Singhania Mansion, 6:00 PM

The sun was dipping behind the Shimla hills, casting golden hues over the sprawling Singhania estate. As Dr. Kabir Singhania stepped into the grand main hall, the familiar sound of laughter met his ears. From the left courtyard near the foyer, he spotted Yatharth, Ivaan, Arohi, and Alia in the middle of a full-blown teasing match."Bhaiya!" Ivaan called out with a grin, spotting Kabir. "Save me!" Arohi whined dramatically. "They're accusing me of stealing the last brownie!" Kabir smirked. "Did you?" "That's not the point!" Arohi shot back, making everyone laugh louder. Shaking his head with a chuckle, Kabir walked past them toward the main living room, where the elders were gathered. Dadaji Prithvi, with his glasses low on his nose, was in an intense newspaper discussion with Dadi Divyani, while Rajeev, Aman, and Nandini and Sandhya sipped their evening tea. The familiar calm energy of the room wrapped around Kabir. But Dr. Abhimanyu and Dr. Akriti, his parents, hadn't arrived yet. Most likely still at the hospital, lost in surgeries and cases as always. Kabir headed to the dining area, craving his evening coffee. There, at the long polished dining table, the real chaos had already begun. Jay was mock-arguing with Shourya over some cricket bet. Riaan and Raiansh were arm-wrestling while their wives Paridhi and Piyali rolled their eyes. Naksh was filming the chaos for his stories. "Coffee for the star neurosurgeon of the day," Tanushri said with a playful smile, having already spotted Kabir walking in from the courtyard near the kitchen. She placed a mug toward him and then took her seat beside her husband, Shourya. Looking at Kabir Paridhi said in a teasing tone "You look exhausted. Devar ji." Piyali continued the teasing saying "He always does."  Kabir arched a brow at them both. "Don't start," he warned, though the smile tugging at the corner of his lips gave him away. Inside the kitchen truly the heart of the Singhania mansion, Arjun Chachu, the beloved owner of the luxurious Dreamy Destiny hotel chain and a celebrated chef, was in his element. "Paneer tikka for the vegetarians, spicy mushroom galouti for the brave ones, and Kashmiri dum aloo specially for Nandini Bhabhi and Akriti Bhabhi!" he called out. Then, raising his ladle like a warning baton, he added with mock seriousness, "Anyone touches anything before 7:30 and you're officially banned from my kitchen!" Laughter echoed from the dining area to the kitchen, mixing with the warm aromas of spice, ghee, and fresh herbs. It was a kind of comfort Kabir hadn't realized he missed until this moment. His shoulders, usually tensed from hospital rounds and board meetings, finally began to relax. Jeevika Chachi entered with a beautifully decorated pooja thali in hand, her presence graceful and grounded. Arjun, ever the charmer, couldn't resist a little flirt. "If beauty was a spice, you'd be my secret ingredient," he quipped with a wink, causing Jeevika to blush despite years of marriage. Before the teasing could continue, their daughter-in-law, Piyali ever loyal to Jeevika, playfully stepped in. "Papa, stop embarrassing Maa in front of us! She's my pride." "Arjun Chachu, do you flirt with Jeevika Chachi only during cooking hours or is it a 24/7 subscription?" Yug teased. Jeevika blushed while pretending to scold, "Yug, behave!" But Arjun only laughed, tossing a coriander leaf at Yug. "Jealousy doesn't look good on junior doctors." Yug raised his hands. "Fine, fine. I'll go save lives while you two cook up romance and dinner." Everyone laughed. Just then, Diya entered with her  daughter Kiara, fresh from dance class. Kiara instantly lit up the room with her energy, asking wildly imaginative and completely illogical questions that had everyone, from Kabir to Arjun, cracking up. As laughter filled the air and the evening settled into a warm rhythm, Diya, Piyali, Paridhi, and Tanushri stepped into the kitchen to help Arjun Chachu with dinner prep. As the laughter in the kitchen continued and the delicious aromas filled the house, Kabir quietly slipped away to his room—in need of a quick shower and some time to recharge after the long day at AIIMS.  Naksh, on the other hand, had plans of his own. He grabbed his phone and keys, casually calling out, "I'm heading out to meet Rhea!" before slipping out, a familiar excitement in his step. Jay, ever the doting father, scooped up little Kiara and carried her upstairs, listening to her babble about her dance class. "Papa, you know I did this spin and didn't even fall once!" she chirped. Jay smiled, "That means you deserve two chocolates tonight." Meanwhile, Raiansh and Riaan made their way to the third floor gym, eager to check out the new imported equipment. "Finally, some decent gear," Raiansh commented, inspecting the weight racks. Riaan nodded, "Next Sunday, Arm Day. No excuses." Downstairs, Yug glanced at his watch and grabbed his stethoscope. "Evening rounds," he told Arjun Chachu on his way out. "Save me some galouti, or I'll report this kitchen to the hospital board."

The house, though momentarily scattered with family members branching off in different directions, still hummed with that quiet, lived-in joy—the kind only big families truly understood. This is the Singhania household—chaotic yet cozy, teasing yet tender, and always wrapped in the flavor of love.

Inside Kabir's Bedroom. After few minutes

Kabir emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair, dressed casually in a black T-shirt and joggers. His phone buzzed. PING. A reminder: Shimla Doctors Excellence Awards – Tomorrow, 6:30 PM, Heritage Convention Hall. He paused, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "Right, I almost forgot," he muttered. Leaning against the edge of his bed, he unlocked his phone and skimmed through the invitation. "Another round of applause and speeches," he muttered, half-smiling. But beneath the sarcasm, a flicker of pride tugged at him. His parents, Abhimanyu and Akriti, and his grandparents would be there , likely involved in orchestrating the entire evening with quiet grace. The Singhania name would echo once again in the corridors of medicine. And this time, his own nomination in neurosurgery might just add to the resonance. "Tomorrow's another high-profile night," he said to himself, exhaling into the silence.

A gentle knock broke the quiet. "Kabir?" It was his mother. Dr. Akriti Singhania stepped in.  Checking on him after a long hospital shift or any Meeting had become second nature, even now. "How was the AIIMS Cancer and Palliative Care wing meeting?" she asked, sitting at the edge of the bed. "Which architectural firm finally got the project?" Kabir, as usual kept his head on his mothers lap and said "It's a firm called Visionary Vista. Young team. Oxford graduates. Clear minds, impressive ideas." He paused, and lifted his head up from his mothers lap, his gaze distant for a moment, then again turned in his face towards his mother and continued saying "The chairperson is Kashish Diwan. Calm, poised... razor-sharp as an architect. She understood exactly what kind of structures hospitals need. Not just aesthetic , deeply functional. She stood out." There was a subtle shift in Kabir's expression , something softer, unguarded. Akriti noticed. Not the words. But the way he said her name. It was the first time Kabir had ever praised someone, especially someone outside of medicine , with such conviction. Akriti didn't comment. She simply filed away the shift, letting silence speak where her words wouldn't. Instead, she smiled gently. "That's wonderful. Sounds like AIIMS made the right choice." Then, rising to leave, she added, "Now take some rest, Kabir. Tomorrow is the Doctors' Excellence Awards." Kabir nodded, eyes thoughtful. "Yes, Maa." As she closed the door behind her, Kabir walked back to his bed. 

                                                                        ***********

How was the chapter?

VOTE AND COMMENT

- [Pristi Scrolls]