Epilogue

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Mishika's pov
"Because I failed my wife."

Been a week and these words, from his mouth, have sheltered into my mind, stirring a ghastly whirlwind of emotions.

Even after one and half decades later, the pain and suffering sometimes feels so raw. As if reminding that it still has a part of mine shackled under its mercy, ready to poignantly tantalise me.

I gulped through my parching mouth, rubbing my clammy hands on my dress's sides. Every cell within me was urging me to retaliate, to turn around and leave. However I can't. I won't. Not for myself but for the man I love. For the man who makes me and our kids feel otherworldly every day, every moment.

Aarav
You don't have to
do this, sweetheart.

My lips tugged up as I typed a quick reply.

I'm fine.
Love you <3

The metal gate, at a distance of a couple of metres afar, finally split open and my body turned even more rigid. And through it emerged a known figure, whom we haven't come across since the past eight years. Rhea.

Inhaling a very needed breath, I forced my feet in her direction. Her body grew taut as the fidgetiness evaporated in thin air once I stepped in her line on sight.

The more I grew closer, the better I got to scrutinise her appearance. Her eyes were void, extinguished of the incendiary they once carried. Once slim and maintained semblance of hers now looked frail and too pale. Deracinated from the confidence and cockiness she used to wear like second skin, her shoulders were hunched and stiff.

"Hi!?" I almost missed her words, too low as they slipped past her tongue.

Heavy and thick tension loomed around us, the weight of it almost too tangible.

"How_ how's he ?" Her gaze, which remained wavering before, lingered on something behind. And I didn't have to turn my head to guess that her eyes were settled on the car at the other side of the road, with Aarav waiting inside.

"He is fine." Something whirled within me and my lips began working on their own chord. "Your parents aren't in good shape. I guess Ritika is getting divorced. Ishan celebrated his daughter's birthday last week. And we have to pick up the kids."

Putting halt on my blabbering, I took deep breaths. I need to calm down.

"He is fine. He is happy." Her stance appeared dazed, an imperceptible twitch gracing her lips as her gaze remained focused on the car.

"You don't want to know about anyone else ?" I probed and in the meantime I threw a quick glance at my wrist watch.

The tug of her lips vanished in nothingness, the void returning in her gaze. "I'm past the delusion of namesake connections I had or was running after. As long as I am a part of his memories, even the most despised ones, I'll be fine anywhere."

Forcing the lump down my throat, I tried not to stare too hard at her visage. Through her words, the same darkness peeked that once caused destruction and devastation in our lives.

"I would personally mark the end of her if she brought any havoc in my family's life. I've failed my wife once, I wouldn't repeat it twice. Even though I know, I will be finished soon after I finish her myself."

A tremor wrecked through me, inducing my entire body to shudder. His words echoed in my head, resurfacing the cold and unsettling feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.

I didn't mean to eavesdrop when Aarav was taking a stroll with Namrata, his therapist. I just happened to end up there while looking for him. And ever since I couldn't shrug off these haunting thoughts chasing me.

Noticing my gaze fixed on her forearms, Rhea instinctively pulled the sleeves of her shirt down. The strained expression on her face momentarily splitting through the impassiveness she was maintaining.

"Not enough to be dead." My insides shuddered at the mirthless chuckle that exerted past her mouth.

My gaze was still fixed on the cuts and scars scattering across her skin. Some appeared vivid while some were fading.

After a lot of persuasion from Mishti, Aarav had begun seeing a therapist to get a grip on his anger and attachment issues during our second pregnancy. Although now the sessions have ended until he made a few occasional visits as Rhea's release day slithered closer.

The guilt had been residing somewhere in the veiled corner of his dark abyss and as usual he kept it shielded meticulously. Never finding reprieve. But I won't be losing him or what we have built because of something that he can't reverse. It was all a part of our twisted fate and nothing we could have done to get past it.

And I think Rhea needs every bit of therapy for her own sanity and our peace of mind.

Rummaging through my purse, I pulled out a document holder before stretching it in Rhea's direction. It had her passport and everything needed to go far and far away from here.

