And so the epilogue's here!

Before heading towards the chapter. Thanks for all the love and support to all my voters and commentors. Thanks for liking the fic (and Nikhil 😝 ) . Love you guys!

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts.

(Words in braces) - Telephone conversations.

Epilogue

"Aaaa!"

"Ragini! Ragini!" Laksh banged on the door with force, doing his best to open the door. However, before he could do more damage, he was held back. "Let go of me! Let go! Ragini! I'm right here Ragini! Ragini!"

"L-Laksh! Laksh!"

"Ragi-"

The doors opened suddenly. "Mr. Laksh, you can come in."

Laksh didn't wait a second before pushing away everyone and hurrying inside. He ran near Ragini and held her hand in his. "I'm here. I'm here Ragini, I'm here!" each of her painful cries made his heart ache. "Ragini...Ragini!"

Ragini opened her eyes and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Laksh I...Laksh..."

"It's okay, its okay dear. I'm right here. I'm right here! just stay calm. Stay calm. St-ow!" Laksh exclaimed as Ragini gripped his fingers harder and squeezed them with her long nails.

"Calm!? Calm down!? I would like to see you be in my place and be calm damn it!" Ragini screamed in anger. Her moist eyes were now red with anger, glaring at him like she wanted to rip him apart. "You're a man so it seems so easy to you, doesn't it!?"

Laksh gupled at her look. "Ra-Ragini dear cal-"

"Don't dare to 'Ragini dear' me nitwit! It's me that's bearing this pai-aah!" Ragini squeezed her eyes shut at the pain. She let out a few sobs, making Laksh feel like the most useless husband ever.

It had been a year since they married after the entire Mansi fiasco. In the entire year, he had never felt so helpless as he felt now.

"I wish I could do something. But I can't Ragini. It will be over soon. Don't worry, alright?"

Ragini opened her eyes, looking at him with a pain filled face. "Laksh I...Laksh I want our baby to come into this world as much as you want. I want to see it safe and sound in my arms soon. But it's hurting Laksh!"

"Just some more time. Ju-"

"Mr Maheshwari, it's time. Please move out."

"But I do-"

"Sister, take him out please."

"Hey wait! Wait! Ragini? Ragini!"

"Laksh! Laksh!"

"Ragi-hey let go!" Laksh tried to fight, but the nurses managed to manhandle him out of the door and closed the door in his face. "Open the door damn it! Open the door!" Laksh kept banging on the door in panic and worry.

Sanskar sighed. "Guess it's time to hold him back again. Nikhil, lend me a hand, will ya?"

"He keeps hitting me and pulling my hair!"

"Oh come on Nikhil! Help me already."

"Sure sure. I'm born to be a punching bag, aren't I?"

Swara and Annapurna watched with worry towards the door where Ragini was admitted in anxiety. "Oh please! Please be alright. Let nothing bad happen to Ragini or the baby."

Swara put a hand on her shoulder. "Nothing will go wrong Badi Maa, don't worry."

After sometime...

Uttara arrived along with the rest of the Maheshwaris and the Gadodias. "Bhai wh-" Uttara blinked in wonder, baffled at the sight before her eyes.

Laksh sat in between his mother and Swara biting on his nails while Annapurna and Swara tried to calm him. Nikhil had many scratches on his face, while Sanskar had a black eye. Both of their hair looked like they had let chickens nest there.

A shout from inside the room caught her attention. It was no doubt Ragini's shout.

"Ragini!" At once, laksh leapt up and tried to make a run for the door. However, before he could get there, Nikhil and Sanskar grabbed onto him and brought him back to his seat.

"Thanks boys. We'll try to calm him down."

"Badi Maa, you've been saying that from then!" Sanskar shouted. "He keeps hopping up everytime there's a shout."

"Yeah! Not to mention he kicks and punches when we try to restrain him!" Nikhil bit out.

"Yeah, I got a black eye to prove it!"

"Stop it all of you! Listen!" Swara shouted. At her words, everyone kept silent. No sound was uttered by anyone of them.

Nikhil snorted. "Listen to what? Air? There's nothing to hear."

"Exactly!" Swara exclaimed. "That means Ragini..."

On the sudden realization, everyone looked towards the door with great expectations.

Soon, the door opened and the female doctor stepped out with a bright smile. "Congratulations! She gave birth to a boy."

Annapurna's eyes teared up at her words and she turned to her son. "Your're...you're a father Laksh. You're a father of a boy. Laksh, you're a father!" however, Laksh remained speechless as he looked at her. "Laksh, why won't you say anything? Do you not realize what I just said?!"

