Epilogue 3

Aarav's POV

I came home in the evening and went to my room. I quickly freshen up and entered my closet. On the floor, I noticed one of my favorite watches. Its glass was smashed into shards. I quickly changed and picked up the broken watch. I went to the study room where Sachi was working on her design.

"Sachi, How could you be so careless?" I said in a bit loud voice.

"What did I do?" She said without looking up from her design.

"You broke my watch. You could have at least picked it up and cleaned the place." I said.

"I didn't go to our room since morning. In the morning also, I got ready before you."

"Then who broke my watch?" I asked her.

"You do realize right we have three kids who can have access to our bedroom whenever they want." She said and looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I simply nodded.

"You better say sorry to me for blaming me." She said sternly.

"Ok, sorry." I said.

"Let's find your culprit." She said and went out of the room. She took me to Advik's room. As we entered we saw them sitting on the bed in a circle and sulking.

"Who broke my watch?" I asked in a stern voice, and they got scared. They stood up on the bed.

"Dad, I broke your watch. I'm sorry." Advik and Sanvi said at the same time. I saw Sanj looking at them in disbelief. I looked at him in shock. So, Sanj broke my watch. Why are these two lying to me? I looked at Sachi, and she shrugged her shoulder and handed the case over to me.

"Both of you broke the watch. May I know what were you doing with it." I said, pretending as if I didn't catch their lie.

"She was looking at it, but I tried to pull it from her hand, and it fell on the ground. If you want to punish anyone, punish me." Advik said. Now I know why they are lying.

"Sanj, You want to say something. Were you involved with them?"

"Dad..." He couldn't say anything further as Advik and Sanvi held his hand to stop him.

"How do you think I am going to punish you?" I asked them.

"I don't know." He said. He has done, plenty of mischiefs, but I have never seen him look so scared.

"Sachi, What should be their punishment for lying?" I asked her

"I don't know. Maybe something severe so that they doesn't repeat their mistake." She said dramatically making them more scared. Her acting skills have got better.

"Let's get to know first why they are lying to us." I said. I went near the bed and stood in front of Sanj.

"Sanj."

"Dad I am sorry." He said.

"Did you break my watch?" I asked him and he nodded his head.

"Please punish me. Don't punish them." Why are they so scared? Are they thinking that we are going to hit them as a punishment?

"What made you all think that I was going to punish you?" I asked them.

"We thought you might get angry, very angry." Advik said.

"So you all simply assumed that lying will not make me angry." I said and they looked guilty.

"Now tell me, what exactly happened?" I asked them.

"We were in your room. I was trying to wear your watch, but it slipped from my hand and landed on the ground. I am sorry."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" I asked him.

"I got scared. I thought you would get very angry as it's your favorite watch." He said softly.

"Did you think I would hit you?" I asked him. He nodded.

"I was irritated when I saw my watch lying on the floor. I thought your mom broke it. Sanj one thing you have to understand is that no matter how priceless the item would have been I would have never raised a hand on you. We will never hit you and name it as punishment. One more thing when you commit a mistake, you need to own up to it. You take responsibility for your actions. I would have appreciated it if you would have told your mom or me what you did before we found out about it. Am I clear?" I said sternly.

"Yes. I am sorry. I will keep that in mind. I will own up for my mistakes." Sanj said.

"Now, you two, I don't like people lying to me. I hate liers." I said and their faces fell down.

"Tell me. Will you ever trust a person who constantly lies to you or hides the truth from you?" They shook their head.

"Can you expect someone to be honest with you when you are dishonest with them? I want you to never lie to us. We are your parents we know when you all are lying to us."

"Dad we are sorry." Advik and Sanvi said.

"This time I am leaving you with a lesson. I don't want you to repeat your today's actions and no punishment." I said and they smiled brightly.

----------------------------------------------

I and Sachi, were sitting in the hall chatting and seeing our family album. Kids have gone to the park with mom and dad. We were just sitting and recollecting the moment that each picture had captured.

I was looking at the picture when Sachi nudged me. I looked at her, and she pointed at the door.

"What the hell!" I exclaimed. My kids were standing at the door and were looking at the ground. Advik and Sanj both were injured, their clothes were all dirty, and Sanvi looked sad.

"What happened?" Sachi asked a bit loudly making them flinch.

"They got in a fight." Mom said.

"Advik, How many times have I told you not to fight unnecessarily?" She said in frustration.

"Mumma, you are implementing that I fight on purpose. He started the fight. He started troubling Sanvi and her friend. When I told him to back off, he came to hit me but fell. This made him angry, he came running towards me and punched me. I punched him back to defend myself." Advik said pouting. I don't know how to react.

"Sanj, May I know what role you played in this fight?" Sachi asked looking at Sanj. He was on the verge of crying. He is Mumma's boy just like Advik, but unlike him, he is very obedient, or rather I would say too obedient. Sanj doesn't like to upset his people specially his mom. He is like an innocent, sweet, adorable child.

