Hello guys!! The weekend is here and I took some time off to write this Epilogue. Before anything, I just want to say a big THANK YOU for taking your time to read this FF.🤗 I know that I may have upset and frustrated you guys by introducing a third character.🤪😕
I am really sorry for that. 😳 But, hey, at least, it ends well na.😉 Abhi and Pragya are reunited ❤️.. So here is the final stage of this crazy FF. I admit that it is really long, because I got carried away ☺️. But please don't mind me. Have a read and do comment if you like it. I have surprises thrown in as well 😲.. Hope you enjoy them!! ⭐️
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Epilogue I quietly entered the room. The main lights were off, but the side table lamps were on and the bed was empty. Just then, a rush of cool wind blew the curtains, making me realize that he was out in the balcony. I made my way and found him standing over the edge, gazing up at the brightly lit moon.
He didn't falter as I moved closer. I could see his face reflected in the rays of the moon, the tears were still flowing, which made my heart wrench in pain. Coming to stand next to him, I gently placed my hand over his larger one. He didn't move an inch, rooted to the ground like a dead log.
"I miss her Pragya.", he said in a quiet whisper.
Knowing that he always bottled up his feelings, I didn't say anything, but only lightly gripped his hand, hinting that I was listening.
"You know, the three of us met during college. I pursued Music, Purab did Business and she did Medicine. She loved Music, but her mother's last wish was that she became a Doctor. Her friend, had a crush on Purab when they incidentally met on an Open Day, which led to a series of comical encounters. That's how Purab and Aashi became friends. Purab didn't enjoy Music as much as Aashi, yet she would always drag him to every concert our college hosted and every inter-college music competition. We had rival groups, and it sometimes ended badly when one group lost to another, when some smarty pants insults another hot headed fool. My band, who had broken off on the way home from the group, on one such occasion, had an altercation. We were outnumbered and I was severely beaten up. You know who saved us? Purab and Aashi. Bleeding all over, the both of them helped us and brought us to Aashi's place, which was nearby. She treated all my wounds and helped me recover. It was the start of our beautiful friendship.", he said as if replaying the scenes before him.
"You know Pragya, whenever Purab and I got ourselves into mischief or trouble, Aashi was the only one who bailed us out. She was our pillar, our support system. We never cared if we faced difficult situations, because we automatically turned to her for a solution. After graduation, everything changed. We saw less of Aashi. The change was good for me, and for Purab, but I never stopped to think about Aashi. Then one day, she disappeared, returning last year to fix me and now, disappearing probably forever.", he finished and his voice cracked.
"Her letter Pragya. Her letter made me realize what a jerk I had been. Yet, she always spoke highly of me and always gave me confidence and taught me to see the good in every bad situation. Aashi taught me how to fight again, live again. But what did I do? I have only hurt her and misunderstood her. I took her for granted and now I have completely lost her!", Abhishek cried collapsing to the floor.
I crouched down next to him and held his head. He crushed his trembling body against my chest and I wrapped my arms around his muscular frame.
"I never imagined that she harbored feelings of love for me Pragya. My entry into the music industry, my overnight success which catapulted me into the walk of fame, my relationship with Tanu who was a supermodel, everything had pushed Aashi away. I never realized it, I never meant for that to happen! I always wanted her with me and when she disappeared over the horizon, I blamed her. I accused her of forgetting me and not caring about me. How wrong was I? I was the culprit, I was the one who allowed her to leave.", he said with harsh cries.
"Then she came back. I was mad at her and refused to listen to her. Working with Purab, she called the producers and convinced them for a collaboration with me. She cleaned my music studio which I had ignored and encouraged me to pick up my guitar again. I earned back my respect because of her. But, most importantly, she gave me you. She went behind my back, met you, sent you and Aunty ji overseas, kept in touch with you, brought you to Delhi and gave you back to me. You, my most precious treasure whom I had carelessly lost. Without Aashi, I would have never gotten you, Pragya. When I thought we all could be happy together living under the same roof, she left! Leaving me with just a letter, she is gone!! Her father's death, her abandonment, her brutal rape, the court proceedings, the depression and attempted suicide, everything. She had suffered so much and I was oblivious to everything!", he cried even louder, nearly shouting.
