Akshara and Abhinav walk in silence in their garden, not knowing what to say. The years of silence had left them more speechless after this miracle. There were many times when doctors were out of hope for Abhinav to wake up from the coma, but Akshara refused to give in to fate as she fought with it every second of her life. Now that Abhinav was standing right beside her, alive and almost healthy, she felt relaxed for the first time after 18 years.
"Oh!" Abhinav gasps as he points towards the swing in front of the house. Abhinav made it for Akshara when they decided to give their marriage a chance. After that, the swing didn't have much maintenance and barely sustained the changing seasons, but Ranav insisted on keeping it intact for their family's sake. He cleaned the seat every week as Akshara watered the creeper plant around the ropes. Once in a while, they changed the rope so that the swing would not break under weight.
Akshara smiles as she walks to the swing, gently caressing the seat as memories flood in. The first time she sat on this seat, Abhinav pushed the swing as she took in a breath of fresh air after a long battle. That breath of air felt like the first breath she took for her new life and it was the beginning of her feelings for Abhinav. That was the moment she knew that if nothing else, Abhinav would remain her husband at the end of everything. It was also the first time her heart raced for Abhinav when he held her in his arms as she slipped from the swing.
"It is still so beautiful," Abhinav exclaims as Akshara sits on the swing.
"Push me." Akshara smiles brightly like a toddler in Abhinav's presence.
"Aren't we too old for this, Ji?" Abhinav looks around as if someone would pop out at any moment and make fun of them. Akshara shakes her head as she takes Abhinav's hand in hers.
"Our time has stopped 18 years ago, Abhinav. Let's just start from there." Abhinav's embarrassment subsides as he nods gently at Akshara's suggestion. Indeed, they did not have time to worry about anything else. They need their lost time back, but even more than that they need to rebuild their family, their happiness. Abhinav positions himself behind the swing as he gently starts pushing it forward. Akshara took a deep breath, a shiver running down her spine and as she exhaled, it felt like all her worries were washed away in the wake of this old memory. After such a long time, Akshara felt light in the arms of these moments that she treasured for the longest period of her life. The separation has enhanced her feelings even more in the past years, not allowing her to look beyond these moments of happiness and peace. Peace. Akshara finally felt it, the peace in Abhinav's company. They continued to enjoy the moment until Abhinav spoke.
"How is Bhai Ji?" Akshara looks at the garden as her grip tightens around the rope. Akshara could not deny that she found it very hard to forgive Abhimanyu for taking Abhinav to the top of the cliff knowing how dangerous it can be and that too with alcohol, but with time, eventually, she could not care to indulge in this resentment. She knew that even though Abhimanyu took Abhinav to the cliff, the fall was not intentional, just like how she took Neil that day. If she kept hating Abhimanyu for the accident, then she would be doing no better than Abhimanyu did when he blamed Akshara for Neil's death. They were not young anymore, to keep blaming each other for what fate had done to them, they all had to move on. Akshara found the brightest star for the darkest sky that is her life and she was not planning to go back in time to change anything because it all led to this complete and happy family she has today.
"He is well. We haven't been in contact since..." Akshara cleared her throat, contemplating how to phrase what she wanted to say. "He changed for the better over the years, I guess. He keeps contact with Ranav and takes care of him when he stays in Udaipur." Abhinav slows the swing and places his hands over Akshara's shoulders leaning towards her.
"And how are you, Akshara?" Akshara could feel Abhinav's breath over her hair as she soaked in his comfortable presence. Since Abhinav woke up, they barely had any time alone and now that he asked her, Akshara's emotions broke through the barrier that she had been holding up.
"I was not fine." Akshara closes her eyes, reliving the most frightening moment of her life. "I saw you lying in that hospital bed and the doctors kept saying that it's critical, you have to be kept under observation until further analysis. Then they informed us that you went into a coma during surgery. I sat beside you the entire time, dreaming that you would suddenly sit up and crack a boring joke." A lone tear slipped out of Akshara's welled-up eyes. "I felt so helpless, Abhinav." Abhinav gently wraps his arms around Akshara, caressing her hair with his hand. "It was so long. It was so long that I felt like a lifetime had passed. Day after day, I sat in oblivion as hope seemed to slip through my fingers and doctors had no assurance to strengthen that hope." It was indeed a long and tiring fight and Akshara was so glad that at the end of it all stood her husband, Abhinav Sharma.
"It's okay. I am here, I am always here, Akshara. There was only one promise I made to myself, it is to live with you till my last breath. Now, I promise you that I will keep that promise." Abhinav gives Akshara the much-needed assurance as they both disarm into the hug.
As the time seemed to stop for Akshara and Abhinav, who delved back into their past once again, Abhira and Ranav built back their awkward silence as they disappeared into different rooms, avoiding any more interaction than needed. While the Sharma family tried their best to reform their family under the awkward terms at which each of them found it hard to be at home, Abhimanyu packed his bags, preparing himself both physically and mentally for any changes that could now direct the course of his relationship with his son. Abhimanyu was both done with being guilty and helpless with his son. He promised himself that he would not let his anger take control ever again, especially in Ranav's case. He had been a responsible father for the past 18 years and he does not plan on changing that image now. Abhimanyu Birla, you can't afford to lose Ranav's respect, He told himself.