Purvi was making tea in the kitchen, she let the tea simmer in the pot that was above the fire lit on the stove. Her mind wandered outside the window that was in front of her, as she seemed to find herself disconnect from her present. 

Purvi adjusted the veil of her suit, as she composed herself one last time, fixing her hair and pulling down the hemline of her kurti to adjust it. She took a moment to get a last glimpse of herself, as she realised she was going to be married away in a few minutes. The anxiety was bound to set in, only for suddenly the door to her room to open. 

Kavin's mother entered jolting the door open with a distressed look, as she asked her to hurry outside. Purvi saw her mother had collapsed on the floor, clenching onto her stomach, as kavin held onto her, completely unaware of what was to be done. 

"maa.." hurried purvi to her mother. 

"beta, ab bahaut der hogayi lagta hai...khayal rakhna meri beti ka..." pleaded her mother to kavin, as he reluctantly looked at purvi, who looked as disinterested in the union. He could only nod in the moment, not knowing what else to do.

The memory of that day remained visceral in her head. She sighed looking at the tea. It was time to get it off the stove, as she got the sieve out and started to pour the tea into the cup, keeping it a barrier in between. 

She placed the cup in a tray as she walked outside, and found another middle aged lady to be seated alongside kavin's mother, who was served the tea. 

"beta, ab kaisi ho?" asked the lady, faking concern, as purvi nodded in agreement with a tight lipped smile. 

"toh shaadi ki raat hi suvedha ke saath yeh hogaya huh?" she confirmed, as kavin's mother nodded in sorrow, and the lady only shook her head in disbelief. 

Purvi felt a rush of grief coming over to her all over again, not bringing any tears, but emptiness instead, which came through her eyes. 

                                                                ***

Kavin had been roaming around aimlessly in his bike around the streets for an hour since he had left the office. He only stopped on his way at a beer shop, getting himself a bottle of beer, only to carry it to his bike, keeping it inside, before he took his bike to an emptier lane, and parked it there. Only to get the beer bottle out and gulp it down his throat. He only bitter thinking about going home to a life he clearly didn't want. 

                                                              ***

Dushyant looked at ishita with repent, averting his eyes to the ground, as ishita grew concerned. 

"actually, jia prematurely paida hui thi...kaafi jaldi infact, pregnancy ke 7th month mein hi...isliye delivery mein complications bhi hui, jiske kaaran meri wife ki bhi death hogayi thi..." revealed dushyant, his tone lowering, as he swallowed a lump down his throat, finding it difficult to open up.

"but jia, uski haddiyan form nahi ho payi dhang se..jiske kaaran, iski itni fragile bones hai ki, zyada zor se agar isse pakad bhi lein toh....haddiyan toot jayengi..." stated dushyant, as there was a saddening smirk on his face, as he tried to look away and escape his tears, while ishita was left utterly astonished.

"doctor ne toh isse mujhe thamate hi keh diya...yeh agar do saal tak bhi jee le...bahaut hai..." said dushyant, scoffing at the end of his sentence, barely making eye contact with ishita, as he swallowed again, in an attempt to not let his moistening eyes further tear down.

Ishita was left feeling devastated, but when she looked at his condition, she couldn't help but feel worse for him. She placed her hand on his arm, which made him look up to her, she was overwhelmed by the pain in his eyes. 

Her hand ended up sliding down to his wrist and then to his palm, as she ended up clasping it with hers, squeezing tightly for comfort. He ended up not moving his glance from her at all. 

"dekhiye, main janti hoon shayad aapke liye accept hi karna mushkil hoon ki aapki beti itni jaldi aapke paas chali jayein...par..woh jitne bhi din bitayein, main puri koshish karungi ki usmein pyaar, khushi bhar ke hoon...aur shayad woh khushi mein jayein toh...aapka bhi ghum hoon...thoda sa hi sahi..." stated ishita purely, in a very emotional state, averting her gaze to the floor, as she hid her moist eyes.

Dushyant smiled at the purity of her words, as with very firm touch he lifted her chin up to face him, forming a shared gaze into the other's eyes for both of them.

"pata hai, kabhi-kabhi jab kisi ke liye koi dawa nahi hoti, aur usse dua ki bahaut zaroorat hoti hai...shayad tab hi kisike dua lag jaati hai, aur tum jaisi koi aa jati hai, usse theek karne...tum uss umeed jaisi ho." stated dushyant, as a smile crept up on ishita's face, as he reciprocated it with one of his too. 

It seemed like a moment had been lost into time, and everything had stopped, as they were brought back into reality with a crying jia. Ishita was about to get hold of her, when dushyant stopped her, pulling up jia in his embrace.

"tum araam karlo..main hoon na ab." stated dushyant with a polite smile, as ishita nodded with a genuine smile on her face too. 

And just like that, began the start of something new.