1 month later
As I stood on the edge of that chapter in life—my break after passing out from IMA finally ended and I knew it was a brief moment of calm before stepping into a new world.
Those three weeks felt like a delicate balance between time with my parents and mental preparation for what lay ahead. Each day brought the weight of anticipation, a mix of excitement and responsibility.
But now, I found myself immersed in the world of the regiment, located in a remote area. The air here felt different—thicker, more charged with purpose.
The regimental life was difficult, yet filled with small, defining moments. The early morning drills, the conversations shared over meals, the silent nods during briefings—all weaved together into the rhythm of this new chapter.
There was an intensity, but also a strange comfort in the discipline.
And amidst all this, thoughts of my parents and Reya always lingered in the background. They, too, are part of this journey, though they walk alongside me in different ways.
This regiment would test me, mold me, and push me. But there was a quiet confidence in my steps now—a sense that this was exactly where I'm meant to be.
It was way more challenging than I had imagined. Life started getting difficult for me and my Sunflower. We both were focused on our respective paths.
Her dedication to her final year and pursuing her dreams, alongside my own demanding routine in the regiment, made things harder. The distance, both in time and space, felt overwhelming.
But we both knew, we were working toward something bigger—goals that would shape our future together.
Even though it was tough right now, there was strength in knowing that we were both striving for our dreams, supporting each other from afar.
Despite the distance and the pressures of our individual paths, we refused to let our love fade. We carved out time from our demanding schedules.
In those moments, we reconnected—sharing laughter, stories of our days, and a silent promise that the distance was only temporary.
On days when life felt overwhelming, I reminded myself of why I'm doing it—for our dreams, yes, but also for the life we envisioned together.
Even though we were miles apart, our shared vision kept us close, like two stars moving in the same direction, never truly drifting apart.
I glanced at the clock, and realized it's already past 12. The day had stretched on with unexpected duties, and now I was looking at my phone, with hesitation.
My thumb hovered over her name, the urge to call almost overwhelming. But what if she was asleep? What if she was too tired from her own long day of studying? I didn’t want to disturb her rest.
I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment, imagining her peaceful, curled up in bed. The last thing I wanted was to disrupt that calm. But still, the ache to hear her voice lingered within me.
My thoughts raced and I decided to leave a text for her. I typed out a short message: "I’m sorry it’s late. Hope you had a good day. Sleep well, I miss you, Sunflower! "
I hit send, letting the quiet night settle around me. Even if she didn’t see it until morning, it felt like a small connection, a way of being with her without taking away her rest. And that was enough for now.
Just as I set my phone down, trying to push away the longing, it buzzed in my hand. Her name flashed across the screen, and my heart skipped a beat. She was calling.
I answered quickly, almost startled. "Sunflower! I'm so sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” my voice was soft, guilt creeping in.
"You didn’t. I was waiting for you." she replied, and there was a warmth in her tone, as if she knew exactly what I had been thinking.
"But it's so late…soyi nahi abhi tak?” I asked softly.
“I was tired, but I didn’t want to sleep without hearing from you. Long day?” Her voice was gentle, comforting, as if nothing else mattered but this moment.
"Yeah, it was. But hearing you makes it better." I sighed, the weight of the day lifting a little.
"Good, ghar pe baat hui?” She asked.
“Mmm..nahi! I didn't get the time to talk to Mumma!” I replied, my voice laced with guilt.
“Don't worry! I did, thodi der pehle!” She replied, making me smile.
In the midst of our busy lives, where every day was filled with responsibilities and challenges, one thing remained constant: her dedication to stay connected, not just with me but my parents too.
Even when I struggled to find time to call my parents, she made sure to check in with them daily.
Every evening, she picks up the phone and calls them. She asks about their day, shares little updates from her own life, and listens to their stories with genuine interest.
It was her way of making sure that even when I couldn't be there, my family still felt my presence, supported and cared for. Her actions were a reminder of how much she values the connections that mattered to me, and how deeply she integrated herself into every part of my life.
“How's Mumma?” I asked with a swift smile, feeling my heart heavy.
“She's good! You know teri bachpan ki baatein batati hai! You were so naughty back then Kashyap!” She laughed, her laughter lifting the burden away from my heart.
Our conversation flowed into the late hours, when I noticed her responses growing softer, her words slower. We were still talking about the little things, random thoughts, plans for the future but the words from her side faded into silence.
“Sunflower!” I called her gently, but there was no reply.
That was when I realized that she had fallen asleep.
A soft smile spread across my face, my heart filling with warmth. I could hear her gentle breathing on the other side, steady and calm.
And rather than disconnecting the call, I stayed right there, keeping the phone pressed to my ear. Each soft breath she took gave me a strange sense of peace, as if even in sleep, she was with me.
It was a simple kind of solace, a reminder that no matter how far apart we were, we were still connected in the most intimate way.
And so, I closed my eyes, letting her soft breathing lull me into my own world.
Few months later
As I sat quietly in the plane, the steady hum of the engines filled the cabin, but my mind was on tomorrow—my in-laws' wedding anniversary.
It was such a special occasion, and the thought of them celebrating without their children felt wrong to me.
Yes, Vayu couldn’t make it, tied up with his duties, and Navi was too out of the country.
That was when I decided I had to go. Rather than just sending a gift or a message, I wanted to surprise them in person.
I could already picture their faces, the shock and joy when they would open the door to find me standing there. The thought of it brought a warm smile to my face.
Even though my own life has been hectic, this was important. They’ve always treated me like family, and I wanted them to know how much that meant to me.
Tomorrow wasn’t just about celebrating their love for each other—it was about showing them how much I care, and how grateful I am to be a part of their lives.
