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Author's POV
The next day (Morning)
Taani was in her room getting ready in her casuals, she was not going to the fashion house these days as it was still being renovated and it's still time the new branch opens here so everyone advised her to resume with her work after marriage as not even a month's time was left in that. So she was enjoying her holidays much to her disappointment. Not wanting to hover around the house all the time freely in actual feeling unusually free and workless, she was going to spend her day with Avantika who asked her to be there with her for the whole day and she agreed without a word. The respect and admiration Taani has for that sweet lady was very high, she would never disregard her words ever so she readily agreed when she was asked.
She looked at herself dressed in a traditional wear which she dropped after college, she didn't looked so bad rather her new found confidence, posture, attitude and grace worked as magic with the sophisticated attire. Nodding in approval at her appearance she climbed down the stairs adjusting her dupatta when Ragini saw her, she stared at Taani in awe feeling emotional seeing her baby girl all grown up and transforming into a grown woman. She walked towards her and Taani stopped too in front of her when Ragini cupped her face lovingly,
"My god, you look so beautiful meri jaan, my baby is all grown up now. Just a month or fir tumhari shaadi bhi ho jayegi." Taani passed her a weak smile not being able to think of any other response when Ragini took a little kohl from her eyes and put a black dot behind her ear and pecked her forehead.
"Krishna ji tumhe har buri nazar se bachaye." She said patting her cheeks lightly while Taani's eyes were moist with the affection, before she could know she leaned forward and hugged Ragini making the lady smile whole heartedly.
"Taiji me Avu maa se milne jaa rahi hu, she asked me to spend my day with her. Shaam tak aa jaungi." She told Ragini earning a nod in return before she left the house in her car for Singhania mansion.
The driver soon stopped the car before the massive front gate of Singhania masion when two guards came asking about her, she told her name and when they verified by calling inside the house the car entered and stopped in the front porch. Taani climbed out and started moving towards the entrance when Avantika came there smiling big,
"Taani! Finally you are here, come baby."
Avantika embraced her with so much of affection which melted her heart so much, she always felt content whenever Avantika hugged her, may be it was a motherly aura or her affectionate approach she did not know but she never felt like her mother was not with her anymore in her presence.
"I was waiting for so long, chalo andar aao." Avantika said in her usual chirpy way after breaking from the embrace she pulled Taani in the house. They moved towards the living room while Taani looked around the house with so much of awe on her face. It was truly magnificent. Surely it was designed with so much of love and warmth along with a stylish and luxurious touch. It was very modern and contemporary in comparision of typical mansions or palaces.
They both settled in the living room when Taani spoke finally,
"Your house is beautiful!"
A big smile graced the lady's face at her compliment but she shook her head in denial,
"Our house, shaadi ke baad tumhara bhi to ghar hai, in fact abhi se." Taani smiled at her warmly when Avantika continued, "Achha batao kya logi, we can have breakfast or just coffee."
"Mumma apne breakfast nahi kiya?" She asked concerned when Avantika smiled sheepishly,
"I waited for you, socha sath karenge." She told her knowing what was coming when Taani scolded her with concern evident in her voice,
"Mumma, it's not good for your health to remain empty stomach for long, thank god even I didn't had mine, chaliye sath breakfast karte hai."
She nodded eagerly before both stood up and went towards the dining room where food was already served, they settled down and had their meal with butlers serving them, but what stood out was Avantika fed her food with her own hands lovingly,
"Mumma, where is Dadda?"
"Vo or rey dono jaldi chale gaye aaj, Ran office or rey academy, they both don't know ki tum aane vali ho, nahi to ran kabhi nahi jate and then I wouldn't be able to spend time with you." Avantika complained pouting causing Taani to giggle lightly, Avantika looked at her suddenly realising this is the first time she heard the girl laughing since she came back. Taani must have realised the same as she stopped immediately, Avantika looked at her before caressing her head a little,
"Kehte hai hasi ko chupana nahi chahiye, vo bura maan jati hai. Or tum to haste hue itni beautiful lagti ho, always keep smiling."
Taani nodded speechless, it's true she forget to laugh and cry after college but she had no doubt that the heart which turned to a stone melted yesterday at the musical night, after all a burst of emotios just after watching it, she was getting both emotional, happy at such little things, even tears were now gathering in her eyes easily which were held back by her for years. It was like the chains which were clutching her heart got loosened and her heart was now making up for all those emotion less years.
"Taani, beta, chalo I'll take you on a tour of your new house." Taani stood up and they spend hours roaming around the house looking at every nook and corner of the mansion, it was truly amazing, Aantika showed her all the place, living, kitchen, theatre, garden, terrace, rooms, guest rooms, play room, rehearsal hall(which undoubtedly belonged to Rey), temple etc. At last they stopped in front of a door when Avantika turned to her with a teasing smile gracing her face,
"Or yeh hai tumhara future room!" Taani gave her a confused look making her giggle when she explained,
"It's Rey's, after marriage yahi rehna hai tumhe uske sath, but just a heads up my son is a little messy..." Saying that they entered the room and true to Avantika's words the room was beautiful, but no thing was at their place, clothes sprawled around, files sprawled on coffee table and bedside table. Wardrobe open with clothes on ground, she entered the walk in closet and looked around seeing that his clothes were kept mixed up with nothing set. Taani got a mini heart attack at the visual, she could imagine herself cleaning all this after they get married. Her half day would be spent in cleaning the mess he would create. She took a deep breathe at the thought gaining some courage. She walked back to room where Avantika was cleaning the room when Taani stopped her,
"Mumma, aap kyun kar rahi hai, I'll do it. Aap baithiye." She made her sit when Avantika tried to argue but Taani did not let her, she started collecting the clothes and cleaning the room and Avantika smiled at her thankfully,
"Thank you so much beta, Rey na bachpan se aisa hai, bahot messy, he always forget after keeping things here and there, pta nahi how he managed when we were not here."
