FF: Sacrifice For Immortality (Completed) - Page 29

Chapter: 14

A Pleasant Surprise

          Pia was sitting in her room, resting... She was reading a book. She was really tired after the ordeal they faced. But finally, she was relaxed that everything was over... Everything was back to normal.

          Ansh had told her to rest for some time before they left for their house.

Pia: Ansh... Main theek hoon... Mujhe aaram ki zarurat nahi hai... Aur aaram to main ghar jaakar bhi kar sakti hoon na?

Ansh: Haan tum ghar par bhi aaram kar sakti ho par ghar main is samay koi nahi hai...

Pia: Koi nahi hai? Matlab?

Ansh: Rishi ka phone aaya tha ye poochne ke liye ki hum log wapas kab tak aa rahe hain... Usne bataya ki maa sab logon ko lekar mandir gayi hain humare liye pooja karne. Un logon ko aane main thoda waqt lagega... Aur maa chahti hain ki humare wahan pahunchne se pehle wo log ghar pahunch jaye...

          Ansh had told her the half truth... Yes, Rishi had called him but not because they had gone to the temple but because they needed to buy some time for the birthday surprise for Pia...

[Flashback:]

(The Sacrificial Place)

          Ansh had gone to bring the car from where they had left it parked when his phone rang... It was Rishi.

Ansh: Haan Rishi... Bol.

Rishi: Bhai, wahan sab theek hai na? Badi Maa bahut tension main hain...

Ansh: Unse bol ki tension na lein... Ab sab kuch theek hai...

Rishi: Really?? That's great!!! Main abhi sabko batata hoon...

          Ansh could hear Rishi's voice as he excitedly called everyone and told them that they could stop worrying as everything was fine now... Ansh and Pia were safe...

          He couldn't help but smile at his younger brother's happiness and excitement... At least Rishi could openly express his excitement unlike him who had always been a reserved person.

Rishi: Achha bhai... Tu bhabhi ko lekar ghar kab tak aa raha hai?

Ansh: Hum bas nikal rahe hain... Pehle Papa aur Saavi ko unke ghar drop karunga aur phir wahan se seedhe ghar...

Rishi: Bhai, tu kisi tarah thodi der tak bhabhi ko wahin rok sakta hai?

Ansh: Par kyon?

Rishi: Wo hume bhabhi ke birthday ke liye preparations karne ke liye thoda time chahiye... Sab itni tension main the ki koi taiyari hi nahi kar paye...

Ansh: Theek hai... Main dekhta hoon.

Rishi: Okay thanks bhai... 

          Saying this, he cut the call and Ansh began to think of an excuse which he would give to Pia.

[Present time:]

Pia: Achha theek hai... 

          Ansh heaved a sigh of relief. He knew very well that it was easy to convince Pia for anything in the name of their mother... Pia never refused anything to Vedashree. So, he used this excuse that no one was there at home and their mother herself wanted to be there at home when they returned. 

          The excuse was an almost lame one but thanks to his lucky stars, Pia bought that...

Ansh: Theek hai... Tum yahan aaram karo. Main abhi aata hoon... Saath hi Rishi ko bhi phone kar ke pooch leta hoon ki un logon ko aur kitni der lagegi...

Pia: Theek hai...

          And so Pia was here in her room waiting for Ansh so that they could return to their house.

          She was lost in her thoughts, turning the pages of her book absent mindedly when her chain of thoughts was broken by a slight noise coming from the store room above. 

Pia: Ye aawaz kaisi...? Shayad koi chooha ya billi hogi...

          She resumed reading her book when she again heard the noise. Now, it was more clear... She could clearly decipher the sound of footsteps. Someone was walking around the room.

          Earlier, she had thought that maybe some rat or cat might be there. But now, she was sure that it was not some cat or rat. It was a human...maybe a thief?

