Riva was asleep in the guest bedroom with Jeevika sitting right next to her. Viren was in the other room getting ready for the party tonight. He came in the room and saw her asleep.
v - "Do you want to come?" he quietly asked Jeevika
Jeevika got up and walked near him.
j - "Is it okay if I stay here? I really want to go and I feel really bad, but..."
v - "You don't have to feel bad" he said but getting distracted
He saw Riva awake in the back giving gestures to Viren convincing him she was okay. Viren couldn't help but smile which made Jeevika turn around and see why he was smiling. She saw Riva sitting up in her bed smiling at her and Viren.
r - "Mom can you please trust me? I'm fine, I promise"
j - "Riva there is no way I'm leaving you"
r - "Okay can you just go for sometime and come early? I'll do whatever you say"
Viren walked near Riva and checked her forehead.
v - "Fever is done" he said making Riva smile in relief.
j - "Riva I'm too scared to leave you?"
r - "I will stay in bed and not get out till you come home I promise"
j - "Viren" she said confused what to do.
v - "This is between you two. I'm not getting on anyone's bad side" he said making light of the mood.
r - "Please please please" she kept begging her mom.
j - "Fine I'll go but just for a little while. And you will not step out of the bed. You will eat dinner right now and go to sleep right after, understood?" she said strictly
r - "Yesss anything you say promise! Now go get ready fast please"
As soon as Jeevika went out of the room, Riva high-fived Viren and was so excited for her mom to be getting out for a while. Viren helped her up and took her out and made her sit on the couch while he went to make some dinner for Riva. Riva was falling asleep wrapped up in the blanket watching tv. Even though Viren was worried for Riva, he was really excited to take Jeevika out. This was technically their first unofficial date and all he could do was wait for the door of his bedroom to open to see Jeevika. In the meantime he took some dinner over to the couch and helped Riva eat dinner. She didn't complain at all nor could she stop smiling at all so excited to see her mother. Viren just sat there smiling at Riva, but all he could think of was the next few hours. He was nervous and excited at the same time, not knowing what the future would hold for them. When the door opened both Viren and Riva turned their eyes towards it excited to see Jeevika. She stepped out wearing a beautiful black dress. Viren couldn't even believe his eyes. He didn't know this was the same Jeevika who had an almost teenage daughter. His heart sinked to his stomach just mesmerized by her beauty. He got up from the couch and walked towards her who was blushing as she came forward too.
Both of them didn't know what to say to each other and Riva couldn't stop smiling at the mild awkwardness in the room. She got up with a little difficult and walked near the both of them.
r - "Mom he wants to say you're looking beautiful" she said helping Viren out.
Jeevika and Viren both look at Riva with that small guilty smile. Riva then looks at Viren and says "My mom says thank you" she said embarrassing them to the max.
v - "Aren't you supposed to be on the bed like your promised your mom?"
r - "Oh yeah" she said sticking her tongue out..."But there's no tv in that room"
j - "You're supposed to be sleeping anyways, otherwise I can stay home" she said starting to blackmail her daughter
v - "Why don't you go to my room, there's a tv in there and you can watch tv till you fall asleep"
r - "Thank You!" she said hugging Viren tightly.
Riva ran inside Viren's room and got inside the covers. Viren and Jeevika both walked in to make sure Riva was okay. She seemed to be warm and most importantly happy.
j - "Promise me you won't get out of bed now?"
r - "I promise"
v - "And here's a list of a few people who live in the building. In case Jeevika and I don't pick up the phone you can call them, they are my friends"
j - "And keep your phone on and right next to you incase we call"
r - "Anything else now both of you?"
v - "If you get hungry there's some food in the fridge and snacks in the pantry"
r - "Mom you have anything else to say?"
j - "You are way too excited to be home alone aren't you?"
r - "Its actually for something else but you won't get it"
v - "Shall we leave?" he asked Jeevika
Jeevika just nodded and kissed her daughter then walked out the room with Viren. They both stepped out the apartment and walked down near the road. Since the party was close by both of them choose to walk, but in silence. They didn't know how to break the ice and also didn't know what to say. Viren made the first move taking Jeevika's hand in his which made her more comfortable now. All that was going in Jeevika's brain was when and how to say those three words to him.
j - "I don't remember when I went out like this last" she said placing her head on Viren's shoulder.
Viren in turn squeezed his hand harder.
v - "I don't remember feeling the way I do for you and Riva last either" he said comforting her.
j - "Viren are we doing the right thing?"
v - "What do you mean?"
j - Is this right for us and for Riva?"
v - "Everyday and every second my love for you and Riva keeps growing. I will make her so happy that she won't remember any of this ever again"
j - "And what about me?"
v - "You really think I won't love you? Every second and every breath I take with your name"
Hearing Viren say that made Jeevika the most emotional she had been. Probably the same level of emotion when she first held her daughter in her arms. She had to say it now, there wasn't a better time and she knew he was the one. He was the one for her and Riva and she had to seal the deal and make him hers forever.
j - "Viren" she said softly
v - "Yeah"
j - "I Love You" she said as a tear came out of her precious eyes at the same time... "And I promise to love you for the rest of my life" she said confidently...
His love empowered her and gave her the strength to fight the upcoming battles in her life to live a happy life ahead. Not just the battle for her daughter's life, but another. Another battle to which Viren was totally unaware of.
comment:
p_commentcount