Yun Hi Tu Mere Saath Rehna - An Abhimaan x Mishbir Fanfic (C48 : P22) - Page 19

Eagerly look forward to the next update!

It'll be really sweet if Abhira surprises Armaan by setting up this house suited to both their tastes with memories of their moms, pictures of them, their loved ones etc nicely framed on the walls It can be their special pad and potentially a future home when they get married.

Chapter Thirty Six

Armaan was whistling a soft tune as he descended down the staircase, ready to start a new day. Things were picking up at the NGO as he got a better hang of things and he was loving it. Right now, he was in the middle of wrapping up some paperwork related to the Akshara Unchh Vidyalaya and he was extremely happy with the pace things were going. If all went well, he would have all necessary permissions by the end of the week. He couldn't wait to see the look on everyone's faces when he delivered that little tidbit of news.

Abir & Mishti had been eagerly awaiting. The school was very close to their hearts, understandably so. It was just as important to him & Abhira. Ever since that day at the gallery viewing when Mishti had announced the details of the project, Armaan had been waiting for the day the school opened. Abhira had been even more excited. A school for underprivileged kids named after her was the perfect legacy for the woman Akshara Maa had been. She had always been a voice for the marginalized, doing her best to make the world a better place for them. From what he had understood after all the time he'd spent with Badi Maa, Par Nani was the same.

“Good morning, Bhaiya!! Aaj toh aap bohot zyada handsome lag rahe ho!” Kiara commented, making Armaan smile. He was dressed in a grey polo and had paired it with black jeans and a black blazer. He did look good if he said so himself.

He ruffled Kiara's hair. “Tu bhi bohot pyaari lag rahi hai.”

“Woh toh main hamesha hi lagti hoon!” Kiara chirped, making Armaan chuckle.

“Armaan! Kahaan tha kal, beta?” Vidya asked, making Armaan's smile drop immediately. “Mujhe kitni chinta ho gayi thi. Itni late kahaan ho gayi tujhe? Aur phir aaya toh bas apne Papa se hi baatein karne mein busy tha! Maa ke liye time nahi hai kya tere paas?”

Armaan couldn't help the flinch that passed through his body at her words. He'd spent last night talking about his mother till his mouth had felt like cotton, till his tongue had stopped working, till his ears had started hurting from the constant buzz of conversation, and yet, had barely scratched the surface when it came to the woman that Shivani Poddar had once been. His father had a seemingly endless barrage of stories of his mother, and had been only too happy to share them.

For the first time since he'd stepped foot in this house, Armaan felt like he belonged. He belonged in his father's stories about his mother's excitement at his impending arrival, in the blanket his mother had knitted him - the one that Armaan had always been partial to even as an adult, but hadn't even known before last night that his mother had painstakingly knit it herself for her child - in his father's hug that held him together as he cried remembering her, in the love his parents had for him, but which he'd never been allowed to feel because life had been too cruel to him.

Last night had been the unmaking of Armaan Poddar, Kaveri Poddar's Golden Boy. He was becoming someone new, someone different. Armaan himself didn't know who or what yet, but what he did know was that the sight of his stepmother in front of him, looking far more concerned for him than he thought she actually felt in her heart, made him want to scream. This woman who was calling herself his mother was washing her hands off him a few days ago. She had no right to call herself that when Armaan already had a mother. A mother who had loved him immensely till her dying breath, who had been his whole world once upon a time. A woman who had never placed any conditions on her affection and had doted on Armaan in every possible. And, a woman, who he'd met only recently, who still did love him like that. In the face of the unconditional, unequivocal love of Shivani Poddar and Mishti Aggarwal Rajvansh, Vidya Poddar's definition of a mother felt hollow.

Madhav, attuned to Armaan's change in demeanour, and understanding why he was behaving the way he did, stepped in. “Armaan! Kabse wait kar raha hoon main tera! Chal jaldi. Aaj Mishti Sa ne khaas naashte pe bulaya hai humein.”

It worked. At the mere mention of Mishti's name, a brilliant smile lit up Armaan's face. “Badi Maa ne bulaya hai? Aapne pehle kyun nahi kaha, Papa? Jaldi chaliye. Unhe wait nahi karwate.”

“Madhav Ji, aapne mujhe toh bataya hi nahi!” Vidya exclaimed. “Aise jaana achcha thodi lagega. Aap do minute rukiye main abhi change karke aati hoon.”

Armaan tensed at her words and once again, Madhav spoke to rescue his son. “Nahi, nahi. Tum mat aao, Vidya. Woh Mishti Sa ko NGO ke kaam se kisi silsile mein mujhse baat karni thi. Tum aake kya karogi? Wahaan bore ho jaogi.”

“Toh aap log kamse kam naashta toh karke jaiye! Aaj Armaan ka favourite bana hai. Upma!” Vidya tried to coax them, but stopped short at Manisha's interruption. “Jethani Sa! Upma Armaan ka nahi, Rohit ka favourite naashta hai. Armaan ko upma bilkul nahi pasand.”

Armaan looked at her with a thankful smile. At least she remembered his likes and dislikes. Vidya looked contrived at her mistake for a moment, but shrugged it off almost instantly. “Haan toh Armaan aur Rohit koi alag thodi hain. Jo Rohit ki pasand hai woh Armaan ko bhi pasand hi haina.”

“Badi Maa ko zyada wait nahi karwana chahiye,” Armaan pressed, impatient. He was getting tired of this entire tirade and needed to leave. He needed to be away from Vidya so he could breathe properly. “Kuch zaroori kaam hoga isliye hi unhone aapko bulaya hoga, Papa!”

“Kaam sehat se zyada zaroori toh nahi haina?” Kaveri said, finally deeming it necessary to step in as the situation escalated. Once again, because of Mishti Rajvansh. Why was that woman so important? Could they not have even a single meal without someone mentioning her? Just hearing her be mentioned grated on Kaveri's nerves. “Waise bhi… Tumhaara naashte karne tak toh intezaar kar hi sakti hain. Kaunsa koi aandhi-toofan aa jaayega agar tum dono wahan 15 minute late gaye toh?”

“Dadi Sa, aap hi hamesha kehti haina? Time is money. Aur phir, Badi Maa aur Bade Papa ka waqt bohot zyada keemti hai. Iss tarah zaya nahi karna chahiye,” Armaan answered. Then, without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out, Madhav hot on his heels.

