Author pov..

When Nirmala Dadi came to live with them, the Pathak family slowly began to feel whole and happy again.

Laughter returned to the house, meals were shared together, and for a while,

life felt settled.

Yet peace was never complete.

Rani Pathak often found herself at odds with Nirmala Dadi small comments about household work, gentle taunts that turned into sharp words.

Like many homes, the quiet clashes between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law became a routine, minor storms that came and went.

Meanwhile, Divya and Ishani were buried in their schoolwork.

Exams were approaching, and their days were filled with books, notes, and silent prayers for good results.

Rahul and Deepak too had withdrawn into their studies, the pressure of exams leaving little room for anything else.

Vaibhav, Ishani's brother, was in his final year of school.

After this year, he planned to follow in his father's footsteps and join the army, just like Randhir Awasthi.

Discipline ran in his blood-he woke up early, studied with focus, and carried himself with quiet determination.

Malini, their mother, stayed busy from morning till night, managing the household and supporting her children, her life revolving entirely around them.

Life went on in this rhythm of

busyness,until one day, everything shattered.

The news came like a thunderbolt.

A terrorist attack in Kashmir.

A bomb thrown at a military camp.

Five soldiers had lost their lives.

And among them was Randhir Awasthi Ishani and Vaibhav's father.

The moment the news reached them, the entire Awasthi family collapsed from within.

The walls that once echoed with routine sounds were now filled with unbearable silence.

Smiles vanished, strength crumbled, and hearts broke all at once.

A deep mourning descended upon their lives a grief so heavy that it changed their world.

The Pathak family was shaken to the core when they heard the news.

They had not even met Randhir Awasthi properly yet, but the pain still pierced their hearts because a brave soldier of the nation had fallen, and because the man was their next-door neighbor.

Without hesitation, the entire Pathak family stood beside the Awasthi family in this hour of unbearable grief.

Randhir Awasthi's body had not yet arrived in Banaras, and the Awasthi family waited in silent agony, every passing minute feeling heavier than the last.

Vaibhav did not shed a single tear. It was as if he had turned his heart to stone, locking his emotions deep inside, refusing to let them escape.

On the other hand side, Malini and Ishani were inconsolable.

Malini's condition worsened with every sob she cried until her strength gave way.

Nirmala Dadi and Rani tried their best to support her, holding her together when she could no longer hold herself.

Ishani was being looked after by Divya, Deepak, and Rahul, the three of them trying desperately to keep her from falling apart.

Seeing Ishani in such a fragile state terrified Rahul.

He feared that something might happen to her too.

He spoke to her gently, tried to comfort her with soft, loving words, hoping to reach her broken heart.

But nothing seemed to matter anymore.

Her father was gone.

The moment she heard those words, it felt as if her own life had been torn out of her chest.

No comfort could reach her.

No words could heal her.

Because with her father's death, a part of Ishani herself had died too.

Two days later, the coffin arrived.

Wrapped in the tricolour, soldiers carried the body of Randhir Awasthi a sight that froze every heart present there.

The moment the coffin was placed down, Malini and Ishani rushed toward it and broke down completely.

Malini clung to the coffin, crying uncontrollably.

"You promised me," she sobbed, her voice shaking"You said you would always return home safely. Then why did you come back like this? You betrayed me... you left me behind... you made me alone."

Her cries pierced the air.

Rani and the women from the neighborhood gathered around her, holding her, trying to keep her from collapsing under the weight of her grief.

Nearby, Ishani was crying hysterically.

She beat her small hands against the coffin, her voice filled with desperation."Papa, please wake up. Don't do this, Papa. Look, I'm your little daughter, remember? Please... please wake up."

Divya held Ishani tightly, trying to steady her trembling body.

While tears silently streamed down Rahul's face as he watched Ishani and Malini in such unbearable pain.

Deepak stood there too, quiet and shattered, crying silently without making a sound.

And then there was Vaibhav.

He stood still, his eyes fixed on the coffin.

Not a single tear fell from his eyes.

His mind echoed with his father's words from the day Randhir had left for Kashmir after his leave"Son, when I'm not at home, you are the eldest. You are the man of this house now. Take care of your mother and your sister. This responsibility is yours."

