"Ek paratha aur lijiye Abhinav."


"Muskaan beta tune to kuch khaya hi nahi. Lo, yeh rajma chawal chak ke dekho."


"Akshu aaj teri favourite kachoriyan banayi hain. Lo. Abhir yeh rasgulla khas aapke liye."


Abhinav, Abhir, Muskaan and Akshara sat shell shocked as Karthik and Naira hovered over them. 

The Goenkas watched in amusement as the two kept piling up food on the Sharma family's thali.

Swarna hit her forehead lightly. "Yeh dono bhi na," while calmly serving Mimi.


 Kaira leaned over to whisper to Aarohi. "Dekha Di, badi behen kya ghar aagayi, hum dono ko to bhul hi gaye."


"Sahi kaha tune." As Aarohi reached out to take a cucumber form the salad plate, Karthik picked it up first, piling up the salad on Muskaan and Abhir's plate.


"Nahi nahi, hamara pet bhar gaya hain, aap Sharma-ji ki khatirdhari kijiye." Kaira said sarcastically, breaking Karthik and Naira out of their trance.

Karthik nodded his head apologetically as he served the salad to Aarohi as well.


The family laughed as Swarna hit Karthik's head playfully. "Itna parosoge to jamai-sa kaise khayenge. Chodo unhe. Aap aram se khana kahiye Abhinav-ji."


Abhinav nodded his head, a little embarrassed. He was not used to so much attention all at once. 


Karthik placed his hand on Abhinav's head. "Kya karu Maa. Pichle che saalon ke laad ki bharpai jo karni hain."


Abhinav blinked away the tears, the warmth from Karthik's hand seeping into his heart. He glanced at Akshara, who seemed to understand his turmoil and smiled at him.

"Yeh aapka parivaar hain Abhinav-ji. Aapke apne."


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Abhinav carefully placed a sleeping Abhir on the bed. The kid had tuckered himself out from all the excitement. First day in his nanihal, the little boy had been struggling to stay awake, trying to make up for the past five years all in one day.


"Abhir so gaya?"


"Haan-ji. Nikkeji thak gaye. Aaj itne logon se jo mila hain."


Akshara smiled sadly, caressing Abhir's hair. "Jin logon ko use bachpan se pechane ki aadat honi chahiye, aaj pehli baar mil raha hain. Jaise koi door ke rishtedar ho naaki apne nanihal wale." She said with a tear in her eye, addressing the next few words to Abhir. "Sorry betu, Mumma ne aap se yeh sab itne saalon se cheen kar rakha."


"Yeh kya keh rahi hain aap Akshara-ji. Apne Nikke-ji se kya cheena?" Abhinav sat down beside her in a rush to reassure her.

Rishton Ki Dor Bandhe- Kaira & Akshnav YRKKH FFWhere stories live. Discover now