Aaj Jaane ki zidd na karo- FS EPILOGUE updated pg-11

A/N: This is the my second attempt at writing. If its similar to any of your works, its just a coincidence. i would never copy/continue anyones' work. hlaf the credit goes to my bestfriend and co author- krishnaa 

truck barr ka pyaar to her for helping me write this pic

also kinda inspired by "shershaah" the movie. If anyone hasn't watched it do check it out.

its gut-wrenchingly amazing.

anyway i think i should stop ranting now and let y'all read.

p.s any kind of feed back is appreciated. but just please be kind😃.

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“Riiiiiiiiyyaaaaaaaa, I am coming for you” a heavily pregnant Raavi announces. Carrying a thali with some khichdi and saag, trying her very best not to blast at her pataka daughter for hiding away from finishing her food.

She looks under the bed, behind the curtains, inside the closet…  

She can’t seem to find Riya anyw—

*CRACK*

Putting the plate aside, she runs up the staircase, heart beating fast, clutching her belly hoping and praying for her daughter to not be hurt.

When she finally reaches where the sound came from, the sight in front of her shocks her before sending her into a rage.

Their family photo lay there, broken in a thousand little pieces. Her small hand bleeding from the deep gash of the glass shard. Her hazel eyes brimming with tears from guilt and shame.

“Mama, I am so sorry. I was just telling papa about my day, and how ganda the khichdi and saag tasted,” she made a face “and how we always had ice cream secretly after you went to sleep” she cried. 

“I miss him so much. When will he be back?”

Her heart broke for her daughter and all of her anger immediately faded away. She sighed and went to the cupboard to grab the first aid box. She gestured for Riya to take a seat in front of her.

Riya, ever the nautanki, shook her head as if saying she deserved this, earning her a stern look from her mother. She obediently sat down in front of her, allowing Raavi to clean her hand while she silently sniffled, trying to contain her tears.

“I miss him too, bacha. But it has been only 6 months since he's gone.” Raavi started.

“We can't be a mess like this all the time, na? We have to try to move forward with our lives. Now you are gonna be a big sister” she said, gesturing to her stomach, “Who’s gonna tell our second pataka about all the things you did that papa laughed at?”

“Now come, let’s finish eating. And maybe, maybe, I’ll let you have some ice cream at dinner since you're having a bad day, but only if you behave well” Raavi smiled. 

 ***************

“Mama, can I ask you something?”

“Haan pucho na” Raavi answers, tucking her daughter into bed. 

“How come you are so strong? I mean, I am sad all the time”

‘I am not strong at all, my love. I cry myself to sleep every night listening to the same song over and over wishing he had never gone.

Craving his scent.

Seeking the warmth that only his arms provide’

“I am a big girl, no? So, I try extra hard to be strong  When you grow up, you’ll understand too. Now go to sleep, ok? You have school tomorrow.”

“Good night, mama”

“Good night, mera bacha” she kissed Riya, “Dream big”.

With that, she turned the lights off and closed the door behind her to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and try to mend it as she did with the photo frame. 

If only it were that easy.

‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

*flash back*

“Chipkali, mere liye kuch letter aaya hai kya?”

She wrapped her arms around herself, her skin chilled from the unforgiving cold. Her teeth chattered together uncontrollably, and she couldn't stop herself from shaking.

“Pehle se itne tand location mein hame shift karna tha, upar se mein pregnant be hoon. Is time pe mujhe pamper karna ke bajai, yeh bhootnath sabhi kaam mujse hi karwatha hein. Jab ye pataka is duniya mein aa jaye na, mein ise chodne wali nahi hoon.”

“Hey Bholenath, please give my husband some sadbudhi so he can pamper me like the queen that I am,” Raavi said, looking up to the ceiling with her hands joined. 

“Ah yes, you toh chipkalion ki beauty queen ho” he teased. 

