Four years later:
The Mehra and Goel families were supposed to gather together for Arshita and Isaan's birthdays. The two beautiful kids Ishita gave birth five years ago and they were turning five this year. At the breakfast table, Nayantara called the kids to have their breakfast. Arshita ran down the stairs and stood next to her father spreading her arms and asking him to pick her up. Armaan lovingly picked her up and made her sit on the chair.
Nayantara chuckled, "She's so dramatic like her mother...." Arshita giggled and asked her father, "Daddy... it's my birthday did you get me the frog for the gift?" Armaan cleared his throat, "You know right that your mother hates frogs and doesn't want you to have it as a pet." Arshita snuffed, "Is there anything mom doesn't hate?" they were left speechless and chose to have a peaceful breakfast.
Ishita walked down wearing a pastel color saree and a silver bindi. Isaan was wearing a matching color outfit and walked behind her holding her pallu in his small hands. Ishita pulled a chair, "Good Morning...." She wished them and took her pallu from Isaan's hand thanking him. He climbs up on the chair sitting next to her mother, "Morning daddy..." Armaan smiled at passed him a plate of paratha, "Morning my little champ... it's your birthday so happy birthday. Tell me what would you like me to get for you." Isaan smiled with the cute dimples that he genetically got from Armaan, "I don't want anything but I would love it if you spend this weekend with us at mom's penthouse."
Arshita gagged, "That place which only has cars... it's more like a garage than a penthouse." Isaan quarreled, "How could you say that? It has a beautiful pool and a big... very big lawn which has spread across the beach." Arshita rolled her eyes, "It's not a beach... it's just fake sand that mother got to make it look like the Bahamas since she never gets time to actually go to the Bahamas."
Ishita was a lot offended, "Excuse me lady... those sands are not fake they are actually from the Bahamas and I especially had a jet to get them here." She argued back, "What a waste of resources? Don't you feel how lame you sound..." Nayantara looked between two people who had the same personality repelling each other but were separated by only their age and height.
Armaan knocked on the table, "Could I expect to have a peaceful breakfast?". They looked away from each other continuing their breakfast. Arshita wipes her mouth and mentions, "Dad is getting me a frog for my birthday....". Ishita instantly responded, "No you're not getting that nasty piece of shit so stop acting delusional." Arshita screamed, "I will..." Ishita screams back, "Oh really... I gave you birth out of my vagina so you have to obey me." Arshita yells, "Never... I'll never obey your stupid rules... what will you do? Put me back in there..." she hopped down from the chair and left stomping her feet.
Ishita growled pointing her butter knife at Armaan, "This is all you... have you seen her talk... you have spoiled her with your love that she has forgotten to respect me." Armaan mocks her, "Respect goes both ways... and what is wrong if she wants a frog as a pet." Ishita knits her brows, "What's wrong? Everything... which five-year-old has ever asked for a frog to be a pet. On top of everything I feel disgusted by frogs so there's no way she's bringing that nasty thing inside this house." She left stomping her feet as well.
Armaan sits still and took a bite from his food ignoring them all. Isaan mumbles, "Daddy... I think you're in big trouble." He nodded, "Completely..." he asks in a low voice, "So what will you do?" Armaan passed him a smirk spilling some beans while he curiously listened to him. He clapped at the last, "That's amazing but how will you do it?". Armaan winked, "Just wait and watch little champ...".
In the evening, Aditya passed Ritika the guest list "I guess this is it... like we wanted more relatives to join but you know the mother-daughter duo doesn't want more snaky relatives. But yeah, there are still enough..." Ritika runs her eyes through the list, "How many?" Aditya cleared his throat "Fifty..." she gasped, "No way make it something close to twenty... and gosh Yamini is included in the list Maa will be needing her blood pressure tablets."
Armaan's Dad approached, "That's why I got it refilled by the maids this morning..." they lowered their heads and didn't know if should they be apologizing. "Go get dressed, kids. Guests will be reaching any minute..." Nayantara shooed Aditya and Ritika. "My God... you look glamourous." Nayantara blushed at her husband's comment, then he added, "Mother will be joining the party." Her eyes flared up, "Close all the doors and windows of the house."
