Kaira pulled the jacket around her tightly. Kasauli was colder than the AC inside the plane.
Fetching her luggage, she waited outside the terminal, searching for a specific person. Papa had told her he'd be here to pick her up.
Suddenly a name plate caught her eye, a man searching for someone. Kaira smiled and walked up towards the man.
"Abhinav Sharma?"
Abhinav noticed her, smiling widely. "Kaira?"
"Nice to meet you Jijaji!" She said excitedly.
Abhinav seemed to return the sentiment. "Same to you Saali-ji, welcome to Kasauli!"
"Jiju mein na aapse milne ke liye kitne saalon se intezaar kar rahi hoon, pata hain?" Kaira said excitedly as Abhinav helped her with her luggage.
"Arrey fikar not, ab aap yahan aagayi na, dekhna aapke jiju aapko kaise ser karate hain."
They sat in the car, Kaira sat in the passenger seat with Abhinav.
"Toh Saali-ji--"
"Kya jiju itne formal ban rahe ho? Mein aapki behen hoon. Kaira kahiye."
Abhinav laughed. "Saali ka hukum jiju ke sar aankhon par. Kaira, aap doctor hain."
"Haan jiju, abhi abhi padhai puri ki aur do mahino ki training hain. Iss ke baad ek hospital mein naukri kar sakthi hoon."
"Bada nek kaam hain Kaira, yeh doctoron ka. Aap log bhagwan se kam nahi."
"Aap bhi na jiju."
"Acha mein toh bhul hi gaya, aapki behen ko phone karke batha dete hain. Subhah se das baar call kar chuki. Aapka besabari se intezaar kar rahi hain."
Kaira felt relived when she heard her sister was eagerly awaiting this moment too. "Che saal ka intezaar hain Jiju, excitement toh mujhe bhi hain."
Abhinav smiled and clicked on a contact number on his phone. Kaira noticed the caller id. "Abhir Ki Mumma? Mere bhanje ka naam Abhir hain?"
Abhinav glanced at her sideways, smiling softly. "Haan Kaira. Nikkeji bhi na aapka intezaar kar raha hain."
Kaira felt tears collect in her eyes. "Abhir ki Maasi aa rahi hain."
Abhinav was about to say something when Akshara picked up the call. "Abhinav-ji, Kaira pahuch gayi kya? Abhi thak toh flight land kar gayi hogayi na."
"Aap hi boliye aapki behen se." Abhinav gestured to Kaira.
Kaira remained silent, tears falling as she heard her sister's voice after so long. Akshara would update them with occasional texts and only spoke to Karthik, just long enough to quell their worries, but they were never long enough.
How could five minutes on call ever be enough?
"Akshu Di." She managed to choke out, Akshara going silent on the other end.
"Kaira?" Akshara asked in a broken voice.
Tears spilled out, Kaira sobbed. "Di......mein aa rahi hoon Di, aapke paas."
Akshara laughed slightly. "Jaldi aa, mujhse aur intezaar nahi hota."
Kaira laughed, wiping her tears. Abhinav watched the conversation fondly, wondering if this is what family meant.
Abhinav watched as Kaira dashed out of the car the moment he stepped on the brakes, throwing open the door.
Sure enough, Akshara was at the gate, waiting with clasped hands.
"Akshu Di." Kaira ran to her sister, wrapping her in a hug, sobbing into her shoulders.
"Bas bas." Akshara rubbed Kaira's back while holding back tears of her own.
Kaira shook her head. "In che saalon meni ek baar bhi hamari yaad nahi aayi? Ek call bhi nahi kiya aapne."
"Sorry Ki, par ab tu yahan agayi na, hame kitni saari baatein karni hain!"
Kaira smiled with tear filled eyes when they heard a voice.
"Mumma?"
Kaira pulled away from Akshara, pointing towards the little boy. "Abhir? Yeh Abhir hain?"
Akshara smiled proudly and nodded. "Abhir, beetu idhar aa, dekh tujhse milne kan aaya hain?"
Abhir slowly walked towards them, half hiding behind Akshara. "Yeh aapki Kaira Maasi hain."
Kaira kneeled down to Abhir's height, wiping her tears and smiled brightly. "Hi."
"Hi Maasi."
Kaira's heart sung in happiness. "Haan, mein aapki Maasi hoon. Idhar aaye, mein na aapse mile ka kabse wait kar rahi hoon, pata hain."
