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"Abhii!!" Kuhoo exclaimed with excitement making him turn his attention to her who was busy with their baby.

"Yes our baby's mumma." he replied with an admirable smile, which she smiled back and continued excitedly.

"I wanna buy them. Please can-" she was halfway to her wish when his request to Garvit interrupted her.

"Garv, please take care of Zivuu. I'll be back shortly." he handed Zivaa to her Avi Chachu and got out of car.

Kuhoo leaped with delight, knowing he didn't let her finish as he realized what she desired.

Like a gentleman, he walked around the car to stand by her side and opened the door. He bowed slightly and held her hand, which she gladly accepted.

Well he indeed is a gentleman, so his every act screams gentleness.

But only for their Zivuu and his wife, whom he cherishes like she his goddess.

Zivaa bid them a 'bye' as Garvit asked her, then resumed talking with him in her gibberish tone.

Kuhoo and Abhinav went towards the stall where some winter clothes were displayed.

He saw her eyes sparkling with delight as she was looking at those beautiful hand-woven shawls.

With their five years of marriage, it still amazes him that she is not like the women who die for luxurious brands for showing off their wealth.

Instead she prefers to purchase hand-woven items rather than those multi-story malls or items from the internet because she is more down-to-earth.

Now that she saw her desired clothes, she thought to buy gifts for the family whom they are going to visit.

Specially Sunidha. Who loves vintage hand work.

As they were shopping, Zivaa was playing with her Avii when he asked her,

"Baby, I want to talk to your Eeya, but I don't know where to start." he said with a sad expression to which she giggled.

"Haw! You shouldn't laugh Zivuu." he gasped, mockingly touching his chest, just above his heart.

"Sholly." she apologised her Avii.

"Awww! My baby. Don't be sorry, bacha." he replied in 'awe' and hugged her to his chest.

"But sachi! Should I text her?" he asked nervously to her, as if she is his advicer.

"Take youl phone and messhage her, Tachu." she grabbed his phone lying in the seat and urged him to text her.

[Take your phone and message her, uncle.]

He took phone from her hand and unlocked it.

"Zivuu, sach mein message karein hum?" he asked meekly, unsure how would she respond, to which Zivaa nodded confidently.

[Zivuu, shall I really message her?"]

He opened their chat and typed nervously.

'Hi! Good morning Sunidha ji.'

He just typed this but his mind was racing to send it or not, when our brave Zivaa pressed the send option making him gasped loudly.

"Baby, what did you do?!" his eyes came out of socket as he saw her giggling.

"Eeya! Eeya! Eeya!" Zivaa sang excitedly when she saw her message.

Now his shock was replaced with happiness as he saw her message.

'Hello! Garvit ji.'

She bit her lips as she messaged him in nervousness.

It was not a reply but a message from her side too, to start a conversation, which she did after a lot of mind battling.

He saw the text and his face lit up as it showed Sunidha's message.

She too smiled at his message.

Their conversation

'Hope, I didn't disturbed you?'

Sunidha

'Not at all. I was just about to message you too.'

Garvit

'Yeah! How is your going.'

'Nice! What 'bout you? You reached Banaras safely na?'

'Yes I did.'

'Relief for that.'

'Umm... Garvit ji, I need to go. See you soon.'

With this, she ended the conversation as she reached one of the Ghats of Banaras, where she wanted to connect with her Nina.

Her nani.

[Her grandmother.]

It's her way of therapy.

She visits Ghats of Banaras to lessen her pain and wind up her mind.

The Assi Ghat, one of the ghat which is closest to her heart.

This was the last place she visited with her Nina before she left the world for good.

This makes her feel content, feel her Nina's presence. As if she is near her. She is sitting beside her.

The wind that tickles her, it feels as if her Nina is caressing her hairs.

She enshrouded herself with one of her Nina's shawl and felt the warmth in it.

As if it's not the warmth of shawl radiating, but her Nina's arms that are encircled around her small frame.

The warmth she felt brought the memories back of the times when she used to wake up besides her Nina every morning.

Finding herself cuddled up against her Nina, her legs above Nina's and hands around her stomach.

Around 4 o'clock, her Nina woukd woke up to bathe and after getting ready, she woukd rouse her baby.

Sunidha stirred a bit in her sleep, snuggling more inside the warm blanket in the cold weather.

"Aashu, Hum akele jaein?" Her Nina playfully asked to which 10-year-old Sunidha woke up with a jerk.

"Nai nai. Hum bhi khaenge." she desperately spoke, still sleepy which made her Nina laugh.

