About an hour later, as Robert guides the way, Ash and Naina walk along the streets and down a narrow trail into a patch of woods to where the cemetery lies.

The cemetery doesn't seem gothic to Ash, but the solitude encased in metallic fencing does seem scary. There's not a soul around, just the chirping birds on treetops, fluffy clouds trailing along lazily across the skyline. Under the shade of an overgrown sal tree, lies a tombstone reading the name 'Nalini Neves', with the text inscribed below that goes as: to the end I shall love, cherish. The lord shall watch over you even if I can't.

Ash's eyes turn misty again. As his hand involuntarily reaches for Naina's and their fingers twine together, he vaguely remembers his mother saying something similar about love being an eternal emotion, in a rather poetic way. Writing poetry had been a favorite habit of hers and she indulged in the same as much as she could when she wasn't looking after the Neves Mansion.

"She had been a teacher in the beginning, but had to give up her job permanently to raise seven boisterous boys." Robert breaks the air that's thick with emotion. "She did return to work around the time we nearly went bankrupt. Had to run the house you see, but she'd been never truly happy, always missing son who was away... As the years passed, she tried her best for the rest of us but... I guess I was the only one she could open up to. Those lines inscribed below are from one of her poems. I thought... she'd like them written on her grave."

"I remember, bhau..." Ash says after a moment's heavy silence, closing his eyes trying to picture a memory when his mother smiled at him. "I vaguely remember her reciting poems sometimes. She also wanted to publish a book right? If she didn't, maybe we should do it now..."

Robert nods, placing a hand over his younger brother. Both the brothers' emotional state once again brings tears to Naina's eyes. Human compassion is such a strange thing. How she wishes Neves brothers didn't have to suffer through this fate...

Breathing in deeply and brushing off her tears, she pulls away from Ash a little, indicating with gestures that they must now be offering prayers. Handing the bouquet of orchids they brought along to him, she pulls out a candle and set of matches from her hand bag.

Robert distances himself from Ash, who bobs his head at Naina, and together they kneel on the rough, slightly wet ground before the grave. Their hands envelope over another as they together place the flowers on the bed of the grave.

'The premises surrounding the grave are pristine clean. Someone from the Nevus family has been taking good care of the place. Mrs Nalini Nevus is a well-loved woman,' Naina thinks as she now joins her hands in prayer. For a moment as she closes her eyes, she's remembering her own deceased mother, but quickly gathers her senses. She prays to mother-in-law's soul, seeking her blessings.

"Please watch over us! Please give us strength so we can stick together through all odds. Please bless us all... May the Neves family be never apart again. And may Lord Jesus watch over all of us..." She keeps repeating these thoughts as a prayer in her head as she and Ash each light a candle and finish praying.

Ash rises to his feet trying to smile while his usually handsome face remains tear-streaked, the sight of which once again fills Naina's heart with disdain. He blows a kiss at the grave, chuckling once, and then wincing slightly as he holds back a sob.

"Bhau tells me you've seen me on the TV, mom. I wish I could have seen you too. I wish... we could have... met... I..." the rest of his words die as silent tears stream down his cheeks.

Naina grips his hand once again, holding a hand to her mouth to stop the choking noise that's about to leak from her lips. This is Ash's moment of sadness, she mustn't interfere too much, is what she thinks, but still gives him a brief hug. Robert who's been watching the scene now reaches for his little brother.

Ash latches on to the man as if he were a kid in desperate need of his big brother's comfort. "Bhau.. this is unfair! Life has always been unfair to me... Why? Why did this happen to me! I want to see Mom, bhau!"

For a good five minutes, Robert Nevus has no words to say, for he too is struggling to hold back his tears. How can a man who's grieving console another? That's a hard task but he's had enough practice. Being the eldest of his brothers had taught him enough.

"Life has equal parts of fair and unfair. Don't you think, Ash? You've got Naina now. And you've got us all... So it's a bit fair... isn' it?"

He knows he's only justifying and his words may not actually help relieve Ash's grief but he only wants to try.

A couple of minutes pass before Ash regains his composure. sniffling , he nods at his big brother, parting their hug and turns to Naina. Naina dashes head long into him, burying her face in his chest. How did he forget? Mohtarma is always a mess of emotions, and she's shed enough tears for his sake.

Just having her close drags him out from the depths of the abyss and fills him with resolve. He remembers his vow to protect her and that's enough to dry his tears. "Mom is here, sweetheart. I'm confident she will watch over us! I bet she's right now in heaven, fussing over our upcoming marriage. And maybe she's consulting with your mom and dad, too, coming up with ways in which they can convince they are up there, still loving us..."

Naina pulls back a little so she can look at her fiance's face. "Oh, Ash! This coming from the boy who told me silly fairy tales, yeah, I believe you."

