✨A reality or a flashback? ✨

Samantha

When I entered the building, it was filled with thick, black smoke. My lungs struggled to breathe yet I managed to move to the hall. Thankfully, the side corner area was the main centre of the eruption of fire.

I managed to take Maa's photo and cleaned the dust spread over the frame from my dupatta. "Maa, maine aapke Maan ko tutne nahi dungi", I kept her photo closer to my chest and I wrapped my dupatta around it.

"I need to move out fast before the fire spreads here", I thought and started rushing out. The windows crackle, the walls were getting destroyed and the smoke has made the vision so blurry.

I managed my way when the curtains fell and that spread the fire into my direction. I rushed behind the pillar and panicked with all the courage I had left inside.

"Oh, no! Mujhe jaldi yaha se bahar nikalna hoga", I tightened my grip over the photo.

I roamed my eyes everywhere in the corner of the room and found the table. I rushed and started dragging it. If the next pillar falls, it would be of the entrance and there would be no other way left to get out of here.

So, I really needed to give it a firm support so that even if the fire rushes, I can get myself out.

I pulled the table and it was way too heavy. I kept the photo aside and gave my left energy pulling it towards the entrance. "Ouch....", I felt my hands getting wet when I realised I got a cut on my hands.

"C'mon, Samantha. Do fast....", I repeated to myself and pulled the table with all the force. Somehow I managed to drag it to the pillar area so that even if the pillar falls, it doesn't fall straight to the ground. I know that is not going to work for a longer time yet I would manage to get out within those fractions of seconds.

After placing the table, I took Maa's photo in my hands and ran to the entrance. I heard the crackling sound of the pillar, I lifted up my eyes and it was about to fall. I took longer strides and finally found myself out of the door when the hem of my dress got stuck in the door's lock.

"Oh God, no no no....", I prayed inside as my hands were already bleeding yet I ignored every pain and pulled my dress with force.

I pulled it harshly causing myself to tremble on my feet when I heard the thud sound of the pillar and I flinched at my place. But I realised that I was already out of the gate.

My chest tightened as I struggled to breathe. I didn't realise that I have already inhaled the smoke and it has started making me feel dizzy.

"Samantha, please listen to me once", I heard Abhimaan's screams as a soft smile appeared on my face.

"Main aa rahi hu, Abhimaan", I said to myself as I marched out. The blurry vision appeared to be an obstacle as I wasn't able to see him clearly despite him standing at a fewer distance from me.

"Abhimaan....", a soft smile plastered across my face when I finally saw him. He melted down when he faced me as if he wasn't able to believe it if I was for real.

I noticed his wet eyes and mine too, "Abhi....", my chest tightened, I felt no energy to speak and I trembled at my feet. Before I could hit the ground, I felt the pair of arms already wrapped around me, "Main tumhe kuch nahi hone dunga, Samantha", I heard his words before the blackness took me over.

___________________________________________

"Doctor, is she okay?"

"Doctor, meri beti thik toh ho jayegi naa?"

I woke up with a muffling voice, my eyes wide open and I took my time to regain my consciousness. I felt my one hand covered with the bandage and the other hand intertwined held warmth. I roamed my eyes and it was Abhimaan sitting beside me. It was our room, I was in Malhotra Mansion and everyone was gathered in front of my eyes. Maa, Papa, Chachu, Chachi, Amaira, Armaan and Ruhaan too. I read their faces and it plastered nothing but concern.

"Don't worry, inhe hosh aa gaya hai aur maine dawai bhi de di hai. She fainted because of the suffocation with the smoke but now she is fine", I heard the doctor saying.

"Give the medicines on time and let her rest for now", he added and left while Armaan followed him out.

"Samantha....", I looked at Abhimaan, his forehead covered with the beads of sweat, his eyes swollen and face was pale.

"You are fine, Samantha", Maa came to and caressed my cheeks.

"Mujhe nahi pata tha meri beti itni bahadur hai", Dad said with tearful eyes.

"Beti, main kya kahu tujhse?", Maa cried too and everyone except Abhimaan looked at me with the same eyes.

"Maa....", I smiled at her giving an assuring look.

"Tu aaram kar beti....", Dad said to me and took everyone out with him leaving me and Abhimaan in our room.

