Six months later...

Aradhya and Payal accompanied me to the temple as usual with the kids. Now that Janaki and Raghav had learnt to walk properly, it wasn't as difficult, but it also meant that I had to hold their hands at all times to make sure they never ran off. Even if they did, Saarang always helped me catch them and bring them back.

"Kya woh Jagdish hai...?" I asked in surprise when I saw him waiting outside the temple on his bike.

(Is that Jagdish...?)

Payal hummed, her eyes just as hollow as mine, "Woh mujhse kuch kagazat likhwana chahte hai... Kahi jaldi lekar jaana chahte hai.

(He wants me to sign some documents... Said we need to go somewhere.)

I didn't say anything. Payal should have been living freely with her aunt by now. But she couldn't escape because of me.

There had been no fault in our plan. In fact, I never thought my husband's death would bother her so much. She went all the way to the railway station as planned and even took tickets. I hadn't been able to meet her before she left. But I thought at least she'd have a peaceful life eventually.

But after taking the ticket, she couldn't get on the train. Her feet wouldn't move. She watched it leave her behind and waited there for a few hours. Coincidentally, Keshav had gone to his graduation ceremony alone and was returning on another train. He found Payal alone in the station and offered to walk her home, but she insisted on meeting me first.

Keshav complied. But it was after the whole village had gone to sleep. He woke me up in secret and mentioned that Payal wanted to meet me.

That night, the girl hugged me and cried, saying no matter how much we tried to run away, fate would eventually find us. She knew how much Bhairav Ji meant to me. She knew I was suffering.

When she had been suffering, I had offered her help many times...

So she wanted to do the same. She couldn't leave me alone like this until she knew I was happy. She didn't want to.

Her words would always stick with me.

Payal gave up her freedom just so she could comfort me. I'd always be grateful to her.

Jagdish had a cigarette between his lips as he watched us. He smirked a little as Payal got on behind him.

"Thakurain Ji, kaisi ho? Suna hai vidyalay ki kaam puri ho chuki hai... Par humare gaon mei toh padhane ke liye koi nahi hai! Kaash Thakur Ji zinda hote... Kuch intezaam kar lete... Bhagwan unki aatma ko shaanti de."

(Thakurain Ji, how are you? I heard the construction of the school is complete now... But there's no teacher in our village! Only if the Thakur Ji had been alive... He would have made arrangements... May his soul rest in peace.)

I didn't say anything. Didn't even try to act polite. What was it even good for?

"Mai padhaungi. Chinta mat karo, Jagdish."

(I'll teach at the school. Don't worry, Jagdish.)

He laughed, "Ah... Mai toh bhul hi gaya! Humare kaksha mei bhi aapke number sabse ache the! Khair... Ab hume jaana hoga. Phir milte hai."

(Ah... I forgot about that! Even in school, you used to have the best grades among us! Anyway... We need to leave now. See you later.)

He drove off. One day, I wanted to punch him. Nobody made my blood boil as he did.

Aradhya and I went home with the kids. Dadi had been bedridden from the day the election results were announced, and I got busy taking care of her. Bhargav and Keshav were discussing something important with Maa in the living room, and I realised it was regarding the factory.

"Waha ka kaam bahut zaroori hai Maa... Mai Aradhya ko lekar jaunga aur hum waha ke makaan mei rahenge. Hum mei se ek ko hamesha waha honi chahiye, warna nuksaan ho jayega," Bhargav mumbled before taking a deep breath, "Bhaiya toh sab akele sambhaalte the... Par ab unke bina hume aisa karna hoga."

(The work there is of utmost importance, Maa... I'll take Aradhya with me, and we'll stay in the apartment there. One of us needs to be there at all times, or we'll incur losses. Bhaiya used to handle everything all by himself... but now we need to do it like this.)

Keshav interjected at that time, "Aur mujhe waha ke kaam ke baare mei kuch pata nahi hai, Maa. Bhargav Bhaiya hi sab dekh sakte hai... Aur yaha ki woh vidyalay bhi hai... Sanjana padha sakti hai waha-"

(And I don't know anything about the work there, Maa. Only Bhargav Bhaiya can take care of everything... And there's the school here too... Sanjana can teach-)

"Kya bakwas kar rahe ho?!" Maa's voice cracked as she held back tears, "Agar Sanjana padhayegi toh log kya kahenge?"

