Rain it had always bewitched her in a way she couldn't explain. The soft pelting drops of the water against the glass of the window, the murmur of the winds gushing outside, the sway of the trees, the lovely scent of the after rain being the most beautiful, she had always found rain liberating.

Rain, it washed away her grief, not letting the world see the tears that mingled with the rain and drops to the ground to never be seen again.

Rain, it always liberated her soul. Her bruised damaged soul, untrapping it from the confines of the black marred walls of the house she lived in and make her fly with the gushing winds, Only to be pulled down in the most brutal way back.

" Wasting your time again with that useless mind of yours.! " The booming voice of the man who had washed away every reminiscent of those horrible days resonated around the four walls of then Elysian abode.

Shehnaaz turned to see the smiling face of the man who gave her whole life a new meaning.

Sidharth!  and how beautifully he had whitewashed her every infliction with his  affection and love.

" If my mind is useless, then yours is wasted my love! " She said, returning that mockery to his face. Shehnaaz was not that frightened scaredy cat anymore! She had evolved to become this fearless soul who had known hell to it's bottom and had risen up like a Phoenix from her own ashes and soared high in the vast field of the sky. All because of this one man.

Sidharth Sridhar! Her soul's twin.

" Sweetheart! " That whispy rasp and he walked to her by the window pane, wrapping his arms around her petite waist, as she stood there watching the  rain.

The California rain!

Sidharth and Shehnaaz along with their whole family had shifted to California six months from her divorce. They had their own reasons!

Sidharth and Shehnaaz, they never married. Never ever thought about it at the first place. She had a marriage omnipotent enough for the horrible memories to last a lifetime. And Sidharth, he had his own commitment phobias. Some issues are tough to deal with in real life. The real is not as smooth as they show in fictions or movies. Despite being healed mentally, yet, the memorial scars had remained for both of them. Marriage was not on the cards for both of them!

Does true love needs the validation of a marriage and legality anyway!

Not to them. Definitely not to them. Shehnaaz had a marriage where she had been to the hell and back. And sidharth had seen enough to be sceptical about it. They had rightfully stayed away from the complications of a legal slap to a relationship. Their love for each other was enough. More than enough.

Yet, the Indian society was hardly that progressive to accept living in that easily. The media and it's influence had done the unthinkable in both ways. It ruined Armaan and his career to the brink, but tje flames of that destruction couldn't be saved to reach Shehnaaz too.

Her image had been tarnished. The adultery accusations had brought down the public opinion at large. The public who had once deeply reprimanded Armaan Waali for the sodomy act he had pulled against his wife, but the same public didn't think twice before lashing out at his wife, now ex, for having an affair while still being in a marriage! The traditional beliefs of the country, still overpowering the logical side of a story.

Despite adultery not being a criminal offense in the eye of the law, yet the public was quick to pass the judgement against Shehnaaz.

Infidel! Disloyal! A joke to an Indian marriage !

She was plastered with all of the above cognomen and a lot more.

And the worst affected was Chitra. That small kid was being bullied at school regularly. Paying the price of her father falling for a woman he was not supposed to as per the standards of the Indian society. A few changes of schools by them, yet, the end result was the same. Kerala being a small town for the grapevines to work like the vines of a the doom.

It was for Chitra that they had taken the decision to shift to a new place. A new country altogether!

Chitra... And also Sidharth himself. He was disheartened with the legal system of hie own land. The looholes that restricts the law to be bend and played by the vile psychopaths like Armaan, Sidharth had been disheartened to imagine another virtual scenario. What if Armaan had not pulled the stunt of sodomy on Shehnaaz! Wound he have been penalised by the law or would he have been pronounced non guilty like he was for the section of rape!

His own mind at a whirlpool, when he had finally decided to give up his career. For something more profound!

Sidharth had been back to UCLA and completed his PhD in law. He had been teaching there ever since. Teaching the aspirants to look for a better way to deal with the loopholes yo not to let the criminals be at a benefit of doubt!

" The money would be less, would you be content with that? " He had once asked Shehnaaz while taking the decision. Obviously the salary of a professor would be no where near to the amount he earned for each trials!

