Forever Yours

Chapter Thirty Four

Siddharth didn't fall asleep. He couldn't, after what he had seen. An year ago, if someone had told him that he'd lose sleep over someone other than his mother, that their pain would hurt him more than his own, he would've laughed on their face.  

But here he was, lying awake at six in the morning. Shehnaaz slept snuggled into him, head tucked under his arm. She had practically passed out on him the previous night. The way she had been forced to relive some of the worst years of her life, break in so many pieces all at once, Siddharth hadn't expected any different of an outcome.  

It hurt, of course. He had never seen his sweet strong, superwoman so vulnerable in all the time he knew her. That was probably why, every time he tried to close his eyes, he'd be attacked by countless distorted images from last night, all at once. 

Siddharth felt his eyes pricking with tears as his thoughts wandered back to last night. Her breakdown, her screams had haunted him the whole night. 

Shehnaaz was the only thing keeping him sane in that moment, the physical connection-- the proximity to her was the only thing that kept Siddharth from breaking apart himself.  

Siddharth chuckled to himself, musing over the irony of the situation. Shehnaaz was the one who had triggered the restlessness in the first place, although for no fault of hers. He looked down at her.  

How could someone even think of hurting this angel? How could someone try to harm her innocence? 

Siddharth took a deep breath. He knew that there was nothing in this world he wouldn't do for this woman.  

His woman.  

He pulled her closer into his arms. Shehnaaz snuggled deeper into him, her hand flew to hold on to his shirt, instinctively. Siddharth smiled and kissed her forehead.  

"I love you, Superstar." He whispered to her.  

She didn't reply, of course. But he knew she loved him too. He sighed shakily, pressing another kiss on her forehead. 

*** 

"She's sleeping right now." Siddharth informed his mother, glancing instinctively at the door of the apartment. "I don't want her to wake up in the room all by herself." 

"Can we come with you?" Preeti asked, looking at the other members of the family assembled around them at Siddharth's request.  

"Of course Preeti." Siddharth smiled at her.  

"Poor kid. She doesn't deserve what happened to her. No one-- actually deserves that." Rajveer Jiju said softly.  

Siddharth nodded. "They don't."  

"I can't believe I didn't know anything about it. Digwijay ji bhi kabhi kucch nahi bataaye." Rita Maa thought aloud.  

"Socha hoga it's in the past. I don't see a point in asking questions about what happened years ago. Yeh cheezein.. yaadein revisit karna koi aasan kaam toh nahi hai na Maa? Kitni himmat lagti hai, hum soch bhi nahi sakte. Woh aapki choti si bacchi hai, jaan-bujh kar kucch nahi chupaaya hai aapse usne." Siddharth explained to her. "Woh waqt ek bure sapne jaisa hai uske liye.. jab bhi woh orphanage ke baare mein baat karti hai, sirf acchi cheezein-- acchi kahaaniya hoti hai uske muh par. Woh khud bhool gayi thi unn kucch saalon ko. Megha ke case ne ek jhatke se sab kucch khol diya. This situation took a a lot out of her." 

"Aisi baatein koi bhoolta nahi hai Siddharth." Rita Maa said softly.  

"Jaanta hoon. Dil behlaane ke liye hum khud se bahot se jhooth bolte hai Maa. Kabhi-kabhi, yeh hi wajaah hoti hai humaari aur hamaare pariwaar ki khushiyon ki." Siddharth said sadly.