A Secret She Carried [REWRITTEN]

CHAPTER TWO

"Arjun, Ayan breakfast is ready," Sapna called out to her twin sons as she gently placed the tray of hot chocolate pancakes on the dining table carefully making sure she didn't knock down the tiny flower vase that she had placed on the center of the table. How the poor thing manage to survive for so long with two five-year-olds running around all day was beyond her.

It was a special day for the boys and she wanted to make it even more special by preparing their favorite breakfast. On any other day, she would never think of feeding chocolate to her twins early in the morning but for today it was allowed. June 28th was the day when God had blessed her with two precious gems that brought in so much happiness in her life she could ever ask for.

"Coming, Mommy!" The boys shouted in unison as they put away their toys and ran to the kitchen racing with each other like they always do. Ayan was the first one to enter the kitchen followed by Arjun. "I'm first," Arjun declared as he climbed on his chair first. "But I came here first." Ayan protested looking almost disappointed.

"Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday Dear Babies

Happy Birthday to You."

She sang happily, clapping her hands encouraging them to clap with her, to cheer them up. She didn't like it when either of them got even a little upset, especially Ayan who was always the one to be upset because of his soft nature. Her motherly instincts would always step in and she would end up distracting them with something or the other.

Ayan hopped down his chair and ran up to her and wrapped his little arms around her, "Thank you, Mommy!" He chirped happily, flashing her his cute dimples which he inherited from her. Arjun hopped down from his chair as well and joined the party. 'A big happy family.' She thought as she wrapped her arms around both her babies.

"Okay boys now how about some breakfast?" She helped the boys into their chairs and served them both three large pancakes each. The boys cheered and laughed as they dug into the yummy breakfast. She pulled out a chair for herself and sat down to watch them eat, something she did every day no matter how busy she was, she always had time for her children.

"Mommy, we want to play in the slides, can we go to the park today?" Arjun asked hopefully as he looked up at her expectantly. She gave him a broad reassuring smile, "Of course baby! Today Mommy does not have to go to work so Mommy will be with her babies all day long and in the evening we all can go to the park. Do you want to take Maya Didi as well?" She asked and the twins nodded.

"And then we can go for ice cream?" Ayan asked hopefully. Sapna smiled at her boys silently wondering how much her life had changed in the past five years. Moving to a new town pregnant and alone was something she had never thought of and yet here she was, a twenty-seven-year-old single Mom raising two little boys all on her own.

Her mother would have been proud of her if she had seen her now. Her mother was the only person who had always appreciated even the tiny effort she made. But getting pregnant without a husband was something she might have never encouraged. After all, why would any mother want to see her daughter struggle for the rest of her life in a society that did not respect single mothers?

"Mommy where are our presents?" Arjun eagerly asked as he munched on his favorite pancakes. "Yes, Mommy when will we get our presents?" Ayan asked in a soft shy tone. Ayan was more like her shy and quiet, he loved being on his own and he was a sweet little boy. Arjun was polar opposite from his twin, he was sharp, outgoing and a very-very angry kid. Something he had picked from his father. But one thing they had in common was their face; they both looked completely alike and looked like a carbon copy of their father.