But Shehnaaz had seen money. Shit loads of it and yet had lived the life of the most basic and simple. Money didn't motivate her but a good life did. She needed love and not the love that came with money!

" My home is where you are. You and chitra and Amma and Appa. I had money. I don't want to be overloaded with it. I never had a family, that is what I crave for! " She had said to see much content Sidharth.

And three months later, they had shifted their base to California. But never lacked or had to deal with the lack of money as he had specified. Sidharth had enough savings to deal those initial years. And also he had made sure Shehnaaz did her masters like she dreamt of.

She did! She was within three years an established practising psychologist . Dr Shehnaaz Ali Haider. A criminal psychologist dealing with the traumatised women and children. The abusive victims.

She had managed to make a name and identity for herself. And all thanks to Sidharth. Not for the monetary support, but for making her understand the value of money. She had initially denied to accept the mehr from that vile ex husband of hers. But Sidharth was the one to make her understand that it was her right. A right her religion and Allah himself had bestowed the womenfolk with. Yet he himself had never touched a penny of it for his own personal use.

But they had used a part of it for a very noble cause. The humongous amount that was left after she had done her masters with, Shehnaaz had donated it for the welfare of the abused. A charity home that deals with oppressed women in California.

That is where they had met Nancy! Nancy and..... Mahnoor.

" Amma, appa, you awake! " A small knock at the door and Sidharth was quick to let go of his beloved Shehnaaz to open the door to an exciting Mahnoor at the door.

Mahnoor..... Their second child. Adopted obviously. No matter how much she craved for a child of her own, nothing miraculous to make her this wish a reality happened. Until Shehnaaz had stumbled upon Nancy at the shelter for the abused she worked with.

Nancy was a rape survivor. She had been  gang raped and left abandoned by the roadside. Nancy was an orphan. As she had reviveree from the traumatic incident, it was found that she was pregnant. And... She didn't want to accept the rape child. And that is when Sidharth and Shehnaaz had chipped in. They had put forward their proposal and desire to adopt Nancy's child.

Nine months later, as Nancy had went into her labor, Shehnaaz had felt the pain right within her own womb. Not physical, but psychologically. She had been living Nancy's pregnancy the whole of the nine months. And a ten hours of labor later, Shehnaaz was a crying mess to hold their daughter for the first time.

Mahnoor! She had named her instantly. Mahnoor, meaning radiance. Light. She was the last that glowed up their entire life. Their and their daughter Chitra and Meenakshi and Mr Iyer. No one could hold their elation as they had welcomed their new addition to their family.

Mahnoor Shehnaaz Ali.

Completing her own binary system, the binary of the Alcor she had one mentioned herseld to be like to her Mizar. Sidharth like Mizar had an already established binary of his four stars. His father, his mother his daughter and himself. Chitra Sidharth Iyer and her adoption papers never could include Shehnaaz as her legal mother. They didn't have a validation of a legal paper to their relationship.

And now, Sidharth gave Shehnaaz another of something she never had. A child with her name as her legal identity. Completing her own binary system of starts, yet, they amalgamated to become this one unique binary system of Alcor and Mizar.. Just not married.

" Amma. Appa. " Mahnoor was a little flushed as she is walked inside the room of her parents. Despite being legally only her mother's daughter, Sidharth was her father in the true sense of the word. Relationships never needed the validation of legalities and Shehnaaz and Sidharth proved it all time and again with everything they did.

" Hey my kanna. What is it! " Sidharth wrapped his arms around his daughter's shoulder as he dragged her in.

" Wanted to talk to you about something!" She fumbled to a frowning Shehnaaz.

" Meri sherni kabse itna ghabrane lagi! " She laughed at the discombobulated and fidgeting Mahnoor. Why was she so squirmed and flushed! She wondered. Mahnoor was never this shaky soul. Sidharth and Shehnaaz had brought their kids up in a way that their kids never find it difficult to speak their mind and heart out to them. Something that Shehnaaz had faced the problem by her parents. They had learnt from their own past lives to make a better one for their offsprings.

