The Winter's Widow (MISHBIR VERSION)

Part Twenty One~

Abir had always wanted children, had even considered adopting one throughout his years alone. He'd always vowed to give the child more than his parents had given him, support them, love them, believe them and he knew in that moment that none of it needed to change. "You don't need to give me anything".

Her head shot up, warm eyes still so full of tears that burnt her cheeks when they fell "I, I don't understand".

Sighing, he lifted her hand, brushed his lips across her knuckles then held it to his chest. "There is this belief that as my wife you have a duty to have my children, you don't, your body is your own and you shouldn't feel bad for being unable to give me something that you don't have to". Leaning forward to wipe away her tears, he knelt before her "I want children, I always have" he chuckled, "But we can always adopt or look at other ways, but that's only if you want them too, children aren't easy, especially as I'm kind of a big kid myself".

At that, she grinned. She'd adored him from day one because of his childlike nature, it was endearing, something so plagued with innocence she had never had the pleasure of seeing before. "You mean it? You really mean it?" Saul had beaten her black and blue the day they returned from tests that told her she couldn't bear her own children just like she couldn't bear the weight of his mistakes on her shoulders.

"I do" he breathed out, so taken in by the beauty of her smile he was so lucky to be graced by. "I do not know what the future holds for us, I can't promise to always get it right or that I'll never hurt you" pausing at her flinch, he grimaced. "But" he spoke clearer, "I can promise I'll try, that I'll care for you the way you deserve to be cared for, that I'll do everything I can to make up for the times in your life when love wasn't something you had, your inability isn't a burden to me, it's just something we will get through together". Standing up, he held her hand a little tighter "I told you I was falling for you, you didn't reciprocate and that's okay because the beauty of falling is that you don't do it to be caught, you do it because when you fall for the right person you fly and my wings have been chained to jail bars until you came, maybe one day you'll love me, but it's okay if you don't" kissing her forehead, he rubbed at the dimple on her cheek. "If it wasn't already obvious" he smiled through shining eyes, "I love you, that's my issue, not yours, right now I'm whatever you need me to be".

The sound of his distancing footsteps hit Mishti's heart. Love seemed impossible before he came along, it didn't seem that way anymore, but how could she profess the kind of love she'd never known? How could she say she loved him if she'd never loved a man like this before? No, she wouldn't lie, she had to first find out what love was then and only then could she be honest with herself and him- they both deserved that.

Fear had been a common sensation throughout her life, she feared life without her Grandfather, she feared life with Saul and without him, she also feared life without Abir, the man who'd given her more than anyone else had without even meaning to. Crunching one of the microphones in her fist, she dropped the broken parts onto the table. Her husband was right, they didn't know what the future held and she would likely never understand why someone wanted to listen to their conversations, but if one thing was for sure, it was that they could get through it together.

+ + +

"And you'll look after him like he was your own son?" Abir waited impatiently for a response as he struggled to release Oatie's leash. He'd never left his home in years, he'd also never left his best friend. "I miss him already, I don't think this is a good idea, how about he comes-".

"Abir!" Kuhu screamed, hand hitting his arm.

"Ow, what was that-".

Cutting him off, she pulled a face. "The only people coming on your holiday is you and Mishti and yes I meant that in both senses of the word, Oatie will be fine here and if there are any problems we'll call you, okay?" She turned him around, shoving him toward the airport "Now go or you'll be late, oh and I hope you packed your birthday suit" winking, she toppled over in laughter only to shoot straight back up at the smell of doughnuts, "Oooh, where is that smell coming from?"

"As you can see" Kunal pointed to her, "I have quite a lot of experience dealing with dogs, their sense of smell is exquisite" his face paled at the scowl on his wife's face, scrunching his nose, he gulped. "You're going to make me sleep on the sofa again, aren't you?"

She scoffed loudly "At least you know your place" crossing her arms sternly, she looked away with her chin high.

Mishti jumped when Abir's hand warmed hers, peering up at him, she offered him a shy smile "Ready?"

"Is it okay if I say no?"

Giggling, she wrapped a hand around his arm "More than okay". She was happy to get away, see a new place and get away from whoever was listening to them, eventually, they'd have to face that problem, but now wasn't the time, now was for them, later would be for the rest.

"See you both soon" he waved, patting Oatie's head as he did, "You be a good boy for Uncle Kunal and Auntie Kuhu, okay?"

Woofing loudly, he ran around in a circle then stuck his tongue out. Likelihood was that he didn't understand what was going on, but they'd take what they could get.

A few cars away sat Laus, a hat on his head and his phone to his ear "I do not care for the other two, do what you need to, just make sure it looks like Abir was responsible, my only aim here is to kill Mishti slowly" cutting off, he leant back. He'd needed to ensure his ex sister in law loved her new husband, now he was he knew exactly what he needed to do to hurt her, it seemed that good came to those who waited and good had found him as he had.

"I don't mean to bother you, but" Nadeem fell into the opposing chair, "A little birdie told me that you don't have a practising license for over here". Watching him rise, he held his hands up "Don't worry, I'm not here to cause any trouble, well" he laughed, "Not for you anyway".

His blonde brows joined "What do you mean?" If his cover was blown now then he'd never get his revenge, he hadn't gotten this far only to go back now.

"I'm here to offer a helping hand, I did a little research on my nephew's new wife when I heard about her, imagine my surprise when I see you comforting her at her husband's funeral, didn't take me long to find out just who you are".

"What is it you want?" He hissed, eyes wandering around to ensure no one was listening in as he shut the door.

"My nephew ruined my reputation in my home city with lies, now I want to ruin his, so how's about we make a truce? You get to hurt Mishti by taking her husband away, but rather than killing him let's frame him".

"Frame him for what?"

"Murder" he settled back into his seat, a grim smirk on his vicious lips.