Finally Home | ✓

Chapter 26 | an angry daughter

 "I don't want you."

• ♡ •

"Advi, I am sorry. Come on now, you really don't want to go to play?" Heer asked Advika. She had tried everything to get Advika to warm up to her but her little girl was adamant. From making her cupcakes and cookies to being cute around her. She had even tried bribing her with a movie night out. Yet, Advika didn't give up being cross with her.

"I don't want to," Advika mumbled getting off the sofa where Heer had just taken a seat beside her.

"Come on, Advi, now forgive mom. Please," Heer spoke pulling Advika into her arms and then placing a kiss on her cheek.

"I don't want to play with you," Advika said angrily.

"Okay, then I am going to go play with Aadi..." Heer tried again, perhaps the jealousy worked in her favor.

Advika stared at her with a frown. "Okay, go. I don't want you. I have Paa and I don't want anyone." She hollered in a high pitch and ran off to her room. Her words were like a hard slap on Heer's face. She glanced up to find Kabir staring at her. 

"Heer, Advika didn't mean that," Kabir spoke noticing the tears that had formed in Heer's eyes.

"Yeah, I know," Heer said softly her lips settling into a tight line. She silently made her way to her room. Did Advika really not mean it? This was a possiblity that Heer had been running away from. At one point or another, this was bound to happen. No matter what happened the fact that she was Advika's stepmother would always remain a truth. Her heart twisted in pain. 

* * *

Kabir walked into his daughter's room to find her sprawled on the bed, her face buried into her soft pillow. "Advi, is that the way to talk to mom?" He spoke, his voice stern.

"Advika, I am talking to you," he spoke sitting beside her. "Get up, look at me,"

"Advika!" He called his daughter's name ina  disappointed voice.

She looked up from the pillow with puffy eyes. "I don't want her!"

"Advika," his voice was soft as he pulled her up, getting his little girl to hug him. 

"She doesn't have time for me.." the girl sobbed. Kabir wrapped his arms around his little girl's petite frame, rubbing her back to comfort her as she sobbed incessantly. "She doesn't love me, I don't want her."

Kabir's heart ached. He was relieved that Heer wasn't around to hear that again. "Advi, she is your mother." He said softly.

"She is not, Mumma was. Why did she have to leave us, Paa?" She cried and Kabir had never felt so vulnerable. Advika's tears and pain was something he couldn't deal with. He held her close placing a kiss on her head. 

"You remember what Naani had told you? She had said God called Mumma to be an angel. And Angels are always there for us, help us and do magic for us. That's why you have your new Mumma." Kabir consoled her.

"Advi, we both are blessed to have Heer in our lives. She loves you, very much. She cares for you like mumma did. She is your mother, Advi. I know you're upset that she doesn't spend much time with you. But she is your mother, Advika. You hurt her saying that you don't want her to be with you." Kabir explained.

Advika rubbed her reddened cheeks wiping her tears. She sat on his lap and rested her face against his chest. Her sobs had faded but she sat silently lost in her thoughts.