It was so blissful to see our little kids having kids of their own.
Time flew really quick and my children and grandchildren grew up really quick." A nostalgic smile played at Naksh lips as he gazed around the room taking in the face of every member of his blissful family.
The family sat silent for a long time, soaking in every ounce of peace and solace they could find around them.
None of them wanted to voice out what was coming next.
So, everyone let them have their a little more share of the peaceful silence over there.
Abhira knew what was coming next, and she noticed Aradhana shifting slightly in her place.
It was a sore and sensitive topic for her and somehow even after so many years, she felt herself not courageous enough to encounter it again.
Abhira slightly nudged at Vansh's shoulder who was sitting beside her and a silent understanding passed between them.
Both of them silently hitched a plan to divert the conversation from what was coming next.
---
Vansh chimed, "Okay, I got whatever you guys told us about my maternal family. And I even got whatever you told us about your history.
But it's a slight confusing.
Dadu can you start from the starting of your family history? Like, from your birth or better if you start from pardadu and pardadi."
Abhira too was genuinely slightly confused about Naksh's family history and was glad that Vansh had voiced out her doubts too.
"Plus, Krish Maasa and Krishna Bumi are of similar age. Are they unidentical twins?" Abhira too poured out the doubts that had been clouding her mind.
Upon being addressed as Maasa and Bumi from her mouth, both the siblings turned to each other and then to Abhira, in unison.
A pleasant surprise lingering their faces.
Abhira suddenly sifted slightly under their constant gaze on her, slightly embarrassed at her blunt straightforwardness.
She shuttered slightly as she started to apologize immediately, "Voh, I didn't meant to........" but was cut off by the sibling duo.
"You can address us like that dear. It felt perfect." Krishna immediately uttered, stopping her midsentence.
"But since you are Nishi's child, you can call us Maamu and Maasi too; given Nishi is our youngest sibling." Krish chirped while planting a kiss on Aradhana's forehead.
Krishna smacked Krish's arm and scolded him with a slight sigh, "Stop confusing my child. She can address us, however she likes to."
"Okay, okay bhena. I didn't forced her, anyway." Krish replied rubbing the area on his arm where he got the smack, dramatically.
Then the sibling duo turned to Abhira.
"You can address us with whatever you like that dear. It will be perfect." Both uttered in perfect sync and hi – fied as they once again repeated their childhood habit.
Family passed Abhira a slight smile and nodded at her in affirmation.
Abhira too responded them with a warm and gentle smile, slightly relieved.
---
"Mamu and Maasi" she muttered, in a light whisper as her eyes turned slightly moist.
Broken but beautiful?? (14)
Start from the beginning
