Ruhanika Pov
I freshen up and was on way to living room. That's when I saw the lovely hibiscus flowers in the garden. I remembered that those were not offered to Maa Kaali today in the puja. So, I went to pluck some up and offer it to her.
I was walking in the living room after doing that. Suddenly a known voice was heard making me stop in my place.
"What?!"
My heart started racing rapidly knowing the voice. I shivered seeing the familiar looking man. My eyes started tearing up and I unknowingly stepped towards him.
My shivering hands reached his shoulders making him turn. And I was shocked to see him in front of me!
My babasa!
"L..laado!" A sob left my mouth hearing this endearment after so long.
His palms cupped my face making me believe that he is really there.
I threw my hands around his neck crying,
"Baba!" He tightly engulfed me in his arms caressing my head.
"M..meri la..laado! Kaisi hai tu? Kaha chali gayi thi itne samay se? Kitna dhundha humne tuze pata bhi hai?" Babasa asked still hugging me. I just cried on his chest hearing him.
"I...I mi..missed you s..so much,babasa! So so much!" I cried hugging him.
Author Pov
Nikhil smiled in tears hearing her.
"I missed you too mera baccha, I missed you too!" He said kissing her head. He pulled out and wiped her tears. He smiled looking at her seeing those doe eyes filled with tears just like in her childhood when she was scolded.
"How are you? And what is all this? How thin you have become?" He asked looking at her. She smiled in her tears holding his hands tightly.
"I'm really fine, even more than fine seeing you! You are the one who have lost weight?" Ruhanika asked the last line in concerned. She can clearly see the tiredness on her babasa's face.
"I'm fine. And now that I've found you, you see I'll be more healthy in just few days." He said making her smile. Their reverie broke when they both heard footsteps. They turned to see Abheer walking towards them.
Abheer came to both of them and smiled seeing them together.
"How are you feeling to finally see your daughter kakasa?" He asked amusing them both.
"Wait. Ar...are these the guest you invited?!" Ruhanika asked.
Abheer nodded at her with a smile making Nikhil asked,
"Wa..was this the reason you in..invited us?" Abheer nodded with a smile.
"Ji."
"But how?" Nikhil asked.
"I'll explain that later. For now Ruhi, don't you want to meet your maasa bhaisa and others?" Abheer asked shocking Ruhanika.
"Ar..are they here? Is ev..everyone here babasa?" She asked both of them with wet eyes.
"Yes. Now come on, Karan is really missing his sister on Rakshabandhan!" Abheer said making her sob. Nikhil side-hugged her with a smile.
"Let's go hmm!" She nodded and then they moved towards living room.
In the living room
Others were busy talking among themselves. While the ladies were bringing some puja plate, (as you guys know, the thaal for aarti) sweets, gifts, etc. suddenly Nitya's eyes fell on someone making the plate slip from her hands. It took attention of everyone in the room, to see Nitya stood there in shock and tears. Rajput's looked in the direction to see where she was looking, making them stood up in shock.
Yep!! You are right! It was Nikhil with Ruhanika!!
Abheer was walking behind them both. Ruhanika too looked at her mother coz of the sound of plate falling. She burst into tears and ran into her mother's arms, who immediately engulfed her crying herself!
"Maa!! M..maa!" She whispered in broken voice, making Nitya cry too coz of finally hearing her laado's voice after years.
"Mer.. mera pyaara baccha!! Kai..kaisa hai tu?!" She asked kissing her cheeks and forehead. Ruhanika sobbed seeing her mother's first concern meeting her after so long.
(My dear babg! How are you?!)
"Mai...main thik h..hu, ma..a. Aap kai..se ho?" She asked holding her mother's hands on her face. Tears were flowing from their eyes but faces were still with bright smiles. Rathore family smiled seeing the adorable scene.
(I'm fine maa. How are you?)
"Ru..ha!"
Ruhanika pulled back from her mother's arms and looked back to see Arjun standing with tears.
She jumped into his arms sobbing. Some tears left his eyes but there was relief in his mind to finally have her back in front of his eyes. Nikhil came towards Nitya who was smiling with tears looking at them.
