Broken Souls

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 26

तुम्हारे पास तो
फिर भी
तुम हो,
मेरे पास तो
अब मैं
भी नहीं...
~Aviraaj S Rathore

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3rd Person's POV

The Rathores arrived, and seeing the estate as well as the name of the function,

#AdhiKiDisha

The couple of the moment were absolutely amazed, never in their wildest fantasies did they envision renewing their vows at their dream destination. Adhisha couldn't hold back her tears of joy as she embraced all the children. Aviraaj was the final one to receive a warm hug from his mother, triggering memories of Aarayna's embrace, but he swiftly pushed those thoughts aside. Adhisha gently pulled away from him and playfully remarked,

"I know now you won't like my hugs, obviously you got your personal hugger "

Making everyone laugh, he knew well why they were teasing him as Aaryan had posted the pic of them in their family group, which Aarayna was not yet a part of. He remained impassive, and looked at Aaryan with his icy eyes, making him look everywhere but at him. Ayatee asked none in particular,

"Aarayna kahan hai? I am damn sure she did these all decorations... "

All the children exchanged glances, fully aware that their bhabhi was the reason for all the excitement. They eagerly scanned the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. However, their attention was suddenly diverted by a sweet and confident voice that emanated from behind Aviraaj who stood there, gazing at his family, while the voice captivated everyone's attention.

"Maine idhar hoon "

As she stood there, clutching the Aarti ki Thaal, a radiant smile gracing her face, the Rathores couldn't help but be amazed by her presence. Standing next to Aviraaj, she exuded a calming energy that put them both at ease. Adhisha moved to embrace her, but she gently halted her and whispered,

"Pehle aarti fir aap sab andar aa jaana "

It amazed Aarayna how she was embracing her traditional roots despite not having worshipped God in nearly two decades. She performed the Aarti for Dadu Sa and Dadi Sa, followed by Adhisha and Adhiraaj, and then Ayatee and Adhijeet. Each one showered her with blessings and warm hugs. Meanwhile, Aviraaj observed her intently, attempting to decipher her actions, only to be left puzzled once more. He detested the feeling of failure, knowing that as soon as he thought he understood her, she would transform herself, leaving him back at square one.

As the kids eagerly hugged their Bhabhi in excitement, she even performed the Aarti for them. The function was about to begin, and everyone else had already entered, except for Aviraaj and Aarayna. As soon as the others stepped inside, Amaira and Aarya couldn't contain their joy and started jumping around like little kids. The interior decorations left the ladies of the house in awe, and even Adhiraaj couldn't help but be mesmerized by it. With just one glance, he knew exactly who was responsible for the stunning setup. It was a perfect blend of modern and traditional elements. One wall was adorned with a beautiful display of red roses, with white ones adding a striking contrast. The entire stage had a modern theme that stood out against the traditional background. Aarayna had put a tremendous amount of effort into the ideas, despite not being a professional designer, and it truly showed.

Meanwhile, the Rathores explored the new surroundings, Aviraaj and Aarayna lingered by the entrance, unmoving but gazing ahead. Aviraaj nonchalantly rested his hands on his back, stealing glances at her while she was lost in contemplation, fixated on the spot where earlier Dario and Jeevika stood with little Mahi. Aarayna's mind was in chaos, even if she grew in a state of chaos, exhausted from the past two nights, the mornings were bearable as there were people but nights she spent alone secluded in her room, staring at the moon and reflecting on her life choices. The memory of when she decided to run at the age of 10 came running back, she struggled but she had little support from a person, who gave his life to make her live hers, she was forever obliged to him.