" Wo main. I. Amma, hume shaadi nahi karni hai! " Mahnoor blurted out, the wedding jitters getting a hold of her.

Yes, tomorrow was their daughter's wedding. A wedding that their parents had fixed for them.

" Kyu nahi karni hai. Apne hone wale pati k darawne baap se darr gayi. K kahi bhoot bankar tujhe sapno mei na daraye." The sniggering jab of Chitra as she walked in behind her little sister.

Chitra was a well settled model now, going after the career of her biological mother. She has turned to become this elegant beauty, an exact replica of her biological mother. Tall, almost touching her father when it came to her height. Slim, suave, she had caught the eyes of few co ordinators when she had done one frivolous ramp show for her college. They had raved her in immediately. Bombarding her with offers lucrative enough for her to grasp the opportunity with wide open arms. She always had a natural biological flair for the glam world. Just like her mother. And Sidharth and Shehnaaz, they never tried to be the overbearing parents. They had given enough liberty to both their kids. But had always been the guiding light to them to guide them better.

" Chechi! " Mahnoor whined to her mother. " Appa look how chechi is pulling my leg! " She added.

" Baby.. Now don't blame me. It was you who agreed for the gallows. I toh told you not to. Abhi bhi bol rahi hu, mat kar shaadi. Kya rakha hai. It's just a piece of paper dude. Look at these two. Bina shaadi k mast life guzaar diya. " Chitra winked at her little sister who was not so little after all. Mahnoor was thirty. And chitra a good thirteen years older to her baby little sister.

Chitra, she never married. Just like her parents! The adoptive ones in front of her. Yet, they were in a blissful happiness. And so was she. Living in with her partner at the other part of Los Angeles, she had been blessed with parents who had seen the uglier side of marriage to be cool with her decision. And why not, ain't they themselves living without the validation of a marriage!

" Abe nautanki. " And a blushing Sidharth smacked the back of her daughter's head with the buffonery she kept in pulling at them.

" Are what wrong did I say! Didn't you have a great life without marriage? Why add unnecessary drama to life. Yaar digest hua toh well and good otherwise tata bye bye have a nice life sweetheart! Bekaar k legal hassles mei kyu jaane ka !" Chitra kept on with her knee slapper jokes she was an expert at.

She was right though in a way. Marriage sometimes would make things more complicated. Didn't Shehnaaz know that first hand!

Yet, marriage, it had it's own values and perks. Not everyone was destined for the scarier ones like Shehnaaz.

So she quietened them up.

" Ok enough of buffoning. Let her speak for God's sake. " She had to chip in to keep their loquacious daughter from talking any further.

" Ok tell me. What is it kanna? Why are you freaking out at the last moment! " Shehnaaz asked to a visibly fumbling Mahnoor.

" Amma! " She whispered, lurching herself to her mother's chest. Shehnaaz wrapped her frail wrinkled arms around her daughter, giving her the warmth of a loving attentive mother like always.

" Chechi is right! What if he actually turns out to be like his biological father! " She spoke her fret out openly to the woman who had faced the demon. Shehnaaz sighed. She was aware this might always be a reason for Mahnoor's refusal when they had accepted the marriage proposal from the boy's family.

His biological father!

Mahnoor was getting married to Aylan Armaan Waali!

As soon as the decree of her divorce came, Shehnaaz was paid a visit by that one woman who she never had tje consideration to strike up a relationship with.

Faiza Armaan Waali. And to her utter amazement, Faiza was a nice woman. Peddled into this marriage forcefully by her own parents, Faiza was a mere pawn just like her. She was on the same lage as Shehnaaz dealing with the insatiable hunger for sex with her husband, but she had no support for her liberty, unlike Shehnaaz. There was no knight in shining armour like Sidharth in Faiza's life who came galloping through the cloud of mist as her saviour. She was already pregnant by then by that ominous man. Her roads to liberty was concealed, bit for the moment.

Faiza had showed her compassion of a friend towards Shehnaaz. And they had been secretly in touch ever since. At least till Armaan was alive.

Armaan Waali...

And the devil had received his retribution from the Almighty above in abundance! Three years after he was released from the jail custody, Armaan was already a changed man. He had been through hell while inside, getting a taste of his own medicines.

