A Big Thank you to Shruti727 for this wonderful cover.

Please vote and comment for the chapter.

Happy Reading
♡♥♡
__________________________________________________________________

On reaching the place which he never ever liked, He ran fast towards his mother who was standing at a corner with a little boy.

"Mom... What happened?" He panted hard grasping for breath.

"Nakul..." Manyata sobbed slightly clutching her son's arm.

"They... met with... an accident. A truck dashed their car." She finally spoke those words which he dreaded to hear.

"What! How are they now?" He tried to calm himself and expected them to be fine.

Them. His elder brother 'Mayank' and his sister-in-law 'Shikha'.

His mother couldn't speak more as she cried holding the little boy.

Nakul glanced at the boy who was looking at him having no idea why he was here?
or why his granny was crying hysterically?
or where his parents are?

Nakul quickly picked him up and hugged him.
Aakash was his only nephew and his brother's miniature version.

"Doctor. How are they?" He heard his mother asking the man in the white robe. He clumped towards the doctor who was consoling his mother.

Nakul tried convincing himself that his Bhai (Brother)... Bhabhi (Sister-in-law) would be alright but the doctor's next words made the ground to slip beneath him.

"I'm sorry, we couldn't save her." The Doctor spoke sadly.

'Couldn't save her.' His Shikha Bhabhi.
The woman who was a mother figure for him or his only friend who had supported him always. The only woman who ruled his brother's heart and Aakash's mother.

Tears spilled out from his eyes as he couldn't believe that the only woman he adored beside his mother was no longer in this world.

"What about my son?" Asked his mother as she cried more.

"His condition is still critical. We're trying our best to save him at least." The doctor said sympathetically and walked inside.

"Chachu (Uncle), don't cry. Mumma says that big boys don't cry." Little Aakash wiped his uncle's face.

Nakul smiled weakly at his nephew and hugged him immediately.

Poor boy didn't knew that he won't hear his mother's words again while his father in the next room is still fighting for life.

Nakul quickly wiped his tears and pecked Aakash's cheeks which made him whine.

Why do the people we love the most have to leave us some day or the other?

Nakul was shattered but he had to stay strong.

Strong for his mother, strong for his brother and even for his little boy Aakash.

"Mom... I'm taking Aakash home. I don't want him to be here for even a second." He turned to his mother who just nodded her head with teary eyes.

Without wasting any time, he dashed out with Aakash who was still in his arms. He felt the urge to take Aakash home because he himself was feeling suffocation around.

He drove swiftly home while Aakash was still clueless about everything happening around him. He was fortunate that he stayed with his grandmother while his parents were out.
He wanted to ask his Chachu about his parents but Nakul's weary look frightened him.

As soon as Nakul reached home, he handed Aakash to one of his trusted man to babysit.

Until today, Aakash was never given for babysitting. His parents or his chachu were always around him.

As Nakul was about to leave, he received a call from his mother. He took his cell phone out and with a lot of difficulty, picked her call.

"Mom.." He answered the call.

"Nakul.... Mayank..." Hearing his brother's name frightened him more.

'No... no... This can't be happening. I don't want to lose him as well.' He thought mentally while he heard his mother's whimpering.

"Mom... Please don't cry..." He pleaded.

"Nakul.... Mayank went into coma." Manyata wailed hard and the line got disconnected.

Nakul dropped his phone. This is not what he had expected. With too many shocks to endure, he was no longer in the state to hold himself now.
He cried. He cried more thinking about him.

He cursed himself for being such a bad omen for the people, he love.
Why does his life sucks?

First that accident... That Scar... His dad and now his brother and sister-in-law.

He composed himself and returned to the place where his mother was waiting for him.

Manyata hugged him and cried her heart out. She was broken too. She too had never expected that her visit to India would be as bad as this that she would be seeing her daughter-in-law for the last time and her elder son on the hospital bed appearing lifeless.

There were few other things which were worrying her at the same time.
Major one was her grandson Aakash.

What will they say to him?
How will they explain him about his mother's disappearance or his father's current state?

Surely that won't be easy and they have to take a lot of care too.

She sighed and looked up at his son's face who was masking it to be rigid.

With a heavy heart, she said those words which she never wanted to say.

"Shikha's funeral. We have to.." She couldn't even complete the sentence as she loved her daughter in law dearly.

"I know." Nakul nodded his head understanding his mother's worries.

He called one of his brother's employee to organise each and everything.
He had mentally prepared of taking up all the responsibilities upon him in absence of his brother Mayank.

As he was busy thinking, his phone buzzed again bringing him out of trance.

"Hello."

"Sir, Mr. Aakash .... he is asking for you." Answered the man who was currently dealing or babysitting the notorious kid.

"Ouch." He heard his grunts.

"Give me the phone." Ordered the little boy who was desperately asking the poor fellow or precisely threatening him.

"Hand him." Nakul said.

"Hello Chachu... Where are you? Why did you leave me with this stupid stupid man who doesn't even know anything about Shinchan." Aakash complained over the phone while a small smile crept on Nakul's face.

Nakul didn't like children but Aakash was an exception for him. He loved him alot.

"Okay I get it.... I'll come home soon but small shot, till I come home.. Please behave. Would you do that much for your Chachu?" Nakul asked him.

"Okay fine but you've to get chocolates for me and one more thing. Don't tell Mumma." Nakul's smile dropped as soon as he heard the last thing.

He instantly disconnected the call. He looked over his mother who was still under a great mess.

"Mom..." Nakul gave his mother a side hug which soothed her greatly as she held him closely by her side.

The following day was terrible for all of them.
It was difficult for the boy to accept the fact that he no longer would've his mother's presence around him but it was more difficult for Nakul and Manyata to tell him about it.

Like a curious kid, he asked many questions such as
Where is his mother going?
Why is she leaving him?
Will she ever come back?

With a heavy heart, they answered all of them which made Aakash wail at each and every answer.

He surely was his father's replica but moreover he was a mumma's boy.

Finally it was the time which none of them wanted.

It was the time for Shikha's last rites. Shikha's family before Mayank only included her old grandmother who lived in another city with a caretaker.
Due to such short notice and mostly her health issues, she couldn't make it to see her beloved grand daughter for one last time.

As Aakash was a way too small, Nakul performed her last rites instead of him.

He was furious with life, with himself that he couldn't be there for those who were always there for him. His eyes landed on Aakash who was crying in his grandmother's arms looking at the burning pyre.

Fire scared him but not more than his little boy's tears.

Nakul took him in his arms and kissed his tears.
For him nothing mattered more than this boy, his boy.

He had now promised his deceased sister-in-law and his unconscious brother that he would care, love and protect Aakash no matter what.

He gave him a small smile before murmuring those same words which made the boy stop his mewl.

"Mumma says big boys don't cry."

_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________

So I hope you liked this chapter as well.

I know a very sad part but it was necessary.

Thanks for reading.

Please write your feedback and vote for the chapter.

Please hit the star☆

♡♥♡