Season Of Love
Jhanak froze, her mind struggling to process the name that escaped Shrabani’s lips: Aniruddh Bose.
Her hands trembled as she clutched her chest, her breathing quick and shallow. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over as she gestured frantically to Shrabani, her fingers moving swiftly in the air: “It was him? All this time? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Shrabani reached for Jhanak, steadying her. “Yes, Jhanak. It was him. Aniruddh baba has been your silent guardian, your savior. He sacrificed everything for you.”
Jhanak shook her head in disbelief, signing furiously: “But why? What did I do to deserve this? I need to know everything, Mashi. Tell me everything.”
Shrabani took a deep breath, her voice heavy with emotion. “After his father passed away, Aniruddh baba found your letters. They moved him deeply. He saw a kindred spirit in you—a young girl who had lost everything, just like him. He decided to continue his father’s legacy, funding your education, your dance training, ensuring that no obstacle stood in the way of your dreams.
“He loved you, Jhanak, in a way no one ever could. But the price he paid…” Shrabani paused, her voice breaking. “The media tore him apart after your connection came to light. The rumors, the questions—they drove him away from everything he once held dear. He’s been living in isolation ever since, drowning in his guilt and pain.”
Jhanak’s tears streamed uncontrollably as the weight of Aniruddh’s sacrifices crushed her. She signed shakily: “Where is he now? I need to see him. Please, Mashi, take me to him.”
Shrabani hesitated. “He’s not the same anymore, Jhanak. He’s… broken.”
But Jhanak’s resolve was unshakable. With Shrabani’s help, she set out to find him.
Aniruddh’s Home
The dilapidated house loomed before her, its broken windows and overgrown weeds a reflection of the man inside. Jhanak hesitated at the door, her heart pounding in her chest. Gathering her courage, she knocked. There was no response.
She pushed the door open cautiously, stepping into the dimly lit room. The smell of alcohol and stale air hit her immediately. In the corner, slumped in a chair, sat Aniruddh Bose. His once-brilliant eyes were now hollow, his face gaunt and unshaven. Empty bottles and syringes littered the floor around him.
Jhanak’s heart broke at the sight. She stepped closer, her movements deliberate.
Aniruddh stirred, squinting at her through the haze of his stupor. “Jhanak?” he mumbled, his voice hoarse and slurred. “What… what are you doing here?”
Jhanak knelt before him, her hands trembling as she signed: “Why did you do this to yourself? Why did you sacrifice everything—for me?”
He blinked at her, confusion and guilt swirling in his eyes. “Because…” His voice faltered. “Because I owed it to you. I dragged you into my mess—the rumors, the humiliation. I couldn’t protect you. I failed you.”
Jhanak shook her head vehemently, her gestures sharp and urgent: “Failed me? You gave me everything! My dreams, my life—everything I have is because of you.”
Aniruddh let out a bitter laugh, tears glistening in his eyes. “And what did I get in return? Loneliness. Regret. Every day, I’ve punished myself for what I did to you.”
Jhanak’s hands froze mid-air, her lips trembling as fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks. She signed with trembling fingers: “And who gave you the right to punish yourself? Did you ever think about what I felt? How much I… missed you?”
Aniruddh stared at her, his voice barely above a whisper. “Missed me?”
Jhanak took a deep breath, her signs slower now, each gesture laden with emotion: “Yes. You became my everything, Aniruddh. Your letters, your support—they were my strength. And now, seeing you like this… destroyed and broken… it’s breaking me.”
Aniruddh’s defenses crumbled. His voice cracked as he confessed, “I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Jhanak. I don’t deserve you. But if punishing me will give you peace, then do it. I’ll take whatever you decide.”
Jhanak rose to her feet, her eyes unwavering as she stepped closer to him. Aniruddh braced himself, expecting anger, perhaps even rejection. But what she did next took him completely by surprise.
She reached out, cupping his face gently with her hands. Her touch was warm, steady, and full of unspoken emotion. She signed with one hand, her movements deliberate and slow: “This is how I’ll punish you.”
Before he could react, Jhanak leaned in and kissed him.
The kiss was soft at first—a tentative brush of her lips against his. It carried the weight of her gratitude, her pain, her love. Aniruddh froze, his breath hitching as her warmth seeped into him, melting the icy walls he had built around his heart.
As the realization sank in, his hands reached up hesitantly to hold her. The kiss deepened, transforming into something fierce and passionate—a meeting of two souls who had suffered and longed for each other in silence.
Years of pain and longing melted away in that single moment. Their tears mingled as they poured every unspoken word, every buried feeling, into the kiss.
When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads rested together, their breaths mingling. Aniruddh’s voice was barely a whisper. “Jhanak… I… I love you. I always have.”
Jhanak’s fingers moved in the space between them, signing slowly but with conviction: “I love you too. I always have. And now, we face everything together. No more running. No more hiding.”
Aniruddh nodded, his tears spilling freely. “Together.”
She smiled through her tears, leaning in to kiss him again, sealing their promise with the same tenderness and passion as before.
The two held each other tightly, their hearts beating in unison. For the first time in years, hope flickered in Aniruddh’s eyes. He knew he had been given a second chance—not just at love, but at life.
——–
The End.