"I will, Papa," Vaibhav had replied back then.

But today, standing in front of his father's lifeless body, Vaibhav felt completely numb.

His heart was frozen, his mind empty.

He could not understand what had happened.

He could only stare at the coffin.

Seeing this, Devnath walked up to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Cry, my son," he said softly.

"Let your pain out. If you keep it locked inside without tears, the sorrow will only grow heavier within you."

The moment Devnath spoke those words, Vaibhav could no longer hold himself together.

He collapsed into Devnath's arms and began to cry uncontrollably.

Devnath held him close, stroking his back gently, whispering again and again, "Cry, my son... let it out."

Vaibhav clutched him tightly, his grief finally breaking free.

The entire city of Banaras seemed devastated that day.

A brave soldier had been lost while protecting the nation.

The whole neighborhood gathered, standing together to share the sorrow of the Awasthi family.

Then the soldiers spoke softly but firmly it was time to proceed with the last rites.

The words struck like a knife.

Malini and Ishani screamed in unison, their voices filled with panic and pain."No... please... Papa!"

"Wake up, Papa! Look, I'm calling you!" Ishani cried desperately.

"Please, Papa, don't go... they are taking you away... please!"

Malini fell apart completely.

"Please, wake up," she begged through her tears."I promise I'll never argue with you again. Please... just open your eyes."

Fear spread among everyone present.

Seeing Malini and Ishani in such a condition, people worried that something might happen to them too.

Devnath turned to Vaibhav, his voice heavy but steady."Now you must be strong, my son. Go... explain it to your mother and your sister. You have to take them for the final journey."

Vaibhav nodded silently.

Wiping away his tears, gathering whatever strength he had left, he stepped forward.

Vaibhav walked toward Ishani, his heart heavy but his voice steady.

"Ishani, stop now, my child. Control yourself," he said softly, holding her shoulders."Papa has to go now. Shh... that's enough. How long will you keep crying? Look at Maa-she's crying too. She'll fall sick. Please, take care of yourself."

Ishani clutched her brother and broke down again."But Bhai... Papa... how can Papa go? Papa can't leave us," she cried helplessly.

Vaibhav swallowed his own pain and whispered,"Shh... be quiet. You'll ruin your health too. Papa is gone, Ishani. Now we must take him on his final journey and bid him farewell with dignity. Don't cry like this. Take care of Maa, do you understand? If you don't, she'll fall ill."

Slowly, Ishani's sobs began to soften.

Vaibhav turned to Divya and said firmly,"Divya, please hold her. Take care of her."

"Yes," Divya replied gently, wrapping her arms around Ishani."Ishani. Let uncle go."

Ishani stepped away from the coffin and walked toward her mother.

Vaibhav went to Malini as well and spoke with quiet strength.

"Maa, let Papa go now. Send him off properly. Please stop crying. I'm here with you... and Ishani is here too. Papa is with us as well he will always remain around us, watching over us. Come, Maa, stop crying."

Ishani hugged her mother tightly and pleaded through tears,"Please stop, Maa. Don't cry anymore. If something happens to you after Papa, what will happen to me and brother?"

In that fragile embrace, the shattered family tried for the first time to hold each other together.

Everyone somehow coaxed Malini into silence, gently calming her down.

The soldiers then lifted the bier and carried it away.

Vaibhav and Devnath went along with them, sitting in the same truck. Throughout the journey,

Vaibhav's eyes never left his father's coffin.

He kept staring at it, as if memorizing every moment.

After a while, they reached the cremation ground.

The soldiers carefully unloaded the coffin and carried it to the place where the body would be cremated.

Everyone stood in respect and offered a final salute.

Then it was Vaibhav who lit the pyre and bid his father farewell.

He held his emotions tightly within himself.

Not a single tear fell from his eyes.

Back at home, Malini's sindoor and bangles, all the symbols of her married life, were removed.

She was dressed in a plain white sari, the color of widowhood and loss.

In her room, Ishani sat motionless.

Tears had dried on her face, but her eyes remained empty and fixed on one spot.

She was in deep shock, unable to react.

Slowly, the neighbors began to return to their homes.

Deepak left as well, and the Pathak family quietly went back to their house.

