C h a p t e r N i n e : Since I've Been Loving You
Swayam had been through a lot in his life. He had experienced joy, love, anger, fear, frustration, utter helplessness, heartbreak and a whole array of emotions, which honestly, every other human being has been through at some point in their life. He had his own share of faults, screw ups and attempts to redeem himself. This was his life, his regular, at times crappy life.
But that had been before Sharon.
Sharon, an old acquaintance, a new partner, an incredibly important part of his life now. From the time she had re-entered his life, it had been one wild ride. Getting attracted to her, falling in love with her, comforting her, unknowingly betraying her, getting (almost) married to Nisha, (almost) losing Sharon, (almost) losing his true nature; the true Swayam.
He would call it a close shave to be honest -
"He would, wouldn't he?"
Swayam jumped in his chair, startled and turned around sheepishly, his face akin a deer caught in headlights. There, standing with an amused smile on her face was Sharon. Oh crap.
"Well, I never knew you had such an interest in writing, Rapunzel, or should I call you Shakespeare now?"
"Oh, shut up." Swayam snapped as Sharon began laughing.
As usual, she paid no heed and continued laughing. After reaching the maximum state of aggravation, a small smile came up Swayam's face as he watched her. He wasn't a sap, dear lord no, but he couldn't deny that at that moment, Sharon was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. His heart expanded to no bounds as he stared at her, watching her cheeks turn pinker with every breath she took, watching that glint in her eyes, feeling the happiness radiate off her.
Of course he was not a sap.
Soon, the admiring phase disappeared and Swayam was annoyed again.
"Let me know when you are done with it." Swayam turned his back to her, furiously backspacing whatever he had written. He felt a weight on his shoulder and the hairs on his neck rose as she breathed into his ear, her hands circling around him from the back.
The chair rotated under the new weight.
"Don't be such a whiny baby, now. I was just playing with you."
"You hurt me, mon amour. Always playing with my feelings."
Sharon huffed and made to leave when Swayam grabbed her arm and pulled her on his lap, the chair spinning crazily at the movement.
Sharon breathed heavily as she held on to Swayam, her hands curled around his neck. A smirk adorned his face and his eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. Sharon felt herself going weak in the knees as his gaze turned from one with mischief to one filled with love with a tinge of lust.
"I love you Sharon."
And none of the heartbreak, the sorrow and the helpness mattered at that moment.
And so, Sharon pressed her lips to his, drawing him into a long and passionate kiss with only one thought in her head.
I love you too Swayam.
--
"This is it. This is how I am going to die. I can feel my heart racing towards an end."
"Swayam-"
"I can feel my lungs giving out. I'll probably die first, you don't get to die if I die."
"Saurav-"
"No, it is okay. Sharon will still be ali-"
"Will you both sit and calm down?!"
Saurav and Swayam sat next to each other, petulant while Sharon glared at them. It was bad enough that Saurav was kicked out of the OR because he fainted instead of his wife, who was actually pushing out a human and now both brothers were panicking like two year olds. She had had no other choice but to give them a scolding. Sharon sighed. Honestly, she herself was incredibly nervous.
It was Swayam's child after all.
After moments of nail biting silence, the doctor came out of the OR, sweaty but with a dazzling smile on her face.
And then the cry filled their ears.
Swayam and Saurav jumped off their seats, all the panic, all the fear disappearing, replaced by euphoria.
"Congratulations! It's a boy."
Sharon heaved a huge sigh of relief. The delivery had happened a few days later than expected but thankfully they were alright.
"Can- can we go in? See them?"
"In five minutes, Mr.Shekawat."
*
Nisha couldn't control her tears. Her son was in her arms and they were surrounded by people who loved them.
"Nisha? Can I hold him?"
"He is your son too, Swayam."
Swayam had read about how having a baby changed your world but as he held his son in his arms, he experienced it. He was now responsible for a human being, for this tiny little boy who was currently cooing at him. He felt his heart melt for the kid and in him rose a fire, an urge to protect this child at any costs. Tears filled his eyes and he looked at Sharon, who smiled encouragingly at him. She had tears of her own, which she was trying hard not to shed.
"Kiddo is so lucky." Saurav whispered as he held Nisha "He has got not two, but four parents."
"That he has indeed." Sharon whispered.
Swayam smiled and looked down at his son. He nuzzled his nose against the soft baby skin and chuckled, his heart skipping a beat as the tiny hand came to rest on his cheek.
"Looks like you are going to get spoilt rotten, Rishabh Shekawat."
--
"We have come a long way, haven't we?" Sharon whispered into his shoulder as they sat in the balcony. The last time they were in this position was when Sharon had come to visit Swayam whom she had found on the balcony ledge.
Swayam remembered it very vividly. That feeling of utter helplessness would never leave him even if he wished to forget. He remembered how badly he had wanted to tell her how much he loved her, he remembered how he couldn't tell her.
"I was head over heels for you back then." he whispered.
"Me too." she said, wrapping her arms tighter around him.
"I wanted to tell you so badly. But Nisha, the baby-"
"Hush." Sharon interrupted him "That day's gone, that phase's gone. It is over now. We have each other, we have Rishabh. Nisha has Saurav. It is all good now. Even the air feels different now."
Swayam took a deep breath, breathing in the 'new' air, a smile playing across his face.
"That is true. I do have you now, sweetplum."
"You might not if you continue calling me sweetplum."
"Okay, okay. Sweetplum."
Sharon gave an exasperated sigh as Swayam began to chuckle. Sometimes this guy had the maturity of a seven year old. But then atleast, he was laughing.
The cloud cover passed by above them, bringing out the sun. The sunlight glinted off the diamond ring on her left hand, testimony of the fact that one day, she would marry this unpredictably wonderful guy. This long-haired, pesky man. This man who filled the void her sister had left. This man who made her Sharon again.
"I love you Rapunzel."
"And I love you, sweetplum."
Edited by .nerfherder - 7 years ago
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