Like One Family
625 Words
Time has a beautiful way of bringing people closer.
Days turned into weeks.
Weeks turned into months.
Before anyone realized it, visiting each other's homes had become a routine for both families.
It didn't matter whether it was a festival, a birthday, a weekend, or just an ordinary evening.
If the Khans were cooking biryani...
A portion automatically went to the Singh house.
If the Singhs made pakoras or halwa...
The first knock on the Khan family's door was always for Hania.
The distance between the two houses was only twenty minutes.
But the distance between their hearts had disappeared long ago.
One Sunday evening...
Colonel Arvind Singh announced,
"Tonight, dinner is at our house. No excuses."
Imran Khan laughed.
"As if you ever give us a choice."
Naila smiled, shaking her head.
"We'll be there."
By seven in the evening...
The dining table was full.
Isha Aunty had cooked enough food for an entire wedding.
"Beta, have some more paneer," she said, serving Hania.
"Aunty..." Hania looked at her overflowing plate. "If you give me any more, I'll fall asleep at the table."
Everyone laughed.
"You've become so thin," Isha said affectionately.
Hania looked at her father dramatically.
"Abbu! Save me."
Imran chuckled.
"I can't. Once Isha starts feeding someone, no one can stop her."
Meanwhile...
Eight-year-old Aashi climbed onto Shanya's lap.
"Shanya Didi, will you help me with my drawing tomorrow?"
"Of course."
"I'll bring chocolates!"
"Deal."
The adults smiled at the little girl's innocence.
Across the table...
Eshaan quietly ate his dinner.
Hania glanced at him before whispering to Shanya,
"See?"
"What?"
"Your monster brother."
Shanya bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"What now?"
"He hasn't smiled once in ten minutes."
Just then...
Colonel Arvind cleared his throat.
"Eshaan."
"Yes, Papa?"
"Smile."
The entire table looked at him.
Eshaan looked confused.
"Why?"
"Because Hania thinks you're a statue."
The room erupted with laughter.
Hania nearly dropped her spoon.
"Uncle!"
"What?" Colonel Arvind grinned. "Didn't you say he never smiles?"
Hania hid her face behind her glass of water.
"I was talking quietly..."
"Not quietly enough," Eshaan replied calmly.
For a second...
Their eyes met.
Then Hania quickly looked away.
Everyone noticed.
Everyone...
Except the two of them.
After dinner...
The children gathered in the garden.
Shanya, Hania and a few neighborhood kids started playing hide-and-seek.
Aashi insisted on joining.
"I'll count!"
"No peeking!" Hania warned.
"I won't!"
She peeked anyway.
"Hania Didi, I can see you behind the rose bushes!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
On the veranda...
The adults enjoyed hot tea while watching the children.
Imran smiled.
"These girls have become inseparable."
Isha nodded.
"Hania is like our own daughter."
Naila looked at Shanya fondly.
"And Shanya is always welcome in our home."
Colonel Arvind sipped his tea before looking toward the garden.
"Eshaan."
"Hm?"
"When did you return to your academy?"
"Day after tomorrow."
"So soon?"
He nodded.
Duty always came first.
For a brief moment...
The cheerful atmosphere became quiet.
Everyone knew Eshaan's visits home were always short.
The Army needed him.
And he never complained.
Later that night...
As the Khan family prepared to leave, Shanya hugged Hania tightly.
"You'll come tomorrow?"
"Obviously."
"If you don't, I'll drag you here."
Hania laughed.
"You can try."
Before getting into the car, she looked toward the veranda.
Eshaan stood there with his hands in his pockets.
He gave a small nod.
She nodded back.
No teasing.
No arguments.
Just a silent goodbye before he returned to training.
Neither of them knew...
that this simple bond between two families would only grow stronger over the years.
The little girl who once called him 'Monster Brother'...
would one day become the woman whose safety he would protect with his life.
- Writer
