Continued..
Valerio Catullo Airport, Italy..
Vansh pushed the trolley, carrying his luggage towards the entrance of the airport, and Vikrant followed him...
Vansh hasn't spoken a single word since he got the news..
After Arjun's call he was worried and hurriedly packed his things to leave for Mumbai, but when Ved called to inform him what happened, he was devastated...
Just a few hours ago, he prayed for the well being of his sister and her child and now he receives the mournful message of her losing the baby...
He could neither speak much nor cry, he had no idea what to do ! For the very first time in his life he was blank...
Vansh had no idea what he will do there, but wanted to be with his family at this difficult time...
'Bro, Are you sure, you will be able to manage...? I mean I can come...' Vikrant began, but Vansh cut him off
'And what difference will your presence make ? Will Annie's baby be alive again ? Or Amayraa will come back to her senses...!' Vansh snapped
Vikrant had no answer to this, he knew it was best to keep quiet right now, because Vansh was in no mood to hear anything...
'Take care bro...' Vikrant hugs him as he was about to enter the departure terminal..
Vansh did not say anything just nodded....
'Take care of things here, and come back as soon as possible...' Vansh said, wearing his backpack and picking up his other bag
'And if you don't understand anything, ask Khushi...' he finished and her mention made him remember his behavior today...
He sighed, He knew his action was wrong, but right now he had no time to rectify the mistake, his family needed him..
Vansh took out the phone from his pocket and removed Khushi's Sim card from it..
'Buy her a new phone... I have hers...' he shows the phone to Vikrant and he nods
'Tell her I am sorry...' he murmured and Vikrant couldn't understand what he said
'What...?'
'Uh.. Nothing... See you... Bye...' Vansh hugged him for the last time and was about to turn towards the gate when he saw her..
She was standing far away from them, staring him with hopeful eyes, which were tearful, and Vansh knew why were they glum....
Vansh stared at her too, but he had a troubled look on his face, it's like he was trying to explain his helplessness to her...
Vikrant followed Vansh's gaze and witnessed the eye contact between them, he sensed something has happened, but chose to stay silent, because this was not the right time..
Vansh cannot bear her expectant gaze he turned around and walked into the departure gate, leaving her heartbroken, she was in tears seeing him leave just like that and turned to walk away from there...
May be he was not meant for me...
Mumbai...
3 hours later...
Arjun was sitting on the stool, beside Ananya's bed, he was crying all the time...
She was still unconscious, and looked so pale right now, he held her hands which were surprisingly warm, and wiped his tears...
His heart sank on thinking about how she will react, when she comes to know about her baby and Amayraa...
Because Aayan was devastated after knowing what happened to Amayraa and their baby, he became violent and started breaking things around him, it took Ved, Jai and two ward boys to control him, and then he was sedated by the doctor, as he was not ready to take rest...
Arjun's heart pained seeing his daughter like this, the baby girl he vowed to protect all her life, was in this condition and he was helpless, he failed to protect her...
'Please Wake up, Princess... I promise I will get you anything you want, will do whatever you say... Won't even trouble Aayan... Just wake up my child... I cannot see you like this...' he sobbed, caressing her hair
She didn't deserve this.... This is all because of me...
He covered his face with his palms and cried, when someone hugged him from behind...
He recognised who it was and sobbed in their arms and Naina held him tightly...
'Be strong Arjun, our princess will need you, when she wakes up...' she caressed his hair and he cried more
'She was a good kid, never did anything to hurt anyone intentionally... Bad things shouldn't happen to her... It's all because of me...' he sobs
'You have nothing to do with this Arjun, don't blame yourself unnecessarily...' Naina consoles him, but wipes her own tears
She couldn't see her baby like this, but she had to be strong, for Ananya and Aayan as well..
'No Naina, once a father suffered the pain of being away from his daughter because of my stupidity... Life came back to me for that... Now I understand what your father would've felt...' He says and Naina caresses his hair
'Stop blaming yourself Arjun, you have nothing to do with this... Get a hold of yourself... Remember the promise you made to Ananya when she was a child...' Naina reminds him and he sighs
Of Course, he cannot break the promise he made to her...
15 years ago...
Arjun's old apartment..
Thapar's new house was under construction, so they shifted back to their old apartment, where they used to live with their parents...
Adi and Sash were in Mumbai, with their wives and children, taking care of E market's affairs there...
Arjun's parents shifted to their ancestral home in Punjab, and decided to stay there for the rest of their lives..
Arjun and his kids were in their old apartment, well, Arjun, Vansh, Naina and Ananya, because Ved was in the boarding school...