Vidya looked on, feeling her grip on both father and son loosen. She wasn't able to understand why both of them seemed so miffed with her all of a sudden. Well, her husband avoiding her was nothing new. But, Armaan? Armaan had always given his undivided attention to her. There was once a time when his sun rose and set at her. Now, he treated her like a stranger. She'd been okay with it for the first few days, thinking he would get out of whatever funk he was in and things would return to normal between them but it had been more than a week and Armaan was still keeping his distance from her.

As much as she hated to admit it, it hurt her. She had Rohit, would always have him. But, her son was nowhere as intuitive or empathetic as his elder brother. He just didn't understand. He didn't get her like Armaan did. Armaan, who would always know the right thing to say to make her troubles vanish, who would wrap her in a hug so warm she would forget all her worries, who would manage to coax laughter out of her in the most dire situations. She missed having him by her side.

She didn't know what had gone wrong, but she would make things go back to the way they were, she resolved. After all, whatever the case, Armaan had never been angry at her before. A hearty meal and his favourite dessert were all she'd need to make him forget whatever misgivings he had. With new-found confidence, she made her way to the kitchen, making plans for dinner, oblivious to how her life had already changed in the blink of an eye, and would never be the same again.

“Armaan! Ruk!!” Madhav called, rushing after his son. They both finally came to a stop in the front lawn of the Rajvansh Villa.

Armaan sighed, turning to his father. “I'm sorry,” he said with practised ease.

“Kis cheez ke liye?” Madhav asked. Armaan shrugged. Did it matter? As long as he apologized, things eventually smoothened out.

“Kis cheez ke liye maafi maang raha hai?” Madhav repeated himself, making Armaan look up. The tremor in his father's voice didn't go unnoticed by Armaan. The truth was, he wasn't sorry about anything. He had compulsively apologized like he was used to. He hadn't thought Madhav would question his apology.

“Jab tune koi galti ki hi nahi, toh maafi kis baat ki?” Madhav questioned, echoing Armaan's thoughts. It made him stop short. His father thought he had nothing to apologize for?

“Maafi tujhe nahi, mujhe maangni chahiye,” Madhav said. “Main kal raat hi kuch kehna chaahta tha, lekin hum Shivani ki baat kar rahe the aur main woh pal usse cheen'na nahi chaahta tha. She deserves our entire attention. Lekin… I'm sorry Armaan. Uss raat Vidya ne jo kaha… Mishti Sa ne mujhe bataya ki tune uski baatein sunn li thi. Usse aise nahi bolna chahiye tha. I'm so, so, so sorry. Mera gussa usne tujhpe nikaal diya…”

Armaan cut his father off. “Papa, jo hua uske liye aap kyun maafi maang rahe hain? Aapki koi galti nahi hai. Badi Maa kehti hai ki binn galti ke maafi nahi maangni chahiye.”

“Achcha? Mishti Sa ki baatein tujhe badi jaldi samajh aa jaati hain,” Madhav chuckled, teasing a laugh out of Armaan as well. “Phir abhi 2 minute pehle tu mujhe kyun sorry keh raha tha?”

“Maine aaj jaise behave kiya… Unhe bura laga hoga na. Ab baat aur bigad jaayegi. Isliye,” Armaan murmured, unable to use the moniker he'd used for so long to address Vidya. It felt like betraying his mother to refer to anyone else as such.

“Teri usmein koi galti nahi hai,” Madhav stated firmly. “Tu uss cheez ke liye sorry mat bol.”

“Aur aap bhi mat boliye,” Armaan ordered. “Jo hua… Agar woh aapse gussa thi bhi… Toh unhe aisa nahi kehna chahiye. Aap dono ka relationship jaisa bhi raha ho, jab meri taraf se unke liye pyaar aur respect mein koi kami nahi rahi, toh unke mann mein yeh sab baatein kyun aayi? Aapne toh I'm sure unse nahi kaha ki woh mujh mein aur Rohit mein aise fark karein.”

“Nahi,” Madhav agreed. “Lekin shayad mere rukhepan ne usse yeh baat kehdi, Armaan. Main koi bahana nahi bana raha. Sach toh yehi haina, ki main ek achcha pati nahi bann paaya. Na teri maa ke liye aur na Vidya ke liye. Isliye aaj yeh sab ho raha hai. Meri galtiyon ki saza tujhe bhi bhugatni pad rahi hai. I'm sorry.

And I'm sorry, ki main kabhi ek achcha baap nahi bann paaya. Tujhe apne saath iss ghar mein, iss parivaar mein le toh aaya, lekin uske baad kabhi teri achchi tarah se dekh-bhaal nahi ki. Tere aur Shivani ke haq ke liye maine kabhi ladaayi nahi ki. Meri aankhon ke saamne, Vidya ka mann rakhne, sabne iss ghar se Shivani ke astitv ko mita diya, aur main baitha dekhta raha. Ek uff tak nahi ki.

Teri Maa ne mujhe duniya ka saara pyaar diya, usne mujhe tujh jaisa beta diya, meri zindagi itni khushiyon se bhardi ki mujhse sambhali nahi jaati thi. Aur main besharam… Uski yaadein tujhe dene mein bhi maine zindagi nikaal di. Jo baatein sunnke tujhe bada hona chahiye tha, woh tujhe ab tak apni maa ke baare mein pata bhi nahi hai. Kyunki maine tujhe nahi batayi. I'm sorry, Armaan. I should have been a better father and husband.

Maine bohot galtiyaan ki hai, but I promise, main koshish karunga ki aisa baap banu, ki tujhe khudko mera beta kehne mein garv mehsoos ho.”

Armaan choked out a sob, hugging Madhav tight. A part of his heart thawed at the apology. He hadn't even known how much he needed it till Madhav had actually said those words. His father's negligence had always hurt Armaan, but he had never voiced his concerns, knowing they would go unheard. For Madhav to acknowledge his actions had hurt Armaan and also apologize for them meant the world. It meant even more that he wanted to do better.

He already was, Armaan could see. He'd spoken in Armaan's defense on more than one occasion recently. He had been the one to give Abhira the keys to his mother's house. Last night, he'd spent hours recounting tales of Shivani at Armaan's insistence. None of which he had ever done before. Seeing the change in him, Armaan couldn't help the flicker of hope rising in his chest. Perhaps, his father really would change for the better.

