Akshara stared at the photo frame kept on a table in her room. It was a photo of her parents, Kairav Bhaiyya and baby Akshara.

Naira Singhania Goenka. She was everyone's darling, an extrovert, the life of a party and a sort of an all-rounder person. And Akshara was nothing like her. She was an introvert, a person who'd be sipping on Fanta/Mirinda in a corner at parties. She would sing, only in the presence of her family. Sports was out of the question for her.

But despite having a different personality from her her mom, Akshu always felt a strong connection with her. A strong connection with someone who gave her birth, but didn't have a single memory with. All Akshara had were photos and videos with Naira.

Naira maa.

Just then, a breeze entered her room and a few strands from her braid let out of loose and swayed along the breeze. As she felt the wind envelop her, Akshara felt a calm consume her with restlessness at the same time, which she never felt was possible.

"Maa" the word slipped automatically from her lips. As she felt the presence of her mother, her first instinct was to look around for her.

"Akshu" Instead of hearing her mother's voice, Akshata heard her husband's voice as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Abhi"

"How are you doing?" Abhimanyu whispered.

"I don't know" she answered truthfully.

"Hm," he hummed as he left her.

"I uhh...I got you a little something"

"What?"

"This," he said, handing her a locket with a pendant shaped like a heart shape.

"Open it" he muttered and Akshara looked at him, as realisation dawned upon her.

"Did you?" Akshara trailed off when she opened the heart.

"It's bad Photoshop, but it's a small photo, so don't complain Akshu" Abhi joked, trying to make her laugh. Humour clearly wasn't his forte.

Akshu looked at the photo with love in her eyes. Papa, Mama, Sirat mumma, Kairav bhaiyya, Arohi and she were in it.

Akshu hugged Abhi, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I love you so much"

"I love you too"

"Why did you run away?" Akshara asked.

"It's my birthday next week. What about you?"  He replied.

"It's my mom's death anniversary today"

"Oh, I am sorry"

"Don't be. It's been years, I don't even remember her." She replied, a couple of tears escaping her eyes.

"It's not the correct thing, but running away feels easier, doesn't it?" Abhimanyu asked her, hoping she'd agree with him.

"It does."

🍁

"When will you all reach, Arohi?" Kairav asked his youngest sister.

"We'll reach Goenka Villa in fifteen minutes, bhaiyya" she replied and Kairav hummed.

"Okay, see you. Bye"

Kairav hung up as he entered Goenka Villa. The photos of Naira which were put up in her memory, overwhelmed him and his wife Rati had suggested he go out for a walk.

When he crossed the threshold of the house, for a moment he expected to see his mother. He wanted to be greeted by her long tresses which would dance along with the breeze, her beautiful smile which would light up the darkest of dark rooms, her duppata which would caress him arms whenever she would hug him. Some days or some moments, he would just forget that she isn't alive and would wait at the doorstep, just to see her.

"Maaa, maaaaa, maaaaaa!" Nine year old Kairav came running.

"Aa gaya mera sher!" (Hi, my lion!) Naira greeted him with a huge smile.

"Our maths teacher gave surprise test today! And I got full marks, ten on ten" Kairav told her happily.

"That's great! I am so proud of you mera baccha!" Naira said, hugging him.

"I want kachoris today"

"Done! Anything my mini sher wants" Naira grinned at him.

"And, also the cycle?" Kairav added sheepishly and Naira glared at him and he gulped.

"Sher...we talked about this"

"Okay, there was no harm in trying though" Kairav replied and Naira laughed. Pinching his cheeks, Naira mimicked him.

"There was no harm in trying though!"

"I don't sound like that, Maa"

"We'll buy you the cycle in Diwali" Naira promised, ruffling his hair and even if Kairav didn't like others playing his hair, he grinned at his mother.

"I love you mumma!"

A lone tear escaped Kairav's eyes. It was hard living in the same house where his Naira Maa, his Kartik Papa and Sirat Mumma used to live before their death. Their memories would come and tug on his heartstrings. But at the same time, leaving the house was also difficult as that would mean leaving their memories and presence out of his life.

How he wished that on a fine day, he would just wake up and be a nine year old kid again.

One 'I love you' to mom feels really necessary right now!

Share your thoughts and reviews!

Also, a quick reminder that this story is an alternate universe. Most things differ from the show, including how the parents died, and also Naira and Sirat's faces. They are not lookalikes in this story. Even Neil's career is different. How the two couples met, are also two different stories.

It is interesting to see that in this show, the two career-oriented, short tempered characters - Abhimanyu and Arohi are painted in a negative light, while also maintaining the fact that these two have a good heart. Most people hate them anyway. And the other two characters - Akshara and Neil who don't have a steady career, are soft spoken are the 'good ones' who don't make mistakes. My story won't be having any antagonists or 'mahaan' people. Others hate these two.

Sorry for writing all this, just felt necessary to express this. If you did read the entire thing, I am grateful to you❤️