"You know the thing which hurts the most Pragya? She left thinking that I never loved her. How could she think that Pragya? It was because of me. I am the reason why she felt that way! Yes, I never saw her more than a friend, but I did love her Pragya. How am I supposed to tell her that now? I don't know where she is and how she is! She doesn't deserve this Pragya. When I can trust her, why can't she trust herself? Why did she have to leave Pragya?!! She needs to know, I need her to know that she always had my friendship and that she is not alone. She brought back my love and happiness, but she is not here to share it with me!!", Abhishek sobbed uncontrollably, holding my wrist, digging his fingers in.
I let him cry and tightened the hold on him. We stayed on the cold floor like that, for what seemed like hours. Neither I nor he said anything. After sometime, I heard a quiet snore and slow breathing, he had cried himself to sleep.
With care, so as to not wake him up, I moved back towards the wall and rested my back with his heavy body against my chest. Holding his head in one hand, I reached out for the blanket which was on the chair nearby with my other hand.
I spread it out and covered the both of us. He inched closer into my chest, and I gently caressed his back and head. Looking up at the star studded sky, I recalled everything that happened for the last one year.
I had to admit it, I loved Aashi as well. I wanted her back because I know she will never betray me. She had given me the biggest gift who was sleeping in my arms. I owe her my life, but more than that, I saw a sister in her.
How was I supposed to find her? Where do I start? If I do succeed, will she come back with me? Or will she run away further from us? Questions upon questions were flooding my mind and I had no answer, only sleep which slowly took over my senses.
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The first ray of sunshine lit my face and I felt the warmth. Fluttering my eyes open, my chest was still heavy, Abhishek was still sleeping. I peeked to look at his tear stricken face, he always slept like a child, oblivious to the problems surrounding him.
I stayed put, not wanting to wake him up until he did so himself. Just then, I felt him stir and his head move. Continuing to caress his head, I called him in a soft whisper, just like the way I used to.
"Suniye?", I said.
He froze, before looking up at me with bloodshot eyes. I smiled at him and held his cheek. A lone tear escaped his eyes.
"What did you call me?", he asked quietly, not believing what he heard.
"Suniye.", I said looking at him intently.
He parted his lips to say something, but I hushed him with my finger. I created the rift and it was only right if I fixed it.
"I know what you want to ask me. I am the one who asked for some time. But, now, I am telling you that I have already used enough time I need. I don't require any more time or space, because I have you and need you. Do you know why? Because I am still in love with you and cannot live without you anymore.", I said as I cradled him in my arms.
"Pragya?", he croaked in a dry voice.
"Pragya? Who is that? Mein Pragya nahi hai.", I said shaking my head.
"Fuggy.", he said as a smile crept to sit on his lips.
"Kya? I cannot hear you. Did you say something?", I asked again, trying to hide my smile.
"FUGGY!", he said louder and my heart soared.
His arms wrapped around my waist and placed his head on my chest, enveloping me in a tight embrace. I did the same, as I had been away from him for far too long. My body and mind yearned for him. His closeness.
"I love you Fuggy. I have missed you so much. I promise that I will never betray or hurt you again.", he said under his muffled breath.
"I love you too. Always have and always will. Accha, chalo, let's go inside.", I urged him.
"Nahi Fuggy!! I don't want to go anywhere!", he complained sounding like a baby.
"Arre, but I have something important to talk about.", I said holding his shoulder.
"It can wait.", he said refusing to listen.
"But I cannot. I want her back.", I told him remembering my angel.
He released me and sat up, facing me with curiosity. Suddenly, his expression changed and he looked away, as if guilt stabbed right through him again.
"She won't come back Fuggy.", he said as his shoulders drooped.
"Suniye, you won't know until you try.", I said gently holding his face.
