Fanaa

1.18 Bigger than the whole sky

Singhania House, Udaipur

"Aaira" Akshara called out to the dimly lit figure sitting infront of the piano.
She gently took a seat beside her baby, who still had her head bowed refusing to look at her.

"Aaira, baby mumma ke taraf dekho please" she gently raised her chin, only to see tears falling down Aaira's cheeks, her eyes brimming with sadness and heartbreak.

"Oh bacha" Akshara wiped her cheeks before tugging Aaira into her arms, holding her close.
"Mumma, don't leave me please"
Akshara felt her own cheeks getting damp, God it hurt, she could feel her heart ripping into pieces. Akshara's chemo therapy had started and while the doctors kept telling her to keep faith, anyone could tell that Akshara's health was deteriorating. And with that she realised it was time to tell Aaira the truth. She wanted to prepare her daughter for her death. Wanted to make sure that Aaira would have closure. She wanted to be her daughter's strength, her memories should not be an open wound for Aaira.

"Look at me, I'm not leaving you, I never will, you know why ? Because I will always be in your heart. The people who we love never leave us Aaira, they live on in our hearts, in our memories."
Aaira shook her head, snuggling deeper into her chest.
Akshara took a deep breath, she wanted, no needed her daughter to know how much she loved her. "You know Aaira, I never thought I could love someone so much till you came along, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. Mumma has made a lot of mistakes, my actions have hurt others, but you, my love, are the one thing I did right. When I saw you for the first time, and your little finger tugged mine, I thought if something so pure and so good could from me, then maybe just maybe there's hope for me after all."

Aaira raised her eyes, sniffling "I love you too mumma"

Akshara pressed a kiss to Aaira's crown, before brushing her fingers down the tabs of the piano,
"Teri Aankhon mein duniya ke sab taare shaamil hai
Tu toh tukhda nahi hai, dil ka tu poora dil hai"
And Aaira joined her "jo hathon se choota tha, sapna pehle toota tha
Tootha sapna hoke apna phir jud jaatha hain"

Akshara let out a watery smile, music had been the thread that had connected her to her Naira mumma and she had been fortunate enough to share the same with her own daughter, life coming full circle allowing her to experience the bond between mother and daughter.

——————————————————————

"Di, can I come in" Akshara knocked on Kaira Di's door.

"Are you okay? Is everything okay? Why aren't you resting? Akshi, you should be resting" Di fired questions at her rapidly.

"I'm okay, eveything is okay, I just wanted to talk to you" Akshara held Di by the shoulders, calming her down. Ever since the chemo started, Di had been extra protective, not allowing her to even move an inch unless it was warranted.

"I wanted to give you this" Akshara gently handed a box to Kaira.

"What's this"
"Open it"

Kaira opened the box, only to come across a stash of letters addressed to Aaira,one for each of her birthday's till she turned 18.

Kaira's eyes filed with tears, "A-Akshi"
"There are more, I wanted to write one for her wedding day and one for when she has her own child, I-I wanted to write so many more, but I figured these were a good start."
Akshara continued before grasping her sister's hands.

"I know you will love and take care of Aaira, so I'm not worried about that, I'm worried about you - you have spent your whole life dedicated to this family, but it's time you put yourself out there. Promise me that you will open yourself to love."

"Akshi, you're being stupid and I won't have this conversation with you, nothing is going to happen to you, so none of this goodbye shit." Kaira furiously said.

Akshara chucked softly, "That's because this isn't a goodbye, it's a see you soon." Akshara's smile grew wider, all her life, she had craved that feeling of sisterhood, and once Kaira Di had come along, she truly had been Akshara's fiercest protector.
"I didn't get to grow up being a mumma's girl or papa's girl, but I am my big sister's girl, and if what they say is true, and we do get to choose to be reborn again, I'll always come back as your little sister."

A/N -
a short chapter filled with just my 3 fav girls😭💜

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