— — —

“Yeh… Yeh sab… Yeh sach hai?” Abhira questioned, shocked. She looked up at Abir & Mishti in askance, but too agitated, turned back to Madhav. “Papa… Kya sach mein… Mumma ki koi galti nahi thi?”

“Nahi, Abhira,” Madhav replied. “Akshara Ji ki koi galti nahi thi. Woh toh Aarohi Ji ki jaan bachaane ki koshish kar rahi thi.”

Abhira exhaled sharply at his words, trembling. Armaan's arms around her were the only thing keeping her from falling apart. Armaan looked at his silly girl, doing her best to hold herself together and his heart broke for her.

It turned out that what Abir & Mishti, and even Madhav, had wanted to talk about hadn't been about the NGO, but about Akshara. Madhav had shown them what he'd found, and gently explained the sequence of events as they had actually occurred, not the false version that they'd been told before. It cleared Akshara of all accusations levied against her with regards to her sister's death.

To think that Akshara had done all that she had to protect Ruhi, only for Ruhi to hate Akshara with every fibre of her being, for Ruhi to make Abhira's life so difficult even without knowledge of the familial connection between them. It boiled Armaan's blood that Akshara's sacrifice had been in vain, yet, when he thought about it, he was glad that Abhira had been raised away from the influence of the Goenka family. He could only imagine how she would have been expected to follow in her mother's footsteps and sacrifice everything for Ruhi's sake. Maybe, she would have never had the courage and resilience she did now if she was a Goenka instead of a Sharma.

As always, Abhira was on the same page as him. “Mumma ne yeh sab… Ruhi ke liye kiya?” She asked, feeling lost. To know that her mother had given up her home, her family… To protect Ruhi grated her. Why should Ruhi not pay for her mistakes? Why had Abhira paid for them instead?

She had no love lost for the Goenkas, yet she was upset that her mother had given up her entire life for Ruhi. Was Ruhi more important than her own children? After all, Akshara's decision had led to Abhir having to give up his family too. Her Abhir Bhai, who had apparently loved Ruhi, Manish, Swarna, Surekha, and even Aarohi. He had lost his family too. And Abhira? She'd never even known hers.

Akshara had been pregnant when all this had happened. And she had left that house without a second thought. Anything could've happened. A small thing going wrong could have resulted in Abhira losing her life before she was even born. Mishti claimed that Akshara had wanted her so badly that she had defied multiple people in the family when they had tried talking her into an abortion. Yet, when it came down to it, her mother had chosen Ruhi's well-being over the well-being of her son and her unborn child.

Her brother had lost his life because of her mother's decision. Would they have been stuck in that godforsaken landslide if Akshara hadn't left home? No. Instead, they'd have been surrounded by their family, safely back home in Udaipur. And she would have grown up with her brother. Her brother, who she didn't even know existed till a few weeks ago when Abir & Mishti had finally told her. Her mother had taken that truth to the grave with her. And Abhira didn't know why. Didn't she deserve to know about her elder brother? Didn't she deserve to know that there had been someone before her, a sibling who had been looking forward to her arrival?

Abhira would always be grateful that the Goenkas hadn't raised her. She didn't want to be anything like Ruhi - an insecure, obsessive mess of a person who blamed everyone else for every mishap in their life. She was glad that her mother had raised her to be the woman she was today. But, there was also a tiny amount of resentment now, for she had been deprived of her family, and most importantly, her brother.

Yes, Mishti had been right that day when she said that had things not happened the way they had, Armaan & Abhira might not have gotten married. But, Abhira thought of what she had missed out on - riding on Bade Papa's back, sleeping in Badi Maa's lap, dressing up in Mehr Mami's dupattas, gobbling up desserts made by Misha Masi, teasing Nanko Nanu about being Badi Maa's favourite, listening to Amish Mama's stories before bed, growing up with all her cousins, having a treasure of memories with her entire family, and having their endless love & affection. Growing up with Abhir, sharing a million secrets with him, being his favourite person in the world, fighting with him, making up with him, sharing her entire life with him, her hopes and dreams, her tears and sadness. Being there for Abhir as he navigated his own life, always ready to make him smile when he was down and being the first person he embraced when he was happy. She had all those things now, but to think that she could have had them all her life?

Her heart ached for that little Abhira who grew up too quickly, who spent all day alone at home, her eyes stuck on the main door, waiting for her mother to come home and breathe life into everything. Her mother had done her best. Abhira knew that she had gone above & beyond to give Abhira everything she desired. She had raised Abhira to be self-reliant, had given her every possible happiness she could, had taught Abhira to dream big and had also given her the resilience to make those dreams the reality of her life.

Akshara had given Abhira everything that she never got as a child. She made time for Abhira despite being a single parent. She went to work, did all the household chores, and even managed the resort for extra income. Yet, she never made Abhira feel neglected. Abhira was the centre of her mother's universe, just as her mother was the centre of Abhira's. Abhira had never, not even for a single second, doubted how much her mother loved her. She had never had to compromise to keep her mother happy.

Even now, as she felt anger at her mother's actions, Abhira knew that Akshara would have welcomed her temper without question. Akshara would have taken Abhira's annoyance in stride and even agreed with her. She would have apologized for keeping Abhira away from the happiness of a large family. Knowing this, made it even harder for Abhira to be mad at Akshara.

All these conflicting emotions warred within her - pain for what her mother had endured, pride for her at beating the odds and making a life for herself despite everything, love for the mother she had been, and for the mentor she had been, anger for doing what she did. And… Forgiveness, perhaps just a little, because she could never stay angry at her mother for too long.

Mishti, understanding her turmoil, gathered Abhira in a motherly embrace. “Sab theek ho jaayega, Gudiya Rani. Yeh toh itni khushi ki baat haina? Itne saalon baad, sach saamne aa hi gaya. Akshu ne humaara bharosa nahi toda, betu. Uski begunaahi finally saabit ho gayi. Toh phir, aajke din aansu kyun? Aaj toh sirf khush hone ka din hai. Haina?”

Abhira nodded in agreement. No matter what, tangible proof of her mother's innocence was all Abhira had wanted since the day Ruhi had called her a murderer without hesitation. Abhira had known that there was no way Ruhi was telling the truth, but her steadfast belief in her mother was not proof enough for her mother's family to believe that the girl they'd raised since infancy would never hurt anyone.

