Chapter 15: Epilogue – Seven years later
When he saw the first patch of prominent gray, he had freaked out and had shown it to his wife in sheer panic. She had asked her youngest son to call him "grand pa" which had made him even more annoyed. But knowing Nikki, it was something he had to expect rather than sympathy and pity. They were the first amongst the group to live together first and finally get married. Nikki, the teen alcoholic had had severe panic attack when Abhi proposed to make their living together arrangement permanent. It had taken all of Riddhima's intelligence to shut her up and convince her that Abhi was not like Nikki's step father. After three days of much contemplation and arguments Nikki finally left Riddhima's room and agreed Abhi's proposal. There was nothing grand about their wedding but a simple exchange of signatures. Nikki had lost all hope and faith in the institution of marriage after seeing her own mother's failed marriage so she had blatantly refused for anything other than a registered one. Abhi still remembered his wedding day as if it had only happened yesterday. The group had presented them a collective gift which was cruise along the river Danube as in autumn it was a beautiful experience. Right after they signed their names and were declared officially married, all their pagers had gone berserk. There was an incident in the city which brought truck load of injured people to the hospitals. So they had to cancel the wedding lunch and the vacation and went back to work. "We can go some other time", Nikki had said as she changed her wedding attire to scrubs. The entire hospital had stared at the new bride and groom who were in scrubs after two hours being married tending to people. After eighteen hours of grueling with patients Armaan had tugged Nikki's ponytail and told her that he was very proud of her. She had given him a tired smile and had held back on sassy come back.
When Nikki refused Abhi's initial proposal without much of an explanation, the entire group had felt the coldness that had sprung between them. It was only then Abhi could fathom the amount of hatred she had had for the institution of marriage and things that she had seen as a young girl. The impact had been too deep for them to fix it overnight. He finally asked her if she was ready to live with him and bear the grunt of raised eyebrows of the conservatives. Her instantaneous "yes" had surprised and shocked him and rendered speechless. She had gone back to work as if he had asked her out for a dinner and immediately hunted for a real estate agent. Conservatives were not only in the society but also in the group. Muskaan and Atul had refused the idea of living together as a good move while the others supported them in their decision.
"We are not culturally that advanced to accept something as living together so openly Nikki", Muskaan the city bred girl but brought up in a strict orthodox environment had said. She didn't understand the reasoning behind Nikki's hesitancy as living together after having a marriage certificate didn't make much of a difference. But for someone who understood the difference like Nikki did, it was a drastic life changing decision. But Muskaan hadn't made a big deal out of it and said that she would accept whatever decision Nikki made purely for her sake as her friend irrespective of where her beliefs lay. Atul however was more vocal than Nikki and had explained clearly what he thought about the arrangement.
"I don't like your decision guys but like Muskaan I will support you in every way. The way you have your reasons of being together, I have mine for not seeing the same perspective." Nikki had hugged Atul for his support and Abhi had mouthed a thank you. It wasn't always important for people to expect their friends to believe in the same thing as they did. Even if the perspectives changed as far as they had the support of friends and family, it was all okay because if anything did go wrong then they could always rely on their friends to lean on and again walk straight.
"It will not be easy. People will talk, taunt and perhaps even hurt you in the process. Not everyone is open-minded or have same perspective as yours. I for one don't care if you are married or living together as far as you guys are honestly committed to each other. If you are ready to face the society then go ahead with this arrangement." Armaan had told them.
After living together and finally getting married, their life had settled down with three kids – two adopted and one of their own. Not after three months of being married, Nikki had come across a woman who had drunk herself to death had left behind a boy of seven who was staring at the chaos stiffly. The boy had seen a part of life which Nikki herself had seen as a teen and she saw a reflection of herself in the boy. She was naturally drawn to the boy and after the mother's death she had talked to the boy about living with her. The little boy had accepted as he had no relatives to go and after one year living together with Abhi and Nikki, the couple had formally adopted the boy. Being a mother to a growing boy had toned down Nikki's attitude a notch but she was still herself when it came to teasing Armaan. Nikki's vanity wasn't something unknown to any of them. When she delivered her daughter she was worried that she looked like a hag when people came to visit her.
"What rubbish are you talking about? At this moment you are the most beautiful woman in the world", Atul had told her holding her daughter. Nikki looked around the room to see the people who started out as friends who now she referred as family. She smiled at Atul's and Anjali's antics as they played with her daughter. Rahul and Muskaan had flown in to meet with new mom and new papa to wish them happiness personally. She was happy. And that's all mattered in the end.
After Rahul came to know about the things his father did for Armaan when Armaan's family died, he had seen a side of his father which he never knew existed. His father was a strict disciplinarian who had brought his son with proper moral conduct and strong principles. As years wore his body down, Rahul had become aloof to the words of his father and led the life he wanted. It wasn't as if he had wayward way of lifestyle but it wasn't as tied down as his father initially planned out for him. Once in medical school, his routine visits to home lessened as years progressed and finally they completely stopped. He spoke to his family regularly but didn't visit them as much as they wished he would. The iciness which the father-son duo sported was not missed on his mother or his sister.