Naina was in the kitchen preparing dinner, while Arjun sat on the dining table there, looking at the papers she gave him to assess, Ananya was sitting with him as well, she was scribbling on a paper with her crayon...
'You think this video lecture thing, will it work...?' He asks, looking at the papers
'Well we are not sure, but it's worth a shot... But we need a place for that... Our old office's lighting is very poor...' she replies
'You guys can rent a place...' he suggested
'We are short of funds...' Naina informs 'Plus investing so much for a temporary thing seems impractical...'
'See I can help...' he began, but Naina cuts him off
'No... You are not paying for it....' She warns and he sighs, but smiles looking at Ananya's drawing where the house was bigger than the mountain she drew...
'See... I have a proposition... Why don't you guys use E market's old meeting room for your work... And pay me the rent for the time you guys use that...?'
Naina thinks about it and smiles...
'That is actually a brilliant idea... I'll talk to Anu about this tomorrow... Thank you so much...' she comes closer to him and kisses him on the cheeks
'Just on the cheeks...?' he pouts and she hits him
'Behave...' she points towards Ananya..
'I'll get back to you for this tonight...' he smirks and Naina rolls her eyes, and starts chopping the vegetables..
Just then Ananya who was drawing something on the page, takes a different crayon and speaks
'Maa...?'
'Yes Baby..?' Naina replies
'Can I have a boyfriend...?' she asks casually, and Arjun chokes on his water...
'What...!' he and Naina say in unison, while Arjun tries to control his coughing...
'Who taught you that word...?' he asks
'A guy in my school asked me, can he be my boyfriend...? I told him I'll ask Maa and tell...' Ananya replies, like it was nothing, but Arjun was angry now...
'How dare he...' He growled
'Arjun...! Calm down they are just kids...' she pats his shoulders and sits on the chair opposite to Ananya..
'Baby do you know what a boyfriend means ?' she asks
'Yeah... A friend who is a boy... Like Jai papa is yours and Paa's... I don't know why he had ask this, I have many boyfriends... He can be one too...' Ananya said
'That is not what a boyfriend means princess... It's a bad thing... Go tell that boy that he cannot be your boyfriend, and stop bothering you or else your Paa will teach him a lesson...' Arjun says and Ananya looks at him confused
'Don't over react...' she warns him
'He asked him to be his girlfriend...! How dare he... She won't have boyfriend ever...' he declares
'Shut up... She's a kid... *turns to Ananya* Baby tell him that he can be your friend... But not boyfriend... A Friend who is a boy and a Boyfriend are two different things...' she explains
'What is the difference Maa...?' Ananya asks innocently and Arjun sighed
'God she is so innocent... I have to keep her away from all the boys...' he mutters and Naina hits him
'See... Like Jai Papa is Mine and your Paa's friend, so he is a boy who is our friend... And a Boyfriend is... Um... Is a guy who you want to marry...' Naina explains and Ananya nods understanding
'So Paa is your boyfriend...?' She asks
'Paa is my Husband, Baby... After marriage they become Husband...' Naina answers
'When will I get a Husband..?' she asks excitedly and Arjun looks at her surprised
'Never...' he answers, but Naina glares at him
'When you grow up Baby...' Naina kisses her cheeks and she grins
'I cannot wait to grow up now... Then I'll too get a husband like Paa...' Ananya cheers and Arjun looks at Naina shocked
'No.. No... She cannot...' He began
'Grow up Arjun...' Naina hits him and then resumes her work
'Listen Baby, boys are bad... You should stay away from them...' Arjun says to Ananya and Naina glares at him
'But they are nice... Ved Bhai and Vansh Bhai are also boys... They are not bad...' Ananya argues
'Yes.... Because they are your brothers... Brothers are nice...but other guys... They are not...' Arjun explains
'This means Aayan is not nice...?' She asks
Arjun was about to reply, when Naina interrupts in between..
'Aayan is nice Baby, Papa doesn't know what he is saying... Do me a favour... Go call Vansh Bhai for Dinner, he is playing in the park...' She says and Ananya hops out of her chair
'Okay Maa...' she chirps and searches for her sandals
'What's wrong with you...!' she exclaims
Before Arjun can answer, Ananya interrupts
'Maa.. I'll go by the stairs...' she says
'This is 11th floor baby, you will get tired... Use the elevator...' Arjun says
'Okay Paa...' she says and runs out of the house..