"Mumma, Bhai was fighting with that guy, but then his friend came and outnumbered Bhai. One held him, and the other was about to hit him. How could I watch them hitting Bhai? I tried to stop him, but he was about to hit me, so I punched him before he could, and that lead to a fight between us." I was speechless. When I think my kids can't surprise me by their nature anymore, they always prove me wrong.

"You really did that Sanj? Not bad." Abheer said coming out of nowhere. I could see Sachi rubbing her forehead. Mom and dad looking at me and smiling. I know what that smile means. During our childhood, we were both exactly like them.

"Why are you pouting, princess?" Abheer asked Sanvi.

"I was going to punch him for saying some nasty words, but Bhai came and became the hero. I was the heroine, and he came out of nowhere."

"She is really sad for that reason?" I asked with disbelief to myself in a small whisper.

"Yes. Your daughter is sad because she didn't get a chance to hit someone. I thought I was raising kids. How did they grow up to behave like goons?" Sachi said sarcastically rubbing her forehead.

"But Mumma." They said.

"Not a single word, enough of justifying your action. Come with me, three of you." She said sternly. She started moving upstairs, and they followed her. I went behind them. She entered Advik's room. She went near the wardrobe and removed his clothes.

"Take a bath and then change. After that, I will do your first aid." She said looking at Advik in her stern voice.

"Mumma, sorry."

"I don't want to hear your sorry. Do what I told you?" She said and asked Sanj to follow her. Advik was staring right at me. I'm afraid I'm unable to help you. I don't want to offend your mother. When she scolds the kids, she has made it clear that I am not allowed to take their side.

"Go and change. I think you don't want to give her more reasons to be angry at you." As soon as I finished my sentence, he rushed inside the washroom.

"Dad, Is Mumma very angry with us?" Sanvi asked softly.

"I think so, but I know her anger will eventually cool down." I said softly.

"Why was the boy troubling you?" I asked her.

"He wasn't troubling me but my friend. He was calling her name and using some nasty words. I got irritated and told him to stop using such words then Bhai came. Do you think we did something wrong?" She said. I don't know what to say to her. Advik emerged from the restroom with a clean appearance. Sachi came with Sanj and asked both him and Advik to sit on the bed. She grabbed the first aid kit from the side table and started treating them.

"Mumma." Advik said softly.

"Yes." She said applying medicine on them.

"We are sorry. We will not do it again." He said holding his ears.

"Speak for yourself Advik. I think Sanj has a mouth he can speak for himself. Didn't you promise me the same thing last time?" She said, and Sanj appeared to be scared.

"I began the fight the last time, but this time I merely defended myself."

"I don't care who started the fight. The only thing I am concerned about is that my kids are injured. Sanj you are only six years old what came to your mind that lead you to get involved in their fight. Take a look at yourself, you've suffered more injuries than Advik." She said bandaging both of them. She turned to us.

"Come here." she said to Sanvi. She reluctantly took steps towards Sachi and sat beside Sanjh.

"Are you injured anywhere?" Sachi asked Sanvi.

"You really thought you could beat the guy all by yourself?" Sachi asked her sternly.

"No, but, Still I could have punched him a few times." Sanvi said. Wrong choice of words.

"Yay. You could have surely punched him, but did you think he wouldn't punch you back. Who is teaching you all this nonsense? If you all continue to behave like that, my hair will turn grey sooner than I imagined." Sachi said rubbing her forehead.

"We can get you a hair dye. Advik knows how to apply it." I joked.

"Aarav, this is not funny. My heartbeat stopped for a second when I saw blood dripping from their faces. The last time Advik fought with that guy, his teachers stopped them before they could harm him." She said and got up and went towards the desk. She dragged the swivel chair near the bed and sat on it. Even I was scared when I saw them but got a relief knowing it was just a small fight and nothing major. I looked at my kids they were gesturing to each other.

"Mumma we are very sorry." They said holding their ears. They looked adorable. I am sure this will melt Sachi.

"We promise never to be involved in any fight. Please don't be angry." Advik said, and the rest two nodded their head still holding their ears. He went near her.

"Unless you forgive us, I am not leaving you." He hugged her tightly.

"Even we are not leaving you." Sanj and Sanvi said joining the hug.

"Family hug without me." I was feeling left out, so I went behind her and hugged them.

"Please Mumma." They said innocently.

"Ok. But you all are not allowed to repeat the act." She said and they all nodded. I kissed her forehead gently. My small perfect world is all in my arms right now. I never imagined my life to be this blissful.

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Here comes the end of this story...........💕💕💕💕

I hope you all loved this book...............

I hope this characters were able to make you smile and will remain in some corner of your heart..........