Hi guys , back with the final update  .Hope it lives up to your expectations ; it time to bid adieu to this book . It has been a wonderful journey , Thanks to everyone who been part of this journey .

3 Months Later .

               Lavanya Sanskar Maheshwari gazed at the sight before her , the familiar view of the Orphanage came into view . Last three months she had visited the orphanage often and those visits will change the life of Meera from today . She was seated beside Yash Laksh Maheshwari, her cousin who was bit nervous given it will be life altering moment for him as well .

            From the first visit with Ragini aunty, she knew Meera held her attention but unlike her adoption that happened in such a short span of time . There were several constraints when it came to Meera adoption .

            Laksh uncle met her next and Meera who became aware of the reason after the fourth visit became painfully shy during the next visit few visits  . It took her some time to let her heart open up to the possibility of being adopted .

          And Yash was allowed to meet with Meera only last month , her aunt and uncle didn't want to raise the hope in either of the kids and crush their sprits . And all the time Lavanya worried about Meera because she didnt want the girl  to be disappointed,she knew Meera would have loving family in her uncle family and hoped that it works out between them and she had been relieved when her dad told her few days ago that Laksh uncle filed the required legal papers for adopting Meera .

" Are you nervous " she asked her 8 year old cousin trying to determine his mind set . Her parents didnt have to worry about Yuv and only worried about her because she was the one who would understand the difference of being a single child to having a sibling . While her brother had a sister from the time he was born, Yash situation was different, he learnt about the possibility of sister only last month, not a baby like Yuv but a sister who is five years old.

" No Lavanya Di , but what if Meera didn't like her room , I painted it blue with dad but what if she wanted pink colour " he asked and Lavanya would have discarded his worry if not for the weight of his feeling behind those statements .

" Your sister will like her room Yash , after all didn't you spend a entire week getting it ready " Lavanya answered back which relived him of his new found fears . She had been to Yash house few times in the last few days, and knew the effort Yash put in decorating the room for Meera

Her aunt and uncle met up with Savitri dida to finalize the adoption process, While Lavanya and Yash went to help Meera pack her belongings and was shocked to find her in tears .

" Meera what happened " Yash ran towards her already being a protective brother that Lavanya waited on side to see how they would interact first.

" Ishaan is missing , Latha warden says he is hiding in the storage room and refuses to see me before I leave " the girl confessed much to Lavanya heartbreak . Ishaan and Meera were friends but Lavanya knew the little boy had tended to avoid meera whenever she visited with her aunt .

" Yash ,why don't you help your sister pack and I will go and check on her friend , I promise to bring him Meera now you please stop crying " with that statement she left the kids and went in search of Ishaan .

She didn't know how to convince Ishaan but she has to try , bidding goodbye was a painful process but without them it will be a painful reminder and Lavanya wanted Meera & Ishaan to have only pleasant memories of their friendship .

While Meera was happy to be adopted, Ishaan still didnt want to be adopted and felt like it would be betrayal to his parents, three months ago Gauri told her that her parents got back together and they decided to adopt a son, Gauri asked them to think of Ishaan ,as she believed he would be interested in being part of their family, considering the fact he would connect with her father who was a police officer . But Ishaan wasnt thrilled by the fact

   They tried for over a month to convince him but he remained adamant on the matter and if it was any other orphanage the child wish would have been ignored but Savitri dida refused to ignore the kid concern . Because forcefully removing a child from a place he considered safe was not the solution . They all hoped Ishaan would change his mind but he refused to even accept the possiblity until they gave up when it had became too much of a strain in Gauri mother mindset . 

 Gauri blamed herself for suggesting Ishaan ,but the little boy did find his way into the entire family and it had been hard on them when he kept rejecting them over and over again , she found him sitting looking so forlorn that her heart broke for him. He was too young to understand that it was okay to love his new family and she didnt want him to look back years later and regret this moment .

" Meera wants to bid you goodbye " Lavanya spoke up and that got his attention but he shook his head in answer .

" Ishaan , I know it hard to understand but Meera will be happy with Laksh uncle and his family , it is what her parents would have wanted for her " Lavanya spoke up trying to make him understand Meera wasn't betraying her parents .

" I know that  dida told me " he answered back which surprised Lavanya as she was under the misapprehension the feud was because Meera was getting adopted .

" If you know that why are you not bidding her goodbye" Lavanya asked curious about his reasons as she sat beside him .

" I am hiding because I don't want to see them " he answered back confusing her further .

" See who Ishaan " she asked confused by his answers .

" Those who came to adopt me , dida told me it most likely everyone in the family will come to the cook and asked her to prepare food for them as well . " Ishaan spoke up that it took her a moment to conclude who he was avoiding  .

" Oh .No Ishaan , they didn't come "  Lavanya  answered back and was surprised by the dejected look on his face .

" You wanted to see them " she asked surprised as she spoken her thoughts aloud .

