Page 271 of The Redemption
I laugh before leaving them to it. Somehow, watching Raghav make peace between our children and patiently indulge their endless demands has become one of my favourite things.
His daughter carrying my heart.
His son carrying his soul.
This is what happiness looks like.
RAGHAV
Event @ RK Estate
The entire place looks nothing short of magical. The décor is understated yet elegant, with a theme revolving around princes, princesses, legacy, and celebration… fitting for an estate that has stood proudly for fifty years. Golden lights wind around the vineyard pathways, while elegant floral arrangements adorn every corner, and the entire resort glows beneath a canopy of warm chandeliers and fairy lights. Vintage wine barrels have been transformed into decorative displays showcasing RK Estate’s finest award-winning wines from the past five decades. Guests wander through the halls with glasses of wine in hand, while soft instrumental music and laughter fill the air.
For Ayaan and me, tonight means so much more. It’s our birthday too. And what makes this evening truly special is that, for the first time in all these years, we’re actually celebrating it together.
Life never made it easy before. Sometimes Ayaan was buried under field assignments for GLEN somewhere across Europe. Other times, I was here at RK Estate, overseeing the vineyards, the resort, and everything that came with it. So we rarely got the chance to celebrate our birthdays together.
Today, the entire family is under one roof, which is exactly why we decided to make the celebration bigger than ever. Almost everyone is here tonight. The only ones missing are Aksh, Devika, and little Avika. A political event back in Mumbai demanded their presence, something important enough that itcouldn’t be skipped, no matter how much they wanted to be here.
The grand ballroom of the resort is overflowing with guests, family members, close friends, business associates, and people who have been part of RK Estate’s journey for years. Conversations blend with laughter as servers move through the crowd, serving our finest reserve wines from the limited-edition collection.
The entire event is centred around wine, legacy, and family, exactly the way it should. Siya is wearing a stunning wine-coloured saree tonight, perfectly matching the theme of the evening.
Ayaan, meanwhile, is dressed in an ivory suit, and Meher complements him beautifully in a champagne-coloured saree, looking every bit as regal as the King and Queen they are.
Ayaan and I are standing with a group of foreign delegates and business partners associated with RK Estate. We spend the next several minutes accepting congratulations, discussing future collaborations, and exchanging the usual formal pleasantries before Ayaan and I excuse ourselves.
Wine glasses in hand, Ayaan and I make our way over to Vishnu and Krish. Both of them are holding glasses of wine and appear to be in the middle of a conversation.
“What’s up?” Ayaan asks.
Vishnu points towards Krish and grins. “Don’t ask me. Ask him.”
Krish rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his drink. “I was just telling him about Prisha.”
Ayaan and I exchange a knowing smile. Prisha is Krish and Trisha’s two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. A tiny hurricane who has somehow inherited every daredevil trait from her mother.
Krish shakes his head. “Can you believe that last week was Prisha’s first day at playschool, and she punched a little boy?”
We all stare at him as he continues. “Not a casual baby punch but a proper punch. Luckily, his parents didn’t complain. The boy had merely touched her cheeks, and she retaliated.”
“She’s Trisha’s daughter,” I say with a grin. “What else did you expect. Atta girl.”
That makes Vishnu burst out laughing. Ayaan just smirks, while Krish huffs.
“Trust me, I know,” Krish continues. “At least Trisha saves her kicks for criminals and terrorists when she’s out in the field. Prisha doesn’t believe in such restrictions. We co-sleep, and on most nights my own daughter kicks me halfway out of the bed in her sleep. I end up spending the night on the couch while my wife and daughter peacefully take over the entire bed. As much as I adore my little girl, I’d really like some uninterrupted time with my wife once in a while. Right now, that’s becoming a serious problem.”
I nearly choke on my drink while Ayaan laughs openly.
“Relax,” Vishnu replies. “We’ve all been there.”
Ayaan and I nod in solidarity, and the entire group bursts out laughing again. Krish glares at all of us.
“Keep laughing,” he says, then points at Ayaan. “But at least tell me how you survive parenthood, especially that co-sleeping arrangement.”
Ayaan stops laughing. “Oh, that’s easy.” He takes a leisurely sip of his wine. “The twins are five now. Arnav and Myra sleep in their own room.”
The satisfaction in his voice is impossible to miss.
