Kya Huaa (completed ✔)

II. Chocolate and Vanilla

It was another bright day in Goenka Villa, The day when Kairav, Vansh, Krishna and Vatsal were about to return from the hostel. Akshara and Aarohi - after a lot of pleadings - finally managed to convince their mother to get a day off from school.

Akshara was baking a cake while Aarohi was busy in the decorations to welcome her sibling and cousins. The night earlier, Akshara and her had also made few welcome cards for Vansh, Kairav and Krishna. While Aarohi decided to gift her favourite video-game set to Vatsal which completely shocked the family, because these two most junior Goenkas were always at loggerheads.

Kaira, were continuously making calls to check about the children's whereabouts. They were about to return yesterday but Vatsal had to give an important test and it didn't seem appropriate for the older cousins to come back without their younger brother when it's only matter of a day.

XX

Akshara was just giving touch-ups to the cake, while Naira entered the kitchen. Naira side-hugged Akshara.

Naira - Wow, Akshu! Cake toh bohot sundar hai aur ye design bhi!

Naira saw Akshara's eyes shining up. She felt sad for not giving proper attention to Akshara due to Aarohi's issues. Her daughter just needed few words of compliments and that would be the highlights of her day. Her heart pained at this thought, Akshara was her first daughter, named after her late mother, Kaira had dreamt about many things for her but they ended up giving nothing.

Their daughter had to shut her emotions. Akshara was the first one which made Kaira feel official parents of a daughter, after their daughter - Kaira had left them in a mishap.

Naira silently absorbed her tears. And the cake caught her attention, and she slightly peeked into the detailing of the cake. The cake had 4 shades of flavour - Mango, Strawberry, Vanilla and Chocolate. The chocolate flavour shared the major portion of the cake, alone covering about 50% of it.

She knew that Vatsal and Kairav loved mango flavour the most, Krishna loved strawberry, Akshara and Vansh's favourite was Vanilla. That leaves, Aarohi and Krish. And she knew, Aarohi and Krish loved chocolate flavour. Krish is not present here, he's abroad that directly means Akshara made the major portion for...Aarohi. Then a small cut-out of the Goenka cousins was placed on the cake, which was especially took on Aarohi's birthday.

Naira realised this, and looked at Akshara with moist eyes - who was busy in adding sprinkles on the cake, the other thing which Aarohi loved the most.

Akshara - Mumma mujhe na Mimi ke paas jaana hai unse ek kaam hai tab tak aap mere cake ko fridge mei rakh do na!

Naira, nodded and Akshara left.

Naira - Mujhe pata tha Akshu aap apni behen se aaj bhi bohot pyaar karte ho! Bas mujhe aapki usse dur rehne ki wajah pata chal jaaye, I promise meri choti sherni mai sab thik kar dungi!

XX

Kartik Goenka, finally took out some time for him and his wife and entered their room. His grin turned into a frown, when he saw Naira all worried at the corner of the bed.

Kartik - Kya huaa, meri sherni?

Naira - Kartik! Humne Akshu pe dhyaan nhi diya na

Kartik - Kya huaa hai? Aisa kyu bol rahi ho?

Naira - Kartik humari beti, wo itni khaali ho gayi hai akeli ho gayi maa hu uski mai sab samajhti hu ki dil mei kya hai! Aur kahi na kahi hum sab Aaru ko zyada prioritise karte rahe usse zyada pyaar aur concern dete rahe aur humari bacchi chup chap sehti rahi ab toh usse koi shikayat bhi nhi rehti!