"Rhea, all the years you've lost have affected him thoroughly too." Taking a moment to study her impassive countenance, I further continued, "He wouldn't voice it, since he thinks it would be wrong with me, but he usually wonders if he could have done something to save you when the demons leeched your way for the very first time."

Something shifted in her gaze, lingering a moment longer to allow me to see through them, to peek in the flicker of emotions swirling in her grey eyes.

In the past week, once being drunk, he wailed, letting the thoughts slide that he had buried deep within. That how much regret and guilt has been scorching him from inside. That he should have gone for retribution against Rhea, instead of striving to look for ways to protect her from the demons that she had become herself. Because somewhere deep, he was scared to lose a sister again.

Wordlessly she took the file holder, not even bothering to look through the documents inside, as if she already had a wild guess.

"Please don't step back in our lives, Rhea. If not for yourself then at least for the sake of your brother." My voice this time was firm and a few octaves high.

Her chin wobbled in a quick nod. "Tell him I'm sorry for what I did to you and him. I'm sorry, Mishika. This time, I actually am."

She wouldn't look my way, her words rolling out with the gust of air as if they felt foreign on her tongue, yet the determination to voice them out kept her intact.

Things have moved too ahead of everything that happened. However her apology, though wouldn't change anything, still feels needed to set me actually free from the shackling past.

Minutes later, a car pulled across us and the driver walked out. He gave a quick courteous smile my way and upon getting my cue, took the duffle bag from Rhea before putting it inside and opening the door for her.

As she turned to sit in the car, I couldn't help but give voice to the nagging words. "About Saumya_" Instantly her steps ceased, her rigid back facing me. "She called off the marriage and no one knows about her whereabouts."

"Okay." That's all she said, pulling back her composure. And I was left muddled and baffled on my spot, while the car sped past me.

Almost five minutes later, another car stopped in front of me and this time Aarav was in the driver's seat. I hopped inside and before I could even properly glance his way, the familiar lips of my husband engulfed mine, his exasperated sigh aerated above my lips.

My hands surfed across his tensed muscles, my hold tightened on his shoulder as he was about to pull back and this time I kissed him, only to be pulled further as much possible in juxtaposition to him.

"Your strength is scintillatingly inspiring, Honey-eye. Me and our kids are so blessed to have you."

A smile danced on my lips as they found their way back to his and in the meantime I softly caressed his stubble adorned cheeks.

"I chose that." For us.

The expression on his face was too strained, too calculative but I decided not to pry rightnow. He will eventually dissolve himself in the facade of nonchalance and as much as I want to be there for him, I know we both need space here. To confide in each other silently for now.

Apprehension of how this meeting with Rhea has kept us both on the edge. Although we had to get over it for our own good. It's just not about him and I anymore. It's also about us and our kids.

"I guess we are too late." He said, straightening on his seat as he took a glance at the time displayed on the screen of the car.

My eyes narrowed at him. "You're not giving him ice-cream."

"I know you two love it." A sly grin took over his lips. "And of course our sweet son deserves compensation."

"He will probably be too engrossed in playing with his friends to get grumpy about our ten minute delay."

If I don't keep reprimanding him, he will spoil our children beyond measure. I had a hard time removing the ice-cream booth he installed in our massive garden, since he thought it was the right thing to do as Aarshik is a great fan of ice-cream.

My eyes surfed through the swarm of kids to search for the kids and I guess their eyes caught me first before I could spot them. And the two best friends made a run in my way, halting just on time while I feared they would crash with me altogether.

"Mumma" my six year old son beamed at me, followed by Avyaksh, his best friend aka Vyom's son.

"Where's Avni ?" I asked, looking for my boss's daughter who hardly feels like a boss since my husband wouldn't let him boss around me.

"There she is." Avyaksh pointed in the other direction. As I turned around, I caught the sight of Veer walking over to us, holding Avni's and his daughter's hand.

I smiled at Veer as we exchanged pleasantries and in the meantime, I saw my sweet son's not so sweet glare clashing with Shree. So like their fathers.

"Who wants ice-cream ?"

Aarav's voice buzzed from behind, earning a squeal from the kids and their feet bounced in his way with utter glee. I thought he was parking the car.

Familiar pair of arms swaddled around me, the look in his eyes melting away my frown and I happily took the chocolate caramel cone from his grip.

