"Slowly, with many lost days, I come back to life."― Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay
Shivaaye watched silently as his wife played with their granddaughter, sitting under the shade of Pride of India also known as Jarul tree. The light breeze and the soothing smile on her face was all he needed, along with the continues chatter and carefree laughter bubbling out of their granddaughter.
For a moment he could visualize a younger Anika sitting under the same tree playing with a young Anya instead of Ira. For a perfect fleeting moment, he could picture his Anika playing with Anya when everything was fine when everything was theirs. For a moment he could imagine this as a usual day of past where nothing has gone wrong, where they were still living their happy days of eternity and for a fleeting perfect moment, he could pretend the past years never took place. He could just pretend the storm of sorrows were never there. He could just pretend the past never happened. He could pretend his father and uncle weren't criminals. The lady he called Badi ma didn't destroy his children's life. The lady he called Badi Ma wasn't responsible for all the pain in his life. He could pretend he didn't waste precious years of his life chasing a ghost, chasing things he could never figure out.
The past haunts him nowadays, more than ever. The recent visits of the hospitals were eerily terrifying to him. He never thought he'll ever need a shield. He never thought he'll need someone to stand up for himself until now. Until now, when he was visiting hospitals and facing the wrath of an entire city for actions that wasn't his. When the entire city was judging him on the significance of the line he was so proud of, when being Oberoi felt more like a curse to him as the list of crimes were unfolded in front of the public. The repercussions faced were dreadful and as much as he thought he was ready to face them. He wasn't, he still isn't.
He never thought there will be a day, a day he would be standing behind his little girl. A day he'll need her little fingers to walk ahead in life. A day where he'll cry in her arms. A day where she will act as his guide but the day has come and came sooner than he expected it to come.
Everything after the fire was a total blank for him. He couldn't just put together pieces of incident that happened in front of him. He couldn't forget the loud blaring sound of sirens and yells of different forces. He couldn't forget the look of his son as he pulled him out of the daze. He couldn't forget the look Ansh threw him as he shook him out of the stupour. He just couldn't forget the panicked, worried eyes of his son looking like a replica of his mother as he asked him " papa...you okay. Do you need something?" The mild tone of Ansh full of concern and worry surprised him as he just nodded in reply. Ansh's gaze lingered on him for a few minutes more before Shivaaye watched him run after a man exclaiming Dad on top of his voice.
Reyaan's presence was the only thing that made him realize his surroundings. He wasn't in front of OM anymore. He was in Ishana's home with Ishana hovering over Panchi and the house help, helping everyone else. Anita was seated in front of him with Shivika's head on her lap as their daughter kept on talking about something or other. His heart hammering around his chest as he thought about this incidence again triggering something in her. He can't help to lose her again to herself.
Omisha and Omav were both with Omkara and Gauri and though the way of things, it looked like they were trying to bring Omkara out of the shock. And Anya wasn't anywhere is site and Shivaaye didn't know whom to ask as Swaadhin slowly directed them to their designated rooms in Kapoor Mansion.
Shivaaye would have been a fool to think the hard days were over. Shivaaye would have been more than a fool to think that the bad days were gone, the shock and sorrows were behind them with the big showdown but no it was just the beginning for some more sorrows. It was the beginning of a backlash from both media and people alike and the lingering scent of death and mourning with it.
To be truthful none of them mourned Shakti or Tej. But they did mourn Rudra and Prinku. Bhavya was unreachable and Ritisha was under a fix, her whole life seemed to be a lie. Pinky Oberoi, also known as his mother to the world was in a hospital. The events too much to take in by her and all this was too much to handle for him too.
So, he was shocked more than shocked when Anya sat with him beside Pinky's bed as she passed away. She was there when he cried in his daughter's arms for a mother he just lost. He was grateful yet guilty. He had failed all his children, trusting the wrong people yet those children were standing as his shield now.
Anya handled the press and backlash with Omisha. The two acting as Omkara and him, a business minding Omkara and a compassionate Shivaaye taking on the world. Omav and Ansh holding on the reins of a crumbling empire and rebuilding it from ashes slowly and steadily. Letting everyone who wanted to leave, leave as they build another golden period of an empire from the darkest period of the empire.
