Heart's Desire

The meet.

It had been five days since Ansh emailed Shivaay, and he still hadn't received a reply. Ansh began to lose hope, believing that Shivaay had moved on with his life. After all, it had been fourteen years, not just one or two. Countless questions ran through his mind, but on the other hand, he felt deep sympathy for his mom. He tried his best to cheer her up, but he couldn't bring back the smile she had when she opened up about her past. He understood how much she had loved Shivaay, beyond any boundaries. Yet, knowing Shivaay's helpless condition, Ansh felt powerless. He tried to hold back his tears, but he couldn't control them in front of Nisha.

"I'm feeling helpless, Nisha," he confessed to her.

"Why?" she asked, though she already knew the reason behind his sadness.

"I think he's happy with his own family. That's why he never tried to find her in these 14 years. He's happy, but why can't my mom be happy too? Doesn't she deserve happiness? First, her parents, and now him..." Ansh cried, and though Nisha tried to console him, it wasn't enough.

"Who said she isn't happy?" Nisha asked while giving him a side hug.

"She's the happiest person in the world because she has a son like you. She's proud of you. You're the symbol of her love," Nisha said, comforting him.

"Have you thought about how your mom would feel if she saw you like this? Her heart would break if she saw you crying. Forget about everything else for now and focus on your upcoming Under-19 selection match next week. Concentrate on that and make her proud," Nisha added in a calm, consoling tone. Ansh quickly wiped away his tears and smiled at her.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Nisha asked, confused.

"Even your empty head makes sense sometimes! What a genius you are!" Ansh teased, pointing to the sky, before running away as Nisha pretended to throw something at him.

However, Nisha wasn't ready to believe that Shivaay had moved on in his life. How could someone move on after knowing about their child? Nisha's mind wouldn't stop thinking, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. She genuinely wanted Anika to find happiness again and for her friend to experience the love of a father that he had yearned for. Despite Ansh resisting the idea, she knew deep down that he too longed for his father's love. As his childhood friend, she could easily sense it.

"Do you really want to go to your aunt's house?" Ansh asked while helping her pack.

"Who are you to stop her? She came here for a vacation, not to assist you, your majesty," Anika teased, tapping Ansh on the head as she helped Nisha.

"Come on, Ansh. I'll be back by evening. I just need to deliver this parcel; otherwise, my mom will kill me. You know how she is," Nisha said, closing her suitcase.

"Maa, shall we go to the North Indian dhaba for dinner?" Nisha asked Anika, who playfully pulled Nisha's chin and agreed.

"Okay, I'll be back by 7. So, Mr. Ansh, don't forget to pick me up, or else you know what I'll do!" Nisha warned him.

"I know... but I'm not coming," Ansh said angrily, and Anika sighed, saying, "I'll pick you up. Have a safe trip, dear," before kissing Nisha's forehead.

"Love you, Mom," Nisha said to Anika, then turned to Ansh and teased, "And hate you, Mr. Ansh. Get ready for your punishment." With that, she left for Mumbai to visit her aunt—or was she visiting someone else?

At the Mumbai airport, Nisha saw her aunt, Nats, waiting for her. She ran over and hugged her.

"Any news?" Nisha asked as she pulled away from the hug.

"His office is in Bandra, and luckily, he's there today," her aunt replied.

"Oh my God, thank you, Bua. Love you!" Nisha said excitedly, and they headed to the office—his office.