Ruhanna's POV

"HEENA...I really appreciate this. But you shouldn't have taken so much trouble." I said as she handed me her home made black forest cake.

Heena, my new neighbour, was more than the living definition of sweet. Without my knowledge, once a week, she visited Drishti with her home made bakeries while I was at work. Strangely, I realised that I shut myself so properly that I never interacted with my neighbours or tried to know about them.

"No it's all right. Drishti loves them. Her feedbacks make my day. You have really got a lovely daughter." She appraised with a smile." I live in the opposite building. Do feel free to visit me."

A woman in her mid-thirties, she was the beholder of an elegant personality. How come I never noticed her? I watched as she walked out closing the gate. Good people are still alive on this earth.

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"DID you paint this?" I asked touching the canvas which I found while cleaning Drishti's room.

"Uh...yeah.."

"I never knew you could paint."

"Because you have been always busy with work Maa." She explained.

I sighed.
She was right. A few days of break from office has led me to the alleged new discoveries about my house and Drishti. And to everything new I find, I start behaving like a psychotic moron. I really needed to quit that job for sure.

Until today, I never knew that my daughter was an amazing painter, that my neighbours were actually caring and not always bitching, that I could actually bake without blasting the cake. Here and there, chasing our materialistic desires, how weird it is that we forget to stop and admire the little things of life.

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"SO what's cooking here today?."

I turned around to find Siddhant leaning against the kitchen door, sniffing the aroma of Shaahi Paneer.

For a minute, I froze.
My eyes couldn't stop admiring him in his uniform. Even with that tired look and ruffled hair, he still carried the aura of authority and power. It was all I ever prayed for him. And finally, after he has achieved everything I ever wanted him to, I am left merely being his past.
I could have kept staring at him like forever had he not snapped me off my thoughts.

"May I say that the words you are searching for is extremely handsome?" He smirked as he caught me drooling at him all wonder struck.

I rolled my eyes at him and continued stirring the gravy.
"You can stop this self boasting session. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"Can I please taste some paneer?"

Even Gitarth used to peep into the kitchen like this begging me to let him taste before I serve the food. I gave a dry smile. After all these years, I feel this empty space making every thing void around me.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yup. Please forward that bowl."

He brought the bowl to me. I poured the gravy and passed him the bowl with a smile. I analysed his face as he took the first bite of the paneer.

He wrinkled his nose with the most horrible expression. "This tastes like shit."

"WHAT???" My face dropped.

"Don't make that face now, I was kidding. This actually tastes heavenly."

If he wouldn't have praised me, I swear I would have happily let him starve. No dinner. No food.

When I noticed his face from a closer angle, I saw there were cuts on his forehead.

"Oh God..." I extended my hand to touch his wound. He squirmed at my touch.
"Can't you be a little bit more careful, Siddhant?"

"That MLA tried to attack me with his knife today. Don't worry just a few cuts...it will be all right." He said with assurance.

"You mean Tanmoy Parasar? I thought you arrested him." I frowned taking out the first aid box.

After our dinner, Siddhant often told me how he handled his cases and the convicts. With the basic knowledge about his work, I figured out he was talking about that MLA who was also funding my previous project.

Siddhant gave a wicked smile,
"I have actually arrested him. But these VIP animals can turn psychotic after feeding on the no so luxurious food of jail."

"Well enough. Just be careful, okay?"

He nodded.

I cleaned his wound and applied the bandaid properly.

"All done. But you smell like a rotten egg. Go and have a bath.."

"Thanks" he smiled and stood up, "But I haven't brought any clothes with me. I think I'll pass."

"You can wear Gitarth's clothes." I offered genuinely.

"Hey..no.. I am perfectly okay in this. I can't wear your late husband's clothes."

"Wait here."

I quickly went upstairs and pulled out a pair of Lee Cooper jeans and a sky blue shirt from my wardrobe.

"Wear this." I forcefully handed him the clothes.

"I can't Ruhi."

As obvious it had to be, he seemed reluctant to wear them. I never offered Gitarth's clothes to anybody, not even my own brother, when he came to stay at my place and ran short of clothes to wear due to limited packing.

"Actually, I was about to gift this on his next birthday." I said, touching the soft fibre of the shirt. "But his birthday never came. It has been lying in my wardrobe ever since. I would love it if you wear them. His memories aren't meant to be trapped in my wardrobe forever."

Siddhant looked up at me and smiled. "It will be a privilege. Thank you."

"Maa....Dinner.." Drishti's loud cry swayed the nostalgic air in the room.

"Yes sweetie. Come down." I shouted back.

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"SHE went to sleep?" Siddhant asked standing beside me on the balcony. After dinner we stood there for a while, breathing in the night air.

"Yeah."

"Did you search for a new job?"

I turned to him, "Right now, all I need is a break from this corporate world. I will start once I feel I am ready."

He gave me a smile and asked,
"Can I ask you something?"

I could only nod, watching him in the sky blue shirt which reminded me that as much as I was missing my husband, my daughter missed having a father.

