Shadow of redemption

Aaravi's family

Hello everyone welcome to new chapter ☺️☺️☺️

Aaravi had just wrapped up a tiring day at Hope Hospital, where she worked tirelessly for her patients. It was past 8 pm, and her stomach was growling with hunger. She paced impatiently in front of the hospital entrance, waiting for her brother, Aryan, to come pick her up, as he did every day. But tonight, he was late.

Her assistant, Meera, approached her with a concerned expression. 
“Dr. Aaravi, it's getting late. Why don’t I drop you home?” Meera suggested, holding out her car keys. 
Aaravi shook her head firmly. "No way, Meera. Aryan bhai  always  picks me up. He knows I’m waiting. I'll wait," she said stubbornly, though her stomach made another angry growl.

After what felt like an eternity, Aryan finally arrived, his car screeching to a halt. He rolled down the window with an apologetic smile. 
"Sorry, little one! The traffic was insane," he explained, hoping it would smooth things over.

Aaravi crossed her arms and shot him a fiery look. "Traffic?! You always blame the traffic. Do you even know how  hungry  I am right now? I could faint! No—wait— I’m dying , bhai!" she exaggerated dramatically, stomping her foot like a child.

Aryan chuckled, knowing his sister’s antics all too well. "Come on, Aaravi, don't be mad. I’ll make it up to you. I promise." 
But Aaravi wasn’t having it. She threw a mock tantrum, turning her face away from him as she sat sulkily in the passenger seat. 
"I'm not talking to you," she huffed, though Aryan could see her stealing glances at him from the corner of her eye.

On the drive home, Aryan kept trying to win her over. 
"Bhai, how about this? You can pick the movie for our movie night!" Aryan offered. 
"Movie night? I’m too weak for a movie now, thanks to your horrible timing. I might not even live to see the end of the week," Aaravi said, keeping her arms crossed. 
Aryan laughed again. "Come on, don’t be so dramatic!"

When they finally reached home, Aaravi stormed inside, her face still scrunched in fake anger. In the living room, Mr. Rajesh Kapoor, her father and co-founder of Hope Hospital, was seated on the couch with Mrs. Priya Kapoor, her mother, a housewife who had recently started helping Aryan with his interior design projects. Both parents were casually reading and watching TV when Aaravi walked in like a tornado of complaints.

“Mom! Papa!” she whined, dropping her head onto her mother’s lap. "Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?  Bhai  has no sense of time! And I’m starving! I might faint any second!" 
Mrs. Priya stroked Aaravi’s hair with a smile. “Aww, my poor baby. Aryan, how could you leave her waiting like this?” 
Rajesh Kapoor chuckled softly. “She’s starving, Aryan. What if our little princess gets sick because of hunger?” he teased, siding with his daughter.

Aryan, still standing in the doorway, tried to defend himself. "The traffic was terrible! I couldn’t do anything about it!" 
Just then, Riya, Aryan’s wife, walked into the room with a grin. “He's always late, isn’t he? Even on our dates! He forgets all his commitments,” she said playfully, siding with Aaravi.

Aaravi sat up, pointing a triumphant finger at Aryan. "See! Even  Riya bhabhi  knows you’re always late! What do you have to say now, Mister 'I’ll pick you up on time'?" 
Aryan threw his hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, I’m guilty! I’ll make it up to you. How about... I cook dinner tonight?”

Aaravi's eyes lit up immediately. "Really?  Bhai  cooking dinner? You’re in for a long night!" she teased. 
Priya Kapoor chimed in, laughing, “Yes, Aryan. Why don’t you take over the kitchen tonight? Aaravi deserves a special meal after such a long day.”

Aaravi excitedly jumped up and began pretending to hand him a menu. “Okay! Here’s what I want:  Paneer butter masala ,  aloo paratha ,  dahi bhalla , and  gajar ka halwa  for dessert!" 
Aryan raised an eyebrow, grinning. “You’ve got to be kidding. That’s an entire feast!” 
Riya, laughing at her husband's helpless expression, patted him on the back. "You asked for it, Aryan. Now get to work!"

Soon, the house was filled with the delicious aroma of Aryan's cooking. Aaravi, no longer angry, stood by the kitchen doorway, watching him struggle with a mischievous grin on her face. 
“You sure you got that much salt, bhai? Looks a little bland to me,” she teased. 
Aryan shot her a playful glare. “Aaravi, do you want me to cook or not?”

After dinner, when everyone was seated back in the living room, enjoying the  gajar ka halwa  that Riya had made, Aaravi began discussing one of her cases with her father. 
“So, Papa, today I had this really complex case…,” Aaravi started, but mid-sentence, her voice trailed off as exhaustion from the day finally caught up with her. Her head gently slumped onto Rajesh Kapoor's lap as she fell asleep.

Priya Kapoor smiled warmly at her daughter. “Looks like someone’s all tired out,” she whispered. 
Rajesh Kapoor, stroking Aaravi's hair gently, nodded. “Let her rest. She works too hard.”

The room fell into a peaceful silence, filled with the warmth of family, as everyone quietly enjoyed the moment.

As Aryan carefully picked Aaravi up in his arms, her face pressed against his chest, a wave of protectiveness washed over him. Her small, tired body reminded him of how fragile she still seemed, despite being a renowned doctor. The rest of the family followed quietly as he carried her upstairs to her room. Her soft breathing was the only sound that filled the air.

Riya was the first to step forward once Aryan laid her gently on the bed. She pulled the blanket up to Aaravi’s chin, tucking her in just the way Aaravi liked it. Mrs. Priya Kapoor sat on the edge of the bed and, as though it were second nature, Aaravi’s hand reached for her mother’s, clutching it tightly like a child seeking comfort. The peacefulness on Aaravi’s face made everyone’s heart swell with affection.

Mrs. Priya Kapoor smiled softly, brushing a stray lock of hair away from Aaravi’s forehead. “She still clings to me like she used to when she was little,” she whispered, her voice filled with love.

Mr. Rajesh Kapoor, standing nearby, placed a gentle kiss on his daughter’s forehead. “She is the glue that holds us all together,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

One by one, they each kissed Aaravi’s forehead, cherishing the moment. As they left the room quietly, they shared a smile, united in their love for the girl who had healed their broken hearts.

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