"Maa I...I..."

"Laksh smile! You're a father!" Annapurna exclaimed.

"Ragini has given birth to a boy." Shramishta cried happy tears, hugging her husband.

"And I'm an uncle!" Sanskar exclaimed and twirled his wife in joy. I'm an uncle and you're an aunt Swara!"

"Yay! I'm an uncle too! My best friend just gave birth to a boy!" Nikhil exclaimed in joy. He hugged the closest person to him in happiness, which happened to be Uttara. Instead of pushing him away, Uttara giggled and hugged him back with a blush.

While the Maheswaris and the Gadodias rejoiced the news, Laksh remained frozen where he was.

The whole time...the whole time he was waiting for this moment to arrive. Time seemed to move slow for him when Ragini's due date wasn't coming near.

But now...now that it has finally arrived, he was afraid that it was all a dream. He felt nervous and anxious. Now that he was a father, he felt a new fear overcome him.

'Will I be a good father? What if I'm not? What if I can't be a responsible and ideal father? What if I mess up!?' a hand to his shoulder broke him from his thoughts.

"Beta, I know what you're thinking. And your fear is quite reasonable." Durgaprasad consoled. "I went through the same when I became a father for the first time to your big brother Adarsh."

"Then...then how did you rid yourself of your fears? How did you handle it?"

Durgaprasad shrugged with a smile. "I accepted the reality. I accepted that there might be instances where I may fail to take the right decision as a father in my son's life. But I just promised myself that I would do the best I could. Even if situations would be tough, I would do everything and anything to be the best father ever and give my child all the happiness I could."

"And you did Baba. You became the best father to us." Laksh admitted. He rubbed away his moist eyes and smiled. "Now, I think I should go welcome my new son first among us all."

Durgaprasad patted his back and pushed him forward. "Go son. It's your and Ragini's day today."

Laksh nodded and moved closer to the door. He took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "I still can't believe that I'm a father. Someone pinch me."

Sanskar and Nikhil smirked. "With pleasure."

#Inside#

Ragini looked up as Laksh entered into the room.

Well...more like stumbled into the room with a shout.

"Laksh, shh! He's sleeping. Please behave."

"Y-yeah, I...I'm sorry." Laksh straightened up, galring back at him and rubbing his butt. 'They didn't have to kick me that hard. Rascals the both of them!' he shook his head and came near Ragini.

Ragini smiled a soft smile at him with her tired face. Even though she was disheveled, she looked simply beautiful to him. Laksh didn't think he would ever tire of looking at her.

"Laksh look. Our child."

Laksh slowly peeped at the child's face. He gasped as he saw his son's face. Unconsiously, tears blurred his vision. Laksh had to bite his lip to suppress his sobs. "Can I...can I hold him?"

Ragini nodded and handed over the child to him.

Laksh took him from her arms with utmost delight and extreme caution, as if fearing he would somehow drop him. All the time, he didn't remove his eyes from the baby's face. "His face looks a bit like yours Ragini."

Ragini giggled. "Yes. But his nose is pointy like yours."

Laksh let out a hearty laugh through his tears of joy. As his chest rumbled from his laughter, the baby seemed to wake up.

The infant scrunched up his nose and slowly blinked his tiny eyes at Laksh.

Laksh gapsed as he saw the baby's eyes. "His eyes. They're just like me." Laksh cooed at the child.l as it gurgled at him. "Aren't you the cutest? Hey son! It's me, Papa. Your Papa! Aww...I can't wait for you to grow up! Then I can teach you how to play, how to walk, and what not!"

Ragini watched the exchange between father and son. Tears fell from her eyes, but they were tears of happiness. Her world, which were her son and her husband, were standing before her eyes, safe and happy. What more could she ask for?

"And then teach you how to fight." Laksh prattled on."And once you're of age, you can become a hearthrob for the girls and flirt."

"What!?" Ragini looked at her husband in disbelief. "What did you just say!? You are not turning my child into a shameless flirt like you!"

"Shameless? Huh! As if! I was the one girls drooled over in college. My son will be a favourite of the girls as well."

"What the heck!? Give him to me. Give him to me right this instant Lucky!"

"Hey nephew! Come to me!" Sanskar exclaimed, taking the infant carefully from Laksh's arms. "Aww...look who's holding you. It's Sanky uncle. Say uncle?"

"Sanskar, he's just a few hours old." Swara chided as she looked at the baby. "Besides, he will first say Swara aunty before Sanky."