She smiles through her tears, feeling strangely content as he shows her usual smile. His hands cup her face, thumbs stroking her cheek bones before wiping her tears, a kiss lands on her forehead before she's tugged into his embrace.

Putting her arms around his thin but taut frame, she lets out a huge sigh. His own breathing appears to even out eventually, their heartbeats calming down. For many moments they stand there frozen together, hanging onto each other for support and she's filled with the feeling that when the both of them are together, they can handle anything and everything life throws at them.

Meanwhile, Robert who's been watching his brother and would-be sister in law, brushes a stray tear from his eyes, looking at the graying skies. And as a gentle shower begins to pour from the clouds, he thinks of it as his mother's blessings. A way of communicating she's watching over her kids.

***

The eldest and youngest of the Neves brothers and Naina return home soaked in the rain. Their clothing may have become soppy and heavy, but their hearts are a little light and they are able to greet the rest of the Neves family with a smile.

"Oh you need a change of clothes!" Ivan says, while his wife, Amy moves forward to pat Naina on her cheek. "Naina can wear mine."

Naina smiles, shivering a little at the chill from the rain still lingering in her bones. Robert remarks they all will need hot baths to which old Mr Neves and the rest of the Neves brothers right away agree.

"I'll take care of my little bro!" Jacob practically drags Ash away from the group towards his room, but Naina manages to sneak a glance at her fiance's face and exchange one last secret smile with him before they temporarily parted ways.

***

Ash is already seated atop one of the settees, looking sullen and bored when Naina shows up, now showered and warmly dressed in one of Amy's ruffle jumpsuits. Before he can reach out a hand for her and beckon her to his side—

"Ah! Look who's here! You are a vision, my dear..." Jacob says, reaching up and patting Naina on the head.

While Naina blushes a little trying to return the compliment with a formal thank you, mimicking a curtsey movement, Ash stops her midway tugging her arm so she's pulled flush against his side.

"Enough bhau... that's my wife you're talking to!"

Wife? Naina's eyes go wide as she repeats the word in her head and stares at Ash. She's only his fiance now, for him to blurt out something like this, he must have said it a thousand times in his head.

"Wife... Ohooo... look at this! Our chikke is all grown up and he has a wife!"

"Amazing!"

"But he isn't married yet right?"

The Neves brothers begin their teasing. Naina is too embarrassed to look at who's speaking, and she isn't familiar with the brothers enough to identify them by their voices. She sneaks a glance at Ash to find him holding his head, and sighing softly. Well this is nice. All good hearted teasing, and it's a relief to see Ash blending in well with his family.

The clock chimes seven times interrupting the ruckus of voices that Ash has failed to get to pipe down. He glances at the large antique clock once, just enough time to hear his father chiding his brothers not to take their teasing too far,

He nearly smiles hearing his father stick up for him, but then frowns hearing the word chikke.

"No one teases Chikke anymore. Let him breathe."

Ash repeats those words in his head, pouting slightly, and mumbling, "why must you call me chikke, too, dad?"

Again six pairs of hands attempt to ruffle his hair. Ash runs away, putting some distance between the crowd that's his gang of brothers, narrowing his eyes at them. As he runs his hands through his hair, arranging his freshly washed, still wet bangs, he's aware of the amused laughter ringing around him. Naina, all of his bhabhis and his beloved brothers and his own father are laughing. He too cracks a smile because he can't be exactly mad at any of them.

Just then, Jacob claps his hands and announces that's enough teasing poor Ash, it's time for him to meet the rest of the family. "The kids might be home anytime now, and they'd be delighted to meet their Uncle Ash!"

Uncle? Ash crinkles his nose. As per his calculations he is not old enough to be called an uncle but damn, it slipped his mind that his older brothers could have had kids and they would be his extended family. His face sours just imagining a bunch of kids calling him uncle.

A moment passes and about a dozen kids dash into the living room all of sudden, the oldest of them guiding the younger ones. Wow! Here are kids of all ages! The oldest kid looks like he could be seventeen, and there's a little girl as young as a five year old!

The kids are all very fair-skinned and dressed like fashionistas. The boys wearing trousers with suspenders, and girls frolicking in colorful frocks and jeggings. As she looks at the scene before her in amazement, Naina can't help but once again think — fashion runs in the blood of the Neves family.

"Hey kiddos!" As always Robert is the one to make the introductions. "Here's the long awaited meeting! Meet your uncle Ash and his beautiful fiancé!"

Ash fidgets internally, counting the pairs of eyes that come to rest on him. It's been a while since he's this nervous and he's only being stared at by kids, not hardcore mafiosos! What's wrong with him?

He's done counting and his nervousness has gone down now, but there are twelve kids here? Wow!

