Part 9 – Woven Fates

Night adorned Sirigao with its calm serenity, but back at Samiksha’s home, several emotions flooded between the mom daughter duo.
“Samar Khanna”, said Samiksha.
“What? Say again.”
“Samar Khanna, mom.”
The startling response of Suniti and the ringing of the door bell coincided leaving a pin drop silence in the room. Samiksha walked towards the door alternating glances between her mom and the door.

She opened the door and Suniti’s heart raced faster than ever. From the edge of the door slowly appeared a known face. It was Karan. Suniti let a deep sigh out and said, “Its Karan, Samiksha. I thought . . ” To her amaze, one more visitor made an entrance in the room. She turned her neck to identify the accomplice with Karan. Suniti blinked her eyes to confirm what her thudding heart was screaming aloud.

It was none other than Samar,

her first love. Similar reactions were flowing through Samar’s heart. He had tears of joy in his eyes. In fact he refused to believe that his Suniti was in front of him, standing next to him.
Karan and Samiksha exchanged glances of joy seeing the two lovers unite after more than a decade. He gestured her to leave them alone for some time. They left quietly from there into the garden area leaving the lovers in the room.

Samar saw his Suniti

with love filled eyes.
“Suniti, I never betrayed you my love.”
His words resonated in her ears and she whispered, ” I waited for you till the last moment Samar.”
“And you thought I cheated you, right?”
Somehow Suniti felt a clear conscience emitting from his soul.
“What happened Samar? what went wrong?”
“I lost my dad that night Suniti.” Saying this he sat on the sofa. She sat next to him looking deep into his sorrowful eyes.

She was taken aback

by his words and at the same time surprised why this news failed to reach her.
“Samar, what happened suddenly? He wasn’t sick as such .”
“Even we were not able to find out the exact reason. It happened all of a sudden. Mom needed me Suniti, I tried to contact you next day but you were not to be found anywhere. Your neighbours refused to reveal your whereabouts and . .”

“I am so sorry Samar

for doubting your love for me. That night papa got a big opportunity of work and we had to leave the same night. I tried to explain him my reasons to wait here, for you, for our love, but he refused to pay heed. And when you did not turn up that night, my hopes vanished at once. I agreed to leave the city. The ring you gave me was my only asset, the symbol of our love. We boarded a ship and unfortunately it got caught in a wild storm. The ship sank, taking lives of several people on board. In the struggle to save our lives, I lost my ring. I and papa survived somehow and with other people we headed towards Sirigao. After few days, papa found a groom for me and insisted on getting me married.”

“I understand his concern for you Suniti.”

“I agreed for the marriage. We started living a normal married life also. But the path where we got separated, always echoed our story, our incomplete story.”
“I too got married for the happiness of my mom, delivered my duties towards my home, but a void always remained. Of you, your smiles”, he placed his hand over hers, “and your heart.”

“I wish things worked out for us. And our dream was fulfilled.”
“Things will work out for you, even now”, Karan said as he entered the living room.
“And your dream of getting married at Mayem Lake will also come true.” Samiksha added.

Both Samar and Suniti looked at each other and at them.
“I am so glad dad, that you found your lost love again. And even you have realised that you were not betrayed in love, just they were the testing times. See, true love triumphs at the end, no matter how long it takes.”
“Yes Karan, i agree with each word of yours. And I am so happy for you mom, that you have found your happiness.”

“But now, at this age . .”
Samar interrupted, “Love is free from the human restrictions and rules Suniti. When we missed each other, when people refused to tell me where you were, we were the ones who faced everything. So even now, we have the right to happiness, to lead a life as per our choice.”
“Well said dad. Now we have two things on the hit list. One, getting back our ring and second arranging for your dream wedding dear dad and . . ” he looked at Suniti and continued, “mom.”

“I forgot to tell you that the receipt I found of the ring is very old, and hence lettering is not clear.”

Concluding part/ . . Soon.

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