'She needs to be stay away from boys... Let's search for an All Girls school...' Arjun suggests
'She will go to a Co - Ed school and you need to calm down... You cannot protect her from every boy in this world....' Naina scolds him
'But...' he began
'No Buts...here... cut these for Salad...' she hands him the vegetables, while he sighs and does what was instructed
After sometimes, Vansh comes inside the house, holding his cricket Bat and calls
'Maa.. I am home...' he says
'Welcome Back beta, go have a bath and change your clothes, I'll set the dinner on the table... Ask Ananya to do the same...' Naina replies
'Annie...? She is not with me...' Vansh says
Both Arjun and Naina are alarmed at this and go out in the living room, finding Vansh alone there...
'What do you mean...? She went downstairs to call you...' Arjun says
'No Paa.. I didn't see her down...' Vansh says and they look at each other worriedly
'She went downstairs Vansh, didn't you see her...? She went just few minutes ago... Didn't you find her in the elevator...?' Naina says
'Maa... The elevator broke down, I came using stairs...' He said
Arjun and Naina panic hearing this..
'Where is the elevator stuck buddy...?' Arjun asks
'On the 5th floor... Shyam uncle is trying to open it...' Vansh informed
They do not waste time, and ran downstairs, while Vansh followed them confused...
They reached the 5th floor and saw people gathered around the elevator and two men desperately trying to open it...
'What happened...?' Naina asks a woman who was standing there..
'The lift is stuck and I heard a child crying from inside... They are trying to open it...' She informs
'Oh my god Ananya...' Arjun panics and runs towards it and loudly knocks the metal doors
'Ananya... Baby are you in there...?' he asks loudly
'Paa...' a muffled cry comes from inside
'Oh my god, My Baby...' Naina cries
'Paa.. Get me out...' they hear her faint voice..
'Yes Baby.. Don't worry... I'll get you out...' Arjun says and tries to pull the metal door, but fails..
'Shyam do something... My daughter is in there...' he barks
'Sahab, I have sent a man to the elevator room, he'll open it from there...' the man informed
'Why wasn't the lift man inside...! My daughter is alone in there...! She is scared of dark...' he says panicking
'Baby... Are you alright...?' Naina asks
'I am scared Maa...' comes Ananya's voice
'Call him...' Arjun growls and Shyam hurriedly dials the number
'Calm down Mr. Thapar...' one of the residents said
'My Daughter is 10, Mr. Shetty.. She is claustrophobic and afraid of darkness, how can I calm down...' He says and then bangs the door loudly, simultaneously trying to open it..
Vansh stood away from them, looking at the elevator scared, Ananya's cries could be heard and her parents were trying to calm her down from outside...
After few minutes the elevator pinged and the doors opened, Arjun ran inside the elevator followed by Naina... Ananya sat on the corner, curled up like a ball, sobbing...
Arjun wasted no time and picked her up, and she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, hugging him tightly
'Paa... I was so scared...' she cries
'I know... I am sorry... I shouldn't have asked you to use the elevator...' he said, hugging her, whereas Naina caressed her hair
'It was dark in here...' She sobbed
'I know... My child... I am so sorry baby, I made a mistake...' he cried
'Let's go home..' Naina says and they walk out of the elevator
Thapar's apartment...
The family was seated for dinner, and Ananya sat on Arjun's lap, while he was feeding her...
He felt really bad for suggesting her to take the elevator...
He did not eat anything and Naina frowned seeing him, not eating anything...
'Arjun why aren't you eating ?'
'I don't feel like...' he replies, when Ananya looks at him, he was teary eyed
'What happened Paa...?' she gets down from his lap and faces him
'Nothing baby...' he caresses her face
'Why are you crying...?' she asks wiping his tears
'Because you were stuck there because of me...' he says
'No.. It was because the light went off.. You did not do anything...'
'But still, I should've gone with you... What if anything happened to my Princess...?' he caresses her cheeks
'Arjun you need to get it out of your head...' Naina suggests
'Paa don't be sad...' Vansh says
Ananya looks at her father's sad face and then pouts..
'Paa... If I ask something will you give it to me...?' she asks, while her mother and brother looked at them bewildered
'Anything Princess...' Arjun smiled
'I want a promise...' she forwards her tiny hands towards him
'What promise ?' he asks
'That you will not be sad or cry, if I get hurt...' She says, Arjun and Naina looked at her shocked
It's not everyday that you hear 10 year olds talk like this..
'How can I promise that Princess... Of course I will be sad if anything happens to you...' Arjun says
'No, you should not Paa... I like you smiling, not crying... Please Paa... Promise me ?' She pleads and Arjun couldn't deny that..
'Okay... I promise I will not cry if you are hurt...' he smiles, holding her hands
'Good... That's my Paa...' she smiles and kisses Arjun on cheeks and he hugged her, looking at Naina who smiled at them...
