Final Scene ⭐
622 Words
Epilogue: New Beginnings, Old Promises
It was a quiet Sunday morning. Sunlight filtered through the sheer white curtains of their apartment. The aroma of freshly brewed filter coffee drifted through the air. Riya was sitting on the couch, her legs tucked under a warm throw, flipping through a leather-bound notebook.
It wasn’t just any notebook.
It was their "Marriage Memories" journal — something they had started six months after their wedding. Whenever they experienced something beautiful, awkward, or unforgettable, one of them would write it down.
That morning, Riyan walked in, towel around his shoulders, and looked at her expression.
“You’re smiling at our awkward first grocery fight, aren’t you?”
She laughed. “You didn’t want to buy coriander because you thought we had mint at home.”
“And we ended up making rasam with mint. A disaster!” he said, joining her on the couch.
They looked through pages of late-night walks, surprise exam flashbacks, career wins, silly arguments, deep conversations, and slow dancing in the kitchen.
Then came a blank page.
Riya picked up the pen and wrote in the middle of it:
“Baby R coming soon. Expected: March 2026.”
Riyan leaned in, eyes wide. “You sure?”
She nodded, tears glistening.
He didn’t say a word. He pulled her into a long, silent hug, overwhelmed. “We’re… we’re gonna be parents?”
“Yes, Riyan,” she whispered, “and I hope our baby has your calm and my chaos.”
“Or maybe the other way around,” he teased, wiping her tears.
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Love in the Limelight
As news of their pregnancy reached their close circles, congratulatory messages poured in. But that wasn’t the only news making waves.
Their story — once a viral post — was now being adapted into a motivational book titled From Rank Holders to Heart Holders, written by none other than Riya herself, with Riyan editing every draft like a true co-pilot.
She dedicated it to him:
“To my husband,
the partner I never saw coming,
the peace in my madness,
and the reason I believe in love after logic.”
When the book launched, it didn’t just sell — it resonated.
Young professionals, arranged couples, and students wrote letters saying how much their journey inspired them. Some even tagged their partners saying, “Let’s be the next Riyan and Riya.”
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School Reunions and Baby Announcements
The following year, they were invited again to their school's alumni meet — this time, as authors.
But Riya walked in holding more than a mic.
She was eight months pregnant, glowing in a peach saree, walking beside Riyan, who carried her tote bag and shoes (just in case her feet started swelling again).
The entire auditorium clapped louder than before.
This time, they didn’t give a speech. They simply read from the final page of their book:
“We didn’t fall in love.
We walked into it — with unsure steps, clashing opinions, and lots of learning.
But we stayed.
And staying… that’s the most romantic thing of all.”
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Legacy of Love 💓:
One year later, their daughter was born.
They named her Reeva — a combination of their names, and a new beginning.
In the years to come, Reeva would grow up hearing bedtime stories not of princesses and castles, but of two people with the same name who once raced for ranks… and ended up holding hearts.
At her school’s storytelling event, when asked, “What do your parents do?”
She proudly said, “They teach people how to love — even after marriage!”
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And just like that…
From rank holders to heart holders…
They became life builders.
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- Writer
