Author's Pov,

"Aww, My baby come to Dadi," Shailaja said and pulled her grandson into her embrace.

Ayaan tried to come out of her hold and glanced at his Nani who just assured him with her eyes.

"I am your grandmother Ayaan why are you getting scared child?"

Her heart dropped seeing his fearful eyes, he was her grandson, her only son's blood and she could not even keep him with herself.

If Ardhansh and Yashika were still together she wouldn't have to see this day, when her grandson is scared to come into her embrace.

Ayaan moved out of her embrace and ran towards his Nani, who was sitting on Sofa.

He jumped on her lap and hid his face in her chest.

Yaksha caressed his soft hair and asked him while looking apologetically at her friend, "Aayu, Is there any problem baccha she is Dadi don't you want to talk to her."

He shook his head making Shailaja's heart clutch in pain, she suppressed her pain and got up before keeping her gift on the tea table.

"Rishabh and Boo (Aunt) were missing you, Rishu said he would come to meet you after his exams...I am...leaving," She stuttered at the end not having enough words to say.

Ayaan peeked out of his Nani's pallu and glanced at her sad face, he felt bad after seeing her teary orbs, he noticed she was going and said.

"Dadi, Cake khake jao na."

(Dadi, go after cake cutting)

Her heart fluttered hearing his baby voice and she turned towards him who again tightly held his Nani's waist and hid his face in her embrace.

Yaksha stared at her painful eyes and said seeing her eyes getting dull.

"Wait for some time."

Shailaja shook her head with disappointment and without any further words stormed out of the house.

"Why didn't you talk with her baby? She loves you...she every Sunday comes to meet you, and brings you gifts this is so wrong baby."

"Dadda, Mumma, never comes to visit me don't they love me?"

His question shocked her to the core and tears gathered in her eyes.

She wanted to tell him, that his mother loves him, she does, and her daughter isn't selfish but circumstances made her leave him behind.

"Aayu!!!!" Sagar and Vrishank came running inside and called their friend.

Ayaan whose mood was ruined lightened a little, and he quickly got down off his grandmother's lap.

Jui also came barking with them making Vrishank hide between his father's legs.

"Hey Vrish Come out," Vansh said laughing hard seeing Yagya too stumbling back and forth with fear.

"Leave it Vansh let his son trouble him, he truly needs it, Bap bete ek jaise hi hai," Vishakha muttered near Vansh's ear making him shut his mouth.

(Father and son are same)

"Vishakha keep that Jui away," Yagya screamed and lifted his son in his arms.

Vishakha laughed and pulled Jui away.

"Let's cut the cake," Vaibhavi chirped keeping the box of handmade cake on the tea table and pulled Aayu on her lap.

Yaksha smiled seeing Ayaan's beaming face and glanced at the clock,

"Mamu aur Nanu, Nani," Ayaan asked and Yaksha's smile fell.

She didn't know where Kaustubh was, he just told her that he would be back in a few minutes after doing his father's medical checkup but didn't come back.

"Didn't you miss me, soldier," Ayaan's eyes diverted hearing that voice and he saw his Godfather standing at the door with a wide smile on his lips, a little boy around the same age as he was in his embrace.

"Salansh Uncle," he got down from Vaibhavi's lap and ran towards him.

He jumped on his arms and Saransh quickly caught him by his one arm.

"Happy Birthday to my lovely Boy."

Saransh wished him and the little boy in his arm repeated his statement without changing the slightest word.

"Happy birthday to my lovely boy."

Ayaan planted wet kisses on Saransh's cheeks making the little boy in his embrace scrunch his nose in distress, "Thank you Salansh Chachu

and Thank you, Saha.....Sah...

That little boy's face fell his name wasn't that hard to pronounce, he angrily turned his head away and corrected with grumpiness, "Sahasya."

"Yeah Same Same," Ayaan said making Saransh chuckle in amusement.

Kaustubh came inside while pushing his paralyzed father's wheelchair and saw the guests standing in his house.

Ayaan noticed them and his face beamed with happiness

"Let's cut the cake now everyone is here and I can't wait anymore," Vansh said making Vaibhavi glare at him.

Yagya who was sitting in the corner with his son just because of that Jui repeated the words, "Yeah, Yeah Cut the cake."

Ayaan's face fell and he got down from Saransh's arms, he again turned towards the door and at the same time two people came there holding big gift boxes in their hands, and he lost the last hope of seeing his mother and father.

"He is going to Open Sir's gift first," Akhil said and pushed Riddhima away before entering inside.

"No Mam told me to give him her gift first," Riddhima said and pushed Akhil away before hopefully glancing at the little boy who wasn't happy at all.

Saransh kept Sahasya down and said while sitting on the sofa, "Let Ayaan decide, whose gift he wants to open."

Ayaan glanced at both gifts and tears gathered in his eyes, he never wanted those gifts.

He just wanted to see his father face to face, he just wanted to sleep in his mother's embrace.

Is it that much expensive?

"Mam is calling," Riddhima said and received the call.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday my dear son, happy birthday to you!" Yashika's voice came from the other side as she sang the birthday song for her son.

"Is Aayu baby angry with Mumma?" She lovingly asked and Ayaan's eyes snapped towards the phone hearing his mother's voice after months.

He lifted the phone with his little fingers and said wiping his tears away, "No, Aayu isn't angry with Mumma where is Papa Mumma?"

