Heart's Desire

Last Rituals.

Anika decided to do her parent's last rituals in Mumbai besides all her family members. the death of the Mr&Mrs Rao became headlines in all news media which made anika's job easier to call her relatives who left untouched by her for years.

ansh and anika reached Mumbai along with the corpse. throughout the journey, her father's last words running inside her head even though, she can't even able to relax from those words. why she still stuck in her past? become a constant question which ran inside her head once in a millisecond. those words made her recall her helpless situation. ansh can able to see the disturbance in her face but never dared to console her, because he was also equally confused on hearing his grandpa's words. 

"is this called true love? not even leaving the partner alone after death too? taking her side every time? " those are the questions ran inside his head throughout the journey. finally, anika and her son arrived in Mumbai. but anika's mind was not with her. 

anika... sorry for the demise dear... - one of her family members said when she lost herself in thoughts. ansh kept his hands on her shoulder to dragged her to reality.  she raised her head and responded to them. ansh and anika went to her home. she never thought she will face this situation in her life. went out of this house holding her parent's hands and coming back to this house with their dead bodies. fate laughed at her situation. but the word moving on stuck inside her head. so she made herself ready to face every situation.

she straightly went to her room and opened the cupboard where the pile of clothes fell on her face. 

"anika... do you have any idea about wardrobe management?" - she heard shivaay voice. she turned back but found its nothing but her illusion. but those illusions made her realize the miserable situation. she made her mind and wiped off her sweats and took those clothes and threw it inside the cupboard. she thuds back herself on the bed where she can't even get herself to come out of the words which she heard before.

"anika..." - she again heard shivaay's voice, this time its from balcony. without even her knowledge, she moved towards the balcony and saw 20 years old shivaay smilingly waving his hand from the ground. 

"Why?" - she yelled at a high pitch of her tone. where there was no energy left in her body to face more. she buried her face between her knees and wept loudly made everyone who presented in the funeral gathered her attention.

In no time, ansh ran into her room. his heartbeat skipped for a while when he saw her mom in that condition. he ran towards her and tried to wake her up but she refused to raise her head.

"ansh... i request you... please leave me alone..." - she requested him without raising her head. he obeyed and went to the hall where the bodies are kept. he numbly stepped down the steps while thinking about his mom and her condition. soon in no time, he slipped and a man came and rescued him falling. 

till that moment ansh's emotions were under control but when that man hugged him, he can't resist himself from breaking down. ansh hugged him and cried uncontrollably where that man caressed his head in order to console him. 

"its time for the last rituals... call your mom..." - the priest said where ansh broke the hug and nodded yes.

this time ansh went to anika's room along with nisha. she still in the same position but she didn't cry but seeing her as this everyone will definitely shed tears.

"maa..." - ansh called her out but there was no response from another side. he turned back towards nisha and cried where she patted his shoulders and encouraged him to try once more.

"maa... they are calling you for the last rituals" - he finally said.

"ANSH... CAN'T YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? LEAVE... LEAVE MY ROOM... RIGHT NOW..." - she roared which made ansh to jerk where everyone presented in the hall can clearly able to hear her including that man. that man can't resist himself from climbing up and check her condition. he saw... he saw her from the doorstep of her room. there was no courage left in him to come in and console her. he stood at the doorstep where nisha caught him and nudged ansh to come out from her room.

they moved out. but that man made sure the door shouldn't get locked as she's suffering from claustrophobia. he pulled down the door stand holder and went. nisha and ansh didn't fail to feel his care over her. soon he put his hand around ansh and went downstairs.

"who will do the last rituals?" - the priest asked ansh after witnessing the reaction of anika.

"my father will do" - ansh said without even thinking for a while and pointed his finger towards that man.

"Shivaay Singh Oberoi" - everyone in the house whispered where that man came hugged him in no time and kissed his forehead.

"but how can i?" - shivaay questioned him with teary eyes.

"you saw mom, right?"- ansh asked shivaay where he without even questioning ansh back proceeded with the last rituals. 

he helped ansh throughout the process but didn't do it on his own. because somewhere in his heart he knew he don't deserve to do the last rituals to them. but everything was happening according to fate. none can run away from fate.

after finishing the last rituals, ansh and shivaay came to anika's house to drop ansh. while dropping him his eyes caught the balcony where anika used to run outside when she heard his car honking sound. if he can able to change the past, he does. he would have chosen his anika rather than his family who betrayed him at every point of his life. without even asking permission tears ran out through his cheeks. ansh placed his hand on his shoulder. he immediately wiped off his tears and looked at him.

"take care of anika... don't leave her alone... and don't forget to take care of yourself too" - shivaay caressed ansh's cheek and left the place. ansh felt like someone kept 10kg of dumbells in his heart. he numbly went to her mom's room and become heartbroken to see his mom sitting in the same position. his legs gave up where he rested himself at the wall and sat opposite to her.

"why, mom?  why it's happening only to us? ... when i thought everything was fine, a new storm came and hit us... how can i tell you, mom? he didn't cheat you... in fact, he was equally cheated like you... how can i tell you, mom? he stills love you like before and he never betrayed you... stop punishing yourself, mom i can't see you like this... please..." - ansh thought where his tears spoke on his behalf.