But even outside the jail, his freedom couldn't bring him the stardom of that decorated advocate back that he once was. The bar council had terminated his bar code to be practicing as a barrister.

The complacent man that he was, Armaan couldn't handle his defeat that easily. Neither the fact that his arche nemesis was leading a happy life that she was not supposed to at all!

He had commuted suicide within four months of his release!

Faiza had given birth to a boy by then. But even the offspring that Armaan was so greedy for couldn't make him consider living and changing for. And his retribution would be continued in the jahannam as well. Suicide is as much haram in Islam as sodomy!

But like every good soul gets their due in the end, Faiza too got her due in the end. In the form of her second husband. It was within a year of Armaan's death that his mother too gave up on her life with a dejected heart. She was left with none. No husband and with her son dead, Armaan's mother had nothing to live for.

And it was after her death that Faiza openly maintained her friendship with Shehnaaz. She even went ahead to find her a job here in Los Angeles. Not that Faiza needed money, Armaan's property, the huge that he had was passed to his son's as hereditary.

But Faiza had wanted to get away from the place that had robbed her off everything in life. She had wanted a gateway from that place. And hence the job in Los Angeles.

It was here in the new city that she had met her new husband and fallen in love with. They had bonded with a nikaah after being together for two years. Aylan got a good father figure this time in the form of Samad Baig. A Pakistani resident who was also a colleague of Sidharth. He was another professor at the UCLA and one of the good friend with Sidharth and Shehnaaz. It was Shehnaaz who had been one of the witness to Faiza's marriage to Samad.

The world is indeed a very tiny place. No one was aware who would collide with whom.

And now, almost two decades later of all those happy moments of their life, Samad had come forward with a proposal that Sidharth and Shehnaaz couldn't deny. Mahnoor's hand for their elder son Aylan. And Aylan, he was a gem for them to decline. Having seen him grow up almost under their own scrutiny, Shehnaaz was sure of one thing now. A good upbringing can erase the effect of the genes. Genes could only influence the disorders of the physical body. The mind only shapes the way it would be shaped.

But now as they had shared the history of Aylan's biological father with Mahnoor, she was being frightened ever since.

What if he turned out to be like the devil of his father.

" Sweetheart! Look at me! " Shehnaaz caresses the soft strands of her daughter's hair ever so lovingly. Mahnoor obliged, looking up at her mother.

" Aylan is a fine boy. We all know that right. You yourself know that don't you. " She said and Mahnoor blushed furiously in her mother's arms.

The proposal had come almost two years before. She and Aylan had been courting ever since. And with time, they had fallen hopelessly in love with each other. But the horrific reality of his biological father that she had gotten to know recently, and it was freaking her out.

" We shouldn't judge a person based on the character traits of another. Genes clike influence as much. A good upbringing does wonders. Me and Sidharth brought you up our way. And now look at you, can anyone tell us that you are an American and not an Indian except for this blonde hair and the face! " She said, still caressing her daughter's blonde hair.

Yes, Mahnoor has beautiful silver blonde hair just like her biological mother but she is an Indian through and through.

Just like Aylan looked a replica of his biological father, that sinful handsome face, yet he was nothing close to a sinner! Aylan was one of the most well behaved boy one could find. And his respect for the women was something he had adopted from his father.

The adoptive one!

" And still, what lies inside the heart of a human being, one one knows. If, by any chance, God forbid but Aylan turns out to be like his biological father, you know you have us behind your back right. We are always going to be there for you sweetheart. For both of you, anytime, any day. " Shehnaaz said, giving her own daughters that one thing she never had.

The relentless support from parents!

" Also, we have made you stronger right. Both physically and mentally. Kisi din badtameezi kare toh give him one hard kick right across his arse and destroy his balls if he tries ever to pull any of those horrific stunts on you. You are kick boxing black belt sweetheart. Amma Appa ka paisa yu fisool nahi waste karne ka. " And Chitra was back with her hilarious come backs to make everyone of them end up laughing hard and ending up with one tight family hug, as they laughed some and cried some more.. Together!

