Duty of Love

Chapter 25

Adidev's POV

I was stunned to hear Meera calling me Deva. In retrospect, she never called me neither by my name nor by anything else. As I was thinking about this, she came and put her arms around my neck giving me the next shock of my life.

" Deva, I don't want to be your princess." She said boldly , "Do you know why"

" Why? " I croaked not able to believe that this is my Meera standing in front of me

" Because I want to be your Queen" saying this she twirled and giggled

I caught her before she could fall.

Then she looked at me, her light mood suddenly changed serious and with sad eyes asked,

" But you don't want me to be your queen, right?"

I had a lump in my throat as I gazed at her innocent melancholy eyes that welled up with tears.

In split second, her mood changed again. In front of my eyes,I witnessed my innocent dove turning into a ferocious lion.

" Why don't you want me to be your queen? What is my problem?" she started shouting angrily and began to beat and scratch me.

Let me tell you one thing, I may have weight on her but she really packs a mean punch.

I was running all around the room trying to escape from her but she was behind me with whatever she could get her hands on.

" It is not me, the problem is with you" she was shrieking at me while coming at me with a hanger.

If it was not for the current situation, I would have found it really funny. A 34 year old man being chased and beaten by his much younger wife.

After some time she got tired and sat on the floor with a pout on her face. I also sat beside her after making sure there is enough distance if I need to make my escape.

But my heart broke the next instant on hearing her question

" Why don't you love me? "

I turned to look at her. Both our faces reflected our pain. Hers of being ignored and mine of guilt and regret.

" It feels like I have been in love with you forever and I hate myself for that" she said vehemently

I knew then and there, that today is the day for her truth. I closed my eyes to prepare myself for the agonizing pain of hearing HER truth.

" After my parents, I never expected much . Always content with what I have. For the first time I hoped, dreamt when my uncle brought your alliance . Not because I was getting married or I was getting married into my Maa's best friend's family but because I was getting married to YOU ,my mother's Deva, my Deva."

I was surprised by her statement. I looked at her to see her lost in past with a slight smile on her face.

" I was jealous of you"

" What!...Why?" I whispered

" Because my Maa loved you more" she replied childishly.

At that moment, I could see our Devu in her and sadly smiled at her.

Suddenly, she got up. I too got up along with her to catch her in case she falls down.

She then went to the cupboard and came back with a diary . Not any diary , THE diary that she hid from me.

She pulled me down to the floor along with her and opened the diary

"See, everywhere she talks about MY Deva not once she mentioned MY Meera" she pouted cutely while saying this

I took the diary from her. It was Shweta Aunty's diary. I could see she had written all about our family. I started reading it. After 3-4 pages, I stopped.I couldn't bring myself to read further. Guilt was killing me inch by inch. I could see how much she loved and trusted us but we abused that very trust. It was like a knife to my heart.

" I knew and loved your family through this" Meera said lovingly stroking the diary.

" Thats why I said Yes to marrying you because I craved to belong to you and be part of this loving family "

With every word she was twisting the knife deeper and deeper into my heart.

" When you all didn't come to meet me before marriage, even though I found it odd , I made excuses . I didn't even bother to find out why you didn't at least call. I was on cloud nine at that time . I thought just as I knew and loved you , you also felt the same. So I never questioned. " her pain was coming in form of tears, rolling down her face uncontrollably

Again stroking the diary, she said

" Whenever I was sad you made me smile , whenever I felt lonely you made me safe so then why did you make me cry, why did you leave me all alone" saying this she turned to me with her questions reverberating between us

"You are right. The problem was never with YOU, it was all ME" I finally spoke and leaned my forehead on hers with both our tears flowing down to become one .