Everything went silent with his one question, and just the breathing sound mingled in the air.

"I need to go, baby," Yashika replied and disconnected the call without hearing a reply.

"Hello, Mumma, Mumma!!" His baby voice reverberated through the marvellous walls of the Trivedi mansion but no reply.

A lone tear drop fell from his eye when he understood she disconnected the call, he silently walked towards the cake and cut it into pieces.

"Happy Bilthday from Mumma and Papa," he wished himself and took a piece of cake inside his mouth.

He didn't glance at the people who were looking at him with shock-filled eyes and walked towards his room.

He came inside his room and climbed on his bed after a few struggles.

He glanced at his plushies and cried loudly, his horrible wails filled the room, and he hid his face under pillows, trying to suppress his cries.

"Aayu is a big boy he doesn't need Mumma Papa," he chanted in a broken voice and cried loudly trying to lessen the pain.

*********

"I Am swoyyi."

"Eat your food." She ordered and moved inside the kitchen but he came behind her while holding her Saree's pallu and cutely said.

"I am Swoyyi Bruk Lee Mumma."

She turned and lowered her eyes to look at his little figure holding her Saree's pallu in his mouth.

"Aehraan leave it and it's not Bruk it's Bruce."

She pulled her Saree's pallu out of his mouth and glared at him before walking inside the kitchen and checking her phone.

"I will fight mumma."

She sighed when he again ate the 'Not' word and effortlessly lifted him with his shirt before keeping him on the kitchen counter.

She took out the bowl of khichri and started to feed him, her eyes moving towards her phone from time to time.

"I checked your paper today."

She told him and stuffed a spoonful of khichri in his mouth

He gulped down the morsel and asked, "Did I fail Mumma?"  

"No, You got out of."

His face beamed in happiness and he asked, "So you Fogibe me."

"Yeah I am forgiving you," She blew air on the spoonful of khichri and made him eat it.

He grabbed her Saree's pallu and called out, "Anny, Anny, Anny."

She wiped his lips with a tissue paper and asked, "What? My baby baby baby."

"I met Aaisha's Papa."

Her body stiffened and she stared at his brown orbs, which were gleaming with happiness.

Her phone rang at the same time and she quickly peeked at the caller ID, her face glistened in happiness but she didn't show it to her son.

She brushed his curly hair back and pecked his lips, "Mumma has some work now, and Aehraan needs to watch Shinchhan for some time."

He nodded his head immediately making her smile in return.

She lifted him in her arms and went towards the living hall.

She dropped him on the couch and switched on the TV before changing to his favourite cartoon channel.

"Lobe you Jaan," He said in his baby voice making her close her eyes to control her thudding heart.

"Love you too baby but don't ever call me like that," She pecked his forehead and walked towards the kitchen.

She grabbed her phone and took a seat on the dining table before dialling that number with trembling fingers and video calling that person.

"Anny!!!"

She glanced at her mother and tears gathered into her eyes.

"Where is he M...Mom?" Her lips wobbled as she asked her mother about her son.

Yaksha turned on the back camera of the phone and showed her sleeping grandson to her daughter.

A sob escaped her mouth seeing his tears-stained chubby cheeks.

"My baby," She mumbled and kept her hand on her mouth to suppress her cries.

Her fingers moved on the phone screen in an attempt to touch her son but it was never in her destiny.

Her tear-filled eyes stared at his little figure who was cuddling like a ball, holding his plushy toy closer to his body and her heart broke into pieces.

She is the worst mother anyone could have, and his destiny played a cruel game with him by letting him be born through her womb.

"Did he eat his dinner, Mom?" She asked not knowing what she should ask her mother after seeing her son's tears-stained cheeks.

Yaksha bit her tongue and lied, "He did."

A broken smile appeared on her lips and she got up from her seat.

She walked towards a kitchen counter and through the leftover khichri in the dustbin without filling her stomach.

How a mother could eat peacefully when her child didn't?

"I got your gift and I will make him wear it tomorrow," Yaksha told her remembering the gold chain of lord Vitthala her daughter sent for her grandkid.

She smiled and kept staring at her mother's face, who as always started to narrate to her how obedient her son was, that he never troubled her, he was a gem.

She told her his current daily routine from sleeping to waking up in the morning and she heard it all with his happiness.

How cursed mother she is not to see her growing healthy, not hear Mumma from his mouth.

"His pronunciation is getting good except R he always pronounces it as L," Yaksha told her daughter and laughed while caressing her grandkid's head.

"How is my little bean," She asked remembering about her second grandson.

"He is good Mom, except for his anger."

Yaksha's smile fell and she assured her daughter, "Everything will be fine Baccha, he is little, when he grows up he will eventually learn."

"Anny!!!" She heard her brother's voice and her smile dropped.

"I think Aehraan is calling me," She disconnected the call and took a long breath to calm down her anxious heart.

She wiped her tear-stained cheeks and came towards the living room to see Mr Raheja sitting on the couch beside her son.

He lives in their neighbourhood and became a good friend of hers but she is not unknown to the feelings he has for her.

"Mumma!!" Aehraan got up from the couch and ran towards her."

Rahul turned and saw her standing there wearing a light pink saree and looking beautiful as always.

He scratched his nape and said blushing a little, "Mom was asking you to come with us for Pooja."

She stared at him for a while and nodded her head affirmatively.