Chapter 49

LadyMeringue

@LadyMeringue

A/N: Hey there everyone! :D :D Here is the next update! :D :D

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Ranveer and Ishaani found themselves standing at the threshold of the Vaghela Mansion back in Surat a few minutes past midnight, both of them alert in spite of the eighteen-hour long journey. Ranveer pulled out the spare key from his pocket as the entire house remained doused in darkness, both of them assuming that his parents were asleep. Ishaani wondered whether it made sense to enter the mansion unannounced but Ranveer decided in favour of it, thinking of giving his parents yet another surprise; he knew that they were definitely in for a pleasant one this time.

Following the cemetery, Ranveer had taken her along to the residential complexes near the Central Business District where the Zaveri bungalow stood tall amongst several other gorgeous structures, aloof. The bungalow was now abandoned, Ranveer told her while he gave her a quick tour around the artistic house. He let Ishaani learn a little more about the woman in question, the house still intact the way it was when she was alive. Even though the house was shut, Ishaani could easily see what had attracted Ranveer about the place in the first place like he'd mentioned in his letter.

The house may have been devoid of lives, but the essence of happiness still lingered along with that same intoxicating aura of the joie de vivre that made everything a little more colourful for Ishaani. A strange, lazy smile remained plastered upon her face by the time they'd left the house and headed back to Salmona Villa. Jennifer had their baggages ready by the door well in advance after knowing how tight their schedule was to be.

Ishaani gave Jennifer a warm hug, who looked surprised but obliged nonetheless. Ranveer gave Jennifer a quick nod of his head before she signalled the driver to take their baggages and placed them in the car. Ranveer borrowed another fifteen minutes and took Ishaani towards where the bedrooms lay in line, stopping neither by his nor her room but the third bedroom which remained locked. He slipped the respective key into the lock even though Ishaani could sense his hesitance. She held his hand firmly and gave him a reassuring nod.

Ranveer pushed open the door of the room and Ishaani gasped, feeling the same essence of joie de vivre hit her whole. She stepped into her room, her eyes now learning more about the woman she'd just met in the form of a tombstone. Unlike her orchestrated room, Ranveer seemed to have touched nothing about Ritika's room. Everything was exactly the way it was when she was alive, right from the books of her choice to her own personal belongings.

Ishaani turned behind to see Ranveer's eyes grow dewy as he entered the room, unlocking the last door of his past that he'd long since blocked out. The memories of a past with Ritika had met the same fate that his memories with Ishaani did - being locked in a room that he could never muster the courage to enter again. Ranveer and Ishaani remained in the other's embrace throughout the time, letting everything that had happened in the past twenty-eight days wash upon them with all its intensity.

Separating from the hug the moment the clock chimed nine, they'd quickly wiped away each others' tears when Jennifer called out to them from below, warning them about the shortage of time at hand. Closing the door shut once again, Ranveer led Ishaani down the steps hand-in-hand and sighed. There was contentment between them, love between them, trust between them... but still no promise of a future between them.

No sign of life giving a second chance to them.

And yet there was an unsaid promise as they bid their final goodbyes to Jennifer, now seated in the car that drove towards the airport undeterred. It would be just two days later when a similar departure took place, a departure he was nowhere close to coming to terms with after spending such time with each other. But he wouldn't think about it. He wouldn't think about it now when they still had two more days on hand. Nothing could take those away from them.

Reaching the airport within the next twenty minutes, Ranveer and Ishaani had barely made it through the check-in, thanking their stars for the advance booking that enabled them to have their preferred seats in the first class sector of the British Airways before making their way towards the first-class lobby. Neither of them said anything, preferring to take solace in the contented silence between them rather than wager a conversation that still didn't have any fate. Ranveer could sense that the thoughts in his mind were the same ones echoing through Ishaani's own too.

The flight had barely taken off when both of them succumbed to the sleep that had been enticing them ever since they woke up an hour later by the lakeside. They'd remained in the other's embrace for some time before heading towards their respective rooms to freshen up, separating themselves from each other rather reluctantly. Images from the previous night kept making rounds in their minds as relived the experience of the entire night time and again until they met outside their respective cabins and headed towards the resort together.

Pulling an uninterrupted stretch of eight hours' worth of sleep, Ranveer found himself waking up first, his stomach rumbling. Looking outside the window, he realized that late evening had already fallen upon them. Having his dinner quickly while Ishaani still remained asleep in her domain, Ranveer decided to let RV have a swoop as he pulled open his laptop, quickly checking his messages and firing work-centric mails back to Sydney and Mumbai in the dozens.

Rishi and Puneet were sent above a dozen mails respectively, being informed about the merger of the two companies. The unofficial announcement to be made on the 29th morning before he and Ishaani both officiated the same on the 30th. They were further informed about the two extra undertakings of the resorts that the construction company had to sit and create a sanction budget and profile upon under Mr. Sengupta's supervision.

