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Aarti stood there,rooted on the ground,too shocked to react to what Yash had just said..
"You can go back to your first love,and I'll never give a chance to complain"...
Aarti's whole being broke into pieces when she saw an emotionless Yash standing there waiting for her reaction.. She looked deep into his eyes and she knew..she knew that she was done fighting for herself and for her love..She was tired of begging..Pleading for Yash's forgiveness and acceptance..She did the same with Prashant years ago and now she is doing it again with Yash..She was emotionally exhausted and couldnt do this further..
"You want me to go back to Prashant?.. Is that what you want Yashji?.. Ok if thats your wish,I shall comply it..I will go away from your life..I will never interfere with your peace.That is the last thing I would want to do..I love you so much that I would never want to see you suffer Yashji..I will just go somewhere far away so that you will not see me again.." Aarti said while folding her hand to Yash,seeking his final apology..Yash opened his mouth to say something to her but Aarti continued to pour her heart out..
"I dont know what I did in the last birth,to be so unlucky in love now..Both the men whom I loved with all my heart gave up on me..Maybe I dont deserve it Yashji..for all the lies I have told you..But a small part of me always yearned for your love.. That you will love me as much as how I love you..But now I know that is impossible..I...I wish you a happy life ahead without me.."..
With that,Aarti stormed away from Yash..as he tried to process Aarti's outburst of emotions..
How could she think that he never loved her?..He loved her more than anything in his life..She was the reason he was living again..She was the sole reason for bringing joy and colour in his life..He fell for her way before she did..but never took the courage to admit it..but she broke the most important thing in a relationship. Trust.. Even after knowing the extent of lies she told him,he could never hate her..if possible,only to become even more possessive.. Yes he told her to go back to Prashant..but did he mean it?. It was Yash's ego. ..But...No... He could not let her go..it was never possible..
As he turned to run and stop Aarti from leaving him..a loud banging sound which was accompanied by a deafening scream startled him..What could it be?...
He ran as fast as he could to see what was happening outside of the club and saw a group of people surrounding the van which met with an accident and as he looked down..he saw a pool of blood ..belonging to the victim of the accident..
Yash slowly made his way to the accident scene..somehow feeling uneasy with the sight infront of him..As he slowly approached the crowd..he heard a few of them whispering away.."She didnt look at the road before crossing it...I saw her running carelessly.." said a bystander..
The large crowd blocked his sight,but he managed to catch a glimpse of a familiar green saree on the floor of the road and Yash's heart was racing..He stood there..too nervous to move foward,fearing for the worst.. "What happen Yash bhaiya? What's all the commotion..I heard someone got injured" said Pratik who came outside of the New Year party to see what was going on..
Both brothers marched foward to see what was going on,and Yash's eyes nearly popped with the sight infront of him..
"Aartiji!!"
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Everyone was gathered in the hospital,each pacing in their own corner waiting for the doctor's results.A sense of dejavu was felt by the whole family..4 years ago,they went through the same thing and now history is repeating itself..
Yash was standing restlessly near the operation ward,when the doctor came out from the theater..
"Im.. sorry to say..but we could not save your wife,Mr Schindia.. She received a major blow on her head..causing her to die on the spot..Im sorry we could not do anything and the baby as well..." said the doctor while patting Yash's back..
The sound of cries and bawling took over the ICU.None of them could believe this was happening.. Shoba started wailing on the floor crying for her Aarti while Pratik,Paridhi ,VIdhi and Pankaj sank on seats,letting their tears flow out...
Yash stood there,trying to sink in what the doctor had said..." No..this is not happening..No..No..Aartiji.. Aartiji..is alright..nothing is wrong with her!!!.. Maa.. tell them Maa..tell them Aartiji is okay..Please Maa!!" Yash shook Gayathiri who was already crying profusely..
"Yash..beta..Aarti bahu..is gone...She left us!.." she said as she hugged Yash who was shaking his head profusely...
"No..!! Aartiji will not leave me!!..I will not let that happen..! Noo!.." Yash became uncontrollable and had to be held by his brothers who were also emotionally shaken..
"Bhaiya..Bhabi left us bhaiya..we cant do anything"..Pratik said while calming down Yash..
"Pratik..please Pratik..Please dont say that!...Please ask Aartiji to wake up..Please..!!She is my everything..! ..I cant..go through this again!!..Pleasee...!!..Aartiji wake up..!! wake up..Please..I love you Aartiji..more than anything ...!! Im sorry for everything..Please dont leave me Aartiji..I will die without you!! Please...Bhabhi..please ask Aartiji to wake up..she will listen to you.." Yash begged Vidhi who tried to console him but failed to do so..
Suraj Pratap could not see his son being in such a state and he rushed to Yash's side to gather in him his arms,giving him comfort..