"Ab aap mil chuki hain na, ab MHMM."
Kaira frowned, confused and turned to Akshara. Akshara chuckled. "Masti Hi Masti Maasi."
Kaira laughed, picking up Abhir. "Haan, masti hi masti."
"Chalo andhar chalo, beith kar baat karte hain."
"Par Di, luggage bhi toh lana hain."
"Kaira, yeh sab aapke Jiju sambhalenge, aap andar jaaye thak gayi hongi." Abhinav told her, gesturing her to go inside.
"Tu baith yaah, mein abhi chai leke aati hoon." Akshara ran into the kitchen.
Kaira opened her suitcase and beckoned Abhir closer. "Abhir, dekho. Mere paas tumhare liye kuch hain."
"Kya Maasi?"
Kaira dramatically opened her suitcase to reveal a huge box of chocolates and a toy car.
"Wow! Thank you Maasi!" Abhir jumped up and down, about to open the chocolate box but suddenly snatched out of his hands.
Abhinav held the chocolate box over his head, away from Abhir's reach.
"Papa, do na chocolate!"
"Nahi! Pehle lunch. Varna Nikkeji aapki mumma sherni banke ham dono ko khageyengi."
Kaira paused. "Sherni?"
"Haan, aapki di koi sherni se kam hai kya?" Abhinav and Abhir seemed to go in a flashback, shuddering.
Kaira laughed at the father-son duo. Sherni. They were so much like Karthik and Naira, something that wasn't there between Akshara and Abhimanyu.
And on cue, Kaira's phone rang. "Hello, Mumma? Haan mein Di ke ghar pahuch gayi."
Kaira patiently answered her mother's questions on whether she reached safely, whether she had lunch, was she fine, etc. The usual mom and daughter things.
While answering her mother's questions, Kaira noticed Abhir's thoughtful gaze on her. Or rather on her phone.
"Kya hua Abhir?" Kaira asked.
Abhir got down from Abhinav's lap and walked towards Kaira. "Maasi, aap Nani se baath kar rahi hain?"
"Kaira?" Naira's voice crackled through the phone. "Kaira? Connection cut gaya kya?"
Kaira froze, looking at Akshara and Abhinav for permission. Akshara stood conflicted between her fear and Abhir's hope.
"Lo Nani se baath karo." Kaira extended the phone to Abhir.
"Hello, Kaira? Sunayi deh raha hain kya?"
Abhir took in a deep breath. "Nani?"
Naira went quiet, knees giving out and sat on the edge of the sofa with a dull thud. The sweet child-like voice.
Abhir looked up at Kaira with a sad face. "Nani kuch bol nahi rahi."
Kaira took the phone and put it on speaker. "Abhir.....Nani ko namaste karo."
"Radhe Krishna Nani."
Naira clutched her dupatta tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Radhe Krishna beta. Aap kaise ho?"
Abhir smiled brightly. "Nani mein bilkul theek hoon. Aap kaisi hain? Naanu, Bade Dadu, Badi Dadi aur Mimi kaise hain?"
Naira smiled with happy tears on hearing her grandson's voice. "Karthik! Karthik idhar jaldi aao! Tumse koi baath karna chatha hain!"
"Ek minute Mumma, mein vidoe call karti hoon." Kaira said, switching to video call and pulling Abhir closer just as Karthik appeared into the frame.
"Kya hua Naira---Kaira? Aur voh...." Karthik slowly sat beside Naira, not believing his eyes.
"Hi Nanu!" Abhir waved into the camera.
Karthik and Naira broke into tears of happiness, smiling widely. "Naira suna tumne, ussne mujhe Nanu bulaya. Haan baccha mein aapka Nanu hoon!"
"Uffo aap bade log itna rote kyun hain? NRD Nanu."
"NRD?"
"No rohna dhona." Akshara translated on reflex, freezing as she realised what she did.
Karthik and Naira looked at Kaira expectantly. "Kaira, Akshu paas hai kya? Baccha usse bula na please. Akshu! Akshu!" Karthik called out eagerly, tears flowing down his face.
Akshara took a step back, squeezing her eyes shut as Karthik kept calling out for her.
"Di, Jiju, aap bhi aaye na."
Akshara took another step back, shaking her head.