An special board meeting was to be held for the same on the 30th where both the empires and their interconnected activities were to be discussed, all the major issues and concerns to be addressed upon the same. Rishi and Puneet were also asked to stay back for extra hours to complete the last-minute necessary detailing for the diamond consignment to be sent across London on the 29th morning.

RV then turned his attention towards his Sydney quarters where he left Jameson and David in charge of handling the portfolios for the RV Financing Solutions. They were asked to play bearish for the time being to stabilize the portfolios with respect to the volatile markets, Jameson further asked to strengthen his draft for the portfolio policy measures to be taken for the Singhania Financing Solutions. The final draft was expected to be ready by mid-November and was to be sent over to Puneet for any further changes.

Post the Singhania take-over, RV decided to hand over the CFO position to Puneet while Rishi was to shoulder the responsibilities of being its CEO for the time being, the official documents only pending the signatures of the two men in question. Ranveer knew that it would be difficult to handle the company's current portfolio records while operating from a different country. And since he didn't have any trusted sources in the city up until his merger with the Parekh Empire, it only made sense to him to hand over the responsibility to Miss Parekh's two most promising and trusted employees.

He got into contact next with the head of the interior designing firm under his wing after going through the first blueprints of the resort to be opened in Mumbai, the one for London asked to be submitted by the twentieth of the next month. He then went through the copy of the report that the resort manager in Sydney had just sent across, noting with satisfaction that the announcements about the next two resorts opening in Mumbai and London had made its mark brilliantly. The word-of-mouth publicity making rounds fast enough and Finch was receiving several more offers from investors for the same.

He spent some time forwarding emails back and forth with Finch and Piyush simultaneously, discussing about their extension plans. Both men gave him an insight into the legal procedures to be followed for the permission and licenses to be procured for the resorts in London and Mumbai respectively. The last lot of mails were the seven different consignments he had due from his company to various parts of the world, sending David the entire plan-of-action about the same.

Waking up another four hours later just as Ranveer picked up his copy of Caffeinated Love, Ishaani looked rather lost before she realized that they were still airborne, flashing him a sheepish look before joining him. She quickly freshened up and helped herself to a late night dinner while the two of them shared a glass of whiskey each between themselves, Ranveer giving her an overview of whatever he'd done in the last four hours.

Ishaani smiled and gave him an overview of what she'd already done back in Sydney itself, informing him about the three diamond consignments she had due in the next month along with two more additions that Rishi and Puneet had informed her about in the past week. She agreed to the rest of the things he'd mapped and sketched after thick, gruelling scrutiny upon his work, questioning each and every point of his plan of action in question before giving it an approving nod.

He noted that the Miss Parekh in her was as sharp and meticulous as always, nothing distracting her.

She agreed to hold the EGM on the 30th even though she forewarned him about resistance from Mr. Sengupta, Ranveer giving her an easy smile. He had far more experience in dealing with the man in question from years of working at his Mota Babuji's firm. And watching her work with the kind of concentrated worship and attention she showed to detail, RV couldn't have been more satiated with his decision of the merger. There were yet quite a few legacies to make, the next of which would be the construction of the twentieth-fifth addition to the Greenfields Chain of Resorts along the Thames in London.

Both of them soon let the conversation tread lighter as they spent the remnant of the flight discussing several instances from their childhood, breaking into peels of laughter time and again. They couldn't help but reminisce about Baa and how much they hated the woman, Ishaani recollecting all the choicest words that she'd saved for her as a child even though they both pitied the old woman now. They waltzed ahead and recollected several long lost memories about Parekh family, each member a step ahead of the other in the madhouse.

It had been a remarkable yet maddening childhood for both of them.

And yet they couldn't help but cherish it all the more. It was the trials of the past that had led them to enjoying the fruits of the present as both of them now relived through their three weeks together, their conversation just touching upon the events of the previous night when the plane landed. Both of them had a sweet smile plastered upon their faces as they left the exquisite Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport hand-in-hand, the time difference giving them a five-and-a-half hour leverage. They caught the next train to Surat, reaching Ranveer's house in questions minutes after midnight.

Ishaani had opted to lodge at a hotel, the thought of living with his parents under the same roof petrifying even though it was just for a night. His parents had been warm enough to her when she'd met them six months ago; but then again, there was a difference between a two-minute meet and actually staying with them and interacting with them. Ranveer, however, didn't hear another word of protest as he convinced her to lodge at his place for the night, promising her that it was just for a couple of hours until their work was done and they'd catch the afternoon train to Mumbai.

And so they now stood at the threshold of the Vaghela Mansion with Ranveer swinging open the door, gesturing her to enter the house first. Ishaani gave him a hesitant look but obliged nonetheless. The house remained dead silent, not a single soul in sight as Ranveer shut the door behind him.

Ishaani fell upon the sofa tiredly and let her eyes dart around the house, taking in its simplistic approach that reminded her of how simple his parents were. She further recollected several instances from their childhood when she would often laugh with her Kailash Kaka upon Ranveer's miser-like nature. She'd been his pet, his father always buying her treats time and again whenever he'd bring something for Ranveer. She wondered how it was going to be after all these years as Ranveer left her to her thoughts, walking into the kitchen to bring them both a glass of water to drink.