"Kyun mumma,butlers to the na, they would have cleaned all this for him."
Avantika laughed lightly shaking her head,
"He doesn't like anyone touching his things or coming in room without his permission, sirf Kaka aa sakte hai ya mai or Ran, he hates someone else coming here. Humesha aisa nahi tha, he was always fun loving, happy, but something changed him, for some years he has turned aloof, apna dard chupata hai, usse lagta hai hum dekh nahi sakte par parents se kabhi kuch chup sakta hai kya, kabhi kabhi aisa lagta hai he is running, humesha busy rehna, raat ko thik se na sona, pure din black coffee pita hai to get rid of tiredness, he has tunred into a machine. I so wish ki mera beta, Rey pehle jesa ho jaye, hasne lage dil se, sirf hume dikhane ke liye nahi. You know Taani when we realised ki tum dono ab bade hog aye ho itne that you both get married, and then I met you finally, aisa laga jese I got a ray of hope, I don't know why but I feel like you are the source of my son's happiness.." Taani was silently listening to everything Avantika was saying but her actions halted listening her last words, " Once you both marry he will again start living his life, he will be like before, tumhara sath or pyaar agar hoga to sab fir pehle jesa ho jaega, or fir shayad tum bhi khush rehne sikh jao, hasna sikh jao..." Taani was stoned in a place hearing her say all this with so much pain in her voice when Avantika made her sit beside her, " Taani I don't know beta ki esa kya hua that you left India so suddenly, jab ragini se baat hoti hai vo bhi yahi kehti hai ki tum badal gayi ho, mene bhi dekha hai you rarely smile or talk, tum or Rey dono jeena bhul gaye ho. Mujhe aaj bhi yaad hai when I first saw you, tum itni cute ek choti si angel thi, you were such a happy baby, always so chirpy not showing tantrums and used to play with everyone, specially with Ran, he always said tum unki princess ho. Jab tumhare parents ki death hui and we couldn't see you tumhe bahot miss kiya, but ab jab tum hamare sath it still feels like ki tum du rho. Bacha I just wanna tell you something, past me job hi hua vo hua, life bahot kam logo ko happiness or jeene ka second chance deti hai but usse kam logo ko vo last chance deti hai, but pta hai vo log sabse unlucky hote hai jo uss chance ko jane dete hai, vo galti mat karna Taani." Avantika told her caressing her head while tears started leaking from both of their eyes on their own accord, "Taani agar me tumse kuch mangu to dogi?" Avantika asked her making her nod, "Give yourself and Rey a chance, mene apne bête ko kabhi itna genuinely happy hote hue nahi dekha jab tak vo tumse nahi mila tha, nahi pata tumhare past me kya hua and I won't force you to tell but please uska effect tum dono ke future par mat padne dena. Marriage is a beautiful part of life but agar vo hi hum dil se na kare ya usse dil se na nibhaye to it is nothing less than hell. I don't want that to happen with you two. I want to see you both happy together, agar nahi to mujhe humesha ye lagega ki kisi past betrothal ke liye I ruined my kids life. You don't know how much I love both of you. Will you do this for me bachha, Rey or khudko ek chance dogi, tumhari happiness, tumhare sath ko or hopefully tumhare pyaar ko?"
Taani looked at her with tears running down her eyes while Avantika wiped it lovingly, not able to control her emotions she embraced the lady in front of her who is now her mother and cried her heart out letting out all in her heart which she caged for years. It's true that the way we cry or let out our emotions in front of our mothers we don't do it in front of anyone else. We become our vulnerable selves again, just like in childhood when it crying wasn't a thing of weakness. No matter if that woman has given you birth or not, but a mother is always a mother and nothing can change that. They didn't knew how much time they spent talking to each other, Avantika telling Taani all about the importance of marriage, love, life guiding like her own mother would have done before her wedding. She told her how to take care of both of them, cherishing their relation and making this huge mansion her home, their home. Taani listened to everything intently, she would never disappoint the woman sitting in front of her. Unknown to her a strong bond formed between both of them that day which Taani now cherishes with her life. She got another mother, now when she thinks about it, she was actually lucky, she now had three mothers, two of them didn't give her birth but they are still her mothers. Ragini, who could have neglected her as she is not her daughter but just neice but she always treated her, loved her as much as Swayam and now Avantika who is sure her mother than mother-in-law. She thanked her stars for giving her so much and cursed herself internally for neglecting all of them in her pain. She could not deny the fact that she did became selfish, in protecting herself from pain she did not care how her ignorance and emotionless state were hurting the people around her.
Now she was determined to change that. She would set things straight. The promise she did to Avantika, her mother won't be meaningless, she would fulfill it.
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Continue reading on to the next chapter!!