He smiles, lifting a hand in greeting. The bewildered kids errupt into cheers, breaking into smiles and rush over to his side. The younger ones push each other to hug his knees, the slightly taller ones attempt to grab his waist. While the oldest of all, a cheeky, most definitely skinny guy with long bangs watches with a smile.

"I'm Aiden! It's a delight to meet you, Uncle Ash! We've only watched you on TV, you know," Aiden says grinning from ear to ear. "I know you're not old enough to be called Uncle but be around us, and you'll get used to it..."

Ash chuckles, reaching out toward the kids that have bombarded him. Despite the chaos around him, he can't say he's displeased. These kids know him from the TV hm? That makes him sound like he's a TV star or something but he isn't. He may just be a successful businessman who sometimes appears on TV though, and is sometimes dragged into insanely stupid gossips.

"It's nice to meet you all..." Ash grins, picking up the tiniest of the girls there are with one arm, another resting on a little boy's head who's hugging his knee. "Alright. Let's slow down okay? Let's get to know each other better!"

"Uncle play with us!"

Ash winces at the word uncle again, but he still nods at each of the kids there are. Aiden begins introducing everyone's names, also stating whose kids they are, Ash maps all the details to his brain with a subtle nod.

Robert and other Neves brothers and their father look on with fond smiles on their faces. Standing amidst the ladies of the family, Naina can feel her lips stretching into a similar smile. Ash is being very sweet to the kids, and they definitely are his new fan group. It's endearing to watch them interact.

The kids calm down after a good while, saying they are hungry, but they still take a couple of minutes to bond with Naina. As they clamour to rush out and freshen up themselves in their respective rooms, Aiden runs after them shouting and organizing them into one line.

"No running on the stairs! Walk! Count your steps!" As Aiden yells, Ash heaves a sigh. This young boy is as good as a drill sergeant, almost reminding him of Robert bhau when he was this older.

Haha! Jaisa baap waisa beta! And Aiden is Robert bhau's only son!

The dinner that follows that night is a lively affair. The long dining table is finally fully occupied. The dishes served are all vegan, nutritious and delicious.

Ash and Naina have their fill dining with the rest of the Neves — young and old.

The clock chimes nine and Aiden, the drill sergeant declares it's bedtime. Ash is surprised as one by one the kids kiss him on the cheek and bid him good night. Of course the older one Aiden just smiles (which is a relief) and he's shielded Naina from their affection, but...

With an exasperated smile, Ash waves them goodbye. Once they are gone, he collapses into his chair as a heap.

Naina is doing okay, she's even okay being called an aunt! Look at her smiling at the kiddos! But this family time is a little too much to take for him! And his brothers continue to make a little talk.

While they understand it's time for him and Naina to leave, they devise new plans for the upcoming weekend.

"Weekends should be family time! Especially now that we've all met after many, many years..."

Everyone eagerly agrees to Robert's words.

"The kids would be delighted to meet you, Ash. they've gone for a day trip today but they'd love to play with you coming Sunday!" says Ivan. Again everyone agrees.

Ash can't help but whine and complains saying he's no play thing. Naina in his stead, promises they will visit again soon, if the odds align the next weekend itself. The chit chat goes on for a while. Though Ash grumbles outwardly, he enjoys the laughter and cheer around him.

Many minutes later, he gets into his car with Naina, bidding his family a temporary goodbye. They all see him off with a smile. As he drives back to the Zohra HQ, he can't help but think his weekend has been a bittersweet one.

"Visiting dear old Pa and brothers can't be bad," he murmurs under his breath, "and my little band of niece and nephews. Bhabhis too. Did the Lord give me back everything he's taken from me and more?"

As his thoughts spiral on, the anguish that's fresh from the discovery that he'd lost his mother threatens to come back, but he doesn't want to fall weak again and make Naina upset. So he turns on the car radio. A jaunty Konkani song plays over the car's speakers, he takes upon himself to croon the lyrics and translate them to his giggling fiance by his side.

That's what he must do now. He must strive to make those around him smile. He feels more determined than ever to make it happen now.

***

Finally! An update! I've debated updating this for so long because it was being copied. (If you read Zohra and if you know me, you'd know what I'm referring to and the plight I'd been through ) 

Anyway, I decided I'd keep chapters that form the crux of this story hidden and save them for my e-book version. So... Yeah that's why this story appears a bit disjointed. I apologize for this inconvenience and request your understanding.

Thank you for reading! Personally writing this chapter made my heart ache for Ash... Please share your thoughts. Also let me know if you'd want to read the missing chapter 5 <3 I'm still conflicted about this thing, and I'd love to hear your opinion. I'm super sorry for not publishing it... I feel guilty even but... Yeah I'd like to ask for your opinion. DM me and reach out. I will think about what I can do.

Pls Vote and comment! hopefully I will update soon... And pls be assured, there are no more hidden chapters, just this one <3