" No , I don't want to see them ;  they probably adopted some one already " he spoke up and kicked the small pebble beside  him with force and then turned around probably to hide his feeling from her .

" Why did you say No Ishaan , they asked you ,my friend Gauri wanted you to be her brother and even dida asked you ,yet you said no ..Why " she asked hoping she could understand the heart of the little kid before her .

" Because Meera would have been alone if I left , they already had Gauri di and they couldn't take Meera as well and now I am alone " he spoke up and Lavanya was stunned by his words and remained silent for awhile . Till she saw the tears in the little boys eyes .

She knew Gauri and her family really loved Ishaan even when he showed them only his angry side whenever they visited and now she knew how much hurt the little boy was hiding in his heart . But she had to treat carefully or else it might break his heart further . She will speak with her parents and decide how to proceed for now she wanted to make him bit happy .

" Why don't you come with us for tonight ,I will ask dida permission, it will keep you from being lonely . You can attend Meera party and stay with my brother for tonight . My dad will drop you back tomorrow " she spoke up hoping to change his gloomy mood with a small trip outside the orphanage

" Only if you promise me they won't be there " he asked and Lavanya knew Gauri family declined the invite as they were on a vacation , so she nodded her answer and took him back inside

When Meera was told about Ishaan invite , she was happy that Lavanya hoped Savitri dida won't take offense to her actions . It not usual for anyone to take the kids out for a visit unless they are family or friends of the family . But it had happened few times that she hoped dida would agree to it .

When Lavanya reached the Maheshwari house , she was surprised to see it lit up with lights ,a fitting welcome for the princess of the house . Meera was excited as expected and went exploring her castle .

Since Meera birth date wasn't known they decided to celebrate that day as her birthday and after the cake cutting and gifts distribution . Meera was too exhausted that she went to sleep in her room .

Not before thanking her brother and assuring him blue was indeed her favorite colour . And Lavanya departed with her family and Ishaan . She didn't get a chance to speak with her parents throughout the party and she hoped to rectify it later that night .

When her little brother Yuv and Ishaan called it a night, Lavanya marched towards the living room where her parents were sitting together discussing about a case , they stopped talking when she walked upto them

" Anything to say princess " her father asked and Lavanya shared everything she learnt today .

" You were right to let us know beta , I will talk with Renuka after she returns back from vacation and let see maybe the reason they couldn't find anyone else was because Ishaan was destined to be their son " her mom spoke up and Lavanya who was relived of her burden was about head back to her room leaving her parents to their work but stopped and turned around when she had a question .

" Why did Savitri dida never asked me if I wanted to go with you , she asked Meera today and assured her she need not go if she didn't want it and she even let Ishaan remain because of his reluctance but I don't remember she asked me " Lavanya asked her parents who looked momentarily confused;  then her father laughed and her mother joined in causing her to wonder what was amusing .

" Why are you laughing " Lavanya asked her parents confused . Which seem to cease their laughing .

" Princess. She didn't ask you because you never once hid how you felt about us . You raced into my arms on the second time you met me and demanded when we can go home , I think your dida knew there was no need to ask how you felt about us as you were more than happy to elaborate how much you wanted to live with us " her father answered back and Lavanya became briefly aware of how she clinged on to her father hand that day .

" What would you have done , if I reacted like Ishaan " she asked curious to know their thoughts .

" We would have waited for you to accept us however long it took " her mom answered back and Lavanya became aware of the painful memories it might have brought up and regretted speaking up .

" I am sorry mom , didn't mean to hurt you " she answered back taken by surprise at the gloomy mood of her parents

" No beta ,just wondering how our life would have been if you were adopted before we could find you . I don't want to think about it " her mom spoke up and wiped away the few tears that fell from her eyes .

" I don't think that would have happened , I don't think I would have said yes to anyone else except you . Actually i am sure I would have said no to everyone else except you " she spoke up as she leaned into kiss her mother  cheek and turned towards her father who remained oddly silent for awhile

" What happened dad ?" She asked him as his silence continued .

" Nothing princess , just thinking how lucky I am to have you as my daughter , I am still sometimes surprised that all it took you was ten minutes to trust me with your life . " her father words brought a smile on her face as she kissed his cheek in turn .

" It might be just ten minutes but I think the moment the dynamics shifted in my heart was when you called me princess .. Because I really felt like one" she answered back with a smile .

" You will always be my princess " her father spoke up and Lavanya couldn't agree more .

Life will have it ups and down , Life goes on and never stops for anyone but if there is one thing she was sure of ,it is the fact she was loved by her family and she was lucky to have a brother who adored her , proud to have a mother who would go to any lengths to keep her safe and was destined to be a princess who would rule his father heart forever .

The End

P.S : " And we reached the end ,let me know your thoughts and feedbacks .Hit the votes if you liked it ."

Love

Juanita Reid