Fanaa

1.6 Hamesha and forever

"Udaipur"

The whole table fell silent, Akshara could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

"Because of you, three lives were lost toda-"

"Princess, chalo why don't we have a tea party in your room." Vatsal was quick to distract Aaira and took her away.

Akshara's palms were clammy, she could feel her breaths getting quicker.

"Akshi breathe, focus on my voice"
She could faintly hear Di trying to coax her back.
"Come on now, count backwards with me"

"I'm okay, I'm okay now"
Akshara felt Di's worried gaze on her "I'm fine, I just wasn't expecting that."

"It will be fine, I'll talk to the teacher."
Di reassured her.
"We'll make it up to Aaira, maybe we can plan a family outing that day." Krish Bhaiya chipped in.

Akshara couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth overwhelm her, true to Di's words, they never asked her why she had left Udaipur or why she was alone in Rishikesh, she knew they had pieced together quite a lot - her nightmares and panic attacks made it very hard not to but they never questioned her, just continued to silently support her on the days she needed it the most.

How could she let her baby go to Udaipur, she knew Aaira would be disappointed, but Akshara needed to keep her daughter away from her past.

Including her father? Her conscious asked.

Growing up, Aaira like any other child had been curious, she had wanted to know why all the other children had fathers and she didn't.
Akshara had tried her best to explain it to Aaira, that Abhi and her were separated before Aaira had been born.
She had promised herself that she would always be truthful to her daughter, though it had been so tempting, especially seeing her baby's eyes fill with tears, the urge to bubble wrap her Aaira and protect her was so strong but she knew Aaira deserved the truth.

Akshara had tried so hard to let Abhi know about their little miracle, but he had refused to hear her, but that didn't mean she was going to take Aaira's choice away.
Because it was always going to be Aaira's choice whether she wanted to meet her father.

And now, Akshara knew what she had to do.

——————————————————————

Night's were her favourite, after a long tiring day, Akshara got to wind down listening to her little chatterbox go on about everything and nothing.

"Aaira, Mumma has to talk to you about something."
"Vatsal chachu made me do it."

"Its about your trip - Wait what did Vatsal chachu make you do?"

Aaira quickly yawned and jumped under the blanket "Uff I'm so tired, good night mumma"

"Aairaaa" Akshara shifted the blanket to reveal her little gremlin's impish smile.

"We ate the cookies in the cupboard"
"Aaira" Akshara let out an exasperated laugh, her daughter had a severe sweet tooth, just like her father.

"We will be having a talk about that in the morning, but for now, I need to tell you something"
"Whats up mumma"
"You know how your school trip is to Udaipur, well that's where your father lives."
Akshara watched as her daughter grew silent.
"Baby, do you want to meet him?"

Aaira's gaze turned thoughtful, before she finally hugged her mother and said - "No mumma, its me and you, hamesha and forever."

"Hamesha and forever, Akshu"

A/N :

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