MANAN - Cloud with a Silver Lining

30.1 - Silver linings of the Future

Hey Bud, how's my favorite person in the world doing?

Nandini asked a year old Aaban who squalled in happiness and replied in gibberish. On the other hand little Dhwani sat next to him with a sad pout and tears almost building up in those big fat eyes seeing her favorite aunt not talking to her rather entertaining her 15-min elder brother. But Nandini was their favorite for a reason, the sooner she got an inkling of Dhwani being at the edge of breaking into sobs to get her attention, Nandini picked her up and swung her round.

The result – Now Aaban wanted the attention and was on same place his 15 min younger sister was about a minute ago.

But again, Nandini was their favorite aunt whom they were meeting after three long months and these two little munchkins were her lifelines, so crying and being sad was a BIG FAT NO, just not allowed. She carefully placed Dhwani back on the bed and started talking to both in the language that only the three of them could understand. The room was filled with giggles and laughter just like every other time when Aunt Nandini visited.

The kids were everyone's favourites. The youngest in the group, the eldest of their generation; they were a bunch of '-ests, for instance, best, cutest, chubbiest, tiniest, adorablest; shriek that's not a word but you get the feel right. They were not just Nandini's but the entire gang's lifeline.

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It was in the ultrasound done in the six month of the pregnancy just after Navya's operation that gang came to know about the twins. Though Dhruv and Alya knew about it about three months earlier, they skipped sharing the information with everyone and well they had their reasons. While on the face of it everything looked picture perfect, they had successfully hidden the disapproval of their parents with regards to having a child out of wedlock. They wanted to break the news of the twins only when everything was sorted. A few days after Navya's operation, Alya's health started deteriorating. First the wedding, then Navya's state and no to forgot constant feeling of their parent not being happy with their decision took a toll on her health leading to her fainting in Navya's room when they were visiting her. That day the gang came to know about the gravity of the situation and also the fact it is two angels that are arriving and not one. That was also the day, when Manik lashed out on Alya and Dhruv for not telling then about the discord with their parents. They according to him acted stupidly by keeping it all to themselves and everyone agreed. Cabir too pointed out how both of them failed to apply the lessons recent past has taught them. Navya's illness, Manik's pain, Nandini's fear and everything else that had transpired in the past had taught them one thing that sharing the pain and troubles with your people not just lessens it but also at times craft a path to come out of it.

Had Dhruv and Alia shared the problems, the gang would have collectively looked out of the solution. But better late than never, the day they came to know about the issue with the parent, they immediately asked Dadi and Amms to intervene. Over the years their families had come very close to each other with Dadi and Amms being two elderly members of the generation, Ghar ke Bade, and it made all the sense for them to speak with Dhruv and Alya's parents. Amms flew down to Mumbai and together with all the adults they went to Dhruv's parental place where Alya's were called over. Dadi and Amms then spoke to them and made them understand that the society they have been fussing over will talk more if the half-hearted marriage doesn't work out, for Kuch toh log kahenge, logon ka kaam hain kehena. They also pointed out how in the quest of pleasing the so called society they are doing injustice to their kids whom they love to the core and who are a part of them. Little did they knew that Vedant's and Saxena's had already accepted their off spring's choice long back but hesitated in voicing that out loud. However, the moment they came to know the after effect on Alya's and their grand children's health, all the hesitation flew out of the window. The parents decided to stay with Dhruv and Alya at their home to take care of Alya since she needed them now more than ever. They apologized for missing out on the joy all these months but Dadi shrugged it off saying, Anth Bhala toh sabh bhala.