47. Akansha Chopra
"AARAV!!!", RAJEEV'S VOICE pulled Aarav out of his reverie.
He looked at Rajeev and then scanned his room. He was hallucinating!
Never in his life had he felt so relieved as much as he felt in that moment.
"So tell me, what is the thing which only you know about Shreya?", Rajeev asked.
"Oh that... it's nothing Bade Papa. When we married each other, she wanted to file a divorce", Aarav said.
"What! why?", Rajeev asked bewildered.
"She thought this marriage would never be successful", Aarav said.
"What changed her mind?", Rajeev asked.
"You know, she has been alone her whole life and she craves for love", Aarav said and Rajeev nodded.
"We all slowly created a place in her heart and now she has everything except for her real parents", Aarav said.
"You are right. Honestly, I want to give her everything she deserves but I know she is not prepared for the truth", Rajeev said.
"She will never be prepared for it. I think you should tell her that you see your daughter in her", Aarav said.
"What do you mean?", Rajeev asked.
"You should try to bond with her and tell her that you will feel blessed if she allows you to call her your daughter. I will help you too in this situation. Like this you both will bond and without Shreya knowing the truth you can care for her as her father", Aarav said.
"You are right, son. Thank you so much", Rajeev said as he engulfed Aarav in his embrace.
Aarav sighed and thanked his stars that it was just a dream. Shreya's past was meant to be hidden from everyone and it was best to not reveal it, Aarav thought as he pulled away from Rajeev's embrace.
___________
AKANSHA RANG THE door bell of Aashna's apartment. After five minutes, the door opened and she was greeted by her smiling niece.
"Akansha Maa!", Aashna gasped as she hugged her.
"How many times should I tell you not to call me Akansha Maa?", Akansha said as she pulled away from her.
"And how many times should I tell you that you are my Mom whether you like it or not?", Aashna said pecking her cheek.
"GRANNY!!!", A voice squealed as the owner of the voice ran towards Akansha.
On instinct, Akansha picked the little girl in her arms and showered her with kisses.
"Granny... stop!", She giggled in her arms as she kissed her for the last time.
"How is my Meghu?", Akansha asked the 5 year old girl.
"Granz! How many times should I tell you, it's Megs not Meghu!?", She said in her cute annoyed voice.
"She has inherited this cockiness from you Akansha Maa", Aashna said as she sat on the couch.
"Oh hush! She isn't cocky", Akansha said as she placed Meghna on the couch besides Aashna.
"Yeah Maa", Aashna said rolling her eyes.
"Where is Zaid?", Akansha asked as she tried to search the second bombshell in the house.
"Nannoooo!!!", Zaid squealed as Imran came downstairs with the little boy in his arms.
Imran gave the little boy in Akansha's arms and she kissed him just the way she kissed Meghna.
"Eww Nanno! Pwease stop!", the 3 year old giggled in her arms.
"You don't like Nanno?", Akansha asked feigning a hurt tone.
Zaid looked at her with his big innocent eyes and pecked Akansha on her cheek before wrapping his little arms around her neck.
"I don't aike you, Nanno. I lobe yew more than Mommy and Daddy", he mumbled in the crook of her neck.
Akansha's heart felt heavy with the little boy's innocent words. She looked at Aashna who had a soft smile on her face. She mouthed her "we all love you" and Akansha's eyes filled with tears.
"Meghna! Zaid! C'mon it's time to sleep", Aashna said as she took Zaid in her arms and Meghna followed Aashna but not before saying good night to Akansha.
Once they were out of earshot, Imran took Akansha's blessings by touching her feet.
"How are you ammi?", Imran said as both of them settled themselves on the couch.
"I am fine. How are you? And how is your business going?", Akansha asked.
"I am good and the business is going well thanks to you and Raj Uncle", Imran said.
"You call me Ammi and thank me also?", Akansha said feigning a hurt tone.
"No Ammi but it's you who accepted and believed in me because of which I am here today and I can never forget that", Imran said.
"You are taking good care of my Ashu na?", Akansha asked.
"Of course, he is! But are you taking care of yourself?", Aashna asked as she came downstairs.
"Yeah, I do", Akansha said smiling.
"You said you were going to come to Mumbai yesterday", Imran stated.
