Do We Change?

● Game of Fate

"Aaru is getting married"

As Akshara Birla made the announcement , the entire Birla Dinning hall fell quiet . Manjiri Birla , who had been serving the family their breakfast, stopped in the middle with serving spoon hanging in her hand , midway in the air. She looked at her daughter in a perplexed stare of confusion and grief .

Harsh Birla , had for once in his life, stopped his early morning discussion of profits and losses and looked up to the wife of his son .

Abhimanyu Birla dared not to look up to his wife and preferred to stare at his plate , though Akshara could see a tinge of guilt in his eyes .

As the whole family stared perplexed at the Goenka-turned-Birla , a sound of a dropping spoon reverberated across the hall and the entire family 's attention registered upon their youngest son - Neil Birla . There sat Neil, at the far corner of the table holding it with both of his hand , eyes downcast and moist , threatening to break flow any second .
"Excuse me" he said in a cracking voice that easily gave away . And within seconds he was out from there .
Manjiri stood there looking at the door from where here son just left .
"Akshu...." she turned towards her daughter in law .

" What Maa! He deserved that ..." Akshara replied looking coldly at the seat , occupied by her brother in law just seconds ago . She loved him , really did , but after what he did to her sister , or may be was made to do ......

You see , marriage is not shocking news at all . And the Birlas wouldn't have reacted in this way if the news was of any other's .But Aarohi Goenka 's marriage was something that hit the Birlas .
Twice had she been decked up in her bridal gear to be a Birla wife and twice had been her hopes shattered . The second one even worse ,taking turns the Birlas(or even the Goenkas) could never think of .
" Well...Congratulations to her , I suppose..." a awkward and unsure voice of Abhimanyu broke the even worse silence .
Aakshara looked at her husband in disbelief. She had never thought her husband can do any wrong , but from that day she did. If only she didn't love her husband this much she would have .......

Manjiri sighed seeing the two . Life hadn't been the best for her elder son either. The past two years were passed in a turmoil but Aarohi remained a sensitive topic between the two .

Aarohi Goenka , her twice 'to-be'daughter in law . Even though she knew her flaws and known she caused her accident, she couldn't bring about herself hating that girl. In those emotionless eyes that she bore , Manjiri had seen the craving for affection and acceptance. And for that she had supported Neil , when he confessed his love for Aarohi . But things took different turns on their wedding day . With Abhimanyu making Neil conflict upon his decision , and Neil's short escapade and Aarohi's ....
Well things did take an unexpectedly adverse turn . She remembered that night , when Neil cried in her lap , cursing him , she remembered the guilt in Abhimanyu's face , she remembered Akshara yelling at Neil, she remembered the almost lifeless form of Aarohi . She remembered everything.

No more words exchanged, the Birlas had completed their breakfast and left for breakfast. And it late that afternoon , when Aakshara found an utterly devastated Neil in his room. She , then felt , guilty. She knew her devar loved her sister and perhaps she was wrong in breaking the news in this way ...
" Who is he ?" Aakshara was broken from her voice by the sudden voice of Neil , asking about the groom .
Aakshara looked at him , still facing the window ..." A friend... I.. I don't know for sure ..."
"Oh"
That's when Aakshara realized that may be she had misunderstood Neil , all the while . As she looked at the broken man in front of her , she realized that perhaps their present was not his fault .

They are just in a game of fate .