Outside the sky was veiled with grey clouds , hiding the sun beneath it. The green leaves of trees were swinging gently by the force of wind. There was more greenery on the outskirts of the town ,the roads were slightly damp from the rain indicating the mid monsoon season.
Arjun was driving his car on the familiar road , his gaze was fixed ahead but his mind was still stuck on the conversation he had in the morning with his mother.
What if his parents left too ? No he can't imagine his life without them.
As if he imagined this life , his mind mocked him. Did he think that he would end up like this at twenty nine , unmarried , with a baby in his arms ? The answer is no.
He was just a man , a son with a dream of living a peaceful and simple life , not wanting anything extraordinary in life.
He didn't imagine himself like this , being a father, between the faint smell of baby soap and powder, the late night feedings, changing diapers ,lullabies and the whimpers of the baby . He had never imagined himself like this. But fate had other plans for him.
His mind went back to the day when all of this began. When his life chose a path he wasn't ready to walk on.
Flashback
The Tiwari house was buzzing with activities , laughter was echoing in the house, the faint murmur of guests could be heard. The whole house was decorated like a bride with twinkling lights and flowers.
Relatives were coming and blessing the mother and the child , because it was the naming ceremony of the new member of the house.
And the one month old infant was named " Aarav " which means peaceful. And yes he was the peace of the house from the day he was born , calming everyone's heart.
After the celebration ended , guests began to retreat . The house went quiet again.
The next day everyone was having breakfast sumitra , omkar , Aditya ( elder brother of Arjun ) and Arjun.
" Where is Anjali?" Sumitra asked to Aditya who was having his breakfast.
" Maa she is not well. She is resting." Aditya replied and Sumitra nodded. She knew she must be tired after the celebration, and also she is a little weak after Aarav's birth so she didn't disturbed her.
After breakfast sumitra, omkar and arjun were sitting in the hall chatting when Aditya and Anjali came out of their room with little Aarav in Anjali's arms.
Anjali looked pale and tired . She was not feeling well that's why they were going to the hospital. After handing Aarav to Sumitra, Anjali kissed his cheek and said she would be back soon . But that moment never came .
Aditya and Anjali got into an accident on their way back to their home leaving behind their month old baby.
A piece of them . A piece of their heart.
The last words of Aditya still echoed in Arjun's ears " Take care of him " his voice hoarse " treat him like he is yours ." And then he went silent. His hand that had gripped Arjun's so desperately loosened.The warmth gone .
His brother gone.
His wife Anjali , Aarav's mother too died in the accident. . She broke her promise to Aarav of returning back.
Just like that Arjun's beloved brother and sister in law gone . Aarav's parents gone too leaving a void behind them.
Flashback ended
After their accident , in the initial days the little one had cried remembering his parents and so did Arjun . But he didn't lose himself in grieving as he had responsibilities to fulfill. He had to take care of his parents and Aarav.
Alone.
It was silent.
But he never looked at them like they were some kind of burden. Arjun always treated them nicely.
That's why after their accident , nothing felt the same so they left their hometown Lucknow that took everything from them yet were grateful for what it had given.
They sold their Lucknow house and came to Rewa . Arjun , his parents and Aarav settled down here like they belonged.
Arjun bought a 3 bhk house in that small town. The house was not as big as their previous one but it had one thing that Arjun was craving past months that was solitude.
After the accident that house started haunting them , every corner had some memories , memories of chaos , love and laughter. They say memories are special but if that memory, starts to haunt you , become painful .
Memories are not always beautiful sometimes they are painful too.
So to overcome the past , they decided it was best to let it go .
Arjun and his parents decided to leave Lucknow, leave their house and leave old memories to make a new one in the Rewa. So they left quietly without carrying the weight of the past.
Arjun got a good job in the health department of the town ,he got busy in his job , he never got the time to grieve about the past , but never backed off from his responsibilities as well.
At day he worked hard in his office and at night he took care of Aarav , as he didn't want to trouble his parents because they are old.
It's been more than three months and they have settled quite well here.
But one thought was troubling Arjun and that was marriage.
His mother wanted him to get married , for Aarav , for himself.
But he wasn't sure.
He wasn't sure because who would want a man with a child. Who would want a child that wasn't his own. Who would want a broken man with nothing but a child in his arms.
Arjun never really dated anyone, never had a girlfriend and the truth is that he never cared to be bothered about these matters.
He just wanted peace from his life that he had now.
But now there was pressure too and he was bothered.
He wanted someone who could embrace Aarav and him without any conditions , without making them feel broken .
Arjun's heart ached , not in sorrow but not in quiet joy too just an emptiness waiting to be filled.
But of all the places why rewa ?
Because the town never felt strange, it felt like he belonged there.
This thought always lingered in Arjun's mind.
Maybe Arjun find the city peaceful with its good weather and greenery, waterfalls and mountains.
Or maybe the reason was different.
Maybe god had other plans.
Maybe he had a gift for Arjun that he thought Arjun needed.
Maybe he wanted to return what he had taken from him.
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