"How are you bhai? I miss...missed you so much." Ruhanika whispered only for him to hear.
"I'm glad to finally find you! I'm happy now." He said and kissed her forehead.
Ruhanika felt someone tap on her shoulder. She saw it was her bhabhisa, Arohi.
They both hugged each other crying.
She then met her kakasa and kakisa. Her kakisa was very emotional coz she was blaming herself all those years thinking that if she had not told anyone about her and Abhay maybe they both would lived there life happily with Rajput's by their side.
"I'm so sorry, baccha, so sorry. It all happened coz of me. Had I not told anyone about you both, others would have taken the matter a little calmly when you would've revealed. I'm sorry, please forgive me." Janaki said crying. Ruhanika smiled with tears thinking that her family was still not thinking of her as guilty.
"No kakisa. Please don't apologise. I'm sorry for every wrong thing I've done. Please forgive me, if you can." Ruhanika said joining her hands in front of them.
"No, laado. It is all past now. We should keep it like that only. You are here, with us is the only thing that matters." Mahesh said last sentence looking at others who nodded.
She looked behind him to see her dadisa sitting on the couch. She was praying with joined hands while tears were flowing from her closed eyes.
She went towards her. She sat beside her and hugged her crying on her shoulder.
"Dadisa, kaisi ho aap? Apne laado ki yaad nahi ayi a..apko?" Ruhanika said leaning on her shoulder. Sushma cupped her face from her side saying,
"Yaad karne ke alawa kuch sakte the kya hum! Aap toh naraz hoke chhod ke chale gaye the hume!" She complained but still didn't even once her hold on Ruhanika leave. Ruhanika sob and hugged her keeping her head on her chest.
(Dadisa, how are you? Didn't you miss your laado?)
(Did I had any other option than to miss you? You left being upset with us.)
"Maaf kar de hume! Humne bohot galat kiya. Ho sake toh maaf kar de hume dadisa!" Both of their tears were flowing.
"Kiya maaf!...." Ruhanika pulled out looking at her,
"Pr wada karo, aage kuch bhi hojaye, kabhi bhi hume khudse dur nahi hone dena!" She said keeping her hand in front of Ruhanika. Ruhanika smiled keeping her hand on hers,
"Ab toh kabhi sapne mein bhi aisa khayal nahi ayega. Wada karte hai kabhi bhi aapko chhod ke nahi jayenge." Sushma kissed her forehead with so much love.
(I'm so sorry. I was so wrong. Please forgive me if you can.)
(I forgave you.....but promise me, whatever happens in future, never go away from us, hmm!)
(I cannot even in dream imagine doing that again. I promise I'll always be with you all.)
Their trance was broken by a soft babble. Ruhanika's heart raced. She turned around to look at the source of sound only to see a cutest baby in hands of Reyan! Yep, it was Karan's and Arohi's baby boy!!
He was looking behind Reyan. Ruhanika didn't bother to see where his attention was. She went slowly towards her nephew!
Reyan seeing her coming towards them turned the baby-boy to her, who was about to fuss but saw a familiar face in front of him. He smiled cutely at her capturing heart of all present in the room.
He babbled forwarding her hands to Ruhanika surprising everyone, coz when Abheer and Reyan took him from Karan he kept looking at him or holding his clothes, but here he himself chose to go to his bua. The reason was there was a big photoframe of Ruhanika in their home. So he is seeing her face almost everyday.
Ruhanika gladly took him in her arms and kissed his cheeks and forehead. He feeling motherly warmth leaned on Ruhanika's shoulder making others awe of the scene.
She hugged him tightly to his chest. Reyan who was standing in front of them moved aside bringing Ruhanika again to tears.
Karan was sitting in front of her with his face in his palms, crying.
He felt someone sitting beside him making him pull out. He saw his Ruha looking at him with the look she used to give him whenever she was about to cry. The same doe eyes which was his only solace in those 2 years in his memory, were finally in front of him. He hugged her tightly and both cried silently for all the time they lost in those years. While the babyboy was squeezing in between them.