"I have hurt her Fuggy, I took her for granted and I just let her slip away.", he said in a defeated voice.
"Dekha, I know what you are feeling. Your guilt is what is stopping you. But remember this, Aashi never blamed you for anything because she knew that you were not at fault. All you did was just follow your feelings and Daadi's wishes.", I told him as he looked at me.
"Suniye, I have known Aashi for only a year, yet I saw her as my own sister. Just like Bulbul. How do you expect me to pretend as if nothing mattered?", I asked him.
"Fuggy? But Aashi said that...", he trailed.
"Said what? That she still loves you? So what?", I asked him making him bewildered.
"Fuggy???", he shook his head.
"Suniye, even if the entire ocean turns to sand or this whole world turns to dust, Aashi can never betray either of us. If she was that sort of a person, we wouldn't be together now. I left you in her care for one year, she had many opportunities to use for her advantage. But she didn't. She can't and she won't. That's Aashi.", I said, albeit proudly.
"She's my best friend and yet you are talking as if you know her longer than I do?", he smirked at me.
"You are her best friend, but she is my sister. That's final. No more questions.", I stated with satisfaction.
"You women are so difficult to understand. It's worse than Physics and Maths at school.", he mocked me.
"Suniye! Can you please be serious?!!", I said and a familiarity of the situation came to mind.
"Accha Fuggy! Kya hua?", he asked chuckling to himself.
"Do you want her back?", I asked him, because I wanted her as well.
"Of course I do Fuggy. We are her family na.", he said which brought me delight.
"Then that settles it, I have an idea and we are going to work together on it. Theek hai?", I asked holding out my hand.
"Okay Fuggy! Lekin, woh plan kya hai?", he said placing his hand over mine.
It was a simple plan, it may take time, but I was confident it would bring us to Aashi. Besides, I had the biggest strength and pillar with me, Suniye.
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Five years later
"Aashi! Slow down!", Purab begged her, trying to keep up the pace.
We were in his office building and it was lunch time, so we thought of picking him up for a nice
meal at a new restaurant nearby.
"Bulbul, why can't your husband run faster?", I asked her in frustration.
"Arre Di, that's his top speed I think, but aap chinta maat karo, he needs more training and I will make sure he is as fit as Jiju.", she said as we held hands walking through the different cubicles
to reach his cabin.
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"Abhi sir, your concert is only next month, but you have a few interviews and talk shows to attend this and next week.", my assistant told me looking through his tablet.
"Accha cool, just let me know the details a few days in advance.", I told him as he nodded.
He turned to leave and opened the door when I heard a high pitched scream which radiated my eardrums.
"Papa!!!", my little baby came running through the door in her pink summer dress, her hair
bouncing behind.
"Aashi!! Slow down baccha!!", I immediately stood up trying to break her speed.
True enough, she banged right into my legs and I scooped her up in my arms the next instant.
"Aashi, how many times has Mama told you not to run in the office?", I calmly told her as I held
her dearly.
"Papa! But chachu was chasing me! So I had to run na!!!", she said happily wrapping her small arms around my neck.
"Chachu? Where is he?", I asked looking towards the door.
"Papa, you know na, chachu is very slow.", she said giving me an innocent look.
Just then, Purab dashed in, and upon seeing Aashi in my arms, he collapsed on the sofa, chest heaving and gasping for air.
"You lost to her again?", I asked with a chuckle.
"Bhai...she...is...ma...king...me...run...too...much...I...give...up...I...can...not...do...this...any...
any...more.", he spoke between gasps of air.
"What did you say??", Bulbul appeared through the doors with Pragya.
"What perfect timing!", I grinned at them, gently rocking my baby.
"Bul...bul..", Purab sat up trying to calm his breathing.
"You give up??? You cannot do this anymore?? You should have thought about that before
doing this to me?!!!", Bulbul yelled pointing to her swollen tummy holding her seven months
old bundle of joy.
"Purab, you are so dead chotte bhai!", I howled in laughter.
