The Raizada Gods - Epilogue

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Epilogue

7 Years Later

“Sshhh.. Not here. It’s risky” 6-year-old Aarav Singh Raizada mutters hiding behind a bush with his two cousins.
“Bhai.. what is Rishhky?” Kishan, aged 4, the youngest amongst the three asks.
“Danger. We might get caught” Aarav explains.
“Don’t worry Bhai, this is our secret place. Nobody knows” Parth Singh Raizada, age 5 exclaims.





The Raizada Gods are tired looking for their sons. They have been playing Hide and seek and it was their turn to search.

“Bhai… These kiddos are sharp than us. I don’t understand where they hide” Nandakishore exhales.
“Reminds me of old times. We always had a secret place to hide” Arnav points out.

Akash shakes his head in agreement.

“Tushar Sehgal still doesn’t know about that hideout” Akash replies.
“That reminds me, his daughter Tisha was bullied by some of her school mates and our Sons took it way too seriously. If the teacher hadn’t caught them on time, they would have punched those bullies”

Tisha is Tushar Sehgal’s only daughter and since the Raizada Gods don’t have a girl child in their family, their sons dote on Tisha and protect her as their own. The Sehgals now have a very good rapport with the Raizada Gods.

“Where are these Monsters but?” Arnav mutters clenching his jaw. “Wish we had GPS trackers installed on them”

Nandakishore laughs.

“Bhai.. we need those trackers on our wives these days. None of them is free for us. They are so busy all the time. I wonder who are the real protectors of this Town, we or them?”

Arnav nods in agreement. He and Khushi had a recent argument on the same subject but it ended with a passionate night and she made up for all the lost time between them. But that’s not the point. However relaxed the surrounding looks, he really gets worried when she doesn’t return home on time. The threat of Lakshman Sinha has been screwing in his mind from past so many years.

“Got them” NK softly screams, taking the attention of his two brothers. He points at the bushes which are unnecessarily shaking even in the absence of wind around.
“Good work NK” Akash pats his back. “So, whats the plan?”
“I will go from behind. They should not use that as an escape point” Arnav shares his idea.
“Okay, I will catch them from the side and NK you will come from the front” Akash adds.
“Got you Bro”

The three brothers head to their respective zones and very quietly they reach the bushes only to find their Dogs playing inside.

“What the!!” Arnav scowls.
“Who tied the Dogs here?” Akash roars.
“And where are these Devils?”

“We are here” the three kids scream from the other side, jumping and clapping their hands. “We won.. We won.. We won”

Arnav, Akash and NK glare at each other for losing the game but they are also proud that their Sons are sharper than them. They so nicely fooled them by placing the Dogs in the area and managed to escape. They hurry to their respective Sons, pull them closer and start tickling them.

“Dad… hahhahahhh… dad. Enough…” Aarav squeals as Arnav doesn’t stop tickling him.

Akash raises his Son Parth on his shoulder and pats his back. Parth giggles continuously. Nandakishore fakes boxing with his son Kishan who also knows to throw few punches like him.

“There they are” Usha Singh Raizada comes in the garden with Radha. “What are you boys doing here? Your mothers need you inside. Arent you hungry?” she shouts.
“Daaddii… Save us” the three boys rush to her. She takes them in her embrace and kisses each of them.
“Daadi, we fooled Daddy and Uncle in the game” Aarav shares.
“Really? Poor Daddy and Uncles” Usha giggles.
“Maa.” Arnav reaches her. “They are smart and they outwit us, just imagine that”
“They have got your DNA’s Sons. They got to be like you and in fact a better version of you three”

NK pouts.

“Maa, ever since these kids have come, you don’t love your sons like before” he complains.

Usha raises her brows and looks at Radha.

“Saw Radha, this is what happens. If I pay attention to my grandsons, my sons think I am ignoring them and if I start spending time with them, my grandsons are left alone”

Radha nods.
“Mataji, this is the problem in every joint family”
“Indeed. I am old now, I cannot take so many blames. My daughters-in-law are much wiser than my sons in this matter”

Arnav frowns.

“Saw Akash? No one loves us anymore. Neither Maa.. nor our wives” he mumbles.
“Aww.. Enough of so much torment. Come here..” Usha lovingly takes her sons in embrace too. “You three are my gems. I love you beyond your silly knowledge”

That’s what they wanted to hear. They want all the love in this world now, they have it in the form of their mother, adorable wives and cute sons but they want it to be said aloud.

***************

Khushi Singh Raizada is talking on the phone, with her brother Suraj who is now transferred to Mumbai and is operating from there. He is even promoted for his good work. He got married 3 years ago with a Mumbai girl and is happy in his family. Fortunately, he too got his own family, peace and love which his mother Mohini and her husband could never give him. Khushi and Arnav visit Mumbai at least twice or thrice a year to see Subhadra Gupta who is in her 70’s now. She is old but she still has no plans to settle down in Lucknow. She has extended her NGO work and is spending more time in the Old age homes and orphanages. She loves her work. Suraj and his wife has always kept an eye on her and they do see her every weekend to ensure she is doing fine.

“Suraj.. how sure are you?” Khushi asks.
“100%. I just got this news from one of my Junior staff and I confirmed it from the Commissioner too. It’s true”

Khushi is confused what to deduce out of it. Is this possible? Is he really gone or is someone responsible for this? Had someone planned it on purpose?

