Journey of Hope

CHAPTER:- 7

After 21 years

Pratik's pov

"Princess! Wake up baby. Rise and shine the world just like the bright sun in the sky." I said while caressing the hair of my daughter who was sleeping without caring about the worries of the outer world.

Feeling my touch on her forehead, She snuggled more into me and slept comfortably on my lap. A smile broke into my lips forming a curved shape at her gesture.

She was looking really tired and I didn't want to spoil her beauty sleep. So I made her lie on the bed and started to leave, when a soft pair of hands held my wrist stopping my foot on the track. I turned around to find my princess holding my hands. Her eyes were closed indicating how sleepy she was!

"Baba! Stay here for sometime more. I want to sleep peacefully." My smile grew wider listening to my princess's cute command.

"Prati! Baba would have stayed here for all day if he had no office work. Now be a good girl and wake up." Sarmistha lovingly said while coming inside the room with a coffee cup in her hand.

I looked at her adoringly. She turned my home into a heaven. At first I was sceptical about my second marriage decision. I lost my faith upon marriage due to Adyasha's selfishness. Her hate towards Mom was something I couldn't change over the years. But, Sarmistha was different. She always loved and cared for everyone. Even She was never partial towards Pratyasha.

With passing time, I realised that Mom had a dislike towards Prati. I understood her feelings. She felt that Prati would be like her mother if she won't be strict. But I knew that my daughter will be the best as she was already influenced by my family's value, unlike her mother who was the spoiled princess of a rich father.

Then Sarmistha was always the thread who be the peacemaker between them unlike Adyasha who always complained about every small things. But now there was no meaning of thinking about Adyasha. She was gone and now Sarmistha filled her space.

"What are you thinking?" Sarmistha asked shooking my shoulder and I realised that I was so lost in my thoughts about Adyasha.

"Nothing important." I said and looked towards my princess who was already up listening to her mother's voice.

They shared a great bond of love and respect which is beyond the blood relations.

"Sami! My princess seems to be tired. Let her complete her Beauty sleep first." I said as Prati was looking too tired. She couldn't open her eyes, but out of respect for her mother she tried hard not to let the eye to blink.

"You and your unnecessary love is spoiling her. Day by day She is turning into a mannerless girl like her mother." Mom said coming inside the room.

"Mom! Pratyasha is my daughter. Only mine. Dare you to attach the name of that woman with my daughter." I said in a warning voice.

"Now you are raising your voice in front of me for this mere girl." Tears brimmed in her eyes while I felt guilty for talking to her in this manner.

"I am really sorry Mom. It's just that you mentioned her name and I lost it. Even after her death she managed to spoil my life." I said being disheartened.

"It's ok beta. I understand. That girl even after her death managed to defame me in front of you. It was my fault then to correct her mistakes and now to advise your princess for her good." She said in between her sobs. I felt bad for her. But then it was nothing wrong if my daughter will sleep for sometime more as she was tired.

"Come on, Mom! I am not blaming you. It won't be a violation of your rule book, if my daughter will sleep, right?" I said her in a taunting way.

It always disheartened me whenever I saw the bitter relationship in between my family. Earlier it was Adyasha, who never tried to adjust with Mom, Now at least I was glad that Sarmistha was not like her. Then Mom's dislike towards Pratyasha created another problem in my life.

"Oh really! Are you forgetting that this princess of yours will be married right after one year. Do you want her to make her in laws wait until she complete her sleep?" Mom spatted bitterly while Pratyasha clutched my shirt scaredly.

"Stop the nonsense Mom. My princess would be the queen in her new home and It won't be wrong for them to wait for the queen to rise." I said patting Prati's cheek lightly.

"Yes Baba! I hope my husband will be just like you, perfect." She said with a proud smile adoring her lips.

"You will get someone better than me. Now get up and come down. I will drop you at the college today." I kissed her forehead and she grinned listening to me.

"My lucky charm." I left the room signing Sarmistha through my eyes to handle Mom around Pratyasha. It was my daily routine to watch my princess's face first at the morning before going outside. She is my lucky charm, my treasure of success.

Pratyasha's pov

As everyday, my morning started with Baba's forehead kiss, full of love and care. He was my hero. His presence ensures security around me and in his absence life became the hell for me.

I looked up to find Mom and Dadi glaring me with pure hatred in their eyes.

"Oh! So finally the princess blessed us by sparing her precious eye balls to look at us." It was Mom who initiated first.

"Sorry Mom! My eyes didn't open earlier." I apologized in order to close the topic there only, but how will she be satisfied without taunting me!

"See Maa! She was not at fault. It was her eyes which didn't open earlier." Mom said to Dadi.

"No Mom. I didn't say like that. I had to awake till late night to complete the assignments. That's why I became late to wake up." I tried to defend myself forgetting about the consequences that I already faced for speaking the truth earlier for a lot of times.

Splash...

It was so sudden for me. I couldn't react when Dadi splashed the whole jug of water on my face. I was about to wipe my face when she came near me and hold my both hands, twisting it behind my back.

"I guess now your eyes are perfectly open. I hope you will remember now not to show your speaking skills in front of me." Dadi said showing her big scary eyes.

"Am I a dog barking here? Why are you not responding to me?" She grabbed my hair in a tight grip.

"Yes. I understand." I just wanted their to be satisfied enough to leave me for today. I knew that argument won't lead me to anything.

"Better for you. You may spelled your black magic on my son, then I know your true face. So, be careful."

"I didn't spell anything." I said stuttering badly. With each words her grip on my hairs tightened increasing my sobs. Finally the grip loosened as she took her hand back to slap me.

"Oh! Now you will taught us what did you do?" I cried as the slap was hard enough to leave a mark on my cheek.

"See Maa. How she is trying to alert Pratik and then she will manipulate him against us." This time Mom grabbed my hair. "She sleeps like a princess and I have to serve her coffee always."

"Let me taste her coffee in a better way then." Dadi said and dipped my right hand on the coffee mug while I cried loudly.

"Let's go, Sarmistha. I have to take a bath on holy water. At the morning I have to touch this curse only." Dadi spatted and left the room along with Mom.

I sat on the bed resting my head on the wall gazing at the sky visible from the window at my left side. The sky was empty just like my life. The only difference between us was that there was the bright sun, hope of the sky while my sun never rised.

The physical pain due to burn in hand was nothing in front of the emotional trauma I was facing.

The tick tick sound of clock broke my trance. I noticed the time and realised that I had to be ready for college. I applied a ointment to relief the burn and bandaged the area. Then I went to bathroom to freshen up.

After taking a quick shower I wore the first outfit that I had found in my wardrobe without thinking much about it as I was running in short of time. I wore an offshoulder black top along with a denim bottom and did a minimal of make up.

After packing the necessary stuffs I went to dining hall for breakfast wearing a smile on my face. A smile that mattered to the world, nobody bother to read the pain behind it.