"Diii, please help me na!!", Purab wailed taking cover behind Pragya, holding her shoulders.
"Arre Purab, how many times have I told you to watch your mouth??", Pragya scolded him.
"Diii, why must I always watch my mouth? Why can't she watch her mood swings?!!", he complained.
"My mood swings?!!!! You are the reason I have mood swings!!!! Jiju, this is not fair!!", she said walking towards me, albeit slowly.
I walked forwards and embraced her in one arm as she leaned into me, resting her head against
my chest and I kissed the top of her head. I firmly placed my arm around her lower back, as
I knew it was sore, from my experience when my Fuggy was pregnant with my baby, Aashi.
Just then, my phone began ringing on the table.
"Papa! Papa! Phone!", my little one reminded me loudly.
"Haan meri baccha, ek minute.", I told her and handed her over to Purab, while Pragya helped Bulbul to the sofa.
I walked over and took the phone, answering it. The news that filled my ears travelled to my
lips as they curved into a smile.
"Suniye? Kya hua? You are smiling so widely.", Pragya asked me.
"Five years and finally some good news Fuggy!!!!", I shrieked in happiness.
"What good news Jiju? Bholo na!", Bulbul said caressing her big bump.
"Bhai, stop the suspense!", Purab said sounding exasperated.
It was the private investigator Fuggy and I hired five years ago, to search for Aashi. We hit
multiple road blocks in the last five years, but Fuggy never gave up. Even when our little
bundle of joy was born, we both mutually named her Aashi. Why? Because, she was the
reason Fuggy and I had the chance to give a second shot at life, rekindle our relationship
and finally realize our undeterred love for each other. The end result of that was our precious
baby daughter.
Finally, the private investigator had called me to inform that he had discovered Aashi's location. This time he was a 100% sure of it. Smiles had erupted from everyone's faces in the room, especially my Fuggy. She loved Aashi and always included her in her prayers every morning. Pragya was determined to get Aashi back. She had all the happiness in the world, her protective husband, beautiful baby daughter, loving sister and brother-in-law and a happy go lucky gang of family members.
All this was possible because of Aashi and her careful efforts to weave everyone together. But in the desperation to weave perfectly, she had left herself out, much to the displeasure of Pragya.
She wanted to settle Aashi down with a good man who would love her unconditionally.
Fuggy always told me, that when the day comes to see Aashi face to face, she would twist
her ears before even speaking to her. Well, her chance was just around the corner.
"Jiju, you better get moving and bring Aashi home.", Bulbul said.
"Suniye, where is she?", Fuggy asked eagerly.
"Karnataka.", I told her with a deep sigh.
"Bhai, you aur Di can leave tomorrow and bring Aashi back. I'll manage everything here.", Purab said on a serious note.
Suddenly, my baby girl started wriggling in Purab's arms with bouts of small grunts.
"Arre, Aashi, kya hua?", Purab asked trying to keep her steady.
"Accha accha, stop struggling.", he finally relented and put her down.
Our little one ran towards me and I bent down to receive her small but chubby frame.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, tighter than usual and refused to speak. Knowing something was wrong, I walked with her to the sofa and nestled between Bulbul and Pragya.
"Aashi baccha, what's wrong?", Pragya asked her as I made her sit on my lap.
"Arre, bholo na Aashi.", Bulbul coaxed her.
"Why are Papa and Mama leaving to bring Aashi? Mein yahaan hoon na?", she asked in her
baby voice with the most adorable expression on her round face.
We burst out laughing, albeit out of relief.
"Meri jaan! Mama and Papa are going to bring back someone special.", Pragya said tickling her.
"Speshell?", she asked.
"Nahi bacche, Spe-cial!", Pragya explained to her.
"Aashi is not special?", she asked which nearly broke me in half.
"Nahi my princess, who said that? You are more than special, you are PRECIOUS and Mama aur Papa love you very very very much.", I told her clearly, rocking her on my lap.
"I love Mama and Papa too!", she screamed in our ears.