"Akshara-ji, aapke Maa Baap bula rahe hain. Jayena."
"Nahi Abhinav-ji, agar mein unke saamne gayi toh...khudko sambhal nahi paungi."
Kaira gave the phone to Abhir and went near Akshara. "Aaye na Di, Mumma aur Papa aapko sambhalenge."
Karthik and Naira waited with bated breath. With a gentle push from Abhinav, Akshara came into the frame in front of her parents after six long years.
"Baccha...." Karthik became emotional seeing Akshara. His little girl had grown up. "Tadpole No. Do?"
Akshara chuckled, not able to keep her own tears at bay. "Papa....Mumma, kaise ho aap dono?"
"Hum theek hain baccha. Tum batao tum kaisi ho? Arre jamai-sa kaha hain?"
"Jiju aaye na!" Kaira dragged Abhinav and made him sit beside Akshara on the sofa and stood behind them.
"Namaste Papa-ji."
"Yeh ji vi sab chodhiye Abhinav, sirf Papa kaafi hain. Kaise hain aap beta?" Karthik asked in a fatherly tone, making Abhinav emotional.
He had never had a family. He never knew what a father's love was supposed to be like.
"Mein theek hoon Papa. Yaha ham sab Kaira ka intezaar kar rahe the. Uske aate hi saabko saath la diya ji."
Abhir frowned and pouted. Something Naira noticed. "Kya hua champ? Muh aise goobare ke tarah kyun phul gaya hain?"
"Aap bade bhi na! Mein kaha na NRD."
The elders chuckled and wiped away their tears, bending to their little prince's wishes. "Haan baba theek hain. NRD." Naira chuckled at her grandson's cute antics.
Kaira watched with a content smile. She had never seen her parents this happy in a long long time.
Bas, Kanha-ji, aise hi mere plan mein mera saath dena.
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The entire family sat down for lunch after a tearful video call. Neither had the heart to keep the call, only getting up once Abhir started grumbling for lunch.
"Akshara-ji, voh aapke Papa ne aapko kya bulaya? Vod Tad.. kuch No. Do?"
"Phele toh Jiju, woh Akshara-ji ke Papa nahi, aapke bhi Papa hain." Kaira interrupted. "Aur bolo Akshu Di, Papa hame Tadpole kyun bulate hain."
Akshara smiled. "Meri Mumma mere Papa ko Mendak bulatithi, aur hum unke bacche Tadpole No. Ek, Do, Teen aur Char."
"Mumma, aapke itne saare siblings hai?"
Kaira's smiled slightly fell. Abhir didn't even know how many siblings his mother had? Did Akshara not speak about them at all?
"Mumma ke theen siblings hain. Mere bhaiya Kairav, meri twin Aarohi aur yeh sheitan sabse choti hain."
"Wow Mumma, aapki ki twin sister hain? Kash mera bhi twin hota." Kaira, Abhinav and Akshara froze at the innocent remark.
Kaira blinked back tears, remembering how Abhimanyu and Akshara were supposed to have twins. The entire Birla and Goenka clan had celebrated Akshara, desperately awaiting their arrival.
Akshara lost her appetite and took her plate in, Abhinav following suit to make sure she was okay.
"Maasi?" Abhir's voice shook her out of the past memories.
"Haan Abhir?"
"Khaane ke baad aap mere saath football khelogi?"
"Bilkul! Chalo phata phat ek aur roti aur phir khelne chalenge."
Abhir started eating quickly, Kaira laughed and rubbed his back. "Aram se."
"Goal!" Abhir screamed in delight, Kaira wiping the sweat off her forehead. Boy were five year olds energetic.
"Abhir, break time please."
"Kya Maasi itne mein hi tired?"
"Baccha, hum ek ghante se khle rahe hain."
"Ek hi toh ghanta hua hain!" Abhir pouted but nevertheless sat down beside her.
Kaira wheezed, gulping down water. Never once did she think she'd sweat in Kasauli in September.
"Bhai, umar hogayi hain meri. Tumhare jaise bhaga nahi jaata."
"Acha ji?" Abhinav's voice floated out, carrying snacks in a tray. "Yaar Nikkeji, yeh Udaipur wale kaafi kamzor hain, nahi?"
Kaira rolled her eyes. "Di kuch boliye na, aap bhi Udaipur se hain."