The babyboy even fell asleep with the warmth he was getting
Karan pulled out and wiped her tears first, not caring that all can see his own tear-stained face.
"Aa...pse muze ba..baat na..hi karni. A..apne nahi ki na itne dino...se, a.b main bhi naraz hu." She said sobbing while pulling out of his hands. Karan felt his heart aching coz of her being sad with him. Ruhanika looked down to see the serene face of her nephew sleeping on her shoulders.
(I'm not going to talk to you. I'm going to the same you are doing till now.)
"Me..re c..chho..tu ke baare me..mein bhi nahi ba..taya nahi apne!" She sobbed hugging his soft body tightly.
(You didn't even tell me about my chhotu?)
Now how Karan will tell her that he himself was unknown to the things happened in last 8 months.
"I'm so..sorry, Ruha. Please forgive your bhaisa." Karan said sincerely. Arohi sat beside her on the other side, taking Ruhanika in her arms. She leaned on her crying, remembering how much times she called him until one day she heard about death of Abhay, how alone she was that day, how only she was there at cremation of her beloved Abhay, the time she spent in the hollow house after Abhay passed away!
She cried for her loss all over again.
Abheer not able to bear her crying, called for her softly.
"Ruhi...." Ruhanika looked at him with those red eyes,
"....at least let your bhaisa explain his side. We cannot just be angry with someone without knowing the reasons of their action, right?" Abheer's talks made sense to her.
"Yes, Ruha. Please forgive me for not being there with you. But please don't stay angry with me." Karan said pleading.
"Let your bhaisa explain what happened before you conclude anything, laado." Nikhil said.
"Okay." She muttered softly looking at him.
Karan took a deep breath for being prepared for the things that were about to happen. He held his stick, which Ruhanika hadn't noticed yet, and started to stand up. Ruhanika looked at him shocked as to why he was using that stick to stand up.
"B..bhaisa, wh..what happened to y...you?" She muttered in shock.
"This was the only reason I couldn't able to contact you Ruha!" He said showing his condition.
"Wh..at do you mean? What are you talking about, I am not getting. Please tell me what happened." She said panicking. The baby in her hands whimpered in his sleep due to her panicked voice making her look at him. Arohi came forward to her rescue,
"Let me hold him while you talk to your brother, Ruha." Ruhanika nodded giving the sleeping baby to his mother.
She looked towards Karan with teary eyes which were just filled with concern and worry for him at the moment.
"Tell me, tell me please what happened. Ar..are you okay!? Wha..what happened to your leg?" She asked holding his one free hand.
"I was in an accident 8 months before, Ruha!" Karan stated.
"What?! Wh....what accident?" The name accident itself scared her after her own accident.
"A car crash, beta. A fatal car crash which could've killed your brother!" Nitya said with teary eyes remembering those hard days.
"He was put into surgery as soon as he was brought into the hospital. Doctor said it was just a matter of seconds and they could've lost him." Arohi said with teary eyes looking at her love of life, who just smiled in assurance.
"The surgery was successful but Karan slipped into coma after 3 days when he didn't wake up." Nikhil said sighing.
"Bhaisa was in coma for last 8 months Ruha! He woke up just a week and half before." Arjun said. Ruhanika did a math and understood it was before Abhay's death.
"Woh to Maa Kaali ki kripa hai jo inhe kuch hone nahi diya unhone!" Sushma said thanking to the almighty for saving her grandchild.
She sobbed in her hands thinking she would've lost her bhaisa to destiny too unknowingly.
She went towards him crying on his chest.
"Shh, baccha. Rote nahi. Thik hu main ab. You know your bhaisa doesn't like you crying, hmm." Karan said kissing her head sometimes. Rathore's and Rajput's were finally relieved with the things falling into place.
(Hush, dear. Do not cry. I'm fine now. Your bhaisa doesn't like you crying.)
"I'm so sorry I was angry at you for no reason. But are you really alright? What did doctor say about your feet? They will be fine right? It's not permanent right? Huh babasa, maasa, bhabhisa say something, please." She asked panicking.