Ishita walked inside the house, "Why some spirits are approaching?". Nayantara passed her a smile, "My sweet daughter is back home... how was work today?". She took her upstairs and spoke while walking, "The spirit approaching is... Yamini." Ishita rolled her eyes, "Well... This day always brings back great memories so not at all shock."
They opened the door of Arshita's room and found her crying. Ishita panicked and rushed towards her, "What happened? Are you hurt?" she looked around and found her daughter's favorite tiara broken. Arshita sobbed and pointed at it, "It broke... Mommy... it broke... I was placing it on my head and suddenly it fell apart." Ishita hugged her daughter, "Shh... don't cry. I'll fix it for you... today is your birthday and you're definitely not crying today since it's my thing..."
Armaan rushed inside the room, "Why is she crying?". Ishita pointed at the tiara, he signed "Arshita, I'll buy you a new one... don't cry sweety." She wiped her face and hugged him. Ishita clapped her hand, "I got a perfect thing for you..." she asked Nayantara to pass the paper bag. Arshita took it in her small hands confused, "Mommy... what's this?". Ishita passed her a sweet smile, "Open it sweetheart. It's a gift for a princess...".
Arshita pulled out a white box from the paper bag and opened it, "Is this crown? A Cinderella crown... where did you get it? Did you steal it from Cinderella?" Ishita scrunched her nose, "Stole it... Honey, I can afford it that's what financial independence is for...". Arshita placed it on her head, "I look so beautiful in this crown... I have become a queen from a princess... I'll rule this house." She happily climbed up on the bed jumping. Nayantara pulled her down, "Lady... don't ruin the bed. No one is ruling anything... before being a queen you need to be humble and respectful should I add at least eighteen age to the list also?" she looked up at Armaan and Ishita for validation.
They shrugged their shoulder's together, "I guess... grandmother will dress up our queen so we should leave..." Armaan pulled Ishita's arms running outside. "Bow before your new queen..." Arshita ordered, "Somebody with a good heart... please take me out of this helpless situation." They shut the door and gave each other a high-five and they adjusted their clothes acting normal.
Armaan nudged Ishita, "You broke the tiara, right?" she placed her hand on her mouth, "Keep it low... she'll bury me alive." Armaan rolled his eyes, "How could you be so careless and not see your daughter's favorite tiara?" she pouted sadly, "I woke up between my afternoon nap and walked towards the bathroom but accidentally stepped on the piles of Arshita's toys. The tiara was one of the and broke into pieces so I just wrapped it after applying some glue and kept it in her cupboard. I knew she was going to wear it at her birthday party so I had to arrange an alternative. Please don't tell her she already hates me a lot..."
Armaan cupped her cheeks, "She doesn't hate you at all... didn't you see she was so happy with you. She hates being dominated by anyone more like you, the best thing you can do is put yourself in her shoes and imagine how would you feel like when someone does that to you. And I'll not even let her sniff your blunder but you have to bribe me for it."
Ishita twists her brows, "Bribe you with what... like new lingerie or sex toy." He looked away, "I would love that bribe but for now... I want you to let your daughter have a frog for her birthday present." She pushed him away, "NO... never..." Armaan shrugged, "Okay then... Arshita... your mother..." she placed her hand on his mouth, "Shut up you pig..." Armaan wiggled his brows, "Is that a yes?" Ishita crossed her arms and thought for a while, "Only if the frog stayed in the garden not inside the house or anywhere near me." He happily nodded, "You're the best..." and kissed her before leaving.
Ishita took her purse and knocked on Isaan's room, he opened the door wearing a matching tuxedo like Armaan was going to wear. "Mommy..." he spread his arms and Ishita squatted down hugging him, "You look so handsome my angel..." he smiled shyly, "Really... I thought it's too much..." she knits her brows, "There is no level to look handsome and this is your day. So, live it..."
Isaan clapped happily and look at himself in the mirror, "I look handsome...". She nodded, "Yes... you do. Well, I have something for you..." he raised his brows, "Like a gift... yeah..." he cheered. Ishita pulled out a leather black bracelet and passed it to Ishaan.
"Um... it might not be the coolest gift but um... it was my first and last gift by my father which he one day suddenly handed me." Isaan looked closely at the bracelet, "Mommy... this is cool and trendy these days to wear dad's bracelet. And I got my grandfather's bracelet." Ishita helped him wear it. She smiled with her glittering eyes but covered them up from Isaan so that he won't panic.