Later that night, as Shehnaaz was in prostration, praying shukrana for her daughter's happy life, Sidharth propped on his elbow looking at his beautiful Shehnaaz. He would always look at her mesmerised when ever she prayed. This was the best thing his eyes had ever witnessed.

A praying Shehnaaz.

" Kya dekh rahe the aap! " She asked, a while later to a smiling Sidharth, exsufflating him after her prayer. Something she never failed at all these years.

" You look beautiful when you pray. I am lucky I could watch you like this all the time! " He said. Perched on his elbow, he was shirtless underneath. The view still managed to render her blushing crimson.

" Don't do that. " He husked, as his hand crawled to her face, his rough frail thumb caressing her slightly sunken cheeks, deepening that blotch of redness.

" Do what? " She managed to ask.

" Blush. You are turning me on. Makes me remember your whole body blushing up when I would..... And he was interjected with her astounding gasp.

" Sidharth.... " Shehnaaz squeaked, eyes wide with embarrassment and astonishment. Ears all red and burning to hear his erogenous talks.

" Kitne besharm hai aap! " She whispered, hiding herself in his arms, not as much sinewy as before, he had lost his bulkiness with old age, yet, the strongest pair of arms she had ever known. A loud ring of beautiful laughter resonated throughout the air. It was a joke. They have aged to copulate now a days, but he never missed a chance to show his woman hiw much he still was in love with her. Always with his words.. And sometimes now a days with his mouth as his lips still would make slow gentler love to her at nights.

" Ach suno. There is something I need to ask you. Would you say a yes." He asked, as she scurried to the bed for the night.

" Kabhi mana kiya hai! " She smiled to him, crawling into his arms once again.

" I was wondering. Mmm" The stuttering made Shehnaaz frown. She had hardly ever seen her man stutter and fumble. But what came next, blew her mind off completely.

" Mm. Next month is our anniversary right. " He asked. Shehnaaz nodded but kept on looking at a fidgety Sidharth.

" Would you marry me and give me the privilege to make you my bride before I die? " He blurted out the rest in one go to an astounded Shehnaaz, shutting his eyes off in anxiety. His thumb caressing the ring he had gifted her on their first anniversary that she still wore like a prized possession.

Would she say a no!

But she didn't did she.

Next month, Sidharth Sridhar finally made Shehnaaz Ali Haider his bride as they signed their legal papers, making her officially his. Their family stood by their side, whooping in with loud applauds. Their family; Chitra and her partner Alex O'Neill, a model co ordinator,  Mahnoor and her husband Aylan Samad Baig, Samad Baig and his wife Faiza Samad Baig and their daughter Hania. Their small little world here in Los Angeles. Along with the three elderly people smiling in the framed photograph over the mantle piece.

Meenakshi and Sridhar Iyer... And her own mother, Sania Mansoor Ali. Over the time, Shehnaaz had forgiven her mother for the lack of warmth from her. She was helpless. She had none to set her free.

" I would be forever grateful for that dastard to think of getting hitched the second time! " Sidharth muttered as he took her frail nimble hands in his own rougher one. His thumb rubbing her lissome fingers.

They were at their small little attached balcony, beautifully decorated with lanterns, all thanks to their wonderful kids. Their face, glowing with the flickering fire, highlighting their silhouette, while the darkness outside hid them from the devil's eye.

" I know. That was the most fortune night of my life. " She smiled , looking ethereal in a crimson suit that had a golden work on the neck and the pants. Elegant but simple nevertheless. Just like her! A gift from Sidharth for their anniversary. The  one he had given her on their first anniversary. She still preserved that suit like her bridal suit and it was the same she had worn today for her wedding. The dress had it's own importance to be commemorated for their wedding.

" And I wish that fortune to be bestowed upon us till the day we breathe our last! " He had wished, taking her fingers, the ring and the middle one , caressing the rings they both possessed now. The ring finger, a diamond solitaire from the Tiffany's that he had gifted to his bride this morning.

" Thank you! " She had husked back, ogling at the pieces of the jewelleries from her husband, the first and the latest, the man who had successfully turned the world for her.

