"Riddhima!! Riddhi-" Ishani knocked on the door or could be said she nearly banged. Opening the door, Riddhima looked at Ishani agitated, which ws absolutely opposite to Ishani's expression who held perplexity.
"Aa rahi hun" said Riddhima noticing the shocked expression of her sister-in-law's face and moved out of the room crossing her.
"Yeh aaj.... Aise?" Ishani mumbled to herself as Riddhima left, "Itna tayiyaar hoke?"
Riddhima who until today had swollen eyes, matted hairs, empty wrist and ears, was all fresh and composed. Her slender wrist wore gracefully wore silver bangles gifted by her late husband, while small jhumkas fixed elegantly in her ear holes. The neck line which went fade these days was now glowing with the small pendant.
"Good morning Dadi" wished Riddhima as she reached the dining table, followed by her astonished sister-in-law, pulling every single head towards her.
"Riddhima?...." Asked the elderly women placing her soft palm on Riddhima's head, ".....Kaisi hai tu beta?" She asked with motherly warmth.
"Thik hoon Dadi" replied Riddhima giving a short smile. The elderly women addressed as Granny served food to her grand daughter-in-law, receiving soft noises of gritting of teeth. Riddhima giving a short smile looked around the table to see every seat occupied, except two.
"Dadi?" Called Riddhima pulling Granny's attention towards her.
"Haa beta" she responded with immense softness. Even this time a long huff didn't fail to barge in.
"Siya kaisi hai?" She asked and the bright face of Granny soon faded away, "Woh thik nhi hai. Halat mein koi sudhaar nhi hai" The elderly women replied wiping the corner of her eyes.
"Aap fikr mat kijiye Dadi. Siya bahut strong hai. Woh bahut jaldi thik ho jayegi" said Riddhima placing her soft hands on the experienced ones. Sharing a genuine smile the duo dug in their food.
"Pichli baaton ko bhula k zindagi mein aage badhna hi behter hai..." Shoving in the words, Chanchal chachi pulled the audience attention towards her, not to mention, accompanied by her shrill voice.
"Kabhi kabhi pichli baatein itne dil ke kareeb hoti hai na..." giving a short smile, Riddhima looked towards her food, ".....ki unhe bhulane ki himmat hi nhi rehti Chachi ji...." Her eyes moistened up at her own words.
"......Aur zindagi ne toh mujhe pehle bhi akela kar diya aur aaj bhi...." She added remaining in the same reverie, ".....Tab bhi mere bas mein kuch nhi tha... Aur aaj bhi.. par haa, uske saath jeena zaroor sikha diya" said Riddhima pulling up a hard stone expression.
"Waise yeh...." Asked Anupriya taking the last bite of her food, "..... Chudiyaan kaha se leke aayi tum?"
"Online order kar diya hoga didi" replied Chanchal giving an ear to ear grin.
"Nhi Chachi ji..." Riddhima denied, "....Online nhi mangwaya, Vansh ne diya" she added making her family members fall of their seats, not literally though.
"Kya?!!" Anupriya blurted out in astonishment, "....Vansh kaise de sakta hai?!?! Riddhima tumhara dimaag toh thik hai na??" The mother-in-law nearly screamed out making her daughter Ishani put a finger at the entrance of her ear canal.
"Mummy ji woh.." Riddhima started but was soon cut by her Aunt-in-law.
"Bhoot..." Chanchal said in a notified tone, ".....Didi bhoot.. Hume Vansh ki body nhi mili na.." she went on blabbering while among the rest, some looked away nonchalantly while other had their hand in their forehead, ".....uska antim sanskar nhi hua.. uski aatma..."
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Beautiful Dilemma (The Untold Story)
Fanfiction"No..." she breathed out trembling at the circumstance that had hovered on her at the most unfortunate time or maybe as a blessing in disguise. With utmost certainty in her voice she weaved her thoughts into words, "This can't happen. You can't com...