Finally, proving to the world that her mother had not killed her sister would bring her mother peace. Abhira knew her mother well enough to know that she would never rest easy until the people she loved thought ill of her. And despite everything, her mother did love the Goenkas.

“Hum Mumma ki begunaahi sabke saamne prove karenge,” Abhira mumbled.

“Bilkul karenge!” Abir agreed immediately. “Meri Akshu ke upar ab koi ungli nahi utha paayega. I promise you, Heera. Akshu ko insaaf milega.”

Abhira turned, leaving the warmth of Mishti's arms for Abir's. As always, Abir welcomed her into his arms with affection she never felt elsewhere. His arms wrapped around her entire body, and she felt safe and loved, just as she always did. When he rocked them back and forth, as he always did, Abhira's heart settled a little.

She glanced up to see Madhav watching the two of them with an affectionate smile and tentatively asked, “Papa… Aap mera saath doge na?” She wanted to believe he would. She really did. But the Poddar family had always been a web of tangled relations, broken easily with one slight misstep. She wouldn't begrudge him his silence, even if it hurt.

Madhav's heart clenched at her innocent question. He had failed so badly that his daughter had to ask him if he would support her as she proved her mother innocent. He must've been unimaginably worse than he had thought for her to believe that he would do anything but stand by her side as her most trusted soldier as she fought this battle. Gulping down the lump in his throat, he made sure that his voice was loud and confident as he said, “Main har kadam pe tere saath hoon, Abhira. Tere Papa tujhe kabhi akela nahi chodenge.”

Abhira's smile brightened at his words and Madhav breathed easier. He opened his arms, desperate for the comfort of a hug from his daughter, and as usual, she did not disappoint. As she closed her arms around him in an embrace, Madhav caught sight of Armaan, silently assuring his son that he would stand by their side and help them navigate this minefield.

“Haan, haan… Bas aap sab mujhe chodke ek doosre ke gale lag jao. Main hoon hi kaun haina?” Armaan pouted, trying to lighten the mood.

Without a moment of hesitation, Abir & Mishti's arms wound around him, grounding him to reality. He breathed a sigh of relief. “Aise kaise? Tumhe main kaise akela chod sakta hoon? Tum mere favourite wale bachche ho!” Abir exclaimed.

“Lekin, Armaan ki favourite main hoon,” Mishti declared smugly. To Armaan, she asked, “Right, Maani?”

“Right, Badi Maa!” Armaan agreed readily. She was his favourite. Perhaps his most favourite person in the whole world. The love he felt for her seemed like an unending waterfall, always ready to pour out of him. It was, he thought faintly, how he would have loved his mother, had she been alive.

“Hawwwww!” Abhira cried. “Khadoosmaan! Tum mujhse mere Badi Maa aur Bade Papa ko cheen'na band karo. Okay?”

“Oh, Papa ki Pari!” Armaan revolted. “Khud ko dekho pehle. Jabse tum aayi ho na, mere Papa mujhe beta nahi damaad ki tarah treat karte hain. Tumhaari wajah se. Toh badle mein maine tumhaare parents ko apna bana liya. Waise bhi… Ab toh tumhaara patta ekdum cut! Main office mein bhi unke saath rehta hoon aur ghar pe bhi. Toh obviously, woh log mujhse hi zyada pyaar karenge na!”

Laughter surrounded Armaan's declaration, and he watched as Abhira's smile softened at his words. She blinked at him, seemingly unable to convey her emotions, but Armaan understood nonetheless. She was extremely happy that he felt he could rightfully call Abir & Mishti his, could stake claim on them, the way he'd never been able to do with his family. It was all she'd ever wanted for him - a family who he could claim, the way his mother had been for him, and then Abhira herself had become for him. Now, he had so many people to call his own that he felt he would burst with happiness. And that, made Abhira happier than she'd ever thought possible.

___

Hello, everyone! Hope you all liked this chapter. I know many of you have been waiting for this and I hope I did it justice, be it Madhav's apology to Armaan or Abhira's reaction to finding out what had actually happened.

Sorry for the slight delay in uploading but I've been very busy because I have a few guests over at home. Unfortunately, the next update won't be till mid-next week as I am travelling for a wedding and won't have time to write much.

Thank you so much for reading! Keep voting and commenting. Your comments motivate me to write more. So, thank you for that! 💓

Glad V is being ignored. I wanna see Armaan disown her .

Its nice that Abhira does feel upset at her moms poor choices..Abhira should be a tad angry at how Akshara hid so much from her for so many years. Its definitely cost her a childhood which wouldn't have been so lonely.

Loving the story....

Keep writing....yes Akshara has done a lot of tyag for these people...but abhira should take everything that is hers from the Goyanka's...

Loved the poddar's interaction...the way armaan didn't respond to Vidya....

Continue soon.... waiting for the Singhania's and the Goyanka's reaction to Akshara's news..

It feels like months that you have posted..... continue soon...hope you are good....👍

Chapter Thirty Seven

“Do you want to be there?” Armaan asked Krish, as they went over last minute preparation to ensure that everything was in place.

“No,” Krish said. “Main iss waqt bohot gusse mein hoon. Kahin kuch aisa na ho jaaye ki baat aur bigad jaaye.”

Manish Goenka had finally reached out after weeks of radio silence. He had agreed to sign over the academy to Abhira, and everyone was glad that they wouldn't have to drag the whole thing to court. Everyone, but Krish Singhania. Krish had been practically salivating at the idea of publicly humiliating Manish Goenka. As days bled into weeks without any response to Abhira's notice, and the mandated period drew to a dangerous close, Krish had started working on building an airtight case against Manish, with Armaan as his trusty right hand man in the entire operation.

The two of them had poured over countless texts together in Armaan's swanky new office, trading barbs over their preferred drinks of choice - coffee for Armaan, masala chai for Krish - as they drafted arguments for various curveballs they thought that Sanjay Bansal would throw at them in court, Abhira joining them more often than not. It had been an exceedingly fun activity and while Krish would not think it was in vain because he had enjoyed spending time with Armaan & Abhira, it still irked him that it had been all for naught.

But, he was immensely ecstatic for Abhira. The little girl had been through so much at such a young age. She deserved this. Well, she deserved much more. She deserved every happiness in the world. But, they would start with this.

