Ruhana brought Vineet home. He was disturbed due to place change and was irritated as well. Ruhana settled him on the bed. He looked at her..

"Ye kiska ghar hai? " he asked.

"Hamara ghar hai Vineet. " she said.

"Hamara? Hum sath rehte they? " he asked as he had completely forgotten the place and people as well.

"Haan vineet. Ye hamara ghar hai. Hum yahan rehte hai. Aur ye hamari beti hai,Manvi." she said as Manvi came and stood by Ruhana.

Vineet was looking at them keenly.

"par main tum dono ko nahi jaanta." he said.

"Papa how can you forget me? Main toh aapki Mannu hoon. " manvi said.

He just stared at her blankly in reply. Manvi hugged her mother and cried. Both of them were pained to see his condition. Meanwhile Aarav entered in and placed some medicines on the table.

"Ye dawai deni hai. " he handed her a strip.

Ruhana nodded... " Haan! Tum dono jao. Aaram karlo. " she said and went out of the room. She got some food for Vineet and fed him, and gave him his medicines.

Days passed. Vineet became used to the room and Ruhana, yet he had forgotten other things. Manvi was now only a friend for him.

Two months later,

Ruhana woke up in the morning. She was feeling a strange soothe in her heart today. It seemed that she wasn't worried for anything. Vineet was asleep under the effects of medicines. She freed her hand from his grip and moved out. She walked to Manvi's room and knocked the door. Manvi looked up...

"aao na mumma! " she said.

Ruhana entered in and found Aarav sitting on the bed.

"papa so gaye? " she asked.

"Haan! Unki chinta mat karo. Kuch apne baare mein soch lo." she said.

Aarav and Manvi looked at her.. "Matlab? " they asked.

Ruhana smiled and moved to Aarav....

"tumne in kuch mahinon mein hamari bahut madad ki hai. Ek aur madad karoge? " she asked.

He smiled lightly...

" Main apna vaada pura nahi kar paaya. Vineet sir ki haalat toh kharab hoti ja rahi hai. " he said.

"Wo shayad hona likha tha Aarav. Lekin aaj tumse ek air vaada chahti hoon main. " she said.

"Kaisa vaada? " he asked.

"zindagi bhar meri beti ka haath thaamne ka vaada. Ab tak tumne usko bahut support kiya. Maine dekha hai how she trusts you. Toh kya tum sari zindagi uska haath tham ke chal sakte ho? " she asked.

"Maa aap ye kya bol rahi ho?" manvi asked.

"Wahi jo sach hai mannu. Main jaanti hoon tum dono ek dusre ka support ho. Kahin na kahin ek dusre ko chahte bhi ho. Hai na? " she asked while looking at both of them.

Manvi and Aarav were surprised... "Lekin mumma humne aisa kuch socha nahi. " manvi said.

"Ab soch lo beta. Kyunki tere mumma papa hamesha nahi rahenge na. Aur main jaanti hoon tu aarav ke sath khush rahegi. " she said.

Ruhana looked at Aarav... "Jitne ache se tum usey sambhal sakte ho, main jaanti hoon tum dono hamesha khush rahoge. " she said.

Aarav took her hands in her..

"Aap jaisa chahti hain waisa hi hoga. Aapki beti hamesha khush rahegi." he said.

Ruhana smiled tearily... "Yahi ummeed thi tumse. Hamesha khush rehna. " she said as he kept Manvi's hand on Aarav's.

Aarav secured Manvi's hand in his and Ruhana went out of the room.

Ruvi's room

She entered in bedroom and found Vineet sitting on the bed. He looked at her..

"kahan thi tum? " he enquired.

She smiled.. "ek zaruri kaam karne gayi thi. " she said.

"kaisa kaam?" he asked.

"Ek zimmedari pura karne. Khair tum baitho, main tumhare khane ke liye kuch laati hoon. " she said.

He held her hand.. "Mat jao. Yahin raho. Please. " he said.

She sat beside her. He kept his head in her lap. She began smearing his head with one hand while he was holding her other one. Past memories flashed in her mind...

"Hum yunhi khush rahenge. "

"Tum mujhe akele mat chhodna. Hamesha sath rehna. "

"Manvi ko main khud se door nahi bhejunga. "

"Koi hume door nahi kar sakta Ruhana, maut bhi nahi. "

"Tumse door nahi reh sakta na main. "

She came out of her trance as a tear drop leaked down her eyes. She looked at him, he was asleep. Both Vineet and Ruhana were silent today, it seemed that their worries had ended and they were free now.

She shifted his head on the pillow and lied beside him. A smile on his face soothed her. She lied beside him keeping her head on his chest.

He had embraced her in his arms. She too, drifted into sleep. It seemed that it was a night that they were in utmost peace. Maybe they knew that their pain is coming to an end.

.

.

Their last sleep together.

.

.

Next morning, Manvi came in the room. She saw them sleeping and was surprised.

"maa papa abhi tak so rahe hai. " she thought.

She walked towards them, and shaked Ruhana, but her body was cold and her hand fell off. Manvi was shocked to see that. Both her parents were gone into a deep sleep forever.

Aarav was shocked to see that too. Manvi hugged him and cried. They had faced a great loss. Aarav could just hug and calm her.

.

.

A Year later,

Manvi entered into her parent's bedroom. A big photograph of Ruhana and Vineet was hung on the wall.

Besides it, were some more photos, their family photos.

Aarav entered in holding a little baby in his arms.

Manvi smiled looking at them.

She touched her parents picture...

"Pata hai Aarav, Papa chahte they ki unki beti ka naam Khushi ho. " she said.

"Toh iska naam. Hum khushi rakhenge. Hamari khushi. "

He said.

She smiled and looked at her... "Tum hamesha mere sath rahoge na? " she asked.

"haan Manvi. Bilkul waise jaise Maa papa ke sath thi. " he said looking at their picture.

She smiled..

"Unhone ek duje se vaada kiya tha ki wo hamesha Saath rahenge. And they did it. Juda na hone ki kasam khayi thi unhone. See aaj na hokar bhi wo sath hain. " she said keeping her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped his hand around her..

"Humara sath bhi itna hi khubsurat hoga. " he said.

She smiled and they admired the little bundle of joy and their parents. Love was still in the air and they could feel it.

****THE END****

Vaada tha Saath nibhane ka,
Pyar tha gehra, ki maut ne bhi amar kardi unki prem kahani.