry Riya."

As Riddhima slowly began to walk out the door once more her heart began to slowly break as she heard Riya scream. She had never thought that in a matter of a few minutes that she would become this attached to a child but she didn't have a choice. She had to leave and there was nothing she could do. If things had been different then she would have said yes to being her nanny in a heartbeat but the situation was different and there was no way to change it. But one thing was for sure that she would never forget the small amount of love that she felt from Riya even if it was for a few minutes. She was nearly out the door when she suddenly felt someone hold her hand. Not again she thought Why are you making this harder for me Riya? Why? Turning around once more she was about to say something when instead of finding Riya standing behind her, she found her dad Armaan Mallik.

"Please let go of my hand. Look I'm sorry for making Riya cry but I just can't stay so please don't make me…I

She was in the middle of her sentence when all of a sudden she felt herself being pulled into his arms and without warning she felt his lips on hers. She tired to pull away from him but the more she did the more he pulled her towards him. Riddhima was slowly losing her temper at being kissed and that to by a man she didn't know but before she could even say or do anything he pulled out of the kiss and said something that she had never thought she would hear again.

"I love you Roo!"

Riddhima stared at the man in front of her as the last few words that he had just said rang in her head. How did he know that nickname! There was only one person who knew that nickname and she had never mentioned it nor heard it after her best friend had left years ago, but today she was meeting this man for the first time in her life then what the hell was going on?

"Who..who..told..told..you..that nickname?"

"Why would anyone tell me that nickname when I'm the one who made it up."

"You made it up? How could you have made it up! My best friend made that name up!"

"Oh really and what is your best friends name?"

"My best friend's name was Armaan Mallik!"

"Which would be me!"

"No..the Armaan Mallik that I knew was chubby and he had glasses and he had braces. And you have none of those things."

"Okay fine if I'm not the same Armaan Mallik then why would I know that in the 3^rd grade you had a big fight with Priya because she tried to sit next to me and you didn't like that! or the fact that you had your first crush on Sameer  Sharma in the 10^th grade or the fact that I left after high school because my dad got a job here in London and I had to leave you behind in India and didn't see you after that. Or the fact that you gave me the nickname airhead because you felt that I had air in my head instead of a brain. Now what do you have to say Miss.Gupta?"

Riddhima stared at him stunned. It was really him. It was her best friend that she had lost years ago and somewhere down the line fallen in love with. She couldn't believe this was happening. She had not only found her best friend but she had found the love of her life. Her tears that she had been trying to hold back finally broke lose and without saying a word she wrapped her arms around his waist and cried. She had been away from him for so long that now that she had gotten him back she wasn't going to let him go again. She had lived without being loved all her life and now that she was getting another chance she wasn't about to let it go. It was a few minutes later when Riddhima broke the hug and moving away slightly looked into his eyes and with all the love shinning in her eyes she said those words that she had kept inside of her ever since he had gone.

"I love you too airhead."

"Umm.. excuse me!"

Armaan and Riddhima both jumped in their skins as a third voice came from behind. They both turned around and there standing with a questioning look was Riya.

"Oh Riya you scared us! Don't do that!"

"Sorry daddy but I just wanted to ask a question?"

"Yeah sure sweetie go ahead?"

"Umm…well..since Ridzi doesn't want to be my nanny can she be my mommy instead?"

"Well…you will have to ask Ridzi that sweetie and if she says yes then for sure she can be your mommy!"

"Really! YAY! Okay so Ridzi will you please be my new mommy! Pleaseee!"

Riddhima looked on as Riya pleaded with her big grey green eyes. How was she supposed to break her heart and that to again? She just didn't have it in her to say no. And so following her heart Riddhima bent down to her level and with a small smile on her face she answered Riya's questioning eyes.

"Yes..I'll be your mommy!"

What happened after that Riddhima couldn't have imaged. She had not only gotten a new lease on life but she had found the kind of love that she had read in fairytales. She had gotten the life that she had always wanted. She had not only married Armaan her best friend even after she had told him about her past but she had fulfilled Riya's wish of being her permanent nanny aka mommy. As for Rahul her little boy she had kept her promise to him as well of making sure that he got nothing but love not only from his mom but from his new dad and big sister who accepted him with open arms. And as for Riddhima well she couldn't complain she had finally gotten her happily ever after.