Tying The Knot With Ex's Brother

EPILOGUE

The afternoon sunlight spilled through the wide windows, filling the house with a soft, expectant glow. The air was thick with anticipation and a quiet kind of joy - the kind that makes every minute stretch a little longer.

Ragini's and Sparsh's parents sat together in the living room, eyes flitting to the clock again and again. Cups of tea had gone cold on the table, untouched for what felt like hours. Sid was darting from one corner of the house to another, checking his phone, adjusting something near the doorway, while Sush ran behind him with a list in hand and mild irritation in her voice.

"Sid, the garland is crooked again!"

"It's not! You're just nervous," he muttered, stepping back to inspect the strings of marigolds one more time.

His mother smiled faintly, her heart restless despite the small talk and the clinking of teacups. Every sound from the street made her look up. Every car horn made everyone hold their breath for a second.

And then - the faint sound of tyres screeching outside.

Sid froze mid-step. Sush's eyes met his.

They all rose almost in unison. The elders instinctively moved toward the main door, hearts pounding quietly, hope and warmth blending in their expressions.

Outside, a white car had just pulled in. Sparsh stepped out to open the door, a small travel bag slung over one shoulder, his face glowing with a tired but unmistakable happiness. He looked around once and then turned toward the other side of the car.

And that's when they saw her.

Ragini stepped out slowly, her yellow suit catching the golden light of the sun. The color made her look radiant, though her face carried the soft weariness of someone who'd been through days of sleepless nights and tender beginnings. Her body had changed - a little fuller, her cheeks rounder - but there was a serenity in her eyes, a quiet grace that made her even more beautiful than before. In her arms, she held a small, swaddled bundle, its edges peeking from a white cloth trimmed with the faintest pink.

The sight of all of them waiting - eyes brimming with affection - made her heart ache in the best way possible.

Sparsh's mother hurried inside, whispering something, and moments later returned with a silver pooja thali in her hands, the diya flickering softly in the breeze. She smiled through tears as she walked toward them, her voice trembling with warmth.

"Welcome home," she whispered. "And thank you for bringing its new light with you."

As the newborn baby and her parents stepped over the threshold, rose petals fluttered down from above-Sush's surprise, set up earlier with Sid's help. The faint fragrance filled the air, mingling with the glow of the lamps flickering along the corridor.

Ragini paused inside.

And then she saw it.

The living room had been transformed.

Soft pink ribbons hung from the ceiling, tied in bows that danced gently in the air. A line of fairy lights twinkled across the wall, reflecting off delicate glass hangings. On one side stood a cradle-draped with lace, trimmed with pastel ribbons, and surrounded by plush toys and tiny shoes. Above it hung a paper banner with letters cut out carefully in gold-Welcome Home.

For a long moment, Ragini couldn't speak. Her eyes filled, her throat tightened, and she turned slowly to look at Sparsh and then at Sush and Sid.

"You did all this?" she whispered, barely managing the words.

Ma chuckled softly. "It was her chachu and chachi."

Ragini laughed quietly, her tears spilling freely now. "It's perfect," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Sush appeared beside her, eyes shining. "We wanted her first homecoming to feel special," she said softly.

Ragini looked at her, overwhelmed. "You made it feel like magic," she replied.

Her mother reached out then, her hands trembling slightly. Ragini looked down, smiled, and carefully shifted the small bundle into her mother's waiting arms. The older woman's expression softened instantly, her tears falling freely as she looked down.

"She's so tiny," she whispered, voice shaking with wonder.

Everyone gathered around-Sid, Sush, Papa, Ma-all crowding close to catch a glimpse, their laughter mingling with teary smiles. Sid stood a step behind, pretending to wipe an imaginary tear, making everyone laugh again.

There were gasps, smiles, and a dozen whispered blessings. The baby's little hands peeked out from the soft pink blanket, curling slightly as if reaching out to meet the world for the first time. Each family member held her for a moment - hesitant, reverent - as if she were something divine.

Amid the soft chaos, Ragini stood quietly beside Sparsh, her body still aching, her heart impossibly full. He slipped his fingers through hers, grounding her in that moment.

She turned to him, their eyes meeting. His gaze carried the same promise he had once made silently-the one that said no matter what, I'm here.

Their joined hands rested between them-hers trembling, his steady-as laughter filled the air again.

The house that had once echoed with silence now rang with the sounds of new life-soft cries, laughter, whispered blessings, and the gentle hum of love made whole again.

Outside, the evening deepened, and the fairy lights began to glow brighter. Inside, beneath the warmth of a thousand tiny memories and one precious new heartbeat, the family gathered closer.

And as Sparsh looked at Ragini-her eyes shining, her smile tender, her hand still in his-he knew that some stories don't end.

They simply begin again.

Author's note- I'm so overwhelmed with the love you all gave to this book. The beautiful comments and your votes were really my motivation. So here it is- an EPILOGUE to the story close to my heart. Hope you enjoy reading it! 💜