Epilogue

(Six months later)

Preeti was flying around literally… her long wait coming to an end today. Her family was here as well. Narmada who was due any of these days was seated on a chair near the kitchen terribly missing her routine work at home. Preeti had strictly warned her from the time she had stepped into her last trimester. She smiled at a radiant Preeti glowing like bright star, her own pregnancy well into its second trimester. Preeti’s eyes met Narmada’s at that moment as she settled on another chair caressing her showing stomach. The little kiddo was athletic like it’s father… she chuckled feeling the kicks. She had found out a week after he had left that she was expecting. They hadn’t revealed the news to Gautam as they didn’t want him to feel more home sick than he already was. Her communication was restricted to a phone call once a week. He only spoke about his time… his gardening, his exercise… He barely let her talk but withdrew all her information from Narmada. She shook her head thinking about the times they spent together. Unfortunately most of the time they had the sword hanging over their heads but… no more now. They would make new memories… free from all Charade. Gautam was coming home today.

She had grown closer to her family in this time. Maasa had passed leaving a void no one could fill. Her mother and Tayiji and even Rewa frequently visited her getting her her favourite foods. Narmada too found a loving family in hers. Her mother, Romila Devi didn’t even bother to contact her neither did she. In fact the last they heard Romila Devi had checked herself into a gated community in a large house with all amenities… all expenses paid for the time she lived… Preeti knew Gautam had arranged it. Her man was a gem inside out. These days her mother had come to stay with them since both Narmada and she were not able to move around much. Gaurang was managing his offices in Jaisalmer and Bhiwadi so he was busy most of the time. He wanted to take a break when the baby arrived so was working his ass off.  They had a round a clock maid so things were easy.

But she always missed Gautam. Though she had everyone around her…she only wanted him. Just his presence… She missed him most in the nights as she lay all alone in their bed wearing his t shirt. She never wore her own clothes to bed. She held his pillow close to her inhaling the musky scent. She didn’t even wash his used clothes the day he left as she felt him and his scent in them… Once a week she spent time in the red room. She touched all his possessions there knowing that he may have touched them sometime…she felt connected to him. Just yesterday when she had been for her check-up she had asked the doctor if she could indulge in sexual activity. The doctor had smiled and said she could so far as she didn’t physically stress herself. She had had a non-eventful pregnancy so far except for the heavy nausea in the first trimester.

Finally she would see Gautam… six months had passed quickly but now every minute was passing excruciatingly slowly.

Her father and Suyash had accompanied Gaurang to Jaipur where Gautam was doing his prison time. Preeti smiled thinking about the changed attitudes of her father and Tayaji. Especially for the latter it was difficult for him to accept Yash’s reality but in the end he did. He was helping Yash with the treatment. Finally Yash was also remorseful and had apologised to her through a letter he wrote in prison. He was serving his term which at the moment was seven years. Her family had accepted Suyash into their folds and the entire Sengar enterprise was now bequeathed to Rewa and Preeti. Preeti was remotely working and that helped her stay sane in these months. Together Rewa, Suyash and she had worked to get the Sengar enterprise to a level they always wanted it to be. At least it had started to make a little profit. Rewa and Suyash were actively involved. Suyash had left his Job and taken up a position in their company.

The most important aspect was their family was free from the ownership of the Gagorn fort. They got the final judgement last month pulling down the curtains on that issue.

The arrival of the vehicle got her out of her thoughts. She stood up supporting herself with the chair handles. How would Gautam react on seeing her? Would he want the baby? They had never discussed kids…

Everyone gathered him at the door. Her mother had prepared the puja thaal and as the door opened, Preeti turned around facing the pillar…she wasn’t able to control the burst of emotions.  The next five minutes were a blur. She heard everyone welcome him. Her mother said she was leaving for Sengar house along with her father. Gaurang walked into his bedroom along with Narmada who had to rest. Narmada placed a hand on her shoulder as she passed her. Preeti stood rooted to the spot. She then felt him come closer…

She felt his hands on her shoulders as he turned her around. She closed her eyes sobbing silently as she turned. “Sweetheart…please… look at me…” he spoke softly. She slowly opened her eyes and saw his blurred face. She wiped off her tears and kept looking at him… he was a bit leaner and had a beard. Apart from that he was the same. He had tears in his eyes and he saw her and slowly his hands moved down to touch her belly.

He kissed her head, and then moved down and kissed her belly. He dug his face in there and began to cry. She held him close to her as her emotions flowed out baring her soul as well.

He stood and hugged her. “I wanted this so badly…darling… I had this feeling you were keeping something from me…”

“Are…you… happy Gautam? Actually the antibiotic I took and the stress at that time rendered my shot powerless and I conceived…”

“shhh…my love let it be… whatever happened…This is the best welcome gift… I am on the seventh heaven…”

He held her by the shoulders and together they climbed the stairs. As they entered their bedroom, he locked the door and they wasted no time tearing off each other’s clothes. Their mouths fused as they kissed and touched… the months of passion and emotions all filled to the brim were threatening to burst… He took her to bed and made her lie on her back.

He was careful not to hurt her as he pumped into her the months of longing and anticipation. Her insides clenched soon and she came with a power like electricity surged through her body… illuminating the dark alleys behind her eyes. His eyes held hers as he grunted, his liquid heat gushing into her wetness. He fell on the bed beside her, drawing her into his waiting arms. They faced each other and he rained kisses on her head.

“I missed you so much Preeti… every day… every moment. I wonder how I stayed away from you for twelve years….”

Preeti buried her face in his chest and breathed in his scent. It was different from his usual one because of his shower back in the prison barracks before he left. She complained that she missed his usual scent and immediately he scampered out of the bed to the bathroom. She was so tired that she had almost fallen asleep. She felt him come behind her and pull her towards him.

She lifted her head to rest it in the crook of his arm and his other hand was kept protectively on her tummy.

“Gautam?”

“Yea…”

“I don’t want to forget the past… in fact I have accepted it.”

“I have accepted that too Preeti…these last six months…I have analysed a lot…”

“Yes… We can’t let go of the past… it gave us each other Gautam…”

“…yes… my dark life received the ray of sunshine when you came along… And now…what I have left behind is the charade that had plagued our lives… I now have the two blessings I had always craved for” He kissed her head and caressed her belly.

She fell asleep in his arms contented with her life. It was finally complete.

There was no more Charade…

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Dear readers,

Thank you for reading CHarade. I look forward to hear from readers. It helps me learn… Do write!

Love

Priya