Ivan's P.O.V.

I woke up with the constant ringing of my mobile. Groaning, I extended my hand to search for my mobile and then bring it near my eyes. I opened my eyes only to be hit by the bright rays of my mobile screen and it hurts my head badly.

Wrong move!!

I tapped the red button annoyingly. My head hurt like hell. I felt as if tons of stones have been placed over it. Cursing under my breath, I got up. I found myself lying on the floor. A pillow was below my head and my body was covered with a quilt. My hands were bandaged. I found medicine and a glass of water next to me. I immediately took two pills and pulled them down my throat. I felt heavy head and I again slept.

I woke up for the second time and it was afternoon by this time. I removed the quilt and stood up from the floor. My backache like anything but my floor seems tidy. I thought about last night. There were no broken glasses around me. My hands which were bleeding were cured by Hazel. She even covered my body with a quilt. Tears formed at the periphery of my eyes.

I walked inside the bathroom and took a hot shower. My body was aching. My head was still throbbing in pain, my cut wounds sting. I wore a black shirt and black denim. Folding my shirt upto my sleeves, I tried to place a fresh bandage around the cut but failed.

A knock on my door made me look up. "Come in", I replied and Hazel walked in. I stood up from my seat. She had worn a black knee-length dress. Her hair were open falling carelessly on her shoulder.

"You're awake finally", she said as she walked to me. She made me sit on my bed and sat next to me. She applied ointment on my hand and wrapped a bandage over it. My eyes were fixed to her face only.

"Why are you being so nice to me?", I asked and she looked at me with those beautiful eyes of hers.

"Will you come with me?", She asked.

"Where?", I asked.

"It's Adrian's birthday. We're going to meet her", she said with a smile. My heart clenched against my chest. I gulped down my guilt and nodded. I couldn't look into her eyes anymore.

"Come outside when you're ready", saying so she walked out of my room. Picking up my sorry self, I just adjusted my messy hair and picked up my mobile. I opened it whilst walking out of my room. It was a call from Joe.

I back called her and kept my mobile over my ear. After coming in the hall, I saw Emma playing with Aiden in her arms. Hazel was looking at them happily. If it weren't me, Aiden would have been playing with her real mother and father. Guilt is eating my heart out.

"Hello", Joe's voice from another side of line broke my trance.

"Hey. You called?", I asked.

"Good afternoon sleepy head. Why didn't you pick my call earlier?", She asked.

"I'm sorry Joe. I drank last night so I slept until afternoon", I apologised.

"Ok. No problem. Are you busy?", She asked.

"Why? Do you want anything?", I asked.

"Tomorrow is my exam but I've completed my syllabus already. Can you come up at my place? We can spend some time. I need a break", she said and my eyes landed on Hazel. She smiled at me.

"I'm busy today. I'm sorry Joe I can't come", I said and I saw Hazel walking towards me.

"Can I ask with whom are you busy?", Joe asked over the call.

'Let's go', Hazel mouthed me. She had a bouquet of roses in her hand.

"With Family", I replied and then saying bye to Joe, I walked out of the house with Emma, Hazel and Aiden.

"Emma, can I hold Aiden?", I asked as soon as Hazel locked the main door. Emma's eyes widened.

"Really? Why? You never took him even when I pleaded you. What happened to you now?", She asked.

"Fine, I was a jerk back then. I'm his uncle. Let me hold him", I said and Emma nodded.

"Aiden. Do you want to go to your uncle?", Emma asked cooing Aiden. I scratched the back of my neck nervously.

"Go and talk to him", Hazel nudged me.

"Hey, champ. Will, you come here?", I asked bowing down to face Aiden. I really don't know how to talk to kids. I extended my hands towards him nervously.

How do people actually handle kids?

He smiled and extended his hands towards me. I grinned and picked him in my arm. He holds my finger with his small palm and my heart swelled up with emotions. He smiled at me and I just kissed his cheeks.

