An Innocent Crush ✓

77 | Epilogue [Them]

|8 years later|

The little girl around five-year-old scanned the stands anxiously. Today is her football match, but her parents were nowhere in sight. She nervously bit her lower lip before turning to her cousin, Rishi. Vikram and Reshmi's son.

"Rishi! Where is Uncle Vicky?" she asked.

"He'll be here!" Rishi whispered, playing with the grass.

Dhiara let out a sigh and started playing with the football. A soft whisper escaped her lips, "Mumma, papa... why aren't you coming already?" Her eyes welled up, yet she continued playing.

"Students, line up!" the teacher called out, prompting a quick response from everyone. Dhiara hastily rose from the ground and headed towards the forming line. In her haste, her balance faltered, and she landed on the ground with a thud.

As she prepared to rise herself, a pair of caring hands gently lifted her up. "My little love, are you hurt?" she heard her father's comforting voice. Despite not feeling any pain, his words touched her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes. She immediately embraced him.

“Papa!”

Dhruv chuckled before gently lowering her to the ground. He released her from the hug and began brushing off the dust from her jersey. Dhiara sniffed, displaying a cute pout. Her eyes resembled Kiara's, and she had dimples just like Dhruv.

As she glanced ahead, she saw her mother hurrying towards her, with her uncle following closely. "Are you okay, baby?" her mother asked, kneeling in front of her with concern evident in her eyes.

"Mumma, I thought you wouldn't come."

Kiara exchanged a glance with Dhruv before offering her a warm smile. "Aise kaise nahi aate, meri beti ka match hai," she whispered, planting a kiss on Dhiara's cheeks. Dhruv held her little hands and also placed a kiss on them.

"Acha se khelna, and be careful, okay?"

Dhiara nodded with a smile, then turned to Vikram, who was grinning at her. "Uncle Vicky, I'm against Rishi in the match. I'm going to win!" she declared, a playful smirk on her lips.

Rishi rolled his eyes at Dhiara's confident declaration. "Oh really? We'll see about that," he said, sticking out his tongue.

The referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the match. Kiara and Dhruv cheered enthusiastically for their daughter. "Go, Dhiara!" Kiara shouted, waving a homemade banner with glittery letters that spelled out her daughter's name.

Vikram, on the other hand, was torn between cheering for his niece and his son. "Come on, Rishi! Show her what you've got!" he yelled, Kiara rolled her eyes at him, “Dhiara! Dhiara!”

Rishi managed to steal the ball from Dhiara and made a swift run towards the goal. Dhruv let out a hissed when Dhiara lost her balance and fell on the ground.

As Dhiara dusted herself off, Dhruv couldn't resist a gentle smile. "You're doing great, sweetheart. Keep going!" he encouraged, trying to mask his worry.

Rishi, who had momentarily paused in his sprint, looked at Dhiara. "You okay?" he called out.

Dhiara nodded before swiftly taking the ball for him, “ay! Cheater!”

🌷

Dhruv gently combed Dhiara's hair while reading her a bedtime story that's when Kiara entered while engrossed in a conversation with her medical team.

“Yes, Dr. Patel, we need to closely monitor the patient's EKG readings. Any irregularities could indicate potential complications…. Thank you, and also, let's schedule a follow-up echocardiogram for Mr. Sinha. I want to assess the structural aspects of his heart.”

She turned her attention to Dhruv and their daughter before concluding the call. "Hey there, baby. Why aren't you asleep yet?" She inquired, strolling towards the father and daughter pair.

Dhruv looked up, a soft smile playing on his lips. "We were just finishing up a bedtime story. Isn't that right, my little love?" He gently ruffled Dhiara's hair, who beamed at her mother.

Kiara chuckled, kneeling down beside them. "Well, I hope it's not too exciting, or we might have trouble getting her to sleep…"

Dhruv glanced at the book in his hand. "Just the usual stories of Jack the bunny. Nothing too thrilling."

Kiara grinned and planted a tender kiss on Dhiara's forehead. "Alright, time for bed, sweetheart..."

Dhiara reluctantly closed her storybook, but her eyes sparkled, "Mumma? Can I sleep with you both tonight?"

Kiara exchanged a glance with Dhruv, her eyes reflecting warmth and love. "Of course, darling," she whispered, tucking a strand of Dhiara's hair behind her ear.

With a joyful squeal, Dhiara jumped into her father's embrace. She settled between her parents, feeling the warmth of their presence. Dhruv began another tale, helping to make his daughter enter her dreamland.

Kiara gazed at her daughter, her heart was completely full now. "We're the luckiest, aren't we?" she murmured, her eyes meeting Dhruv's.

Dhruv nodded, placing a tender kiss on Kiara's forehead. "Absolutely. Our daughter completes our fairy tale. I love you both, Kiara. Thank you for everything.”

Kiara's eyes shimmered with a mixture of love and affection. She embraced Dhruv's hand, squeezing it gently.

“We've faced challenges, but we've also created a haven of love and support for each other. I'm grateful for everything…. I love you, I'll always love you both…”