As Fate Would Have It - Part 2 (Completed)

Chapter 5 : A new beginning?

Aman's P.O.V :

Finally I modeled in Anna's music video, It wasn't that difficult actually. All I had to do was stand and pose or walk with style at different locations in different attires. I had done this kind of shoots before for my documentary trailers. It was just a day's shoot.

The music video turned out to be a huge success and Anna was ecstatic. I was pretty impressed myself. It was when I was watching this video that I had a brainwave. I called up Anna and told her to meet me at our regular cafe ASAP!

"Sooo... You want to do another music video?? Is this the same man talking who threw a fit about modeling in my video just a few weeks ago?", she teased. I laughed, "Yes yes Anna, its the same man", I said.

I had told my idea to Anna. I wanted to do yet another music video with her but this time instead of posing just like that I wanted to display my art. I would put down a theme for the art pieces according to the theme of the song and then would display my illustrations with glimpse of how I create it and paint it.

Anna had loved the idea and was immediately down for it! I still couldn't believe what I was doing. L.A had made me become a little more adventurous and more inquisitive to explore new horizons. I was excited for this new venture and eager to know how it would turn out.

Anna and I discussed for a little while more about what song would be good, the theme and the dates. We needed a complete production for this and Anna had great contacts so it was easier. The toughest decisions was to select a theme. Anna was bent up on "love" as the theme, but I wanted it to be anything but "love".

Finally I had to agree with Anna with the theme as all her songs were based on love. The problem was, her songs were all happy love songs, and I was not really in the mindset of painting anything "happy" about love. She gave me a brilliant idea. She told me to draw Disney characters. Which was genius. Because no matter how you draw Disney, you would always see "happily ever after" in them!

She gave me the lyrics and the audio to her song and I asked her a week's time until we started shooting as I had to really think about what I would be painting. I had decided to showcase five illustrations. This is going to be interesting!

It was time to start my magic with my brushes!

Lilly's P.O.V :

I was sitting in my backyard, trying to process how my life had become such a mess right now. The reality of it all had just hit me hard. I wasn't really angry with my dad. He was just concerned about me. My dad wanted me to quit youtube and marry someone nice and settle. He was afraid if I continue like this my career would fall and I would relapse into depression again.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard my mom come out and sit beside me. We sat there in silence for a while until she spoke up.

"I wanted to be a dancer", she said looking ahead. I was taken aback, "What?", I said looking back at her.

"When I was young, before marrying your father, I wanted to be a dancer.", she replied looking at me for a brief moment and then moving her gaze back to the empty backyard again. I was surprised. My mom would dance at our family gatherings and functions but that's that. I never knew she wanted to be a dancer!

"Then why didn't you pursue it?", I asked softly. "Back in those days, it was different. It was not considered appropriate for ladies from good families to become dancers", she smiled, "And then, I got married, moved away from home to a different country. Tina was born, then you...", her voice trailed off as she looked ahead, her gaze distant, like she was recalling her past. "I had too many responsibilities. I had to attend to the family", she said and looked at me and smiled again.

Her smile was not genuine. There was a hint of sadness in it. A sign of a broken dream. It pained my heart. I was pretty close with my mom, I knew the hardships she underwent in her younger days. She was my hero, my superhero. But this was a side of her I never knew.

"Did you ever tell dad this?", I asked, still surprised by this sudden revelation.

"No... He doesn't know. Your Nanaji (grandfather) knew. I would dance in front of him since I was a little kid and he loved it everytime I would dance", she laughed softly and her eyes sparkled at the memory. I smiled imagining my mom dancing as a kid and Naner smiling at her. I missed Naner suddenly. I was very close to him and I would have loved to have his company right now.

"Lilly, I didn't have the opportunities or the courage to pursue my dreams, You have. You went against all odds and worked for your dreams. And i have always been so proud of you and inspired by you. after all that you have been through and overcome, you cant give up just like that", she said and something in me clicked.

I nodded slowly as I began to realize how far I had come and why I started. She was right. I can't just give up like this.

We sat there for a while more as we spoke a little more about her dreams. Her favorite songs that she would dance to. Re-living the priceless memories of her younger days.

"You would have made a great dancer mom", I said placing my hand on hers. She laughed softly. "Come on now, lets go inside and have dinner", she said and we both finally walked back into the house.

My mom's words were still ringing in my ears.
I need to strap up and start my hustle again!