Father

Last Shot

RM

Pool side

Arnav sat on the surface border of the pool, his legs dipping in water, staring at the stars above, as if to find someone.

His eyes lit when he saw a star twinkling as if he found the star he was looking for.

"Khushi!!" He whispered.

"I know it's You, I can feel you Khushi. I just never thought I would never meet you. Every single day I was hoping to meet you atleast for once before I die so that I can ask the forgiveness for my behaviour towards you. But now today I realised I'm not worth your forgiveness neither I am worth to meet you, stand near You, breath the same air as you. Remember long back I said, 'I hate to even breath the same air as you!' Now I know I don't deserve it."

I was so wrong to hope to meet you one day. Alas! Good people aren't worth me. You know your daughter is same like you. Feisty, stubborn but arrogant. I don't know if she has the same enthusiastic, chirpy, happy go lucky girl characteristics in her like you. She has my mother's eyes Khushi. I don't know I deserve to take her name with my mouth."

"I know Khushi my sister was wrong to not to inform me about your daughter's birth but I can't blame her right? I mean she didn't know why you left and it was my entire fault, when I couldn't be the husband you deserved then how can I expect others to be civil with you?"

"You were related to her through me, when I myself declared that You aren't related to me as you are a cheater, a gold digger, then the relation had no value of you both. Now I thank her so much for not telling me about you and your daughter, because if I found out that I fathered a child, I would have done everything possible to snatch her away from you. Just because I was away from your's and her life, you both spent a peaceful life."

"I destroyed your life, made your life more than hell, no I'm not asking any forgiveness from you. Not because I still can't say sorry, but because I know my apology won't be enough. I have done far more damage to be forgotten or forgiven by a simple sorry. I do regret making your life miserable, but I don't regret marrying you."

"I know I was never the best man in your life and I know there was no other man after me, I just wish you had met an ideal man of your dreams instead of me. Maybe, not maybe I'm sure he would have cherished you, treated you as a queen and your daughter wouldn't have to live without her father for a significant part of her life."

"I won't even ask her to call me Dad or Papa, because you are her father as well as mother. She is an achiever just like you and is happy with her husband.

"Shhh! I won't talk about her anymore, maybe I may cast an evil eye on her and her happiness."

"You know after you, I married a woman named Ananya. She is nice, but not like you. I have a son and a daughter with her. But the sad part is I wasn't part of their upbringing. She alone brought up her children alone, fighting with Di, as Di always interfered in her matters related to her children."

"Everyone says Aarav, my son is like me. Maybe, but I never wish him to be like Me, to destroy the lives of innocent people.."

"Khushi I....." Arnav paused, staring at the star.

Ananya sighed. This is his same routine since 3 months, from the day NK and Aasha revealed the truth about Khushi and her sufferings. He doesn't move from the poolside right after the sunset till the sun rises. 
He disappointedly comes inside the room to again takes a dupatta of hers which is with him for the past 27 years, her broken bangles, some pearls and her sindoor's box. He wipes them daily with his handkerchief, talks to them gently and keeps them in the box.