Will They Be One Again?

~14~

"Mom. Who are they?", Anaay asked as he just peeked into a bunch of people in the hallway downstairs.

"Anaay. They are strangers. Bad people", Anvaay told.

Annika was silent ever since those people gathered in her house. She didn't had guts to face them. Though she was not wrong at all, still she feared. She got alarmed when Anvaay uttered those words, "Anvaay! They are not bad people. They are good. So very good. They are so speacial just as Nani and Nanu"

"I am sorry, Mom", Anvaay apologised .

"But who are they?", Anaay asked again.

A knock at the door disturbed them. A house help was there, "Ma'am, sir is calling for you. Kids better stay upstairs"

Annika nodded. It was the time. She needs to face them.

Anaay repeated hus question for the third time.

Annika pulled Anaay in her laps, making his ready to face the truth, "They are our family, Anaay. Your father, his brothers, your aunts and your great grandmother are right downstairs".

Anaay faced turned blank for a while but later, he seemed like the happiest person that existed in the world, "Dad? Really? Finally we are meeting him! Can you believe it Bhaiyu? I wanna meet him right away?", he grew excited.

"Anaay Anaay, calm down. You stay here with Bhaiyu. I'll just come back", Annika said.

Anaay turned sad, "But Dad"

"Listen to what Mom said", Anvaay scowled his brother.

"Anvaay! Stop behaving like that!", Annika scolded her elder son. Making them sit in the room, she walked downstairs.

She took small steps down the marbled white stairs. With each step of her, she could see some area of the living area. Slowly, people start coming into her view. First of a lady and then another lady who she assumed to be Ishita and Tanvi. Then came into view her husband, ex-husband, Shivaay, who seemed tensed and lethargic as if not slept for hours. Then came into view her brothers, not her but Shivaay's, Om and Rudra and at last, she saw Dadi sitting with her parents Anant and Esha.

Tanvi's eyes caught view of Annika coming down. She had never met her but she carried strong emotion of her, "Annika Bhabhi"

As soon as Tanvi uttered those words, every eyes in the area turned towards the staircase.

Annika walked down the last step as she stood with a face full of emotions, tears, doom and gloomy.

Om and Rudra eyes were also filled with tears as they ran towards their Bhabhi amd hugged her tightly, squeezing her in the process.

"Bhabhi, we missed you", Rudra said sobbing.

Omkara sniffed, "Please don't leave us again"

Tanvi and Ishita joined the group.

The elders in the area were too emotional.

After a long pause of silence, the group hug came to an end.

Annika lifted her palms and kept in on either sides of Omkara and Rudra, "How are you two. I missed you so much"

"How can you expect us to be okay of you were not with us?", Rudra questioned.

"Life goes one Rudra. With or without the absence of anyone", Annika looked at Shivaay who was standing beside the sofa.

"But you are an non-replacable part of our lives", Omkara said.

"Let's just not talk about this please. Won't you introduce me to these beautiful ladies out here", Annika smiled and looked at Tanvi and Ishita.

The brothers smiled.