Broken Beads

Epilogue

Riya and Varun had just landed after after a 15 day Europe tour gifted to them by their friends. Riya smiled wide as her eyes met that of her mother in law anxiously waiting for them. She waved at them and and couple made their way out with security blocking the fans who recognized them. 

Veena gestured her security to guide the couple to the car and her men came into action. Once in the car, Varun hugged his mother. ''I would have come home! Why are you here so early?''

''I fear losing you again.'' Veena spoke her heart. She so wanted her son and daughter in law to move in with her but she feared that Varun would decline for her not being strong enough in the past.

Riya understood all, if Varun needed heeling, his mother too had endured a lot. Riya was aware how Veena had stood up for her son and then in that moment she made a decision. ''Mom, can we move in with you? Varun will start travelling for his shows and I have ti go back to my practice, we can take care of each other.''

Varun didn't know he wanted that but the hope in his mother's eyes made him eat all his doubts. Veena had her eyes on Varun and he just smiled pulling her in a hug. 

***

Life had turned beautiful for the couple and for Veena. She was smiling more, her energy were at new levels. Veena had told her other kids that Varun was to inherit the house and she would prefer them meeting her outside. Though his siblings had apologized, the gap was way to big to cover.

Veena wanted to gift Riya her own clinic but Rita decided to accept the post of a very senior physiatrist in the city. Life had turned blissful and Riya could see Varun was heeling the way better with his mother than with anyone. 

***

''Can you forgive your father?'' She asked him as they lay in each others arms after a passionate love making. Varun pecked her forehead, ''I am not made at him, I never was. But he was just never there.''

''Try!'' She urged. Varun smiled, taking a deep breath, he pulled her closer in his embrace. ''For you, yes. But its a long journey.''

''It has to start somewhere.''

He nodded hugging her close. Riya new, their new beginning was full of love and smiles. She and Varun were two ends of a beaded necklace and now the necklace was complete. Her heart had healed and her soul felt content

****

Delhi

Amisha stepped into the room as the spot light moved to her. ''There she is , my little princess. My sister, Amisha!'' Amit Randhawa declared watching his baby sister walking upto him. She did smile at all but it didn't reach her eyes. Riya stood on the dais like a puppet running on a battery. 

''Thank You Friends for all your blessing. Its the happiest day of my life. My baby sister is set to begin a new life . So please put your hands together for Amisha and Rahul. Amisha blinked to stop the unruly drop that dared to escape her eyes. 'It isn't that bad, her mind calmed her. Bhai had loved me like a parent, and this is all for him.'

He thoughts broke when Rahul's arm went her waist. She tried not to flinch, her mind , soul and body belonged to someone she had left behind with a prayer that he would always stay blessed. 

''Ami!'' She heard her sister in law call and she smiled. Amisha picked the ring, sliding into the Rahul's finger, making sure to make a minimum contact with his skin.

''Are we doing the right thing Amit?'' Priyanka , Amit Randhawa's wife of 15 yrs asked. She had seen how dead and detached Riya looked since her return. 

''Priya, this is best for her.'' Amit reiterated  his decision in a firm voice.

Priya huffed, ''I know you love her a lot but you can never understand the pain she endured for years or the pain she is enduring right now. Her heart belongs to Naman.''

''he is no one.'' Amit's voice came angry

''He is a self made star.''

''Star!! You know how these entertainment folks are, you throw money and the will parade naked. That's nothing to be proud off. Moreover,  He stands nowhere close to where we are. Amisha needs the best.''

''Amit!!'' But they way he glared at her, Priya decided to zip her mouth.

Priya hated the man she called her husband in that moment.  She had teen kinds , if one of them had to go through what Amisha was facing, she would just fight the world. But who would do that for Amisha? AMisha Randhawa, the unwanted princess of Randhawa family. Amisha was a result of an affair AMit's father had with his secretary. When the girl declared pregnancy, he offered money to terminate it. But the woman had other plan, she wanted to trap senior Randhwa in the web of child support but when she couldn't , she left the baby at his door step vanishing from their lives. Amit's mother , who had her doubts decided to go for DNA test and when it came positive, her hatred for the baby drew beyond limits. Sh wanted the baby send to an orphanage in a far of town but Amit's grandmother intervened. 

It was 18 yr old Amit, the only child of Randhawa couple who fell in love with his baby sister. he had come down for his vacation but never went back. He knew all hated her but he loved her. He called her Ami, his Amisha and Amit was he only parent Amisha knew.

***

Amisha took a deep breath placing her hand in that of Rahul as he asked her for a dance. 'You are doing the right thing.' She explained her mind. Amit had always been there, whenever she needed him. He had stood for her at every step and he could not take a wrong decision when it came to her. he fought his parents and every one who even thought of hurting her. She couldn't break his heart. She explained herself.

Rahul moved and Amisha moved along like a doll on switch. After few minutes, Amit took his sister's hand and moved on to slow music. ''I know this change is uncomfortable Ami. But its for the best.''

She smiled, after few moments, she gently placed her head on her brother's chest hugging his middle. Amit hugged her close, caressing her head lovingly.

''Mom, bui doesn't look happy.'' Amit's 13 year old daughter Roshni said. Priyanka rubbed her daughter's hand. ''She is just emotional.''

''No Mom, she is not happy as masi was in her wedding.''

''Roshni, all will be fine.'' Priyanka knew she had pacified her daughter but what about Ami's future.

Amisha  smiled at the guests and then lost it, behind the faces she didn't care to know smiled at her the face she dreamt of all night. He mouthed congratulations to her and then his eyes turned hard. Amisha shut her eyes tight and when she opened them, he was done. She brushed it off a hallucination . ''Bui, someone gave this for you.'' Amisha thanked her nephew and got busy is seeing off the guests. 

***

Once guest left, Amisha locked herself into the room in pretext of being tired. She lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. She suddenly remembered the envelope and quickly got up to look for it. Amisha recalled she had pushed the envelope into her clutch. She removed the heart sticker which held the contents sealed. There was a letter, she opened and her heart dropped.

''You looked pretty beside him, but you would look beautiful with me. You smiled with him, but you would laugh with me. You gave him the finger to put on the ring, but I am the song your heart sings. I love you Amisha as you love me.''

''Naman.''

Amisha felt her heart beating faster than it had ever beaten in all her alive years. She suddenly started sweating. She didn't knew how he found her and moreover, how he go himself into her engagement party. 

AMisha felt her head spinning, there were too many thoughts, her brother, Rahul and Naman, This wasn't good. She felt dizzy as she tried walking to her bed but then collapsed on the carpet losing her consciousness. In her subconscious, she could see Naman smiling at her, I am going to take you home.

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BrokenBeads end here.