EPILOGUE - 2
The next day, it was Raksha Bandhan, and Ranveer asked Isha to come to Rajput palace thinking the Ranawat family would be sad remembering Advaita, well they were sad but Isha wanted to change the gloomy mood, so she asked her brother and sister-in-law to come to Ranawat palace instead, which they did.
Everyone sat in the hall having normal conversations and when it was time to tie the Rakhi, Isha performed the rituals and tied it, Ranveer handed her the gift.
She unwrapped it to find multiple layers in the gift box, there was jewelry and other things but what lay in the deepest layer got her attention, she took out the diary, a very familiar one followed by another one.
She remembered the brown colored diary very well, her father was always busy in writing it at night, and the black one that followed belonged to her mother, whenever she used to burst into her parents' room to sleep with them, she always found them writing their diaries which as a child used to irk her a lot, but she didn't know that one day, it would become the only source to know her parents more and her only road to feel them.
"Ragini insisted on setting up the things in bhabhosa's study, Kailash Rajput never let us enter there citing it belonged to him then, so I thought he would have already maligned it but I was so wrong, bhabhosa hid all the precious things in different lockers and luckily father did not know the passwords, and he didn't think anything important would be hidden there, but I got these...
Thought you deserve it more than I do", Ranveer said and Isha hugged him with tears, followed by Ragini.
Isha couldn't stop thanking Ragini for her efforts which gave her a treasure...
"No bhai, you are their elder son, you have more right on this, but since you gave me this as a 'RakshaBandhan' gift, I'll keep it with me, will return you after reading it, but promise me, you have to return it to me after reading...", Isha said and Ranveer nodded with a smile, kissing her forehead.
"Bhabhi ma, I have got something for you and bhai sa", Avyan said gaining his courage.
Isha smiled at Avyan nodding him to go ahead, he signaled her to sit beside her husband which she did.
Avyan performed all the rituals which Isha did to Ranveer and then tied a Rakhi to both Abhyansh and Isha.
"Bhai sa and you have been my protectors always, and will continue being so, I just want this Raksha dhaaga(thread symbolizing protection) to protect you both, even at the cost of my life", Avyan said and Isha hit him on his head which made him chuckle, but he felt the heat from his brother's blazing eyes...
Avyan understood that his brother was not happy with what he said so he quickly apologized... "Sorry Bhai sa", Avyan said looking down...
"Bhairav...", Abhyansh called, everyone feared he would punish Avyan as that's what usually happens but Isha understood the fondness in Abhyansh's tone so she stayed silent.
Bhairav returned with a gift neatly wrapped.
"Give it to him...", Abhyansh asked Bhairav to do what he needed and he did...
Avyan opened to find his favorite car which he was planning to buy soon after accumulating the lump sum but Abhyansh beat him.
Avyan jumped in happiness as just like his brother, he too is crazy about cars, hugging Bhairav, Isha, and then Abhyansh.
"If you want something, all you have to do is ask...
Me", Abhyansh added in the end as he got to know about his car wish from his wife. Isha swatted his forearm...
"What difference does it make? If he asks you or me, it's the same thing", Isha said
"No, You gift him or I do it, it's the same thing, but asking you or me is different, he asks you for anything without a filter, whether he deserves it or not, if he wants something, he would get it through his bhabhi ma anytime, but when he wanted to ask something from me, he would think for 1000 times if he deserved it or not", Abhyansh said and walked away...
"Now, what did he mean ? Did I deserve it or not ?", Avyan asked Isha who chuckled at her confused brother-in-law.
"Of course you did, that's why he got you your favorite car, ignore him, that brooding husband of mine didn't even know how to give gifts", Isha said
"Yes, I can vouch for that...
People give terrific surprises in the name of 'Present' but he gives terrible shocks", Ranveer said and everyone chuckled at his still traumatic face remembering the wedding gift he received from his beast of a brother-in-law. Ragini rubbed his shoulder consoling him, stifling her laughter earning a glare from her husband for laughing at his misery.
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Weeks passed and Abhyansh continued to take pictures of her whenever she got ready every Monday to offer Maha Aarti to Mahadev in the temple.
