‘What does mom sees again and again that she gets scared?’, Rudra wondered as Shivaay told him and Omkara everything after he returned. ‘Anika,’ Shivaay said knowingly. ‘Anika? Shivaay, we know you miss her and that you also might’ve seen her or heard her voice but it might be only your hallucinations, only those who die a tragic death return,’ Om said trying to explain him. ‘Point to be noted, mom knows something which we don’t know, who was there that night when Anika died?,’ Shivaay said knowingly. ‘We two weren’t there, we were on our double date, you were at work, only mom was there,’ Rudra said.

‘That simply means that mom knows what happened,’ Om said. ‘How to find out?’, Shivaay asked. ‘Did you found anything strange in this house when you came here?’, Rudra asked. ‘Nothing strange happened, its just that I saw my past memories, I saw Anika in hospital,’ Shivaay replied. ‘Where did you see her?’, Rudra asked. ‘Beside me,’ he replied. ‘Was she happy?’, Om asked. ‘Yes, she smiled at me, but what that has to do with mom knowing something about her death?’, Shivaay asked out of curiosity. ‘Because you need to share things with us, its not your fault if you hallucinate her,’ Om said.
‘Yes, it isn’t, but how to know if she’s real or not?’, Shivaay asked. ‘Touch her, simple,’ Rudra said. ‘I touched and she disappeared, she felt real,’ Shivaay told them. ‘Try blinking your eyes, if she disappears she isn’t real, but if she doesn’t, she’s for real,’ Omkara said and he nodded in approval. ‘How to know about the secret of mom’s fear? Its not confirmed if Anika died a tragic death,’ Shivaay asked. ‘Ask her, but not directly, she will be scared,’ Rudra suggested him.
‘Yes and don’t mention about you seeing her,’ Om said. ‘OK, I will go and eat something, I m hungry,’ Shivaay said and went to kitchen. ‘Let him see our surprise in kitchen,’ Om said and Rudra smiled. ‘Let’s marry faster,’ Rudra said. ‘Wow, are you bored of your brothers or your life?’, Om asked. ‘Not brothers, but my life, since Anika bhabhi died, this house seems too quiet, when she was there, we all used to have a lot of fun,’ Rudra replied getting nostalgic and a sad smile appeared on his lips. ‘You’re right, but only you’re marrying and not me.’

‘Why?’, Rudra asked. ‘Stupid, if Shivaay will see us coupled up with someone, he will feel more lonely,’ Omkara said slapping his head lightly. ‘Oh I forgot, but at least our alliances should be fixed, right?’, Rudra said. ‘Uh, you won’t change, OK fine, happy?’, Om said. ‘Yes yes yes! Super duper happy prince,’ Rudra said playing with his long hair and always called him prince because of long hair to tease him. They bursted out laughing. As Shivaay went to kitchen, a delicious aroma attracted him. He looked all over the kitchen slab and finally found the hidden thing.

It was a cake of his anniversary, his and Anika’s photo was on the cake. He smiled looking down and went into his past. Shivaay tiptoed to the kitchen and saw Anika doing something and his back faced him. He slowly went towards her and hugged her from behind. ‘Good morning,’ she said sadly. ‘Good morning, why are you so sad?’, Shivaay asked. ‘You forgot something,’ she said. ‘Nope I didn’t, happy anniversary darling,’ he said and kissed her shoulder resting his chin on her shoulder. ‘Happy anniversary,’ she said smiling at him. ‘There’s a surprise for you waiting for you in evening,’ he said kissing her cheek.
‘Oh what’s it?’, she asked out of curiosity. ‘If I tell you then how will it be a surprise? Be patient,’ he said and went, she smiled. At evening, he went to his room and blindfolded her. ‘Arey Shivaay please,’ she said as he picked her. ‘You are looking perfect, so let’s go see your surprise, wait till we reach down,’ he said and took her downstairs. As he reached downstairs, he kept her down and removed her blindfold. She was amazed to see heart shaped cake with their photo.
‘Wow Shivu, you made it? I knew that you are so talented thats why I married you,’ she joked. ‘Ha ha, very funny, won’t you taste it?’, he asked and she nodded in approval and took a knife, he stood behind her holding her hand that had knife and made her cut the cake. He made her eat the cake first and she too made him eat. She signed him that its awesome and they both fed the others. Shivaay came out of his past and he had moist eyes though his lips carried a smile. Rudra and Omkara came there.
‘Shivay,’ Rudra spoke softly standing near him but he was in a trance. He shook him a little and he came out of his trance and smiled at them. ‘You OK?’, Om asked. ‘Perfectly fine, its just that this cake is making me remember Anika,’ he said still having a small smile. ‘We’re sorry,’ they said holding their ears. ‘Its OK, you both just wanted me to be happy but instead I got sad,’ he said sadly blinking back tears. ‘Shivaay, if you will cry like this, how will my soul get peace?’, he heard Anika’s voice and looked behind his brothers.

He saw her standing there folding his arms on her chest. His eyes got moist seeing her. ‘No tears Mr.Shivaay,’ she said placing her hands on her hips and a lone tear escaped his eye. ‘Aww you’re crying? Gussa hua karta tha jiske naak pe, Behta hai nosey aaj uski naak se,’ she joked and he laughed. Rudra and Om got shocked seeing him laugh too much. ‘Did you hear her? She is just like you Om, he he,’ Shivaay said pointing behind them. They turned but didn’t saw anyone and slowly turned their head towards Shivaay. Rudra signed Om to be quiet and don’t tell him she’s not there. ‘Oh really? What she said?’, Rudra asked. Shivaay told them and they too laughed. ‘Anika bhabhi wants you to celebrate your anniversary, so let’s proceed,’ Om said and Shivaay nodded in approval. He had laughed first time in these two years, how his laughter sounded just like a five-year-old kid as he laughed. Even from far away, she can make him laugh. But was she for real?
(So I wrote a poem on this ff but please don’t copy even if its good:
A dark night, the stars shine bright,
A thunder came with a bright
light,
The rainy night, the sound of the rain,
Gave him a great amount of pain.
It was the night like the night long time ago,
When he had love and never felt low,
He had held him by his side not letting her go,
But all go away one or the other
day, no?
He feared the rain, he feared the thunder,
He still felt her or is it a blunder?
Does the dead come back and wonder?
Or is this also just another blunder?
Hallucinations, Reality, Mixed Feelings and Emotions,
Love, he thought, is a great potion,
He laid to sleep without emotion,
Else, he knew, he could cry an ocean.
Her touch, her whisper, her nearness, and devotion,
Only she, he knew, gave him such emotions,
He felt her hands touch him in slow motion,
He too touched her in the same
motion.
She was for real, he opened his eyes,
Not blinking for once and face hardest byes,
He wished the past things to be lies,
Looking at her, he only cries.
Those eyes, that smile, the sight in front of him,
In his eyes, of happiness, he could feel tears brim,
He held her from her waist so slim,
His face, she caressed it by her limb.
He felt her lips touch her skin,
Her voice as if music of violin,
Blinking his eyes became a sin,
She disappeared in the air so thin)
How’s the poem n chapter?.