Infinite

Epilogue

The garden at the Raizada mansion was crammed with people - kids and adults alike for the celebration of the fourth birthday of Muskaan. Lavishly decorated with flowers, balloons and all things pink and princessy, the gardens looked like a little girl's fairytale dream come true. They had also erected a castle like structure for the kids to play in where all the little attendees had flocked to the moment they had spotted it.

With the exception of the birthday girl herself, that is.

Clad in the laciest and prettiest gown in pale pink, Muskaan was tailing Ahaan, who had a hard time keeping with her and also being with his friends. He loved Muskaan but he also didn't want to be teased by his friends for playing with babies. So he called Riddhi and asked her to take Muskaan with her for a while.

Suddenly, the shrill voice of Muskaan calling out to her rang in Khushi's ears as she saw her daughter run towards her crying profusely.

"Amma!"

Khushi looked up from where she was getting the table set up.

"What is it, Muskaan? Aap ro kyu rahe ho (why are you crying)?" She asked, her voice laced with concern. She crouched down and checked her daughter's hands and legs trying to see if she hurt herself. Finding nothing, "What is it, baby?"

"Ahaan..."

"What happened to Ahaan?"

"He is not playing with her," Riddhi finished coming to stand next to Muskaan. Riddhi held her hands and said, "Come on Muskaan, main hoon na. My friends don't mind playing with you."

"Yes baby. Why don't you go and play with Riddhi?"

But Muskaan seemed to have made her mind up that she wanted to play with them all and said so.

Ahaan reached their side just as the girls finished complaining. He  watched helplessly as Muskaan cried a little more after seeing him. Quickly gathering Muskaan up in his arms, he turned pleading eyes to Khushi. "Mami, please ask her not to cry. I feel terrible."

"Muskaan," Khushi reached out trying to take her from him but she clung more to his shoulders turning away from Khushi.

"It's ok, Mami. I will take her with me. It's her birthday after all. And she gets all the priority," Ahaan said but Khushi stopped him.

"Muskaan, do you want to talk to Papa? Amma is going to call him right now." Khushi enticed her with something she would never refuse. She was her daddy's little girl after all.

In an instant, Muskaan slid down from Ahaan. Khushi smiled and asked Ahaan and Riddhi to go join their friends while she took her phone from the table, calling Arnav on video.

"Arnav ji"

"Papa..."

"Hello, you two," Arnav said, a warm smile etched on his face. Their voices, just the tone of it awakened his senses, filling him with joy in a violent rush.

"What are my babies doing?" Arnav asked in his softest voice.

"Papa, aap kahan ho(where are you)?"

"Haan, Arnav ji. Where are you? You should have been here by now."

"Khushi I don't think I can make it. There's been an accident on the highway and I'm stuck in between with no movement in the past hour."

"Arnavji... this is why I tell you not to have any travel on days like this."

"Khushi, I had everything planned. This accident isn't my fault. I wouldn't do that to her. Anyway, her birthday actually is tomorrow and you know I have already taken the day off."