Pia: Kahin ghar main koi chor to nahi ghus gaya? (Thinking something) Par abhi to sirf shaam ke saat baje hain. Koi bhi chor aise samay par ghar main ghusne ki bewakoofi nahi karega... 

          She sat there thinking for a few minutes... Finally, she decided to go upstairs to the store room and check.

Pia: Main ek baar jakar check kar leti hoon... Kahin koi chor hua to? 

          She picked up a heavy vase that was lying on the side table and silently ascended the stairs upto the store room. Noiselessly, she opened the door to a little bit and peered in. 

          She could see the silhouette of a man  standing there. He was holding something in his hands... It took her no time to guess who it was...

Pia (whispering to herself): Baba...

          She lightly tapped her forehead with her palm realising that it was none other than her father whom she had mistaken to be a thief. But what was he doing in the store room??

          She put the vase on a side table kept in the corridor and opening the door, walked in. Nishant who was still lost in his own thoughts, did not hear her... She slowly walked upto him and slid her hand in his arm calling in a soft voice...

Pia: Baba... Aap yahan?

* * * * * * * * *

          Nishant opened the door and slowly entered the store room. His eyes were searching for that small chest where he had kept all the photographs and the things belonging to his wife and his daughter...

          Even if he had asked Divya to leave him and Saavi forever, he was never able to forget them... He has locked away all their belongings, photographs etc as they continuously reminded him of his loss...of the guilt that he wasn't able to save their lives.

          Every year, on Pia's and Divya's birthdays he used to open that box and take out all those things... This was the only way he could remember them.

          Today again he opened that box  because he was missing Divya and the time they spent together. He was missing Pia's childhood... He was missing the past... Ah!! The past...

          Brushing away a lone tear lingering at the corner of his eye, he took out the photographs that he had clicked on his daughter's fifth birthday and started going through them...

          He held up a group photograph that they had clicked... How happy they all looked!!! Oh how he wished for those days to be back again... But alas!! Those days would never return... What has passed is gone... 

          He was admiring that photograph when he felt a hand slipping slowly through his arm and a soft voice calling him...

"Baba... Aap yahan?"

* * * * * * * * *

          He snapped out of his thoughts on hearing his daughter's voice... He gulped and cleared his throat before turning to face Pia.

Ni: Gudiya? Tum yahan kya kar rahi ho?

Pia: Yahan se kuch aawazein aa rahi thi to main dekhne chali aayi... Par aap yahan kya kar rahe hain? 

          She noticed the open box in front of her father and the photograph that he was holding in his hand...

Pia: Baba... Ye box? Aur ye photographs?

          Nishant realised that he was still holding the photographs in his hand. He immediately tried to hide them but it was of no avail... Pia had already seen them. Her eyes teared up seeing the box...

Pia: Aapne abhi tak in cheezon aur in photographs ko sambhal kar rakha hua hai?

Ni: Haan... Yahi to ek zariya tha mere paas tumhe aur Divya ko yaad karne ka...

          Pia took those photographs and started going through them. A tear drop appeared at the corner of her eye as she remembered her mother and the special moments of her childhood that she spent with her parents...

          Nishant too joined her and the father-daughter duo got busy going through the photographs, reminiscing the past. 

          Suddenly, they were startled by a knock on the door... It was Saavi... Ansh was also standing behind her in the doorway.

Ni: Arre Ansh?? Saavi?? Tum dono yahan?

Sa: Haan... (Putting both the hands on her waist) Hum aap dono ko poore ghar main dhoondh rahe hain aur aap dono yahan hain?

Pia: Kya hua?? 

          Saavi entered the room and took Pia's hand and started pulling her out of the room...

Sa: Pehle bahar to chaliye... Sab pata chal jayega...

          As soon as she stepped out of the room, she felt two palms on her eyes.

Pia: Ab ye kya hai?

          She heard Ansh's voice...

Ansh: Shhh... Chupchap chalo.

          Ansh guided her to somewhere... 