With every week, her belly has been growing substantially, Isha was just in her 6th month but it already became difficult for her to walk for long distances, but thankfully since Isha's fear of elevators was now almost non-existent, she started using them and Abhyansh got a few more temporary escalators and elevators in the palace for her to commute easily. At first, He proposed to shift their chamber till her delivery but she opposed it, she wanted them to stay in the same chamber as it's hard for her to get accustomed to the new environment now.
It was difficult for her to sleep as tossing and turning became a challenge and her sleep was constantly disturbed.
"Maybe you can try sleeping in that recliner ?", Abhyansh said showing the extreme left one...
"No, that doesn't work...", she said shaking her head.
"This one maybe", he showed third in the line and she nodded...
"This might work", she said, he nodded and lifted her up, as there was oil on her feet, these days her feet swell so badly that Abhyansh gives her foot massage thrice a day...
He carefully placed her in the recliner adjusting it, she lay there for a few minutes, then again when it didn't suit her, he got her shifted to another one.
He brought a few recliners that had different comforts and were suitable for sleeping in different positions. Lately Isha's lack of sleep has concerned Abhyansh a lot and he tried to make her sleep, he stayed awake all night to take care of her comfortable positions and that helped to some extent, she slept for a few hours but he was extremely worried, if this was the case in her 6th month, what would happen in her 9th month...
"I wanted to sleep in your arms, but I won't fit in them", she suddenly sniffed...
"No bacha...
why wouldn't you fit ? Let me show you how well you fit in my arms still", he said carefully lying beside her and holding her in a hug. "See, you fit perfectly", he said
"But what about in the later months ?", she asked with tear-filled eyes...
The only solace she has is in her husband's arms and the thought of not being able to fit in his arms is not going well with her.
"No matter how big your belly gets, my arms can always accommodate you and my children...
Don't worry about it, now try sleeping... hm ?", he said and she nodded slowly drifting into sleep for an hour or so before waking up again, this continued the whole night like every other day but Abhyansh patiently handled her.
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The next day, Isha was scrolling through her phone sitting on a recliner when Ranveer barged in.
"Bachu, let's play Ludo", Ranveer said walking into the king's chamber, thanks to his sister's pregnancy, Ranveer got a free pass to the king's chamber, Abhyansh wouldn't say a thing or even look irritated with his brother-in-law's presence as that would upset his wife.
"Where is Ranawat, by the way", Ranveer asked
"He is in the study, in a meeting with Bhairav and John", Isha replied
"Oh! I guess regarding the European markets, Europe was worst hit by all the chaos, the economy already slowed down and the war has worsened the situation, Ranawat has a lot of meetings scheduled with his European counterparts and statesmen starting next week.
Thank god, I wasn't handling Europe and Middle-East, otherwise, he would have sent me", Ranveer ranted his problems to his sister.
"So, now who is going? Rana sa will have to go out of the country ?", Isha asked
"I don't think so, most of them would come here to meet him, but if someone couldn't due to security issues, Ranawat will have to go, let's see what happens", Ranveer said and Isha nodded "Where is Ludo board", Ranveer asked
"In the second drawer, back shelf near Rana sa's gym room...", Isha said, Ranveer went and got it from there, all the way complaining how his brother-in-law had changed the place of his favorite game board.
Ranveer arranged the board on the table beside Isha's recliner and he dragged a comfortable chair and started playing, but Isha has to bend to play the dice every time.
"Bhai...
I can't play like this, I want constant back support, I can't lean forward during my turn every time", Isha complained...
"Bacha...
the table is just beside you, you just have to lean a little, now, I can't keep the table on you right ?", Ranveer said and Isha glared at him... "Wait! I actually can", Ranveer said and arranged the Ludo cardboard on Isha's baby bump, Isha nodded with a wide grin, happy at her brother's arrangement, and continued playing with Isha's baby bump as the table.
They continued playing with Isha winning most of the games, and Ranveer complaining about how she was cheating, purposely shaking her bump making the dice change direction, but nonetheless, they continued to play.
Soon, Avyan joined them and frowned at how they were literally using his bhabhi ma's baby bump as a table but ignored it looking at the wide smile on Isha's face.
Before Avyan could greet them, Abhyansh walked in and saw red looking at what his idiot brother-in-law and stupid wife were doing.