"My bad. I've no more for you, Veer." He lets out a mocking sound and I nudge him on his stomach, signalling him to behave.

Veer scoffed at Aarav's remark, his head wobbling in annoyance. These two men are still not over their past grudges. They sometimes behave like kids more than our kids.

We bid bye to Shree and Veer, before driving off between blasting songs of some cartoon echoing through the car as the four best friends sang along. With Dhruv, Ruhaansh's son, from facetime.

These four are inseparable whereas their fathers wouldn't even openly call each other friends, quoting it as 'it's just our matter of interest, we don't do friends'.

Dropping the kids to their respective home, we were finally back at ours. Since Saturday is half day for Aarshik, it's half day for us too from our work. We spend the whole day and Sundays with the kids.

Aarvika's arms were wrapped around Aarav's legs even before we properly stepped inside the house. Papa ji came running shortly after, panting behind her, holding a bowl and spoon filled with her food in his hands. She peered at her father with her innocent charcoal orbs and in no time Aarav picked her up, smothering her face with kisses.

Unlike our son who is a mumma's boy like his father, our little girl is her dad's little cuddler. A devil's spawn in every sense. And I couldn't love them any less.

Handing over the bowl and spoon to Aarav, Papa ji shot a look of betrayal at the giggling little devil with her father accompanying her. Then he walked back inside in the living room where Aarshik happily recited his whole day to his dadu and dadi.

(grandparents)

Over the years, Aarav and papa ji's relationship has turned a lot better. It is often said that motherhood does magic, but I think fatherhood has done wonders on my nightmare for a husband.

Sweet giggles enveloped the confines of our room as Aaravika happily bounced on the bed with Aarav tickling her softly.

Wiping the remnants drool off her cheeks, Aarav settled her on his lap and in the meantime his other hand was engrossed fondling our sleeping son's hair.

"We have such a big house and only two kids to play around with."

Caught off-guard by his statement, my gaze travelled up from my laptop screen only to find my husband's intense gaze already fixed on me.

"What a hypocrite." I retorted.

It was him who said no more kids during Aarshik's birth, panicking and yelling, since he thought I was dying while I fainted from exhaustion.

"What a waste of art, if not praised closely under my finger, savoured by my tongue."

Involuntarily my eyes widened in horror followed by a silent sigh of relief as I found our daughter dozing off. Even after all these years, this man has no filter.
~
~
~
Aarav stretched his hand from behind me, his chest pressing further abutting my back, wiping the dust from the custom named neon light of Arshu with his handkerchief. I gifted it to him on his thirtieth birthday and is now adorned proudly between the other photo frames decorating our bedroom wall.

It wasn't a breeze at first, however by time I learnt to adapt his stupendous attachment while simultaneously growing a connection of my own. Over the years, together we have transmogrified this room to look more like our happy refuge than of a hotel bedroom.

"You're awake ?" Furtively glancing through my periphery, I bit my lips to not let the moan reverberate when his lips, teasing yet expert, pressed against my neck.

His touch on my skin, an accustomed sensual whisper, leaves goosebumps on their wake, highlighting the pores of my skin prominently as usual.

"You've been smoking ?" I feel his body tensing behind me, only to ease under my touch as I turn around, my hands on his chest.

He doesn't really smoke anymore, not when the kids are around. Nonetheless I see why he has been taking refuge in it. The last few days have been rough.

Sending Rhea overseas wasn't enough to put ease on us, we anyhow made her agree to join therapy. As expected, she straightway denied until we played the trick Aarav suggested. It went fine for five months until the charade blew up and Rhea came to find that her therapist's name wasn't really Saumya.

And that was the last trace of Rhea Pathak before she vanished in thin air two months ago.

Aarav didn't go after her though he has been engrossed in fitting protocols, so that we are immediately notified if she decides to come back to India.

"Do you think she went after Saumya ?"

His lips shrink into a thin line, his hold tightening on my waist. And as I expected, he avoids talking about her like a plague.

"That look on your face_" my lips softly journeyd along his beard draped cheeks, stopping just beside his lips, "_doesn't scare me."