"Shh laado. Calm down. He will be fine. It's just his limbs are a little weak as he just woke up before 2 weeks. Doctor said he will be alright in a month or so." Nitya said coming to them.
Ruhanika looked up at him in question to which he smiled agreeing to what Nitya said.
"And now I have to recover even faster so that I'll be able to bear your tantrums." He joked making others chuckled while she just smiled in tears. He wiped her tears telling her not to cry anymore.
"Of course. Now you have to be prepared to bear double tantrums!" She said making all the Rajput's confused.
"What do you mean by that laado?" Janaki voiced everyone's confision.
"Just a moment kakisa!" She said leaving the room.
All of them were shocked to see Ruhanika entering with a baby in her hands.
Yep! It was our Abhaya!!
She came in front of her brother and showed him her baby.
"Your bhanji, bhaisa! Mine and A...Abhay's baby!!" Her voice came out a little choked with emotion. They gasped hearing her. All the wheels started running in their head, and they realised that she was pregnant when Abhay passed away! That she was alone in her grief with her unborn child! That no one was there to take care of her in her pregnancy! They didn't even had any idea in which condition she was living in past 8 months!
"What!" Whisper of shock left his mouth hearing Ruhanika.
She nodded at him making a tear slip out of his eye.
He sat slowly processing all the things all over again. He now is realising what all the tragic things happen when he was sleeping in coma.
His hands involuntarily moved to held her baby to which Ruhanika was glad to give her to him.
He looked at the serene sleeping face of his niece. He can just see the mini version of his little sister in Abhaya!
Some tears flowed from eyes of Rajput women while men's eyes were misty too.
Karan gently kissed her forehead holding her close to his chest. Arohi, Arjun and Janaki too gushed over the small baby, even precisely baby of their laado! They can't even think of their little babygirl growing up so big that now she has a child of her own.
"L..la muze bhi de meri parpoti!" Sushma said coming towards Karan. He reluctantly gave her to his dadisa, letting her see her second great-grandchild!
"Bilkul pari jaisi hai meri laado ki laado!" Nitya said sitting beside Sushma caressing Abhaya's head.
(She is just like an angel!)
One by one everyone held her taking in all the cuteness of the baby except for Nikhil. Nitya hugged her daughter tightly in love. She kissed her forehead
"A heartiest congratulations laado! Time seemed to pass so fast! It was like yesterday we were teaching you how to walk and today we have already became grandparents of 2 kids, nahi Nikhil ji? But be prepared for all the challenges of motherhood! Coz it's finally time for you to experience what you used to put me through!" She said teasing making everyone chuckle.
"I was not that naughty maa!" Ruhanika said offended.
"Try to explain it to someone who would believe that!" Nitya rolled her eyes playfully at her.
There playful banter ended when Nikhil approached his daughter.
He hugged Ruhanika tightly,
"I'm so sorry beta. Your babasa was not with you in the time of your need. I'm so sorry that I failed as a father and as a grandfather too!" He said with a wet eyes looking at Abhaya.
"No babasa! You are the best babasa in the world! Just becoz of some unexpected situations, you cannot fail as my father. You are my hero and I won't tolerate you talking bad about yourself, so as your grandkids!" She said handing him Abhaya. He chuckled in tears looking at the beautiful face of his laado's baby!
"We're going to feel childhood of my laado again coz of my chhoti laado, right Nitya ji?" He asked making Nitya nod in tears.
"Our chhotu got sister on his first Rakshabandhan itself!" Arohi said patting her babyboy's back who was sleeping peacefully in her embrace.
Everyone smiled happily realizing this.
"On that note, shall we start with Rakshabandhan now?" Reyan said making them all agree with happiness.
The sadness which was in Rajput's eyes was long gone after having finally knowing that their laado is fine and in front if their eyes. And cherry on the top, they are blessed with another grandbaby. Their happiness has no ends today!!
They all happily performed the rituals. Now it was finally time of Karan and Ruhanika. Smiling brightly she did aarti of Karan.
"What do you want, Ruha?" Karan asked when she was tieing rakhi on his wrist.