He spoke to his father as a son would drop the entire formal premise and gushing like a young boy would after listening to Armaan's story. That day the million mile distance between the father and son had reduced to only few yards and they had spoken for couple of hours. The relationship that a father and son have is truly unique in its own sense. The elder one knows exactly what the younger one is going through and once the son is fully grown adult, the line which differentiates them being the father and son dims. They become more of friends where one is more experienced than the other.
Rahul realized that when he visited his hometown after years of absence. Abhi had raised his eyebrows when Rahul said that he wanted to take a long vacation. The group had assembled and prepared a gift for Rahul's family as he was visiting them after many years.
Once back home he had talked to his father as an equal would. When his father poured a drink, he averted his eyes.
"You are thirty two Rahul and you are shy about drinking with your father?" His father had asked him.
"Irrespective of my age, you still are my father. It feels odd to drink in front of you. Is that normal?" He had mused. His father had laughed at him.
"I am glad to see that years of separation hasn't changed the principles I taught you as a kid. You are not a young kid anymore Rahul. I cannot teach you anything now. I can only listen to you and give my advice. Do you understand the difference?" His father asked.
"I am sorry dad. The last time I said that your advice were ramblings of a senile man. Just because I cannot accept your point of view, I cannot say that it is wrong." Rahul formally apologized.
"Every relationship changes its dynamics with its time. It's the same with father and son too. We didn't interact enough to understand that dynamics. But it doesn't matter anymore. You are here now", his father raised his glass and clinked it with his. Rahul could only smile and acknowledge his father's intelligence.
His mother and sister were ecstatic with his return and had quizzed him endlessly. When he spoke of Muskaan his mother's eyes had misted and his sister teased him non-stop. It was then he realized the warmth of family which he had missed for this many years. He showed pictures of his friends and shared stories. When he slept in his old bedroom which his parents had maintained the exact way he had left, he choked back the tears which threatened to spill. He had missed his family immensely because of his own choices. The lost time was lost forever and he promised himself not to be careless about little things in life. He left his hometown after promising to bring Muskaan with him when he next visited.
The relationship with his father had taken time to mend. He looked more relaxed than before and his aloofness had reduced a great deal. Muskaan had noted the underlying contended feeling in his attitude and has asked him how his visit was. He had hugged for a long time and said that she would love his family. She had looked at him in surprise.
It came as a shock to everyone when Rahul announced that he wished to go back to his hometown and continue working there. He wanted to spend time with his parents and make up for the years he had missed doing so. Muskaan was quiet for the entire duration and wondered what would happen to her relationship with Rahul once he moved to a different town.
"Would you mind moving with me back to my town? We don't have a luxury in my house but we have more than enough", he had asked her during lunch. Everyone had stopped eating and listened to what Muskaan had to say.
"Are you asking to move in with you?" She asked in bewilderment.
"Yes. But I was thinking it as more of a permanent arrangement after all the formalities is taken care of, of course."
"I don't understand what you are saying Rahul", Muskaan replied.
"The idiot is proposing Muskaan." Nikki clarified for her. Muskaan had only nodded her head feverishly and giggled uncontrollably. The whole table had erupted to laughter and wished congratulations to the two. The next two months saw the two of them leaving the city permanently. With the two of them gone and Atul choosing teaching, the five of them were more than busy with their work.
Atul's decision wasn't much of a surprise for anyone since he had been vocal about his wish for a very long time. He had the talent, brilliance and patience which were needed for teaching. He still visited Shubhankar on a regular basis for therapy purposes. Healing was a slow process and the things he had gone through would haunt him for a very long time. He and Anjali had maintained status quo about whatever was between them which had irritated Riddhima to a great extent.
Anjali was the source of strength for Atul. It became very evident when there was a relapse in the therapy he was undergoing. He had remembered things which were not only not good but also extremely damaging to his psyche. His father's deeds were seen by him first hand and those memories were bombarded to him during one session which had shaken the ground beneath his feet. Abhi suggested a sabbatical for a year which was a good idea considering the things Atul had seen in flashbacks. He meekly agreed to take it and think things through or try to forget. He knew that forgetting was not an option anymore but to deal with them. He decided to spend his sabbatical with nature as working with plants had always given him a sense of serenity. He was shocked when Anjali also submitted an application for sabbatical along with him.
