A Heartbeat Away - Kaira FF

Your Heart, My Home

Naira fixed Kartik with a glare so firm that he temporarily wondered if she had regained her memory. His sherni was peeking out of her and when he was at the receiving end of her ire it wasn't a comfortable feeling. He wondered if he should say the old lady had gone senile and confused her blessings but he knew that wasn't a believable enough excuse. Actually nothing was. He didn't have a problem with actually telling her that they were married. But how would he tell her the reason they weren't together and why this truth was hidden from her?  That would constitute information overload as her doctor loved putting it as.

"Kartik"
There were many questions in her voice. He held her shoulder trying to gain enough composure to talk without being a complete mess.
"Haan"
She looked into his eyes, her hurt feelings not masked from him.
"Tumhe batane hi wala tha" he said feeling very small in front of her questioning eyes.
He wanted to tell her that it wasn't intentional, there were many complications including the doctor's instructions but he also knew deep in his heart that he had stalled.
"Nairaaaa" she heard badi dadi call her. He gave her a sorry look, quickly told her he'd tell her everything later, then disappeared into the sparse crowd. She felt a great surge of annoyance. How could she find out something as big as her marital status and be left in a lurch like this? When badi dadi found her, Naira had already made up her mind about a few things.

She had to invent innovative lies to keep badi dadi from suspecting that something was off. Luckily for her she had spotted a information board that was calling for new dancers. Using that as an excuse Naira asked badi dadi to go ahead while she made enquiries. Badi dadi tired from the trip decided to leave for home.

"Mera poora naam kya hai?"
Kartik stared at the message from Naira. He felt awful having to leave having just told her that they were married but he didn't want Naksh to know he was meeting Naira. They didn't need more drama in their lives at this stage. He knew she was probably raving mad at him and rightly so.

"Naira Kartik Goenka"
Her heart skipped a beat when she read it. Something about it felt so familiar and warm. She must've been Naira Singhania for long but her heart seemed to recognize this name. She tried saying it aloud. Yes, she knew that name. It was her own. Kartik was her husband. That knowledge drove her both crazy and filled her with joy.

But she wanted answers and she was impatient. So she decided to use the information desk at the temple for more information on the Goenkas. A helpful intern found out all the details she needed via the internet. Before she could reconsider her decision,  she was standing in front of Goenka Villa. She felt a strange pull towards the house. Like it were home. A home that knew the stories she didn't, good, bad, happy and sad. Her life here had meant so much to her she realized. It was in direct contrast to the house she currently resided in. She didn't know if she wanted to barge into the house unannounced. She approached a staff member cleaning the car who did a double take on seeing her.
"Naira madam?"
She was relieved that she didn't have to explain much. She just wanted to meet Kartik in private she said, it was very important. If he could somehow get her into his room without the family knowing, it would be helpful. He took her words seriously because she found herself climbing a ladder to his (their, she told herself) room. He had opened the window and helped her in. She looked around the room as she waited for Kartik.

It was full of pictures of them together. She had seen pictures of them together when they were falling in love but this was different. They had lived and loved, fought and cried, thrown tantrums and made each other laugh. It was too overwhelming. She sat down on the bed feeling a little dizzy. The bed felt like home. She wanted to cry. Why was she not staying here? She made herself comfortable on the bed, she found a projector remote and turned it on. Like she suspected, it held more memories of them together. Kartik and Naira, she saw on screen had loved each other a lot. She sniffed. Why had he abandoned her then? What was the complication? She switched off the projector unable to bear it all, lay on the bed and wept.
That's how Kartik found Naira. He immediately rushed to her, taking her in his arms.
"Naira" he whispered as he held her close. His heart broke seeing her in this state. She seemed so devastated, he whispered comforting words into her hair. After a while he cupped her face & made her look up at him. She stared at him with her innocent eyes full of love, heartbreak and questions. He knew then that she hadn't remembered anything maybe but she had felt a strong connection to this room, just as she had with him. After all it had been their private haven.

"I love you Naira" he said with emotion. She shuddered at first the words touching her heart then broke into wrecking sobs. He hugged her again. Calming her as she came to terms with her overwhelming feelings.
"Pyaar karthe ho tho mein tumhare saat kyun nahi hoon" she asked her voice breaking.
He didn't know who was more heartbroken at this point. It had killed him to have her stay away from him. But seeing her like this, he knew she was no better without him.
They had realized it during their long separation but when would their families realize that Kartik and Naira can't be themselves without each other. Live without each other they might, survive they would but to truly be alive they needed each other. Somewhere between their divorce and her illness they had become inseparably attached. Yet here they were, torn apart and barely breathing.
"Naira .. Naira shanth hojao.. Doctor ne kaha hai na tumhareliye stress acha nahi hai ..shh shhh"
He sat with his back to the headboard, took her in his arms and sang a lori that often comforted her. After a while they were calmly breathing in unison. She felt at peace in his arms like she belonged there. He had lived there all these days away from her but with her in his arms he finally felt at home.