(What are you saying?! What will people say if Sanjana teaches?)

"Maa..." Bhargav gritted his teeth, "Bhaiya ki aakhri icha thi... Aap logo ke baare mei sochna chod dijiye, yeh hamare parivar ka maamla hai... Woh bahut kabil hai, aap bhi jaanti ho... Bhaiya ne isliye woh zimmedari usko do hai... Agar aap hamare saath na denge toh kaun dega?"

(Maa... It was Bhaiya's last wish... Don't worry about what the people will think, this is our family's matter... She's very capable, you know that... Bhaiya gave her that responsibility because he knew it too. If you don't support us, then who will?)

Maa was quiet for a while, and I stepped into the living room at that time. All eyes turned to me. "Mujhe bhi padhana hai, Maa. Sirf aapki aashirwad chahiye..." I knelt beside her. She had tears in her eyes as she hugged me and began crying softly.

(Even I want to teach, Maa. I just need your blessings...)

Bhairav Ji's absence had taken such a huge toll on all of us. It was a miracle how he had managed everything back then. His brothers were struggling to do the same. They needed my help. Even Bhairav Ji's men were now confused as to what they could do anymore. Many returned to their own villages.

Bhargav was very frustrated by everything. He was supposed to take responsibility as the man of the house, but the loss of his brother was too much of a burden for his shoulders. I realised that going to the city was a way of escapism for him, but I didn't object to it. He was doing all he could do, just like everyone else.

If my husband were alive, he would have been the Sarpanch now. The village wouldn't be as gloomy. I had cried for hours on the day the election results were announced.

He had won. Just as he promised.

But he hadn't returned.

"Jeetkar laut aunga."

(I'll return after winning.)

I remembered the confidence in him when he had left that day. But I didn't care if he won or lost... I just wanted him back. I'd do anything to get him back.

The worst part was that Keshav found a tattered box of sweets from his burnt Jeep. He had remembered to buy it for me. Just thinking about it made my throat close up.

I lost the love of my life.

As the days passed, Bhargav prepared to leave for the city. Aradhya was very sad that she had to go away from us, but I realised that in times like these, Bhargav needed her more than us. Even she realised it as well. He had become more withdrawn after Bhairav Ji's death, and only with Aradhya did he seem mildly comfortable. In a way, I was relieved that it was Bhargav who went to the city and not Keshav. I would have felt awfully lonely without him in the large haveli.

He had always been like my own brother. He had always offered me some kind of comfort when everyone else was away, and he was far calmer and more sensible than Bhargav.

Keshav took me, Maa, and the kids to the school that was going to be inaugurated. Fresh peach paint embraced the walls, and I could see the school's name in bright blue letters at the very top.

"Bhairav Chaudhary Memorial Vidyalaya," I whispered it in Janaki and Raghav's ears as they stared out of the car window curiously. There was a small crowd of people, excited for the inauguration. I smiled at them kindly while leading the children outside.

When it was time for the ribbon cutting, Keshav came to me with scissors.

"Bhabhi..." He smiled softly, "Bachpan mei Bade bhaiya aapko hamesha gaadi mei aage bithathe the, woh hamesha aapke liye humse chupakar mithayi laate the... Woh aapke liye bahut mayne rakhte hai, Bhabhi... Aur aaj agar woh yaha hote, toh aapse yahi karwate."

(Bhabhi... In our childhood, Bade Bhaiya always used to make you sit in the front seat of his jeep. He used to buy sweets only for you... He valued you so much, Bhabhi... If he were here today, he would have done the same.)

Keshav's words made me emotional. There were tears in my eyes as I took the scissors with trembling hands. Maa didn't oppose anything. She dabbed her own moist eyes with the pallu as I cut the ribbon.

It was a new beginning now. And the only thing missing was the familiar presence beside me, who always indirectly pushed me to do great things.

I missed him so much it hurt.