Learning to Love

Chapter 3

~Nobody has ever measured, not even the poets, how much a heart can hold~

Zelda Fitzgerald.

***

"Hey Ron!" The excited and sweet voice of the little girl alerted his ears. He spotted her sitting on bed in Indian style.

Though her face was tired, mushy and she looked looked sleep induced cause of exhaustion still she tried to keep a smiling face.

He smiled at her while entering the room and finding her wide awake at almost ten in the evening. Apparently she already had dinner and was sleeping early today because she had a huge day tomorrow. At least that's what Aisha said. He made himself comfortable on her small princess bed.

"Hey bud, you didn't sleep yet?" He asked her concerned and then his attention shifted to the huge sticker on one of the walls.

As his gaze wandered around the room he resisted to let out a sigh. It was such a typical kids room, especially a girl room with lot of princess stickers surrounding it.

The walls were painted bright pink on one side and dark violet on other and a white dressing table with violet drawer handles and mirror sticker was placed at corner of room. The curtains were a mix of white and violet adorning the huge window beside her bed. The queen sized puffy soft bed was placed in the centre of room with the white mattress and pink polka dots on it. Seriously Drisha was too much into pink and violet. Her obsession with the violet and pink, two contrasting colours amazed him. He couldn't understand which theme should he associate the room with.

"What is with your face?" She asked him curiously, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Nothing. I just came to tell you that we are going to New York for long time. You have to go school there. Are you okay with it?" He asked his voice hopeful.

"Of course. Yay! I love new places." She squealed with excitement.

His tension disappeared seeing her excited face and a ghost smile appeared on his face. Seeing her in a happy mood always made him happy.

"That's the spirit. We will leave in three days, yeah? So help your mum with packing and also pack your own bag tomorrow." He said to which he noticed she faked a yawn and rubbed her eyes.

"I'm feeling sleepy. Good night."

He wanted to laugh and call out her drama but then he heard the footsteps approaching towards the room. He knew that it might be Aisha as she told him she'll come along with him to check on her daughter.

"Dhrisha you didn't sleep yet?" Aisha asked as she entered the room, placing her hands on her hip and directed a glare in her direction.

"I was sleeping but Ron woke me up." Drisha accusingly pointed her finger at Ron to which he looked at her with widened eyes.

"Ron! You told you would just check on her." Aisha exclaimed actually believing her.

Drisha giggled at her mother's expression.

"Aisha, this minx is lying. She was not at all sleeping."

Aisha glared at her daughter for lying. Drisha not in mood for her mother's yelling quickly lied down and pulled her covers and shut her eyes.

"Now you are sleepy huh?!" Ron teased.

"Of course I am. Goodnight mum. Goodnight Ron. Love you."

Aisha sighed at her behaviour. She was getting so much mischievous as days passed by. She was scared that she would have to handle her all alone. Being single mother is so difficult.

"Ron can you switch off the light please?" Aisha asked.

"Of course your highness" Ron teased and got up from the bed and turned off the light.

Aisha sighed. Ron spoiled Drisha too much and sometimes it scared her. She cannot control that though.

"Ron goodnight." Aisha whispered.

"Yeah. Night." He smiled

Together they both exited her room, softly closing the door.

"Ron are you sure you want us to go with you?" Aisha asked her voice unsure.

"Of course. I would love to have you two there. Besides I know Dhrisha can't be left alone here. She's a terror and you can't handle her alone. Don't worry. She's excited about it too" He chuckled at the last part to which Aisha softly laughed and nodded her head.

"Okay. But where are we going to stay? Are they providing you a flat?"

"I am not sure. Besides its Mark's job to figure it out. He'll handle it." He replied shrugging.

Aisha observed his eyes. They still looked so lifeless, dull and sad that she just couldn't hold back anymore.

"Ron?"

"Hmm?" He answered turning towards her.

"Do you still miss her?"

Ron sadly smiled. His smile answered her question. She gave him a nod and walked back to her cursing herself for even asking that question. It was not her fault entirely. Ron's mother asked her to do cause she was worried for him and wanted to find a suitable wife for him.

Turning away from her he paddled his way towards the direction of his room. As he opened his room a cool gust of air hit him. He shivered and his gaze landed on his huge empty bed.

Automatically his thoughts raced back to her angelic sleeping face. He still remembered her sleeping peacefully beside him. It was rarely that he would get the chance to see her laying in the bed in morning because she was early riser.

Just like that the memory of them in Greece during their honeymoon flashed.

It was bright sunny day and he woke up due to the harsh rays hitting his back. Stretching his arms he groaned as his muscles felt relieved. His right arm still felt numb cause of the fact that his wife loved to use him as her personal pillow.

He squinted his eyes at the bright sun rays. He sighed as he saw that the windows were slightly open due to which the sun rays were peeking through it. Automatically he glanced at huge clock beside the window and groaned noticing that it was ten am. Just then he felt a moment beside him.

Moving his eyes away from the clock he looked beside him. His eyes landed on the sleeping beauty next to him, his wife. Her long brown locks were sprawled all over the pillow. Her eyes were tightly closed as if she was scared. He observed her carefully, studying every feature of her beautiful face. Her chest rose as she took calm breaths. Her lips caught his eyes, they looked swollen and ravished. He grinned as he knew he was reason behind it.