"Just promise me that you'll always be with me like the way you have been till now!" She said holding his hands.
"You'll always find your brother beside you, I promise!" Karan said kissing her forehead. Others smiled contentedly looking at them.
"Me too." Arjun said coming to them making them smile. They 3 hugged each other. Abhiraj captured this pure moment in his camera.
All had their lunch with lots of enthusiasm laughter. Sitting in the living room all were chit-chatting. The babies were now finally awake.
Abhaya was once again getting passed from one person to other of Rajput family, while the same was happening with the babyboy from Rathore family.
"She is so cute, right jiji?" Janaki said holding Abhaya's small fist.
"Yes. She is really copy of baby Ruhanika, right?" Nitya said making her nod.
Out of nowhere, Abhaya heard Abheer's voice! She saw him going to other room while talking on the phone. Her eyes filled with tears as it was really overwhelming for her to see so many new faces. And after all this, she saw her babasa going away from her.
In no time, the room was filled with her cries. Nitya and Janaki didn't understand why all of sudden she started crying. They tried to calm her but were of no use. Now everyone was looking at her. Karan's and Arohi's babyboy who was in Aditi's arms looking at her curiously.
"What happened to her, maa?" Ruhanika said coming to them.
"I don't know. She started crying suddenly." Nitya said. She handed Abhaya to Ruhanika. Abhaya clinged to her. Ruhanika just patted her back to calm her. She hiccuped clutching her saree, but the cries still didn't die down as she was sad for not seeing Abheer.
"What happened baccha? Why my gudiya is crying, hmm?" Ruhanika cooed going a little away from all, thinking that maybe the other baby will also start crying seeing her.
She was still sobbing loudly when Abheer entered the room. But before going to all, he heard his princess sobbing. He moved towards them first, but Karan saw him going to his sister.
"What happened? Why princess is crying?" He asked gaining Ruhanika's attention.
"Don't know. She was with maa. She told Abhaya started crying all of a sudden." Ruhanika told him.
Abheer told her to let him hold her. He held Abhaya close to his chest. Abhaya feeling familiar warmth of her babasa, snuggled into his neck. He rocked her side-to-side to calm her. She calmed in just a few minutes but, kept on clutching his clothes.
"Aapke pas jate hi shant bhi hogayi. Sabse badi baba ki pari hai aapki princess. Lagta hai aap nahi dikhe na isliye hi royi hogi woh, hai na mera baccha?" Ruhanika asked holding her small fist.
(She calmed once she was in your arms. Your princess is really the daddy's girl.)
She peeked at her and again leaned onto Abheer making her giggle. Abheer smiled looking at her and kissed her forehead,
"Is that so baby? Were you missing baba?" Abheer asked softly. Referring himself as her father still gives him a foreign yet blissful kind of feelings.
Once they joined others, Karan asked something gaining attention of all.
"Ruha, how come you here at Rathores' place?" Ruhanika's smile faded hearing him. She became nervous to answer this question.
"Wo..h bhaisa...." She nervously fidgeted among her fingers not knowing how to answer. Though she was planning to meet them soon and tell them about her and Abheer, but now experiencing the moment made her really nervous.
"She is living here since 2 months, Karan!" Abheer said shocking them all.
"What!" Rajput's stood up exclaming.
Another twist!!🤭
I'm so sorry guys I was not able to update since many days!
But now that I'm finally free, mere results lagne wale hai 30 ko🥺!
So it's like meri Diwali toh daat mein hi jane wali hai!
So the next update might get delayed a bit! I will be prohibited to use my phone! But don't you worry, even though I'm going to get sad ending, our Abheer and Ruhanika will be one at the end and stay forever happily!
So stay tune to the story!
And I expect you guys to comment, the chp was really emotional for me as well! So knowing were you same emotionally connected with the characters will mean a lot to me!😇😊
So vote and comment! 😁❤
Bye bye till next time🤗🤗
And wish you a very Happy Diwali💖🌻🎆🧨🎊 May Maa Kaali bless you with lots of happiness and lessen your struggle in coming future!!🎀
Write a comment ...