As the last of the guests departed, the night was winding down, leaving behind the faint scent of flowers and the soft glow of diyas. Khushi and Garima were getting ready to leave when Abhi approached them with a smile.

"Aunty, Khushi, let me drop you home," Abhi offered. "It's late, and I can have a quick chat with Sashi uncle too."

Khushi immediately felt a wave of discomfort wash over her. She tried to hide it, but her unease was apparent to Arnav, who had been watching the interaction from a distance.

Garima smiled appreciatively at Abhi's concern."Abhi, you must be tired after the party. You've been busy all evening, you should rest. We can manage, don't worry."

"Aunty, I don't mind dropping you both home," his tone warm and insistent. "It's no trouble at all, and your home is just at walking distance from here. It'll be quick."

Garima chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Abhi beta, you're too kind, but I know how Sashi is. Once he starts talking, he won't let you leave easily. And it's already quite late."

Abhi laughed, "I don't mind talking to Uncle. It's always good to hear his thoughts."

Garima raised a playful eyebrow, "But I do mind those dark circles you'll get if you stay too late. Especially when you're meeting a girl for marriage. We can't have you looking anything less than perfect, can we?"

Abhi's expression turned serious. "Aunty, I have to convince Uncle to stay here. What's the need to shift to Mumbai? I have plenty of reasons to persuade him, and I bet he won't be able to argue with them."

"But Abhi..." Garima began, then Abhi gently interrupted her.

"No, Aunty, not this time. You saw how upset Maa was when you mentioned moving. She didn’t even stay to see you off."

Garima sighed, her tone a mix of desperation and sincerity. "Aarti will eventually understand, and we’ll be back after your uncle's work is done."

Before Abhi could say anything more, Arnav stepped forward, his expression casual but his eyes conveying seriousness. "Bhai, why don't you let me drop them? You've had a long day, meeting all your official clients and entertaining guests. You deserve a break" Arnav suggested smoothly.

Abhi looked at Arnav, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion. "But I really want to speak with Sashi uncle." Abhi replied, not picking up on the tension.

Arnav forced a smile, trying to keep the situation light. "I get that Bhai, but trust me, I'll talk to Sashi Uncle and convince him to stay. Plus, Khushi and I could use a little more time together," he added, lowering his voice and leaning in closer to whisper the last part in Abhi's ear. "You understand, right? A little alone time with her..."

Abhi looked at Arnav, his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Nice try, Arnav. But I really need to personally, check on Aru myself."

Arnav was persistent, though. "I promise, Bhai. I'll make sure everything is alright with Aru. Just trust me on this." He tried to make it sound like a harmless request, though his gaze flickered to Khushi, silently reassuring her.

Abhi noticed the subtle exchange between them and paused for a moment, his expression softening. He glanced back at Khushi, noticing the unease she was trying to hide. Finally, he let out a sigh, realizing that Arnav had a valid point.

Abhi hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Alright, fine. But only because you promised to talk to Uncle. And don't forget to check on Aru properly," he added, giving Arnav a knowing look.

Arnav grinned, relieved that Abhi had agreed. "Don't worry, I've got this," he said confidently.

With a nod, Abhi finally agreed, stepping back to let Arnav take over.

As they headed out with Arnav, Khushi couldn't help but feel grateful for Arnav's understanding. Despite his playful teasing, Arnav always seemed to know what she needed, and she was thankful for that.

The way back home was peaceful, with the quiet night. Even if only for a short while, it gave Arnav the time he needed to mentally prepare himself to talk to Sashi about Aryan's health and treatment.

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“Arnav, thanks for dropping them,” Sashi said gratefully as Arnav helped Garima and Khushi into the house.

“It’s no trouble, Uncle,” Arnav replied with a warm smile. As they entered, Arnav glanced around, looking for Aryan.

“How’s Aryan doing, Uncle?” Arnav asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Sashi sighed softly, offering a weary smile. “He’s asleep now, beta. Aryan had a bit of a fever earlier, but after taking his tablet, he’s feeling better. That’s why we couldn’t attend the Diwali party tonight.”

Arnav nodded, understanding more than Sashi realized. He knew the fever wasn’t the only reason they had stayed home. There was a deeper concern beneath the surface, one that they hadn’t yet shared with him.

After a brief pause, Arnav looked at Sashi with a serious expression. “Actually, I wanted to have a word with you,”

Sashi’s expression shifted slightly, sensing the seriousness in Arnav’s tone. "Yes, of course, beta. You mentioned something about it over the phone. Come, sit down.”

As they all settled in the living room, Garima exchanged a worried glance with Khushi. Arnav noticed but decided to get straight to the point.

“I know about Aryan’s health,” Arnav said quietly, his eyes locking onto Sashi’s.

Sashi and Garima exchanged a quick, concerned look. Garima’s hand instinctively tightened around Khushi’s, while Sashi’s face grew taut with worry. “Arnav… how did you find out? Did Khushi—?” Garima began, her voice trembling as she looked at Khushi with questioning eyes.

“No... Khush didn’t tell me anything,” Arnav confessed, his voice gentle but firm. “I overheard your conversation at the hospital.”