Ishaani had barely freed her feet of the stiletto when she heard a pair of keys scrape into the lock outside the door, her neck snapping towards the direction of the sound. Moments later a peal of laughter reached her ears as the door opened to reveal Amba and Kailash, unaware about the presence of the newcomers. The moment their eyes fell upon Ishaani, their laughter ceased abruptly while the latter shot up from the sofa, looking flabbergasted.

"Ish- Ishaani? What are you doing here? How did you-" began Amba, looking a mixture of alarmed and bewildered. Her question was answered moments later when Ranveer entered the living room with two glasses of water in his hand. The glasses nearly slipped away from his grip when his eyes fell upon his parents, who both looked bamboozled by the presence of the last two people they were expecting to meet in that moment.

"Maa, Baba... I thought the two of you must be asleep."

"No, we had to attend a function as chief guests. What's going on?" asked Amba suspiciously. Ranveer and Ishaani both looking hassled underneath the sharp scrutiny of the former's parents.

"We just returned from Sydney. We got the contract. Mota Babuji's legacy... We completed it together, both of us," exclaimed Ranveer, the exhilaration in his voice taking both Amba and Kailash aback. They had never heard him this happy in ages.

Their features instantly softened when he spoke ahead.

"The consignment will leave for London tomorrow and Ishaani and I have to authorize it at the port. So we'll be here just for tonight and leave by tomorrow afternoon."

"Since when did you start giving us surprises like these, Ranveer?" asked Kailash with emotion when he found his voice back again, looking towards his wife to see tears of happiness brim into her eyes as well. Ranveer got a gist of his parents' reaction and shot them a guilty look.

Feeling out of place in the equation, Ishaani stuttered into speech.

"Kaki, I-I'm sorry. I told him that he shouldn't have brought me here but he didn't listen. I'm sure that I'll find a room in a hotel even now-"

"Nonsense! You're going to stay with us. And there's to be no arguments on that," added Amba sternly when Ishaani made to argue again, the latter falling silent when all of them gave her a decisive look.

Relieved that the tension had dissipated, Ranveer walked over to his parents and pulled them into a warm hug that exuded a love they'd been starving for years now. Ishaani watched the scene with nostalgia, recollecting the time she'd hugged her parents and Disha the same way upon her seventeenth birthday. She had been content in the warm embrace of her small family, all the happiness of her world infused into that one moment up till then. But it was for the first time that she realized the kind of happiness Ranveer had experienced upon that sight truly.

It was the exact euphoria she felt burst into her heart in that minute.

Separating from the hug as Amba planted a kiss upon Ranveer's forehead, she turned to look at Ishaani, overwhelmed.

"Thank you for bringing our son back home, Ishaani. Forgive our astonishment upon seeing you here, but our son is the biggest surprise for us tonight," she added while shooting Ranveer a curious look, who in turn looked embarrassed.

"Maa!"

"Amba, let the children rest," interrupted Kailash, coming to Ranveer's defense the moment Amba was going to retort.

Both mother and son turned their attention towards Kailash, who had a satiated smile upon his face at the sight of the happy banter, something his eyes had been deprived of since years now. Kailash and Amba managed to steal away a momentary glass before the former turned his attention towards Ranveer and Ishaani, who were waiting for him to speak ahead.

"They must have had an exhausting day. Amba, take Ishaani over to the guest room and make her comfortable. Ranveer you're room is as it is so go and rest. I hope you're not pulling a forty hour spell again," added Kailash in a reprimanding tone, eyeing Ranveer worriedly as though expecting him to collapse any minute. Ranveer rolled his eyes at his father.

"I slept for more than half of the flight's duration."

Amba and Kailash shared a second look of astonishment between them, wondering whether they were seeing some kind of fantastical hallucination. Was this was indeed the same boy who'd come to visit them three weeks ago? The change was certainly unbelievable. And this time, Kailash didn't bother to hide away a sly smile with his next remark, sounding rather amused.

"I think Amba was right after all. You are the real surprise here, not Ishaani."

"Baba! Why are you standing there? Come in!"

Kailash gave him a smile as he entered the room, shutting the door behind him. Ranveer sat near the window with a glass of country liquor in his hand, its bottle upon the table along with another empty glass. He was expecting his father to drop in. Kailash took a seat and poured himself a generous measure, diluting the contents of his glass with some water before taking a sip from it. Ranveer watched his father smack his lips in appreciation, a amused smile crossing upon his own face.

"Ah, you'll never leave the country liquor now, will you?" remarked Ranveer as both father and son sat in peace, staring away at the moon that was a crescent in the sky tonight. Kailash chuckled.

"It's tradition to share it with you."

Ranveer smiled to himself as he took another sip from his undiluted glass of liquor, recollecting the last time the two of them had shared a drink. It had been a different world altogether back then. Three weeks had changed a lot even though the dilemma still persisted. Through his thoughts cut through his father's voice, catching Ranveer's attention fully.

