A Stirring Return

Evening had descended. As Vani returned home from the hospital, she called out, her voice echoing through the unusually silent house.

"Jiv? Nisha? I'm home! Why is it so quiet in here? Are you both even home?"

She stepped inside, glancing around suspiciously. Something felt off. Her voice bounced off the walls, but no response came. With furrowed brows, she whispered to herself, "They must not be home. If they were, the house wouldn't feel this silent."

Just then, faint sounds floated from the kitchen — voices, laughter. Curious, Vani walked towards the kitchen, her steps slow and measured.

There she saw them — Jiv and Nisha, both busy cooking.

She stared at them, her brows raised in surprise. "What are you two doing in the kitchen?" she asked, bewildered. "This can't be normal. You two don't get along for more than five minutes without arguing — and now you're cooking?"

Jiv opened his mouth to confess, "Mom, actually—"

But before he could spill the beans, Nisha quickly cut in, interrupting him with a bright smile.

"We're making your favorite — moong dal halwa! Just for you!"

Vani looked at them, suspicious. She crossed her arms over her waist and narrowed her eyes. "What's going on? You — Nisha — who usually runs at the mention of the word kitchen — is suddenly cooking for me? What's so special today? What are you two hiding?"

Nisha put on her sweetest smile. "We're not hiding anything! We just wanted to do something nice for you, that's all. You take care of us so much, work so hard at the hospital, stay up all night... we just wanted to say thank you."

Vani let out a soft snort. "Thank you? The last time you tried to do something 'special' for me, you cost me ten thousand rupees. So tell me the truth — or should I call your mom?"

The moment Nisha heard the word "mom," she paled. "No, no! Don't call her, please! I'll tell you!"

She hesitated, then admitted sheepishly, "It's not that big of a deal… there's just a tiny little scratch on your car."

Vani's eyes narrowed further.

"I didn't do it on purpose! I was just trying to take the car out of the parking lot… and I accidentally bumped into that double-battery car. It just… happened."

Vani was quiet for a beat, then her voice dropped to a low, angry whisper. "How long will you keep covering up your mistakes like this, Nisha? I've told you so many times — if you don't know how to drive properly, don't touch my car!"

Nisha stood silent, her head bowed, as Vani continued. "What if something had happened to Jiv? Or to you? What would I have done? You're not a child anymore, Nisha. Start acting like it."

Seeing Nisha's downcast expression, Vani let out a deep breath and calmed herself. She knew it wasn't intentional. But the thought of something happening to Jiv had rattled her deeply.

"I'm letting it go this time," she said at last.

Nisha's face lit up instantly. "So… no punishment?" she asked, hopeful.

Vani smirked, her tone playful. "Forgiven, yes. Punishment? Still pending."

Nisha's eyes widened in panic.

"For the next two weeks, you'll be in charge of all the grocery shopping. You'll wash my car every week for a month. And you'll pay this month's electricity and TV bills. Got it?"

Hearing that, Nisha nearly fainted. She grabbed a glass of water from the table and drank it all in one gulp.

"You're joking, right?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope," Vani replied. "I'm dead serious. Want me to add more?"

Nisha quickly shook her head. "No no, that's enough! I'll do it! Oh God, I haven't done this much work all year! Where are you, God? Please save me — though you're probably off on vacation with your settings!"

Vani chuckled, shaking her head. "Now you're filing complaints with God?"

She took out the dinner she had brought. "Alright, let's eat. I brought food for all of us."

She turned to Jiv with a warm smile. "Go wash your hands, sweetheart. Let's eat and celebrate your victory!"

Jiv looked up in surprise. "How did you know I won, Mom? I didn't even tell you."

Vani gently cupped his cheek. "Because I know my son. You're my intelligent boy. My Jiv never loses."

Smiling, Jiv ran off to wash his hands, while Vani watched him with pride glowing in her eyes.

---

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Jai had just returned to his room after wrapping up a dinner meeting. He had already eaten and now just wanted to rest. After freshening up, he lay down on the bed, and his mind, almost involuntarily, drifted to Jiv.

Remembering Jiv's little pranks made him think of his own childhood. A soft smile appeared on his lips. For someone who'd never been fond of children, Jai had taken quite a liking to Jiv. That innocent smile, those curious eyes… it all stirred something deep inside him.

If only my own child were like him, he thought. Would it be a boy or a girl? Would the baby look like Vani — so beautiful, so gentle?

The longing returned with full force.

Where are you, Vani? Please come back. I miss you. I miss our baby. I don't know if I love you… but I do know this: I can't live another moment without you.

He reached for his phone and opened the photo he had taken that night — the night when Vani had fallen asleep in his arms. She had clung to him like a little girl, her head resting peacefully on his chest.

He stared at the picture, his expression softening. Unknowingly, he drifted off to sleep, his phone still in hand, the screen glowing with the image of the woman he longed for.

---

Two days had passed since Jai's arrival in Shimla. His work was now complete, and before leaving, he wanted to visit an old college friend, Daksh, who had called him multiple times upon learning that Jai was in town. Jai finally agreed to meet him.

He set out in his car to visit Daksh. At a red light, he stopped the car and rolled down the window to let in some fresh air. There was a strange unease in his chest — a restlessness he couldn't explain.

And then he saw her.

From across the street, stepping out of a cake shop — Vani.

He blinked, stunned. Was this real? Was it truly her?

Before he could react, before he could call out, she vanished into the crowd.

He jumped out of the car, frantically scanning the street, looking left and right, calling her name. But she was gone.

Was it just an illusion? he wondered. Why do I feel so sure she was really here? Why does my heart scream that it wasn't a dream?

Defeated, he got back into his car.

"One moment you appear like a dream... and the next, you disappear," he whispered. "Vani, please come back. I don't care if I love you or not. I just know this — I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our child. That's all that matters now."

He closed his eyes.

"I miss you. Please come back."

Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for joining me on this emotional journey. Your love and support mean the world to me. If you enjoyed today's episode, I would be truly grateful if you could leave a comment—your thoughts, feedback, and feelings help me grow and write better for you.

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Let's keep this story alive—together. 💖

With love and gratitude,

Suman Sahani

Author of "The Price of Mistake" And "Scars Of Revenge And Threads Of Fate "