Family is Forever-Parivaar Hamesha ke Liye

Maut ka Javaab

The family had gathered on an ordinary Saturday for story time, a time they had set apart for one another to share memories from their youth. Following the family's reunion, Raj and Mahima were beaming as they listened to their kids. After Sapna married Vinod, they continued to cherish her as if she were their own child. Right now, Sapna's personality was more developed, and she was capable of doing household duties. Vinod missed her being the silly, carefree person she used to be since she wasn't that relaxed anymore. She was now more accustomed to wearing sarees and churidars. When Vinod spotted her in the kitchen, he gave her a back hug. "Good morning, Sapna, mera jaan! Aap ko kya kahana hai? Tumane apana Vinod to nahi tyaag diya?(My dear! What do you have to say? You haven't abandoned your Vinod, have you?" He is pushed away by Sapna as she speaks. "Vinod, stop this! Mere paas moorkh banaane ka samay nahi hai. Ghar ki bhabhi hone ke naate yah meree jimmedaari hai ki main apane andar sarvashreshth dikhaoon(I have no time for fooling around. Being the bhabhi of the house, it is my responsibility to demonstrate the best in myself.)" Vinod became a little frustrated at her abrupt attitude toward him. "Tumhe apane pati ka bhi khyaal rakhana chaahiye. Yaar, tumhe kya hua? Aap haal hi mein bahut sanyamit lag rahe hain(You should take care of your husband as well. Yaar, what happened to you? You just seem so restrained lately.)" As she spoke, Sapna sighed. "I'm sorry, Vinod, but I'm now busy. Parivaar abhi aapase milane ke liye taiyaar hai(The family is ready to meet you right now.)" As he left Vinod felt offended by her apparent lack of attention to him. Mahima observed her continuing her normal routine while depressed and Vinod was disappointed. "Sapna beti, main isaka dhyaan rakhoonga. Mujhe Vinod ke vartamaan vyavahaar ko dekhakar dukh hota hai. Vah akela nahi hai jo aapaki puraani yaad karata hai. Nahi, priy, tumhe paaramparik bahu banane ki zaroorat nahi hai. Tum ek mazedaar, aatmavishvaasi ladaki ho sakatee ho jisaki main prashansa karata hoon.(I am going to take care of this. I find it sad to look at Vinod's current behavior. He is not the only one who misses the old you. No, dear, you don't have to be a traditional bahu. You can just be the fun, confident girl that I adore.)" Mahima smiles as Sapna strongly hugs her. "Phir bhi Mummy ji. Please kiraane ka saamaan khareedane ke liye aage badhe. Haalaanki mujhe aapake driving kaushal par bharosa hai, phir bhi aap Papa ko dekh sakate hain(However, Mummy Ji. Please proceed to purchase the groceries. Although I'm confident in your driving skills, you can still see Papa.)" As she decided to go shopping, Mahima nodded. Raj and Karan appear out of nowhere inside the store and spray somnolent drugs for everyone to get some sleep. Raj and Mahima were captured in their warehouse. When they get up, they are horrified to discover that they have been chained by shackles. "Aap sab kaun hain? Aapane hamaare saath aisa vyavahaar kyun kiya(Who are all of you? Why have you treated us like this?)" Kabir laughed while acting dejected. "We are sorry. Please yaad rakhe ki hum kaun hain. Hum hi vo log hain jinhonne pahale Preeti ki jindagi barbaad ki thi. Yah hum hi the jo khataranaak dhang se aapake bachchePrem ki hatya karane ke kareeb aa gaye the. Aur hum hi log hain jinhonne aapaki poti Radhika ko bandi bana liya tha (Please remember who we are. We are the ones that previously messed up Preeti's life. It was we who came dangerously near to murdering your child Prem. And we are the ones who took your granddaughter prisoner, Radhika.)" Raj and Mahima declared "We're going to call the police right away," as they were perplexed. "Lekin kya aap kabhi apane parivaar ko dobaara dekh paenge(But will you ever see your family again)," Karan responded. "Kyyonki tum is godaam mein hamesha ke lie phans jaoge. Phir bhi ek alag tareeke se(Because you'll be trapped in this warehouse forever. Yet in a different manner.)" As Kabir poured flammable gasoline on them, he lighted the matchbox. "RAJ! Main tumase pyaar karata hoon, bhale hi yah aakhiri baar ho jab main tumhe dekh raha hoon(I love you, even if this is the last time I see you.)" "I love you too, Mahima." As fire engulfs them and their bodies are consumed, they both embrace one another. "Tum hamesha chhup nahi paoge. Parivaar Hamesha Ke Liye Hai(You won't be able to hide forever. Family