chapter 26

Aashi quickly informed Shamlal about the call and rushed out of the house to reach at the accident site. She was filled with fear and anxiety, not knowing what she would find there. As she reached the mountain road of Chawanpur, she saw a crowd gathered around the site. She spotted Inspector Anurag Jain and ran towards him.Aashi: Excuse me InspectorInspector: Are you Miss Aashi? (questioned the inspector with curosity) Aashi: Yes Inspector , that's me. Is... is everything alright?....where is my Aditya?  is he fine? Inspector: am sorry Miss Aashi. We have done an investigation here. It seems your friend lost control of his bike and he, along with his bike, fell down in the river. However, we recovered his phone and the bike... but sadly, we couldn't find him. Aashi was shocked hearing this. her eyes were filled with tears. Aashi: What are you saying Inspector?...you...you didn't able to find Aditya, what...what does that even mean? (Aashi questioned with her heart beating faster) Inspector: Look Miss Aashi, I don't want to give you false hope... but during the time when the accident took place, the current of the water was too high. In such a high current, even a professional swimmer wouldn't be able to save themselves. so am sorry to say this... but Aditya must be dead by now. The news was devastating, and Aashi couldn't believe that the love of her life, Aditya was gone. The reality of the situation hit her hard, Aashi let out a loud cry with tears streaming down her face. THE FLASHBACK ENDS The train slowed its speed as it approached the station of Chawanpur. The sound of the horn echoed through the air, signaling the end of the journey. Aashi, with a trolley in hand, stepped out of the train onto the platform. The familiar sights and sounds of her hometown greeted her, filling her with a sense of affinity and nostalgia. But despite the warm welcome of her hometown, the sadness on Aashi's face didn't fade away. It seemed as though the sadness had become her shadow, a constant companion that would never leave her side. as Aashi came out of the station...she took a taxi and headed towards her father's Mansion. on her way, she passed through the streets of Chawanpur, taking in the sights and sounds of the place she once called home. the familiar landmarks stood tall and proud, unchanged by time. as Aashi finally reached at the mansion, she felt a wave of emotion wash over her. she walked up the familiar grand entrance of the mansion, holding her heart heavy with memories of past. she found the main door open, as she entered in, she could feel and sense the silence of the mansion. suddenly her gaze fell upon a wall on which photos from her childhood to adulthood were hanging. she walked closer to the wall and started taking a look at the photos. she seems to have got lost in the memories of the photos."Hello Aashi beta" suddenly she heard a familiar voice coming from behind that brought her back to reality. as she turned, it was her father Mr Triparty sitting on a wheel chair, he looked weak. once the kind of pride and richness that was visible in his personality was totally missing. he looked like a sad and depressed person now, who was living last few days of his life. Aashi, who was holding hatred for her father for all these years was all shocked seeing his condition. her heart melted and her eyes were filled with tears. Aashi: dad????? Mr Triparty: don't be shocked Aashi....this was meant to happen with me, specially after the bad things that I had done. (replied Mr Triparty with guilt, holding tears in his eyes) Aashi: but Dad...why...why are you sitting on a wheel chair? Mr Triparty: like I told you on the call, I have got this rare disease known as clumonia. this disease is taking me closer to death with every passing time. my body parts are slowly stopping to work one by one. Aashis heart was filled with pity seeing such a bad condition of her dad. Aashi: but Dad...there...there has to be some cure to it? Mr Triparty: there is no cure for it Aashi...from last 4 years I have roamed the entire world...I have shown myself to the best doctors possible...but nothing helped. finally it made me realise that no matter even if I had all the money of this world, some things are not just in our hand. we humans think ourself as God when we have got a lot of money, we feel that we are capable of anything. but when God showers his anger upon us, that is the moment when we realise that this money which we hold is just a piece of paper...not everything can be buyed through this money. you craved for my love all life, but I gave importance to money. today I have a lot of money...but doesn't have enough life to spend the money. instead of wasting my entire time in making money, if I had utilised that time to be with you...   than today atleast I would have had some good memories in the end. but today, I have nothing but all regrets. regrets for not giving you my time and love....and regrets for taking your Aditya away from you. Aashi was not able to control her eyes from shedding the tears in them. seeing her father's pain and deep regret, the hatred that she was holding for him in her heart and gone away. Aashi: it's ok dad...you no need to say all this...Mr Triparty: no Aashi...let me say it all today. I have really given you a lot of pain...I have failed to be a good father. Aditya was the nicest human being...he could have been the perfect life partner for you ....but inspite of knowing all this, I took him away from your life just because he didn't belong to our status, I took his life. really Aashi, I...I don't deserve to be called a father....(Mr Triparty too shaded tears from his eyes....his heart was burning in guilt) Aashi: no dad...you didn't kill Aditya ....it was my anger on you that made me think that way....Mr Triparty: no beta no....you have always blamed me for Adityas death, and somewhere it is very much true. I am responsible for his death. neither my dirty plannings would have compelled to make Aditya leave this town, and neither he would have ended up meeting with that accident. so Yes, I am...I am responsible for his death. and you...you did the very right thing beta. after Adityas death, you left me and this mansion and moved to London...and didn't show your face to me for the next 4 years. you really did the right thing beta ... I deserved this punishment...I deserved it beta...I deserved it. Aashi was not able to hold her emotions any further, she ran towards her dad and hugged him tightly and broke into tears. Aashi: am sorry dad am sorry....am sorry that I left you. I should have not done that ....I needed to be here with you in your bad times, but now as am finally here...I won't be going anywhere. I'll stay here and take good care of you...I have lost Aditya...but now I won't loose you. Mr Triparty: beta my time is almost over...no matter how much care you take of mine ...I will not be saved. but yes, there is one thing that you can save...it's the love of yours and Aditya. Aashi was all confused hearing her dad's reply. she didn't understand what he exactly meant to say. Aashi: what ...what do you mean by that dad? Mr Triparty: beta do you know what's the most powerful thing in this world? it is LOVE beta...it is LOVE. and when this true love happens between two people, no matter how much the world tries to break the love between them ....it becomes unbreakable. in yours and Adityas case, I did everything that I could to make you both seperare from eachother....but I didn't succeed. Adityas and your love had the power to overcome all the consequences. the love between you both was so strong that it ended up even defeating death. Aashi was all shocked hearing her father's reply...Aashi: what....what do you mean by that dad?...do you...do you mean to say that...that...that...Mr Triparty: yes beta....you understood it right. ADITYA....ADITYA IS STILL ALIVE! Aashi eyes were wide opened in surprise, she was completely taken a back by her father's shocking reply. she felt goosebumps on her entire body....the person whom she was considering as dead from last 4 years was still alive. but how? if Aditya is alive than where he has been all these years? why didn't he show up himself to her? to be continued in next chapter