"Whatever! Now that I'm an uncle, I'll pamper him so much, that he will call me his superuncle! I'll spoil him with toys, action figures, play stations and waht not!"

"No you're not! You'll ruin him then!" Ragini shouted, pouting in irritation.

"Yeah, she's right. You shouldn't spoil him."

"Thanks for understanding Nikhil." Ragini acknowledged.

"Instead, you should let me spoil him. I'm an uncle too!" Nikhil concluded.

"I take back my 'thanks'." Ragini grit out. "With a father like you Laksh, and uncles like Sanky and Nikhil, my child will be an obnoxious, sarcastic flirt of the year! I'm not letting him be that."

Laksh, Sanskar and Nikhil just smirked at her and went back to cooing at the child.

"Leave them in peace will you!" Annapurna chided them. She wanted to look at her grandson as much as they did. However, she wanted to give Laksh and Ragini some time to spend with their newborn. "Nikhil, Swara, Sanskar...get out! Now!"

"Maa!" came a shout from the door as Mishka came in. She at once went and hugged her mother. "Maa please please let me see my cousin! Maa, please!" she requested Swara.

After Mansi went to jail, Mishka's responsibility was to be decided. She was kept in the Maheshwari mansion while the Mansi's case was going on. Turns out, Swara and Mishka bonded well and thus, Swara decided to adopt her.

"We will see him after his parents are done spending some time with him, alright?"

Laksh took the child from Sanskar and watched them go with a disappointed face from being asked to leave.

"Laksh, bring him near please." Ragini requested.

Laksh nodded and went near Ragini, handing the baby to her. He himself sat beside her and wrapped an arm around Ragini. "See son? You're so lucky to get this woman as your mother. She'll love you more than her own life." Laksh leaned in and kissed the child's forehead. He turned to Ragini and pecked her on the lips. "And I'm lucky to get her as my wife. Son, if you're my life, than she's my soul. And I...I'll love both you and your mother till my last breath."

Ragini's eyes watered at his words and she put her head on his shoulder. "And I'll love you both more than my life."

Laksh smiled and kissed her forehead, letting out a sigh of bliss.

He knew he wasn't perfect. He knew Ragini wasn't without flaws either.

He didn't know if they will be without problems in future, or if they won't have arguments.

He couldn't gurantee if he would always be able to be the husband Ragini wanted or a perfect father.

He didn't know what awaited them in the future.

But right now, none of it mattered.

All that mattered then was that his soul was sitting beside him, while his life was in her arms, safe and sound.

To him, it was all he could ask for.

A perf-...

No.

Not a perfect ending.

Perfection is an illusion. Love isn't about finding the perfect person. It's about finding someone imperfect who can make your life perfect.

To him, it wasn't a perfect ending. Because he knows now that perfect endings just don't happen. And besides, their happiness has just begun.

He knew some things never can be judged if it's good, bad or grey.

Some lyrics never rhyme...

Some stories never have a clear beginning middle or an end...

For Laksh, it was an imperfectly perfect ending, and a beginning for many happy memories to come.

"And Laksh wouldn't have it any other way. The end!" she exclaimed, ending the tale with a smile.

"Awwww....but I wanted to hear more!"

"Hahaha...Nikita, I've told you this story over and over for many a times. Yet, you don't get bored of it?"

"Nope! I want to hear it again! And again! And again!" Nikita exclaimed, jumping up and down on the couch. A shout from outside caught her attention. "That must be Maa and Papa. Yay! They're home!"

"Yeah, I guess so. Which means..." she stood up. "My job of babysitting you is over."

"Thank you so much for watching over her Ragya. You're only 12, but really helpful."

"It's okay aunti. I'll be going now."

"Bye di!"

"Bye Nikita!" she waved at the child as she went out of the door.

Ragya hummed to herself as she walked in the footpath. After all, her house was only a few houses away. There was a skip in her steps as she walked.

Suddenly, a car came near and stopped beside her. Two individuals got out and smiled at her.

Ragya's face broke out into a big grin seeing them. "Maa! Papa! You're back!" she laughed heartily and ran up to them.

"Woah! Slowly dear. You might fall over."

"Nah! I'm a strong girl Maa."

"Hahaha...our girl's all grown up it seems."

"Hehe...yep Papa!"

"Alright then strong girl, shall we go home now?"

"Yep!"

#At home#

"Grandpa! Grandma! Where are you? It's us, it's us!" Ragya screamed as she ran inside the house, with her parents following close behind.

"Oh my! Hey there! You're home early." her grandfather crouched, letting her hug him.

"Yep! Maa and Papa picked me up on the way. Their boss gave them early leave!"

