"Let's say, people fade away and memories don't." He said to his brother when they were in the dining, all shivaay wanted to say to every people sitting over there was, If it meant living with her memories forever, he will choose it with a smile. But his brothers, sisters-in-law, mom, and dad couldn't see him in that phrase, and he knew it was continuing for the past seven years since his wife disappeared from his life.

"Shivaay, do you think she doesn't live in our memory?" Om asked him back tear-eyed. Shivaay could see nobody could able to control their emotions when they heard those words from him. It has been 5 years, but still, everything was fresh including her scent on the pillows, he could feel her presence everywhere, but unfortunately, he was failing to prove it to his family.

"Neither Bhabhi will wish to see you like this." Rudy lost his patience, standing up, and blaming him with teary eyes, shivaay didn't react much, but continued eating. Bhavya didn't stop her husband from busting out like she usually does, shivaay shifted his gaze to her, and she was equally emotional. But she didn't say anything.

"Billu..." His grandma started.

"I know it's hard! I felt the same when your grandfather left me alone and went. But things don't stop, we have to accept it and move along with time!" She said to him. He heaved out a deep breath and slightly moved the plate away, he stopped reacting aggressively when anyone tell him that she was dead. Because he, himself didn't believe that she was dead, even though his brain alerts him every single moment, that the chances of being alive were not even 1% especially when it happened in the high mountain range. He coughed, took a glass of water, and made his way toward his room. Just to get stopped by his grandmother again.

"I am sorry! I am so sorry! I shouldn't have taken that topic!" She pleaded to him. But his heart went void of her emotions, then. Nothing happened intentionally when Rudra referred to his wife as dead, he did the same, and went silent, from then to now, there were no talks between them even though he tried a lot. And now, his grandmother did the same unknowingly, now pleading with him for forgiveness. When she tried to pick up his hands, he jerked them away.

"Bhaiya, please!" He now heard the voice from his brother's wife. He had to stop, even if he wishes, he couldn't show his overwhelming emotions to her. He stopped and turned to his grandmother.

"Dadi, please don't compare. You lived your life to the fullest. You had kids, and grandkids and have gazillions of memories with grandpa, and remember, you wished God to take him since he was in pain in his last stage. What about me? For the god's sake, SHE WAS EXPECTING. EXPECTING OUR FIRST CHILD AND THAT HAPPENED. Because of whom? Because of the chaos created by your kids and my wife and my unborn child paid the price! Do you think that's acceptable?" Shivaay asked, her grandma grouped her hands and nodded no and eventually he left to his room, his room, this home, was the only reason for him living there only because she lived there. Now none stopped him, he thudded himself in the bed and closed his eyes, and tears flowed uncontrollably from his eyes.

"I can't ... Please... It's getting tough every passing second," He whispered, he reached out his hand to hold her, but there was none.

"Bhaiya!" It was Gauri again on the doorstep. Shivaay stood up from his bed and wiped off his tears.

"After 4 months, you came back just to fight?" She asked in a calm tone. He didn't say anything but flashed a smile on his face. And left the place for her to sit, and she sat next to him.

"Do you think I came back to fight?" He asked her. She remained silent.

"You very well know my purpose of the visit! I came for you! I came for this baby you are carrying!" He said while pointing out her bulged stomach. Gauri smiled back at him.

"I am very thankful for that!" Gauri said.

"Don't stress about anything! As I promised, I will stay here till this baby is born," Shivaay said to him.

"I need another promise from you!" Gauri asked him.

"Ask me!" Shivaay said.

"I want you to hold this baby first, give your blessings first!" Gauri replied in a low tone. Shivaay thought for a while and was surprised, at how he got this much attached to Gauri and her unborn baby in a very less span. Is that because he lost his child?

"I promise!" He promised her holding her palm. While then, his phone pops up with a notification, he opened the mail and saw a wedding invitation from Sidharth and Malika. He ignored it and it sets to the home page which had a selfie of him and the kid whom he saw in the supermarket in Singapore, as usual, he got stuck with her blue orbs and the teary joy that was conveyed in her eyes.

"Who's that, bhaiya?" Gauri asked him.

"This kid! I saw her in a supermarket before three days. Saved her. Don't know what was going through her mind when she got stuck in-between traffic vehicles, when I saved her, she didn't think a moment to hug me and cry, while then, her grandparents arrived and took her. I still remember how she ran towards me to take this selfie before I leave." He explained the entire scene to her and looked at her. She was smiling looking at him with a curious face.

"What happened?" He asked her in the same tone.

"No, your face is glowing after a very long time. This kid surely has magic." Gauri said while looking at the picture.

"I wish I meet her again!" He said and grazed the picture in the memory of hugging her.

***

Before 3 days.

"Neeli said I will see my daddy today," Rikki said when her grandmother took her to the supermarket. Her grandmother got stuck for a while before she could respond to her statement. Although it was the first time, Rikki asked something about her dad, since then, her grandmother didn't hear anything about it. But now, she felt like feeling a nightmare.

"Baby! Do you want your daddy?" Her grandmother asked her.

"Yeah... My friends have dads except me. Why?" She asked while playing with her doll. Her grandmother put her thoughts away and had to speak with her grandchild and explain it to her.

"Rikki, listen!" Her grandmother said to her.

"Some babies are very special, they don't need two parents to love them, just one is enough, you know your mom loves you so much! Plus your dad, he didn't... he didn't exist, dear." Her grandmom told her, Rikki stopped playing with her doll and looked at her as if her whole world got stuck. Even though her grandmother felt guilty for lying, she had to do, it for the sake of her daughter. She can't risk her daughter's life again.

"What?" Rikki asked her tear-eyed.

"Yes, beta. He became a star"

"But Neeli said I will see my daddy today," Rikki asked her tear-eyed, Neeli, a fortune teller in their village whom Rikki was close to. Rikki's grandmother couldn't take a word against her since Rikki loves her a lot, also when she felt hopeless about her daughter, she was the one to give her hope, still, that was the question awakened in her mind, why neeli told something like this to her granddaughter.

"Once we reach our village, we will ask Neeli about it, and please promise, you will never ask or say anything about this to your mom!" Her grandmother asked her little knowing how her granddaughter would have felt when her hopes crashed into pieces. She remained silent and held her grandmother's hand.

They were inside the supermarket, Rikki's grandmother, Radha, couldn't figure out, how her 4-year-old granddaughter was feeling inside, she didn't have any idea when Rikki went missing and how she reached the Road. When she rushed outside, she saw Rikki hugging a man tightly and crying on his shoulder. She immediately came to her rescue and took her away from his embrace who was equally affected like her.

"Thank you so much!" Radha thanked him, but he instead graced Rikki's cheek. When he left, there was a sudden jerk from Rikki who got into her feet from her embrace and asked for her phone. When Radha gave her phone to her, she ran towards that stranger's side, he immediately turned back. They clicked a picture together and Radha couldn't do anything other than witness her granddaughter's action. When she came to her, her lips shined with a smile.

"You know grandma, Neeli never lies. He's my daddy" She told showing their picture which made Radha go speechless.

****