He was sitting beside me but didn't say a single word, his eyes roamed everywhere but didn't glance at me.

I poked my fingers on his cheeks but he refused to look at me, I pinched him but he barely got an effect.

I sat straight with a little struggle, "What are you doing, Samantha? The doctor asked you to rest", he said in concern.

"You weren't looking at me", I said with puppy eyes.

"Samantha, you should sleep", he said getting up from the bed when I held his hands again.

"Abhimaan...."

He stopped but didn't turn back, "I didn't have any options."

"Woh Maa ki aakhri tasveer thi toh main kaise....", I felt his lips on mine before I could complete my words.

I shifted back a little when he held my cheeks resting his lips on mine, "Samantha....", he whispered and sat beside me.

He started kissing me on my forehead then he kissed my cheeks, then nose, then lips and he kept kissing me all over my face, then he reached to band aid hands and held it closer to his heart. I could listen to his fast paced heartbeat as he breathed heavily and rested his forehead to mine.

I welled up in tears when I felt him crying silently, "Mujhe laga main tumhe bhi kho dunga. Main bahut dar gaya tha, Samantha", he confessed.

"But I'm fine, Abhimaan....", I tried consoling him as I held him closer.

"Main khud ko kabhi maaf nahi kar pata. I don't know how to react, Samantha. I was right", he said slowly.

"Right for what?"

"That you will be my trouble one day", I chuckled softly at his words.

He caressed my hair, "Abhimaan....", I whispered.

"Ji...."

"Main thik hu. Sab thik hai. Okay?", I sighed heavily while he nodded and I landed on his lips locking my assurance to him.

To be honest, I was afraid too. Not about losing my life but not able to see him again. Not able to hear him again, touch him again, be in his arms again.

Even at my low, I felt him in every inch of my body.

Melting down with my unspoken fear, I started kissing him passionately and he reciprocated it, everything inside me left all the urge to stop my body from reacting further, I kept kissing him fiercely.

I felt our undeniable emotions syncing and he was eating me out with the same desire in his eyes. He slid away my hair and started leaving soft kisses all over my neck. I clenched his hair in my fist and suppressed a soft moan.

I laid my back on the bed and he hovered over me, his warmth was everything I needed at that moment. "Abhimaan....", said while he roamed his hands over my boobs.

I bit back my lips when he kissed my clothed breast, "Ji....", he said in his husky voice and I arched my back as a sign that I wanted him equally.

He took no time in unzipping my suit from behind and slid it down my shoulder, "You know how scared I was?", he asked me to kiss my shoulders.

"Ummm....hmmmm", I couldn't say it was normal but he understood it anyways.

"I thought I would never see you again", Abhimaan has literally started knowing how to give words to something which caused him pain.

A soft smile appeared on my face, "I have a long time to be with you....", I said slowly and he faced me locking his eyes to mine.

"Can I name this long time a "forever?", he asked out of a sudden and my heart flattered as he kissed me locking our unspoken promise.

"You can name it, "Forever mine?", he chuckled slightly at my words and we kept kissing each other again. Once we were out of breath, he zipped up my suit and sat straight on the bed.

"Khaane ka time ho chuka hai aur aapko dawa bhi leni hai", he got up from his seat and I squinted my eyes at his sudden realisation.

"Are you for real?", I gasped sitting on my back receiving a smile from him which is actually a wholesome thing to look at. His smile is adorable.

"This eyes is not going to work, biwi. You have to take a proper rest. And take your medicines on time", he added.

"I'm coming with our dinner, stay here only", he said in a serious tone and me being like a good girl followed his command.

While a soft smile left my face, I felt a lingering sensation of doom right beneath the surface of my mind, "I miss you, Dad. I just hope you are proud of me....", I muttered to myself.

What if I couldn't get out of the building today, would I really be able to meet you, Dad?

Or do I just have to live a little longer until I can carry your lessons and belief inside me?

___________________________________________

Flashback

The cold breeze swept softly as it touched our faces. Dad had already lit up the garden lights, and we were sitting in our favorite spot, enjoying the fresh pancakes I had baked for the first time.

"Ummm.... So delicious", Dad moaned, his mouth filled with the pancake.

I chuckled at his reaction, "It's not that tasty, Dad. I know it", I know Dad compliments me even if he eats my overly cooked noodles.