"Aww, don't I get a hug? You don't love me at all." joked her grandmother as she came near.

"Grandma! Of course I love you more than grandpa!" Ragya exclaimed as she hugged her. "You know, I watched over Nikita for two whole hours today!"

"Oh wow! What did you both do?"

"Well, she was being naughty. But then I told her a story and she behaved."

Her grandmother smiled at her grandfather, fully knowing what story she may have told. "What might it be? I'm totally clueless!" she faked.

"Oh grandma! You're so clueless. It was your and grandpa's story of course! But I changed some things. Instead of ordinary people, I made you princess Ragini and made grandpa, prince Laksh. The evil witch was witch Mansi. And...and great-uncle Sanky and Nikhil were the knights an-"

"Okay okay! That's enought talking you chatterbox." Ragya's mother chided playfully as she came near them. She bowed and touched her mother-in-law and father-in-law's feet.

"Nisha, it's from Maa that Ragya learnt to talk so much. Right Papa?" joked Ansh, as he came to touch his parents' feet like his wife.

"Right you are Ansh beta." Laksh agreed with his son, winking at Ragini.

"Are you calling me irritating indirectly Laksh?"

"Aww...of course not Ragini. In fact, you're such a beauty!"

"Oho Laksh! Act your age and be mature. Quit being a flirt at least now."

"Arre...I may be old. But for you, my heart is still young as a lovesick teenager."

"Ugh! This shameless man. What do I do with you?!"

"🎶 Oo husn tera diwana! Pyaar mera-ow!" Laksh rubbed the spot where Ragini hit him. "This is harrassment you know."

"At least behave in front of your granddaughter." Ragini glared at him in irritation. "Ragya, Nisha, Ansh...go inside and freshen up. I'll make tea."

"No need Ragini Maa. I'll make it for everyone. Along with some pakoras." Nisha replied.

Ansh picked up his daughter. "Alright, we'll go freshen up."

Ragini watched as as her son and his family went inside. It was like only yesterday when she had taught Ansh to walk. Now, he was a grown man with his own family. She sighed to herself in wonder.

"Time sure passes by soon, doesn't it?" Laksh spoke near her.

Ragini rubbed her moist eyes and nodded. "Yeah. It's hard to believe it flied by so fast."

"Look at you! Still shedding tears at the tiniest thing like always. Whether it be then or now, you'll never change."

Ragini hit him playfully. "Shut up! Something just got in my eye. That's all."

"Haha...like always, right?" Laksh smiled and walked closer. He raised a hand and rubbed away her tears. "And like always, I will come near and rub them away. And like always, I'll tell you that even when you cry, you look simply beautiful to me. Then, like always, you'll give me your bright smile."

Ragini looked into his eyes and let out a smile as he expected. A lone tear escaped her eye. However, before it could fall onto the ground, Laksh caught it in his palm.

"I promised not to let a tear fall from your eyes, remember? You seem to be bent on making me break my promise."

Ragini let out a playful smile. "And I promised to be obnoxious, didn't I? You should have known I would make you work to keep your promise." she teased.

"I'm happy to go to the world's end if it means I get to see you smile. After all, it's all worth it." Laksh replied.

Ragini smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "Ansh is all grown up. He has a job and a family. We played our part on his life. Soon, we'll have to let him go."

"We've done all we can for him Ragini. Now, he needs to lead his own life and take responsibility."

"I know." she closed her eyes with a tired sigh. "It's going to be lonely when they leave the house. It will soon happen with his new job transfer. I know it will be good for him, but I can't seem to get over the fact that he will be away from us."

"Physically he will be away, yes. But he will always be close to us in our hearts, right? Distance isn't anything when he's in our hearts."

"I guess." Ragini looked up at him. "Laksh...looking back, do you...do you ever regret choosing me?"

"Eh?"

"No I...I know you love me. But I just...I just think that maybe you had to settle for me when you could have got someone more perfect."

"Hahaha...Ragini, you think too much." Laksh smiled at her. "Yeah, I could have found more beautiful and proper ladies than you. But with time, as I age, physical beauty and sophisticated etiquettes won't be enough to fill the loneliness of the heart. Perfection would have only brought me loneliness. But love sees the imperfections that time brings and gives more reasons to love even more."

Even if several years had passed, Ragini didn't think she would ever be able to resist her heart from fluttering at his words. "You're so cliche and sappy." Ragini teased. She leaned forward and butted her forehead with him. "But I love you the way you are."

Laksh smiled and nudged her back with his forehead. "And I love you. Forever and always."

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹The End 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