Happy Ganesh Chaturthi ❤️

I am waiting for a good amount of response on this chapter, especially.

I will try to update this weekend as well... Keyword: TRY

Enjoy your reading! Feel free to share your comments.

Ruhi poured her feelings.

She craved her father's love. When he was alive, he still maintained a good distance from her, as if she were an electric wire. Her classmates and friends are getting their father's attention. She too wished for the same.

Now, being around Khushi, noticing how her father gives her undivided attention. She, too, wishes to experience these moments.

But at the same time, Anirudh's ignoring her makes her feel she is at fault.

Anirudh heard her words with full focus. His attention was not only on her words but also tone and moments.

She sat timidly, playing with the bedsheet, her eyes looking at random things present in the room, but not him. She was suppressing her tears.

As she completed, she sat silently, waiting for his response.

Anirudh took a minute or two to process her words. He was about to say something.

Ruhi (smiling little): Maine na God se pray kiya hai mujhe bhi mumma ke pass bhula le. Main and mumma sath sath. Mumma bolti thi God baby ki sunte hai.

(I prayed to God, take me where my mother is. I will be with my mother. Mumma told me, God listens to babies)

Processing her words, Anirudh's eyes went wide. He turned towards her.

Ruhi: Dadi ne bola aapki mumma bhi meri mumma ke sath hai. God ke paas. Main God pass jaugi na to aapke mumma se milugi na. Main aapke mumma ko bolugi, Anirudh bhaiya, Khushi ke best papa hai. She will be pour... poud... poud poud... yes, your mumma will be poud of you.

(Dadi told me, your mumma is also with God, like my mumma. When I go there and meet your mumma. I will tell her, Anirudh bhaiya is Khushi's best father. She will be pour... poud... poud poud... yes, she will be pout of you)

She couldn't pronounce proud properly, but each word expressed her emotion. Being a kid, she doesn't understand what she feels. How lonely she must be feeling that she prays for death. How insecure and hurt she is.

After losing her mother, even though she lives with her family... her family? Are they her family?

Listening to her words, understanding her emotions, tears roll down Anirudh's cheek.

Anirudh gulped down his emotions and wiped his tears.

Anirudh (calmly): Aap mumma ke paas jana chahte ho? Yaha phir Dadi, Khushi, Saurav bhaiya and Vidyut bhaiya, aapki family ke paas nahi rehna?

(You want to go to your mom? Don't you want to live here with your family, Dadi, Khushi, Saurav bhaiya and Vidyut bhaiya?)

Ruhi (thinking deeply): Mumma ne bola tha, I have three brothers. They will love me a lot. Ittttaaaaaaa sara... yes... isse bhi bahut zyada. Mumma ne bola the, vo na meri badi mumma ke babies hai. Mujhe bahut pyaar karege, care karege, khelege. They will love me without coni... condi... codin... conition.... without conition. They will love without conition. They are not like Papa. They won't say I am a girl, so they won't love me. They won't say this is my mistake. So, don't talk to me. They will love me as Badi Mumma loved them. But I don't know who they are. They are my family.

(Mom told me, I have three brothers. They will love me a lot. Even more than a lot. Mom told me, they are my badi Mamma's babies. They will love me, take care of me, and play with me. They will love me without any coni... condi... codin... conition... without conition. They will love me without conition. They are not like Papa. They won't say I am a girl. So, they won't love me. They won't say this me mistake. So, don't talk to me. They will love me as badi Mamma loved them. But I don't know who they are. They are my family.)

Okay...

She opened her heart and all her feelings came up. He never wanted to read her mother's diary. Because maybe she filled it with lies, but how can he ignore the pain in Ruhi's eyes?

Her eyes presented her situation more, even her words.

He looked at her, to see her already staring at him. He opened his arms. She immediately lashed out at his arms and started sobbing.

He opened his arms because he accepted her? No! Because he knew at this moment, all she needed was a person to comfort her.

Hiding her face in his chest, she started sobbing. Anirudh wrapped his arms around her, patting her head.

Ruhi (sobbing, raspy voice): Am I bad that's why no one wants to love me? Mumma too left.

Listening to her voice and words, a flashback played in his mind.

Flashback

The night before his mother's death.

In the boys' room. Saurav and Vidyut slept. Anirudh was not able to sleep.

He went into his mother's room to see her lying on her bed on her stomach, hiding her face in her pillow, she was sobbing.

Anirudh quickly ran towards his mother and sat on the floor beside the bed.

Anirudh: Mumma...

Vibha looked at him. She quickly hugged him, hiding her face in his chest as he sat.

Vibha (sobbing, raspy voice): He will take you three away from me. Will you also leave me? Am I that bad?

Anirudh was just a 13-year-old boy. He didn't know how to handle this situation. Whatever was going on, it was too much to process for him.

Vibha turned her face towards him. He saw her eyes shining, due to tears. Her pupils glisten. Her eyes held a hope.

Anirudh didn't know how to answer her questions. Her pecked her forehead. Pouring his love into that kiss.

Her expressions soften, as if the turmoil of her mind calmed.

Flashback ends...

His chain of thoughts broke as he sensed, Ruhi separating her face from his chest.

Anirudh looked down to see her doe eyes shining, due to tears. Her pupils glisten. Her eyes held a hope.

His mother was in his arms, when he had the last conversation with her.

Ruhi is his arms the same way when he is having his first conversation with her.

When last time he saw his mother's eyes, her eyes held hope.

First time, looking into Ruhi's eyes, he knew she was also holding a hope.

He bends a little, pecking her forehead.

Calming her inner turmoil which isn't even understanding. As her facial expressions soften.

Anirudh: Now, sleep.

Ruhi nodded. Anirudh wiped her tears.

Ruhi lay in bed. Anirudh covered her with a quilt. He sat beside her.

In a few minutes, she fell into a deep slumber of sleep. Her even breath, her lightly fisted hands, as if holding her dreams, indicate she is asleep.

As she slept, Anirudh rushed into the balcony and took deep breaths.

He was suffocated, not because of air but because her mind is full of thoughts, words and situations of how his mother and Ruhi are facing issues because of a single person.

Anirudh, Saurav and Vidyut as kids didn't deserve a broken family. They only craved for love and affection of their family members.

Now, Ruhi is on the same path. She too doesn't deserve the broken family, but only love and affection from everyone.

How Vibha left the things in the last moment...

Ruhi started in the first moments with those things...

Saurav:

Saurav and Vibha's prayers for a sister...
Ruhi entered their life as their prayers came true.

Vidyut:

Last time Vidyut was in Vibha's arms. She was scared. She was holding him tight as if her life depended on him. Her eyes held fear.

When Ruhi came in front of Vidyut for the first time. She was holding a teddy in her arms, just like Vibha held Vidyut. Her eyes also held fear.

Anirudh:

When Anirudh saw his mother's eyes for the last time. Her eyes held hope. His kiss calmed the volcano of her mind.

The first time, when he saw Ruhi's eyes. They, too, held hope. His kiss calmed the volcano of her mind.

To be continued...