OS - Phir Mohabbat...

Ever since Nachiket got back from the US, again, life had been nothing but a rollercoaster for him. The issues they had to face were countless; Nishi's marital problems, the turn of events in the farmhouse, Aarav coming out of jail, Jignesh trying to commit suicide and last but not the least; getting back together with Ragini.

The latter was still something he was not able to digest. There was no way back now, no escape, no U-turn. They had taken the pheras and everything was official. The very first few days were very awkward; it looked as if both were lost in this track of life. When the sun would fill the day with light, things seemed to go almost fine. Both would be busy with their respective jobs, even though they would bump into each other countless times at the hospital, still they tried to behave like absolute professionals. At home, they would steal glances at each other now and then but the house was filled with so many people that neither of them had time to give those glances a meaning. It was only when the sun would go to sleep and the moon would awake to guard the night, that the emotions of the entire day would come to the foreground. He hadn't shared a bedroom with her for the longest time, yet it felt as if all her habits were still the same. The long bath she would take, after a hectic workday, allowing herself to relax and release all the stress from the day. Her wet hair and the smell of the jasmine body butter would still drive him crazy. 

They had and will have their innumerous fights in this chapter of their life but she was doing it again to him, albeit unknowingly, she was able to awake those feelings in him which were buried down somewhere deep in his heart. Having her close at an arm-length made him realize the kind of impact she has in his life. Even without a single touch, he could feel how her fingers would linger on his body. How he loved it to have her hands around his neck and caressing his face. She was and will always be the only woman in his life who could make his heart at peace...

Ragini had closed her eyes the moment she had pulled the duvet over her and switched off the light. Nachiket, however, was not able to sleep. He tried to close his eyes and wanted to dream all the stress away but being this close yet so far from Ragini was something he was not used to. He got up from bed and decided to relax his mind for a bit. But how was that even possible? How could he unwind without her delicate fingers massaging his head? How could he relax those muscles without the magic of her soft hands? How could he forget the way she used to make their bedroom cozy with lit candles, slow music playing, waiting for him to take away all his stress. He wanted to forget each and every moment spent together. Those memories had given him pain and grief only. He wanted to get over her but soon he knew that it was impossible. He had tried many times to blink those feelings away, but all efforts ended up in vain. On the contrary, the feeling of her presence would be more vivid than before. She didn't only live in his heart; her existence had taken over him too...  

Nachiket stood in front of the window staring at nowhere. His eyes only saw the darkness of the night. It felt like the same darkness which he had experienced right after their divorce. No ray of hope and light. He was angry on her for leaving him, not able to understand she could ask for a divorce so easily as if those four years together had meant nothing to her. During the day he would load himself with enough work to not be able to think about her. At night, those suppressed memories would haunt him, not letting him sleep. Only after a few shots of liquor his eyes would somehow find a bit of rest. It was only after some time that his anger for her vanished. As if life wanted to teach him a lesson, he got to know that he was actually the one who had made a mistake, Yes, he had realized that he was at fault but back then it felt late already. He was disappointed with himself and that feeling refused to let him go. He had isolated himself in a country which was already unknown to them. The black color in his life had taken over and there seemed no room for any other color. He was so occupied with himself that he even neglected the kids. There would be times when the pain was indescribable. It felt even worse than ripping your heart apart. Her face would appear in front of his eyes every time he went through a sad phase; her melodic voice would sound like the most beautiful piece of music in his ears, her eyes would look at him with unconditional love and her lips...Her lips would fill up is bitter life with sweetness again... The moment he would open his eyes, there would be no sign of her at all... 