"Trust me, Sam. It's too good....", he said as he wiped off the sugar syrup with the tissue which has formed a moustache over my lips.

"If that is so, then you are the person whom you should compliment back. After all you taught me to bake these", I hugged him and we kept talking for hours.

Me and Dad always used to spend our evening in the backyard of our house. Once we are done serving the orders, we shut down the cafe and spend some time together. The same place where I got married. This place holds tons of memories inside my heart.

"Dad....", I said slowly.

"Yes, Sam...."

"What's a gold digger?", I asked, my voice getting lower and he turned to me abruptly.

"Sam, where did you hear this word?", he asked and I knew by then it's not something I should know or listen to.

"Bolo, Samantha. Kaha suna tumne ye?", he repeated, narrowing his eyebrows at me.

"Children in my class tease me with this name. They say that I'm a daughter of a gold digger. That my mother left you for a man who had more money than you", I replied back, holding tears in my eyes.

"Samantha....", he wiped off my tears.

"No, Sam.... You are my daughter", he said hugging me tightly.

"But Dad, where is she? And who was she?", I asked back, a child inside me said that Dad might skip answering this question.

"You said she doesn't want to live with us so it's just you and me, right?", I uttered, still hoping that he would answer me. And to my expectations, he did. He did answer me. And not only that, he told me the biggest truth of my life.

"Samantha....", I prepared myself inwardly.

"She left us right after your birth", did I mention that the child inside me was just fourteen? Because what Dad said had hurt badly.

"But I never said this to you because I wanted to protect you from this world. But I forgot that this world is evil to innocents. And now that you are fourteen, you should learn how to fight back", he said to me and I listened to him patiently.

"You should not face any harsh words said by anyone, okay?", I nodded at his words.

"Samantha, log kehte hai paisa kabhi rishton ke beech nahi aani chahiye kyu ki isme har rishte ko banane aur khatam karne ki taakat hai. The same happened between your mother and me. She gave birth to you and left both of us because she thought I couldn't fulfill her wishes. She asked me to send you to an orphan and live my life freely but I refused to do that. She found a man who was richer than me and left both of us. My family refused to accept you and disowned me because I didn't give you away", he said, his eyes welled up with tears.

I focused on his words, he continued, "They said you will be like your mother and it will be a shame on their name. So, I took you and shifted here, opened this cafe and decided to be your single parent for your whole life."

"Sach kahu toh main ghabra gaya tha ki tujhe ek maa ka pyaar kaise dunga? Kayi baar socha ki tujhe maa ka pyar de paa raha hu yaa nahi, kahi kuch kami naa reh jaye? Lekin jab tune pehli baar meri ungli pakdi aur chalna shuru kiya, uss din mujhe pata tha ki tu mere jeene ke liye kaafi hai. Aur hum dono ek dusre ke liye kaafi hai. Aur tu woh kabhi nahi banegi jo log shayad tujhe bante dekhna chahte hai...."

My heart tore into pieces listening to the pain my Dad had gone through and I felt that somehow I was the reason, "Mujhe duniya ne chhora aur tu meri duniya ban gayi. Samantha, mujhe apni parwarish par garv hai aur main ye dikhana chahta hu sabko ki meri beti uski maa ki jaisi bilkul nahi hai. My daughter will become a strong woman and people will set standards like yours", he said and kissed on my forehead.

"Aur jab duniya teri pehchaan aur parwarish par ungli uthaye toh unse kehna tu Samantha Singh hai, aur teri parwarish Samrat Singh ne ki hai. Aur tu garv se kehna ki tu ek aurat hai", I nodded, wiping off his tears and hugging him tightly.

"Samjhi?"

"Ji, Dad. I will never become like her. I will make you proud one day", I promised him.

With every word he said to me, it left an embark on my heart and I will remember and follow it even after my death. My Dad has taught me to be proud of who I am. And this way, I promised myself that I would never become a woman why people stop believing in womanhood.

I will become a woman my father dreamt for me to become. I will stand on my beliefs and will always hold true emotions. I will work on my flaws and will never be ashamed of it.

"Main Samrat Singh ki beti hu and ye mere liye ek pride hai...."

Behind every realisation and belief, there was a part of me who knew that the word, "Gold digger" will always hold a privilege to leave a harsh mark on my heart.

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