Duty of Love

Chapter 43

Meera's POV

I was standing outside my childhood home finding the courage to step inside. I then felt a warm hand intertwining its fingers with mine. I closed my eyes to draw from the silent strength Deva was giving.

" Do you want to see your childhood home?"

I could still hear Deva's question reverberating  in my ears.

MY HOME

The home where I lived with my parents for the first five years of my life.

I stepped forward and opened the door. Even though the door creaked, it sounded welcoming to me.

I moved inside to stand in a vast hall with a winding staircase. I was running my eyes through every nook and corner of the room when something caught my eye.

My legs automatically moved towards the stairs. As I took each step upwards, I was staring at the walls adorned with pictures. Pictures of my parents and myself. It spoke a story about a happy family. At one point , my strength completely left me. I would have collapsed  there on the stairs if not for Deva who held me strongly in his arms.

The first room I entered undoubtedly  belonged to my parents as I came face to face with a wall length picture of my smiling parents. I walked around the room, touching each and everything , trying to get some sense of my parents.

Somewhere in the distance ,I heard the sound of a wind chimes and I turned toward it. I don't know why but each step was bringing a different set of panic in me.

Finally I reached the door from where the sound was coming. With trepidation,  I opened the door. Seeing the inside , I broke down in tears. Deva just held me tightly  while I sobbed my heart out.

It was a beautiful room fitted for a princess. A room which showed how much the parents loved their little princess.

" Ssshhh.... Calm yourself,  Meera"

" See Deva .... They loved me so much, Why did God snatch them from me? I grew up without this love.... I missed so much..." I hugged onto him and cried bitterly, " I was deprived of a loving childhood. I was made to believe that I don't deserve love... I suffered all these years.... All that happened in my life would not have happened if my parents were alive"

Deva looked at me with pained eyes.

"True, Veta Aunty would have fought tooth and nail for your happiness."

I smiled through my tears at his declaration

"She would have beaten me black and blue like Megha said if I even let a tear drop from your eyes" he suddenly said in a fearful voice which made me look up .

Deva had a mischievous  smile on his face.

" No,she could never even think to beat you. After all you were HER Deva " I refuted

For a moment, Deva was taken aback by my statement then he began to start  laughing out loud.

I couldn't  bring myself to tear my eyes away from him. He was looking very handsome while laughing so carefree.

Finally controlling  his laughter, he looked at me with that same smile and asked

" So you were really jealous of me...?"

" Me... or  ..jealous...who told you?" I wiped my eyes while trying to act nonchalant

" You told....."

I looked at him with wide disbelieving  eyes when he dropped the bomb

".....when you were drunk"

Seeing my face red with embarrassment , he again broke out in fits of laughter.

I got so angry that I left the room after banging the door loudly.

"I didn't know that someone is such an angry bird"

I felt him speak near my ears but I ignored him and continued swinging on the garden swing in the back porch.

"Come on , Meera.... Sorry.... I will never say you are jealous...ok?"

Deva gave a loving smile and I couldn't  stop myself from reciprocating. He also sat beside me and we started swinging  together  in silence

" I know what you did back there was to change my mood"

He just gave a shrug of his shoulders

" I don't remember much except for this swing. I loved this so much that I never missed an opportunity  to sit and swing here" I told him

" Remember them always with a smile ,Meera.Cherish those little memories"

"Thank you once again for bringing  me here. I somehow feel like I found my parents again. I know it doesn't make any sense......"

" It is not necessary that feelings should make sense and stop thanking me" he said the last statement  with false anger

I smiled at him gratefully

" I want to bring Anshu and Devu here."

" Of course , they should know their other set of grandparents too "

I kept my head on his shoulder while he wrapped his arms around me and we continued to swing in the home which have known only love .....