Page 112

Everyone bursts into laughter, including Ayaan. It strikes me how natural this feels—being surrounded by family, sharing jokes, planning futures. Just hours ago, I was in New York, and now, here I am, slipping into the rhythm of family life, as if I never left.

“Vishnu, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it there today to welcome you,” Ayaan says, his voice turning serious. “But Dad and I will be coming tomorrow. We have a lot to catch up on.”

“I am looking forward to it,” I reply, meaning it.

The call ends with a few more light-hearted exchanges, leaving the room brimming with warmth.

“Can someone check if Pratap uncle has finished his call? We can have dinner together then,” Devika tells the housekeeper, who nods and leaves quietly.

“Where’s Simran?” Aksh asks, glancing around.

“She’s nursing Veer,” I explain, running a hand through my hair. “He’s pretty cranky and won’t let her rest until he’s asleep.”

Devika sighs knowingly. “Been through that. I understand completely. Those are tough moments, but they pass. It gets easier afterwards.”

“You know what I was thinking?” Meher pipes up, a teasing glint in her eye. “Before, if I wanted something from Aksh bhai, all I had to do was tell Devika, and she’d convince him. But convincing you, Vishnu... that was always impossible.”

“Yeah,” Devika joins in with a smile. “But now we have Simran.”

“Exactly,” Meher grins. “We know she’s the only one who can convince Vishnu of anything.”

I straighten up, trying to look stern. “That’s not happening. Don’t get your hopes up. If you both demand anything that’s against the family’s rules and protocols, no one can convince me. Not even my wife.”

They burst into giggles, and Aksh joins them.

“You don’t sound very confident about that, brother,” Aksh teases. “It’s written all over your face.”

Their laughter only grows louder. I glance between my siblings and their spouses, and my chest tightens. This is the family I grew up protecting, a family I’ve always tried to shield. And now, Simran is a part of this family. I know she’s struggling to adjust—this world is completely unlike the life she’s ever known.

Their laughter dies down, and I clear my throat, suddenly serious.

“Speaking of Simran...” I begin carefully, looking between my sister and Devika. “She really misses her friends—both of you. Your cold shoulder, especially now when she needs your support to adjust to this family that’s so different from what she’s used to... it’s just making things more difficult for her.”

Meher’s smile fades, and she exchanges a glance with Devika.

“She really hurt us, Vishnu,” Meher says softly. “I get that you could forgive her. Even Dad understood her reasoning because he was once in her shoes. But Devika and I... we need time. She was our best friend.” Her voice cracks. “We were actually rooting for her to become part of this family so we could always be together. But what she did... hiding such a huge secret while we shared every little detail of our lives with her… That’s not something we can just forget.”

I understand their pain. I wish I could fix it all for them. “I’ll go get Simran for dinner while we wait for Dad.” I rise.

When I reach our bedroom, I find the room dimly lit, and both Simran and Veer are fast asleep. Veer is nestled on the bed beside her, his little fists curled into the duvet. Simran looks utterly spent, the jet lag finally catching up to her. I walk to her side and sit beside her sleeping form, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“Simran,” I whisper softly, “dinner’s ready.”

She stirs slightly, mumbling something incoherent before burying her head deeper into the pillow.

“All I need is sleep,” she mumbles, already drifting back off.

I smile, shaking my head. If she’s this tired, there’s no point in forcing her to eat. She’d already had something before we landed, and I know rest is what she needs more than anything right now. Leaning down, I press a soft kiss to her lips. Even in her sleep, her lips instinctively respond, brushing against mine before she dozes off again.

Rising slowly, I pull the duvet over her and check on Veer one last time. I make sure the pillows are properly arranged on his side of the bed to prevent him from rolling over. Satisfied, I quietly turn off the lights. As I head back downstairs to join my family for dinner, I can’t help but smile. Let her rest—she’s earned it.

Tomorrow will bring its own challenges, but for now, in this moment, everything feels right. My wife and son are safe in our bed, my family is waiting downstairs, and despite all the complications and hurt feelings still to be resolved, we’re together. And that’s what matters the most.

CHAPTER 29

SIMRAN

Next Morning