The atmosphere was consumed by cold breezes that took over as stormy clouds continuously darkened the sky, making the afternoon seem closer to approaching evening than it was.

Dushyant drove the car with his eyes fixed on the empty lane as ishita only looked outside from the window of the passenger's seat.

"Aaj achanak se humayun's tomb ki taraf kyun?" Asked ishita inquisitively.

"Bas... kaafi time se nahi gaye...socha aaj, kyun nahi.. Saturday bhi hai..free hain..." Stated dushyant, sounding somewhat convincing, avoiding eye contact with ishita.

"Haan... disha ke bina toh jaane ka mauka kam hi milta hai kahi bhi...sewaye sabzi mandi ke.." remarked ishita, letting out a slight scoff, as dushyant seemed too occupied in his thoughts to respond.

                          ***

Purvi had a stern gaze on her face with sealed lips, walking over to the lake by Humayun's Tomb. Kavin who was following right behind her seemed only more perplexed as he looked around.

"Purvi yaar, mujhe seriously samajh nahi aa raha surprise exactly kya hai...i mean, yaha kyun..." Expressed Kavin perplexed, as Purvi turned to him with a cold demeanor.

"Kavin, main chahti hoon tum... apne past se actually aage badho...uski adhuri yaad mein nahi....uske bache hue dard mein nahi...tum woh clarity pao jisse yeh chapter bas...close hojayein..." Stated purvi, as kavin raised his brow at her with more questions within him, while she signalled him to turn back only to be found completely astonished at what he found in sight.

An appalled ishita faced him, who turned to dushyant in complete confusion, but he looked at purvi.

"Tum dono ka past tumhe aaj bhi tang karta hai...ek adhoora chapter hai joh tum dabbate ho, bhulte nahi...aaj agar usse pura kardoge toh..aage ka future hai jismein tum dono ek dusre ki life ka kaafi bada hissa banoge, woh shayad accept karpao..." Stated purvi melancholically, as dushyant followed.

"Waise bhi...ab bas tum dono ke beech koi purani baat nahi hai yeh...ismein ab humare bachon ke aane waale kal ka bhi sawaal hai..." Added dushyant, as purvi nodded along, they both pleadingly looked at their helpless better halves.

                         ***

Ishita and kavin sat across each other on the grass that had occupied the land adjacent to the lake. Their eyes met, resentment, confusion hit together with overwhelming memories.

"Ishita I'm sorry main uss din nahi aa paya...meri.. majboori thi..." stated kavin, his head bowed down.

"Tumhare kaaran toh majboor main hui thi kavin...main paregnant thi humare bache ke saath...mujhe pata bhi isliye chala ki tumhara wait karte hi behosh hui aur wapas ghar laiye gaiyi...bhaagi thi upar se naajayas bacha tha meri cok mein...mere maa baap ne milke usse maara mujhe maarke...uske khoon bahake farsh par giri rahi...jab khade hone ki na himmat thi na hosh tab mujhe bina puche shaadi ke mandap pe zabardasti bitha diya... batao, isse zyada majboor the?" Revealed ishita as kavin was shocked.

"Ishita ...main ...uski maa marrte hue mujhse wadaa maang rahi thi uski beti ka khayal rakhne joh unke baad akeli aur anath hojati... main kya karta!" Exclaimed kavin in frustration.

"Ek message hi likh dete..bas sorry...kuch aur na bhi Batate.. samjha leti khudh ko tumhari koi majboori hogi... par tumne toh mere pyaar aur vishwas ko itni gehri chot di..." Retorted ishita bluntly.

"Tum bhi toh keh sakti thi ki kitni takleef mein ho.. kuch toh karta tumhare liye..." Argued kavin.

"Bacha wapas le aate humara?" Questioned ishita.

"Agar mujhe pata hota toh main tumhare saath aisa hone nahi deta!" Replied kavin convincingly.

"Agar... shayad... bas yahi hai ab... aur tumhara afsoos... kavin tumne na uss faisle ko lete hue mera ek khayal bhi mann mein nahi laaye...itne saal ka pyaar...bas khatam...aur waise bhi  bhaagna chahte bhi tum the! Aakhir mein achanak jaagi insaaniyat ka dilasa de kar majboori keh do bas!" Ranted ishita.

"Ishita maine sachi kabhi nahi socha tha tumhare saath aisa hoga..." Stated kavin.

"Jaanti hoon...tumhe dosh dena itne saal asaan tha... shayad isliye tumhari yaad ko gusse se bharke dabba diya.. sach toh yeh hai ki humara saath kabhi likha hi nahi tha kismat mein... isliye mushkelein aayi.... aur hum haar gaye...jab saath likha hota hai kismat mein toh mushkilein aane par bhi guzar jaati hai... meri kismat mein tha shuru mein kaafi dukh...par uske badle, mujhe zindagi bhar ki khushiyan bhi mili...joh mujhe dushyant ne di... mera saath unhi ke saath likha tha...aur tumhara purvi ke saath..." Explained ishita.

"Pata hai ishita, humein pyaar bhi sacha nahi hua tha shayad... isliye itni jaldi chutta...aur gussa,afsoos chod gaya joh itni jaldi aaye... kyunki sach kahoon toh, jab mujhe purvi ke saath pyaar hua mujhe tab samajh aaya ki  dil sachi mein kisike hawale karna kaise hota hai...aur jab mera beta meri godh mein pehli baar aaya, tab maine andar se mehsoos kiya ki sacha pyaar kitna gehra ho sakta hai.... shayad maine tumhare saath ke layak pyaar nahi kiya tumse." Stated kavin.