Then she get Sunidha ready and they left their home around 5 a.m in morning to visit the ganga aarti.

It's their daily routine to pray in the ganga aarti in order to connect themselves to the divine energy that created this world, who is the reason of their solace.

After a peaceful hour of praying and walking beside ghats, they would go to eat Malaiyo, a famous winter sweet dish and speciality of Kashi, which is a major nostalgia to her.

After having Malaiyo and Matar kachori, they would return back to home to resume their work and little Sunidha would go to school.

These memories brought tears of happiness in her eyes, but the pain of separation still lingering deep inside her heart.

"Nina, Aapko toh pata hai na. Aaj humara rishta tay hone ja rha hai. Kabhi socha tha humein vida karne ke din itne kareeb aa jaenge?" she asked a small smile tugging at her tear stricken face.

[Nina, you know this, right? Today my relationship is going to get finalized. Did you ever think that the day of saying goodbye would come so close?]

"Aapko humari yaad nai aati kya? Humein toh bahoooot aati hai. Kash aaj ke din aap humare sath hotin." her lower lip wobbled.

[Don't you miss us? I miss you alot. I wish you were with me today.]

Just then a flower from the tree, underneath she was sitting fell on her, indicating she heard her and replied too.

This made Sunidha smile a little.

Today despite her Father’s encouragement, she was still feeling emptiness in her heart.

Today was day which was going to change her life for forever. But she didn't had strength to cope through it.

She felt ad if her life is going upside down smd she again asked.

"Nina, aap humein ek aisa ishara dijiye jisse ki humein pata chal jae ki jo hum aaj karne jaa rahe hain vo s-sahi hai." she whispered looking up at the sky.

Her breath was caught im her throat as she didn't got any kind of response in these few minutes.

[Nina, please give me a sign so that we know that what we are going to do today is right.]

She released a deep sigh and closed her eyes tightly, letting the tears to flow down her cheek.

Just then a miracle happend.....

⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚

Meanwhile Garvit on the other hand, didn't even knew that Abhinav and Kuhoo were now back from their shopping tycoon.

They both settled in their seats and saw Garvit smiling looking at his phone, he was so engrossed that didn't even noticed them coming.

They both looked at each other in confusion, then Zivaa who was smiling looking at them sitting in Garvit's lap.

Suddenly he started the car and they drove off to Abhiraj ji's Haveli.

As the engine started, it snapped Garvit out of his trance, but then again he got occupied with his phone.

On watching him smiling Kuhoo noticed his ears were red, curiosity took over her and she tried to peek into his phone but failed.

Abhinav's curiosity too peaked and he asked,

"Whom are you talking to, Garv? That you are smiling so much." He looked at him in the rearview mirror and arched his brows curiously.

"No one, Bhai." he replied nonchalntly.

"Won't you even tell me, devar ji?" this time it was Kuhoo, who asked looking back at him with a smile on her face.

"No Bhabhi ji." he replied with a tight lipped smile and continued his work.

"Please! Devar ji. I'm toh your buddy na." she whinned when he didn't showed or tell her.

"Uhm.. I ain't gonna tell." he again shrugged to which she gasped in disbelief with a scowl face.

"That's not fair, Devar ji." she exclaimed, folding her arms around her chest showing her anger.

"Ouch!!" Abhinav mocked her, who was watching the scene unfolding in front of him with a smile.

But now he was smiling mischieviously at her which enraged her more and she grabbed his hand which was above the gear, only earn a loud groan from Abhinav as she bit his hand.

"Aww!! Dard hua?" she sarcastically asked him, showing her puppy eyes.

[Aww!! Did it hurt?]

Whereas Abhinav, whose face was scrunched in pain, chuckled at her act.

"Now I wonder, why Zivuu calls you Kitty Cat." Garvit remarked eyeing Zivaa, supressing his laugh and she giggled at him.

"Aap dono ko kuch zada hassi nai aa rahi?" Kuhoo gave a stern look to them and they put the fingers in their lips.

[Aren't you both laughing too much?]

After some time, Garvit and Zivaa were engrosed in their usual blabbers and giggles.

"Kuhoo!" she was looking out of the window when Abhinav whispered.

Lifting her gaze by swiftly inserting his finger below her chin, he stared in her brown orbs and eyed Garvit.

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion when he gestured her to shift towards him.

"Apne Devar ji unki new life ka ek trailer dena chahengi?" he whispered in her ears  and she looked at him in confusion.

[Wanna give your brother-in-law trailer of his new life?]