"Good" He drawls, something dark unfurling in my favourite pair of charcoal orbs. "Now let me fuck that thought back in your system."

His ferocious lips hungrily swallow down the squeal I let out upon being picked up unexpectedly. Tangling my fingers through his hair, my body was induced to shudder, the vibration of the grunt rumbling from his chest coursing all the way along my nerves.

Spellbound under the devil's touch, I paid no heed when he veered us both inside the bathroom. With trembling fingers, I fondled his shirt's buttons trying to undo them, only for my husband to turn out to be of no help since he refused to let go of my mouth.

Keeping me captive beneath his fingers around my throat, his other hand, with expertised movements, sneaks inside my t-shirt , teasing and pinching the curves underneath, eliciting a loud moan from me. "Aah_rav"

"How do you think the heavens above feel about it, sweetheart ?" A gasp exerted past my lips with the ripping of my t-shirt, fading into a throaty moan as the sleekness of his tongue lapped the now exposed skin. "When everytime you break in my arms, seeing stars that even heaven fails to have, moaning the devil's name through those sacred lips of yours."

The muscles on his chest twitched beneath my wandering palm as I finally managed to pull the shirt off his shoulder, though only half of it.

"Dad" We both went visibly taut at the unexpected vociferation. Giving a hard shove, I forced his body off me simultaneously, forcing his hand away that was slithering inside my pjs.

Arshik strolled in our direction meanwhile rubbing his sleepy eyes groggily. I let out a secret sigh of relief knowing he didn't see his parents in the most unconvent condition.

The kids take turns sleeping with their grandparents and then us. And we were so entangled together that we nearly forgot to latch the bathroom door.

"Our kids are adorable, nevertheless they can really be cockblockers at times." He grunted in a hushed tone, only to earn a disapproving glare from me.

Shielding my flustered face and exposed skin with my long hair, I watched how instantly Aarav's eyes softened as Arshik raised his pinky while tugging at Aarav's pants.

"Dad, pee."

"Come on, sweetheart."

With Aarshik in his arms, Aarav turned his heels to the commode. Their giggles dimmed from my ears as leaving the father son duo, I made my way out to get changed into another t-shirt.

I was plopped against the headboard, reading the same book for the umpteenth time, occasionally caressing Aaravika's soft curls. Simultaneously I kept stealing glances at the father son duo who were busy playing monopoly, giggling and squeaking in muffled voices.

Now freshly awake and having no school tomorrow, Arshik isn't going to sleep anytime soon. And if our little daughter's sleep gets disturbed then no one will be sleeping tonight. She is just three, but the little devil has everyone wrapped around her little finger.

"Mumma"

I hummed, diverting my attention to my son from the pages.

"When are we going on the yearly vacation ?"

It's been a tradition ever since we got married again. Going on a family vacation at least once a year with both our parents. When Aarav came with this idea, with the whole trip planned, that time I couldn't help but pull him in a kiss, feeling overwhelmed by him being so considerate about my parents.

Regardless of him not saying it straight, it doesn't take a genius to decipher that it was him behind the bankruptcy of my Bade papa's family on our wedding day.

"Soon baby."

"Can we go to Italy this year ?" He bounced with glee, unaware of his father's face morphing into grim-ness.

My lips pursed as I smiled, "It's a surprise."

Arshik couldn't help but squeal in excitement, only to clamp his palm against his mouth the very next moment as he stole a quick furtive glance at his sleeping sister.

"Now back to the game. See dad is cheating."

He let out a gasp, before launching himself in his father's arms and with quick reflexes, Aarav just caught him in time.

"Dad, cheating is bad manners."

"It is." Feeling his dad intentionally rubbing his beard against his cheeks, Aarshik hid his face in Aarav's neck to curb his whining.

In the moment our eyes met, as he cradled Aarshik in his arms, his lips curling into his signature diabolical smirk, blowing a kiss my way. My head shook, a futile attempt to hide my smile.

'From here till eternity' never felt so real, not until I fell in love so irrecoverably hard for my devil husband.

Chapter Words- 3449

As promised, done with Epilogue. Quite long one...
If the reviews on the Epilogue resulted well, then I might plan for a Bonus Chapter

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Signing off
~T.R

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