Raj passed away two years ago that day when he texted Ishita to meet him, he discovered that he has cancer. He asked everyone to gather at distributed his inheritance between his daughter and their husbands. Armaan didn't take anything and Ishita asked only for her grandfather's company. The Mehra Pharmaceuticals, which Mehra Family built from scratch. Raj spoke some kind words to Ishita but years of venom couldn't turn into water in one day.
Armaan peeped inside the room, "Ishita... you need to..." he stopped noticing Ishita smiling widely looking at Isaan who was describing his day. Armaan's eyes stopped at the dry tear forming at the corner of her eyes. He trailed his eyes toward Isaan, he looked good. Isaan waved noticing his father's presence, "Daddy... see mommy gifted me this..." and now Armaan knew. He glimpsed at her and mentioned to Isaan, "It's really beautiful but on you, it looks elegant. Anyways... we have our guest downstairs so mommy and daddy need to change since our angels are already dressed up." Isaan agreed and Ishita silently left.
Changing into a beautiful saree Ishita stood in front of the dressing mirror applying minimal makeup. Armaan walked up to her and kissed her neck, "Don't be sad... I know you miss him." Ishita chucked, "No I don't... the reason I had tears in my eyes was that my father never gifted me anything happily. I got that leather band as his initial when I was leaving for my higher education. As a symbol of my never disappointing him even if I live far away from home, he told me to hold onto the leather band to prove it. ... So, I held on to it to prove his point and the value of my efforts."
Armaan raised his brows, "To prove that you aren't careless and would take care of that leather band like you take care of yourself. Good message..." She rolled her eyes, "Don't try to make it look good... He was measuring my capabilities by holding the leather band to death and never disappointed him. However, today I gave it to a five-year-old as a gift happily not with a traumatic lesson of life to hold a materialistic thing till death to prove that he's worth something in life... bullshit...".
Ishita finished her makeup and turned to face him, "Rather I'm happy today that I got my children the best father and myself the best husband." Armaan fakes a gasp, "I'm flattered..." she pinches him, "Now let's go and get judged by people who have nothing to do with our lives." He chuckled at her comment and followed her downstairs.
The family gathered to cut the cake and sang a birthday song, Isaan got many gifts and Arshita mostly got dolls. She simply announced that she was going to make a necklace out of her doll's head. Yamini had eye contact with Ishita at the moment and she held the urge to say genetic. Soon Armaan brought a glass aquarium box with netted ceiling inside. Ishita placed her hand on her mouth feeling disgusted to see a muddy green frog inside the small aquarium.
Arshita was only interested in seeing her pet animal, while the others found something else to occupy their time. After a while, Armaan hugged Ishita from behind while she was talking with her mother. "Armaan... behave..." but he twirled her towards him and pecks her cheeks, "Thank you...". She raised her brows chuckling lowly, "For what?". He expressed blissfully, "For letting me get the frog for Arshita. She called me the best father in the world and even hugged me long saying that she loves me more than her mommy."
Ishita scrunched her nose, "You kind of blackmailed me and yeah you're the best for everything." He wiggled his brows, "Are you jealous? By the way this whole credit goes to you. If you haven't slept in the mid-afternoon and gotten up to use the bathroom. How would I have placed the crown under your bed?" she gave him death glares, "So, it was you... you did it on purpose... you lying skank." She threw the flower bouquet at him nearly missing his head.
"Hey... everyone... let's get a family picture together," Aditya called out loud. They formed a circle around, Armaan looked at Ishita she leans on his shoulder and he wraps his arms around her waist and smiled looking at each other. Arshita taps at her father's leg, "Daddy pick me up... I want a picture with you." Ishita rolled her eyes, "Witch..." Armaan picked Arshita up on his arm and pulled Ishita towards him. Isaan stood between their legs, "Say... shit." They laughed aloud at his comment.
A family with chaos, fights, love, and a lot of care can help a person get through bad times and keep looking for better ones, as long as you have people who love you. Even if you do not come from a happy family, make one for yourself, and even if you cannot leave them an inheritance, leave them memories that don't traumatize them and help them grow.