"How did it all happened?" asked Kailash, eyeing Ranveer in all earnest. The latter sighed, giving the question a deep thought. He realized that it was something he didn't possess an answer to either.

"I don't know, really. Magic, miracle, opportunity... I don't know. Maybe Ishaani is what happened," added Ranveer at length when Kailash gave him a bewildered look. The older man's features relaxed at the intriguing reply.

"Tell me all about it, then."

Ranveer let out a deep breath, wondering from where to begin now that so much had happened. Taking a couple of minutes as he organized his thoughts and the sequence of events, Ranveer took his father through the entire three-week journey in as crisp a detailing as he could without leaving any of the key points. He blitzed upon the events of the previous night in a singular, vague sentence but Kailash understood the rest. Coming to the end of his narrative after nearly half an hour and two more glasses of country liquor on either side, Ranveer brought his tale to an end.

"And no matter how much I try, I cannot believe that these three weeks were a part of my life, Baba. I never believed that I could ever feel this happy ever again after that night. And then there was last night... These three weeks have been just like a dream with all kinds of ups and downs," confessed Ranveer not unlike a child and Kailash gave him a fatherly smile. His son may have changed in several ways but the innocence rooted deep in his heart remained as unscathed as ever. He'd just forgotten to tap that side of his heart in the light of the world's atrocities.

"I knew this would happen someday," spoke Kailash in a quiet whisper after some time, wondering whether the trials of his son's life were finally to draw to an end with the dawn breaking out in the form of Ishaani's re-entrance. Ranveer sighed.

"And you were right, impossible as it seems. Both you and Maa were," remarked Ranveer honestly, both father and son sharing a look of common understanding. He knew that his mother must have definitely told his father about the conversation they had shared in his room three weeks ago. Kailash patted Ranveer's hand, eyeing Ranveer sagely through his oval spectacles.

"We've seen life. We know."

"And yet life is something no one can really trust..." countered Ranveer suddenly as the haze of alcohol began to take over, his thoughts suddenly flowing much freer while his tongue didn't feel too restrained anymore. Kailash eyed his son pensively, sensing his distress even through the contentment upon his face.

"Ranveer, would you mind if I asked you something?"

"Baba, since when did you become so formal with me? If anyone has the right to tell me anything upon my face, it has always been you," replied Ranveer, knowing that his father had sensed his distress. Kailash pondered upon how best to frame his question before deciding to put it forth in the simplest way.

"The two of you are madly in love and it's obvious that the two of you have acknowledged it as well. She's willing to give this a second chance by making amends with you. Are you willing to give this a second chance?"

"I want to," replied Ranveer after a pause, staring at the moon with his lips slightly parted. He knew that the conversation was going to head this way ever since he began narrating the incidents from the past three weeks.

"I asked if you are willing to, not if you want to. There's a difference between the two," remarked Kailash, sensing the hesitation in Ranveer's tone. He frowned.

"I made her an equal owner in the RV Empire, Baba. What does that tell you?" snapped Ranveer as he turned to look at his father, who in turn noticed the turbulent look upon Ranveer's face. 

He'd touched a sore point.

"That's RV's look out. He sees the profit he can derive from a deal and so can Miss Parekh, as you put it to me. I'm talking about Ranveer here. You asked her for time until you leave for Sydney, not knowing when the two of you will meet next. Though there's a professional linkage now, the chances have gone up a lot higher. But that's not the concern here. What matters is whether you are willing to trust life, your love for Ishaani and above all, yourself to give the two of you a second chance."

Ranveer remained silent for several minutes, contemplating how best to answer the question. He found himself incapable of making a call even after all this time, the masochist in him enjoying the slow process of dangling mid-air rather than choosing between a yes and a no.

"I don't know, Baba," he replied at long last. "It's something that both Ishaani and myself have been thinking about, but we haven't spoken about it yet."

"You still have a foot holding you back then," pointed out Kailash, the look upon his face growing grimmer. He realized that the equation between them had grown a lot more complicated than he'd expected it to, courtesy of their ruthless past that had messed them up in more ways than he'd have liked to admit.

"Maybe I do."

"Then it's about time that you make up your mind. Either put both your feet behind and stand firm on a no or else take the leap and fly free with a yes. You can't keep going on like this. It's unfair upon you and even more so upon Ishaani. You cannot spend the rest of your life stuck like this."

Ranveer turned to look at his father, feeling a strange weight press upon his heart. What his father had just said was true. And yet, only he and Ishaani knew the pain of the battles they were fighting within themselves.

"It's not easy, Baba. You know it all and you've seen me live through it all. I'd forgotten what it felt like to be emotionally dependent upon someone, to love them, to care of them, to make someone the center of your universe again. And it didn't even take three weeks for all of that to return again with Ishaani, throwing me back into that phase where my life was centered only around her, nothing else."

"Then what's stopping you from letting go?"

"Experience. The wounds have begun to heal, but the scars are not going to fade away so soon," replied Ranveer, both of them staring at each other with mirrored obstinacy. Kailash gave his son a rueful smile.

