"Mommy, can I get an ice cream?", Reyansh asked as he looked up at his mother. She picked him up, placing him on her hips before shaking her head in denial. He sighed and laid his head on her shoulder as the mother and son walked out of hospital. He played with the gold chain around his mother's neck, busying himself somehow.

"Rivaah!?", A shocked gasp halted them. Reyansh looked up and watched as a lady walked up to them, her eyes narrowing at the sight of him.

"Jiya?", His mother mumbled before she turned around. She placed him down before her face litted up and the two ladies flung themselves in each other's arms.

Rivaah couldn't believe. She was meeting her best friend after five years. Although she was happy beyond belief, there was insecurity of getting judged by her only friend. After all, she had destroyed her life with her own hands.

"Is this your son?", Jiya asked the first question that she thought matters the most. Rivaah nodded with a huge smile. "Oh goodness, he's so cute.", She whispered to herself in awe before crouching down to his level. Reyansh cowered back and went to hide behind his mother's legs. His apprehensive eyes softened when his mother picked him up. He was safe now.

"Baby, introduce yourself.", Rivaah encourage him with a nudge on his cheek.

"Hello. Namaste. My name is Reyansh Raichand Verma. I'm four years old.", Jiya blinked in disbelief before she chuckled and looked at Rivaah who had pride in her eyes.

"He looks totally like his father.", Jiya commented and although Rivaah's face fell, Reyansh's face lit up like fairy lights on Christmas.

"I'm sorry.", She whispered as she noticed the drop in her friend's mood.

Rivaah shook her head. "It's fine. Look how happy he is. He's Daddy's big fan.", She chuckled, there was no humor in her tone, only the hint of pain and sadness.

"Does Kabir know? I mean, I heard he lost his memory?", Jiya asked as she took a brief glance behind her at the hospital entrance, as if waiting for someone's arrival.

"He doesn't know anything about us. And I intend to keep it like that .", Rivaah sighed. "Forget about me. I'm just your regular daily soap. Tell me about your life."

"Well, I'm a married woman now.", She said showing off her ring. Rivaah nodded.

"I saw that."

"I came here along with my husband and six months old daughter to get her a vaccine.", Rivaah's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow! That's amazing. What's her name!?"

"Jahnavi.", She said with a fond smile.

"That's not what you had decided when we were in school?", Rivaah teased.

"That was embarrassing okay."

"Hey, Shizuka is not embarrassing! She holds our childhood memories! Show some respect!", Rivaah joked. Reyansh smiled looking at his mother laughing so freely.

"God! We were in school! I was just a stupid teenager, so spare me!", Jiya groaned.

"Jiya?", A manly voice called and for a moment, Rivaah froze.

"Ranvijay, come here. Look who I found after five years!", Jiya said excitedly as she ushered her husband to join them.

Ranvijay took hesitant steps towards them. As he reached closer, Jiya took their daughter from his arms and held the sleeping beauty in her embrace. Reyansh's eyes twinkled with curiosity and he tried to lean in to take a better look at the baby.

Reyansh's sudden incline to front snapped Rivaah out of her daze and she held her son tight.

"I think this came as a shock for you right? After you left, everything changed. We eventually fell in love and two years ago got married.", Jiya said as she looked fondly at her husband before focusing back on her little girl who was starting to stir in her arms.

"Hi.", Rivaah smiled genuinely. She was pleasantly happy for the couple before her. At least someone found their true love. Unaware of the fact, that the one she's wishing lifetime happiness for, is the same person who had snatched everything from her.

Ranvijay's eyes held enormous amount of guilt but he forced a smile on his face. He couldn't let anyone know what he did five years ago. Not when his wife, who he loves to no extent, is the best friend of the only girl he had held a grudge against in the past.

"Hi. How are you?", He asked trying to hide the panic behind his voice.

"I'm fine. This really came out as a surprise. But I'm happy for you both.", Rivaah replied, a genuine happiness in her tone.