is Forever!)" As they stand outside and watch them, the three of them laugh. Finally, they pass away in love. When night fell, the entire family was utterly concerned about where their dear parents had disappeared for such a long time. Vinod and Sapna were in a panic while their siblings sought to reassure them. Anand and Manik were watching the news the next morning. "Breaking News. Raj Joshi, ek prasiddh vyavasaayi aur unaki pyaari patni Mahima ki kuch gundon dvaara dukhad hatya kar di gai. May they rest in peace(Raj Joshi, a famous businessman, and his beloved wife Mahima were tragically killed by some goons.)" Everyone felt breathless and filled with horror. "Yah galat hai. Nahi, nahi, nahi, yah sambhav nahi hai(This is false. No. No. No. This is not possible!)" Prem consoles Preeti while his tears are streaming uncontrollably as she sobs hysterically with a dreaded heart. Because their parents were the center of their existence, Vivek and Sapna found it difficult to accept the news. Sadhana screamed "Mummy ji. Papa" as her entire family arrived to transport her to the ambulance before she passed out from shock. Preeti was certain it was Kabir, thus she knew she was to blame. As Vivek tightly clutched Sadhana as she awoke, she was sobbing terribly. Sangeeta sobbed as she stood in front of her parents' coffins. Her brothers stood on either side of her, both of them solemn in their loss. While Preeti was distracted by memories, the pandit started to speak. The first time she had ever seen her Mummy ji cry came to mind. The day of her dadi's funeral had arrived. In that difficult period, her Papa had stood up for her and her brothers and kept them together. She was aware of their unending love for her and the heartbreak they would feel if they had only mourned over in heaven. Preeti now needed to demonstrate strength. Despite the fact that they are also in pain, Ajay and Sita do their best to comfort their daughter. The three individuals who caused them so much suffering were her targets. She listened to the pandit's comments after being brought back to the present by his voice. "Hum ek mahila aur purush ko alavida kahane ke liye ek saath aai hain, jo hame bahut jaldi chhodakar chale gai(We've come together to say goodbye to a woman and man who left us too soon)," he said. Sadhana struggled to hold back more tears as she heard the pandit ji praise her Mummy and Papa. Even though he wasn't their biological kid, Vivek consoled her by expressing her how much they still loved him. It was time for the family to say their final farewells when he had finished speaking. Sapna battled against her desire to burst into tears all of her emotions out as she knelt down and kissed her Mummy's and Papa's ashes. She was aware that she needed to stand up for her family in the same way that her parents had done so many years ago.  A solitary red rose was placed on top of the white linen fabric that covered the coffins. It was their favorite symbol of love. The three sons could not help but reflect on all that their parents had done for them as the pandit started to talk. Even when no one else was, they had always stood by them. And now they have showered upon them the greatest gift of all—life. They would always be grateful for what they did for them. People gathered in hushed conversation in groups, their breath obscuring the brisk atmosphere.  A woman sat by herself in the front row, weeping quietly while her shoulders shook. She was Sapna's mother Aadhya, who recalled everything they had done for her after the death of her husband. They treated Sapna as if she were their own child and cared for her as if she were their own sister. A couple sat a few rows back with their heads bent and grave looks on their faces. It was Anandś parents and they were mourning on their sudden loss. The temple started to feel claustrophobic as more people poured in. Although they were gone, their memory would always be present. The bodies were all carried by the men to the fire, where they burned the ashes to put the bodies to rest. 

Sapna:

Preeti:

Sadhana:

Sangeeta:

Authorś Note:

Oh God! I cried uncontrollably while writing this chapter since it was the darkest one I had ever written. My favorite character in the story was Papa Ji, and his death was giving me nightmares. Even though she made mistakes, Mummy Ji was very loving and kind. Without them, the entire family will feel empty. Please share your views on this chapter in the comments section below.