          She did not know where they were going... She just followed Ansh's directions. After a few minutes, Ansh uncovered her eyes...

Ansh (whispering in her ears): Happy birthday Pia...

          She opened her eyes and was surprised... For in front of her lay a beautifully decorated table with a chocolate cake...

          She turned around to look at Ansh and Saavi... Both were having wide grins pasted on their faces.

Sa: Happy birthday Pia Di...

          And she hugged her elder sister tightly...

Ni (placing a hand over Pia's head): Happy birthday Gudiya... 

          And he too hugged her and kissed her forehead. Pia was having a wide smile on her face...

Ansh: Ab dekhti hi rahogi ya cake bhi kaatogi? Iske baad hume ghar bhi jaana hai...

          Pia smiled and picked up the knife. She paused for a second and then turning around, beckoned the three of them to join her.

Pia: Aap log bhi aaiye na... Mere birthday ke saath-saath hum aaj is cake ke saath apni jeet bhi celebrate karenge.

          The trio stepped forward, held her hand and then, all four of them together cut the cake and fed each other...

          Finally, it was time for Pia and Ansh to leave for home... Nishant and Saavi too accompanied them downstairs to see them off.

          Ansh started the car with a carefree mind as he didn't have to watch his back and couldn't wait to reach home as he wanted to see Piya's surprised face. 

          It was dark so Ansh was driving comparatively slowly. Pia relaxed and closed her eyes.

          Soon, they reached their house. They entered the lift and punched the button to their floor.

          But, as soon as they stepped out of the lift, they were surprised to see the hall shrouded in darkness...

Pia: Itna andhera... Ye lights ko kya hua?

Ansh: Shayad power cut hua hoga... Chalo, andar chalte hain. Sambhalkar chalna...

          They had taken a couple of steps forward when they were startled by the sudden bright lights and a loud shout of...

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY"

          Pia was surprised to see the decorations... The entire hall had been decorated with her favourite flowers... A table in the centre contained a beautiful cake and the entire family including Nishant and Saavi were standing in front of him.

          Her mind was instantly transported back to her fifth birthday, sixteen years ago... That was the last birthday she had celebrated as exactly one week after that, her parents had separated.

          She got tears in her eyes... Neha saw this and stepped towards her.

Neha: Kya bhabhi... Aaj aapka birthday hai aur aap ro rahe ho?

Pia: Nahi wo bas...

          "Khushi ke aansu hain... Right bhabhi?"

          Rishi completed the sentence for her.

          She nodded her head in positive, glad that Rishi had completed the sentence for her as she did not have any reply to Neha's question.

          She turned towards Nishant and Saavi...

Pia: Baba... Saavi... Aap log yahan kab pahunche?

Sa: Bas aap logon ki car ke bagal se hi nikle the apni car main... Par aapne dhyaan hi nahi diya...

Pia: To isliye Ansh gaadi slow chala raha tha? Kyonki wo aap dono ko yahan pahunchne ke liye time de raha tha?

          Ansh looked at her sheepishly...

Ansh: Haan...

          Pia stepped forward and touched Vedashree's feet who blessed her and embraced her wishing her a happy and a prosperous future. Then, she touched the feet of other seniors, Shekhar, Avinash and Chaitali. All of them blessed her and gave her their wishes...

          Then it was the cousins turn to wish her...

Rishi: Waise bhabhi, surprise kaisa laga?

Pia: Bahut achha...

          She had a wide smile on her face...

Neha: Waise, bhai ko bhi thanks to bolna chahiye... After all, bhabhi ko itni der tak rok kar rakha...

          Pia cut her mid-sentence...

Pia: Haan... Aur wo bhi ye reason de kar ki maa sabko lekar mandir gayi hain!! Kitna ghanghor stupid reason tha...

Ansh: Stupid reason? Matlab?

          Pia turned towards him...

Pia: Aaj kya tha? Kaal Shukra Grahan... Grahan kaal main koi mandir khula rehta hai kya? 