He observed that her one arm was holding the duvet as if scared that it will slip away while other was inside the duvet. He noticed that due to the breeze few strands of her hair fell on her forehead causing her nose to twitch.

It seemed as if there was no end to it. As her forehead creased and she shook her head in irritation.

He chuckled at her futile attempt and moved closer to her. He bent down to her level and delicately tucked her hair behind her ear which instantly bought a smile on her face.

"Mmhh...thank you." She smiled opening her eyes.

"Oh you're finally awake. Now let's get this morning strarted" He smirked and they didn't get out of their room for a while.

***

"Hey! Is he awake?" Sanyana asked as soon as she set her feet inside the living room.

Annie who was sitting on the sofa busy with her earphones while reading some sort of notes looked up. She quickly discarded the earphones from her ears and focused her attention to the women standing in front of her.

"I'm sorry. What?"

"I asked is Rayn up yet?"

"No. He got up two hours ago and then fell asleep watching tv. I think he might be too tired"

"Yeah. Maybe. Thanks for looking after him." Sanyana sighed and placed her purse on the sofa.

In three days there was some company she had to look after. In sense the people from the company will be here and she had to do efficient job and prove her skills to them.

"No problem. Okay I'll see you tomorrow then that is if you need me. Good night. Tell my buddy that I missed him today." Annie said as she collected all her scattered items and threw them in her bag.

"Yeah I will. Good night Annie" Sanyana replied.

After taking a relaxing shower and dressed in PJs she went back to cook the dinner. She had brought the groceries on the way back so she started to prepare the food her boy demanded. Lasagna with chicken.

After the meal was prepared and placed on the dining table, she felt content. The best thing about lasagna was it was easy to make. Also it was only two of them so even the effort needed was less. It hardly took her twenty minutes to cook.

Looking at the clock her eyes widened. It was eight forty already and Rayn was still sleeping. She sighed. If she won't wake him up he'll not be able to sleep at night. With that thought she hurriedly walked upstairs.

"Rayn, baby come on wake up" She shook his arm trying to wake him up.

She noticed that he looked replica of his father when he sleeps. Though he has some adorable features of her but his nose was like this father's. Anyone who knows Ron would guess that he was his son.

He shifted a bit and stirred after listening to his mother's angelic voice. He slowly opened his right eye only to find his mother smiling at him, which made him open his both eyes. He woke up after rubbing his eyes and yawning a bit.

Sanyana was sitting on his bed supporting her back to headbord and watching her son. He also sat like her but snuggled closer to her and rested his head on her shoulder and his tiny as were wrapped around her waist.

She pulled him closer by placing one hand on his waist and other in his messy locks and ruffled them.

"Slept well?" She asked.

"Yess mummy" he yawned adorably making her chuckle.

"Now come on let's have dinner. I made your favourite" She

lifted him up from the bed to which he squealed and held her tightly. With his arms wrapped around her neck she walked down the stairs.

***

After having dinner, Rayn was busy watching spongebob square pants with his mother beside him.

Suddenly her phone started to ring making her groan. Reluctantly she stood up and walked in the direction of her phone. She smiled looking at the caller ID and answered the call.

"Hello ma." She answered the call and addressed her mother. It had been a week she talked to her mother.

"Hello beta kaisi ho? Rayn kaisa hai?" Her mother asked from the other side, her voice sounding strained and gloomy. She was enquiring about her.

"I'm fine ma. So is your grandson. How are you? Is everyone alright?" Sanyana asked still a huge smile on her face.

"I'm doing good and so is everyone else. Ankit just arrived from Mumbai today with his Amrita and Ankita. He got few holidays from work. He is going to stay for a while. I'm so happy about it. Ankita has grown so much. I'll tell him to send you a picture. And your father is on his trip and will come tomorrow."

Sanyana loved her and missed holding her. Her brother along with his family visited her nearly six months ago and they fun staying at her place.

She wished her mother to come but she knew it was not possible as her father was cross with Sanyana. In fact he didn't knew she was in New York. They dont talk anymore.

"Wow Ankit bhai is back! Haha I'm guessing cause it's festival month and he can't wait to eat your cooked food."

"Cut him some slack. Anyways what is my cutie doing?" Her mother asked after a long pause wanting to talk to her only grandson.

Sanyana smiled at the use of her name for Rayn cause he disliked it. He told her that it makes him feel like a baby when he's not. He was so serious about that she wanted to laugh but she restrained herself. She walked up to her son who seemed engrossed in his favourite show.

"Ma he's watching his favourite show. Hold up" Rayn was too busy to address her presence beside her, she gestured Rayn to talk to his grandmother.

"Hello nanni" He answered taking the phone from his mother.

Sanyana just smiled watching her son speak so animatedly and softly.

His face lighted up as he began to speak to his grandma about his whole day and about his friends. Her mother daily calls her but this week she might have been busy. Sometimes they even did Skype each other. But it was mostly on weekends.

But what surprised her the most is her mother agreed on her decision to keep Rayn away from Ron.

And she hoped her secret remained as a secret.

***