"We should be walking now", Emma said and walked first along with Hazel. I followed them holding the little champ in my arms. He played with the chain in my neck all the time.

"I'm sorry champ", I whispered to him. He just looked at me with his grey-blue eyes and smiled at me warmly. Only if he knew, I'm the one who destroyed his life.

Can anyone be more pure than kids? Will Aiden forgive me?

"Will you drive?", Emma asked showing me the car keys and I nodded. She took Aiden in her arms again.

I sat on the driver seat and saw Emma and Hazel talking to each other standing outside the car. I rolled down the car shades.

"Please sit in front Vena", Emma said.

"No. I can't. You're the family. You sit in front", Hazel replied.

"Please sit. We're getting late", I said rolling my eyes at them.

"Sure", Emma said and opened the back door of the car and hop inside. Hazel sighed and opened the car's door and sat next to me on the passenger's seat. She pulled the seat belt and kept the bouquet on her lap.

She looked at me and raised her eyebrows. "Why have you not put seat belt on?", She asked. I didn't say anything and pulled the seat belt down.

"Are you ok? Did you actually put on your seatbelt?", Emma gasped from the back seat. I rolled my eyes and kicked the engine ignoring her surprised reaction.

Stop overreacting alright!!

Hazel gave me the directions and I drive silently. Soon, we're in front of a cemetery. She walked out of the car and Emma followed her with Aiden in her arms. I quietly get down and walked behind them. I don't have the courage to walk with Hazel or Aiden. I'm feeling an inferior right now.

Hazel stopped in front of a tomb. A quote from Mother Teresa was written over it. It says,

"A LIFE NOT LIVED FOR OTHERS IS NOT A LIFE", Mother Teresa.

Below the quote was engraved,

"In The Loving Memory of Adrian Dylan Smith who was a Daughter, A Mother, A Wife, A Sister and A Good Human Being.

From 25 Dec 1990 - 15 July 2015".

"Congratulations sis. You turned twenty-eight today. Happy birthday", Hazel said placing the bouquet of roses on the tomb. She lit candles around it. I helped her.

Hazel made Emma sit with her and took Aiden in her embrace. She looked at Aiden and said, "Wish you mommy Happy birthday". Aiden just grinned and said, "Happy Bithdew", in his childish tone.

I looked away from them. I can't take this. This is too much to see and handle for me. I might dig my grave right next to her, only then my guilt will reduce.

"Adrian, this is Emma. She's the mother of Aiden. She loves him so much. You don't need to worry about him anymore", Hazel said.

"I will treat him more than my son. I'll give him all the love he deserves. Aiden has completed my family", Emma said and I looked at them from the periphery of my eyes.

Emma picked up Aiden in her embrace and walked to me leaving Hazel alone. She said, "Let's go, Ivan. Vena needs some alone time with her sister".

I passed her the keys to the car and said, "I want to meet Adrian too". She looked surprised but she just nodded and left.

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to walk to Hazel. I sat next to her and just look at the tomb without a word.

"Won't you greet your teacher?", Hazel said and I broke at this point.

"I'm sorry", I said passing my hand at Adrian's name. I took a deep breath. I don't want Hazel to see me crying.

"And Happy Birthday Mrs. Smith. You're my favourite teacher and a much more kind human being who happened to meet a jerk like me. Please forgive me", I said and a tear managed to escape my eyes.

After a few minutes, Hazel got up and I looked upwards at her. She extended her hand to me and I hold it and got up.

"We can't sit here anymore. Adrian is very punctual about time. She used to say that life must go on. Even if you get speed breakers then slow down but never stop ever. I've a lot of work. We should get going", she said. Her eyes were teary yet she was smiling through her tears. She walked away but something in me made her stop.

I held her hand. She turned around and raised her eyebrows at me. I was emotional and my thoughts were all over the places for sure. Because next thing I know was I pulled her towards me and hugged her. I needed that hug. I wanted assurance and I want to share her pain. She's all alone. She also needs someone who could hug her and tell that she's not alone.