"Inhen ghat le chalen?"b He inquired, erasing her perplexity with a radiant grin.

[Shall we take him to the Ghat?]

She gave him a thumbs up and they headed towards the ghat.

Exactly where Sunidha is waiting for the reply of her questions.

Little did she know that her reply is coming towards her, and her questions are not unheard from her Nina and Bholenath.

Abhinav cleared his throat at which two head snapped at his direction as he inquired,

"By the way Garvit, why did you came to us?"

"Baba was keeping all shagun and gifts in the back seat. As the car trunk is already filled." he replied with a bored expression.

Abhinav clearly read his bored expression and looked at Kuhoo, who was already looking at him and they giggled at him.

"Besides they are boring." he scoffed.

"Alright! By the way tell Mana sa to stop by the location I'm sending him." he requested earning an 'Ok' from him.

As they reached the temple, which is near the ghat.

They came out of the car, followed by Abhiraj ji and Neil.

Abhiraj ji took Zivaa from Garvit's arms tickling and kissed her face making her laugh loud and they began to go inside the temple after buying the offerings.

In the crowd, one girl's dupatta flared due to wind and stuck in Garvit's face.

He closed his eyes as the wind brought a similar jolt of fragrance in his nose.

He instinctively touched the cloth, only to deeply inhale the cologn that numbed his senses.

The cloth itself got detached from his face, but he stood stunned in his place like a rock in a flowing stream.

Suddenly he got a push from the crowd and he snap opened his eyes and began searching for the girl.

On finding no one around with the same spirit, he lost his hope and began towards his family.

He saw that Abhinav has put on the pallu of Kuhoo's saree on his head to cover.

The scene unfolding in front of him made him think of how his married life would be in future.

Would they be as loving as them?

They together offered their offerings to god through the priest and joined their hands to pray.

On the other hand Sunidha looked back in the crowd to see her dupatta was stuck with someone, but as the crowd was growing even more, she was taken out of the place even before she could apologise to the person.

She had a feeling that it was someone she knows but hit her head with her palm on the reality to even think that someone she knows would be here, as almost all her closed ones lives in Delhi.

As all were done, they took the prashad and blessings from the priest, Zivaa was in Kuhoo arms while praying.

After that, Abhinav asked her to hand over Zivaa to Abhiraj ji, as it was very crowded and paved their way out.

Zivaa was secured in Abhiraj ji's protective arms.

While Kuhoo held Neil close to her and walked between Garvit and Abhinav.

Where Garvit was leading the way and Abhinav created a barrier by extending his hands around Kuhoo and Neil, so that both won't be hurt from the hustle-bustle.

They stopped by the ghat for a short period of time, where Garvit sat by the flowinng holy river, glowing in the daylight.

"Hey Shivji! Humari uljhan ko suljhane mein humari madad kiijiye. Humari jeevan mein humare parivar aur aapke alava koi nahi hai. Lekin fhir bhi dil mein aisi hulchul kyun?" he let it all out in the calm ambience of Ganga ghat.

[Hey Shivji! Please help me in solving our problems. There is no one in my life except our family and you. But still why is there such turmoil in my heart?"]

Asking his unanwared questions in a hope for solutions.

His heart screaming for inner peace from the turmoil within his heart.

"Aaj ek ajeeb sa ehsaas kyun ho rha hai. Ek taraf darr hai iss rishte ko jodne ke liye. Dusri taraf vo ghabrahat hai jo...." je stopped noticing what his subconcious was about to speak, but completed eventually.

[Why am I getting a strange feeling today? On one hand there is fear to enter into this relationship. On the other side is the nervousness which...]

"Jo Sunidha ji se baat karne se chali gyi thi. Aur vahi darr unke keval mehak se gayab ho gaya." he was awkward to admit it and confused of his feelings.

[Who had gone away after talking to Sunidha ji. And that fear vanished just by her smell."]

Sunidha who was sitting at other end of the ghat, who too was engrossed in her talk with her Nina, expressing her unsolving questions.

Both sat in the ends as if planned by someone precisely.

But they didn't knew that the two souls which is a sea and a shore, will soon meet to become seashore.

Nadi ko kinara zarur milega.

[The river will definitely find its shore.]

She was distracted by a call from her father, who asked her to return because guests would be arriving in an hour.

She wiped her tears off and collected her belongings to leave the ghat.

Just as she reached near the exit, a strong wind blew which caused the flicks of her braid  from front to scatter on her face.

However, she remained motionless in her spot as the wind carried a familiar aroma that somehow calmed her.