"Yeah I did land in Mumbai yesterday but I was at Rajeev's place", Akansha said and the couple gave her a smug look which she ignored swiftly.
"Why were you at Raj Uncle's place?", Aashna asked.
"Just went to meet him and got to know that his daughter is alive", Akansha said with a soft smile.
"WHAT?!?", Imran and Aashna both shouted.
"Yeah.. today was Manish and Shweta's anniversary so their children had arranged a party and that's how we met her", Akansha said.
"Wait... so you mean to say Manish Uncle knew about Raj uncle's daughter?", Aashna asked.
"Yeah she happens to be his daughter in law and he didn't know Shreya was Raj's daughter. It's a messed up and long story", Akansha said sighing.
"We have the entire night", Imran said smiling.
Akansha sighed before beginning the tale of events.
___________
THE NEXT MORNING Akansha woke up to the buzzing of her phone. Without glancing at the caller id she picked up the call.
"Hello"
"Akansha! Where the hell are you?"
Akansha frowned as she immediately recognised the voice on the line.
"Raj? What happened?"
"What happened, really? You left Mani's house without informing anyone! How can you be so careless Akansha!?"
"First of all, calm down! I am at Aashna's place. You were having nice time with Shreya so I thought not to disturb you"
"Disturb me!? Really? From how many years do we know each other?"
"28?"
"Exactly! Then why would you think something so stupid? I accept, I was enjoying spending time with Shreya but you should have atleast informed before leaving Akansha. We were worried about you"
"I am sorry it's just, I didn't wanted to bother you"
"Shreya wants to talk to you"
"Akansha Maa, what is this? How could you leave Bade Papa and go? You know how much he was worried about you?"
Akansha's heart skipped a beat as she heard Shreya call her Maa. She immediately woke up and sat in Indian style pressing the phone to her ear tightly. Her ears almost pleading to hear the word Maa from Shreya again.
"Did you just call me Maa?"
"Yeah... Aarav told me he calls Raj Uncle Bade Papa so according to that you become my Maa, don't you?"
"Umm... I am his best friend, honey. I am not your Bade Papa's wife"
Saying those words, a lump formed in her throat. Those words were like a knife stabbing in her heart. She swallowed the lump formed in her throat patiently waiting for Shreya's reply.
"Ohhh.... I am sorry... I didn't..."
"It's okay, honey..."
"What should I call you?"
"I don't mind if you call me Akansha maa"
Akansha's heart beat vigorously in her chest whilst she waited for Shreya's reply.
"But I do mind because I want to call you Muma"
Akansha's heart skipped a beat yet again.
"Granz! Good morning!!!", Meghna said loudly as she engulfed Akansha in a hug and pecked her on her cheek.
"Good morning, Megs!", Akansha said pecking Meghna's forehead.
"Muma, are you there?"
"Yeah sorry my niece's daughter is here"
"So you are a granny, eh?"
Hearing Shreya's soft chuckle, Akansha too let out a soft chuckle.
"Yeah... when your baby comes in the world, I will be his or her granny too!"
"Of course yes! You will be his or her Nani and Bade Papa will be his or her Nannu"
"Honey, how many months pregnant are you?"
"Three weeks and three days"
"Hmm... when you are five weeks pregnant you need to do your first ultrasound"
"Ultrasound so early...?"
"Yes baby.... You have pregnancy complications so we need to make sure your baby is growing normally, to detect if he or she has any abnormalities and to confirm whether you are having one baby or more"
"Oh...okay then I will do the ultrasound"
"Which doctor are you seeing?"
"Dr Mahek Khanna, she is a family friend muma"
"Okay... I will come with you for your ultrasound if its okay?"
"No problem, Muma! Accha Muma, I will talk to you later. I am getting late! See ya and love you"
"Love you too baccha", Akansha said her eyes moistening with unshed tears.
"Hello? Akansha?"
"Yeah... I am coming to pick you up"
"What? Why?"
"I will tell you everything once we meet",
And the line went dead.
"Megh.... You are here! And I am searching you in the entire house", Aashna scolded Meghna.
"I came to say good morning to Granz", Meghna said pouting.
"Okay now shower first and then spent time with Granny, alright?"