He watched as Shivika and Ritisha were let to recuperate. He watched as both the girls gave everything they had in their studies. He watched as those girls changed more in front of him. Shivika and Ritisha spent as much as possible time with Rikara and them. Their eyes searching Anya, Omisha, Omav and Ansh too. But the four eldest were busy in rebuilding a broken empire and rarely visible.
He just watched as his failures rubbed him on the face again and again. Think how badly he had messed up as a father that the child he knew most about happened to be Anya. Shivika was unknown to him and even to Shivika, he was a stranger. A stranger she was supposed to call dad. His whole life revolved around running after a faux and saving his family from a threat that was never there.
The past few months hadn't been easy but they had pulled each other somehow together. They are slowly moving on, moving forward. The empire is somewhat stable. The children spent some time at home and what is this home you may ask??
Home now is Viaan's surprise wedding gift to Anya. A vintage Mansion named Anya near the seaside where they all resided, none interested in going back to what remains of OM and Anya hadn't chased anyone away from here till now. So, Shivaaye guess Anya is keeping them all in her home. He doesn't know whose heart, whose temperament and whose determination his daughter has got. The genes inherited by her seems bizarre. The girl is too perfect to be real.
The girl who even after being so busy still accompanies her mother to the hospital on her weekly check-ups with the psychologists. The girl who still refuses to call her mom yet cares for her. The girl who carries their medicines with her and reminds everyone to not trust them with their own medicines. To be truthful, all his children carry Anika and his medicines with them. Just in case being all of their excuses and he still doesn't know what good work he has done to get children like them.
The children seem to become closer and closer. There was a distinct comrade between Omisha and Anya, a comrade that was missing between the others. A comrade that was still in the early stages of establishment between the others. Anya was a multi-tasker. She proved the point again and again. A shrewd businesswoman, an elegant manager and a perfect mother.
There are still so many secrets between them. So, many secrets Anya hides behind her icy eyes and tight-lipped smiles. So many secrets shared between Anya and Isha through glances. The lingering glances shared between the boys and a world at their feet. They truly were perfect blessings for everyone. And Shivaaye could happily look past the secretive glances, Shivaaye was happy not knowing the secrets. Shivaaye was happy not knowing about any more life alternating secrets. Shivaaye was content watching them together. Even though he didn't know everything about them. He was happy knowing his family was together.
He didn't know why Panchi chose to not break her marriage with Omav even when the whole world was waiting for their relation to scramble. But it didn't yes there relation was in shamble but Panchi held on quite like his Anika. Even after he gave her a million reasons to let go, Panchi held on onto a particular reason she held dear. He didn't what changed that day. He didn't what made Panchi stay but he is happy, happy as Omav had someone lean onto. Omav, Panchi, Ansh and Rikara out in the scenic mountains of Leh, shooting for Ansh's upcoming movie and their music video. Rikara went along with them on Panchi's insistence, the girl was sure that a change will help them out. Om will feel better away from here. And Shivaaye is really happy that they got such good people around them. Happy that God gave them some people who were actually untouched by the evil of the world. Some people who really know the meaning of love and care.
Though dealing with the emotions connected to them were harder. Both Anya and Ansh had two families to care for, along with their chosen family. Dealing with Ansh's second set of parents was hard but they managed somehow. They managed and accepted their children's wishes and now everyone seems happier in the long run.
So, sitting under the shade Shivaaye watched as his wife played with their granddaughter. A serene smile on her lips and a smile on his lips too. A smile as the toddler tried climbing all over them, throwing her little hands and legs in ecstasy, motioning the various birds to come near her. The child was really a ray of sunshine. A sunshine filling their world with happiness and joy. She was helping them to come to life again.
"Where is Nanu Ira??" Shivaaye heard Anika ask Ira softly chuckling as the baby looked around them curiously before throwing herself towards him squealing in happiness. He took her from Anika's arms as the baby continued her wonder-filled observation of the world around her. His wife passed them a pleased smile, a happy adoring smile as she spent undisturbed time with her husband and granddaughter. Her daughter trusting her enough to let her be with her life. Anika was content with the slow pace their life was moving on.
