Shadow of Desires

Chapter 12-

-Vidayi

After the ceremony, Meher and Aditya were officially married. The realization of their new relationship slowly began to sink in.

The families gather their things and begin heading home after the chaotic day at the wedding venue. The mood is somber yet filled with a sense of duty and resolution.

Arjun - "Come on, everyone get ready. Now we have to go home."

Meher's heart pounds as she realizes the time for her *vidayi* is near. She looks around, seeing her family and friends with tears in their eyes.

Anjali - "Meher, beta, is everything ready? If you need anything, tell us now.

Meher - "Ji maa, sab kuch tayar hai." (Yes, mom, everything is ready.)

Arjun walks over to Meher, holding her hand gently.

Arjun - "Mujhe pata hai, yeh sab tumhare liye kitna mushkil hai. Lekin yaad rakhna, hum sab tumhare saath hain." (I know this is very difficult for you. But remember, we are all with you.)

Meher nods, tears welling up in her eyes. She hugs Arjun tightly.

Meher - "Bhaiya, You all are very important to me."

Neelam - "Meher, The house will feel empty without you.

Rajesh - "Beta, apni nayi zindagi mein khush raho. Hamesha yaad rakhna, hum tumhare saath hain." (Dear, be happy in your new life. Always remember, we are with you.)

Meher hugs her family members one by one, her eyes filled with tears and heart heavy with emotions.

Aditya, who has been watching quietly, steps forward.

Aditya - "Meher, chalo, ab humein nikalna chahiye." (Meher, come on, we should leave now.)

Meher looks at Aditya, her new husband, and nods. She walks to the car with him, her steps heavy with the weight of leaving her family behind.

As she steps into the car, she turns back one last time to see her family, waving and smiling through their tears.

Meher - "Take care, everyone. I will come to visit soon."

The car drives away, and Meher watches as her family fades into the distance. She leans back in her seat, wiping away her tears, and looks at Aditya and she zones out to a flashback

Flashback
It was a serene night under the stars, with a cool breeze gently rustling the leaves around them. Meher and Maan were sitting on the terrace, wrapped in a comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts about the future. Meher broke the silence with a soft, excited whisper.

Meher - "Maan, tumne kabhi socha hai ke *vidayi* ke baad hum kya karenge?" (Maan, have you ever thought about what we'll do after the *vidayi*?)

Maan smiled, his eyes twinkling as he looked at her.

Maan - "Yes, Meher. I have thought that we will fill every moment of our new life with happiness."

Meher's eyes lit up as she imagined their future together.

Meher - "Maan, I want to decorate our home, together. I want to fill every corner with our love."

Maan - "Absolutely, Meher. And I want to love you in new ways every day, to dream new dreams with you."

Meher - "And then, we will travel to new cities together, meet new people. I want to see the world with you."

Maan - "Without you, everything is incomplete, Meher. With you, everything is perfect."