Epilogue

"We need to search for a happy ending in a sad ones."

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Four months later

Abhi Goenka

Life has been amazing for the past four months. My hands are full with work. I had office work to take care of and to look after my pregnant wife along with a toddler is never an easy task. On top of that, Avni wanted to move to the house after the baby was born.

I was over the moon when Avni forgave me. I know it was not easy for her to forget the things I called her but she wants to move forward and I will treat her like a queen, my queen.

"Abhi!" I heard her calling me and I left the file I am reading on the table and rushed to her.

"Abhi, come fast." I ran to the living room. I was afraid, hearing her shout my name is enough to get me worked up.

I ran as fast as I could and stood in front of her. "What happened?" I asked her, she was sitting on our new couch eating popcorn. Seeing me she looked at me, removing her eyes from the television.

"Look, the baby is cute right?" She motioned towards the show she was watching. I sat beside her with a huff, relieved that nothing serious happened to her.

It has been the same for the past two months. She will call me for silly things but I get panicked whenever she calls me or shouts my name.

"I was worried about you." I exclaimed in a small voice and she noticed. She shifted her attention towards me.

"Why are you worrying about everything?" She leaned towards me and placed her head on my shoulder. "You are being too cautious." She murmured softly. I laid my head on top of hers and took her hand in mine.

"You can't blame me. I told you that we will move to this house after your delivery but you are hell bent on moving in a week." I said in frustration. I want her to have a happy pregnancy and not stress about these things. "We are far away from your doctor also, if there is an emergency we may not reach in time," I said in a small voice.

She slowly moved her head away and I looked at her. She has a serious expression on her face. "Did you get the call again?" Even though her facial expressions were serious there was concern and worry in her eyes.

I should have never told her about the calls but because of the promises I made I didn't want to hide things from her. "Yes, but this isn't related to her." I said wanting to close the topic but she will never allow it.

"Abhi, she is your aunt. She has been hogging you to meet her for two months." I turned my face to the other side, not wanting to listen to her support for her. "Abhi,look here." She forced me to look at her, once she got my attention she started speaking. "It is not healthy for you to keep the conversation pending. You have something to tell her then go and meet her. End this chapter for good." I tried to control my emotions but it slipped and I knew that Avni saw it.

"Look! Even Aarav visited her once in the jail. After that day, he was more free as if he got rid of all the bad things."

"Fine, I will think about it." I replied wanting her to stop about this. "Can we move here after the baby is here?" I tried to distract her but she is intelligent.

She stared at me hard and laid her head on my shoulder. "No and now look at this. Isn't she cute?" She pointed in the television's direction. I sighed at her and looked towards the thing she was pointing at.

"She is cute. But our baby will be more cute than her." I pulled her close to me as she hummed in agreement.

"I agree."

After two days:

"Angel, I can cancel the meeting. Let me come with you." I tried to reason with her but the woman is stubborn.

"No, you agreed to meet her finally after all these days. I have a regular checkup and ma is coming with me, so don't worry." She said as she set the collar of my shirt.

"I don't like it." I pulled her close to me by her waist. I turned her and hugged her from the back and she held my hand that was on her baby bump. "I want to be with you whenever you go for an appointment. Now, I can't. I hate this." I murmured slowly.

"Hey, don't say things like that." She slowly turned around and held my face in her hands. "It is just a monthly checkup and there will be no complications. So, don't worry and meet her. For me, us and for yourself." She tried to kiss me but was unable to.

"God! I can't even hold you properly. After a month, I am going to have you all for myself." I kissed her on the forehead and left with a goodbye.

I got in the car and drove to the prison, where my aunt is held. For a conversation.

"Sir, you will have an hour to speak with her. There will be no one present here and you can have privacy." My lawyer informed me and I nodded my head.

I didn't want to be here but I thought about it and telling her the things left in my heart will help me. "I don't even need five minutes." I murmured in a low voice and looked at my surroundings.

I was in a room with a table and two chairs, the walls are coloured in white and I started to feel suffocated already. I heard the sound of an iron door opening, so I looked up and found her.

She looks worse. She is frail and her hair is cut up to her shoulders. The female officer that came with her dragged her and made her sit in front of me before removing the handcuffs. She gave a pointed look in her direction before leaving us alone.

