Unsteady | ✓

Epilogue

One and a Half year later 

[Mrs. Talwar's POV]

Humans are fragile, so they break easily. But healing isn't easy. Healing requires effort, trust, love and patience. Healing is not an external process but an internal journey to accepting ourself and loving ourself.

I smile as I look at Gauri as she is serving food onto plates of her two kids. Then there's Omkara who is combining Siya's hair, their younger daughter.

"Mumma, I don't like peas!" Complained the elder one, Piya. Gauri always purposefully puts more peas into her plate.

"Piyu, come on be a good girl. What did we read the other day? That all vegetables are important." Gauri explained.

"Mumma, I don't like beans!" Complained the younger one following the suit of her sister and I smiled as Gauri went on to explain the same thing to her in different words.

"Okay, so from tomorrow Mumma will only cook food for me, because I eat beans and peas both." Omkara spoke.

"Yeah, anyway you don't like peas and you don't like beans so I won't make food for you two. I will make only for Papa." Gauri glanced at him. 

"Yeah, so even when you make maggi, it will all be for me." Omkara feigned excitement. Oh these two! 

"I am eating!" Both the girls said in unison eating from their plates. While the parents exchanged winning smiles.

They were only six and eight respectively when Omkara and Gauri had adopted them. Gauri wasn't very keen on an adoption. But when Omkara took her to the orphanage the first time, her perspective began to change. 

I could understand why Gauri didn't want to be a mother. She took herself to be an unfit mother. I had tried time and again to convince her that she had barely been into motherhood to judge herself. It was her depression that had snatched away her baby it wasn't her fault. But the stubborn girl wouldn't understand.

Now, an year later when I look at her I can only smile gratefully. She's a wonderful mother. A little strict and bossy but very loving. I smile as I catch Omkara feeding Gauri while she is braiding Siya's hair that Omkara had neatly combed.

The kind of relationship the two share, reminds me of Harsh and myself. Raising daughters is a wonderful blessing. And I am so happy that Chhoti got that chance. As time will move ahead these two daughters will make her stronger. Just like Anika and now Gauri, are my strength.

There are times when I am actually grateful that Omkara and Gauri stayed over. It would be very boring to live alone. Now, I am the super cool Naani of three.

"Naani, did you water the plants?" Piya asks me, more like reminds me because I am sure she knows, I haven't yet. She's the mature one after all.

"I will do it Piyu,"

"Gauri sit and eat," I say.

"Yes, done!" Gauri said tying rubber band around the braid. 

It was a Saturday morning and the girls were totally excited about visiting their Daadi's house, like they did on most weekends.

"Mumma, can we buy chocolates for Aadi?" Siya asked. 

"Siyu, Aadi is very little now. When he'll grow up we'll buy him chocolates." Gauri answered.

I smiled. Aadi had taken after Anika, in most aspects. Only his eyes were like those of Shivaay. He is one hell of a mischief maker.

"But last time we went Anika chaachi said that she likes chocolates," Piya pointed out.