Tears immediately formed in her eyes as she took it in her arms and caressed it with her fingers. These white roses are my symbol of respect for you! His words rang in her mind as a silent tear escaped her eye.
"I still thought it was inappropriate...
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° ° °
Waking up can be really harsh, especially if your dreams are better than reality. The saddest part of it is, though, that eventually even the memory of your dream will fade - if you are lucky enough to remember it that is.
Then you are left with this lonely feeling of detachment, left to explore in the empty void of emotions, the only proof you ever had the dream to begin with.
Upon waking, Varun burrowed himself into the warm, soft sheets. He rubbed the remainders of sleep from his eyes and gazed out at the horizon; its vivid light extended across a rosy sky.
He supposed that it was something that the majority of the people would consider beautiful, but he found it strange, hard even, to find something so meaningful in something so every-day.
It's not like the sun wouldn't rise, it had, after all, been reliably happening since the beginning of time. So what was so special about it?
He could never feel the joy from it like other did, the magic that drew so many photographers and artists in, as if they had some lens or filters he'd missed out on.
After getting out of the bathroom, dressed up in his usual, he quickly made his way downstairs. Unlocking his mobile phone he messaged kartik that he won't be able to come to office today.
"Sir, breakfast?" his servant asked him.
"No. I'm gonna have breakfast later." he replied with a smile.
Usually he was never this good when it came to talking to his servants. He then headed outside, towards his car when the driver approached him.
"Where to, sir?" he asked and varun shook his head, signaling him to give the car keys.
"I'll drive by myself today." he answered, taking the car keys from him and then he drove off.
Upon reaching the orphanage, he exhaled a long breath and stood at the door for a minute, reassuring himself that his this deed might turn good.
"Mr.Dhawan, it's great to see you again." Jia greeted him as he entered her office.
"Good to see you too." Varun nodded with a smile before taking a seat in front of her.
"Your lawyer called me. I'm glad at the decision you've made Mr.Dhawan." Jia stated and he simply nodded.
"My lawyer will be here soon." he told her, his eyes wandering for that little thing, which didn't get un-noticed by Jia.
"All the kids are in the play ground right now. Do you want me to call her?" She asked.
"That would be great!" he smiled, scratching his forehead. She called the worker and asked him to bring Rhea.
"Mam, she's not willing to come." the worker told her as he came back after a few minutes.
"Did you tell her, I'm here?" Varun asked, as he turned to look at the worker standing at the door.
"Yes. That's the reason she's not coming." the worker told him, making his heart sank.
"Sorry about that Mr.Dhawan. Rhea isn't being herself lately." Jia told him.
"Where is she now?" He asked the worker as he stood up from his position.
"She's in the backyard." he replied.
"I'll go talk to her." by saying this he left the place and made his way to the backyard. As he reached the backyard he saw a little figure sitting on a bench in a corner.
He moved towards her slowly and sat down beside her. She glanced up at him for a moment and then again moved her gaze towards the tree in front of her. He observed her silently.
Her eyes spoke of a beautiful soul and her movements told of a need for nurture, but then perhaps that's how we all are.
How telling it is that so many have the appearances of the animal that has known intense suffering, such as the dogs that are rescued from cruel indifference.
"Hey!" he greeted her with a gentle smile. She looked at him again and then again moved her gaze towards the tree.
"What's the matter, Rhea?" he asked her and that's when finally she turned to him and crossed her legs on the bench.
"You're a bad boy!" she told him and his eyes widened at her sudden confession. Not that he was shocked to hear that he's bad. He knew he was, but coming from her made his stomach twitched.
"Okay. And why is that?" he asked as he copied her by crossing his legs on the bench to face her.
"You broke your promise. You didn't come. You left me." she replied and his heart sank at the exact moment.
"Hmm. . . So that's why I'm a bad boy?" he tried to lighten up the tension in the air.
"Duh!" she rolled her eyes at him. He chuckled at her behavior. For him, it was too much sassiness for a five year old.
"So since I'm the bad boy, I think I won't give you these chocolates now." he said as he took some mint-chocolates out of his pocket.
"Chocolates!" her eyes immediately lighten up as she reached for the chocolates but he held them up, out of her reach.
"Please." she pouted and he had no other option but to surrender.
"Let's go home, little one." he told her and she looked up at him.
"You're taking me home?" she asked, with her mouth full of chocolate. He stood up and held her hand as they made their way to the office.
As they reached the office, he saw his lawyer already sitting there. He took a seat while Rhea sat on a small chair in the corner.
"Mr.Dhawan, the paper work is all done. You just need to sign these then you can take her home." his lawyer told him. Within a second the papers were signed, and that's when the realization hit him that he got a living thing that depends on him.
He looked at Rhea, who looked at him with a big wide smile, her face covered with chocolate. He knew right then, all she needed was his love, something steady to hold onto and in time those eyes were shine as they were born to. And perhaps in rescuing her, he was rescuing himself too.