"If that's what you're waiting for, it's not going to happen. The scars of a lifetime are only washed away by death. You learn to live with the scars eventually. You cherish what you have while life teaches you and strengthens you for what lies ahead. You cannot live in the lifelong fear of losing her because we are all supposed to leave one day."

"It sounds beautiful but it's a terrible monster in reality. Death," emphasized Ranveer when Kailash looked puzzled. The latter gave Ranveer a keen look.

"It's the harsh truth, son. You, out of all people, should understand this better than the rest."

"Maybe I understand it a little too well. From both perspectives," added Ranveer and father and son sighed, realizing that for his twenty-nine years of age, he had been through the woes of a lifetime. But it had to change, Kailash knew. He had to let go.

"Life's giving you a second chance, Ranveer. What you and Ishaani have shared in these three weeks is not something everyone are gifted with. You may disagree and call it an opportunity, but it doesn't change the fact that it is a second chance. A chance that nobody can dare to dream about even in their wildest of dreams because it's miraculously rare. Not everyone are as lucky as the two of you."

"Lucky or unlucky," countered Ranveer and Kailash gave him a shrewd look.

"There's a right time for everything. Maybe that night wasn't the right time because you still had to offer you dues to the society and go a long way in life. Maybe now is."

"The cost of success was definitely not worth the pain."

"Nothing comes free of cost, Ranveer. Remember that," remarked Kailash, the look upon his face now solemn. Ranveer continued to stare at his father pensively, taken back to the time when his Mota Babuji had told him the same thing. Kailash continued.

"You have to pay the price for everything you seek, everything you choose. That's the rule. Whether the price is fair or not, you have to pay for it. Especially success."

"So what are you trying to say?" asked Ranveer as he leaned forward into his chair, getting the gist of what his father was trying to imply. Kailash smiled.

"Trust. Trust God to do what's best for you while you take the leap. I cannot assure you a lifetime of happiness if you let go and give Ishaani a second chance. After everything you've told me, it is obvious that both of you are too damaged to hope for a normal life. But that doesn't mean that you can't try. If you don't take the leap, how will you find out what life has in store of you? It's not an answer going to be spoonfed. The two of you will have to explore it together. You can't make her live in a delusion that you'll let go someday because that day will never truly come unless and until you work towards it."

"Not all fairy tales have a happy ending, Baba," stated Ranveer, the fear and pain in his voice making Kailash sigh woefully.

"And none of those fairy tales were written upon a bed of roses either. They fought tooth and nail for it. And there is no such thing as a happy ending, son. You have to strive and strive harder day after day to make it a happy ending, until the end. And if you can do that without giving up on each other and always being by the other's side in good times and bad times, by overcoming your differences by compromising and sacrificing, by finding happiness even after years of togetherness while the love between you remains as fresh at the end as it was in the beginning, that's your happy ending."

"What if it doesn't work out, though?" asked Ranveer beseechingly. Kailash felt a lump rise in his throat before he let practicality take over again.

"Nobody can guarantee you a happy ending, Ranveer. Certainly not after the past you and Ishaani have had. But that doesn't mean that you'll shy away from trying because you're too afraid to fall. How will you learn to fly if you never fall, Ranveer?"

"It's not like I've not fallen, Baba. It just wasn't pretty."

"Mota bhai always said that the most precious of diamonds had to always go through the harshest of fires. Maybe that's true for you and Ishaani, and your untold stories. Maybe to meet at the horizon and make your story that extraordinary, the two of you had through go through this. It's not been easy upon any of us to watch you suffer like this either. So it's not just about the two of you. I do believe that there's a promise about the future, yes. But you will have to work for it just like the way you've worked relentlessly for everything else since you were fourteen and wanted to turn your life around entirely."

"So there is hope then, you believe?" asked Ranveer, his eyes suddenly sparkling upon the words of his father. His father had never lied to him before because he always believed in putting across the facts. Ranveer couldn't help but wonder why he sought for a childish assurance from his father in that moment, but it felt good nonetheless. Kailash patted Ranveer's hand once again before speaking.

"There's always hope, Ranveer. I think you've described hope the best as an adolescent who'd experienced its power. Give it a good thought and come to a firm decision by day after. I won't force you into anything, but I've put my views and the facts before you. What path you choose to act upon is all upon you at the end of the day."

When Ranveer continued to absorb the words his father had just spoken to him, Kailash decided to make one last point.

"Home is where the heart is. So welcome back home. All along, it was the moon where your heart always found its sense of belonging in. So wherever she goes, that will become your home."

"Shadows do not forget the light that make them, Baba," confessed Ranveer as he flashed his father a small smile, the old man caressing his hair lovingly. Both of them continued to sip upon their drinks for some time before Ranveer found his thoughts stuck upon one point.

"Remember how you always told me that all relationships were like a delicate glass? That if shattered, it would never fix again, atleast-"

"-not without the cracks, I remember," completed Kailash as Ranveer drained the remnants of his glass in one go, turning to look at his father worriedly now.

