Please listen to the song Shamat while reading this chapter to feel the emotions 🥰🙃

Author's POV:-

Just then, the sky rumbled, and within seconds, raindrops started falling.

"Arre! Yeh baarish bhi abhi aani thi!" Anjali huffed, trying to shield her head with her free hand.

"Umbrella bhi nahi hai saath mein… jaldi chaliye Amit, nahi toh bhig jayenge!" She tugged at his hand, urging him to run.

Amit, however, had other ideas. Noticing her struggle, he swiftly shrugged off his blazer.

"Aap yeh blazer kyun utaar rahe hain, Amit? Aur bhi bheeg jayenge!" she asked, her hands instinctively pulling her pallu over her back for more coverage.

He scoffed lightly. "Toh tum bhi toh bheeg rahi ho na… waise bhi yeh silk saree hai. Cotton hoti toh chal bhi jaata, par yeh ek baar geeli ho gayi toh aur chipak jaayegi," he reasoned, draping the blazer over her exposed back.

Anjali’s breath hitched at his gesture.

She opened her mouth to protest. "Nahi, nahi, aap bhi bheeg rahe hain Amit… aapko thand lag jaayege," she whined, her concern evident.

Amit chuckled at her worry. "Acha theek hai… ek kaam karte hain," he suggested, pulling her closer by the shoulder.

"Hum dono sir cover kar lete hain isse."

Before she could respond, he lifted the blazer over their heads, shielding them from the rain.

With one hand, Anjali held onto her pleats, ensuring she didn’t trip, while Amit wrapped his arm securely around her shoulder, pulling her into his warmth, making sure she didn’t get drenched any further.

The both sibling is staring at them from the crossings.

'Woh dekh Priti...un dono ko..' he said tapping her shoulder.

Priti turned to see what he was pointing at, and the sight before her made her heart melt.

Seeing them together just make Priti smile, 'Kitni cute lag rahe hain na dono??' she mused, resting her chin on her palm.

'Kaun kahega ki yeh dono 18 saal se alag raha rahe hain...??'

Piyush nodded, his eyes softening as he observed them. There was something undeniably heartwarming about seeing them like this.

After a moment of silence, Priti sighed and turned to him.

“What do you think? Have things finally gotten better between them? Or… will they separate again?” she asked hesitantly, a hint of sadness in her voice.

Piyush exhaled deeply before placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“It won’t be fixed so easily… there’s still hesitation between them". He admitted honestly.

'But hum aise hi try karte rahenge jab tak dono ek sath na aa jaay'

Priti hummed in response.

'Kya kar rahe ho tum dono waha?? Jaldi se car mein baetho..bhig jaa rahe ho gadhe log' Amit shouted, his voice cutting through the sound of the rain.

Priti and Piyush snapped out of their trance and hurriedly opened the car doors. Priti helped her mother settle inside before shutting the door securely.

Amit, however, remained standing under the shade of a shop’s awning on the footpath. Without a word, he handed his blazer to Anjali—making no move to take it back.

“Shall we go, Mumma?” Priti asked gently, noticing how her mother’s eyes were fixed on her father, as if unwilling to look away.

Anjali nodded slowly, her heart heavy.

Amit and Piyush stood there in the rain, watching as the car began to roll forward. They would take the next car once Priti and Anjali had left.

As the engine roared to life, Anjali couldn't resist leaning out of the window—just for one last glance at her husband.

She didn’t know when they would meet again. Would it take days? Weeks? Months? Or would fate push them apart once more?

Both of them silently wished for the other to take the first step, to say something, to break the invisible barrier that still stood between them. But neither did.

Her eyes filled with tears as she saw him still standing there, unmoving, watching her leave. His gaze held something unspoken—regret, longing, or perhaps a silent plea to come back to him.

And then, just like that, the distance grew, and the rain blurred her vision.

Until he was out of sight.

Until they were apart once again.

As soon as Anjali reached home, the first thing she did was call her son, Piyush.

"Haan, Mumma? Boliye? Aap dono safely ghar pahunch gaye na? Hum aur Papa bhi bas abhi-abhi ghar aaye," he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Haan, beta… hum theek se pahunch gaye," she reassured him. Then, after a brief pause, she added softly, "Beta, ek baat kehni thi tujhse, isiliye phone kiya."

"Haan, Mumma, boliye na," Piyush replied with a smile.

"Wo… tere Papa ko aaj sone se pehle ek khaasi-sardi ki dawa de dena. Unhe baarish ka paani utna suit nahi karta…jaldi bukhar aa jata hai," she said, her voice laced with concern.

Piyush’s lips curled into a knowing smile. "Okay, Mumma, main de dunga. Aap tension mat lijiye."

"Thik hai… aur tu bhi ache se towel se sir poch lena. Mausam kharab hai, thand lag jayega," she added, her motherly instincts kicking in.

Piyush chuckled. "Ok meri maa… kar lunga. Ab aap bhi jaake fresh ho jaiye, nahi toh ulta aapko hi thand lag jayegi phir," he teased.

Anjali shook her head, smiling at his words. With that, they ended the call.

___________________________

Leave your comments below ❣️