Milan- Rawte Brothers Book 1

13. Their Home

Chandigarh

Avantika took a deep breath as she opened the dusty doors which opened with a creek sound. She coughed to get rid of the dirt as she covered her face with the free end of her saree and slowly entered the place as if contemplating her actions.

That was Sethi's Sadan. Her home was where she had spent her childhood till the time she was married off. A sob almost escaped her lips as she looked at the young teenager standing in front of her captured in a photo, her smile lighting up the place. That was her who was captured in the pieces of the wooden frame just like she was caught in between delusions, betrayal, and above all lies.

Who was Avantika Sethi...?

The loving daughter who loved her parents to the world's end, the supportive sister who loves her brother like her own child, the girl who made some stupid decisions in the name of love, the wife who believed her husband blindly, the mother who broke her kids but would do anything to protect them or the woman who stood against the whole world and never gave up till the end.

As the chains of the past loosen up the sparks of wonder nest in her asking her who she is. With the facades crumbling and the lies rooted more strongly the question remains what is that she chose to believe the illustrations she has created or the lies fed to her? Everything seems to be a mess at the moment. She looked at the frames where all she could see was a happy family where love resides and the hate is thrown out. Where trust prevails and kindness wins at any given time. But all she could feel was the coldness which has trapped her in a never-ending chain of hurt and pain. She then came across the photo of her youngest baby and her medicines which were heart soother. The sob finally escaped her as the memories rushed into her.

Avantika cried out holding a newborn child in her hand who was giving her a soulful gaze.  She tried only to utterly fail. What will she answer the kid in her hands? What will she say when asked about the family she had to leave?

"Avantika" A voice disturbed her thoughts as she looked back at the man who was her hero all her life. Her guide and support. Her Papa.

"Papa" A tiny soft voice reached him as Digvijay Sethi rushed to her only daughter whom he raised like a princess but that was the only regret he was going to take to the grave.

They raised a princess waiting for a prince charming rather than a queen who knew what she needed to do.

He pulled his daughter and her son in a hug convincing himself that everything would be fine. But the truth was it was not and he wondered if it ever could.

"Main hoon na bacha papa hai na tere saath tujhe kisi ki zaroorat nahi aur Dinesh Rawte jaise namardoon ka toh bilkul nahi tu meri sherni hai meri bachi kisi se nahi darega."

Avantika however continued to cry in his embrace until she was worn out completely. She looked at the baby who looked like he was about to cry seeing his mother in tears but those chubby cheeks and the eyes filled with pain for her made a small chuckle escape. From that, day Atharv was the balm she desperately needed and she waved to herself to keep protecting him every time.

As the memories flooded into her mind Avantika caught the support of the wall feeling the tiredness to her bones. 

One fine night Avantika was so tired that all she would do was sleep. She sat on the bed exhausted looking at her eight-month-old and all she could do was sigh. It had been two weeks since she had finally left the home and the shackles which held her there but her only regret which still prevailed was that she had to leave behind her two kids. That would surely be the biggest regret of her life. She gently scooped her bundle of happiness and smiled wholeheartedly as she saw Atharv giving her a toothless grin. She kept her mouth near his stomach and made some noises to which he laughed out loud. And just like that all of her worries washed off in an instant. She was roaming around the place for a job but no one was ready to give her that. The fact that she was a college dropout did no good either. She does not wish to stay on her parents and brother's money for the whole of her life and for that, a job is much needed but to her bad luck, she could not even find one.