"How would you continue to keep looking at it then?"

"A shattered glasses provides you with several reflections of a relationship, Ranveer," replied Kailash after the elapsing of a few minutes, during which he carefully structured the answer in his mind after giving his question a good thought. Ranveer made to speak when Kailash beat him to it.

"A plain glass often misses perspective because it shows you what's on face value. A distorted glass shows you the reality more often than not."

"Rahiman dhaga prem ka, mat todo chitkaye... Toote pe fir na jure, jure gaanth pari jaaye..." quoted Ranveer the renowned verse from poet Rahim Das' famous piece of poetry that made its way into his mind.

Kailash suddenly found himself unable to control his laughter as he let his lips twitch into a smile, Ranveer cocking an eyebrow at his father. He could suddenly see how Ranveer had fought against all odds and had become RV - he was as strong-headed as ever and wouldn't back down, no matter what. But the wisdom of age was where he had an edge upon his son, and so he voiced his own perspective upon the same.

"The knot is what always binds you, reminding you of what you've faced. Every knot is a mark of what you've overcome in life and in a relationship, strengthening the bond," added Kailash eyeing Ranveer lovingly.

Ranveer eyed his father with new-found respective, seeing his father's perspective with a lot more clarity. He only had one last question lingering upon his mind now. If his father gave him the answer to that, he knew what was to be done next.

"Doesn't it make you bleed more, holding on harder?" he asked in reference to the knots as Kailash drained his own glass, eyeing his son with interest. This time, he didn't have to struggle for a response; Ranveer had answered his at long last. Kailash relaxed back into his chair, pulling the game of chess to a close with a checkmate.

"And that's why you should know when to let go. Because when you senselessly hold on to something for too long, it makes you bleed to the point where it doesn't feel worth the pain anymore."

Ranveer opened his mouth to speak several times even though no words escaped his lips. His father knocked him out at his own game and the smile that he now wore a satisfied upon his face was proof. After the passage of five whole minutes, during which Ranveer helped himself to yet another glass, he found only one word to express it all.

"Extraordinary."

"And that's enough for tonight," scolded Kailash when Ranveer picked up the bottle to pour himself a fifth round. He was about to protest when he found himself silenced by his father's stern look. Getting up from his seat the moment the clock struck two in the morning, Kailash picked up the bottle alongside while Ranveer turned to look at his father rather sleepily, unable to stifle a yawn.

"It's good to see that Ishaani has managed to rid you of the insomnia and make you sleep like a normal human being. It's already two in the morning, so I won't take any more of your time now."

"Baba, how can you even say that?" asked Ranveer in a reproachful tone as he stood up and yawned again. Kailash pulled his son into a hug.

He shut his eyes, thanking the Almighty for returning his son to him after all those years of pain and isolation that his son had subjected himself to. The genuine smile upon Ranveer's face had been priceless when he'd recounted about his three week experiences. It was something Kailash had drunk in greedily for it was a sight for sore eyes.

And in that moment he knew that just on the basis of the fact that Ishaani had managed to do the impossible by bringing his son's smile back again, she would help his scars fade away eventually as well. She'd fill his life with the colours and happiness that he'd remained devoid of for so many years in his life. And he truly believed in his heart that if any two people deserved a second chance, it was both of them.

Separating from the hug, he gave Ranveer a quick kiss upon his forehead.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about you. We can talk the whole night, but I've had an exhausting day and I'm quite sleepy as well. After all, you Baba isn't growing any younger now, is he?"

Ishaani sat upon her bed, going through some files when a door knock caught her attention. She smiled politely who her eyes fell upon Amba, who wore a small smile upon her face. Beckoning her to enter the room as stood up in respect, Ishaani waited for the older woman to take a seat upon the bed before she sat beside her, the air suddenly awkward.

"I hope that I'm not disturbing you."

"Ofcourse not, Kaki!" squeaked Ishaani, feeling the tension build within her again.

Amba had given Ishaani the spare room they had, quickly giving her a feel of the room before leaving her to get settled. She had just finished changing up into a baggy t-shirt and pajamas when Amba had returned once again with a glass of milk in her hand, which she politely accepted.

"How was the trip?" asked Amba, Ishaani instantly realizing that she was making light conversation.

"Tiring, but it's been eventful. We had to fly over to London first to confirm the deal and then Ranveer took me to Sydney for four days," she replied, fidgeting with her fingers. Amba pulled her hand into her own.

"Finch told me about everything that happened in Mumbai," she confessed and Ishaani gasped, flushing heavily. She should have expected this to happen. She knew that after Ranveer had pushed away everybody he held dear post Ritika's death, his parents would keep tabs on him through Finch.

Seeing that she had the gist of whatever had happened notwithstanding the technicalities, she felt that what had happened between herself and Ranveer was a confession due when it came to their professional lives even though she didn't know why.

"He offered 50% of his empire's stakes to me in exchange of 51% of the Parekh Empire's stakes that were already in his name as a part of Papa's will, like Greg must have told you," she confessed, waiting for Amba's response rather anxiously. The surprise upon the older woman's face was evident as she eyed Ishaani pensively, the latter feeling her blood turn cold under her scrutiny.