"I will wait outside, sir." The lawyer left us and as silence eloped us.

"You are looking happy." She smiled at me as if she was happy to see me as she rubbed her wrists.

"And you look sick," I countered but she only smiled at me. I sat straight and placed my hands in front of me. "I don't know why you called me here, but this has to stop. Stop calling me." I stood up to leave, I couldn't wait to see her face for more than a few seconds. Whenever I see her face all I want to do is kill her.

"Are you going to go without listening to your aunt?" I stopped as I heard her speak.

"My aunt died the day she killed my uncle. I treated her like my mother but she thought that I was a waste of life," I tried to control my emotions as I spoke. I don't want to do this now, so I tried to leave but I stopped as she started speaking again.

"Abhi," my feet halted hearing her call my name with love. "Come here, I have an important thing to tell you." I closed my eyes and contemplated it. My feet dragged me back to my seat and I sat on it and leaned back as I waited for her to continue.

"Do you think that I wanted to kill my husband? I love him, Abhi." There were tears in her eyes, if I haveI not known about her true intentions I would have fallen for them. I am not a fool to fall for her lies. "I love you too, like my kid."

"Please stop this drama." I stopped her before she could continue this drama. "Now you are going to spew lies. You will tell me that you were forced to do all these things and like a fool I should believe you and get you out of here right?" I stood up seeing her expression. "You were about to tell me this?Are you fucking serious?" I scoffed at her. "I am leaving, don't contact me again." I turned to move but stopped hearing her words.

"I know that you are not going to believe me." I stopped in my steps but didn't turn around. "Keep your guard up, Abhi. Keep your wife and children safe." My heart started beating fast with fear. "I hope that there will be no need for you to see me again. Be careful." I didn't turn around and left that place.

I spoke with my lawyer and left as quickly as possible. I want to go near my family as soon as possible. Her words spiked an unknown fear in my heart.

What if what she said is true? What if there is still a threat for my family?

I drove as fast as I could and reached my house. I entered the room and saw them both safe, my heart relaxed seeing them. Diya was sitting on the kitchen island as she spoke animatedly. Avni nodded her head listening to her as she cooked.

I went and hugged her from behind. She stilled in her place but didn't question my action. "Dada, you home." Diya called me and I moved away from Avni and took my baby in my arms.

I hugged Diya to my chest and she nuzzled close to my chest. I pulled Avni to my side and hugged them both. "I am not going to let anything happen to you both." I said in a small voice and promised to myself that I will never let harm touch them.

"Is everything okay?" Avni asked as she moved out of my hold.

"Yes, everything is fine." I smiled in her direction to assure her. I made Diya sit in her previous place before excusing myself.

I went to my study and made a call.

"Hello!" The person on the other side answered my call after two rings.

"Rohan, don't ask me questions. But I need you to tighten the security."

After having a detailed conversation with my friend, I am relieved. Now, they will have security. I don't know whether the things Damini said are true or not, I will be cautious and not let my guard down.

Once everything was settled regarding the security, I went back to the living room and found my wife and daughter huddled in the couch watching a cartoon movie.

I slumped beside Avni and pulled her close to me. "What did the doctor say?" I asked in a small voice not wanting to disturb Diya.

"That your daughter will be in this world in twenty days." She said softly.

"Twenty days!" I exclaimed making two people jump in fright, I ignored them. "Isn't it early? Is the baby okay? Are there any complications? God! Only twenty days we have many things to take care of before then." I started pacing back and forth as I listed the things to do mentally.

Avni Goenka

It has been ten days and Abhi is getting on my nerves. He is not allowing me to do any work. God! He isn't even allowing me to walk and lift my plate.

After he found out that the baby will be here in twenty days he got frightened, but I assured him. As I have some problem in my uterus, my doctor informed me that the baby might be early or that they were going to do surgery. I was terrified after listening to the news but the doctor assured me that everything is normal and there will be no problems in future. After giving birth, they just need to keep the baby in observation for some days and the baby will be good. After Meera ma told me about a similar case in our relatives, I calmed down.

It took me a very long time to convince Abhi that everything is fine with me.

He has been treating me like a porcelain doll. "Abhi, I can cut my fruit." I exclaimed as he took the apple from me and started cutting it. Diya is with her grandparents to spend the weekend.

