𝗗𝗶𝗹 𝗞𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗵𝘁𝗲𝘆(𝗜𝘀𝗵𝗾𝗯𝗮𝗮𝘇 𝗙𝗙)

Chapter 3

Location: Oberoi Mansion

Dev entered the mansion with a younger boy and girl. There was a huge photo with a garland around it sitting on a table in the middle of the mansion, just like every year.

"Bade Bhaiyya?" Gauri asked her son as she met him at the entrance, although she already knew that he would not come.

"Ma, Bade Papa went to a meeting in Pune." Dev replied. This is what would happen every year on this day. Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi would try to get Shivaay to come and Shivaay Singh Oberoi would make every excuse not to be in Oberoi Mansion.

"Fine...you kids go upstairs and change your clothes, freshen up." Gauri sighed and went back to the photo while the kids went upstairs.

"Bade Bhaiyya didnt come this year either. Today is your birthday....and also that day......the day that yo-you died." Gauri looked at the photo and started crying. The photo was of none other than Anika Shivaay Singh Oberoi. "That day you said....that you would leave us all forever. But we never thought like this! I wish....I just wish we would have said something to you, to stop you.....then you would still be with us Jiji (older sis)!"

*Flashback: 25 Years Ago"

"NO! No...this can't be true....it can't be!" Gauri sobbed while a shocked Omkara held her tightly.

"I am really sorry for your loss ma'am but after the bomb blast on the train, we found these IDs and some other things on a seat." The officer handed a plastic bag over to Omkara. The bag contained Anika's ID and Sahil's school ID.

"Bhabhi's favourite moon bracelet..." Omkara whispered as he took out the golden bracelet that Anika always wore and loved more than anything.

"No no no no.....No." Shivaay grabbed the bag from Omkara and took out two burned phones which he immediately recognized as Anika's and Sahil's but he did not want to believe it. "This...this is al RUBBISH! Nothing happened to Anika. Until Shivay is alive...nothing can happen to Anika!"

Shivaay threw the bag on the floor and went to his Dadi who was crying uncontrollably, "Dadi, why are you crying? Nothing happened to Anika, these police officers are just mistaken...Gauri don't cry....Im telling you nothing happened to your sister....I know she is fine."

"Bhaiyya..." Rudra cried seeing his older brother run from person to person as he tried to convince them that his Anika is alive.

"You tell me, where are the bodies?" Shivaay now turned to the officers standing there, "If they are dead then there should be bodies so where are the bodies?"

"Sir, we couldnt find the bodies of more than half the train passengers....because of the blast, the bodies prob-"

"DON'T YOU DARE! HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMTHING LIKE THAT ABOUT MY ANIKA!" Shivaay roared and grabbed the officer's collar in anger, "NOTHING HAPPENED TO MY ANIKA. SAHIL AND ANIKA ARE BOTH ABSOLUTLY FINE!"

"Shivaay! Let him go...Bhabhi is not with us anymore, you...you have to accept this truth." Omkara cried and tried to control his brother.

"No! Bhavya...go use your sources to find Anika and Sahil. They must be injured, they must need me.....my Anika needs me.

"Bhaiyya..." Bhavya sobbed but stopped when Omkara gestured for her to just go along with what Shivaay wants, "Ok...I-I'll find them."

*Flashback Ends*

"Bhavya never found you....but Bade Bhaiyya still doesnt want to admit that....that you're gone. That's why every year on this day he makes some kind of excuse not to be here. He knows...that we celebrate your birthday and remember the moments with you. Bade Bhaiyya never allows us to put a garland around your photo so we only take this photo out on this day."

"I wish we would have told Bhabhi that we trust her." Omkara Singh Oberoi sighed as he remembered that day.

"Doesnt Bhabhi already know that?" Rudra cried, "Anika bhabhi was more than our bhabhi she was like our sister, there was never a time that we didnt trust her. When Choti Ma blackmailed her, or when Bhaiyya was against her....we always were on her side. Didnt bhabhi know how much her two devars loved and trusted her?"

"Knowing something and feeling them are two very different things Rudra." Bhavya spoke up, "Maybe....our silence that day broke Anika Bhabhi."

Meanwhile upstairs, the kids gathered in Dev's room.

"Bhai...why does Bade Papa always disappear on this day? I mean if Badi Ma is Ma's older sister then she was also Bade Papa's wife right?" The younger girl, Pihu Omkara Singh Oberoi asked.

"I know....we never even met Badi Ma but still we come home early on this day, why doesn't Bade Papa?" The younger boy Ishaan asked.

"I don't know but I've seen him look and talk to Badi Ma's picture many times. You know the one beside his bed?" Dev replied, "Bade Papa definetly loved Badi Ma alot."

Location: Dehli

"Ma! Im home!" Meera entered her house calling out for her mom, "Ma, where are you?"

"Right here!" A woman's voice was heard from the kitchen. Hearing her, Meera kept her bag and car keys on the table and walked to the kitchen.

"Oh God!" Meera laughed seeing the state of the kitchen, "Ma....what happened here?"

"Actually....I was trying to make something for you..." The woman replied dusting off the flour that was all over her.

"For me? What for?"

"Today is the day my daughter opened her 3rd hotel.....of course this needs to be celebrated."

"You...are the world's BEST Mom." Meera hugged her mom tightly, "I know, you probably thought I forgot....but I didnt."

"What?" At that moment Alia and a few neighbours came in the front door with a cake.

"Happy Birthday!" Everyone yelled.

"You wanted to celebrate my success and what did you think? That I would forget my own Mom's birthday?" Meera gave a kiss on her Mom's cheek.

"Happy Birthday Aunty!" Alia also gave a hug to Meera's mom and handed her a wrapped present. "Mom and Dad really wnated to come too but they both had night shifts at the hospital so they sent this gift."

"Wow!" Meera's mom opened the gift to reveal a beautiful glass globe.

"Did you like it?"

"Yes very much"

*Note: Please comment and let me know what you guys think of the story so far.