"Bauji..everyone is joking right?.. Everyone's playing with me.. Aartiji is okay right???" Yash pleaded his father... " Yash.. calm down beta..Haan Aarti bahu..is alright..nothing is wrong with her.."..
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It was New Year's day for the whole world..but the whole world crumbled for the Schindia family..Aarti's prayers were done in a grand manner..with throngs of people attending it..The smell of incense lingered around with the sound of devotional songs being played sombrely..
The children were unconsollable..with all 3 of them not accepting what had happened..
" Mumma..wake up please..I wont be naughty again..I will listen to you..please Mumma" begged Ansh to Aarti's liveless body.."Please dont leave like Aarpita Mumma.."...cried Palak who did not leave Aarti's side the whole day long...
" Who will now take care of this poor children..and look at Yash,maybe it's his fate that both his wives will die like this..And Aarti was also pregnant at that time." said those who came to pay the last respect to Aarti..Everyone who came also never failed to notice an emotionless Yash..who sat far from Aarti's body..not once saying anything..He kept staring at her .. who was looking like a goddess dressed in bridalwear..with a serene smile across her face..
"Did Yash bhaiya eat or drink anything..Im worried,Bhabhi..He didnt cry not even once after we came back from hospital..Atleast if he cries he will feel better." said Paridhi while looking at a blank looking Yash.." Even when Aarpita died,Yash bhaiya was uncontrollable..now he is just... dead..i dont know what to do..On one side the children..the other side Yash bhaiya.. why Aarti..why did you leave so early??" weeped Vidhi..
"Papa ,please ask Mumma to wake up..why is she not saying anything Papa..why is she sleeping??..Please Papa.." whimpered Payal who was shaking her father strongly,without any reaction from him..
Shoba,who was undoubtedly devastated in loosing her daugther,noticed how Yash was during the whole ceremony and decided to say a few words of comfort to him..
"Yashji..Atleast for the sake of the children,be strong..Aarti would not want you and the kids to be like this.."
After a lack of any response from Yash,Shoba moved away from him,understanding how he needed his space at this heartbreaking time..
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It was a few hours after Aarti's cremation..Yash slowly took heavy steps to his room,feeling as if in each step,the world has been place upon him.As he entered his room..the sight of different pictures of Aarti welcomed him..The room felt different..It felt... empty..void...deserted..There was a silence..deafening silence..
His eyes caught the picture of her taken during Diwali,where she had her trademark mischevious smile..and he slowly walked up to it..and caressed her twinkling face...
Reluctantly he then turned to see their closet which was filled with all her sarees.. and he went near it to take his favourite saree of hers..the yellow nightwear..
He looked at the saree for a good few minutes...taking in the fresh jasmine smell which he always associate with her..
With the saree in his hand..he brought his view to their bedroom..and to the place which she always sleeps..letting his gaze linger there for a while..
The picture on the wall caught his attention once again..and he stared at her smiling..finally letting the truth sink in that..
She was gone... Gone from his life..never to return again...Never was she going to wear the yellow saree..His bed will be empty again.. Her laughter will all be in memory...Her payal...he will never hear her payal again..Even if he wanted to touch her..he could not..feel the smoothness of her hair..hear her husky laughter..
With all thoughts swirling in his head...He recalled what she had said minutes before meeting the accident...
"A small part of me always yearned for your love.. That you will love me as much as how I love you..But now I know that is impossible"...
With tears flowing down his face..Yash sank down the floor,clutching the picture and her saree..as he openly broke down in tears realising how Aarti will never come back again for him to tell her how truly,madly and deeply he is in love with her..How he will never be able to show her his undying devotion and affection for her..To love her the way she deserved to be loved..
"Aartiji,please come back ..Please..I beg you..Dont punish me!! ...I..I cant live without you Aartiji..You know that..Please dont say that I dont love you.I love you..I love you..I love you...I was a fool..I didnt say it soon..Just come back...I need you to tease me..to make fun of me..laugh at me.. talk with me.. I need you!!!Im incomplete without you...Ansh,Palak,Payal..you and I..and yes Aayu also..we will life happily Aartiji..please..!!"
He kissed her picture..while slowly brushing her cheeks..as tears were staining her beautiful smiling potrait..
For one second..that one moment..he wanted her to come infront of him...so that he can tell how how deeply he feels for her..to let her know that she is loved truly.. but as he sat there on the floor,howling for her..
He knew .. That she was out of his life..forever and eternity...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE END~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note: So I hope everyone likes it.. I was actually feeling down due to some personal problems and I decided to just write an OS to kinda channel it out..which is why the mood is really sombre.. Im eager to see what everyone thinks of this story..Please do drop in your comments about my effort here..I really appreciate it.. hitting the like button is also enough for me... Thanks again for reading🤗
