Part of growing up is moving on and leaving something behind which can only offer pain.
You don't pass it. You just get used to it over the time.

A quinquennial later.

A warm feeling of sun entering the atmosphere that day made him to smile widely.

He stretched his hands sitting on his bed with his eyes still closed.

"Zorro" he heard a squeal and opened his eyes immediately and the smile on his face disappeared.

"Oh shit" he glanced the clock and pushed the quilt aside and ran to the washroom and walked out after freshening himself.

"Zorro" he heard the voice again when he was setting his hair looking at the mirror. He increased his speed and ran out of the room.

"Zorro" he heard the voice again and ran with more quick steps. Finally left a breath when he reached the door of that particular room. He pushed the door and looked at her and smiled widely looking at her.

She was sitting with her closed eyes still. She felt his presence and her smile widened.

She opened her eyes and looked at him with the same wide smile and twinkle shining at the corner of her eyes.

She chuckled cutely. "Phew" he left a breath to relax himself.

"Zorro you are late" she crossed her arms pouting cutely. "Sorry Phoo Bear" he walked to her apologizing holding his ears. She just twisted her lips not meeting his eyes.

"Ohho my Phoo Bear is angry. What shall I do now? " he sat in front of her and placed his hand under his chin.

He smirked and neared her and started tickling. She started laughing and the whole house was filled with her laughter.

Pari who walked out of the kitchen nodded her head smiling. "She woke up" Anjali walked with a baby in her hand.

"Why did you come out Anji. It's not even a week that you gave birth to the baby and I had told you for a month you will take only rest" Pari scolded her 10 minutes late twin.

"I just came out to meet everyone Jeeji. It's so suffocating in that room" Anjali pouted.

"Anji. What the hell are you doing here?" Kishan walked to her concerned while he returned from the gym.

"I was getting bored there" she looked at him. "And for god sake you had a scisarian just three days ago" he took his son in his arms and held her shoulder.

"Come now" he dragged her along to their room. Anjali looked at her sister and pouted walking towards the room.

"I'm fine Kishan" she said as she entered the room. "I know you are fine wifey. But you know your chicken heart husband don't you? I just wanted you to take more rest. So that the pain of stitches goes away soon and you know I had promised Pari bhabi that I will make sure of it so only she let me to get you discharged so soon" he made her sit and sat beside her holding their son.

"Thought of any name? " Anjali asked her husband as she placed her chin over his shoulder and looked at their son.

"

Ruhan" he smiled widely. Anjali kissed Kishan's cheek and he turned to kiss her forehead.

"Chachu" they heard a squeal and chuckled looking at each other.

As they both turned their heads towards the door they found her standing with her hands on her waist and glaring them.

"Oh please don't you people get enough of this romance?" she rolled her eyes entering the room.

"Ananya" she felt a back head slap and turned to look at her elder sister who was glaring her crossing her arms.

"Where does she learns all that?" Kishan asked and Anisha huffed. "Chachs don't you know her craze for Bollywood movies" Anisha walked along with Ananya.

"Now don't change the topic Chachs you had told today you will let us to play with our baby brother didn't you? " Ananya asked. Kishan smiled at her and brought the baby in front of Ananya.

"He is so so cute" she squealed happy. "Can I hold him please?" she looked up at Kishan pleading.

"Of course" Anjali said and Kishan carefully handed the baby to Ananya whose eyes gleamed. She looked at Anisha who smiled at her little sister.

They all heard a glass cracking noise and startled.

"She again dropped the glass" Anisha spoke nodding her head.

She walked out of the room with Kishan while Ananya played with the baby sitting beside Anjali.

They neared the table.

"Pooh Bear that's fine see nothing happened" "Ansh Bhai" Anisha called him and he turned.

"Why is she crying so badly?" Anisha neared her.

Ansh wiped her face and kissed her forehead. "Dadi will scold you" she hiccuped.

"Hey Pooh Bear I like her scoldings don't you know? " he asked her and she pouted.

Anisha looked at her and neared her kneeling. "Dhwani baby look at me" Anisha cupped her face.

"We will clean it before Dadi comes okay and she will not know" Anisha spoke with an assuring smile.

"But we should not tell lies" she said cutely. "You don't tell lie okay. We will manage but you don't speak when Dadi comes" Ansh spoke and she looked at him.

Ansh and Anisha both cleaned the glass pieces and threw it in the dustbin quickly.

"Ansh you broke one more glass is it? " Annapurna walked down the stairs.

"Glass? Dadi what are you talking about? " Anisha spoke innocently. Annapurna wore her glass which she was wiping and looked at her grand daughter pointing a look.