"What did you do?" asked Amba at length, the look upon her face unfathomable.

"I accepted the offer."

"You don't sound too happy about it," remarked Amba when she noticed Ishaani's features turn pale, her eyes lowered as she chose to stare at her fingers. She pulled her chin up tenderly, Ishaani instantly noticing that her gaze was kind, not accusatory.

"I don't know, Kaki. Ranveer deserved the 51% share in the Parekh Empire because he's worked hard for it. He even sold me back 1% of it to equal the odds! But I don't find myself worthy of owning 50% of the RV Group of Companies, whatever he may say," she admitted, a knowing look making its way upon the older woman's face. She understood what was going on in Ishaani's mind.

"Why?"

"I'm still learning and improving. He's at his peak," replied Ishaani, eyeing the woman in earnest. Amba smiled faintly.

"From what he's told me, you're much, much better than that," began Amba, and Ishaani realized that she was talking about Finch, not Ranveer. Amba confirmed as much when she continued.

"I spoke to Greg a couple of days back. He gave me quite the picture about what was happening back in Mumbai. You saved him from going to jail and saved your father's legacy by fulfilling it. But more importantly, you destroyed Chirag and made him pay for his sins. It takes courage to stand upon your feet the way you have after the kind of past you've been through, Ishaani. You deserve every bit of what Ranveer has made you a part of because you've fought tooth and nail for every single thing in your life. It's why you don't feel yourself worthy of owning 50% of his empire. You are not used to getting things easy in your life - be it the love of a father or a family or even Ranveer."

Ishaani listened on to Amba in silence, awestruck at the gentility and understanding in her tone. She had been expecting something else entirely. She had expected Amba to be cold and indifferent, infuriated that Ranveer had taken such a step even though his professional life didn't concern her. But after everything that had happened, Ishaani was sure that Amba would be disapproving of her presence in his life. And yet she sat beside her with a smile upon her face, the kindness still intact even though her gaze remained as stern as always, evaluating all the facts for what they were without camouflaging or sugar-coating anything.

Ishaani wondered whether the world had gone crazy. Or had she?

"I was so sure that you'd hate me when you'd find out about what happened between Ranveer and myself that night," remarked Ishaani, making the second confession. Amba stared at her keenly, the line of her mouth going stiff.

"He's never told me about it. He's not given anyone the details about it. Not even Greg, Monica or even Ritika. Everyone has a vague picture about it but only the two of you know what happened that night. Obviously I resented that fact that you broke my son's heart the way you did even though I could see this coming years ago. I was even more bitter about the fact that you left him in a rut. And yet I couldn't hate you."

"Why?" asked Ishaani, the astonishment in her tone as evident as that upon her face, her jaw now fallen open. Amba sighed, trying to embark upon the journey of an answer she'd spent years trying to find even though she'd turned up empty-handed every single time. She tried to seek for an answer nonetheless.

"Something felt off. As though something was missing my eye all along. It felt frustrating to not be able to hate you even though I knew that you were the direct cause of my son's suffering in all these years. When I saw you six months ago, my suspicions were confirmed. And then Greg gave me all the blocks the day you had Chirag arrested. It did not justify what you did to my boy and neither did it justify your impulsive behaviour that cost both of you your lives but it made sense. And I couldn't have felt my heart go out to you more when I realized how sickening it was what you were put through. I wouldn't pray that even upon my worst enemy."

"Neither would I. But it was a price that I had to pay for breaking Ranveer's heart, I guess. Karma," emphasized Ishaani while Amba gave her a sympathetic look.

"It was circumstances, Ishaani. It's in the past."

"What if my past doesn't leave me?" asked Ishaani suddenly, the overwhelming pain and guilt in her voice catching Amba's attention immediately. She looked at the bereft girl worriedly whose pain exuded from her eyes in the form of tears.

"Your past stays with you for as long as you hide in it. The day you leave the shadow of your past, it'll never haunt you again. It's what I've done. If Ranveer comes to me today and tells me that he wants to marry you and decides to have a future with you, I'd accept you with open arms-"

"-because he loves me, not because you want to. And I don't blame you because nobody would in your place after knowing what I did to him," countered Ishaani and Amba gasped, the bluntness and self-reproach in her tone making her heart bleed for the girl. The older woman knew that it was about time that she cleared away some misconceptions.

"That's where you're wrong. I would accept you with open arms because I know that whatever may have been the case earlier, you are the best thing that's happened to him. Three weeks ago when my son stepped upon this threshold for the first time in six and a half years, he was a dead man with no hope, someone who steadily made his way closer towards death every single day. Today, he's a different person altogether - someone who is alive, someone who has hope, someone who has a smile. I'd lost hope to see all of that in all these years. And yet it's all there today because of you, I can see that."

"I didn't-" began Ishaani, but Amba continued nonetheless.

