Fanaa

1.9 Calm before the storm

Udaipur

Kaira's POV

Singhania House

Singhania house stood before her looming and as always it left her awestruck, the years had hardly taken away its beauty.
As she walked through the halls, making sure the rooms were ready for her family, she couldn't help the hope that bloomed in her heart.

The walls of this house were filled with pictures of the ones they had lost and the air was stale with grief, but today she could swear she heard her mumma's laughter echoing down the hallways.

Maybe just maybe, this house could be their home once again.

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Akshara's POV

Udaipur
Later that night

Akshara gently brushed her finger's through Aaira's hair, stroking her head to sleep. Her baby had grown silent as the day passed, the adrenaline of the day wearing off.

"Aaira, you are okay na? Is something wrong bacha?"

Aaira snuggled into her tightly and mumbled,"I got scared, when the car came, I got very scared."

Akshara felt her heart give a tug, her poor baby, the events of the day were finally catching upto her.

Akshara kissed Aaira's forehead and held her close, "I know baby, I'm right here okay, you're safe now."

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The next morning, Akshara woke up to find her little methidana sprawled all over. After getting herself and Aaira ready for the day,
she made her way downstairs, only to find that her entire family at the breakfast table.

She knew everyone was still reeling from yesterday, she herself hadn't quite processed it yet.
It seemed it didn't matter how many years had passed, Abhimanyu would always affect her, her heart was truly a foolish creature.
But none of that mattered, all that mattered was her daughter and she would do right by her.

"Arrey princess is up so early today?" Choti Dadi asked.

"What to tell you Choti dadi, mumma was snoring all night long, I couldn't sleep only." Aaira teased her mumma, skipping down the stairs.

"Acha ji, I was the one snoring and who was the one kicking me all night long?" Akshara asked with her hands on her hips.

"Woh kya hai na mumma, I was a ninja princess in my dream and I was full on beating up the bad guys" Aaira sheepishly said.

The elders shook their heads in laughter, while Bhabhi maa said, "Yeh loh, even the youngest member of our house has woken up, don't know when our laad sahab will grace us with his presence."

"I'll go wake Vatsal Chachu up." Aaira was quick to her feet, her naughty little mind already cooking up ways to get back at her Vatsal Chachu who had eaten her cookies.

Krish quickly intercepted her, and brought her to the table, "Pehle aap, yeh pancakes kha lo."

"Yay Nanu's pancakes!"

While the elders kept Aaira busy, Akshara walked to the garden with two cups of chai, knowing that she would find her sister by the swings.

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Kaira was gently swinging herself, when she felt Akshara take a seat by her, holding a cup of chai in her hand.

"Chai?"
"Yes please"

The two sisters sipped their chai quietly, before Kaira looked at Akshara and asked, "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine" Akshara's reply was instantaneous.

Di looked at her pointedly and said,  "Wanna try that again?"

Akshara let out a deep sigh, "Okay I'm not, but I will be. I wasn't expecting the truth to come out like that and while I knew this day would come, it doesn't make it any less jarring." She stayed quite for a minute, and then continued, " I think I should talk to Abhimanyu, what ever happened it was between us, I don't want it to affect Aaira, and I would rather she hears the truth from us than anyone else."

Di squeezed her hand and said, " I know your thinking like a mother right now, and I understand where your coming from and your right, Aaira deserves to know the truth from her parents, but you are my sister, and I'm worried about you, you have a habit of suppressing everything inside, and I know yesterday has opened a lot of wounds for you, I'm not going to force you, but bacha you need to talk it out okay, and I'm here whenever your ready."

"I know." Akshara gently rested her head on Di's shoulders and the two sisters gently swayed with the wind. 
She wasn't ready to talk about it now, she didn't know if she ever would be. The events of that day threatened to flood her memories and Akshara forced her barriers up. One day at a time, she was going to take it one day at a time.

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The sisters made their way inside the house, only to find that the atmosphere had turned tense. Akshara felt the pit of dread in her grow, something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

"What's wrong?"
"This came in the mail just now", and Krish handed Akshara an envelope.

Akshara went through the contents of the pages and felt her heart stop. This couldn't be happening, this could not be happening.

"What is it?" Kaira asked an unresponsive Akshara, and took the papers from her.

"It's a notice from the court, from the Birla's, seeking primary custody of Aaira."

A/N : Court drama lesss gooo
So the birla's have claimed primary custody, how many of you saw this coming? tbh court drama's do serve.

I have my unis going now, so I just wanted to let you know that updates might be a bit scattered.

Also a huge thank you to everyone who voted, this story got #1 on Akshara birla and honestly made my day 💜

Do comment, would love to ready your thoughts and suggestions <3