Shivaaye turned his head back watching his wife's gaze stuck on something behind him. There were his girls Anya, Shivika, Omisha and Ritisha. Each of their warms resting around each other as they walked in a horizontal line, laughing lightly, dressed in similar-looking floral dresses. They were healing flower buds. They looked like blooming flowers of spring swaying in the light breeze, beautiful and happy. The girls seemed to have solved whatever problem was there between them. Even Ritisha, Omisha and Shivika has solved the recent tension that evolved between them after the D-day of Oberoi's. The girls seemed to have forgiven everything but Shivaaye was sure they hadn't forgotten. They can't forget, not with the darkness looming in their eyes.
"Mama" the happy shout of Ira as she thrashed in his arms to jump in her mother's arms brought him out of his thoughts. Anya took the little girl in her arms, taking a light spin around and settling on the ground with the child in her lap. The child instantly getting transfixed with her mother's open hair decorated with flowers as she grasped a fistful of her mother's hairs as her Massi's settled around her.
"Everything alright, beta," Shivaaye asked her concerned, none of them used to return back this early home.
"Yes, bade-papa Anya just wanted to discuss something with us," Omisha informed all of them merrily as Anya whispered something to Ira as the baby giggled hearing her mother.
"Anya, what did you want to discuss beta?" Shivaaye asked Anya concerned and worried at the same time, what kind of matter Anya may want to discuss with them?? What went astray now?
"After Viaan's current tour of England. We are planning to get married. He left the whole planning and all the details to me. I...I was thinking of getting married in Ireland. It'll be away from here and away from all the backlash and negativity and fame of here. I don't want the wedding to be a public affair. I don't want my wedding to be scrutinized by people and have to bear with security breaches by paparazzi and hate on my special day. So, I was thinking about a private ceremony there with only the people very close to us, with only the people who really know us. If you don't mind, I know you've dreams about my wedding papa...Ma" Anya said at the end, her wide uncertain eyes looking at Shivaaye and Anika with hopeful eyes.
Anika's eyes were suddenly full of tears and there was a lump in her throat, her daughter called her Ma again. She called her Ma after so long. She wanted to break down and cry at that moment, cry out a burden she didn't know she was carrying till now. But she didn't, she couldn't spoil her daughter's mood now. So, she cleared her suddenly very lumpy throat, while trying to stop the tears from flowing down her eyes. "yeah, we have no problem dear. The wedding will happen as you wish it to be."
"Yeah, yeah. India or Ireland we don't mind and change will be good for everyone." Shivaaye agreed wholeheartedly as a breathtaking relief filled smile bloomed on Anya's face.
"Yeah, it's good then, it's really good," Anya muttered in a teary tone, trying to contain the elation and happiness she felt at that moment.
"So, how did you want the wedding to be di??" Shivika asked her sister eagerly, really interested in participating in her sister's happiness.
"I..We'll rent a villa there and there will few guests mainly Raizada's, Kapoor's, Sharma, Pavit and Niks. we can discuss with Saumya ma if she wants to invite some of her friends from London or not. The security should be very tight, no rumours of our marriage should leak before we want to announce it to the world. Viaan's dadi and uncle's family won't be invited as Viaan had officially broken all the strings with them. I don't know anything else, we all can plan the details with Saumya ma and arrange everything. The dates and all." Anya told them all shrugging her shoulders off, she really didn't plan anything else besides she wanted a private ceremony.
"Cool, we can work with that. Can I select the dress dii??" Shivika asked all excited as Anya nodded in her direction and Shivika, Ritisha already looked ready to plan the dresses of everyone, on every ceremony with Panchi and Ishana. She heard them muttering their names a few times to reach that conclusion.
Omisha passed her a reassuring smile, letting her know her decision was correct along with her parents. Slowly their lives were coming back to the track, slowly she was regaining the childhood and dreams she lost. Slowly a part of her life was coming back to her. A part that was snathed by ill ambitions and heinous crimes. Anya had a feeling her sisters were planning a fairy tale wedding for her as she embraced her parents for what felt like after ages. Her life till now seem to be a bunch of accidents, forging her path and making her whatever she is now or what she has chosen to be made her what she is now??
End? No, the journey doesn't end here. For there is a beginning in every end. You can't reclaim what you lost but you can start afresh.