"By the way, did Lavanya call you by any chance," Khushi asked as she fed Aarav.
"No, why?"
"She called me about the party she's throwing-"
"Wait, she's serious? How many more parties are we going to have?"
Khushi couldn't help her chuckle. "You know Lavanya, she's always in a festive mood. Any reason to celebrate is just enough for her."
"Well she's lucky I owe her, given what she's done."
Khushi looked up to see Arnav glancing back at her through the rear view mirror, a small smirk running on his face. She returned him with one of her own before turning her attention back to their son, who was toying with her fingers as she fed him his bottle.
*~*
After a long drive later, Arnav, Khushi, and Aarav arrived back home and were greeted by Aryan, Shalini, and Ahana.
"Welcome back," Shalini beamed as she went towards them.
She hugged Khushi and then went over to her son and grandson, while Khushi went over to Aryan and Ahana. With the hugs and greetings exchanged, everyone headed inside, sitting down in the living room. Arnav and Khushi spoke about their trip while Aryan and Shalini caught them up with what had been going on here.
"Lavanya is very keen on throwing the party for Aarav," Shalini said.
"She really needs to relax," Arnav sighed with a roll of his eyes.
"Oh come on Arnav, you know how she is," Khushi defended. "Let her be."
Arnav simply rolled his eyes in return.
"Why don't you three head upstairs and get some rest," Aryan said. "After all you did all just travel for so long, you must be tired."
The couple nodded and they headed upstairs. Khushi got Aarav changed up and put him down in his room for his nap and then went to their room. Arnav had already changed up and was laying back in bed, so Khushi quickly changed up into her home-wear and got comfortable besides Arnav. It wasn't long until the two drifted off to sleep, taking a well-deserved nap.
*~*
Several hours had passed when Khushi finally awoke. Arnav was still asleep beside her and when she looked at the baby monitor, she saw that her son was still sound asleep. She decided to get up and washed up, then took the monitor with her as she left the room.
Khushi headed downstairs and found Shalini in the kitchen, preparing tea as well as some snacks. She helped her finish preparing everything and then helped bring everything out, Aryan coming downstairs, joining them.
"Chote's still asleep," he asked Khushi as she poured him his tea.
"Yeah, he's just a little tired."
"I don't blame him, it was quite a long drive."
The ladies settled down besides Aryan, both mommies with their baby monitors sitting beside them, letting them keep an eye on their sleeping baby. Everyone continued on with their conversations as they sipped on their tea and munched on the snacks.
"Um, Khushi... there's actually something we need to talk to you about," Aryan said, glancing at his wife.
Khushi looked at them in confusion, setting her tea down on the table.
"We were going to tell both you and Chote together, but given that he's still asleep...."
Khushi was even more confused. "Tell us what?"
Aryan and Shalini looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Khushi.
"You see Khushi," Shalini began, "while you three were away on vacation... something happened."
"What do you mean? Is everything alright? Are you okay-?"
"We're fine, it's nothing like that sweetheart. It's actually...."
Shalini looked away, confusing Khushi even more.
Aryan cleared his throat and set his tea down. "While you three were away... I received a call from the police commissioner."
Khushi's eyebrows slightly lifted in surprise. The police commissioner?
"He called me to let me know that.... After everything that happened with Divya and her trial and everything, she had been transferred to a prison. She had been there all this time ever since then."
"Had," Khushi asked, confused.
Shalini placed her hand over hers. "She.... The prison that she was being held in... a fight broke out."
Khushi's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Apparently things quickly got out of hands and went south. ....the inmates began a brawl and things got nasty really quick and... and unfortunately for Divya, she got caught in between it."
"What do you mean?"
Khushi, Shalini, and Aryan looked up to see Arnav. It was clear by the look on his face that he had heard about what they were talking about.
Arnav went over to Khushi and sat down beside her. "What happened?"
Shalini looked at her husband and Aryan looked at her. She gave a simple nod and Aryan nodded in return with a sigh.
"Brawls broke out at the prison. There were many casualties and... among those casualties... Divya was one of them."
Both Arnav and Khushi looked at him with their eyebrows scrunched.
"She no longer is in this world with us."
Khushi gasped in shock, her hand immediately moving over her mouth. Arnav looked at his father in shock, shocked by the words he had heard.