"I am coming with you. And the decision is not negotiable or debatable." She had said in a final tone. Atul could only nod his head in acceptance. He was truly glad that she would be coming with him. He wasn't a person who liked to be alone very much and after living alone for most part of his life, he welcomed the intrusion with open arms. Shashank and Padma were more than surprised at her decision but looking at her determined face they had agreed. Armaan had made arrangements for both of them to lead a comfortable life in the new place they were going. When Armaan told Padma that he had found two apartments based on needs and personalities of Atul and Anjali in the town they were living in, Padma had let out a sigh of relief. Anjali would work in a local hospital temporarily while Atul worked in a greenhouse. It was an arrangement which suited everyone and kept everyone happy.
The sabbatical had changed the two people who were away from family and friends for the entire year. Atul's stay away from the normalcy and working with plants had made him more determined to take teaching as a profession. Anjali had seen the other part of being a doctor where she was forced to work with minimal resources in a under developed environment. She spoke to Armaan often asking him for advice and trying to deal with the problems which arose because of lack of education and blind superstition. Her attitude towards work had greatly changed for the better and she had developed an aura of a person who had seen the drab side of life. Shashank and Padma were proud of their daughter and the way she took decisions and made the best out of it.
"I have always seen you as my son Atul. It is time you come back home", Shashank had said to Atul. Atul had looked at Shashank in surprise. The two of them were back from sabbatical and started their work in the city. Atul was visiting Guptas for dinner along with Armaan. Atul knew that Shashank was his benefactor during his younger days and had always looked up to him. He wondered if he was misunderstanding whatever Shashank was saying. Anjali beamed at her father and Riddhima clapped like a little girl. Apparently he hadn't misunderstood Shashank's words.
"Okay", he had replied. Nikki and Riddhima teased Atul endlessly about lack of courage to propose to Anjali which had finally made Shashank lose his patience and do it himself. Atul had gone back to his bumbling bee mode around Anjali and Anjali's annoyance returned tenfold. Once married, Atul lived along with Guptas and finally lived with a family which he could call his own. The first night he spent in Anjali's house had kept him awake for most part of the night. When Anjali asked him about his sleeplessness, he had replied, "It was the first night I spent with my family. I was too excited to fall asleep." Anjali's eyes had hazed over his answer. As Riddhima had already moved out married to Armaan, Anjali missed her sister immensely. She was never verbal about it but Atul found her sometimes hovering in Riddhima's old room looking at random objects spread across the room.
It hadn't come as surprise when Armaan finally proposed to Riddhima. When they broke news to Shashank and Padma, Shashank had looked disappointed and Padma extremely elated. Riddhima was surprised at her father's reaction.
"Oh, I am not unhappy about the news. It wasn't something we weren't expecting. Padma and I had a bet about when Armaan was going to propose which I horribly lost." Her father replied. Riddhima didn't know how to respond for few minutes.
"You bet on me and Armaan?" Riddhima asked huffily. Padma who was counting money replied.
"Come on Riddhima. There is actually a betting pool going on in hospital. Nikki and I are going to win big money." Riddhima could only stare at her mother in surprise while Armaan looked amused.
"There is even a betting pool at hospital? I cannot believe this. Dad, why did you encourage this?" Riddhima turned to her father.
"Whose idea do you think was it in the first place?" Padma smirked. Riddhima sighed.
"But we are very happy for you two. Now let me make that phone call", Padma practically skipped. Armaan finally let out a laugh. This was his family now. And he would not have it any other way.
She still has nightmares about her abductions. Her therapy is now not as often as it used to be. The anti depressants are reduced and Shubhankar believes that she can get off them after few months. Her screams pierces the walls of their room. He wakes up and holds her till she calms down. He hands her a glass of water and medications for emergencies like these. A sliver of light enters from the door which opens slightly. Two pairs of eyes blink at them. A little boy of five wearing superman cape and a girl carrying a teddy bear run towards their bed.
"Did the monster attack you mom? Is he still here? I will fight him", the little boy tells her swishing his cape and twirling a toy sword. The little girl, who is the boy's twin is already settled in bed and is begging her father to tell her a story. Riddhima pinched her son's cheek lifts him and places him next to her.
"The monster saw you coming to this room so he ran away." She told her son.
"If he comes again then will you wake me up?" He asks her innocently.
"I don't think he will come back tonight. Since you are here", she replies. The boy is satisfied with her answer and is asleep even before she finishes tucking him. She takes the toy sword from his hands and removes cape to get him more comfortable. She looks at Armaan over her sleeping children, wishes him a soft good night and switches off the light.
The End.
Author's Notes:The details about Armaan and Riddhima are kept to minimum in this epilogue. The whole story has Armaan and Riddhima as principal characters and they have been explored enough in past fourteen chapters. So I have made them as secondary characters in epilogue and gave space to other characters which they truly deserve.
I hope the length of the epilogue was satisfactory. Please drop in comments about what you thought of this unplanned epilogue. You may find it disconnected from rest of the chapters - both writing wise and content wise as I had not planned to write it earlier.
Edited by Ling - 15 years ago
Hindi TV Shows
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
Noyontara