"Shayad humein yeh thokar khaani zaroori thi... warna dosri baar pyaar hone pe kadar nahi hoti..." Noted ishita.

They both gave one final glance to each other as a vaccum of silence formed in the air, as their breaths had exhales of serenity and relief so strong, it felt as if burdens weighing them down for years had finally let go.

                        ***

Dushyant and purvi were sitting on a wooden bench adjacent to a tea stall, sipping on their individual glasses.

"Waise main aapka shukriya karna chahti thi..iss baat ke liye manne ko... mujhe vishwas tha pata nahi kyun aap maan jayenge..." Expressed purvi her gratitude.

"Mere na manne se kuch hota nahi.. unka past unke saamne aaya hai unke liye face karne ko..jaise bhi karna hi padta..yeh tareeka sab ke liye theek tha bas.." replied dushyant.

"Hmm... agar itne saal baad koi iss tarah zindagi mein aaye..toh kismat kuch chah rahi hai joh rokna nahi chahiye..." Stated purvi.

"Lekin ek baat hai.. aapne bahaut mushkil step liya tha...shuruaat karke...i think mein usse zyada surprised tha.." recounted dushyant.

"Main bhale hi kavin ki pehli mohabbat nahi...woh meri haina... dil iss baat se zyada dukhta ki woh shayad mujhse kabhi pure dil se pyaar na karte kyunki woh aaj bhi apne dil ka ek kona ek adhuri mohabbat ko dete hai .. main chahti thi ki unka woh dukhta kona bhi na dukhe..aur shayad unhe bhi mere jitna pyaar hojaye..joh shayad nahi tha itne saalon mein." Stated Purvi, morose.

"Unki pehli mohabbat ke liye toh bas unke paas afsoos hai...aapke liye izzat hai aur pyaar hai... tabhi aapki khaatir joh baat unhone itne saal dabaiyi uska aaj unhone saamna kiya." Stated dushyant.

"Aap tassaliyan achi dete hai.." replied purvi.

"Aap manna nahi chahengi par sach keh raha hoon.." assured dushyant.

Purvi looked at him amazed only to scoff while shaking her head making him raise his brow at her.

"Humara bhi kya hi rishta bana diya hai inn dono ne.." remarked purvi.

"Kya matlab? Humari dosti Hogayi hai! Ek dusre se sukh -dukh baantne ka rishta hai... ek doosre ko samajhne ka hai..aur kya?" Replied dushyant as Purvi couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Chaliye...yeh bhi acha hi hai aage ke liye jab dono bachon ki shaadi hogi..." Stated Purvi, while dushyant couldn't help but nod along.

                        ***

Ishita and dushyant were on a quiet ride to home on their car, trodding along on empty lanes, only silence in the air surrounding them.

Ishita looked over to dushyant as he had his eyes fixed on the road while driving.

"Dushyant..." Called ishita quietly, making dushyant look over.

"Thank you..." Stated ishita, as Dushyant was slightly taken aback.

"Aaj ke liye toh mera thank you nahi banta.." replied dushyant, looking back on the road again.

"Nahi... woh maine kabhi kaha nahi par...aapke saath meri life ke joh pal beete na, sabse ache the... uske liye maine thank you kaha nahi...kehna chahiye tha..." Stated ishita as dushyant couldn't help but sigh deeply.

"Farz tha mera ishita...shaadi ki tumse...meri bachi ki maa ho." Replied dushyant.

"Farz nibhaya na... isliye..." Stated ishita, as dushyant couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Pyaar tha isliye nibhaya...nibhata rahunga..." Assured dushyant, still looking ahead.

"Jaanti hoon.." replied ishita, as she placed her head on his shoulder, and he continued to drive, placing an arm around her.

                         ***

Purvi was quietly seated in the car with the window of the passenger's seat open. Kavin arrived with two cups of coffe to-go and sandwiches, giving one each to purvi, as she accepted with a smile.

"Purvi..." Stated kavin,resting against the car door.

"Mere pyaar mein itne saal kya kami reh gayi thi ki...tumhe laga ki iski zaroorat thi..." Questioned kavin, as purvi looked in surprise.

"Kavin..." Replied purvi, appalled.

"Pyaar kiya tumse isliye hi chaha tha tumhare liye ki afsoos mein zindagi na kaato agar mauka aaya hi hai!" Exclaimed purvi.

"Afsoos jitna bhi ho, tumhare liye pyaar zyada tha...ek baar puchti toh...haq tha tumhara.." argued kavin.

"Kavin yahan baat tumhari wafadari ki nahi thi...baat tumhe sukoon pahunchane ki thi.."  defended purvi herself.

"Tumhara saath kaafi hai sukoon ke liye... dobara mat kabhi aisa sochna..." Assured kavin, as he sipped from his coffee facing away when purvi's glance fell on the side view mirror, where she could see kavin's reflection.

A smile crept up on her lip as kavin was quick to notice and glanced at her, as their eyes met, they shared a genuine smile.

                          ***
                     THE END!!