She walked across and reached the dustbin. "This one" she pointed the dustbin. Anisha and Andha closed their eyes.

"That Dadi... " Ansh was interrupted. "Maa it was me. I was making milk for Dhwani and dropped the hot glass" Adarsh came from the kitchen holding a tray of milk shake glasses.

"Mikshake" Dhwani squealed and neared Adarsh. "Pooh bear" Ansh walked to her and stopped. He took the glass and tug her along with him to reach the dining table.

He made her sit and placed the glass near her lips and she emptied the glass.

"Hot glass really? " Annapurna stared at her son walking to the kitchen. "Pops. Don't do the things which you don't know" Anisha complained.

"Exactly" Kishan gave her a high five. Adarsh glared them and they continued laughing more.

****.*****

Vikram sat pouting. Sriti entered the room. "Ahhh" she shouted in shock looking at his face.

"What the hell? " she placed her hand on her fast beating heart.

"I told you... I told you Dadda. Mumma will be scared" the little girl popped out from behind the chair Vikram was sitting.

"And you needed to test that on your Dadda? Kumud? " Sriti wiped Vikram's face with the edge of her Saree and he hugged her by her stomach.

"Mr. Vikram Asthana stop being a kid. You are a father of four year old devil" Sriti pushed him a bit.

"That's not fair. I become the experimenting rat for her and don't even get love" he said like a baby.

"Really? Then is she proof of your hate? " Sriti held little Kumud's shoulder.

"Kumud" Shekar walked to their room and started laughing looking at Vikram's face.

"Dadu" Kumud ran to Shekar and he picked her in his arms. "Great work baby" he said giving a high five to her.

"Dad" Vikram whined. "oh I'm sorry son. I can't stop admiring her art" Shekar said controlling his laugh.

"What's happening here?" Sumi walked to the room and looked at Vikram. She also burst out laughing. "Maa" he whined like a small kid.

"Okay okay but she is great at making you look like a clown" Sumi said in between her giggles.

"Nobody loves me here. Only my bacha loves me" he said and suddenly all became silent.

"Bhayyu" her voice made his eyes drop the tear and he closed his eyes folding his lips.

Kumud got down to reach her father. She wiped his cheeks with her little hands and gave him a sweet smile.

"She still loves you Dadda" she hugged her father who looked up to control his emotions.

****.***

Kavya roamed all over the house holding the milk glass. "Ashish" she called his name and her son who was hiding below the table giggled covering his mouth.

"Ashu come out from your hiding it else it will be bad if I found you alright?" she warned.

"Ashu" she called him again. "What happened Kavi? " Harish strode down the stair case wearing his watch.

"See na dad. One side this Ashu is playing with me and on the other hand his father the kumbkaran has not even woke up" she whined.

"Ashu" Avantika walked adjusting her bracelet. " Now see how he will be out of his hideout" Harish whispered in Kavya's ear.

"Dadi" Ashish came out of under the table and hugged Avantika by her legs. She smiled widely and ruffled his hair and bent to place a soft caring kiss on his forehead.

"Told you" Harish chuckled. Avantika who heard his giggle looked at him. "What did you call me this time Harish?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

"Do I have that courage Biwi? I was just telling Kavya that your voice is so powerful" he said and Avantika looked at him weirdly.

Avantika handed Ashish to Kavya who glared her son and walked to the dining table.

She made him drink the milk and he twitched his face after that. "Where is Yohan?" Avantika asked Kavya.

"He is still sleeping" Kavya wiped Ashish's lips.

"Still? " she looked in disbelief and Kavya nodded her head. "Yohan" Avantika called and Yohan who was at the edge of the bed fell off it and landed on the ground.

"Yes mom" he woke up with a jerk and screamed. "You are still sleeping?" he heard her and stood up quickly placing the quilt over the bed. "Nope mom. I was on my way to washroom" he spoke with his half closed eyes and rushed towards the washroom door and banged the closed the door of it with his head. "Ouch" he rubbed the temple.

"What was that? " he heard Avantika's voice. "Soap mom. It just slipped out of my hand" he said turning the knob of the door.

Kavya and Harish chuckled realizing what actually might have happened. "Come down quick. You are getting late" Avantika maintained her poise sitting on the chair.

"Hey mom" Sahil bent to hug her. She smiled looking at him.

"How is Ragvi?" she asked as he sat on the chair beside her. "She is better. I made her to eat the soup you made. And now she is taking rest" he said and flipped the plate in front of him.

"And Yohan said it is normal in pregnancy. And he has prescribed some tablets I will get it on my way back" he said and ate the food Kavya served him.