"Do you think I am cheating on Sana?"

Siddhant asked the most complicated question ever. How was I supposed to answer him? I respect his affection for his late wife, however, I can't deny the compassion still left in his heart for me. Was he really cheating on her?

After arranging my words properly, I answered looking him in the eye,
"Siddhant, the love you have for your wife is eternal. It will never die. At the same time, you are still young enough to restart with your life."

"Why didn't you restart?"

I was left speechless. My brother, my friends, my parents, my in laws everybody wanted me to stop living as a widow. But what am I supposed to do? I can't fall in love like a teenager with any random guy I meet. My heart has been broken and mended many times to start over.
I should let it be the way it is.

"Because I don't know how to fall in love anymore. You know Sid, I would have never got married if it weren't for my parents. Trust me,Gitarth would never wish to see me mourning over his emptiness in my life. But now, I am just happy that I got to know an amazing person like Gitarth."

He didn't bother to hide his dimple smile as he interlaced his fingers with mine. I wanted to withdraw my hand but I chose not to let go off his hand this time. The same old flame could be seen in his eyes.

"This is why I feel I am cheating on Sana." He lowered his head, hiding his glance, "Even now, when a needle pierces you, I feel the pain. Every time the storm threatens you, I am willing to cross any means to protect you. Strange yet this feels right."

When my startled gaze met his, he enthralled brushing his hand against mine "I have this official function next Sunday where everybody is coming with a partner. Will you care to join me?"

"Will it make a difference if I don't?"

"Not a bigger difference than I will feel like a left out apple in the basket which will drift me in alcohol later in the night." He justified his point.

"Um.. I can't let that happen. You are always meant to be the show stealer."

Outside, the sky was dark and the wind was gentle. It pains when I realise that the man standing next to me was once meant to be mine. He was everything I ever prayed for, he was a part of my every dream, a part which I never wanted to lose.
An immense flood of emotions hurled at me causing a trickle of tear drop flow down my cheek.

I gripped his hand tight.

"You can cry if you want to. I understand how hard it is to stand strong for so long."

"I won't cry." I rubbed my tears and forced a smile looking at the stars.

"Come on, close your eyes and make a wish."

"Huh? I cant see a shooting star."

"Goodness Ruhi! Just close your eyes. You don't need a damn star to make a wish."

He gently ran his hand over my face making me close my eyes.

"Take a deep breath and make a wish." He whispered above my earlobe.

"I wish to be happy. I wish for the scars to vanish one day."
Closing my eyes, I murmured it in my mouth and left out a blow of air.

"Feeling better?" He asked crossing his arms.

I nodded smiling. I never thought a wish could make me feel so happy and relaxed. And finally I figured out the reason behind my unhappiness - I forgot how to wish. All the years of crying over my sorrow, I forgot what it means to wish for something. We still have hopes because we never give up wishing. My wishes were never acknowledged by me ever since Gitarth's demise.

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Drishti's POV :

I toss right and again I toss left. What the hell is wrong with my bed? Maa thinks I am asleep. But I am still wide awake thinking about all the stupid things on earth which come to my brain only during the night.

Tonight I am thinking about Siddhant. To be more honest, about Siddhant and Mom. But they are not stupid, are they?

I have seen my mother silently cry at night. She thinks I don't know any of it. But I do know how much she misses dad. All the week she has been lying to me about taking a break from her work whereas just the other day I saw the resignation letter lying on her table. She can always lie to keep me happy.

I have always been searching for a suitor for my mother without her tiniest bit of knowledge and trust me this is a huge responsibility to find an amazing person to compete with my mother. She will never know the reason why I spill coffee on random single looking men every time I am out in the coffee shop with her. Or the reason I risk my chances of being kidnapped by interacting with known strangers like Siddhant. Sadly, that is the only way my mom smiles or says a thank you or sorry to a man. And the moment they leave, they are stranger zoned by her making my mission fail.

Finally, after all my hidden missions I have found the perfect match for her. She will not look more perfect with anybody but Siddhant. I remember the short span of time with my father and he was the best. I miss him as much as mom does. But neither of us confess this to each other. Siddhant is the next best person I have come to know after my father. He can be a great father and a husband I know.

"Aren't you proud of my choice, Dad?" I wonder closing my eyes, trying to get some sleep.

I never took this mom and Siddhant thing seriously until Heena, my sweet neighbour suggested that maybe there is a light of possibility. She noticed Siddhant while he has been visiting us for dinner these days and even she agrees that he is the perfect guy for mom.

He is the only one who can bring back that old smile I have not seen in my mother's face since the last three years. Hopes up. Prayers strong.

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A/N :

Hello beautiful people,

I hope this journey has been worthwhile till now. Are RuhiSid going to find their forgotten love for each other? Or is something going to rip them apart again?

This is to let you know that I won't be able to update this story for about a month and half as exams are knocking at my door. I don't want to write a chapter in a haphazard manner which will leave it below the mark and your expectations. I hope you guys keep up your cool till then.

Happy Reading. :)