Sashi sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. “Arnav beta,” he started, his voice heavy with emotion, “we didn’t want to burden you or Abhi with our problems. We thought it was best to handle it ourselves.”

Arnav nodded, his gaze steady and reassuring. "I still don’t understand why you wanted to keep it a secret. Uncle, Aryan is family—you shouldn’t have to go through this alone. I’m sure Abhi Bhai would want to know too."

“No, Arnav,” Sashi said firmly, his gaze unwavering. “I didn’t want you to know about Aryan either. I wanted to keep you all away from this. But now that you do know, promise me you’ll let me handle it. Don’t involve yourself in this matter.”

“But why, Uncle?” Arnav asked, his voice laced with concern. “We can help in so many ways. Abhi Bhai especially could bring in more logical solutions. In fact, I've been in touch with Aryan's doctor. He told me that the treatment won’t take long—just about two weeks in Mumbai should be enough. There’s no need for you to move there permanently."

Sashi felt his shoulders sag under the weight of his worries. "But beta, moving to Mumbai was also about cutting the travel expenses. Even if it will take two weeks for his treatment and observation, we’ll have to do routine checkups now and then."

Arnav leaned forward, his voice firm but gentle. "Uncle, we can find a solution for that. We can talk with the doctor about continuing the rest of the procedures here after treating him in Mumbai. And about the money—if you don’t prefer our family’s help, I’ll make sure we can arrange the funds without any trouble. In fact, I already have an idea in mind and I’m hopeful it will work out as I wish."

“I’ve already made arrangements,” Sashi continued. “I took a loan from my boss to cover the expenses. We’ll manage.”

“Uncle, you don’t have to do that,” Arnav said earnestly. “I can help—”

Garima placed a hand on Arnav's arm, her voice filled with concern. "No, beta. We can’t let you do that."

Arnav looked at Garima, his voice gentle but firm. "Aunty, you’ve always called me your son, and now you’re telling me that was just words? Am I not part of this family?"

Garima’s eyes welled up with tears, her heart aching at the thought of hurting Arnav’s feelings. "No, Arnav beta, of course not. I'm so sorry if I made you feel that way. You are our son in every way that matters."

Arnav smiled warmly, his heart swelling with affection for this family. "Then let me help, Aunty. Let me do what any son would do for his parents."

As the tension eased slightly, Khushi, who had been quietly listening, spoke up, her voice filled with concern. "Mumma, Papa… what about Abhi Bhaiya? I feel so guilty about hiding this from him. When he asked about us moving to Mumbai, I couldn’t even meet his eyes. It felt like I’m betraying him. He’s been there for us through everything. I’m scared that if he finds out from someone else, it won’t be good. I don’t want him to feel betrayed."

Sashi looked at his daughter with a calm, yet resolute expression. "Khushi, I understand where you’re coming from, but you’re wrong this time. I don’t feel guilty about not sharing this with Abhi because I have my reasons."

Khushi frowned, her eyes searching her father’s face. "But Papa, what reasons could justify keeping something so important from him?"

"Exactly," added Arnav, wanting to know if there was more to it.

Garima’s eyes flickered with an emotion that Arnav couldn’t quite place—something deep and hidden. She sighed, her voice tinged with sorrow. “There are some things… some burdens that are hard to share, even with family.” Before she could say more, Sashi interrupted her.

Sashi’s voice was steady. "Abhi has a lot on his plate already. His responsibilities are growing, and he’s just starting to build his own life. I didn’t want to add more to his burdens. We have to protect him, just as much as he’s protected us. This is something we can handle, and I didn’t want to pull him into it unnecessarily."

Khushi looked down, processing her father’s words. She understood his protective instinct but couldn’t shake the unease in her heart.

A heavy silence fell over the room. Arnav glanced between Sashi and Garima, sensing a deeper pain behind their facade. There’s definitely more to this than meets the eye. “Uncle, Aunty, whatever your reasons are, I respect them. But you’re not alone in this. We’re family, and we face things together," he assured them, and they couldn’t have asked for anything more at this time. "Uncle, I won’t push you. But I’ve entered an inter-college competition, and the prize money is enough to cover all these expenses. It’s all in fate’s hands now. If I win, no one can stop me from helping, and we can tell Abhi Bhaiya at the same time. We don’t have to burden him now, but he deserves to know eventually. And if I don’t win, I’ll listen to whatever you say.” Arnav finally said, a determined glint in his eyes.

Sashi’s expression softened slightly, appreciating the young man’s resolve. “You always have a way of finding a solution, don’t you?” Sashi said with a small smile.

Arnav returned the smile. “It’s all in fate’s hands now. Let’s see what happens. I’m not giving up on that competition... But you won’t stop me from helping if I win. Deal?”

Sashi chuckled despite himself. “Deal.”

Arnav noticed Khushi’s distress and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Khush, we'll make sure nothing bad happens. We’ll talk to Abhi Bhaiya and find the right way to include him, without overwhelming him. We’re all in this together." She simply nodded her head.

Arnav’s words had eased some of the tension, but the weight of their shared secrets lingered in the air. Sashi and Garima exchanged a knowing look, the pain of the past heavy between them, while Khushi’s heart ached with the burden of keeping the truth from Abhi.

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Uzma.