Bepannaah: Against All Odds || COMPLETED

Epilogue

Five years later

Zoya yawned as she switched the kitchen lights off, and walked out into the living room. Ticking off her mental check list, she quickly made sure all the doors and windows were locked - which Aditya made sure it was, every day, but she still cross checked out of habit. Once done, she picked up the book she was reading earlier from the coffee table in the living room, and waddled towards their bed room.

Supporting her five months pregnant belly with one hand, her steps slowed down when she heard hushed whispers coming from the bedroom.

Her lips curved up.

Ofcourse.

Her little minion had again managed to delay her bed time, and given her father was wrapped around her little finger, Zoya wasn't even surprised.

Dua Siddiqui Hooda, like her name suggested, was the answer to her parents prayer and had lightened up their world four summers ago. Zoya didn't want to sound biased, but she could swear her daughter was the cutest child ever. With the dark honey curls she had inherited from her, and her father's deep set eyes, Dua was such a perfect mix of Aditya and Zoya that it took both of them by surprise at times.

"Papaaaaa", she heard Dua's voice near the half opened door, "What's a soul mate?"

Zoya grinned to herself as she stood by the door, leaning on it. In front of her, Aditya was lying on his back, in her favorite white shirt and cotton pants. Dua was lying on her stomach, sprawled on Aditya's chest and he was rubbing soft circles on her back, trying to help her fall asleep.

"Soulmate? It's a...Well, it's like a best friend, but more", Aditya answered his daughter, wrapping his arms around her before flipping her off him and onto her back, beside him.

He turned towards Dua and flicked at her cute botton nose, "It's the one person in the world who knows you better than anyone else". Dua smiled, her baby fingers trying to hold his wrist.

"It's someone who makes you a better person", Aditya continued, his mind wandering to Zoya, "Actually they don't make you a better person, you do that yourself..... because they inspire you".

Zoya walked in at that moment, her smile so wide she could feel her cheeks hurting, but her heart was too full of joy to complaint. She rounded to the other side, and sat down beside Dua.

Dua immediately brightened up more to see her mother.

"Ammi", she extended her hands up and Zoya laughed before she lay down, and pulled Dua to her.

"A soulmate is someone who you
can carry with you forever. It's the one person who knew you and accepted you.....Believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else would", she continued the conversation she had interrupted and watched Aditya's eyes soften up at her words.

"And no matter what happens you
will always love them. Nothing can ever change that", Aditya finished for them, scooting closer towards his girls. Dua yawned happily as she nuzzled between her parents.

"so does that mean you two are soulmates Abbu?", Dua turned her head to her father and questioned.

Zoya's smile widened at her endearment. She noticed such minute things about Dua's behavior often - like the way Dua called them Abbu and Ammi when she was emotional, or intrigued by them, but used Papa or Mumma when she wanted something and was being deliberately coy about something.

Dua was a sensitive child per se - she was her mother's shadow in more than one way, but she also had Aditya resilience and not giving up attitude. To say she was just four years old, but anyone who knew Dua could tell she was going to be a little blessing to everybody who would be a part of her world.

"We are", Aditya answered Dua's question, his eyes lifting to meet Zoya's, love filling up his gaze.

"And me? Am I your soul mate?", Dua fired, curiously looking between her parents.

"You are", Zoya laughed as she ticked her little girl, "you are my soul mate and Your Abbu's too".

"And the baby?", Dua frowned, staring at her mother's belly, not wanting to leave her would be sibling alone, "we can't leave baby behind. He or she has to be our soulmate too".

Aditya picked Dua up, startling her but she burst into giggled as she was put back on his chest, her curls falling all over her face.

He tucked her hair back and grinned before pulling Zoya closer, such that now Zoya was tucked to his side - although she was still on her back because it was not that comfortable to lie on her side - and Dua over him.

"We aren't leaving anyone behind. We are all each other's soulmate. You, me, your mother and the baby. We are a family, after all".

That satisfied Dua and she nodded, before finally yawning and resting her cheek against Aditya's chest and then rubbing her nose against it.

"I think I am tired", she announced dramatically making Zoya chuckle.

"You think? Bed time was two hours ago, lady", Zoya faked a little stricter tone but Dua giggled, and hid her face in her father's chest, apparently hiding from her mother.

Ten minutes later, they realized Dua had fallen fast asleep.

Aditya carefully shifted her back to the bed, in between them. Dua happily snuggled into her mother, not waking up even for a moment. Aditya watched his girls, soaking in Zoya's happy face as she cooed a small prayer into Dua's ears.

When she finally looked up, and met his stare, she realized he had been looking at her all this while. His eyes - warm and alight, mirrored hers.

They both just smile at each other, before lying down properly, adjusting their pillows.

Life had never seemed more peaceful, more content. And they knew, that as Dua grew up, and they welcomed another baby, their responsibilites would grow too. They still had more chapters to unfold. More pages to fill. But they also knew they would make it a beautiful book by the time their story ended.

Because, Aditya and Zoya were the true Yin and Yang. They might falter individually, but together? They always balanced each other out to perfection.

Together, was their favorite place to be.

"Somwhow, I survived. Tender, human heart intact"

- Emily Henry.

------the end------

And with this, the curtains finally fall on this story. Some would stay, four years is an awfully long time to write a story that wasn't even that long, and they might be right. But writing this story was a catharsis. A whole experience in itself.

This epilogue might seem short - but I didn't want to add scenes and dialogues here. I knew what the epilogue would be way before I even finished the story. It is the vibes. The silence and the peace they have found. The trust they have built. The family they are making.

Hopefully, this book was a good experience for you too. Thank you for sticking with me through my irregular schedule and delayed updates :p

Good bye and Good luck ❤️