" Shut up. Say I love you. " He laughed out, wiping her tears off, that had managed to leak from her eyes. Tears that didn't bother him anymore. Tears that were a manifestation of her boundless happiness.

" I love you.. " She was quick to mutter.
" Husband! " She added to a blushing Sidharth this time. Husband sounded so beautiful from her mouth.

" Oh baby. " He husked and leaned forward to seal their wedding with the impending kiss, the one of so many they have shared over the years together. Sidharth never hesitated with the kisses that he would shower her with in abundance throughout the day.

" Ek baat puchu! " Shehnaaz asked, as they retired for the night back to where she rightfully belonged, in the arms of her husband.

" Since when did you need permission to ask me anything sweetheart! " He pulled her closer, his fingers caressing her soft  hair, it's reached till her shoulder now and was heavily streaked with silver amidst the brown. Beautiful, she was still the most captivating woman he had come across.

" True that. So tell me why did you ask me for marriage. We are over a lifetime of being in love and we had been going great till now. What changed? Our love never needed the validation of a marriage till date. " Shehnaaz asked, looking up at the most handsome face she had come across. Wrinkled and aged with time, but Sidharth Sridhar was and would be the most handsome man to her. Till she breathed her last. Even with the receading hairline and the all white hair, he still looked the most magnificent.

" Sach bolu! " He asked.

" Mhm. " Shehnaaz mumbled.

" Do you remember the night when we had fornicates our relationship and i had asked if you take this as a sin anymore!" Sidharth asked to a bewildered Shehnaaz. Of course she remembered. She remembered everything about them.

Shehnaaz nodded a yes.

"You had said that you are ready for the retribution and condemnation in that after life for having a relationship with a namehram but would never make the mistake of calling us a sin. Yet, you never failed to be religious. That was your love for me Shehnaaz. How could my love let you burn with the hellfire and be condemned for having this absolutely pure feelings for me! I could never my love. I could never. " His explanation broke her floodgates. Shehnaaz cried like a child on her man's chest. Her legally wedded husband! How did she get so lucky!

Sidharth came like that knight in shining armour as they depict in movies and turned her life upside down, only to make hera more better and stronger person to save herself from the doom!  This unique knight was hers now. Had always been. But since tonight, he would be her husband for as many times as their soul would survive!

" Shh baby.. How much would you cry. Bachpan mein ganga jamuna saraswati sab ghol k peegayi thi kya! " Sidharth joked, only to be smacked by his wife on his chest as she wiped her tears off on his chest. Rubbing her nose off.

" I love you Shehnaaz. I myself don't know how much. " He said, leaning to give her a soulful peck on her lips as she quietened down a while later.

" I love you too. I don't know how much as well. But I do. I would always. " She mumbled as they lay entwined in each other's arms in absolute bliss and their private soulful silence.

" You love music. Let me play a song to commemorate our first night dear wife! "   Sidharth mumbled as he got a hold of his phone and tuned in to a song.

Their song! As they laid in silence.

Their own personal khamosh silence, the most most beautiful one.

Kya uss gali mei kabhi tera jaana hua
Jahase zamane ko guzre zamana hua
Mera samai toh wahi pe hai thehra hua
Batau tumhe kya mere saath kya kya hua

Khamosiya ek saaz hai
Tum dhun koi laao zara
Khamosiya alfaaz hai
Kabhi aa gunguna le zara
Bekarar hai baat karne ko
Kehne do inko zara

Khamosiya.. Teri meri khamosiya
Khamosiya.. Lipti hui khamosiya..

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Shehnaaz whose wore her s ars as her jewels. Scars that had reached her soul and damaged it in a way that she wished and prayed for death to liberate her each single night, till the cosmic ways created a way to liberate her in a more profound way. The most beautiful way. The Sidharth way, replacing her every distraught and traumas with happiness , laughter, smile and endless love.

And.....

Everything she never had!

The End

***

😭😭😭. I am speechless right now. Goodbye to Sidharth Sridhar and Shehnaaz Ali Haider. Would miss them.

I would be back with a note later now.

For now,

❤❤ to this beautiful journey of theirs.

Sanu who is a crying mess right now.