Life is full of surprises, they say. You can get anything and everything in your life, but only if you make an effort. Even God helps those who help themselves. So, you have to take a step, to sketch your life and colour it according to your choices. However, love holds a special place in life. When you have your loved ones by your side, life is no less than heaven.

The Shergills follow this principle of life and love. The head of the family is Dr. Vineet Shergill, a renowned neurosurgeon in the country. He is an expert in his field and holds a Doctorate in the same. He’s often invited for lectures in institutes all over the country, and even overseas. However, he has taken only one international invitation, where a conference was organised in London and he was invited for a lecture. After that, he decided to serve his mother country.

Dr Shergill is blessed with a pretty wife, Anamika Shergill, who happens to be a lawyer and owns her own law firm, Akshansh Law Firm, named after her children. Anamika and Vineet are blessed with two sons – Akshit, the elder one, and Ansh, the younger one. Anamika shares a unique bond with each of them, while Vineet adores this cordial bond. He acts more like a friend to them and often takes the chance to show that he loves them. They are one small, happy family where there is only love, and there’s no space for hate and anger. Though arguments happen, they are momentary.

Anamika and Vineet have made it clear to their children that there is always room for improvement. There might be some things on which they disagree, they might argue or fight, but in the end, they have to take the decision together. They have to find out what’s right and what’s wrong. And they’d only be able to do it when they sit together and discuss. The arguments won’t do any good. That’s how, the boys have been – Akshit, being the elder one, is calm, composed, and mature,  he’s his dad’s twin, while Ansh, the younger one, is calm, mature and naughty at the same time. He possesses some traits of his beloved mother.

They are one family with different colours and immense love.

*****
It’s a regular day in the Shergill House. Anamika is in the kitchen, winding up the work. She’s plating the food for her husband, who’s yet to come home. Meanwhile, her younger son pounces on her, causing the daal to spill on the slab.

“Maaa…”

“Ansh!! Ye kya hain? Kitni baar bola hain aise kaan mein mat chillaya kar…lekin nahi, tu meri ek baat nahi sunta.” She scolds him.

“ Sorry naa! Main toh bol raha tha, aap darr gayi toh main kya karu? “ Ansh asks innocently, causing his mother to slap his cheek playfully.

“Haan, tu kahan kuch karta hain, sab kuch main hi toh karti hoon.” She glares at her son, who bites his tongue.

“Gussa nahi karte na, Maa. Aap hi kehti ho gussa nahi karna chahiye, ab ap hi gussa kar rahi ho. Not fair!”  He acts innocently, causing Anamika to smile.

“Tujhe bas baatein banani aati hain, Ansh. Khair, kya hua? Tere Papa se contact hua?” She asks about her husband.

“Haan, Papa ka message aaya hai ki wo bas aadhe ghante mein aa rahe hain. Unka phone discharge ho gaya tha isliye call nahi uthaai.” Ansh informs her.

“Thik hain. Tu jaa, main aati hoon.” Anamika says, but Ansh lingers around her, distracting her.

“Ansh, kya hua? Yahan kyun ghoom raha hain? Jaa apne bhai ko pareshan kar, mujhe mat sata.” She commands.

“Vahi toh problem hain, Maa. Bhai pata nahi kahan khoye hue hain! Main unke paas gaya tha par unhone bola unko kuch baat nahi karni. Pata nahi kya soch rahe hain. Bina baat ke daant diya mujhe.” Ansh scoffs, his mother understands his drama.

“Oye drama king, apna drama band kar. Tu mujhe pareshan kar raha tha isliye dant padi.” it’s Akshit, Ansh’s elder brother.

“Ma, dekho na, bina baat ki shikayat karta hain. Main kuch kaam kar raha tha isliye maine isse kaha ki ye room se bahar jaaye. Aapko pata hain na full volume mein video games khelta hain.” Akshit complains and pulls out a water bottle from the fridge.

“Par aapne danta na, wo important hain, Bhaai!”  Ansh retorts.

“Achcha, chal, abhi toh danta tha, ab pitaai karta hoon.” Akshit glares at his brother, and Ansh runs out, with Akshit following him.

This is the usual banter between the two brothers and Anamika can’t help but smile at her kids. But she can’t shake off the feeling that Akshit has been staying off for quite some time. She had noticed it, but Vineet comforted her, saying that it might be the study pressure or any trouble with his friends. But, the matter seems something else, Ansh has noticed it too. Something is troubling her son, and she needs to ask him.

As she walks out of the kitchen, and sets the dinner plate on the table, she finds the boys laughing at something. Ah! These two are of different kinds.  A moment ago, they were fighting, and now they are laughing. She approaches them and looks at the boys.

“Ladai khatam ho gayi?” She asks.

“Humne kab ladai ki? Hum toh movie dekh rahe hain.” Ansh shows his mobile to her.

“Acha jii! Matlab bas mere saamne ladai , haan?”  She rolls her eyes at them, at which the boys giggle.

“Han, par hum aapse pyaaar bhi toh karte hain na.” The boys move forward to hug her.

Meanwhile, Ansh’s phone rings, it’s his friend and he moves into the garden to talk. Meanwhile, Anamika holds Akshit’s hands and pats his cheek.

