Rivaah stepped back to let Aarav enter. Her son was still clinging to the man like baby panda. The little boy literally worships the floor his chachu walks on. May be because he's able to know more about his father from the man.

He knows his mother gets sad whenever he brings up his dad in any conversation. But everyone in his class talks about their father. Then what mistake he is committing if he's curious to know his father. He just wants to understand him better. If someday he meets him, shouldn't he know about his father?

"I'm not going anywhere now! I'm staying with chachu!", Reyansh declared wrapping his arms tightly around Aarav's neck.

"Suits you. I'm running late so I should go. We'll have dinner together.", She said hurriedly wearing her heels.

"Of course. I'll cook today!", Aarav announced as he strolled further and stroked Murphy's back.

"Good. I hope you don't mind if Andrew joins us?", She asked as she scurried towards door and waited for their response.

"Yeah okay.", Aarav mumbled smiling tightly.

"Reyansh? You're okay with Andrew joining us?"

"No!", He whispered. "Yes!", He said loudly for his mother's happiness before hiding his face in his chachu's neck. He hates that Andrew with passion.

"Great. See you tonight.", She smiled before leaving.

"Thank God she left.", Aarav mumbled sighing out loud. He yelped when his nephew slapped him on back.

"What are we doing today, Chachu?", Reyansh asked pulling himself away a little to look at the older man.

"How about we watch-"

"How's daddy?", The little boy asked with a gleaming light in his eyes. He wanted to postpone this topic until he could, but he realized he can't.

Aarav gulped before forcing a smile on his face. "He's good."

"Does he remember us now?", Reyansh asked with hope shining in his eyes.

"No. But he'll soon.", Aarav assured as Reyansh's face fell and lips quivered.

"You say that every time.", He mumbled and gently laid his head on his chachu's shoulder.

"You haven't even met him yet. How can you love him so much?", Aarav cooed as he rubbed the smaller boy's back affectionately before sitting down on the couch.

"I don't know. May be because he's my daddy.", Reyansh shrugged.

Aarav pulled Reyansh forward and made him sit on his lap. He pushed the few strands that came over Reyansh's small forehead back before placing a kiss on his chubby cheek.

"Can I see him?", He asked, his doe eyes shining with hope.

Aarav felt hypnotized. How can anyone ever say no to this cute boy is out of his understanding. He nodded before fishing out his phone from his back pocket. He opened his gallery and showed some of recent videos and photos of Kabir.

Reyansh was on cloud nine. He loves it when his father smiles. And in the video, his daddy was actually laughing. Will he smile the same when he sees him? Will he be happy to meet him? He frowned when a girl came and pecked his daddy on cheeks.

"Who's this!? And why is she kissing my daddy!?", He demanded as he looked up, disgust and anger written clearly on his face.

"Andrew in your Mom's life is this girl in your Daddy's life.", Aarav answered with a sad pout.

"I don't like Andrew uncle and this Aunty! They can be together. Why my Mommy and Daddy?", He said frustratedly sliding off the phone his Chachu's lap. It fell down on floor and Reyansh pressed himself against Aarav's chest to avoid looking at the video.

Aarav sighed before he held the kid by his waist and leaned down to grab his phone that was tossed carelessly near his feet. He closed his phone and kept it on table beside the couch.

As if sensing Reyansh's dropped mood, Murphy strolled forward and jumped on the couch beside them. He lazily laid his head on Aarav's shoulder and all three of them sat in silence.

"Chachu! Chachu, wake up. I need to pee.", Aarav opened his eyes hearing the timid whining. He sat straight and rubbed his eyes before looking down at Reyansh's strained face.

"What?"

"Pee.", Reyansh mumbled.

"Oh sorry.", Aarav chuckled sheepishly before loosening his hold so that Reyansh can go and complete his business.

Aarav stared until Reyansh's small figure disappeared. He breathed out and dropped his back against the headrest. He smiled at the sight of Murphy comfortably sleeping on his lap. He stroked his soft furr and the dog purred in content. At least someone is happy and satisfied.

That day is still so vivid in his memory. Like a fresh scar. He remembers how his brother kept repeating Rivaah's name and about his unborn child until he went unconscious. He remembers how he had called and delivered the message of Kabir's accident to his family. He remembers how his mother literally screamed in agony before falling unconscious. His father's soft cries as he was strained between looking after his wife and son. Ahana's broken sobs as she cursed herself for saying bad things about her brother when Ishaan broke up with her. Aarav was trapped that day. He died a little after seeing his family so scattered and in pain.

And then there was Rivaah. She was in train when she read the news about Kabir's accident on her phone. She wanted to get out of that suffocating compartment immediately but it was fast express. And she knew it won't stop soon.

She kept calling Aarav continuously. Between the breaks of five minutes, her calls always reached Aarav in a plead to know about her husband's condition. Aarav continued assuring her but her heart was snapped in two to calm with anything other than her husband's voice.

And when Kabir finally woke, reassuring everyone's breath, he had forgotten everything. Doctor sternly warned them to not try and remind him anything of his past. If the internal head injury experiences anymore strain, then saving him will be impossible.

Rivaah was about to step out of train to take a train back home when Aarav informed her about this. Hearing him, Rivaah had smiled sadly and stepped back inside train. If he has forgotten everything, then what is the reason to go back. She can't keep trying for something that was never meant to be.