“Mamu, aap itni tension mat lijiye,” Armaan assured him. “Sab theek se ho jaayega. I'll be there with Abhira at every step.”

“I thought Abhira nahi chaahti tum inn sab mein involve ho. Isliye Bua ne mujhe bulaya tha na?” Krish asked, confused.

“Uske keh dene se main peeche nahi hat jaunga,” Armaan replied. “Uski tasalli ke liye aapko bula toh liya but woh kaise expect kar sakti hai ki itna sab ho jaayega aur main haath pe haath rakh ke baitha rahunga? Aur waise bhi, ab toh main firm mein kaam bhi nahi karta. I can represent her. And I will.”

“How is she handling it?” Krish questioned. “Fufu told me about the police report.”

Armaan smiled at that, touched by Krish's concern. Everyone in this family was so loving. They really cared about each other and it always showed. “She's handling it better than I expected, honestly. Lekin, aap toh jaante haina Badi Maa aur Bade Papa kaise hain. Usse ek minute akela nahi chodte. Koi na koi har waqt uske saath hi rehta hai, usse distract karne.

But, I think dheere-dheere uska gussa bhi shaant ho gaya hai. After all, Akshara Maa ne jo bhi kiya, she thought she was doing the best for everyone. Woh nahi chaahti thi ki jis tarah unhone apni saari life khudko Sirat Aunty ki death ke liye blame kiya, Ruhi bhi waise badi ho. She wanted to break that cycle of trauma.

Aur phir, ek tarah se toh achcha haina. Ira uss ghar se door badi hui woh uske liye hi better raha, warna kya pata woh bhi Ruhi ki tarah hoti? Ya shayad Akshara Maa ki tarah self sacrificial bann jaati aur uss family pe apni saari zindagi luta deti.”

“That's good,” Krish murmured. “Achcha hai ki woh akeli nahi hai. Tum sab ho uske saath.”

Armaan concurred. It healed parts of him he didn't even know to have so many people to fall back on. He was so used to shouldering responsibility on his own that he had never realized how freeing it could be to have someone to rely on. He suspected that it was the same for Abhira.

He was extremely gladdened by the fact that Abhira trusted her family enough to seek their support. He remembered how hesitant she had been in the beginning, unsure when she would step one toe out of line and her new-found family would also abandon her. He remembered how wary he had been too, unsure if the people who claimed to love Abhira so deeply actually did.

But, not just Abir & Mishti, but the entire family had rallied for them and won their trust, made them feel like they truly were family, and bit by bit had chipped away at their doubt till there was none left. Now, both of them were in a place where they never had to question anybody's love for them, and could freely rely on them in the good times and especially the bad times as well.

“Yes,” he said out loud to Krish. “She has everyone to rely on. Aur waise bhi, woh sabki favourite haina. Everyone is doing their best to cheer her up.”

“Good,” Krish stated. “Ek baar bas yeh papers sign ho jaaye toh phir Goenkas se humaara koi lena-dena nahi.”

“Kya Badi Mami bhi yehi chaahti hain?” Armaan wondered. “Jaise bhi hain, woh unke Papa hain… Unse rishta tod dengi woh?”

“Rishta bacha hi kahaan hai jo ab tootega?” Krish snorted. “Waise bhi, Maa kehti hain ki unke ek hi Papa hain… Dadu. Bas. Dadu ke guzarne se pehle, woh dono bhi kaafi close hua karte the… Jaise Abhira aur tumhaare Papa hain. Dadu ne kabhi bhi Maa ko ek pita ki kami mehsoos hi nahi hone di.

Waise bhi, Maa aur Manish Nana Ji ke beech hamesha se problems rahi hain. She was in a bad marriage before she met Papa and that is something that has always been between them. Plus, Kartik Mamu aur Maa had a lot of issues with the family even before all that happened. So, Maa wants nothing to do with the family anymore. She'll be fine.”

Krish comforted Armaan, genuinely heartened by the concern he had. Armaan was good people. Krish had gleaned that within days of their acquaintance. In his line of work, it was absolutely imperative that you know how to read people, how to differentiate their truth from their lies. It was the mark of a good lawyer to be able to differentiate between a culprit and a victim regardless of what they said in their defense. And Krish wasn't one of the most sought after lawyers in the country for nothing.

He had always had a knack for reading people. He was a great judge of character. And nobody could fake the kind of love that Armaan had for everyone around him. He was such a good person at the core of it all, only wanting the best for others. And, he loved Abhira with all his might. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. The affection that Armaan had for Abhira seemed to be bursting out of him in every little action of his. Krish was glad that his niece had found such a loving partner.

“I'm glad,” Armaan told him. “Badi Mami deserves this. Pata nahi iss ghar mein aisa kya hai… Nani Sa, Akshara Maa, Abhira, sabko wahaan sirf dukh hi mila hai. Aur Badi Mami ko bhi. Toh achcha hi hai ki woh uss ghar aur uss ghar ke logon se door rahein. She doesn't need them.”

“You're right,” Krish agreed. Just as loving as Armaan was, he was also protective of those he held dear. Krish felt himself lucky that him and his family were amongst the few people who Armaan loved so fiercely.

“Are you sure about tomorrow?” Armaan asked once again.

“I'm sure,” Krish answered. “I'm serious, Armaan. Agar hum mein se koi bhi wahaan hua toh hum chup nahi reh paayenge. Aur zyada drama hoga. Isse better hai ki ek baar yeh papers sign ho jaaye, phir jo bhi ho dekha jaayega.”

“Okay, Mamu,” Armaan nodded. “Phir main nikalta hoon. NGO mein bhi kaam hai.”

He took a moment to marvel at how casual they were with each other. This man was still Armaan's idol, still the kind of lawyer Armaan envisioned to be one day. He was the man Armaan had only ever dreamt of breathing the same air as. But, he was also his uncle-in-law. He was the man who laughed at his silly jokes, who fought with him over the last slice of pizza, and who was always there with a sarcastic quip or a word of advice whenever Armaan needed.

Both versions of Krish Singhania were remarkable men and Armaan was lucky that he got both sides - the cutthroat lawyer and the loving family man. Truly, he was living his dream life. It amazed him that he had all this. This love and support, and also so many people to lean on, one of who happened to be his idol.