“Akshit, sab thik hain na?”  She asks.

“Haan …haan, Ma. Sab thik hain. Aap iase kyun puch rahi ho?” He asks, though, the colour on his face fades.

“Mujhe laga ki kuch baat hain. Tere papa toh puchne bhi nahi dete. Kehte hain doston se ladai ki hogi.” She says.

“Aap bhi na, Maa! Kuch zyada hi sochti ho, Aur aapko toh pata hain college mein assignments ka tension hai.” Akshit says, trying to hide his worries behind his smile.

“Tu sach keh raha hain?” She asks and he nods positively.

“Dekh Akshit, main teri maa hoon. Tujhe tujhse zyada jaanti hoon. Main janti hoon ki kuch toh baat hain, jo tu shayad mujhe batana nahi chahta. Lekin beta, ek baat hamesha yaad rakhna, aur koi tere sath ho ya na ho, teri Ma tere sath hain. Hmm? Aur jab tujhe thik lage tu mujhe batana, lekin apne dil ki baat kehna zaroor.”  Anamika looks at her son, who’s staring at her and then manages to nod.

Meanwhile, Vineet returns home, he has heard the mother and son conversing, so he glances at them. He often teases Anamika and Akshit, for they share a beautiful bond, Akshit shares everything with his mother, and she has solutions for all his problems.

“Kya confidential baatein ho rahi hain, maa bete mein?” he asks, keeping his bag on the sofa.

“Hamesha ki tarah secret baatein hain, Dad. Aur ye dono mujhe kuch nahi batate. “ Ansh, being the naughty self, exaggerates the matter, and this is well-known to his parents and brother.

“Beta ji, jab tumhara number aayega na, tujhe bhi samjhaungi, aur tujhe toh ek thappad laga ke samjhana padega.”  She takes a step forward but Ansh hides behind Vineet.

“Dad, apni wife se bachaao, please!” He says.

“Ansh, nautanki band kar. Papa ko fresh hone de. Tujhe toh nautanki se fursat nahi hain.” Anamika scolds him.

“Mat daanto na! Aaj ka quota pura ho gaya hain uska.” Akshit glances at his Ma.

“Ye acha hain, main daantun toh tu iski dhaal ban jaata hain! Tum dono sach mein alag ho, aur meri samajh ke baahar.” Anamika sighs, though, she is glad that her sons have an understanding and they’ll be there for each other.

Meanwhile, Vineet moves into his room to get ready for the day. At the same time, the doorbell rings. Akshit opens the door and is surprised to find his friends Siddhath and Jai on the door. He smiles.

“Sid, Jai! Tum dono yahan? Sab thik hain na?” He asks.

“Akshit, kuch thik nahi hain. “ Jai says and turns aside, and as soon as his eyes land on the car, he’s shocked.

“Yeh? Kya hua?” He’s beyond shocked.

“Vo toh hume bhi nahi pata. Par tere papa doctor hain na, isliye humne socha isey yahin le aaye. Uncle isko dekh lenge toh pata chalega kya hua hain?”  Sidharth says.

Akshit nods and walks towards the car. A young girl is lying unconscious in the backseat of the car. Another young girl, Vaani, is holding her. Akshit scoops her in his arms and that’s when Vaani looks at him.

“Akshit, ab toh kuch karna hoga. I’m sure iske saath fir se kuch hua hain.”  Vaani voices her concern.

“Haan Akshit, Vaani thik keh rahi hain. Vo toh aaj Vaani ko isse milna tha toh hum uske ghar gaye. And we managed to get her with us.” Jai says.

Akshit enters the house and looks at his dad, asking for his aid. He lays her on the couch and Vineet does the check-up, understanding the cruciality of the moment. He looks at his son’s friend.

“Isey koi problem hai kya? Ye behosh kaise ho gayi?”

“Uncle, hume nahi pata. Ye hamari collegemate hain, Inaara. Hum iske ghar gaye toh ye bahar garden mein thi, aisa lag raha tha jaise kisi trance mein hain.” Vaani explains.

“Aur phir jab hum car mein they toh achanak se chillai aur behosh ho gayi.” Jai adds.

“Isey bukhaar bhi hain. Ek kaam karo, isey aaj raat yahin chhod do, Yeh hamare ghar rahegi.  taaki main isko treat kar sakun.Tum log ghar jaao.”  Vineet commands, and the other three leleaveand Akshit assures them that he will keep them updated.

As soon as they leave, Akshit sits beside Inaara, patting her cheeks. He’s highly worried about the girl. He has been too much concerned about this pretty lady, and now, she’s lying unconscious in front of him.

“Inaara, utho!  Wake up, Inaara.” He tries to wake her up.

“Akshit, shaant ho jao, usey kuch derr mein hosh aa jayega.” Vineet tries to calm his son.

“Par aisa nahi hona chahiye tha, Dad. Inaara utho.”  Akshit glances at the girl.

It seems like, this time, the girl has heard his voice. She stirs at her place and then sits up with a jerk. Finding Akshit’s familiar face, she instantly hugs him, blurting out something, that not only leaves Akshit shocked, but his parents are equally stunned.

To Be Continued.