Kyon Nahi ✓ || (neirohi)

Bonus (2A) Happy Birthday Aaru

Bonus (2A) Happy Birthday Aaru

"It has been eight hours, eight hours!" Aarohi knew that it was practically useless yelling stuff at the clan who never listened to her, yet she tried, she had to or this house was soon going to be a mess more than her hospital waiting ward. "Eight hours?"

"Massu," Kai shook her head, eyes fixated on the gaming screen, the console in her hands and her fingers and thumbs pressing the buttons furiously. "Hello to you too!" 

Aarohi could not believe how sassy Kaira was at such a small age, at the age 10 she was already ruling the world. Maybe not the world yet, but Birla Mansion for sure, because there is no way she could stay at such an ungodly hour on a school night. She held her rant, this was not what she wanted to do after a tiring eight hour emergency shift she was called too and she then looked at the other duo, the twin of hers who was laying on the sofa, a book in his hand, and if that would have been his school book then Aarohi would have no issues, but that was a Charles Dicken story he was reading.

"AB?" Aarohi called out to the little tall boy of ten, spectacles on his cute nose and he, unlike his twin, looked at the tall frame in front of him, "it is way too dark for you to read and novels are to not be read on school nights, have we not discussed this?" 

"Well, Kai needed company," AB replied softly, sitting back on the sofa, looking at Kaira who was playing on the gaming console, furiously beating the zombies. "She gets scared of the animated creatures..." AB whispered only to get a silent glare from Kaira, "I don't," She cut him off, still playing, "and they are zombies you dingus."

"Kai language," 

Aarohi rolled her eyes at the very busy husband of hers who was Kaira's duo in the PlayStation games, busy pressing the console buttons just as furiously as Kaira was. This was getting out of hand, Aarohi could not do this, not every single night! 

"Neil," Aarohi now turned towards him, who waved her a hello without averting his gaze, "Neil, what are you doing? It is school night!"

"Chipkali, mujhe school se paas hue zamana hua hai..." That earned him a dead stare from Aarohi but cute giggles and chuckles from the kids, but Neil cleared his throat when he saw Aarohi glaring at him and he bit his tongue, focusing back on the game. "I mean, Abhira, chalo, so jaao..." He fake scolded them, and focused back on the game.

"You guys are impossible," Aarohi declared, walking away from the trio, "and I swear, if any of you ask for an extra minute of sleep tomorrow, I am going to bathe you with water." With that she stomped upstairs, the kids waving her a goodbye, Neil even sent a flying kiss to her way without turning back. 

Aarohi sighed, she was a bit upset that it was almost midnight but none of the trio remembered her birthday and they were all busy playing their games. The only thing that helped Aarohi through the difficult day was coming back to her husband and kids and celebrate her birthday with them but they did not remember, Aarohi knocked on Karthik's door, hoping that atleast one of her kid maybe missed her.

"Hey kiddo," Aarohi looked at the 8 year old kid, the silent boy who hardly spoke ever since he was brought into the household, six months back. Aarohi had fallen in love with the orphan Karthik because not only did he share the name with her late father, he had the most beautiful pair of black eyes, lost and hopeless, which reminded her of her past. "Hi, how you holding?"

The kid looked at her, he was seated on his bed, eyes still lost and he just shrugged, "about to sleep." 

"How was school?" She asked, entering the room, no matter how much she wanted to get involved in his life, he never let her. His room was always clean, he never made a mess, he never got involved with any of the kids, he hardly spoke to anyone and more than that, Aarohi felt he did not like being here. She tried involving the kids together too, but Abhira were tired of being rejected, and Neil could not get past the kid anyway. The Birlas were not too fond of having a random strange kid in their house and except Akshara and Abhi, no one else were fond of him either.

And what hurt Aarohi the most was, Karthik was very fond of Akshara, in fact he was like her little tail, followed her everywhere, and since Akshu was at home more than she was, Karthik had developed a soft bond with her and her soft music. It was a good thing, Aarohi knew that, because atleast he was fond of someone, but if only it was her. 

"Good," Karthik gave her a one word reply, tucking himself in the huge bed on which he looked very tiny, "anything else?"

Aarohi looked at the time, it was midnight already. "Good night," She walked out of his room, switching off the light and sighing as she headed towards her room. 

She was so busy with work lately, she hardly got time for anyone, even herself. The pandemic had its lasting effects and things got very busier in the hospital, but it was ages since she had spent time with the twins or her husband, or her son, or her sister or her family. The distance between them was growing, she could sense how out of place she was with everyone and it was hitting her hard suddenly. There was no way they remembered her birthday, she deserved it truly, and shaking her head she dashed into a familiar figure. 

"Aaru?"

"Akshu..."

Akshara held her sister's arms, "tu aa gayi? Kuch laau?"

Aarohi shook her head, "nahi, woh bacche... abh tak..."

Akshara smiled instead, "Aaru," She hit her sister's forehead, flicking her, "school ke mid-terms ke baad chutti hoti hai, baba. Chill," She touched her chin, "and Neil ke office main bhi kal chutti hai, woh office wale picnic jaa rahe hai na, so he wanted a day off for the kids." She told her sister, "Aur Kiddo ne aaj itni aachi painting banayi, usse kal frame karne jaane wale hai, hum dono."

"Painting? Kiski?" Aarohi asked, a bit happy that her kiddo was doing something atleast. 

"Just a scenery, mountain and things," Akshara touched her chin, "I have to make chocolate milk for the kids and Kiddo ko bhi good night bolna hai, tu so jaa, okay?" With that Akshara left and Aarohi sighed, shaking her head with a pout as she sat on her bed.

"Happy Birthday to you Aaru," She spoke to herself, laying back on the bed, feeling so close to breaking down, "no one remembers you." She said, heading to the bathroom to freshen up and hope to sleep without crying herself in a ball of tears.

_