“Theek hai,” Krish smiled, pulling Armaan out of his thoughts. “Agar kal kuch bhi problem ho toh mujhe turant call kar dena. I'll be there!”

With one last hug and a pat on the back, Armaan was gone. Krish stared after him, praying for things to get resolved as quickly as possible. These kids deserved that.

— — —

Abir knocked on Abhira's door before stepping inside. He couldn't help but grin when he saw Abhira lying down on the bed with her feet firmly in the middle of the bed while her face was dangling off the edge. She was holding a book upside down, trying her hardest to pretend that she was reading. She was so like him, he couldn't help but feel gratified. How his demure Akshu had raised such a firecracker of a child was beyond him, but he was grateful nonetheless. He wouldn't have Abhira any other way.

“Yeh ulti book kaise padhte hain? Mujhe bhi sikhana zara!” He exclaimed, taking a seat on the floor.

Abhira yelped, the book falling from her hands with a thud, making Abir chuckle. “Bade Papa!!” Abhira whined. “Darr gayi main!”

“Kabse knock kar raha tha,” Abir answered. “Tune sunaa hi nahi!”

“Woh… Actually… Yeh book— haan, yeh book bohot interesting hai!” Abhira exclaimed, scrambling to sit up on the bed. “Main itni engrossed thi mujhe sunayi nahi diya. Sorry!”

Abir shook his head, fond beyond belief. “Ulti book kaise padhte hain, mujhe bhi sikha de!”

Abhira bit her tongue, a sheepish smile across her face. Abir was helpless to do anything but reach out and pull her into a hug. As Abhira's arms wound around his waist, her head finding purchase against his chest, Abir breathed in deeply, resting his head on hers. “What's up? Itni tension mein kyun hai?” He asked her softly. Abhira shrugged wordlessly.

“Kal ke liye tensed hai?” Abir probed. Abhira nodded, sullen, but didn't say anything.

“Don't worry, Heera,” Abir assured her. “Sab theek hoga. You'll do great. Aur phir, hum sab wahaan honge na tujhe support karne. Koi gadbad nahi hogi.”

“Mumma mujhe badbad gadbad express aisi hi nahi bolti thi, Bade Papa. Main kuch sahi bhi karne jaati hoon toh kuch ho hi jaata hai,” Abhira whined.

“Iss baar nahi hoga,” Abir said, knocking their foreheads together. “Tere Bade Papa ko bhi log neend mein bhi hoshiyaar aise hi nahi bulaate! Kuch bhi hua toh main aur Mishti haina sambhaalne. Aur tune kya Armaan aur Krish ko kal ke aaye hue lawyers samjha hai kya? Tune toh humse zyada dekha hai ki kaise unhone har possibility ke liye sab tayyaari ki hui hai. Toh sab achche se ho jaayega.”

“Mumma mujhse gussa nahi hogi na?” Abhira questioned. “Ki main aise Nani ki academy Mr. Goenka se waapas le rahi hoon?”

“Tujhe kya lagta hai?” Abir asked in return. His arms tightened around her just a smidge, the weight of the conversation settling on him.

“Mujhe pata hota toh main aapse kyun poochti?” Abhira looked up at him with those wide, beautiful eyes, melting Abir's heart. This girl, the daughter of his heart, the second coming of Akshara. He wondered if this was how Badi Maa and Bade Papa had felt when they looked at Mishti, like she was the second coming of their Akshara. If they'd felt even a fraction of what he felt for this girl in front of him, he was only beginning to understand just how deeply they'd loved Mishti.

Abir used to think that he understood love. It was in the way his Nanko looked at him with stars in his eyes, how his Nanu affectionately called him gadhedo, how his mother still wanted the best for him despite how many differences they had. Then, he met Mishti and his understanding of love broadened. Love was Mishti trusting him with reckless abandon, it was in her laughter at his silly jokes, it was in her endless forgiveness for his bullheadedness. Badi Maa taught him that love was the comfort of a mother's warm hug, while Bade Papa defined love in the smile he bestowed upon Abir to tell him he was proud of his son. When he held Amish for the first time, he realized that love was nothing but Amish's hand closing over his pinky finger as his son looked up at him with wide eyes. When he brought Misha home, he understood love was the first step she'd taken in her new home. Hrishi, Raj, and Ramya all taught him that love was their arms beckoning for his embrace, their giggles echoing in the halls, and the excitable pitter-patter of their feet as they chased each other around.

But, when he looked at Abhira, the love he felt was so different than what he had felt before. It came with a huge responsibility. This girl, who had already lived such a full life before meeting him, who had known pain and grief like nobody else, who was still mourning her loss, who did not trust anyone, had somehow deemed him worthy of her faith. Despite knowing how Abir had failed her mother, Abhira trusted him to do right by her. She looked at him with all the love in the world and hugged him like nobody else in the universe mattered but him.

Knowing that she trusted him to help her put the broken parts of herself back together made Abir feel nothing but grateful. Some days, he felt like he would die of this overwhelming gratitude he felt. Was this how Bade Papa had felt when he'd hugged a crying Mishti and assured her that his house would be her home? Was this how Badi Maa had felt when she'd let Mishti sleep in her lap, promising herself that she'd never let her Gudiya Rani cry if she could help it?

“Bade Papaaaaaa!” Abhira's voice brought him out of his musings. “Bataiye na! Mumma will not be gussa. Right?”

Abir shook his head in a bid to gather his thoughts. “Achcha, mujhe ek baat bata. Akshu tujhse hamesha kya kehti thi? Apne haq ke liye ladna sahi hai ya nahi?”

“Sahi hai,” Abhira agreed. “Lekin…”

“Uh, uh, uh!” Abir interrupted her. “Tera time gaya, ab main bolunga aur tu sunegi. Okay?”

Abhira nodded. “Okay, Bade Papa.”

“That's a good girl!” Abir cheered, dropping a loud kiss to her temple. “But aage badhte hain. Question two. Kya iss academy pe tera haq hai?”

“I think so,” Abhira murmured.

“I know so,” Abir countered. “Not just… You know in a family way, but also in a legal way. Naira Di ne woh Akshu ke naam ki thi, before she had passed away. Aur phir, tu Akshu ki sole heir haina. Toh jo uska tha, sab tera hai. Academy bhi. There's no ifs and buts about it.”