"Is this your son?", He asked pointing to the little boy clinging to Rivaah. She nodded.

"Rey, introduce yourself to Uncle.", She whispered in his ear.

"Hello. Namaste. My name is Reyansh Raichand Verma. I'm four years old.", Reyansh said monotonously before peering up at the girl who was now wide awake. "Mommy, I want to see it closely.", He whispered impatiently as his legs kicked in air, demanding to be put down. She bent and carefully lowered him to ground.

Ranvijay had his eyes fixed to ground. After seeing Reyansh, his guilt deepened with thousand folds. He had shamelessly snatched the child's father from him, and he had selfishly snatched the innocent kid's right to have a normal family.

He would never be able to forgive himself now. After seeing them, all the disgusting things he did in past came crashing down on him like a bucket of cold water. Awakening him and showing him the mirror of his true self.

"Rivaah, I was thinking of doing something fun?", Jiya said as she looked up, she was crouched down so Reyansh can have a look at her daughter. And to say Reyansh was mesmerized, would be an understatement. He was so much intrigued and curious.

"I don't-"

"No! I will not hear a No from you! We'll hang out tomorrow and that's final! I'll come to pick you up?", She asked as she ruffled Reyansh's hair and stood up straight.

"Okay.", Rivaah sighed defeatedly.

After saying the greetings, she got inside her car along with her son and buckled him on backseat.

"Are we going out with that Aunty and her baby?", Reyansh asked as he tried to scoot front, but was restrained because of the seatbelt.

"Yup.", Rivaah answered. The atmosphere then fell in comfortable silence.

"Wow!", The little boy was awestruck as he saw the huge glass sky scraper outside the car window.

Rivaah showed the Khanna Enterprises employee ID to the guards and she was allowed in. She parked her car inside the underground parking lot and turned engine off.

"Baby?", Removing her seatbelt she turned to her son.

"Yes, Mommy?", He looked up immediately like an obedient child.

"Mommy has some important stuff to do. Will you stay here until Mommy comes?", She asked and he shook his head.

"It's dark here. I don't want to.", He quickly denied.

"Fine. Let's get moving.", She said and stepped out. After unbuckling him, she helped him out and then locked her car. They manouvered inside elevator and she immediately took him to the kids section. After warning him to not wander off and not exhaust himself, she kissed his head and then walked out.

As she made her way up, only one thought repeated in her brain. How much more time until she gets pregnant. Earlier, it happened only once between them, and she got pregnant immediately after. Is something wrong with her now? She's hundred percent sure that he didn't used condom as she remembers telling him that she's on pills. Then what went wrong?

Reyansh played around with the kids of his age. He was quickly tired though. So he decided to take rest. Mommy has told him to not exhaust himself. He'll do exactly what his mommy has told him. It was an hour later, when he saw her coming through the glass wall. She looked tired. And the same that she had reminded him not to be, exhausted. Completely and utterly exhausted. She smiled weakly at him and then nodded at him to come. He got up and walked to her.

Her eyes looked droopy and she had a lazy smile on her face.

"Mommy, are you not feeling well?", He asked innocently.

"I'm fine, my sweet baby.", She cooed and picked him up. Even though her body ached everywhere, as she was completely spent, she knew she can't let her son get more tired by walking than he already is because of playing around in the kids section.

"Mommy, your lipstick is ruined.", He said as his small hands tried to clean the mess that his father had created.

"It's fine. Mommy will take a good shower after getting home and then sweet Reyansh and Mommy will cuddle until dinner time, watching.....hmm...", She pretended to think.

"The Lion King!", He said excitedly, bouncing in his mothers arms.

"You copy cat! I was going to say that!", She gasped with a fake pout and he giggled.

"Sorry, Mommy. Next time I'll let you say it first. Happy?", He asked and she nodded eagerly.