"I am leaving", Akansha blurted.
"What? Why? You came home yesterday and you are leaving today? That's not done, Maa", Aashna said irritated.
"Rajeev is coming to pick me up and it seems something real important so I need to go", Akansha said tying her hair in a bun.
"Meghna go and ask Daddy to give you a bath", Aashna said.
"Mommy you said you will give me a bath today", Meghna whined.
"Meghna, I have to talk to Granny so go and ask daddy to do it", Aashna said sternly.
"What if Daddy isn't home or if he is busy?", Meghna asked.
"He is at home and he is free. Now go I don't want any arguments", Aashna said.
"But Mommy..."
"Meghna"
"Okay! I am going!", Meghna huffed and left the room.
"Now tell me what's wrong, maa?", Aashna asked folding her arms.
"Nothing", Akansha said shuffling through her clothes.
"Maa please, don't give the nothing crap! Please tell me whats wrong? You had tears in your eyes when I entered the room so please tell me what happened", Aashna said sitting on the bed.
Akansha sighed. Picking her clothes up, she sat on the bed besides Aashna.
"I spoke to Shreya right now...", Akansha started.
"And...?"
"She called me Muma", Akansha said smiling.
"That's why you had tears in your eyes?", Aashna asked and Akansha nodded.
"I am sorry if you feel bad but you don't like me calling you Maa and you feel happy when Shreya calls you Muma...why?", Aashna asked.
"Because you are Tanu di's daughter. You were just seven years old when Tanisha di and Avinash jiju met with an accident. For you I was always your maasi maa and I made sure not to replace Tanu di's place in your life. Imagine a 24 year old girl getting informed about the demise of her family after a week of her marriage. It was horrible but I stayed strong only for you, Aashna. Raj also took care of you for the two years we were married to each other and later you know..."
"I understand what you went through but I accept you as my Maa then why can't you accept me as your daughter?"
"You were, have and will always be my niece, Ashu. Its not that I didn't tried to accept you as a daughter because trust me I did but I never felt the motherly instincts when it came to you whereas with Shreya it just happened in a single meet, without trying and realising", Akansha explained.
"Why did you divorce Raj Uncle?", Aashna asked.
"Aash..."
"You have to tell me today, Maa! Everytime I asked you... you avoided the question saying I was too young to understand but now I am married and have two kids. I am capable of understanding your reason maa please trust me and tell me why did you sacrifice your marriage?", Aashna asked.
"Imagine yourself realising that you love your husband one day and on the same day him confessing that he had a memory loss for past two years. How would you feel? And to top all, he also tells you that his wife and child is no more... he confesses to you everything and hides nothing. He shares his sorrows, pain, anger everything whilst you feel your heart break because you realise his heart would never be yours as it belongs to someone already. He belongs to someone already. He was already in pain and me confessing my love for him would have killed him. You know why? Because he would have never been able to love me the way I wanted him to love me and he would have to break his best friend's heart, my heart. He had lost his love and he would fear to lose me too and just because of this fear he would pretend. Pretend that he loved me when in reality he would be dying inside. He would feel suffocated because of this marriage. And I would never want him to suffer because of me. So I did what I felt right and that is to free him from these unwanted ties. You tell me how could I keep him binded in something he never wanted in the first place? How could I see him crying everyday because of me? How could I let him betray his love for her? So I killed my happiness, I buried my feeling for him deep inside the chambers of my heart and I freed him from our marriage", Akansha said crying.
"When I saw Shreya and hugged her, I don't know why I felt like I was hugging my own daughter. I felt as though it was my responsibilty from now on to lessen the pain caused by her aunt and if possible I want to take Gauri's place in her life. I know it's an extreme selfish thought but I want her to see me as her mother and the fact that she is Raj's daughter made me love her even more"
"I am so sorry, Maa! I never thought you might be going through so much. I am so sorry", Aashna said hugging her.
___________
So Aarav was just hallucinating! And how many of you liked Akansha's side of story?
How was today's chapter? Pleaseee let me know? Because your comments really encourage me.
Excuse me for any grammatical errors! Vote and comment peeps! Keep loving #Aarya!
Love ya,
Hugs and Kisses,
See you soon,
-Rhea❤