She looked around, searching for the one and only person who is invading her mind.

But again she denied her instincts that screamed he is here and she left.

Meanwhile Garvit was still sitting across the Ghat with a heavy heart.

"Bholenath kis chiz ke liye tarsa rahein hain itna?" now his vulnarability was not only visible in his eyes but also can be heard in his voice.

"Koi baat nahi. Aaj nhi toh fhir kabhi, hum aapke jawab ks intezaar karenge. Ye chiz.... aap par udhari rahi." he said smiling sourly and got up on getting a call of Abhinav.

[What is it Bholenath, that you are making me yearn for so much?]

As they say in the car Abhinav asked him,

"I saw Kashu in the Ghat. Did you met with her?" Garvit's head snapped at his direction with a slight smile.

"Uhm... I didn't knew she was here. And besides if I was even aware of it, I wouldn't meet her. As she came in Ghats to talk to her Nina whenever she is in dilemma." Garvit replied with smile, but thst soon replace with a concern expression as he thought.

'But is she alright?' which made him forget his own worries as he was concerned for her.

Abhinav dropped Kuhoo at Sunidha's home amd left from there.

"Eeya!!!" Zivaa squealed and ran towards her with a radiant smile.

Sunidha was shocked at first, but it soon replaced with a wide grin and she plopped in the ground opening her arms wide to capture the little bundle of joy in her arms.

Zivaa jumped on her lap and hugged her tightly.

While Sunidha's eyes started to brim on seeing Kuhoo and Zivaa's presence there, which she was yearning since the news of rishta had came.

Kuhoo took blessings feom Akshaj ji and moved towards Sunidha to hug her.

"Ho gayi khush?" she asked playfully while caressing Sunidha's head, which Zivaa copied.

[Happy?]

"Bahot zyada!" Sunidha exclaimed from the hug.

[Very much!]

After that Kuhoo started to get Sunidha ready while Akshaj ji was feeding Zivuu.

Kuhoo and Abhinav are also natively from Banaras.

Abhinav, who is Sadhna ji'a (Garvit's mother) brother's son.

Kuhoo, who had born and brought up in an orphan for ten years, then was adopted by Sunidha's uncle.

But unfortunately he passed away, leaving fifteen year old Kuhoo with her foster mother.

Since she has came in his family, Akshaj ji never left a chance to adore her and even after her foster father had died, he never misses a single chance to make her feel home.

To make her feel that she still has a father figure in her life.

Meanwhile Sunidha was almost ready as Kuhoo was making braid in her long hair.

"Bhabi, Abhi bhai nai aaye? Aur apne humein bataya kyun nai ki aap aa rahe hain aaj?" she inquired with a pout making Kuhoo chuckle.

[Bhabi, Abhi bhai didn't came? Acha why didn't you informed me earlier she that are coming?]

"Offo Kashu, surprise dena chahte the na hum. Aur rahi baat aapke Abhi bhai ki, toh vo bas thode hi der mein pahochte honge." she replied as she tied the rubber band in her braid to finish it.

[Offo Kashu, we wanted to surprise you. And about your Abhi bhai, he will be here in anytime soon.]

"Kisi apne ke sath." she leaned and whispered in her ears and rushed our of the room saying.

[With someone familiar.]

"Acha, hum Zivuu ko dekh kar aate hain. Aur jab tak hum lene naa aaye aap aiyega nahi." her voice became muffle as she descended the stairs.

[Ok,I'm going to check on Zivuu. And don't come downstairs until I come to pick you.]

But Sunidha was rooted in her place, lost in the dilemma.

Just then the sound of car's tires screeching reached her ears to snap her or of the trance and her heart beat quickened as she felt someone's presence familiar to her.

But she didn't had the courage to peek from her window and see who the person is.

Who the one is who is going to this Knots with her.

After five minutes which felt like eternity, Kuhoo came with Zivaa in her arms to take her down the hall.

"Kashu, ladke wale bula rahe hain. Chalein?" she placed her warm palm on Sunidha cheek to comfort her and have her a comforting smile, but Sunidha's heart was racing, turning her hands cold.

[Kashu, the guy's family is calling you. Shall we?]

Releasing a deep sight, she nodded but Zivaa's next words shook her.

"Eeya! Avi has come to meet you."

★ ° . *　°　.　°☆ 　. * ★ ° :. ★ ○ °

Hope you guys liked this chapter.

Next target is 100+ votes

And 60+ comments.

Will publish soon.

Take care ya'll and bye!

Signing off

~Epa𐙚˙✧