"No, what if you cut your finger accidentally? I am there for these things until we hire a helper for us." Did I forget to mention that he forced all the staff to quit from the house and started to look for a new one himself. He is making me sick with his overprotectiveness.

"Here," he handed me a bite and I chewed on it angrily.

I stood up after eating. "Don't stand, sit down. I will get water for you." I groaned loudly.

"I am going to pee." I said and left immediately. If this continues I am going to beat him on his head one day.

After doing my business I came out. My stomach started to ache but I tried to ignore it. The pain intensified, making me clutch the door knob tight. "Abhi!"

Abhi rushed to my side and took me to the hospital. "It's hurting so much," I whimpered in a low voice. He cleaned my forehead and ordered the driver to move fast.

"Go fast." He turned towards me and started to reassure me. "Nothing will happen, baby. Everything will be fine. You were strong till now, be strong for some time."

"I-its too e-early for the baby." I whimpered as the tears fell from my eyes.

"Nothing is going to happen to you both. You both will be fine." He assured me.

We reached the hospital but I slowly lost my consciousness.

I remember hearing voices and I kept coming and going out of it. I don't know how long it was but I was worried for my baby.

I slowly blinked my eyes open, I looked around and saw bright light. After my eyes adjusted to the brightness I placed my hand on my stomach, it was flat. I started panicking and looked at my side. There was no baby on my side.

"My baby. Where is my baby?" I started searching for my baby frantically. I removed the wires attached to my hand and tried to stand but a nurse tried to stop me.

"No, I want to see my baby." I tried to move away from her grip.

"Angel!" Hearing his voice, I calmed down a bit. He rushed to my side and hugged me.

"Abhi, my baby." He silenced me.

"Everything is fine. Our princess is okay, I came from there." I calmed down after listening to him.

"Is she fine?" I asked moving away from his embrace.

"Yes, she is fine. She is under observation. She is doing good, you know." He smiled at me with tears in his eyes. My eyes started to water involuntarily.

"I want to see her, take me to her." I begged him.

"No, you are still not well." I wanted to argue but he spoke. "Our baby girl is fighting there and you are going to help her once you get well. After you are well, I will take you to her." I thought for a moment and nodded my head.

"How many days?" I asked him as the nurse hooked the drip to my arms.

"You were unconscious for two days, they had to perform a surgery on you as the case got complicated. Our princess is a fighter, the doctor informed that she is doing remarkably well. In a week, we can go home if this continues." I was happy listening to the news. My baby is alright and I can see her.

It took me two days to gain my strength back. Today, I am going to see my baby and hold her in my arms. I was eagerly waiting for Abhi to arrive so that we could see our daughter.

A half day has passed and Abhi didn't come. I was starting to get worried but I assured myself that it will be related to work.

When Abhi came to my room, he looked tired. He sat on the chair silently and I waited. When he didn't move for a long time, I took the initiative. "Abhi, come let's go and see our daughter." I tugged his hand, but he didn't respond. I asked him again but he was silent again.

"I-i," his voice broke as he tried to speak. I waited for him to speak and braced myself for the news. "I am sorry," he bent his head down.

"Abhi, what happened? Your silence is making it worse." He didn't reply nor did he lift his head. "Please, tell me. I can take it." He slowly lifted him and I saw his eyes red with tears.

"I-i am sorry, I-i was unable to protect our daughter." I started taking steps back as his words sunk in.

"I kept the security tight, but I don't know how they got into the room. Even the doctors didn't notice till now. I am trying to search for her, I will get her back." I stumbled back and fell down. I pulled my knees together and started rocking myself back and forth.

"No, this can't happen. I didn't even see her face." I mumbled the words.

Then the sobs started. The sob of a mother, who lost her child. The sob of that mother, who was robbed from seeing her daughter. The sob of that mother, who got deprived to hold the daughter close to her.

Hello people,

Here is the epilogue of my book.

Don't search for me to beat me up, I am sorry to give you guys this ending. But with this ending a new story starts.

If you didn't guess this, then let me tell you. My next book is about that missing daughter.

I am excited to write the next book. I have learned many things from this journey and I am going to make my next book and try to make it more good.

Love you all. You were there with me on this journey and I am grateful for you.