"Aashi beta, you know right, Chachi cannot play with you nowadays?", Pragya asked her.
"Haan, aur Chachi is growing big.", the little one said showing hand gestures.
"She's calling me fat? My own niece is calling me fat?!!!", Bulbul whined, dropping her head on my shoulder.
"But you still look beautiful, my dear Sali.", I whispered to her.
"Haan baccha, so, don't you want someone to play with?", Pragya asked, gently taking
Aashi in her arms.
"A new someone to play? Will she always play with me? Everyday?", Aashi asked grabbing
hold of Pragya's mangalsutra.
"Yes, she will! She will always be with you and play with you!", Pragya said kissing her cheek.
"Even when Mama goes to school and Papa goes to play music aur Chachu goes to oppice?", she asked suspiciously.
"Oppice nahi meri jaan, off-ice.", Purab told her holding her small legs.
"Yes!", Pragya beamed at her.
"YAY!!! Mama!! I want to meet her!!", she said hugging Pragya's neck.
"That's why Mama and Papa are going to bring her baccha.", I said holding her small cheek.
"When??!!!! I want her to meet all my teddies and bunnies!! Papa! What do I call her? My teddies and bunnies only know Bulbul Chachi.", she asked an important question.
"You will call her Massi baccha.", Pragya said catching her attention.
"I have a Massi??!!", she squealed in our ears.
"Calm down baccha! Yes, you have a Massi and you know, her name is Aashi as well.", Pragya said shaking her chubby body.
"Same same name?!!", she asked with her mouth wide open.
"Haan baccha! Same name!", Pragya said adjusting her pink ribbon.
"Mama, but where was she for so long? Why didn't she come see me and play with me like
Bulbul Chachi?", she asked in a sad voice.
"That's because she had an important work beta. So, she was away. Now, her work has finished,
so Papa and Mama are going to bring her back.", Pragya said giving a white lie.
"Did she miss me?", my baby asked in a small voice.
"Yes baccha, she missed you very much and she loves you very much. So, now you tell me, shall Papa and Mama go and bring her?", Pragya asked.
"Can I come too?", she asked with a wide grin.
"Of course you can my princess, you can keep Papa company when Mama sleeps in the car na!", I said bending down to kiss her small forehead.
A high pitched and amplified amplitude of squeals and laughter vibrated throughout the room.
We could only laugh, as we were so used to it, and very soon Aashi had to get accustomed to it
as well.
I looked at everyone. Pragya holding my precious gem in her arms, talking to her in a baby
chatter. They are my world. My life and sole reason for my existence. Purab was smiling and
I saw his eyes moisten, joining in the toddler conversation with them.
My brother who stood by me through thick and thin. He wanted Aashi back as well, but was still mad at her. Bulbul was siting staring at Pragya and she subtly rubbed her bump. I put my arm around her and held her close.
"Another three months sweetheart.", I whispered to her placing my chin over her head.
"Jiju, I am happy, but scared.", she said, clutching my T-shirt.
"You don't have to be. We are all here with you always.", I said rubbing her shoulder.
"Jiju, how am I going to manage two of them in the house, when you aur Di and Purab are not around.", she asked me with a light chuckle.
"Well, you won't have to. Aashi is going to be there and I am pretty sure you girls will handle
it just fine.", I said with confidence.
"I can't wait to see her Jiju. She did so much and I didn't have the chance to meet her. I just
want to hug her Jiju.", she said with a small sigh.
"You can because we are bringing her back to her family, by hook or by crook.", I said and
Bulbul hugged me.
By hook or by crook, that was it. No questions asked. I didn't know how she was going to react
and I know for a fact that she would try and run away again. But I wasn't having it. Besides, I had my Fuggy with me.
Wasn't the two of us enough to stop her? Even if it meant, bringing her back screaming and
wailing, I was prepared to do it. Then I suddenly remembered, my little bundle of joy, my trump
card was tagging along as well. Aashi had no escape routes this time.
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Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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