It was another usual morning for the Gill's. But this time it was in Mumbai. The city of dreams and heartbreaks. This city never stops. It works all the time. The city could be considered a a dark abyss for some and a walk of fame for other's. People consider it to be a city of dreams but no one told them that it was a city of broken dreams too. A city where some people shinned brighter and lived alone in a mansion while some people were pushed and trampled to thier lowest points where they live cramped up with a number of people in a small room. The city is ruthless. If you aren't ready to face the brutality and cruelty then you can never survive it. The city was full of lies and hopeless facades pulled by people to protect thier dignity. Nothing you see is the truth. The city manufactured delusion and it didn't realise when delusion became a way of living for its people. Mumbai had two sides just like the two sides of the coin. If you see the valued side where you step into stardom and reach the heights of success. Its delightful. But if you step in to the other side of Mumbai. You don't know where you will end up. Because no one knows too. Some people destroy thier lives. Some people crawl back to thier homes. Some people end up homeless. Some people end up in slums. Some end up taking thier lives. Some end up draping themselves with facade and drown in thier own web of lies. You don't know where you will end up. But sure it won't be something you will be proud off.
"Naira is this an invitation?" karthik questioned walking over to her wife on the dinning table as Naira made her kids eat.
"Yeah Karthik. Its from Manik and Nandini" she stated briefly as she smacked arav. who was busy throwing his food on the table.
" ohh Its been long I have met them. Ten years or so right" he remarked settling down beside them.
"yeah its been long karthik. The most important part is they are our neighbors" she states smiling faintly at him as she smacked arnav lightly on his arm. He was busy doodling with the syrup on his plate.
"Yeah we can relive those days" karthik remarked feeling delightful about the city again.
"what days?" shehnaaz questioned munching her chocolate . Karthik smiled warmly at his daughter and took her in his arms. He made her sit in his lap comfortably as she leaned on his front.
"The days when I was your age kiddo. They are my childhood friends" he stated stroking her cheek.
"Just yours?" naira raised a brow at him..
"I mean to say your mother too" he stated hurriedly..
"so were you and mom childhood sweethearts?" Jai squealed in his seat.
"You can say that" karthik nodded at him.
"wait from where all this childhood sweetheart things are coming young man? " naira questioned squinting her brows.
"From DDLJ and that movie were he falls in love with his bestfriend later" arnav remarked as naira looked at them with raised brows.
"That's not on childhood love" karthik remarked.
"but it can give that idea dad" arav exasperated as they looked at thier three son's in astonishment.
"You guys don't understand anything" the three said in chorus and left with thier dishes leaving thier parents dumbfounded.
"You guys don't understand anything" shehnaaz copied her elder brother's and giggled at her parents.
"ohh you little devil." karthik teased her tickling her making her erupt in giggles. she escaped from his hold and ran over to her brother's room. They were triplets and all of them were 12 year old.
"Dada mom and dad gone mad" she exclaimed as they chuckled at her usual antics.
"yeah if we tickle you we will go mad too" arav remarked giving her a side-eye as she ignored him royally making the other two chuckle at it.
"we are doing our work sana. Now you should also prepare for your exam " arnav stated sternly as she nodded in a no . She got ready to sprint off but jai caught her and picked her up.
"You are not going anywhere little devil until you complete your sheet. we have to go to mom dad's friend in the evening. You have a test tomorrow. So it's now or never" jai remarked setting her down on her desk and forwarding her pencil.
"Never" she remarked and arav giggled loudly at it..
"she is definitely my sister" he exclaimed.
"shut up don't make her a lazy ass like you" Jai and Arnav yelled at him making him pout at them. They rolled thier eyes and glared at shehnaaz. she gulped and started doing her sheet. They smirked at it and started doing thier work too. They studied for a few hours. Although sana completed her work in 2 hours . She spent the rest of her time disturbing her brother's or following what they asked her to do. Its fun to annoy the three. Naira barged in to thier room with clothes in her hand along with karthik..
" Common guys you need to get ready asap" she annouced as she pulled Jai and Arnav and karthik picked up shehnaaz and pulled arav to his side.
"Mom do we really have to wear tuxedos for a meet with your friends" arnav exasperated as he saw his mom holding those darn suits.
"yes you have too. Because we were formally invited. If it wasn't formal you could have worn your casual clothes" naira stated sternly.
"but how does it make a difference . They are your friends at the end of the day" arav stated annoyed standing beside Karthik who was busy dressing shehnaaz into a beautiful pink frock.
"It does. " karthik stated sternly..
" How please elaborate " Jai said sarcastically.
"Keep your sarcasm in your pocket young man when you are talking to us. " Naira grumbled as he pouted at her.
"Because they are rich " karthik stated explicitly..
"what?" the boys squealed..
"what he means is . Our friends are the owners of Malhotra Empire. They have countless lands under thier name. They are owners of many factories in the country. The even own some news channels and other channels on the television . They own a lot of electronic companies. The phones you use. The I Pads , laptops and much more are all manufactured in thier companies. They are rich and influential in the country" naira explained softly to them.
"But my mom dad the best . I love them and they are richie rich" shehnaaz squealed in karthik's arms kissing his cheek.
"ohh yes we are" karthik stated kissing her face as naira smiled at the two.
'I want all of the boys to be at thier best behavior. "naira stated bluntly.
" yeah and snap out of your " we hate girls and boys are best" phase for the evening. They have daughter's of your age" karthik stated sternly as he dressed arav too. The other two boys were also fully dressed by Naira.
"yeah yeah ok" the boys grumbled as karthik and naira left ruffling thier hair.
"lets see who will be on thier best behavior" the boys smirked at each other as sana hopped over to them curiously .
"Are we gonna play pranks?" she asked excitedly..
"That wasn't the plan but pranks are harmless" they chuckled as arav picked her up in his arms.
"Yaya" she squealed as nobody knew what disaster awaited them ahead.