"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. I tried my best to prevent, lekin mujhse nahi hua. Maa, Papa, Rishi, I'm really very sorry. Please mujhe maaf kardo." cried Abhira, as she tended to a wounded Riya.
"Arre beta, yeh kya bol rahi ho tum? This is not your fault at all! Yeh toh Riya ki bewakoofi hai ki she ran to the middle of the road, just to chase after a balloon given by her boyfriend. Usme tumhari kya galati hai? In fact, we are so grateful to you, kyunki agar tum uske peeche nahi gayi hoti, toh usko timely help nahi milta." said Rishi's mother, wiping the tears streaming down her face and pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Haan Biru, Mamta ek dum sahi keh rahi hai. Iss mein tumhari koi galati nahi hai." said Rishi's father, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"Exactly! Kehne ko toh Riya meri badi behen hai, lekin yeh toh teenage nibbi ki tarah behave karti hai. Tum chahkar bhi usko rok nahi paati. Aur waise, doctor ne yeh bola hai ki agar tum time pe isko hospital leke nahi aati, it would have gotten a lot worse. Don't worry Ms. Jugaad. Sab theek hai." said Rishi, earning a glare from Riya.
As they fussed around Riya, Abhira couldn't help but stare affectionately at her boyfriend's, now her family - Rishi, Riya, Maa, Papa, and not to forget Snuggles, their spoiled pet golden retriever that showered her with licks. What had she done in her past life to get a family like theirs? Had Akshara been alive, she would have been so glad that her daughter became a part of such a loving family. In fact, Akshara's spirit would be heaving a sigh of relief that Abhira was with the Shekhawats and not with sadists such as the Poddars.
Abhira could feel her earlier inhibitions returning as she thought about the previous family she had married into. It was never by choice... the choice was taken away from her when her mother decided that she was safer with Armaan Poddar than anywhere else. Armaan Poddar... the name that tasted as sweet as honey on her tongue soon became a bitter concoction, a slow poison. And the Poddars? She couldn't deny that she had grown attached to the family that sheltered her and cared for her. But it was only after she left them that she realized, the shelter and care was given to her at the cost of her self-respect and dignity.
"Oi, Ms. Jugaad! Mujhe walk pe jaana hai. Chale?" Rishi's voice broke her out of her reverie.
"Abhi? Lekin Riya ka khayal rakhna padega hume." said Abhira, looking at Riya's sleeping figure.
"Arre baba, Mom and Dad hai na idhar. Aur doctor ne bol diya kuch bhi serious nahi hai. It's okay. She'll be discharged soon. Let's just step out for a few minutes." said Rishi, pulled Abhira to her feet.
"Haan Biru. Tum dono bahar jaake aao. We'll be right here." said Rakesh, Rishi's father, as he gave Abhira an encouraging smile.
"Okay Papa. Hum aap sab ke liye ice cream leke aayenge." said Abhira, waving to their parents.
- At the Park -
"Oi, Ms. Jugaad, agar tum bura nahi maanoge toh ek baat poochun?" asked Rishi, making Abhira frown.
"Of course pooch sakte ho. We're going to be engaged in 3 months Mr. Bhukkad. You don't have to beat around the bush with me. You know that." said Abhira, as she sat next to Rishi on an isolated bench in the park.
"Jab Riya ka accident hua tha, you were so afraid ki we'll hold you responsible. Kyun? Tumhe kyun laga ki hum sab tumhe blame karenge?" asked Rishi.
Abhira could feel the heat flooding to her cheeks as Rishi waited for her to answer. She didn't realize that her momentary lapse of control over her emotions was that visible. She could feel those treacherous tears brimming her eyes as those memories of abuse and curses came back to her.
"Oh no. Abhira... Jaan... I'm so sorry. If I had known that this question would hurt you, main kabhi nahi poochta. I'm so sorry. I'm really very sorry." said Rishi, as he pulled her into a tight embrace, caressing her tear-stained cheeks as she let her tears flow.
"Abhira, you don't have to talk about it now. Just talk to me when you feel like it. I'm so sorry." Rishi's voice came out in a hushed whisper as he stroked her hair, apologizing over and over again.
As much as she wanted to talk to Rishi about everything that she had endured after her mother's death, she knew that she needed more time. Sure, he did know fragments of it. But she had left out how much it took a toll on her, and changed her in ways that she never imagined.
"Abhira, look at me." said Rishi, his voice soothing, yet serious at the same time. "I know ki tumhare past mein there are some things that have happened, which has made you like this. I may not know the gravity of how much it hurt you, but I can understand. So I want to promise you this..."
"I promise you that I will never doubt you, hurl accusations at you, or hold your flaws against you. I promise you that I will never jump into conclusions about you. I promise you ki if I ever disagree with you, I will talk it out with you first. I promise you ki hamare life mein jo bhi problems aayegi, hum dono milkar sort out karenge. I promise you that I will love you and cherish you for the amazing human that you are, always. And most of all, I promise you ki hamara jo bhi rishta hai, woh sirf hamara hai. Usme kisi teesre ko bolne ka haq nahi hai, hamari family ko bhi nahi." Rishi got down on his knee and made these promises to her with an earnestness that made her heart happy.
"I don't know if these words give you the peace of mind that you need, Abhira, but I want you to know that this promise stands, for this lifetime and the next, for as long as we are together. I love you, Abhira Sharma." said Rishi, his every word stitching together a piece of her heart that was broken.
"I... I love you too, Rishi Shekhawat. I love you so much!" she ran into his embrace once again, reveling in the feeling of love and happiness. This was truly the promise of a lifetime, and she couldn't wait for it to start.
~*~
Author's Note:
How did you like it guys? I think that this is one of the few shows where I stopped shipping the leads together so early on. I really don't think that I would want to see Abhira-Armaan together any more. So, this is me giving Abhira a chance at a better life.
What did you guys think? If you guys liked this OS, I would like to write a full-fledged FF with Abhira and a New Lead. Let me know if I can!
Also, who did you guys imagine as Rishi while reading the FF? Drop your answers in the reply!
Love.
Niya ❤️
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