"What the F**k are you insane people doing ?", Abhyansh asked coldly making Isha startle and Ranveer's coins got misplaced.
"Ranawat...
You spoiled the game, I was about to win...", Ranveer whined
"Haha, you and win, big joke...", Isha teased him...
Abhyansh quickly walked towards them lifting the cardboard on her baby bump with coins, throwing it away.
"Rana sa...
my Ludo", Isha whined
"Seriously? Are you out of your f**king brains ?", Abhyansh asked
"Sh...
Abhyansh... Don't use bad words", Isha said cupping her baby bump protectively...
"Really! I can't use bad words but you and your stupid brother can practically use my babies as support desk for your bl**dy game ?", Abhyansh asked coldly...
"Ranawat...
It's just cardboard... It doesn't weigh much... Chill", Ranveer said and Abhyansh glared at him...
"You Rajputs are crazy, one big crazy family", Abhyansh said and Isha narrowed her eyes at him...
Ranveer too gave him an offensive look which Abhyansh royally ignored.
"Did you just call my family crazy? How dare you? if anyone is crazy, it's you and your kids", Isha fought...
"My kids? What did they do? Woman, don't you realize what you did? there are hundreds of tables in the palace and yet what do you use? This...", Abhyansh said softly touching her baby bump and caressing his children...
"Yes, your kids are crazy, because of them, I couldn't lean forward every time I had to throw the dice, my back was aching, so bhai came up with this idea...
Yet they weren't letting me play properly... They always kick when I am throwing dice and instead of 6, my dice turn into 1. Despite all these challenges I won more games than bhai", Isha said, listing out her achievements, Abhyansh looked at her as if she had gone crazy while Ranveer opened his mouth widely...
"Haw...
That's a big lie, Ishu... You purposely shook the board citing your babies, exactly when I threw the dice... if not, I would have won more games than you, You are such a cheater...", Ranveer said
"I'm a cheater? Did you just call me a cheater...
you are a cheater, I won't play with you ever again... Rana sa... Throw that board on his face", Isha said getting frustrated
"Yes, you are a cheater...
You cheated, should I count how many times you cheated just today? In the first game, when 3 of my coins were already in and I just need one 6 and 4 to go home, you purposely shook your bump and made my 6 turn to 2. In the second game, you...", Ranveer started... Isha's became red with fury, she is taking deep breaths with anger... Abhyansh signed Avyan to pull Ranveer away, Avyan quickly jumped into action pulling Ranveer away...
"You know what? Ragini is here, she planned a surprise date for you...
And you know the bigger surprise is all your in-laws are here to...", Avyan blabbered all the nonsense that came into his head for pulling Ranveer away separating the brother-sister who are fighting like dogs.
"Isha...
calm down, he is gone, he left", Abhyansh said
"How can he call me a cheater, while he is the one who cheated 2 games...
I won't play with him again...", Isha said, and Abhyansh nodded, taking a deep breath, he heard this sentence at least 100 times in the past couple of months.
"Yes, you shouldn't", Abhyansh played along to calm his wife and she calmed down after a few minutes and got back to normal.
"Rana sa, bhai was saying about some issues in European markets ? Do you have to travel outside ?", Isha asked
"Yeah, I might, I'll try not to leave the country so that I can return till the evening, but in worst case scenario, I will have to go", he said
"Oh! in that case, can I go and stay with my bhai and Ragini in the Rajput palace for a few days ? I'll return immediately after you come back", she asked as if she and her brother weren't pulling each other's hair just a few moments ago.
"No way! you siblings are crazy, I don't know what all you both will do, though I trust in Ragini's abilities, she can't control both of your madness at a time", Abhyansh said and Isha glared at him.
"What? It's true... Today you used my children as table, don't know what you'll do the next time you are left alone, so no, you are not going to Rajput palace", Abhyansh strictly said and Isha pushed the table beside her with anger and Abhyansh sighed deeply.
"Okay, let's think about it when I have to go out of the country...", he said and she gave him a wide smile.
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"Rana sa...
You said you will let me go", Isha said
"I said I'll see and now my answer is no", Abhyansh said picking up his phone and iPad.
"Rana sa...", Isha whined
"no Isha...
You'll not go to stay in Rajput palace, period.", Abhyansh said and left for his work leaving his wife to sulk.