That day, she was broken a little more. May be she felt bad for the unborn inside her. But she wanted to hide in some corner and cry her heart out. She didn't know why she wanted to cry so much, but that day she felt as if she had lost her everything.

"I have you.", She whispered looking down at her stomach and then moving inside.

It was difficult for everyone initially. But they decided to adopt what was given.

The only thing Aarav hates about this incident is Tiara's selfishness. She used this tragic event of their life as a chance to succeed her unrequited love. Anish and Ridhima were extremely embarrassed and apologetic because of Tiara. But she listened to no one and fed Kabir with lies. There was no one with Kabir apart from her when she did this and took promise from him to give their relationship, which was never into existence until that day, one last chance.

Kabir's personality did a 360° turn since the day he woke up. He is now polite, down to earth, calm and composed man. Doctor said that along with his memories, something traumatising has also wiped off from his brain. It seems as if his brain took advantage of the accident and cleaned everything. His mind was now like a clean slate. With no stains of past.

And when Anaya heard this, she was happy. So happy that she couldn't stop smiling throughout the day. She had spent all her motherhood in trying to make Kabir forget all the memories of his past and move on but she was never able to succeed completely. He always remained the same cold and aloof brooding man.

But on the next meet when doctor told them that when he starts having his memory back or begins having flashbacks of his past, he will remember everything. And that scared her to core. She decided that she doesn't want him to remember anything anymore. If she has to pay the price of him remembering everything, along with his traumatic childhood then she's not ready. She'll be never ready. She loves her son like this. Without any nightmares to haunt him at nights, without any self doubt pulling him back, without any guilt eating him because he's not a real Raichand.

That night she had gathered everyone inside study and warned them to not say anything or mention his past at all. She wants her son to stay like this. And she'll see that it never changes.

Rivaah's pregnancy always remained hidden from Raichands. Aarav had promised to not say a word to anyone and he maintained that promise to this date.

Lives changed, time changed, but some of them were still stuck on that unfateful day.

"Chachu!", Reyansh yelled when he failed to get Aarav's attention.

"Sorry! Sorry! You were saying something?", Aarav asked as he pulled the brooding boy closer with a tug.

"You know I hate repeating myself!", Reyansh grumbled.

"Okay I'm sorry. One last time please repeat what you said.", Aarav pleaded and seeing his Chachu's sad face, Reyansh decided to take pity on the older man.

"I said it's already 5. You said to Mommy that you'll cook today.", Reyansh said and the next moment he saw his chachu running inside kitchen. He followed the hurricane of a man with his own adorable giggles.

"Pick me up!", He demanded when he noticed Aarav getting busy in collecting the ingredients.

Aarav sighed but he bent and hoisted the eager boy in his arms before placing him on the kitchen counter.

"What are you making?", He asked.

"Something edible.", Aarav answered and the little boy laughed loudly.

"You're so funny!", He said covering his mouth as he continued laughing.

"I'm glad you find fun in my misery.", Aarav grumbled but smiled when he saw the splitting grin on Reyansh's face.

"One more hour and Mommy will be home!", He said excitedly bouncing on his butt.

Aarav prepared simple aloo sabji and dal chaval. He kept the dough for Puri ready. When he was satisfied with his creation, he picked up Reyansh and strolled out.

Not long after the doorbell rang and Reyansh jumped on his feet. He hurried towards door and opened it. His shrieks heightened when he saw his mother smiling at doorstep. Rivaah immediately picked him up and smothered his face with smooches.

"Did my baby missed me!?", She asked as she entered in.

"I did! A lot!", He said separating his arms wide to show the length of his missing.

"Aww, baby. Mommy missed you too. A lot!", She cooed and kissed his cheeks making a sound that made her adorable son laugh at his heart's content.

"Hi, Rey.", Reyansh straightened immediately before nodding at the man who stood awkwardly at the doorstep.

"Say hello, Reyansh.", His mother reminded him and he silently snorted.

"Hello, Uncle.", Reyansh said smiling sweetly as he forced more on the Uncle word. Andrew understood his hidden reference and sighed softly.

"Is dinner ready?", Rivaah asked as she placed Reyansh back on his feet and sauntered inside.

"Yeah, everything is done. I've prepared the dough so that we'll be able to eat Puris when they are hot.", Aarav answered as he removed the apron and spread it around the chair.

"You haven't changed yet?", She asked as she looked at his outfit that he's wearing since he arrived.

"I'll be done immediately!", He said and hurried upstairs towards the room.

Rivaah waited until he was done before going upstairs and changing into comfortable clothes. She told everyone to take a seat and went inside kitchen. She made the Puris and served them hot.

"This taste amazing.", Andrew complimented genuinely.

"Thanks.", Aarav smiled.

Rivaah sighed tiredly as she noticed her son eyeing Andrew with distaste throughout the dinner.

"Bye, Babe.", Andrew pecked Rivaah's forehead and that earned him a glare from Reyansh. He had his fists tightened on his sides as he huffed angrily.

"Bye, Aarav. Bye, Rey. Goodnight.", He said and Rivaah smiled softly before closing the door after him. When she turned, she saw her son stomping upstairs while Aarav gave her a look.

She was fed up hearing that Andrew is a rebound. She knows that she has finally moved on and she's happy. Andrew makes her happy. He's nice. He's polite. He's kind.

And that's all she needs.

Right?

_________