I hugged her tightly. She said, "Wha..what are you doing Ivan?".

"Just stay like this for one minute please", I whispered and her tensed body relaxed. I felt her hands encircling around my waist. Her head was rested on my chest.

"I am so sorry Hazel for whatever you've to go through. I didn't kill your sister but you're right. I'm partly responsible for that and I know you'll never forgive me for that. You lost your sister, Aiden lost his mother. You've to struggle to live alone all by yourself while I was living my life comfortably in a cocoon made by my family", I said but she didn't respond.

"Never ever I've thought of living alone or how does it feel to go through so much pain at such a young age. You're my idol, Hazel", I said and pulled away. She looked up at me. Her eyes were teary.

"You're an exception. I'm lucky that I met someone as strong as you in my life. I know you asked me to give you three promises but apart from that, I want to make one promise to you", I said and held her hands.

"I promise I will never leave your side until and unless I'll see the real culprit of Adrian's murder behind the bars. You're not alone. I, Ivan Greens, am tagging myself with you in this journey of yours. You can push me away but I've stuck to your side and it's my promise", I said and hold her pinky finger with mine.

"Pinky promise", I said and she nodded. She was fighting back her tears. I again hugged her and this time, she cried silently. I caressed her hair.

She wiped away her tears and pulled away. She said, "My name is Vena".

"I don't like your name. Hazel is good", I said.

"I don't like you", she said glaring and I smiled. I held her arm tightly.

"Like me or not, I'm stuck to you now", I said and she smiled. I held her palm in my mine and walked out of the cemetery. We sat back in the car and I pulled out the car in the main road.

"Should we celebrate today's day? It's Christmas guys", I asked.

"Vena, do you wanna celebrate Christmas?", Emma asked and I saw Hazel from the periphery of my eyes.

"I guess I can have a little fun. It's Christmas and my farewell party also", she said.

"Have you studied for your exam?", I asked.

"I've. I'll get grace marks. I don't want to study anymore", she said and I nodded. I turned around my car to the right and drove to a mall which was decorated with Christmas theme.

As we came out of the car, Hazel looked at Emma and asked, "Why don't you guys celebrate Christmas?".

Emma didn't say anything but just smiled. She holds Aiden and walked further. "I don't like Christmas", she replied and looked away.

Hazel looked at me and I sighed. I said, "Christmas and New Year is something we don't like to celebrate. On Christmas, Emma lost her child and she got the news that she can't be a mother ever".

"And New Year?", She asked.

"My parents abandoned her", I said and walked further to join Emma. Hazel walked behind us.

"I'm sorry", she whispered.

"No need to be sorry. My parents are for name sake only", I told her truthfully and she just nodded.

"I'm celebrating Christmas for the first time after I lost Adrian too", she said and my guilt surfaced my heart again. I couldn't speak further.

We all entered the mall and entertained our broken hearts with the festive feeling which is supposed to bring joy, positivity and happiness in our sad lives. I hold Aiden in my arms and a Santa came and gave him candy. He laughed happily. He looked astonished to see a man in white beard and red cap. I guess it's Aiden's first time celebrating Christmas too.

Emma was showing a few dresses to Hazel which she wanted to buy for Aiden and Hazel showed interest in shopping too. We have a heavy lunch after that. We ate everything and anything. We all smiled, laughed together and cherished this small moment of contentment.

We all celebrated Christmas after a very long time. Four broken hearts were giving support to each other. Four people were sharing their pains with each other and supporting each other. Today, at this moment we all were united by our pains. Guess, not only love binds you to people only. The pain inside your heart did that thing too. Emma's family was completed with Aiden, Aiden got parents, I found Joe. Hazel still is alone but I will fill the empty space in her life.

"Do you like the pizza?" Emma asked.

"I love it", Hazel said and then she looked at me. I passed her a smile and she smiled back.

Hazel, I'm going to be your real life Santa. Wish whatever you want, I'll fulfil it for you!!

🎄🎄(Merry Christmas)🎄🎄

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