“Sis” Suraj interrupts her chain of thoughts. “It was an accident” he stresses again. “Don’t be suspicious. Just be happy that the threat is gone”

Khushi gulps.

“Hmm.. Let me call you back Suraj.”

She hangs up seeing Arnav entering the room.

“There you are. I was looking for you downstairs. What happened? Whose call?” Arnav gets in.

She keeps the phone aside.

“Suraj called. He had a news for us”
Arnav listens patiently. Suraj has been an insider for them in Lakshman Sinha’s matter. He has always updated them about every minute detail of that man.
“Lakshman Sinha is dead”

Arnav looks cold dead at his wife.

“How true is this news?”
“100%. Suraj has confirmed it. Seems he had a fight with one man inside the Jail. They fought and until the cops could intervene, that man stabbed Lakshman Sinha. That’s how he died… On the spot”

Arnav takes a sigh of relief and reaches his wife. He has never been happier than this.

“Good” he says clutching her forearms. “That threat is gone and we can finally be at peace”

They didn’t have any more enemies left now. From past 7 years there has been no war, no bloodshed in this town. Khushi keeps looking in his eyes with suspicion. Arnav reads her expression.

“You think I made someone do this?” he asks.

Khushi swallows.
“you didn’t?” she reconfirms.

Arnav rolls his eyes.

“I wish I could.. I wanted to kill him by my bare hands. But I had promised you that I will never take law in my hands again. How can you think I will break that promise?”

Khushi’s eyes become moist. She knows he has been loyal to that promise all these years and she has been proud of that. She nods.

“I trust you” she agrees drawing him closer. “It’s just that I didn’t expect him to be wiped off from our lives just like that. I am glad he is not there to complicate our lives anymore. We have kids Arnav.. And none of us can take any risk with them”

Arnav kisses her forehead

“Exactly. But if he had returned back, tried to harm anyone of us, I would have broke that promise for sure” he confesses without any remorse.

She looks back in his eyes and smiles.

“Then I am glad he died already. He had done enough sins. This was too easy punishment for him.” She replies.

Aarav comes inside the room.

“Maa”

Khushi pulls away from Arnav and wipes her tears.

“Aarav? What happened?”
“Tomorrow is Daadi’s birthday?” he asks.
“Yes” they both say together.
“We want to gift Daadi something” he continues. Kishan and Parth get inside the room.

Khushi smiles.
“That’s a good idea. But what will you all gift her?”
“Give us ideas” Aarav suggests.

Arnav raises his hands in defeat.

“That’s your call. You and your mother brainstorm.. Daddy has got some other work” he winks at Khushi whose jaw drops. He always does that.
“Arnav you cannot leave this time. You got to help us” she shouts.
“Khushi…”
“No” she interrupts and slowly whispers in his ears. “You know the consequences if you don’t assist me in this”

Arnav bites his lip. He knows. The last time she needed help in something which he denied, she didn’t let him touch her for one whole week. That’s the worst punishment any husband can get. It still horrifies him.

“Fine” he agrees. She passes him a lopsided smile making her husband fall all the more for her.

He calls the kids and they sit in a circle fashion, discussing what best they can gift their Daadi. Khushi heads out to assist Lavanya and Payal in the other arrangements. They have plans of a grand celebration tomorrow.

****************

Birthday

Usha Singh Raizada cuts the cake which her daughters-in-law have self-baked. Her sons, grandsons, Radha, Subhadra Gupta, Tulsi Kshyap, Suraj, his wife and kid, Sehgal family and few other far off relatives have surrounded her and clapping their hands as she cuts the cake. She feeds the cake to her grandsons first. The Raizada Gods wishes their mother and then take blessings from her. Khushi, Payal and Lavanya sing one of her favourite song which she used to sing once for her husband when he was alive. That brings out some fresh memories of those golden days of her life. She misses her husband, he died young but she has no remorse. She still has so many people who love her.

“Daadi… happy birthday” Aarav, Parth and little Kishan finally present her the gift. It’s a handmade greeting card. The kids have drawn their family picture and even named them nicely.
“Wow.. This is so nice.. Thank you” she hugs her grandsons and kisses them. “Whose idea was this?”

They point at Arnav who passes a smirk at his mother. Khushi is over impressed seeing her husband giving such a nice idea to the children. That’s really very appreciating. He didn’t give them money and made them buy anything for Usha. Instead he chose to make them something so private and personal.

“Daadi” Kishan points out at the little Sun which is drawn at the top right corner of the greeting. “I drew this”
Usha chuckles and takes him on her lap.
“This is the best gift of my life after you three” she kisses him and then the rest of the two boys who are waiting for their turn.

****************

“Aarav slept?” Arnav asks his wife as she steps in the room that night.
“Yes, the brothers seem very bonded and fond of each other. None of them are interested in sleeping with their parents” she replies.

Arnav smiles.

“Good for us”
Khushi rolls her eyes.
“The Raizada Gods are insatiable” she teases.

He comes to her and pulls her in arms.
“I don’t know about that.. but it’s hard for me to ever get enough of you” he whispers, biting her earlobe. His voice strained and hoarse.
She leans her head on his chest, his arms are snaked around her waist and she knows there is no place better and comfortable, than here… in his arms… in the arms of her Raizada God!!



THE END