Shyam tried to curb down the sad feeling when his wife Priti ended her call with Khushi. His baby sister was traveling abroad for her work, and she didn't even inform him, let alone let him take her to the airport. To his mind, it was still unbearable to see her distance herself from him like this. But then, he knew why it was like this, he himself had been a reason why Khushi and their parents had asked Shyam to stay away from Khushi and thus, he(and by default Priti) left the house reluctantly.
Flashback from 3 years ago:
"Please tell me it's not true, bhai. PLEASE TELL ME YOU DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHY HE LEFT!" Khushi shouted, going near him.
"Baccha, I was just trying to protect you. "
"What did you say to him?" she asked in deathly cold voice.
"I just said you were better off without him. I didn't think he will actually leave. I was looking out for you gudiya, for your happiness."
"My happiness? How Bhai? by pushing my husband and child away from me? By ensuring my family is taken away from me?"
"I am also your family Khushi, I have raised you when maa-papa used to be away at work, you are like my child-"
"But you are not her parent, Shyam." Shashi angrily said, "We had asked you to look after her, not control her life! who gave you that right?"
"I should have intervened long ago, it is my mistake" Garima too disapprovingly said and Shyam realized he had indeed created a big mistake...albeit inadvertently, but surely.
End of flashback
--*--
Arnav was waiting for Aaradhya to wake up. It was a busy day at work today for him. There was some medical wellness workshop in their company today and him being a senior leader, was required to reach early. He used to take his baby to work where there was a creche facility for kids. They also had a playgroup in the same vicinity where the creche staff would take the kids and bring them back.
He finally felt her stir beside him, "good morning, baby" he said kissing her nose, making her giggle.
"Papa, you didn't say good morning to miss Fluffy." came her complaint.
Miss Fluffy was a cuddly soft toy that Aaradhya had brought with her from India. Actually, she didn't remember but it was Khushi who had brought it for her shortly before that incident and the then toddler Radha had immediately held onto it! It had stayed with her since then and she always sought comfort in its soft embrace, searching her mother's warmth in it in a way
"Hmm. I will. But you need to get up and get ready now, we have to leave soon."
Arnav said getting up and felt radha tug at his hand,
"Papa, when will I get my birthday wish fulfilled?" she asked as she had been since past week, since her birthday. And Arnav closed his eyes, knowing very well what her wish was.
"I want to meet my Mamma." she still repeated, "I really want to meet her papa. You said you will take me to her when I am grown up. See, i am big girl now, I turned 5 years-old, didn't I?
"radha" he tried to reason but she was not having any of it
"Please papa. please."
"Baby, you're my good girl, right? Papa is really getting late for work now. We'll talk about it later, ok? come on, get up now." saying so he dismissed her with a heavy heart and left to make their breakfast.
