Something, Yash Scindiya bought himself back to the place which destiny pulled him out from. He smiled at the thought of being back on the same land where he cherished beautiful memories of his with his beloved, he shrugs himself off from the thought and rethink the same 'where he cherished beautiful memories of his with his friend. She was never his beloved, he never loved her or he believed he never did His face was sober, was sipping in hot brewing tea and in between looking up the sky wondering while deep inside he had immense respect and love towards her. She was the sole reason for him to leave the place and again the sole reason to pull him back to it. He smiled thoughtlessly and continued drinking his tea, he looked around the place, the same tea shop vendor used to serve them tea, he used to pull his and her leg and make up stories of how they will end up. And now years later Yash Scindiya is there and the small tea shop looks almost like a restaurant crowded with so many people. He looked at his money counted them and gave a sigh of relief. He knew the hardship he went through in making himself understand the importance of being with Aarti. He didn't know where should be but in vain thought her to be here and left his home in search of Aarti.
A week before he met a lady whom he thought have seen somewhere, he looked at her trying to recognize the face which seemed familiar, catching his stare the lady moved towards him and introduced herself by addressing him by his name.
"Yashji? Am Aarti's mother in law" she said startling him "you have been at her wedding right?"
He smiled subtly and wanted to move away but she continued making him stop abruptly.
"she left the house after my son's death without letting us know where she is, she couldn't bear the tantrums thrown on us by our relatives, for me she left" tears filled her eyes as she talked of Aarti, silently Yash listened to all what she was saying and was internalizing each word of hers.
"You know anything about her? Am in a vague hope of finding about her through her friends"
Yash was silent and his silence conveyed her shock he received, he stood there staring and finding words to reply to her but she continued.
"You know right she loved you but you never did, or you did but never said a word to her making her accept my son's marriage proposal, but she knows how to adjust with circumstances, she left the house for us, I wish to know of her, all these years am yearning to meet her or hear about her"
Yash looked grim and he said without a second thought "I promise to bring back Aartiji, no matter in which part of earth she is"
She smiled and was assured by the promise made by Yash.
He came back shrugging of the thoughts and was about to leave the shop that his eyes caught a little boy holding a flask standing there waiting for the vendor to pour in tea. Something unusual about the boy caught his eyes, he smiled at himself and then looked at the boy, he knelt down and bending his head asked "why are you alone?"
The boy looked at him; he noticed the twinkling eyes and charming face of the boy and smiled to make the boy feel comfortable. The boy smiled back and replied "Ansh, my name is Ansh, I came to get tea for my momma"
Yash saw the genuine seriousness in the boy's face behind his smile and charm
"What happened to your momma? Where is your papa?" Yash asked feeling concerned.
"Momma is not well, papa is not here" Ansh said cutting the conversation as his flask got filled with tea.
Yash looked up and saw the sky cloudy, he felt like going with Ansh on seeing Ansh do all things all by himself.
"Ansh, it's going to rain, I will come with you"
Ansh looked up and nodded, they both started walking towards the hospital, silently the both were walking, and Ansh looked up at Yash and saw Yash lost in some deep thoughts as his face was grim and serious. He pulled yash's Kurta to speak and break the silence.
Yash looked down and smiled at him, he took the flask from Ansh's hand smilingly.
"What your momma do?"
"Nothing, we live in big house with so many people"
Yash smiled at Ansh and wondered why then Ansh alone is doing everything if they have so many family members.
"There we stay" Ansh said pointing to an ashram.
Yash saw a widow home; his face fell, so Ansh was talking of this ashram. They both continued walking without exchanging many words. Yash was then thinking 'will Aartiji be there too' and thought of asking Ansh's mother about it.
They got into the hospital, Ansh was smiling and jumping to be with his mother, he pulled yash's hand "come in Uncle, see my momma"
Ansh led him into a deserted hospital ward, were one hardly finds a nurse or doctor and rushed into a room, Yash followed Ansh to face a shocking surprise, as he got in Aarti turned towards him to thank the stranger who helped her son. Both of them looked into each other's eyes, they went numb, senselessness creped in them and found it hard to accept the sudden shock.
"Aartiji" Yash said in shock unable to register that his wish of meeting her came true.
"Yashji" Aarti said gulping in words.
Ansh looked stunned at their expression.
After few minutes of internalizing the fact, Yash moved towards her, sat near her, held her hand.
She saw his eyes welled up, years of tales are to be said and exchanged, silence filled in, unsaid words conveyed their tales to each other. He bowed down unable to speak; she cupped his face and opened her mouth to speak.
But before she could say anything he said "I promised your mother to bring you back, she have been dying in to meet to, how irresponsible you are on leaving without letting her know, and does she know about Ansh, how can you do this, why you did this? You aren't like other ladies then why you left them, you weren't like this Aartiji…"
"So aren't you" she said cutting in between and smiling at him.
Yash looked at her puzzled
"Since when did you start speaking like me, nonstop?"
Yash stared at her expressionless and Aarti smiled "so the boring Yash Scindiya even knows to speak" she giggled.
The sober sullen atmosphere lightened and Yash smiled at her.
"I promised myself too to be with you till my last breath"
"I know" she said giggling but her eyes welled up and tears rolled down