          Ansh mentally slapped himself... How could he forget that?!

Rishi: To matlab aapko sab kuch pata tha? 

Pia: Sab kuch to nahi par itna zarur samajh main aa gaya tha ki Ansh kisi khaas reason se mujhe wahan rok raha hai...

          Rishi turned to face Ansh...

Rishi: Bhai... Tujhe koi aur reason nahi mila tha kya? (Thinking something) Waise, tu bhi to Badi Maa ke saath itna mandir jaata hai... Tujhe ye kaise yaad nahi raha?

Ansh: Jaldi jaldi main koi aur reason nahi mila...

Kajal: Aur aapki isi jaldi ne saara plan barbaad kar diya...

          Pia stepped forward...

Pia: Lekin plan barbaad kahan hua? Maine to sirf itna kaha ki mujhe ye samajh main aaya tha ki Ansh kisi khaas reason se mujhe rok raha hai... Aur jab maine wo saare arrangements dekhe jo Ansh aur Saavi ne wahan ghar par kiye the, to mujhe laga ki us wajah se usne mujhe roka tha... Tum logon ne bhi kuch plan kiya hai, iska mujhe koi idea nahi tha...

          Finally, Vedashree stepped forward towards them...

Ved: Ab baatein hi karte rahoge ya cake bhi kaatoge?

Rishi: Arre haan... Chaliye bhabhi, bechara cake kab se aapki raah dekh raha hai... Ki kab aap aaye aur apne haathon se ise kaatein... Aur kab hum ise khaye...

          They all walked towards the table, laughing...

          Neha lit the candles and then asked Pia to make a wish and blow them. Pia closed her eyes...

Pia (in her mind): Maangne ke liye mere paas kuch hai hi nahi... Mere paas mera poora parivaar hai. Bas itna hi chahti hoon ki hum sab hamesha aise hi khush rahe... Hamesha saath rahe...

          She opened her eyes and saw Ansh right in front of her, smiling and clapping with all the warmth in his eyes. She smiled at him and said in her mind.##

Pia: Sorry Devi Maa! Janti hoon cheating hai par aaj ke liye to aap mujhe maaf kar hi sakti hain. Mere hisse ki jitni bhi khushiyan hain, wo aap Ansh ko de dena. Par uska saath mera ho. Main apni aakhiri saans tak un ankhon mein apne liye aise hi pyaar dekhna chahti hoon. Bas meri itni si maang poori kar dena Maa!##

          Finally, she opened her eyes, blew the candles and then cut the cake. They all fed each other.

          After the cake cutting ceremony was done, Vedashree invited all of them for dinner... After dinner, Nishant and Saavi left for their house and the family members went to sleep...

* * * * * * * * *

          Pia and Ansh were sitting in their balcony enjoying each other's company. Pia was resting her head on Ansh's shoulder and he had wrapped his arm around her... A comfortable silence prevailed which none of them wanted to break. 

          Finally, Ansh broke the silence after some time...

Ansh: Waise Pia, ek baat batao...

Pia: Hmmm...

Ansh: Tumne wish kya mangi?

          Pia smiled inwardly but turned towards him maintaining a straight face...

Pia (innocently): Zyada kuch nahi bas yahi wish kiya ki Bhagwan tumhe thodi common sense extra de dein taaki next time tum koi achha bahana dhoondh sako...

          And she burst out laughing on seeing the look on Ansh's face...

          Ansh kept staring at her face for some time and then, unable to maintain a straight face for too long, he too joined her in her laughter...and in their hearts, both of them wished to remain happy like this forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was the least I could manage in terms of a family celebration... 

I hope I managed to do something which is okay-ish and not an utter crap?? 

## A special thanks to Nushy for this part... 

Love you for these lines sister... ❤️❤️❤️

I could never have managed this...

Also, if possible please suggest some other title cos I'm not very happy with this one... 😊