Twist in Time

A new start?

Rosie kept patting Akshara's hair gently as an hour passed, allowing Akshara to sob and digest the information that she was processing. Her own memories popped up from her own trauma time after time.

"I know you know this next part Akshara as you overheard this conversation when you were younger, one of my deepest regrets is that you had to live with the trauma of knowing this my child,... and how unclear it has always been... maybe it was my fault, that you overheard ... but I must tell you all of it today or I will regret it for life... "

"Our happiness as you know was short-lived. The visits continued for four or five years but Birla Enterprises continued to expand during that time. And not everyone involved in business had the best interests in mind... when more and more family members became involved.. they realised the connection the business also had with the orphanage. Manjari had already told Harshvardan that 30% of the profit must come straight back to us...."

"This was not acceptable to all the members... and so a trafficking raid was created by a Birla Enterprise member... can you believe it? To exploit my beautiful innocent babies" Rosie whispered as she re-lived the trauma of it all, tears dripping down her face.

"Luckily Manjari caught on to it early.... and right when she came to give us the evidence of it all so we could report it to court and have the people caught... on the 11th of May... the fire came... taking everything"

Rosie sobbed relentlessly.

"It took everything.

My John.

Our Children.

Our Home.

Manjari.

And along with Manjari, the evidence.

All that was left was you.

And I did not have anything left at the time, so all I could muster was sending you to the boarding school... selling every little thing I had the time... I was broken Akshara.. there was nothing I could offer you... I did not want to send you away, believe me, the guilt I endured every day for these past twelve years living in this haveli... but I could not- I did not- I was broken, completely shattered"

"So you must understand the relief that washed over me when you called and said you wanted to come back to Mumbai... I thought we would make a fresh new start. From the beginning. I didn't know you were still carrying those wounds so closely. I should have though... And when you started working at Birla Enterprises, I knew it was only a matter of time..."

Rosie stopped there to take a deep breath as she watched down on Akshara's face. The tears had stopped now, the stains however still evident on her cheeks. Akshara's breathing was slow as she closed her eyes, processing the pain they had endured all these years.

"He loves you Akshara... he always has... he loves you so much" Rosie uttered, "And my only desire is that you leave all of this behind - and start a new life with him..."

***

Start a new life with him.

Start a new life with him?

Those were the only words that Akshara could process as she looked out from the window in her room, taking in the scenes of Mumbai.

She gazed at her phone

Endless missed calls.

Text messages from him.

"He must be so worried," she thought to herself, closing her eyes shut at the thought of bringing him pain.

Akshara went to her vanity and she picked up the bracelet that sat on her vanity set.

Tears flew one by one.

As she sobbed.

"I love you Abhi" she cried.

A memory flew into her mind.

"Golu.... Mumma said I have to go to boarding school for a while until she starts sorting things out" a young fourteen-year-old Abhimanyu told the twelve-year-old Akshara he was standing in front of her. He had always called her Golu and she had called him docman, that is how he had introduced himself to her. No one used full names in the orphanage as it was for security reasons.

Akshara pouted, upset immediately.

"But you're my best friend.." she spoke, her eyes welling with tears.

"Oi... stop this," he told her immediately, wiping the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. "Of course, I will be back, I promise"

He brought out the bracelet he was holding behind her back and he gave it to her. "This is my promise to you... keep it with you always... we will be best friends forever... together always"

Akshara watched as he gently put it on her wrist, her heart beating softly.

"It's time to go..." she heard a voice behind her.

He gave her a gentle smile and began to turn the other way, his own heart breaking. Akshara watched frantically.

"WAIT DOCMAN" she yelled and he turned around looking at her restlessly.

She ran inside and pulled out something from her bedside drawer. A necklace with a locket, it had belonged to her parents and it was the only thing she had.

She ran back and gave it to him.

"From me..." she said.

"Golu this is- " Abhimanyu began,

Akshara shook her head, tears clouding her vision. "Till we meet again" she whispered.

Abhimanyu paused and then nodded.

"I will protect it with my whole heart... till we reunite again and are together always" he assured her.

She ran her fingers over her bracelet as she remembered the visual from the morning of Abhimanyu turning around and putting the necklace around his neck in the morning. He had meant it. Protected it with his heart.

She grabbed her phone and quickly texted him.

"Can we meet tomorrow morning? I need to tell you something" she texted him.

And a reply buzzed only seconds later.

"Akshara.. baby I am so worried, we can talk about anything. Please just come back to me... hope you're okay, I'm worried. Please rest."

Akshara smiled with glistening eyes at his text.

He had always been hers. Rightfully.

They belonged to each other.

Their hearts.

Always.

Maybe Rosie was right.

It was time for a brand new start.

She was going to tell him everything.

From the start.

Be back soon!

N x