Akshara cheekily smiled, focusing on her books. "Na baba, mein saali-jiju ke beech nahi aa rahi."
Kaira grabbed a kachori and sat down beside Akshara while Abhinav entertained Abhir. "Akshu Di, aap thik hai na?"
Akshara took a deep breath in and nodded. "Itne saalon mein mene bhi kaafi socha, ki Abhir ka twin hota toh kaise hota. Par aaj jab uske muh se khud yeh suna toh...purane zakhm kured gaye."
"Aap ne kabhi in dono ko hamare baare mein nahi bataya na?" Kaira cut through the chase.
Akshara faced Kaira with an apologetic face. "Sorry Kaira, par un purane yaadon ki toofan....us purane zindagi ka toofan itna tez tha ki meine saare kidkhiya kaskar band kar di. Kabhi un palon ka zikr bhi nahi kiya. Bas nahi kar payi."
Kaira nodded in understanding despite being hurt.
"Aur bataon, ghar mein sab kaise hain? Aaru aur Bhaiya kaise hain?"
"Acche hain. Aaru Di ab Head of Oncology hain. Bhaiya ne family business ko take over kar liya hain, par Papa ab bhi CEO hain. Kairav Bhaiya ko bohut jaldi gussa aa jata hain, isliye, employees ke khatir, Papa hafte mein theen baar office jaate hain. Varna toh Karthik-Naira ka romance har din chalta hain."
Akshara laughed loudly. Her parents were the definition of a perfect relationship. Not because they were devoid of imperfections, but because they loved each other despite their flaws.
"Mumma, Maasi, kya aap dono khus khus kar rahe ho? Hame bhi sunna hain."
"Haan Akshara-ji, hame bhi aapke bachpan ke kisse sunne hain." Abhinav and Abhir sat down in front of them, chin on their palms.
"Kya jaana chathe ho? Abhir jo chahe puchna aapki Mumma ki saari phol khol dungi aaj."
"Mujhe chaaro Tadpole ki kahani sunni hain!"
"Sharma-ji ki farmaish puri ki jaye!" Kaira cleared her throat. "Tadpole No. Ek, aapke Kairav Mamu. Gussa phat se nak par chad jada hain. Par dil ke bahut aache hain. Aur aapki Aarohi Maasi ki zid baap re baap. Hamesha class mein first aati thi."
"Aur Mumma kya karti thi?"
"Aapki Mumma toh mu--"
"Masti karti thi!" Akshara interrupted, shaking her head at Kaira."Bohot masti karti thi. Aur mere jaise tu bhi bohot masti karne laga hain, chal andar jaake homework kar."
"Ok Mumma." And Abhir ran in.
"Chaliye mein bhi nikalta hoon, ek tourist ko pick up karna hain."
Once the two sisters were alone, Kaira spoke up. "Kya hua Di?"
"Maine music chod diya hain." Akshara didn't meet Kaira's eyes and concentrated on the book on her lap.
"Kya? Kyun?"
"Music se kaafi buri yaadein joodi hain."
Kaira held her sister's hands. "Neil Jiju ke saath jo hua voh ek hatsa tha. Na aapki galti thi na aapki music ki. Chahe jo kuch bhi kahe." Kaira said firmly, indirectly hinting at Manjiri and Abhimanyu's allegations on that horrific day.
"Aaru sach mein kaisi hain?"
"Abhi tak Jiju ko bhula nahi paayi. Aur Roohi, ek titli hai Di. Bilkul Mumma ki carbon copy hain. Bas itna dukh hain ki yeh sab dekhne ke liye Neil Jiju nahi hain."
Akshara discreetly wiped away a tear. All the mischief and pranks both she and Neil planned, it was a beautiful time.
"Di aap kya padh rahi ho?"
"Law exam ke liye tayaari kar rahi hoon."
"Achanak se law kyun?"
Akshara stilled and nervously fumbled with her answer. "Bas aise hi. Yahan Kasauli mein lawyers ke kaafi demand hain. Aur Abhir bada ho raha hain toh meine socha mein bhi ghar ke karcho mein Abhinav-ji ka haath batao."
Kaira was not satisfied with the answer but didn't push it too much.
Aap bohut badal gayi ho Di. She thought to herself before going to bed, tired from the emotional rollercoaster of a day.
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And that's a wrap. Hope you liked it!