"You make him happier than any of us could, Ishaani. So yes, I would definitely accept you with open arms because if he is happy, then I am happy. Besides, both your Kailash Kaka and I have seen you since you were a child. We know what kind of a person you are, and how much love and respect you hold in that heart of yours for the people you truly love. The other members of the household may have been fiends but you and Maalik have always been there for my Ranveer. So I know."

Ishaani sat in silence as she absorbed everything that was being said, her heart overwhelmed by the respect she was receiving. It somehow only increased the burden of guilt upon her heart.

"And what if something goes wrong? Neither of us want a marriage as of now but say we do get married... What if we can't let go even then? What if our past comes in between us?" asked Ishaani, wondering whether she'd gone too fast even though Amba didn't look perturbed with her question. She just looked resigned as though Ishaani had stated a fact that she'd long since accepted as something she couldn't change, no matter what.

"A mother is never wrong, Ishaani. Ranveer tried arguing against this the last time he came here before setting for Mumbai, so he knows better now. You cannot carry the weight of your past all the time because it will kill you eventually. Life is too short to live in the past, Ishaani. Let go of it and live in the present, especially when the two of you have a second chance and a promising future."

"I'm willing to give this a second chance, but he isn't," admitted Ishaani impulsively, regretting it almost immediately. She could sense the older woman's eyes scan her own not unlike an X-Ray.

"And yet I can see the hesitance to let go of the past in your eyes, not his."

"I want to forget my past. Forget about Chirag, his existence and the fact that he entered my life. Atleast temporarily until I can get over the pain and the guilt and move on from it all," spoke Ishaani truthfully, not concerned about where the conversation was headed. She needed to talk about this to a person who could give her problem another perspective, and perhaps a solution as well. And there was no better person than Amba to do it.

"Ishaani, the experiences and scars of the past make us who we are. Do you think it's worth forgetting it? Won't it take away the meaning of your life up until now, every single battle you've fought to reach this point today?" Ishaani pondered upon the question for sometime before shutting her eyes, describing her turmoil and her heart's deepest desire in as simple as language as she could through the never-ending abyss of guilt.

"Wounds heal, but the scars always remain. I just want to forget about its existence, Kaki. That won't mean that the scars won't exist or the pain won't cease. I just won't know why they're there. The pain I can still live with. The guilt I can't."

Amba nodded her head in understanding, letting a few moments pass before speaking again. Her eyes now boring into Ishaani's own worried ones with the power of sagacity that life brought along with the experience of living.

"Life is not a bed of roses, Ishaani. We are all fighting our battles, and so are you."

"It isn't, that's true. It's wishful thinking and the precise reason it's taking both of us time to let go."

"Remember one thing - the human mind will always seek for answers it's not meant to know. Say that you forget about Chirag and everything related to him while you retain all the other experiences from these eight years. Your mind will seek for the blank spots eventually." Ishaani heard on in silence, knowing that the older woman was right. And yet the guilt in her writhed agonizingly.

"Maybe. Maybe not. But if it lets the guilt fall away, it's worth it."

"That's something that comes from self-acceptance. The day you reach the point where you can accept your past for what it was, the existence of the scars won't matter either. It's a gradual process, and one day you'll understand," replied Amba as the clock moved its hands along to ten minutes to two.

She stood up from the bed gracefully while Ishaani did the same, the older woman pulling her into a soft hug that Ishaani found herself melting into within seconds. It was the hug of a mother she had not experienced in six years. She silently let a couple of tears fall, the droplets instantly getting soaked away by Amba's nightgown. Separating away from the hug as Amba patted her cheek and wiped away her tears kindly, Ishaani took her hands into her own, feeling a rush of affection for the older woman.

"Thank you, Kaki. I guess I did need this perspective," she whispered gratuitously. Amba smiled, nodding her head in satisfaction.

"I'm glad that I could help. Thank you for bringing back my son, Ishaani. Especially that smile upon his face. You don't how happy you've made me today. May God always bless you and keep you happy. And listen to all your prayers, ofcourse," added Amba with a smile and Ishaani let out a small chuckle. Both the women smiled at each other comfortably, their eyes glistening with love for the one man who was the center of their worlds.

"That smile is what makes this world worth living in, Kaki. I had to bring it back from the dead along with him," spoke Ishaani when Amba was about to leave the room, making her stop in her tracks. Ishaani sat upon the bed just as Amba turned around, a strangely tranquil smile upon her face. Her heart had found its satisfactory answer in her statement.

"You're terribly, madly and irrevocably in love with him now, aren't you?"

In silence spoke Ishaani's answer the loudest as the two women continued to stare at each other, the aura of love around Ishaani treasured by Amba. She no longer felt worried about her son for the first time in all those years. Even though she knew that Amba wasn't expecting an answer to the obvious, Ishaani sought to confess one last thing for tonight before the conversation drew to a close.

"Ranveer always tells me that the shadow can never forget the light that makes it. But the truth is - there isn't any light if there is no shadow to silently accompany it."

Constructive criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for any typos. :D :D

Next chapter:
Chapter 26