They had promised each other to be together for the rest of their lives. Ironically, they had spent more time without the other. With her by his side, time would fly as it was in a hurry to separate them. After that, seconds seemed years without her. He couldn't think of a day or a night where he hadn't felt lonely. Even during his busiest days he would look forward to see her waiting for him at home. Every time he opened the door, he would enter a lifeless room in a soulless house. Nachiket had experienced loneliness in its scariest definition. Even though, his sister, kids and some friends were around him he would always feel incomplete. At times, it seemed like the nights would not end. It was during those hours that he would miss her most. Every time when he would turn to his left side in bed he faced nothing but an empty spot. That place, that side of the bed was hers. Her arms would hold on tight to him, their bodies close against each other that would keep them both warm throughout the night. If even the sun would show up at night, it would not be able to give him the warmth he needed and longed for...

Many times he had tried to take a small step towards her in hope to be one baby step closer to the end of a new beginning. Perhaps fate was not in favor of it; hence he always shrugged off the thought of those possibilities. Eventually it took just a phone call to bring him back to the exact same place where he had vowed never to come back. Both times the main reason he came back to India was for their daughter Nishi. However, fate had played such a game that made him take the weddings vows, but this time not for themselves but for their kids. Each vow was a promise made by them, as parents, to give their kids the love and care they deserve and longed for in those lost years. Does this mean that there is no love left between them at all? Was their love so weak that it had no chance to rise again? Was their love so fragile that it had broken into pieces which couldn't be put together anymore? Nachiket's heart was not ready to believe all that. Marriage was absolutely not a part of his future plans, let alone with Ragini, but if destiny wants this then who are they to fight it? There was a reason why he would always end up here again. It was the power of someone or something up there which made his feet end up right at the entrance of her house...

After a long time, it felt good to be able to let out all those thoughts which he had wanted to forget about but would torture him in some way. Nachiket let out a deep sigh and turned around to go to bed. He was at the foot of the bed when his eyes caught something rather mesmerizing. Through the almost closed curtains, a ray of moonlight shined on Ragini's face. He looked at her for a few seconds and before he knew it, he was standing right by her side. He knelt down; his hand automatically tucked her hair behind her ear not being able to hold himself back. He kept staring at her face; she had not lost her natural glow. Even after many years, she still had the angelic beauty which he was crazy for. Those eyes which spoke their own little secret language, that nose which would go red whenever her temper would rise, those cheeks which would turn crimson red whenever she would feel shy under his gaze. Those ears wherein he would whisper sweet nothings and those lips...he would always save the best for last. Her lips needed his undivided attention and he made sure to give it all the time he had. Her beautiful swollen lips after their bodies would become one. Nachiket was not even aware when his fingers had ended up an inch away from her lips. He took his hand back before he would wake her up with his touch. Slowly he stood up and walked back to his side of the bed. He never knew he his heart could melt this way for someone. He realized that Ragini had never left his heart, she was still very much there but this time he needed to be careful; if his heart is broken, so is hers. If he was alone, so was she. If he has to start from scratch, so does she. Nachiket understood that this time it will take twice the effort and time to heal all wounds, to kiss away all the sorrows. He was ready for it though, hesitant, but ready to give it one more try. They had broken up once because of one mistake, which was only a single page and had resulted into ending the relationship, but not this time. Life has given them a second chance and this time he did not want to lose the complete book for a single page. Only if she would think and feel the same...

He laid on his back, his left hand resting at the back of head thinking about how he wanted to change his, hers and their life for the better. Within seconds, Ragini turned around and fell right into the cuddling position as she always used to do before she would take off to a deep sleep. Nachiket was rather surprised and decided not to push her back. Instead, he placed his left arm around her waist and held her close to himself. He looked down at her and saw a small smile appearing on her face which made him smile in return. Nachiket was a bit confused though by this behavior of hers. Does this mean she wants the same? Are they finally somehow on the same page? Is she willing to give it another chance too? When Ragini placed her left hand on his chest, right next to his heart, he got his answer. Yes, she wanted this too. Their hearts are broken, but can be put back together. They need to take slow small steps and should be careful. He was on his way to love her again and she was on her way to love him again...

YEEESSS!!! ❤️

You really do love me! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

*tears up*

🤗