As the plane began its descent, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. I hadn’t told anyone about my plans, not even Vayu. It was a surprise for everyone.
After landing, I quickly made my way through the airport, grabbed my bags, and headed for their home. On the way, I bought a cake for them as it would be almost midnight when I would reach their home.
The closer I got, the more my heart raced. I hoped the surprise would bring them joy—especially since they were probably feeling a little sad that neither of their children could be there this year.
Finally, I reached their house. Standing in front of the door, I took a deep breath and knocked. For a few moments, there was silence, and then I heard footsteps approaching.
The door creaked open, and there stood my mother in law, looking as though she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“Surprise!” I said, smiling wide.
For a second, she just stared, and then her face lit up with the biggest smile I’d ever seen. “Oh my God! You’re here!” she exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug. I could feel the warmth of her embrace, the kind that made me feel at home.
I bent down and touched her feet and she blessed me before pulling me into a hug again.
“Itni raat ko kon hai, Himani?” I heard Papa from a distance and before I knew it, he was there too, equally surprised but just as happy.
“Reya bache! ” he exclaimed.
He blessed me and then we made our way inside.
As the clock struck midnight, I brought out the cake, the candles casting a soft, warm light. I revealed the cake to them with a playful grin on my face, and said, “Happy Anniversary!”
Their eyes widened in surprise, and they couldn’t hide their delight. “You remembered?” Maa asked, her voice filled with emotion. I nodded like a kid making both of them smile.
“I didn’t want you to feel alone without your children. I wanted to make sure your special day was celebrated just as it should be.” I said softly, handing over the knife to them.
The look of gratitude and joy on their faces was worth every effort. They cut the cake, and we sang together, the room filled with happiness and a sense of closeness.
As we finished the cake and continued chatting, Maa's phone buzzed with a FaceTime call. I glanced at the screen and saw it was from Vayu and Navi. My heart skipped a beat because they had no idea about the surprise.
Maa answered the call, and I stood behind her watching their faces appear on the screen.
“Happy Anniversary!” Both of them sang in unison.
Their eyes widened in surprise as they saw me behind her. “Wait, is she bhabhi?” Navi asked, clearly shocked.
“Surprise!” I said, laughing a little. “I wanted to make sure their anniversary was special, even though you both couldn’t be here.” I said sitting beside Maa.
“Matlab tum dono ko bhi nahi pata tha Reya aane wali hai?” Papa asked surprisingly.
“Nope! She didn't even tell me! Bhabhi bhai ko nahi but mujhe to bata sakti thi na!” Navi said with a pout making us all giggle.
“Achaa! Mujhe hi nahi bataya tujhe to kyu hi btaegi?” Vayu replied to her annoyingly.
“Coz she's my best friend!” Navi replied, flipping her hair.
“And she's my fiance!”
We all laughed hard at their never ending fight.
“Bas bhi karo tum dono! Aadhi raat ko bhi chain nahi hai dono ko, kabhi bhi shuru ho jaate ho!” Maa scolded both of them, making me smirk at Vayu.
Vayu's face softened with a mix of surprise and happiness. “But honestly you're amazing, Sunflower! I can’t believe you did this!”
“I had too, after all they're my parents too!” I said with an ear to ear smile and keeping my head on Maa's shoulder.
Maa Papa talked to both of their children, and laughed together, sharing stories and catching up. The sound of their giggles and happy voices filled the room, bridging the distance between them.
I stood quietly, watching the interaction with a warm smile. It was heartening to see my future family so connected and joyful, even though we were all spread out.
I felt a deep sense of belonging and contentment, knowing that soon, I would officially be a part of this loving and close-knit family.
As the laughter and conversation continued, Maa finally handed me the phone with a knowing smile.
I took it, and found myself face-to-face with Vayu and Navi.
“Thanks a lot bhabhi!” Navi chirped and I nodded softly.
“Okay so before I invade your privacy for the 78945th time, I think I should leave! Enjoy your moments lovebirds!” Navi said teasingly, making me facepalm myself in coyness.
She disconnected the call, leaving just me and Vayu on facetime.
“Hey,” I said softly, a playful glint in my eye.
“To isliye tune mera phone ni uthaya kal? Hmm?” He asked with a mischievous grin, making me smile.
“Mmm, yes! I was completing my assignments aur phir packing bhi to karni thi!” I replied.
"I wish you could have been here in person," I said, my voice soft, feeling the familiar solace even through the phone.
"I wish I could be there too," he said, his tone gentle. "But seeing you with my family, making everything special for them, it means so much to me."
“I just tried they don't feel your absence on their special day. I hope they liked it.” I said, my voice filled with hopes.
“Tujhe pata hai, aajtak mere or Navi ke surprises se itna khush nahi hue, jitna aaj lag rahe hai. Thank you for doing this. I know it wasn’t easy, but it means the world to us all." He said, making me smile even more.
“You won their hearts, just like you won mine!” He winked at me, blush coating my cheeks perfectly.
We shared a brief moment of silence, just enjoying each other's presence. Even though it was through a screen, it felt intimate and meaningful. We talked privately, sharing our thoughts and teasing each other.
Despite the distance, the love and connection between us made everything feel just right.
Soon Maa Papa joined me as we spent hours reminiscing, talking about everything from their wedding day to funny moments from the past year.
I felt so glad that I made the decision to come here. As the night drew to a close, I realized how much this family really means to me.
I may not have been their daughter by birth, but tonight, I felt like I was truly part of their family. And a realisation, that love finds its way, even across the miles.
.
.
.
To be continued!
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