Awakening Hearts

Chapter 15

The morning sun had barely begun to peek over the horizon when Kiara's eyes fluttered open, greeting the day with a quiet sense of anticipation. She descended the stairs, her steps light and curious, only to find the house already buzzing with activity. The sight of everyone gathered on the couch, a rare occurrence this early, prompted her to ask, "Everyone is awake today?"

Raman, with a playful roll of his eyes, replied, "This Shahneel Di woke me up at the crack of dawn and dragged me out for jogging." Shahneel's glare was sharp, but it only elicited chuckles from Kiara as she made her way to the kitchen, the heart of the home.

Shahneel followed suit, her voice carrying a hint of mischief as she inquired, "Kiki, is Shub still lost in dreams?" Kiara's nod was all the confirmation Shahneel needed as she tiptoed up to Shubman's room, where he lay in peaceful slumber.

With a conspiratorial grin, Shahneel filled a bucket with cold water, and Misha, Raman's sister, added two trays of ice to the chilly concoction. They approached the unsuspecting Shubman, and with a swift motion, Shahneel drenched him, eliciting a startled gasp and a bewildered cry of "TSUNAMI!!" from his lips. Shahneel's laughter echoed through the house as she made her escape, leaving Shubman to grumble and change into dry clothes.

Once downstairs, Shubman found Kiara lounging on the couch. Her offer of coffee was met with a grateful nod, and soon the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.