Praniti's house was filled with people who had came to mourn her death. Some of them were crying their hearts out while some shed a few drops of tears for namesake.

Some of them brought wreaths and fresh flowers to convey their condolences while some just sat near her lifeless body and stared right into her face, one of them was Samaira.

She never diverted her glance neither did she shed a tear. She was too numb to react and her heart was already frozen. She could feel her insides being shattered into fragments again and again.

She badly wanted herself to wake up from this dream and take Praniti into her embrace. But for her dismay, each time she closed her eyes and opened them again, all she could see was the same sight. Praniti who was wrapped in a white cloth and bunch of people crowding the house.

She slowly leaned onto the wall. Did Praniti deserve this? Did Ayush deserve this? Or did the newborn baby, who is sleeping peacefully, unaware of her mother's departure, deserve this?

Noone did.All of them being the most warmest souls never deserved this.

This was the first time she began hating the almighty who was witnessing everything. Why did he do this? Why the hell did he turn all her happiness into tiny flecks of sand?

She smirked. Of all the people in this world, she was the one who deserved this pain. But why? Why even? Was this her reward for loving her husband and her beloved friend unconditionally?

She began hitting the back of her head on the wall again and again without making sound.

Why me?

She shifted her glance to Praniti's parents without stopping her head. They were sitting on one side the corpse. Her mother was wailing loudly,breaking all the hearts in the room,while her father hugged his wife and held back the tears that threatened to fall.

They had just started living blissfuly with their daughter and her family. At the same time, this had to happen, devastating them beyond imaginations. Which mother or father would wish to see their child wrapped in a pure white cloth with a pale face,laying on the floor,defunct?

Samaira closed her eyes again. She wished to see a smiling Praniti with open arms when she opened her eyes.

--**--
Ayush blinked his eyes.Everything was blur for him for a few seconds and he felt his head extremely heavy.

His heart pounded inordinately as a gush of events flashed in front of his eyes.

He was back again....To a reality he never wished to.

He had fainted onto Praniti's body after she was brought to his house.

He couldn't withstand the pain. He just couldn't.

"You're such a Bahubali! "

"If something happens to me, you won't walk around like Kabir Singh. You'll take care of our child.

"I love you Ayush!"

Ayush caught hold of his head that was on the verge of bursting any moment. It ached so badly but his heart pained harder.

Hadn't he loved her dearly? Why was he not able to save her?

Only if love alone could have saved her...

Ayush stood up and walked with wobbly steps. He reached the door of his room and he could hear the painful mourns from the hall.

He pressed his ears with his hands,so hard that his headache increased threefold.

He returned back to his room. He would never be able to see her soulless body.

He stared at the small diety of Lord Shiva placed in his room.

"Why did you give her this fate?Why?She was a beautiful soul. She was kind hearted.She had known how to love and respect. She hadn't done any big mistakes. Then why this painful death for her?You could have killed me rather. How will I survive without breathing? She was the one who breathed air into my lungs. She wanted me to look after our child.But how will I? Without her?"he screamed and tears stifled him.

He sat on the floor and held his head. The pain can have him completely dead. Any moment.

"Ayush,it's time to burn... "Sumanth, his close friend entered the room.

"Wha... What? "Ayush fumbled.

"You're her closest relative, as she has no son, the priest had asked you to do it. "

"I... I.. can't Sumanth... I just can't.. I would never ever be able to do that. "Ayush's eyes were blood red and his heart twisted.

"Then who? Her parents who are not even able to stand and think properly? "

"You're talking as if her... her... absence doesn't affect me. "

"What would have she wished? Did she want her loved ones to light her pyre or somebody completely unknown to her? "

Ayush's face was blank. Everyone in this world would wish their loved ones to burn them. And the deceased loved him the most.

---***---***---

Ayush stared at the smoke that rose from the burning firewoods, in between which his beloved layed lifeless.

He could feel his soul exiting his body and burning along with her, and vanishing as thick curls of smoke into the thin air.

Silence prevailed all around him and he could feel the sympathetic glances casted at him. Those made him even more vulnerable, his wife was dead but sympathy was the last thing that he wanted.
He sighed.He had to be strong, at least for their daughter.
He wanted to prove that he can look after his daughter without anybody's help. He wanted to prove that he would be able to fill the void of a mother.

There are a lot of fathers who raised their children single handedly, then why can't he? But did all those dads replace a mother successfully?

"Why did you do this to me Praniti? "

--***---**--

Samaira flipped the pages of Praniti's diary. Tears soaked her cheeks as she set her eyes on a particular page.

'I really don't know why I'm writing this,I really don't.These days I'm so restless and vehemently searching for some peace.Ayush is the best husband I could ask for.He has gifted me a life full of happiness.Samaira is a gem and I cannot ask for anything more from her,she gave me my parents back.But despite of all these bliss,why do the feeling of uncomfort and restlessness haunt me all the time?

Why do I feel all these happy moments would be snatched away from me forever?Why do I feel everything would end soon?Why do I feel death is nearing me?

Am I being stupid?Do these feelings hold any importance?If it does,then I should fear.A lot.

If something happens to me,I wonder what Ayush and this child I'm carrying will remain.I know they will be devastated,but I don't want them to be.I want them to live their life.

What will Samaira do if I die?Will she ever recover?She has lost her husband and now working in a desert to finish off her debts.

If by any chance I die,there's only a single solution.They should be together.Only they can support each other.Samaira and Ayush will need each other.I know Samaira will look after my child like her own and Ayush will do the same too.It breaks my heart to talk about my better half  being any other woman's husband.But I care more about his happiness than my pain because I love him so bloody much.

If any of you are reading this after many years and I'm still alive,punch me on the face for hallucinating such things and imagining my husband with someone else.

If any of you are reading this and I'm no more,then do as I have written.Trust me,you'll need each other and both of you'll gradually fall in love.

I don't know what my parents will do,I just want them to be happy seeing Samaira and Ayush live together.

I know only Ayush,Sam,Mom or Dad would read this because  I trust you more than myself and I know only you people will remember me and go through this diary of mine.

A hiccup exited Samaira's throat.She hugged the diary close to her chest and wailed.She never knew her friend was such a great woman,who did not hesitate to give away her soul to someone else.

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I don't know if I was able to write this part perfectly.I need to know what my readers think.Please do spread a few words.