When they came home, his mother immediately fell asleep after shower. He was disappointed. He thought they'll watch the movie together, but when he saw her sleeping so peacefully, he lowered TV's volume and framed his small body beside her. He picked her arm up and then brought it around him, placing it on his stomach and holding her hand with his both hands.

"Can I join you guys?", Pooja asked in whisper when she saw her sister sleeping and nephew comfortable on couch, watching the movie in low volume.

Reyansh agreed and patted the spot beside him. She immediately settled down beside him.

"Do you guys need anything to eat?", His grandmother asked with a smile on her face.

"Mom, popcorn please."

"What about you, Reyansh?"

"Popcorn!", He nodded enthusiastically.

_

_

_

"Where is the baby, Mommy? Why isn't she here?", Reyansh asked with a pout. His mother chuckled as Jiya in the driving seat laughed.

"Rey, darling, she's so small. So she can't come out often."

"She's alone at home?", He questioned.

"No. Her daddy is there with her. He'll take care of her.", She replied and drove inside the car park of shopping mall.

"Her daddy.", Reyansh mumbled to himself in low voice. A painful chord tugged at his heart but he decided to smile when his mother looked at him. However, she understood his unexpressed sadness.

"You want ice cream!?", She asked avoiding the tense situation.

"I do!"

"Let's get it then!"

"What flavor do you want?", She asked as they entered inside.

"Vanilla!", He said and let his eyes wander around in amusement. He loves coming to huge buildings. They are so big and have so many fun things.

As the mall wasn't that busy given it was Sunday and tomorrow is a work day, a certain person didn't went unnoticed by Reyansh. He tugged at his mother's collar and when she turned her head to look at him, he pointed at the first floor.

"Isn't he my daddy?"

"He is.", Rivaah answered blankly as her eyes were fixed on Kabir. Jiya stopped walking when she noticed that the mother and son had their eyes fixed somewhere.

"I wanna meet him.", She heard Reyansh's excited voice and focused where they were looking at. Her eyes found the sight of Kabir and she gasped.

"He don't want us.", Rivaah answered with a sigh.

"Why? Was I a bad boy?", He asked with a pout.

"No, darling. You're the best."

"Mommy, please.", He pleaded and his doe like eyes brimmed with tears.

"He doesn't remember us, son.", She said before heading towards the ice cream parlor. Reyansh started sniffing.

She put him down to get his favorite ice cream. Jiya stood beside her. Both of them missed it when Reyansh immediately turned and ran towards elevator. He got inside the closing door and everyone inside made room for the little guy.

"Stop it please!", He slammed his both hands on the metal doors when they reached first floor.

"Hey, darling. The doors will open, please stay back. Where's your Mom. Or your dad?", A girl asked as she squatted down to meet his eye level.

"I'm going to my daddy!", He said hurriedly before dashing out as soon as the doors opened.

He looked around and found himself lost. His eyes filled up and tears began pouring down. He was about to burst out crying when he saw his father heading somewhere. He immediately followed him but his father entered inside a room. He tried to jump up to push the knob, but it was too high for his small height. Giving up, he leaned against wall, swaying back and forth as he waited for his daddy to come out.

Few minutes later, the door opened and a man walked out.

"Daddy?", Reyansh's timid whisper stopped the man mid way. He turned around and Reyansh's face elated the moment he realised that the person before him, is indeed his daddy.

"Hey?", Kabir hesitantly crouched down as he gingerly eyed the boy before him. He looked familiar. He just couldn't remember where he had seen the boy.

"Daddy.", Reyansh smiled shyly.

"Daddy? Are you lost?", Kabir asked as he took a cautious glance around. Trying to see if he spots any man looking for his child. There was no one.

Suddenly he was off balanced as the little kid flung himself in his arms. He landed on his butt but wrapped his arms around the kid, to not let any harm touch him.

"Daddy.", Reyansh whispered in content. Kabir didn't know why, but his heart raced like never before. Strangely, he felt complete.

______