Chapter 56: "We Love Abbu"

The sun was beginning to set as the four siblings walked back from the fair.

Ayat was happily carrying her teddy bear.

Aarhan held his toy car tightly in one hand while holding Yash's hand with the other.

The evening breeze was pleasant.

After walking quietly for a while, Yash looked at the two younger children.

He asked gently,

Yash: "You both love Abbu a lot, don't you?"

Ayat's face lit up instantly.

Ayat: "Yes, Bhaiya!"

Aarhan nodded enthusiastically.

Aarhan: "Very much."

Yash smiled faintly.

Yash: "Why?"

Ayat answered without even thinking.

Ayat: "Because he's good."

Aarhan continued,

Aarhan: "And he loves us too."

Yash listened silently.

Ayat smiled as she remembered something.

Ayat: "Every day he asks us how school was."

Aarhan nodded.

Aarhan: "He asks what we learned..."

Ayat: "...whether we ate our lunch..."

Aarhan: "...and if anyone troubled us."

His little face became thoughtful.

Aarhan: "Before..."

He looked down.

Aarhan: "...there was nobody to ask us those things."

There was a brief silence.

Ayat softly held her brother's hand.

Ayat: "Now, when Abbu comes home, he always asks about our day."

She smiled brightly.

Ayat: "It makes us happy."

Aarhan looked at Yash.

Aarhan: "He hugs us too."

He smiled shyly.

Aarhan: "When I was scared at school today..."

He looked down at his toy car.

Aarhan: "...Abbu came."

His eyes sparkled.

Aarhan: "He didn't leave me alone."

Yash's heart softened.

Ayat looked at both her elder brothers.

Ayat: "We know he isn't our biological father."

She smiled warmly.

Ayat: "But he's our Abbu."

Aarhan nodded firmly.

Aarhan: "And we love him."

For a few moments, Yash and Aarav remained silent.

They looked at each other.

Then Yash gently ruffled Aarhan's hair.

Yash: "He's lucky to have you both."

Aarav smiled.

Aarav: "And I think..."

He looked ahead towards the palace.

Aarav: "...he needed you just as much as you needed him."

The four siblings continued walking home together.

Each step brought them closer—not just to the palace...

But to becoming a family.