"The commissioner had us come in to identify her, just to be safe," Shalini said, her voice very light and soft.
Khushi reached out and took Shalini's hand in hers, giving it a light squeeze.
Arnav, however, was still in shock. "But... how?"
"Someone from the inside managed to open all of the inmates' cells, and all hell broke lose. People began fighting each other left and right, and there were many casualties. The wardens are assuming that Divya was trying to use this moment as an escape, but unfortunately for her, well... let's just say she managed to make some enemies in prison, which led to...."
Arnav nodded, understanding what his father was trying to say.
"But that's not the only thing."
Both Arnav and Khushi looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean," Khushi asked.
Aryan looked at Shalini and she reached out and gave his hand a light squeeze before looking back at her children.
"When the commissioner called us in," Shalini began, "we weren't the only ones requested to be there."
"Meaning?"
Shalini let out a sigh. "It turns out that not only were we asked to come in and identify her body... but her son was asked to come in as well."
Khushi's jaw dropped as she looked at her mother in shock, Arnav even more shocked.
"Her son," Arnav asked.
Shalini nodded and then looked at Khushi. "Khushi, do you remember back when I told you about my kidnapping, about how I had seen Abhimanyu?"
Khushi thought back for a moment. "You mean... he was Divya's husband if I remember correctly. You said she broke his legs?"
Shalini nodded. "Yeah. But do you remember how I told you how he told me he no longer had a reason to escape, a reason to live?"
Khushi nodded.
"He thought that because he thought his son was dead. ...turns out he was lied to."
"When we arrived to identify her," Aryan began, "that's when we learned of his existence. His name is Abhay and for a majority of his life, he was in boarding school. He barely ever saw his mother except on rare occasions, and then for a while, he wouldn't even see her for years. She would only send him letters quarterly throughout the year and that was it. Other than that, he barely knew the woman."
Khushi leaned back, still very surprised by what she had just learned. "So she... she lied and stole their son away from his own father... why am I not surprised," and she clenched her fist.
Shalini rubbed her shoulder, comforting her.
Arnav tried to process everything he had learned, but it was still rather not smooth. "So wait, you're telling me that all of these years she was here living with us, she had a secret son hidden away in a boarding school? How is it that we never even knew this, how did we... how were we so blinded by her?"
Khushi placed her hand over Arnav's. "Don't beat yourself over it Arnav - Divya is- was, always a very cunning woman. Now that I'm thinking it through, I'm really not so surprised that she did what she did." Khushi looked back at Aryan. "But where is the son now, does he even know anything of what's happened here?"
"Even after graduating, Abhay never had any connection with Divya. He, simply put, hates her very much."
"He despises her," Shalini said. "When we met him and told him how we knew Divya and what she had done to us, he was absolutely disgusted and even felt ashamed to be her son. I truly felt sorry for the boy... especially after telling him about what had happened with Abhimanyu."
"You told him everything," Khushi asked.
Shalini nodded. "He has a right to know that even though his mother didn't care for him, his father loved him very much but was lied to. But after I told him that, it only fueled his hate for Divya even more so.... He even refused to light her pyre during the funeral."
"You mean that's all done with," Arnav asked.
Aryan nodded. "Abhay just wanted it over with, so it was all done rather quickly. There were a few hitches, given how the boy felt about his mother, but your mother managed to convince him to do the right thing."
"It took several tries," Shalini said. "He absolutely refused to light the pyre, but after many explanations, I managed to convince him, and only then did he finally agree to do what he needed to do."
Khushi let out a sigh, processing everything she had just learned. "I can't believe all of that has happened... she's actually gone forever, she can't ever trouble us again, can she?"
Arnav brought his hand over hers, Khushi only then realizing that she had instinctively placed hers over her baby bump.
"Never again," Shalini said softly, caressing her cheek.
"So what about the son," Arnav asked. "Where is he now?"
"He lives in the city," Aryan said. "He's been working on becoming a lawyer. Asides from that, he's going to be marrying soon."
"So he poses as no threat."
Even though it wasn't a question, Aryan answered anyways. "None at all. Again, he knew nothing of his mother and wanted nothing to do with her given the way she's treated him all his life."
"Hmm.... I'd still rather be safe than sorry, so I just want to hire a PI to look on him for a bit."
Aryan nodded in understanding. "If it'll give a sense of peace, then okay."
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