Destined Love

Chapter 1

Title: Threads of Memory

CANADA
The dim light of Akansha's room illuminated her face as she sat on the floor, surrounded by a cascade of memories. The photo album lay open in her lap, its pages filled with snapshots of her childhood—happy moments frozen in time. There she was, smiling widely with her brothers and sisters, arms wrapped around her parents, all of them reveling in the joyful chaos of family gatherings. Yet, one glaring absence tugged at her heart: there were no pictures of her Chacha and Chachi.

FLASHBACK
Life had transformed in a heartbeat when, at just four years old, her parents made the difficult decision to send her to Montreal, Canada, for her studies. It was a choice made out of necessity, cloaked in the belief that she would have a better future, but the reality was far from her young mind's comprehension. No one accompanied her on that long journey; she was a small girl lost in a swirl of foreign sights, sounds, and languages.

In her final days in India, her Chacha had promised her that he would visit after her sixth birthday. Those words had been a balm, soothing her fears of abandonment. But the day came and went, blossomed into weeks, then months, and soon years passed, each marked by a silent void where her Chacha and Chachi should have been. They never came.
FLASHBACK ENDS

Tears rolled down Akansha's cheeks as she closed the album, unable to shake off the feelings of longing and loss. Just then, her phone buzzed, pulling her from her reverie. The familiar ring was one that always brought a mix of solace and despair—her Chachi.

"Hi!! Chachi..." she answered, her voice a mixture of enthusiasm and the weight of all that was left unsaid.

"Hi!! Beta. How are you?" her Chachi replied, the distant warmth flooding through the phone line.

"I am good. What about you and others?" Akansha asked, straining to conjure images of the family she missed so dearly.

"All are good," her Chachi replied, her tone casual, almost rehearsed.

"Chachi, please send your pictures," she requested, a hint of desperation tinging her voice.

"Okay... I will send you some afterwards," came the soft promise. A twinge of happiness fluttered in Akansha's heart.

"Okay," she said, almost cheerfully.

"How are your studies going?" Chachi asked, the care in her voice wrapping around Akansha like a familiar blanket.

"They're going well," she replied, wishing she could share more.

"Alright, Beta, I have to go for grocery shopping. Bye!" her Chachi said before the call ended, leaving Akansha with a bittersweet solitude.

After hanging up, Akansha's mind wandered back to another moment etched in her memory.

FLASHBACK
Her phone rang, the number flashing on the screen was unknown. Curiosity piqued, she picked it up, unsure of what to expect.

"Hello! Who's this?" she asked, her voice bright but laced with uncertainty.

"Beta, this is your Chachi," came the reply, followed by a harsh cough that sent a shiver down her spine.

"What happened, Chachi?" Akansha's heart raced, instinctively tensing.

"First promise me... you will marry my second son," her Chachi was breathless, her voice strained.

"Chachi... B..." Akansha struggled for words, sadness washing over her as the gravity of the request sank in.

"Please promise me," her Chachi urged, coughing again, desperation lacing every syllable.

"Yes!" Akansha said, her voice barely above a whisper, a wave of heartache crashing over her. The call abruptly ended, leaving her standing in a cloud of emotions—conflicted, bewildered, and heavy-hearted.
FLASHBACK ENDS

Now, curled up in the blanket of memories, the tears flowed freely. Akansha inhaled deeply, her heart a mix of warmth and yearning. As sleep beckoned, she found herself wondering if she would ever see her Chacha and Chachi again, or if they had become nothing more than whispers of her past, shadows caught in the folds of her memories.

With those thoughts, she drifted into a restless sleep, hoping that one day, the threads of memories would weave into a tapestry of reunion—a chance to reclaim the parts of her family that had slipped away into the unknown.

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Did Akansha made a mistake??