Only Ishani and her mother remained, wrapped in silence.

After some time, Vaibhav returned home too.

After bathing, he went straight to his room and shut the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Devnath reached his own house. He bathed, and then said to Rani,"Prepare some food and take it to the Awasthi family. Stay there tonight.

Take Divya with you she can stay with Ishani. It's not right to leave them alone right now."

Rani nodded softly."Yes, I was thinking the same," she replied.

That night, grief did not stay in just one house it settled over the entire neighborhood, heavy and unspoken.

Rani and Divya prepared food and took it to the Awasthi house.

Rani gently said to Divya,"Go and feed Ishani and Vaibhav. I'll feed Malini ji."

"Okay," Divya replied.

She went to Ishani's room.

Ishani was sitting exactly the same way as before motionless, staring at one spot without blinking.

Seeing her like that made Divya's heart ache.

She placed the plate down and spoke softly."Ishani, come on... eat something. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday."

"I'm not hungry," Ishani said flatly.

Divya sat beside her and said gently,

"We don't eat only when we feel hungry. We eat to keep our body strong."

She tore a piece of roti, dipped it in sabzi, and slowly brought it to Ishani's lips."Here, eat."

"I don't feel like it," Ishani whispered.

"Please eat," Divya pleaded.

"Seeing you like this, Vaibhav bhaiya is also very worried. Please... eat for him."

The moment Ishani heard Vaibhav's name, tears welled up in her eyes again.

She slowly opened her mouth. Divya fed her patiently. Little by little, Ishani ate two rotis.

When Divya broke the third one,

Ishani shook her head."That's enough. I won't eat more."

"Okay," Divya said softly.

"Then at least drink some water."

Ishani drank the water.

"Lie down now," Divya said.

"I'll go and feed Vaibhav bhaiya and come back."

Ishani only nodded. Divya quietly left the room.

She went to Vaibhav's room.

Vaibhav was sitting on a chair, a book open in his hands, pretending to read trying to distract his mind.

Divya knocked on the door.

Vaibhav looked up.

"May I come in?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes," he replied.

Divya stepped inside, holding the plate awkwardly."Mummy made food and asked me to give it to you."

"I'm not hungry," Vaibhav said calmly.

Divya had never spoken to Vaibhav like this before, and neither had he spoken much to her.

Vaibhav liked Divya's nature carefree, impulsive, someone who spoke her heart without thinking too much.

But Divya had always stayed quiet around him.

His strict demeanor intimidated everyone, and Divya was no exception.

Gathering courage, she spoke again,

"Please eat a little. You haven't eaten anything for two days."

"I'm not hungry," Vaibhav repeated.

"Feed Ishani and Maa."

"I've already fed Ishani," Divya said.

"She ate two rotis somehow. Mummy has gone to feed aunty too.That's why I came to you... you must still be hungry. Please eat."

Hearing this, Vaibhav looked up.

"Ishani ate?"

"Yes," Divya nodded. "Two rotis."

"Alright," Vaibhav said quietly.

"Give me the plate."

Divya handed it to him.

To respect her effort, Vaibhav began eating the roti and sabzi.

Divya stood there silently, watching him.

Suddenly, Vaibhav started coughing badly.

Divya rushed to him in panic.

"You ate too fast," she said anxiously.

"Wait here, drink some water."

She quickly handed him water and gently rubbed his back.

Vaibhav drank, and after a moment, the coughing stopped.

Divya sighed in relief."You're okay now?"

"Yes," Vaibhav replied softly.

A heavy silence followed.

Then, suddenly, tears began to fall from Vaibhav's eyes.

Divya froze. Seeing Vaibhav cry terrified her."Please... please control yourself," she said nervously."If you break down like this, what will happen to Ishani and aunty?"

All at once, still sitting on the chair, Vaibhav suddenly pulled Divya

toward him and hugged her tightly.

He began to cry uncontrollably.

Divya stood there in shock, her body stiff, her heart racing."Please... don't cry like this," she whispered.

Through his sobs, Vaibhav spoke, his voice breaking,"I won't be able to handle this, Divya. Maa... Ishani... how could Papa leave us like this?

Divya, I am very weak. I won't be able to manage anything."

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