He remembered the promise he made to her and wiped his tears...
'I will not cry baby, but please wake up...' He caressed Ananya's face
2 hours later...
Aayan was back to consciousness, and sat on the bed looking at nothing in particular.... He was awfully silent...
Ved was beside him, while Jai was in Amayraa's ward, and Sameer was nowhere to be found...
'Aayan... You need anything...?' Ved asked
He did not reply...
'You need to eat something... Here have this juice...' Ved gives him the glass, Aayan did not reply even at this...
'Bro..' he sighs, but Aayan was unfazed
'Bro, you need to speak...! Otherwise how will you get over it...!' Ved holds his shoulders and Aayan looked at him
'Five hours ago, I had everything... A loving wife, a beautiful daughter and a baby on the way... And now.. I have nothing... My baby is dead, my daughter is in coma, and my wife has no idea of what happened...! You tell me Ved, how will I get over it...?' Aayan said, and tears rolled down his eyes
Ved had no answer to it, he just hugged Aayan tightly and Aayan cried in his arms..
'Time will heal everything, Aayan...' Ved said, he was in tears too
'Please turn the time Ved, just 5 hours back... Please...' Aayan cried and Ved couldn't control his tears anymore...
'I wish I could buddy, please be strong...' he replies
'I am tired of being strong Ved...! I can't take it anymore...' he cries and Ved just hugs him
'Will my Amayraa ever wake up...?' he asked after calming himself down
'Yes, doctors say her vitals are strong, she may wake up anytime...' Ved replies and Aayan nods
'Ananya...?'
'Is still unconscious...' Ved informed and Aayan leaned his head on the pillow staring at the ceiling...
Sameer walks inside Aayan's room, he looked terrible, his eyes were red, he his face was tired...
He slowly walked towards Aayan's bed, and Ved held his shoulders, to console him, he lost his younger brother after all..
Aayan looked at him and Sameer sat on the stool beside him
'Bro... I... I don't know what to say.... My brother... *his eyes welled up* ... He ruined everything... His crime is so terrible that I... I cannot even apologise bro... But God... He has his ways to impart justice... Yash die... Died...' Sameer says with difficulty, his voice all hoarse...
Aayan held his hands tightly... And made him look at him...
'Our Brother bro... Our brother... And you don't have to apologise... No matter how much I hated him, he still was my brother.... I am so sorry for your loss... I tried to save him...But...' Aayan said and Sameer started crying at this
Aayan hugged him tightly and he sobbed...
'I am so sorry Aayan... I... Should have warned you... So that you could've taken care of Yash, in a civil manner and he would be alive today...' Sameer cried and Aayan caressed his hair...
'No brother, you couldn't have prevented what was meant to happen...' Aayan's eyes welled up again...
'Get hold of yourself Sameer, Aayan... We have a bigger challenge to face now... Prateek Singhal has been informed about Yash's death... He could be arriving here with a new storm...' Ved held both of their shoulders and they looked at him, and then at each other...
Ananya's ward...
Ananya slowly opens her eyes, and blinks it several times to adjust into the brightness of the room...
She looks around to find her parents seated on the sofa, looking all tired and glum, holding each others hands
'Maa...?' Ananya calls, in a low voice and their eyes snap in her direction
They get up and quickly rush towards her, and stood on either side of her bed..
'How do you feel beta ?' Naina asks caressing her hair...
'I feel better... What happened...?' she asks but then realisation dawns upon her and she jerks up from her bed...
'Maa... How is Amayraa....? Is she okay...? Is she hurt...? What did the doctors say...? Where is she...? Maa...!' she holds Naina's arms and her eyes fill with tears
'Maa please... You are scaring me... Please tell me where Amayraa is...!' Ananya asks again, but not getting an answer from her, she turns to her father...
'Paa... You tell me.. Where is she...? Is she okay...' she holds his hands
Arjun was about to reply when the doctor enters the room, along with the nurse...
'It's great to see you up Mrs. Verma... How do you feel...?' he asks
'Good...' Ananya replies and was about to ask him something when he continued
'Do you feel any discomfort in your lower abdomen ? Pain or anything...?' he asked and Ananya looks at him confused, but then she remembers... Her baby
'Why will I experience any pain doctor...?' she asks scared, not really wanting to know the answer, her parents looked away, wiping their tears
'You had a miscarriage few hours ago, Mrs. Verma... I am sorry for your loss...' Doctor says sympathetically and Ananya was blank hearing this...