“Aur ek sabse important baat bata. Kya kabhi bhi Akshu kisi cheez ke liye tujhse gussa hui thi?” Abir questioned.

Abhira shook her head. “Mumma mujhse kabhi gussa nahi hoti thi.”

“Toh phir ab kyun hogi?” Abir wondered.

“Kyunki ab baat unki family ki hai,” Abhira replied. “She loved Mr. Goenka so much. Unhe dukh pohonchega toh Mumma ko bura lagega na?”

“Heera, iss poori duniya mein, tujhse zyada Akshu ki family koi aur nahi hai. Tujhse zyada Akshu ne kisi se pyaar nahi kiya hai,” Abir stated, plain as fact that he knew it to be. “Mr. Goenka honge Akshu ke Bade Papa, lekin woh uske liye kabhi bhi tujhse zyada important nahi the.”

“Aap itna sure kaise ho sakte ho? Aapko kaise pata yeh sab?” Abhira questioned, sounding more like a child than Abir had ever heard her.

He rubbed her back in a soothing gesture before speaking. “Kyunki main bhi ek parent hoon. Aur mujhe pata hai. Jis tarah mere liye mere bachchon ke upar koi nahi hai, uss tarah Akshu ke liye bhi koi nahi tha. Aur phir, Akshu itne saal Goenkas se door rahi. Uss waqt mein sirf tu hi toh thi… Uska sab kuch. Itni pareshaani ke bawajood, itna sab khone ke baad bhi, Akshu ne apni life haste-haste nikaali sirf tujhe dekhke. Itna pyaar karti thi woh tujhse ki uske aage uske saare dukh aur dard pheeke pad gaye the. Tune usse phirse hasna sikhaya, jeena sikhaya. Toh phir, tujhse zyada zaroori uske liye koi aur kaise ho sakta hai?”

“Really?” Abhira whispered, almost reverentially.

“Really, really,” Abir assured her. “Aur phir, main sochta hoon… Main tujhse kitna zyada pyaar karta hoon. Kehne toh main shayar hoon, lekin mujhe nahi lagta ki main kabhi achche se express kar paunga ki tu mere liye kya hai. Aur mujhe yeh bhi pata hai ki mere dil mein tere liye jitna bhi pyaar hoga na, woh Akshu ke pyaar saamne pheeka hi padega. Toh agar main tujhse itna zyada pyaar karta hoon, toh soch Akshu kitna karti hogi?”

“I love you, Bade Papa,” Abhira choked out, hugging him tight, hiding her face in his chest.

“I love you, Heera,” Abir promised, holding her just as tight. He kissed the top of her head and rested his cheek against it, bathing in the glow of the relationship they shared.

“Itni tension mat le,” Abir added. “Wahaan upar aasmaan se, Akshu har waqt humein dekh rahi hai. Aur agar usse lagta ki tu kuch galat kar rahi hai, toh woh koi na koi sign zaroor deti. Lekin, usne kuch nahi kaha. So, I'm sure woh tere iss decision se khush hai.

Aur kal bhi, sab kuch theek hi hoga. Woh tera Khadoosmaan haina, bohot ziddi ho gaya hai aajkal. Woh tujhe haarne nahi dega. Aur teri Badi Maa aur Bade Papa bhi tujhe ladkhadane nahi denge. Baaki family bhi hai hum sabko sambhaalne. Tu bilkul fikr mat kar. Bas tu yeh soch, ki jab tujhe academy mil jaayegi, uske baad tujhe kya karna hai, kaise usse bilkul waisa banana hai jaisa Naira Di chaahti thi!”

Abhira nodded against his chest, somewhat mollified by his words. She knew that Abir would never lie to her, and if he was saying everything would be okay, then she would have to believe it. There was no other way.

— — —

Later that night, Mishti observed Abir as they both got ready for bed. Abir's hands moved with practised ease as he did Mishti's nighttime skin care routine for her, followed with their regular ritual of a champi. Yet, Mishti could see that Abir's mind was a million miles away. She waited for him to say something, but when he hadn't said anything by the time they got in bed to sleep, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

“Kya hua?” She asked softly, pulling Abir close as she wafted her fingers through his hair.

Abir sighed, melting into her embrace, seeking her touch. All these decades later, he never found the peace he found in her arms elsewhere. She was truly his ghar in every sense of the word. “Abhira aur Armaan ke baare mein soch raha tha.”

“Hmmmm,” Mishti hummed. “Koi khaas baat hai kya?”

“Bas woh… Abhira kal kya hoga yeh sochke tensed thi,” Abir explained. “Usse toh kisi tarah samjha diya, lekin mujhe bhi bohot bechaini ho rahi hai, Mishti. Kal kuch gadbad nahi hogi na?”

“Nahi hogi,” Mishti assured. “Tumhaare partner haina. Unhone kabhi humaare saath kuch galat kiya hai jo ab karenge? Aur waise bhi, tum hi kehte ho na… Zindagi hamesha mushkil hoti hai, humein strong banke rehna chahiye. Tumne har pareshaani ko face kiya hai, hamesha family ke liye, mere liye, hum sabke liye tum dhaal banke khade raho. Toh ab Abhira ki baari hai. Usse zaroorat hai humaari, Abir. We have to stay strong for her.”

“I know,” Abir agreed. “Aur isliye main darr raha hoon. Agar kal Mr. Goenka ne ya unki family mein se kisine bhi kuch ulta-seedha keh diya ya kar diya… Abhira ko kaise handle karenge? Pehle uski life mein kam problems chal rahi hain kya? Agar aur kuch ho gaya toh…”

“Toh kuch nahi,” Mishti interrupted. “Jaise itna sab handle kiya hai, yeh bhi handle kar lenge hum sab milke. Aur by the way… Yeh sab toh meri lines honi chahiye na? Tum kyun use kar rahe ho? Angry Chorni main hoon ya tum? Tumhaara department mujhe calm down karke samjhana hai ki situation itni buri nahi hai jitna main soch rahi hoon, not the other way round!! Aur phir, jab tak hum sab saath hain… Koi bhi problem aaye, milke handle kar hi lenge.”

“I hope you're right,” Abir whispered.

“I know I'm right,” Mishti countered, kissing the top of Abir's head. “Tumhe pata hai kyun? Kyunki tum mere saath ho. Aur jab tak hum dono saath haina, tab tak kuch bhi ho jaaye, end mein hum milke sab theek kar denge. Okay?”

