Chapter 1 - Destiny

Anita was unable to get the sleep today. After all it was her 10th anniversary and as usual she was way too excited for it. Although Hemant seemed to have forgotten it as always, but she was hoping that her love would surprise her for once with a surprise, which she would cherish through out her life.

Hemant was on a business meeting in Bangalore and was scheduled to return only by evening, so they had only few hours to celebrate their special day. Anita had already made plans for celebration.This time she had planned to play a prank which he would remember his entire life. Hemant's friends were going to pick him up from the airport stating she had an accident and and was admitted in the ICU of Lotus Hospital. She had specifically selected Lotus as it was next to Hotel Sea Seattle where she had planned to throw a party. His friends would bring him to the hotel instead of hospital and she would come in front of him in a wheelchair. Before he could understand anything she would just kiss him and break the bandage costume revealing her in a glamorous red saree.

She was mentally going through all the checklists she had prepared for this day. Although she had done this checking for more than 50 times but she wanted to be doubly sure.

In the Afternoon on the Anniversary day...

Mohanji had switched on the T.V. to see the news, while Vyom his grandson was doing some project work sitting besides him. Anita was busy in the kitchen when suddenly Mohanji started shouting hysterically. "Vahu Vahu ahi aavo.. (daughter in law come here)" Vyom and Anita both ran to him to see what had happened to him. He was sweating profusely as if he had seen some ghost. Anita asked Vyom to bring some water. She started patting Mohanji on back and started asking " What happened papa. Please calm down. Tell me what happened." He could not say anything but with great difficulty pointed his finger on the T.V.

Anita and Vyom's eyes fell on the screen and there were a news flash on it... THE BANGLORE TO MUMBAI FLIGHT SCHEDULED AT 13.00 HOURS CRASHED AND NONE OF THE PPASSENGERS SURVIVED. Reading this, Vyom lost hold of the glass of water and Anita lost hold of herself and both fell on the floor and broke down ccompletely.

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Zindagi har mod par imtehan leti hai..

Hum kuch Sochte hai woh kuch aur bayan karti hai..

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Mayur, Manasi, Keyur and Riya who had just entered the door came running hear the thundering sound. Their feet's stopped seeing the drawing room condition. They were totally confused on what was going on when Keyur's eyes fell on the news flashing on the TV screen. He felt as if 880 walts open electric wire fell on him. He grabbed Riya's hand. Emotions were flowing out of his heart and eyes but words failed him. With too many efforts he pointed his right hand finger on the screen and just one word murmured out of his mouth "He.. he.. hemanttt..." He too started feeling dizzy now but his mind was shouting at him "Stay strong stay strong..." Pair of 3 eyes followed his signal and slowly things started sinking in their mind as everything got cleared. Their eyes dams too broke down but they had to remain strong for the three people present in the room whose world had shattered.

Mansi was the first one to come out of the trance. She slowly moved towards Vyom who had got paralysed in his place and very carefully she took him to his bedroom making sure he

didn't hurt himself with the broken glass pieces. Mayur followed her and started collecting the glass pieces while Riya started sprinkling water on Anita's eyes to bring her out of unconscious state. Keyur helped Chachaji with water and his pressure pills. Slowly he came to terms to the reality though his heart was breaking into a million pieces but he strengthened himself. Slowly he came near Anita who had now gotten out of the disconnect her heart had felt just few moments ago.

All the events came back in front of her eyes as she was blankly staring the TV screen. Her eyes started moving on each and every face and each and every object in the room present at that moment. Finally her eyes settled on the pair of fatherly eyes which were staring back at her with too much of love. The dams of those eyes were threatening to break but somehow almighty was blessing his heart with the strength only for him to collect the remaining beads of his family's broken necklace so that they don't break in these testing times. Suddenly his shoulders had stopped and he looking as if in a few moments he aged by 20 years.

He raised his right hand and started caressing Anita's forehead with all the love his heart could ever permit to flow keeping all the pain for himself. He wanted her to come to terms to reality but her two lifeless eyes kept on staring at him blankly for an eternity. Suddenly there was a sparkle in her eyes and she got up with a jolt. With lighting speed she grabbed the remote switched the television off and with all the strength and faith that had returned to her she declared, "Hemant will come in 3 hours and we are going to celebrate our 10th Anniversary so please cheer up you guys. Mayur, Mansi, Keyur... please complete your task for which I had called you today. I am sorry guys I won't be of any help now as I need to get ready wanna surprise my jaan today." And she started moving towards her room.

Mansi opened her mouth to stop her and tell her that her Hemant won't return today. He will not return only. But Chachaji stopped her. There was something in her voice which even he wanted to believe in. He just wanted his bahu's faith to win today. Mansi, Mayur and Keyur stared at each other with helpless eyes, trying to control the storms that were flowing in their hearts.