Ch-5 Bidding him farewell

...𐙚`~~~~`...

The smoke and fire started consuming the whole room while Ananya just stood there admiring the picture tenderly in her hands.

By the time she realised, the fire had already spread. Just as she tried to run, the curtain fell just an inch away in front of her , blocking any way of exit. The enormous smoke filled the room and Ananya passed away clutching the image near her chest.

Ananya's POV

I slowly opened my eyes and found myself lying on the hospital bed. I looked around and saw dad talking with the doctor.

I sat up on the bed and I felt his gaze shifting towards me.

"How are you Ananya? Is it uncomfortable anywhere? Are you feeling any pain or discomfort?"

Something stirred inside me , seeing him this concerned about me.

I shook my head as no.

Soon I remembered the picture was not here.

"The picture..." I whispered.

"What happened?"

"where is the picture baba?"

"Which picture? I don't know what you are talking about...Take rest now and later I will find it for you"

"No! I need it now!" I said firmly.

I could feel him getting impatient... nothing new.

"That's my ma's picture" I said looking at him with red eye

"why do you need to keep the picture of a person who has already been dead for years?"

"She is not any person! She is my mother! You might not value her but I value everything about her!" I snapped.

I heard a familiar voice outside the ward.

................

Aarav entered the ward.

"Ananya! I found your picture!"

Ayank looked at Aarav.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

He turned to Ananya

"Do you know this boy"

"Where did you find the picture from?"

"I went to play with you but found that something happened and you were taken to the hospital. As I was leaving I saw the picture lying on the ground! But anyways...what happened to you? How are you feeling? Are you okay? Are you injured anywhere?"

"Yeah...I'm fine...thanks... it's important to me"

Ayank looked sternly at Ananya.

"Give the picture to me. I will keep it for you.You don't need to keep it with you! What will others think if they see the daughter of Rathore family still keeping such a lousy picture of her deceased mother?"

"You mean the one who took Rathore where it is today?" Ananya asked

"Stay in your limits, Ananya! Bachhi Ho bachhi ki tara hi raho!"

 (you are a child so stay like one)

Days passed. Days turned into weeks and in the blink of an eye three years passed.

Ananya sat on the bench of the garden while looking towards a beautiful peony plant.

A symbol, a sign of her mother's presence.

Shivangi planted this plant just a few weeks before she died so no one really knew that she was the one who planted it...

Otherwise, it wouldn't have survived by now.

Right after entering Rathore mansion, the first thing Hiya did was to get rid of each and every thing of Shivangi.

Ayank never uttered a single word against Hiya.

𐙚Ananya's POV

I looked at the sky which looked so vacant yet eternal.

Maa... it's my birthday today...you see right?

I did just as I promised...I lived...

I survived...just like you said. 11 years without you...

without your warmth...

without your hugs...

without your kisses..

and without your words.

I miss you maa...

As I was looking up towards the peaceful sky

my eyes were covered by someone.

"Aarav?"

Aarav sat beside me on the bench.

I didn't see this boy for the past 3 months and here he was still trying to play pranks.

"Happy birthday Annu!"

Aarav smiled and handed a box to her.

"It should be di you know?"

I was done with this boy

"Now tell me...did you vanish into thin years for these three months?"

I looked at him, but noticed something unusual...his expression changed.

The playful expression was now replaced with a more vulnerable one...as if many things lay beneath it

................

Aarav sat up straight and looked at Ananya, as if preparing himself for something... something big... something that could break Ananya's heart

"Ananya.....do you know why I did come to meet you for the past 3 months"

"Obviously no"

"M-My grandma...left me"

Ananya's face changed abruptly...

Her voice came out lower than intended almost cracked.

"what?"

--

Ananya sometimes used to sneak out of her house and used to go to Aarav's house. His grandma always treated her just like her own granddaughter.

From feeding to combing her hair.

Ananya found a home after so many years.

--

"You know , you shouldn't joke about this right , Aarav?"

Silence. His silence was already the answer.

"How can this be...how can Dadi leave me? Dadai promised to make me my favourite dish on my birthday..." (dadi\= grandma)

Ananya called him , and after a pause she spoke again, this time with a different tone , as if she is afraid of whatever she is going to hear next.

"Aarav...what about you? What will you do now"

He sighed. He looked down.

"My mama is coming to take me to his house"

(mama\=maternal uncle)

"where?"

"In another state"

Ananya paused and finally looked at Aarav.

"what?"

Aarav looked down

"Yes , in another state.I am so-"

Ananya cut him off

"when?"

Aarav paused.

"Today...after two hours..."

Ananya's breath flickered

...----------...

Ananya stood at a little distance from the car.

Aarav looked back and gave a small smile.

Ananya's lips twitched in a faint smile, as she waved at him.

This time, she didn't cry, didn't beg to stay,

she accepted it.

...-------------...

In the evening, Ananya sat inside her room, when Hiya barged into the room.

"Your grandfather is coming back today, you better behave yourself and your tongue.... otherwise I will let you get the taste of hell"

Hiya warned her and said slowly in a low vicious voice.

"I will burn every single thing,that's left , of your mother. Even the things which you think I don't have any idea about"

Without sparing a glance Hiya went out of the room.

...`~~~~~~`𐙚...

𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛 𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑡?

𝐷𝑖𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑛𝑗𝑜𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒?

𝑆𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑖𝑡!

𝐵𝑦𝑒𝑒(∩_∩)

𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑎

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