"I'm sorry Kavi. I'm increasing a burden on you" he weakly smiled at Kavya.

"Come on Jeth ji. Even you all cared for me while I was pregnant I can understand. She is no less than my sister" Kavya smiled at him.

They all continued to have the breakfast.

****.****
Anisha sat in front of her laptop and sighed.

"Dear Chachu.

How are you? I know I keep asking this everyday. But just want to know about you every day.

Today Dhwani dropped the glass again and luckily Dad saved us from Dadi's wrath. You know she has become a bit intolerant after Dadu's death.

It makes me feel how important is a life partner and when that particular person leaves us it seems impossible to remain same.

Ansh Bhai was again late to wake up. I wonder how the alarms of the world fail to wake him up and he wakes up at one squeal of Dhwani calling him Zorro.

And she never opens her eyes if he isn't standing in front of her every morning.

She reminds me of Chachi and you a lot. She has become Ansh bhai's life and never leaves him for a second also.

She still is not able to talk the words clearly. But she is trying. Sahil Chachu had talked to the head master of Ansh bhai's school to let Dhwani sit along with him in the class and she will not disturb the class.

All his classmates make fun of him that he is her mother. He tolerates everything but today when his best friend Arav teased her calling mentally unstable he beat him blue and black.

Like every week he was punished by the head master for taking one of his sister's side. Remember last week he beat a boy of Ananya's class who called her moti though he is was right.

But he cannot tolerate anyone speaking against his sisters.

Kumud crossed Dhwani' s class this year and she will be in a class higher than that of Dhwani.

But don't worry Dhwani is all happy to be with her Zorro.

Yohan Chachu was arguing with Kishan Chachu to change Dhwani's school as she needs special class but Kishan Chachu did not agree to it. He knew Dhwani cannot be away from Ansh Bhai.

Ashish got a gold medal in frog race and was very happy. Ragvi chachi presented him a doll to play and he was whining that he is not a girl.

But Sahil Chachu brought a remote car which made the situation light.

He has really learned finally how to console people. But he misses you.

Not only he. We all are missing you. I know you will take time to return but it has been five years Chachu. It's a huge time. Please come back soon.

Your lovely niece
Ani

She closed the laptop after pressing the send button and looked up to control her paining throat.

****.****
Sanskar woke up hearing a alerting sound from his mobile. He half opened his eyes and looked at the screen of it.

He opened the mail and his eyes moistened. He smiled weakly and turned to look at his left where Ragini was sleeping.

He kissed her forehead and walked to the washroom.

As he walked out he saw her again and she lied as lifeless as she was earlier. "You woke up?" he asked her but there was no response. He kissed her forehead and walked to the dresser to get himself ready.

"You know biwi. Just an hour ago I got a email from Ani. She was narrating everything....." he told her everything there in the mail he read.

"Hello" he heard a knock on his door. "come in Laksh" he said and Laksh walked inside the room.

"Hey dumbo how are you?" he asked her checking her pulse but there was no response from her.

"I know I know you want to give me a sarcastic reply but I can't help it till you wake up I will be the best" he played with his collar.

"Haa because your Kadva Karela tho will not be in his sarcasm senses unless you are reverting him. So who is the king of sarcasm Now?" he said proudly.

His smile faded as he did not get a reply from her. "Get up soon dumbo. We miss you" he said lowly.

Sanskar pushed the curtain letting the sun light enter the room.

"Ohho I forgot" he moved to his table grabbing the phone.

"Sorry Sale sahab" he apologized and pressed the speaker button.

"Bacha" Vikram spoke from the other side and his voice cracked.

" You know today Kumud had made me a clown again" he chuckled through his tears.

"I know I deserve to be one" he said.

"Take care" he said after talking for a while and getting disappointed as she did not reply back to him.

A tear tripped her close eye.

Vikram buried his face in Sriti's embrace. "I wish she would have been here. I miss her so much" he said sobbing.

"You know she will get the best medication in London itself. And need to have patience. She needs you to be strong" Sriti rubbed his cheek.

"There is someone else also who needs you Vikram" she said looking into his eyes and he nodded his head.

Sanskar sat beside Ragini holding her hand in his.

"I love you" he kissed her hand and felt that unspoken reply 'I love you too Dumbledore'

And there was this hopeful smile on his face.

Mai tenu samjhava ki
Tere Bina na lagda jee
Tu ki jaane pyar mera
Mai Karu intezar tera

****.*****

I had no intention of this twist but don't know how are you taking this.

Do let me know through your comments.

Just the finale is on the way. I think I will be finishing this by the Christmas.

Love

Sally 😘