“Fillhal hum toh yahan mission pe aaye hain. Jab wo khatam ho jayega, hum vaapas Somnath ke galiyon me teri saari chipkali sahelio se mil lenge aur tumko woh machar khila kar pamper karenge. Abhi bol, did I get a letter or not?”

“I had gone out in this cold weather to get that only. Here, take it”, she hit his arm with the letter.

“Biwi ki kam isko letter ki zyadha padi hein”, she muttered under her breath.

“Kuch boli kya?” “Kya hi bolungi?”

He takes it from her and begins reading it with full concentration.

“Waise ismein itna kya important se likha hai ki tu itna uchaltha bandar bangaya? She prodded.

“Shiva?” No reply

 “Kuch bolna?” she tried again.

“Mujhe jana hoga” he replied after a while.

“Jana hoga? Matlab? Kyon?

Kidhar?

Kitne din tak?

Mein aaon tere saath? Tu boltha to I'll walk till the gates of hell with you. Beyond that, you’ll have to manage on your own. I’ll be needed in heaven“ she giggles at her own joke.

He doesn't say anything and walks off to their bedroom to start packing.

“Shiva? Tell no” she pouted. 

He cups her cheek, “Raavi, I can't say much right now. All I can tell you is that I have to leave tomorrow itself. It’s confidential and of utmost importance”

She looked down before smiling sadly at him. 

“Okay. Let me wake Riya up so you can tell her you’re leaving. I’ll pack the rest for you.”

Shiva and Raavi walk into their daughter’s room and Raavi turns on her bedside lamp.

“Riya. Baby, wake up. Papa here has something to tell you” she looks over at Shiva, “I'll be in the next room if you guys need me”

Shiva kneels by her bed, “Riya, sweetheart. Listen to me, I’ll be gone for a while.”

“Gone? Where?”

“I got a letter and I’ll have to leave tomorrow.” he kissed her hand, “Take care of mama for me and be good to her. No nautanki, okay?”

“No, papa, don't go” she sits up and pulls at his hand, “Stay here with us. You promised we will go to the mela tomorrow”

“Don’t cry. You can’t cry. Don’t cr—”

“Baccha, I am so sorry, but I have to go. Hum kisi aur din jaayenge, ha. I'll be back before you know it. You won’t even miss me”

“I love you, truck barse”

“Ok, papa. I love you truck barse too. And I’ll be the bestest girl in the world for you and mama!

He laughed ”That’s my Lil girl”

He got up to leave. 

“Papa, Ek min”

“Mm?”

She gave him a bone-crushing hug that he reciprocated. 

“Good night, Riya. Sweet dreams”

“Good night, papa”

He shut her door behind him and wiped his tears. 

“Tho baat hui apni beti se? Kya boli woh?”

“Uski tho sau nakhre hein. Bilkul apni maa pe gayi hai”

“Haw jhoota. Thubhi tho kartha hein nakhra. ‘mein sirf aloo paratha khaunga’,‘checked shirt hee pehnunga’, ‘baal nahi kaatoonga’. Woh sab kya tha ha?” She comically mimicked him.

“Achha……..? Abhi bata tha hoon. Ruk.

“Ruk, chipkali kidhar bagegi? Aakhir me mere haatho mei hi tho ana hein”

“Pregnant hein tu. Dyaan se, lag gayi tho?

He chased her around the house till they both fell on the sofa, breathless and laughing. Well, Raavi more than her husband. 

“Ab bhas kar na, Shiva. No tickles” she pouted cutely.

He kissed her and said, more seriously than he had been in the last few minutes, “Kuch mahine ki baat hein, Raavi. I'll be back before you know it.”

“Phir Bhi, I don’t want to be away from you,” Raavi said sincerely.”EVER” 

Mmm…. she started humming, got up from his lap and pulled him in to a dance.

“Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

Yunhi pehlu mein baithe raho

 Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

 Hai mar jaayenge, hum to lut jayenge

 Aisi baatein kiya na karo

 Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

Tum hi socho zara, kyun na roke tumhe

 Jaan jaati hai jab uth ke jaate ho tum

 Tumko apni qasam jaan-e-jaan

 Baat itni meri maan lo

 Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

 Yunhi pehlu mein baithe raho

 Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

Waqt ki qaid mein zindagi hai magar

 Chand ghadiyan yehi hai jo azaad hain

 Inko khokar mere jaan-e-jaan

 Umr bhar na taraste raho

 Aaj jaane ki zid na karo…..”

She ended her song, kissed her husband and took him to bed. 

“Good luck for whatever you’re going to do that you can’t tell me about” she scoffs as if offended. He shakes his head at her, laughing.

“Anyway, I am sure you'll give it your best. Don't worry about us. Just take care of yourself” Raavi assures him. 

***************

“Riiiiiiyaaaaaa. Riiiiiiyaaaaaa!” 

Scared of her mom’s tone, Riya rushed to her to see Raavi’s face contorted in pain, tears streaming from her eyes as she clutched her belly.

“Mama, what's happening? Are you hurt?” she asks, moving closer to her mother. 

“No, beta. I just need you to call nani ma and tell her to come home immediately”

“Pur, why are you crying?”

“Just do as i say” she shouted in pain.

“Ok, ok” She grabbed her phone from the dresser to call her grandmom and held the phone to Raavi’s ear.

“Hello?”

“Haan, maasi ma, I’m in labour. Can you please come to the hospital with me and ask Anitha di to take care of Riya?”

“Hey maaro bhogilal, sach me labour hain kya?”

“Nei nei, me to mazak kar rahii hoon maasi ma. Woh kya hein na mujhe bohot bore ho rahi thi.Socha aapko kyun na thang karo?”

Riya giggled at her reply and immediately went silent on receiving a glare from her mother.

“Aaaaahhhhh”, Raavi cried out. 

“Accha ruk ruk. Mai abhi aai aur Anitha ko bhi saath laungi. Tu tension mat le, haan Raavi? Sab thik ho jayega. Mai abhi aai”

“Maasi ma, ek aur baath. Inform Shiva immediately” she instructed.

**************

Sh*t…he cursed his fate as soon as he got the call. His wife was giving birth and he was out here doing god knows what. 

He couldn’t miss this kid’s every milestone. But he can’t just quit the army and leave for home, can he?

He could almost hear 'dad Shiva' laughing, ‘Tujhe hi to desh ki rakhsha aatma samman whatevr whatevr karna tha, na? Ab bhukto. Lekin kya tum sachme is troop ko yahi ese chodh ke us chipkali ke pas wapas jaana teekh lagta hai? You know she would do it a heartbeat, right? And what about your kid? Don’t you want to meet them? What about Raaghav? Or Janani? Ha, you toh are stuck between, how does that dialogue go? Right, between a rock and hard place.’

‘Finish your duty and then go home. That’s what major Shiva would do anyway.’

‘Hm, I wonder if it’s a boy or girl. F*ck that, I wonder if we’ll ever make it back to find out. Hero jo banna tha tujhe.’

‘You remember the last time she sang your song? I miss her. And you do too.’

‘What kind of father are you, Shiva? The absentee kind, of course. Not just for your second child, but for Riya too. You promised to take her to that mela. You f*cking promised, Shiva’

I need to get back home anyhow.  

‘What if you die here before meeting your kid? And Raavi will have to take care of your kids by herself. Dumb*ss, you had to be a f*cking hero instead of just doing what you really want?

And what is it that you really want?’

To be with my children and their mother! His heart whispered.

‘What if she died there giving birth while you’re here fighting a pointless war where more people die everyday?’

Fear gripped his heart and tears threatened to drop.

Then— 

“Major, we are under attack. What do we do next?

Shiva orders them around. He barely remembers what he’s said after he’s done. 

Suddenly, a loud bomb went off silencing the entire camp…

part-2: page 4-https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/5285656?pn=4

part-3: page 8-https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/5285656?pn=8

last part: page 10-https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/5285656?pn=10

EPILOGUE:PAGE11-https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/5285656?pn=11