He will be leaving for Europe 3 days after and Isha wants to go and stay with her brother and sister-in-law for a few days but her beast of a husband wasn't agreeing.
She chided herself and her kids for making her call her husband a 'beast' these days. A word she hated using for him.
"Bache...
You shouldn't call baba with that word, that's wrong", she said slowly rubbing her stomach... she knew it's her children and the hormones that were making her curse her husband.
She boringly switched on her favorite cartoons and started watching as she had nothing to pass the time...
She finished reading her parents' diaries and now she returned it to her brother and sister-in-law to read them. Her parents' diaries were the sweetest things she had ever read, they had written all the beautiful moments that took place in the family, and they had written their dreams for their children.
Amar mostly wrote about what kind of a man he wanted for his daughter while Pallavi wrote what kind of a daughter-in-law would make the best pair for her son.
Pallavi even planned how she would pamper Isha when she gets pregnant while Amar has written how he would be the first one to take his grandchild in his arms, as his daughter will be staying with him, if his son-in-law wanted to see his wife or children he had to live in Rajput Palace. Isha cried reading all their dreams for her and her brother.
Amar and Pallavi also wrote about how they dreamt of Abhyansh becoming her prospective groom.
Amar has also written that he would send Isha to her in-laws' place only if she married Abhyansh, as he trusted his best friend Pratap, Amruta, and Rajmata Devyani Devi to look after his princess very well, if Isha had to marry someone else, he would probably look for an in house son-in-law (ghar jamai).
Isha smiled at her father's praises for Abhyansh but she didn't show it to him, as he might think she is trying to eliminate the anger he had for her father which is not the case.
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Ragini goes to Abhyansh's cabin to meet him, to take a few approvals from him as he won't be there for the next few days, also she has something very important to discuss with him.
After she finished all the business talks, she carefully asked him about sending Isha to Rajput Palace which Abhyansh refused sternly.
"Please send Isha...
I'll take care of everything, I'll make sure Isha and Ranveer don't fight much", Ragini pleaded
"No Ragini...
That's my final answer...", Abhyansh said
"Please bhai sa ...
consider my request", Ragini pleaded, Isha was asking her to address Abhyansh as 'Bhai sa' instead of 'Maharaj' for a long time but this was the first time Ragini gathered the courage to call him that, and seeing Abhyansh not stopping her, she took a breath in relief. "Here are my mother-in-law and father-in-law's diaries, actually our mother-in-law & father-in-law's diaries, they have written all their dreams for their children's weddings and during Isha's pregnancy, Pallavi ma had prepared a whole bunch of things to do for Isha and I want to fulfill everything, cooking her favorite food is one such thing, I know I don't cook so well, but I'm learning to cook all Isha's favorites from Rajput cooks, I'll turn perfect soon... and coming to Ranveer's childishness, he behaves such only in Ranawat palace, if his sister visits Rajput palace, he would look after her very well, you know how much he loves and cares for his sister... Please read them and take a decision... I'll come again... Please do consider my request", Ragini said and Abhyansh gave her simple nod, as he cannot deny her sweet request, he could see how much Ragini loves Isha and how she wanted to look after her, so the least he could do is at least consider her request, so he decided to read his in-laws diaries and see if that could change his mind and damn! it did.
He read the whole diary of his mother-in-law and father-in-law, he couldn't understand how Amar Rajput thought him to be perfect for his daughter decades ago, by reading that diary, Abhyansh understood that Amar Rajput always saw only one man, that is him, Abhyansh Singh Ranawat as his daughter's prospective groom, he didn't even consider the Rathore prince or Neil Singhania's son for Isha even for once...
Slowly the happy content in the diaries vanished and empty pages met him, and Abhyansh understood that it was during those black days when he was on a spree to destroy the Rajput businesses in his quest for Amar Rajput's blood.
Abhyansh was still angry and upset with Amar Rajput for his stupidities but now there was no hatred and he knew it would take some time for him to forget his anger as well, but that stop him from fulfilling his in-laws' dreams, if that's what Pallavi and Amar Rajput dreamt about doing for Isha, then Abhyansh thought he should let Isha experience all that pampering from them.
So, Abhyansh decided to drop his wife in Rajput palace before he left for his Europe trip.