She Lived Twice

9 || Lonely Birthdays, Empty Seats

"Why this all of a sudden?" Gauri asked, looking at the resume in her hands. Anika peered over her best friend's shoulder nervously. "Is it not good? Should I change something else—" 

"No, no! It's fantastic. I just don't understand why you're applying for a job all of a sudden. That too, as an event planner?"

Anika sighed. "I don't know. Something about it just feels right. It feels like I have a connection to the job. I feel like it's my calling."

It was Gauri's turn to sigh. "I get the feeling this 'connection' of yours may land the both of us in a heap of trouble with your parents. What did Uncle and Aunty say?" 

"I didn't tell them yet," Anika shrugged. 

"Anika, it's been three years to your accident. I'm all for you starting a job and whatever, but your parents really need to know." 

"Of course, I know that, Gauri. But I want this to be fully my decision. I'll tell Papa when he gets back from his meeting," Anika said, taking back the resume from her best friend. Gauri nodded, deciding to change the topic for a while. 

"Speaking of, why did Rajesh Uncle leave so suddenly?" 

Anika frowned lightly. "I don't know. He just told Maa he had to leave for this huge conference somewhere in Jaipur. He probably won't be back until tomorrow. I'll tell him then." 

"Just be careful, Ani. I doubt that Uncle and Aunty will deny you anything, but do make them feel a part of the decision. I know a thing or two about hurting the people you love, and trust me it does not feel good," Gauri said, casting her eyes away for a moment.

"I won't hurt them. I promise."

"I don't think you could hurt anyone," Gauri smiled.

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Khanna was supposed to be here ten minutes ago. Where is he? Shivaay thought as he paced against the marble tiles in a state of frustration and impatience. 

"Wow, look how early you are!" he commented sarcastically when Khanna walked in. "Sorry, sir," Khanna winced. 

"Enough of that. Tell me, did you get the information that I'd asked for?" 

"Yes, sir," Khanna nodded, offering Shivaay a large manila folder. "All of the details regarding the fire." 

Shivaay snatched the folder and flipped through it eagerly, eyes wildly darting across every word as he took in the information. He reached the name he had been searching for. 30798. Santosh and Swapna Chaturvedi. Under the heading, an old picture of the chawl before the destruction and the picture after the fire were pasted, peeling around the edges.

This was it. 

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"Rudy Bhaiya, your birthday is coming up. What do you want to do?" Priyanka asked her brother. 

Rudra looked up from his food with a dull expression. "I'm in Jaipur with my friends for the weekend."

Jahnvi's eyebrows scrunched in worry, hearing her son's words. "Rudra, we haven't celebrated your birthday as a family in almost three years. Besides, don't you think we need something to smile about?" 

"What do we have to smile about, Mom?" Om interjected. "This family is cursed enough, already. If Rudra wants to celebrate away from here, then what's wrong with that?" 

"Om, I'm just saying—"

"Mom, O, please. Can we not fight about this? I've already decided what I'm doing with my friends and I'm not canceling my plans just to rot here in Mumbai with someone I hate." Rudra stood abruptly from the table, sparing a single glance at the empty chair near the head of the table. 

"Okay, Rudra! Leave this topic, come finish your food!" Jahnvi tried to call after her son, but Rudra had already jammed his headphones in and turned to go to his room. 

"I'm full," Om said, patting his lips with a napkin before he too got up to leave.

Now it was just Jahnvi, Pinky, and Priyanka at the table. 

Jahnvi sighed. "What has happened to our family, Pinky?"

Pinky gazed into the distance, deep in thought. "Maybe Omkara is rights, jethani ji. Maybe our family has been cursed. Isliye toh humari khushi kabhi zyaada der rehti nahi." 

Priyanka rubbed her aunt's shoulder in sympathy, a sad smile across her face. "Don't say that, Choti Ma. Everything will be alright. I'm sure," she said, although more to herself than her mom and aunt. 

"Let's prays your rights." Pinky wiped a fallaway tear and got to her feet. "I'll go give Mummy ji her medicines."

"Good night, Pinky." 

"Good night, Choti Ma." 

"Good nights, both of yous." 

"Prinku, I feel tired. I'm going to bed. You, get to sleep soon. You have college tomorrow, right?"  Jahnvi asked, stifling a yawn. 

"Yes, Mom. Don't worry about me, get some rest. Good night!" 

Jahnvi mumbled something in response before she pushed her chair back and left the dining hall. 

Priyanka glanced at the seat Rudra had eyed earlier. The seat that had been empty for two years now. Her big brother, Shivaay's seat. 

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Shortly after Anika's question about the frames,  it had been requested that sneaky candids be taken and Anika's photos be framed. Passionate photographer Yuvi was quick to seize the opportunity. Having found himself a new subject, he took several hundreds of pictures, developing all, framing some, and keeping the others in the storage room.

The wall had filled up quickly enough to cover Anika's questions as to why she had not been there before. As she passed the wall, she would look over at the pictures Yuvi had taken of her, take solace in the fact that it was there, and move on with her day, all while keeping her secret under wraps—that she remembered when the picture had been taken, and she knew it was not from her past. 

However, her family's happiness was more important to Anika than any past life she could have had. Every time she brought up her forgotten past, her mother's eyes would get smaller, her eyebrows would tense. To avoid that, Anika admitted to herself that she didn't know anything about yesterday, nor did she know anything about tomorrow. She only had her present day, which was filled with the Maheshwaris and Gauri, and they were the only ones she would care about. 

Still...Anika couldn't help the longing nor the curiosity when she saw children at the park. What had her childhood been like? How had she gotten here? 

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