......... He would walk slowly towards the curtain.... To find this little fairy hiding behind them......

He would often tickle her ....... Play inky pinky...... Save her from the food monster........
It had become their daily routine....as.for now........

"aap ko ek secret bataun..."

She once said in whispers.....

"me aaapko plee se jaanta hun...."
He was startled..... As jiya said it.....

"wo kese..." he asked curiously...

"ummmm........ Pata nai....." she would say each time...... And get engaged in her games......

He would often finish the drills early......and dismiss the cadets.... So he can spend some time with jiya......

This little munchkin.... Would always be found hovering around this new friend of hers. .........

And wouldn't stop blabbering about him to naina.. As she tucked her to sleep......

She would listen calmly to this little angel....who is. Unaware..... Of the reason she jells up with rajveer so well.......

Earlier she used to get startled..... To let this peice of her soul..... Alone with him....
.. But as time passed by ... Naina would notice. Her laughing and chirping with rajveer.......who would take her to parks...... And malls...... Teach her to swim..... Occasionally to hike around.... In academy premises....bring her her favourite toys...... And chocolates...... Dozens of them.......

she had always wanted to spend more time with her.... But too torn between providing her a comfortable and secure life...... By working....... Overtime...

...she had felt she is being unfair to her....... Not taking enough time for her......

. She always wished het daughter had a complete family....... With a father....... And now as she sees her bonding with rajveer........ She can't deny her from spending time with him........

Who is she to deprive her of a father's love.......

Love in any form..... Needs to be respected and embraced with an open heart......for.....its the only thing that keeps our soul warm.......
she fears she is far too damaged and worn out ...... And someday..... This coldness of hers..... Would start affecting jiya too.........

Maybe that is the reason why she has taken a decision........ To give him one chance with her daughter......... As the way he looks at her ......she could tell..... His feelings are real....... And if circumistances weren't the way they had been.... He could perhaps be a good father......
.... Her feet would run cold..... In thr moments jiya would be away from her....... But she was with her father....... Safe..... And happy.... She would witness as she often saw her eyes shining....... In anticipation...

For sake of her little angel she would sip poison..... With a smile on her face ........ Here all she has to do..... Is to trust him....... How different are the two things ......... When you really look at them........

As. He would often knock her door "kya mai kuch der ke liye... Jiya ko apne saath le ja sakta hun...." he would ask her politely.......
That was the only exchange of words they had.... Though her eyes would meet his..... In these moments.... Vigilant....... And his eyes would speak volumes........

He knows there is know way he can mend her heart....... And has given up the hope to apologise to her...... He doesn't expect that from.... Her..... For there are countless wounds..... And blemishes.... Which are perhaps impossible to heal in this lifetime.......

But it would be a lie..... To say that he doesn't long for her to look at him..... Once the way she used to...... Before all this happened......

.it would be a far bigger lie to admit that... He doesn't love her ........ And doesn't hope for her to forgive him.........

Hope is a weird thing........ like a fresh green sapling ... That happens to grow in cracks between the walls........ And we wonder where does it really come from........in a place with no sunlight and moisture ...... How does it manage to bloom......
In a place it is least expected to be......

But......for now....... Things better be left unsaid....

......
It was a warm friday afternoon.....
"mmamma plssh...na.... lake side par jaun."
She had literally fried her head.... Asking her the same thing......... Again and again... Since the night earlier........

"ye dekho... Mene itne sare paper boats banaye he......... Unhe.... Lake me daalna he......" she showed her..... Different coloured origami boats...... She made a day earlier .......with those squarish papers..........
Her tiny artistic hands.........marvelled......... In making them......... And she kept on and on about how she wanted to see them swim and twirl in lake.... Ever since the day....rajveer had taken her there.....
. "nai baccha..... Aap akele waha nahi jaoge...."

"mamma pleash........mamma please...." she kept going on.......

"jiya ....... Zid nahi karte......aap ka pair phisal jaega....... Waha pe" she couldn't ignore how this little monster made puppy faces ...........

"mai dur se dalunga..... Na paani me boats....... Pleas na mam"

She was about to take her there.......... Sighing...... In defeat....... Just then an orderly came..... Informing her.... That brigadier wants to see her..... urgently.....
"sorry baccha..... Mammm ko kaam karna he na"

She pouted in disappointment...... And so did jiya....... But jiya's face lit up.......
As she saw rajveer coming in their direction......

"mamma me friend ke saath jaun....."
She said with such gleeful eyes...... That she couldn't refuse

He looked at the duo questioningly..... ....
"wo jiya ko lake side par jana hai........."she said......

And he was more than happy to take her .......

Jiya went hopping away with him.... While she stood fixed looking at the retreating figures of two peices of her soul.........walking hand in hand........

It was undeniable......... Despite of all odds....... That a peice of her soul......... Was left with him...... As she left his home that day.......

That no matter what fate it had met....... Her love for him was real........... And each time his face comes infront of her.....she feels a stabbing pain in her chest...........she who denies to feel anything.......

___________

" this is written by mahaam di

" Jiya telling him
"Yaad a gaya mujhe "
She saying excited

Rajveer - kya

Jiya - yahi ke maine apko kaha dekha tha

Rajveer - kaha

And she whisper in his ears

"Mumma ke cupboard mein.. ".
Jiya - apka photo
She said...... Her eyes glittering proudly........ As her memory is suberb..... As she realizes it a the sudden....
... Jiya - lekin apka photo mumma ke pas kyun tha?
Kya ap Meri mamma ko pehle se jante ho
While he is spellbound.........

He had wept his heart out after he handed over jiya to her mother.......
..... His eyes...... .. Different today............

Reflecting an unexplainable pain.....

She couldn't miss.......... But neither spoke as he left jiya and looked at her . As if he could see through the facade of a soul less person.... She puts on....... Straight at her wounded heart which keeps treacherously beating
away........

No matter how much she tries to mutilate it.............. And shut it down........

He felt a stabbing pain that night .......
All those moments spent with her......... Ran in front of his eyes...... As he wept his heart out..... At what he has lost...........in his selfishness and stupidity........ ..
If only he had not done what did.....

If only he had not been blinded by lust and selfishness........ Had he seen that he was loved in a purest way one could love the other person.........perhaps still is............