I lost my baby...? No this cannot be happening... She was supposed to heal everything she cannot leave me like this....
She did not say anything for sometime, just tears rolled down her eyes, she did not even respond to their calls, which worried them..
'Mrs. Verma...?' Doctor shakes her lightly and her trance was broken
She stares at them, and they all looked panicked...
'How is my Daughter, Doctor ?' she asks him, her voice a mere whisper
They all stared at her shocked, and once again Arjun and Naina's daughter surprised them, she was not concerned about her biological child, she was more worried about her adopted daughter...
'She is...' Doctor got uncomfortable now..
'Please tell me how is she...?' Ananya asks
'She had a head injury, Mrs. Varma, she has slipped into coma *Ananya gasps at this* but we are certain she will wake up soon, she's recovering... I just checked her...' he informs
'Can I see her...?' she asks, more like pleads
'You shouldn't leave your bed Ma'am...' Doctor began
'Please... I want to see her... I am sure she will wake up, if I am with her... Please let me go to her... I beg you....' Ananya pleads folding her arms in front of him, and now her parents cannot hold their tears
'Please Ma'am, don't do this... I cannot... ' Doctor gets helpless
'Fine ! I'll go to her, whether you authorise it or not ! I am her mother...! You cannot stop me from seeing her....' she says angrily and starts getting down from the bed, while her parents stop her
'Ananya beta, don't do it...' Naina holds her arms
'Maa, they are not letting me see my girl...' Ananya protests as Arjun held her,
'Paa please...' she pleads him, teary eyed and Arjun sighed
'Can we not shift Amayraa here....?' he asks
Doctor looks at him and nods..
'I'll make the arrangements...' he says and goes out of the room..
Ananya sighs and hugs her father tightly, and sobs in his arms
'Don't cry my child, everything will be okay...' he kisses her head
'When Paa...?' she cries and Naina wipes her tears too
'Soon beta...' he assures her, while she cries in his arms
Few hours later...
Amayraa was shifted on Ananya's room, she was lying on a bed adjacent to Ananya's...
Her head was covered with bandage and her tiny arms had bruises over them, her eyes were closed it was like she was sleeping peacefully...
Ananya sat beside her, and was caressing her hair and soft cheeks, with tears in her eyes...
Jai and Arjun stood outside the ward, watching her, and Naina was with Aayan and Ved...
'She is a strong woman, just like her mother...' Jai said and Arjun nods
'Yeah, she took the news very bravely and shed few tears, what surprised me was, she was more bothered learning about Amayraa than the grief of losing her own child...' he said
'You don't need to give birth to be a Mother... Ananya proved this today..' Jai said looking at Ananya proudly, who was taking care of Amayraa
Arjun wiped his tears and nodded...
After sometime Aayan was wheeled inside Ananya's room by a hospital staff, while rest others were outside...
Ananya was near Amayraa's bed, she did not sleep or lie down even for a second after she saw her...
The ward boy positioned Aayan beside Ananya and walked out..
He looks at her, she was tired, but wasn't really concerned about herself, she did not notice his arrival...
Aayan held Ananya's hands, and she looked up, their eyes met and none of them could control their tears...
Aayan got closer and stared at Amayraa, tears rolled down his eyes, looking at the tiny kid, going through so much with no fault of hers...
Ananya held his hands and wipes his tears, while he brushed his fingers through Amayraa's hair
'She'll be fine... Don't worry...' she forces a smile
'Are you okay...?' he asks, she doesn't say anything just nods
'Are you...?' she asks
'Yes...' he answered, None of them spoke anything after this..
'Ananya I... wanted to apologize...' he began, but Ananya held his arms, stopping him from speaking further
'It was neither of our fault... Our baby wasn't meant to come into this cruel world, so she left...*sniffs* But don't be sad... We have our Amy.... She's enough for us... Isn't she...?' Ananya caressed Amayraa's chubby cheeks
'Yes she is...' Aayan said
'We are in this together, Aren't we...?' she asks, placing her head on his shoulders
'Yeah...' Aayan wipes his own tears and looks at Amayraa...
'She'll wake up soon...' he says and Ananya nods
'I love you...' he says softly, holding her hands, and kissing them
'I love you too...' she intertwined their fingers and held his hand tightly
They did not say anything, just stared at Amayraa, praying for her recovery...
After sometimes, Ved comes into the room
'Aayan...?' he calls and they look at him
'Your mother is here....' he informs, Aayan and Ananya look at each other and hold their arms tightly...
No one can break them apart this time...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can read Arjun and Naina's story 'It was always you' on Inkitt...
https://inkitt.app.link/RA_asminc007