“Okay,” Abir murmured.

“Aur tum zyada socho mat. Kal sab theek hoga. Heera ke saath hum sab honge, aur especially Maani bhi hoga. He'll handle it,” Mishti said. “Meri baat hui thi usse thode time pehle. Woh aur Krishi bohot confident hain ki kal sab humaare favour mein hoga.”

“Aajkal tum dono ki kuch zyada baatein nahi ho rahi?” Abir questioned. “Jab dekho Maani-Maani karti rehti ho.”

“Kyun? Tum jealous ho rahe ho?” Mishti laughed.

“Haan, bhai. Ab aise din aa gaye hain. Khudke bachchon se jealous hoon,” Abir admitted. “Pehle Baadal aur Tara, phir Hrishu, Raj, Ramya, aur Praju. Aur ab Heera aur Armaan. As if Nanko enough nahi tha jo itne aur bachche aa gaye. Tumhe na, humaare bachchon se fursat hi nahi milti.”

Mishti chuckled, pressing a quick kiss to his sulky pout. “Pata hai, Abir…” She started, and instantly, Abir's pout made way for a fond smile. He settled in, ready to listen to whatever it was she was about to say. All this time later, those three words were something he deeply cherished. Mishti joked that she no longer had need for her trusty diary because Abir was the living, breathing version of it. She never had to worry about him judging her. He always listened patiently to whatever she had to say, never once interrupting her. When she was done, he would simply hold her close, only giving advice if she asked for it. He never assumed that she was telling him anything so that he could provide a solution. Sometimes, she just needed to get those things off her chest, and he was always there to listen.

Just as he listened now, when she started talking. “Maani ko dekhti hoon na, toh khud ki yaad aati hai. Woh bilkul mere jaisa hai, Abir. Uski poori family ne usse ek outsider ki tarah treat kiya hai, isliye itne saalon mein woh kabhi pyaar aur ehsaan mein fark karna seekh hi nahi paaya. Usse lagta hai ki uski family ne usse accept karke uss pe koi bohot badi meherbaani kar di hai.

Isliye woh hamesha unki khushiyon ko apni khushiyon se zyada importance deta hai. Woh kabhi apni khudki priority hi nahi raha hai. Itne bade parivaar mein rehke bhi, usse kitna akela feel hua hai saari life. Madhav Ji, Manisha Ji, aur Manoj Ji usse pyaar zaroor karte hain, lekin kabhi uske liye stand nahi le paaye. Kamse kam mere paas Badi Maa aur Bade Papa the, jo hamesha mujhe prioritize karne ki koshish karte the. Armaan ke paas toh woh bhi nahi hai.

Tumhe yaad hai? Jab sab chaahte the ki main Nishant se shaadi kar lu, tab Badi Maa ne mera saath diya tha. Unhone ghar ki khushiyon ke upar meri khushiyon ko zyada importance di. Unhone mujhe himmat di taaki main apni life ka decision khud le saku, taaki main apni khushi chunn saku, tumhe chunn saku. Lekin, uss ghar mein, Armaan ke liye aise stand lene wala koi nahi hai, Abir.

Isliye usse kabhi apne baare mein sochne ki himmat hi nahi hai, kyunki usse pata tha ki agar woh kabhi khudke liye kuch chaahega, uska saath dene koi nahi hoga. Phir bhi, usne Abhira ko choose kiya. Usne bohot himmat dikhaayi hai yeh karke. Ab humein uski taaqat ban'na hoga, Abir. Taaki woh kabhi iss choice se, parivaar ke pressure mein aake, peeche na hate. Aur humein usse pyaar dena hoga, jo woh deserve karta hai. Usne apni poori life kabhi yeh feel hi nahi kiya hai ki parents ka pyaar kaisa hota hai. Humein usse woh pyaar, woh vishwaas… Sab kuch dena hai. Main usse woh sab dena chaahti hoon, jo main chaahti thi ki mujhe mile, but mila nahi. Tum mera saath doge na?”

“Yeh bhi koi poochne ki baat hai?” Abir asked in answer, talking through the lump in his throat. It was true. Armaan reminded him so much of Mishti. Not just because of what Mishti had said, but also in his mannerisms. He was a lot like the grumpy girl he'd fallen in love with a lifetime ago. Perhaps, that had also been one of the reasons why he had taken such a liking to the boy and had been so quick to forgive him for everything that had transpired between him & Abhira.

Armaan was his child now, just as much as Abhira was. And him & Mishti would be to the two of them what Badi Maa and Bade Papa had been to him & Mishti. He would not be the man he was today, the husband, father, and grandfather he'd grown up to be, if not for their influence and guidance.

For so long, Armaan & Abhira had only experienced the trauma that had been their inheritance from their parents, and perhaps also, their parents’ parents before them. But now, they would have only an inheritance of love and happiness that Abir & Mishti would bequeath to them, the same way that Badi Maa and Bade Papa had. It meant the world to Abir that he could do for someone else what they had done for him. If he could be half the man Bade Papa was, half the father he'd been to Abir, and impart a fraction of that love, wisdom, and support to Armaan & Abhira, he'd consider himself a good man. And a good man, he would be.

Originally posted by: Pinecone

Glad V is being ignored. I wanna see Armaan disown her .

Its nice that Abhira does feel upset at her moms poor choices..Abhira should be a tad angry at how Akshara hid so much from her for so many years. Its definitely cost her a childhood which wouldn't have been so lonely.

Oh definitely! Honestly in a way while I am glad Abhira was raised away from the influence of Goenkas, I'm also upset on her behalf cause she never knew her family. She deserved to know the truth!!

Originally posted by: ashsamik

Loving the story....

Keep writing....yes Akshara has done a lot of tyag for these people...but abhira should take everything that is hers from the Goyanka's...

Loved the poddar's interaction...the way armaan didn't respond to Vidya....

Continue soon.... waiting for the Singhania's and the Goyanka's reaction to Akshara's news..

Thank you so much!! Singhanias' reaction won't rlly be a part of the fic cause I'm not familiar with those characters to do proper justice to how they'd react in such a scenario, but Manish & Ruhi's reaction is coming up very soon. Hope you like it!

Look forward to goenkas ki dhulai !