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IT was bro Siddarth, it was her brother, it was indeed her long lost brother.
“Siddarth?” She called and slowly walked up to him, glancing at Aarti and Raghav.
“Rina?” He called, his eyelids flickering.
“You? What are you doing here? H… how did you find your way here?” She asked, stuttering as she got few steps away from him and stood.
He looked around, surprise written all over his face as well.
“I am the one who is actually supposed to be asking you that. What are you doing here Rina?” He asked.
Lady Aarti and Raghav, and even the nanny just looked on in astonishment, what exactly was going on? They kept their cool and watched the drama unfold.
Then suddenly, she realized she wasn’t supposed to be asking all that, but welcome him like she had been saying she would if she ever sees him.
“Big bro!” She shouted at once and rushed up to him, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him so passionately. He reciprocated the hug, and the tears from them flowed out.
The people in the room watched the duo unfold more drama.
Raghav himself was the most curious. She just called her big bro, and the guy had called her name when he entered right? And she had exclaimed then ran up to him and they both engaged in a hug. Hmm, anyways he patiently waited for them to finish up, so she would explain.
“Oh my goodness!” Rina exclaimed again and disengaged from the hug, looking all over him, “brother!” She exclaimed yet again and gave him another hug.
“Oh my! I thought you were dead”, she said.
Siddarth on his point of view was just so shocked and astounded to see her, not just see her but see her as the mother of the baby he saved. Jeez! What a coincidence. This was his junior sis, his baby sis, awwn, he shed tears.
“Baby Rin?” He called as he whimpered, Rina smiled, that was the pet name only he and their mother calls her. She held his hands in hers.
“Yeah, big bro, I’m so happy to see you. Where the hell have you been? Why did you leave that day?…”, she paused, then continued, “wait… you mean, you were the one who saved my baby? Good Lord!”
He nodded.
“I… never knew I saved my nephew, never knew”, he said.
That was when it began making sense to Raghav, as he sat there cuddling their son. Rina had once told him of her brother who vanished few months after her dad’s funeral many years ago.
Yeah, now he could even see the resemblance as they stood, they really looked alike. Wow! So this Siddarth guy had saved his nephew unaware, wow! Blood they say is really thicker than water.
Lady Aarti herself was also getting some things from what they were saying. They were siblings. Although she never knew Rina had a brother, talk more of having one who left the scene years ago. It was a shocking revelation by the way.
“You saved your nephew bro, you saved my son”, she said happily and glanced at Raghav and Lady Aarti.
Siddarth’s facial expression instantly turned astonished. Her son? How? When? And hold on… with the almighty Prince Raghav? Prince of Shimla kingdom? Good Lord! How?Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
With these questions written all over his face, he looked inquiringly at his sister, she smiled, getting it all.
“Calm down Siddarth, a lot had happened since you left mum and I”, she said.
He sighed.
“I didn’t leave you two”, he said.
“Of course you did. Well come, let me introduce you to my family”, she said and dragged him by his left hand and he followed.
They walked to their front and stopped. Rina sighed deeply, cleaning off the streaks of tears in her eyes.
“Um… Lady Aarti? Babe? Please meet my brother, my long lost only brother, Siddarth Doween”, she said and turned to him, he swallowed hard.
Did she just called the Prince babe? Huh?
“Bro? This is Lady Aarti, wife to the Prince of this kingdom, and Raghav’s aunt. Then Prince Raghav, I’m sure you know him, well, he is my ugh… baby daddy”, she said, grinning her teeth.
“Huh?” Raghav mouthed and Aarti burst into laughter.
“It’s my pleasure to meet you son”, she said and shook hands with him.
“My honour Your Grace, my honour”, he bowed.
“Didn’t know you had a brother Rina”, Lady Aarti said to her, smiling.
She smiled and said nothing.
“Your Grace, I’m so honoured to meet you”, Siddarth said to Raghav and bowed.
He smiled, nodding his head.
“So, you are the brother-in-law I have”, he said and he glanced at Rina, looking curious.
Rina laughed.
“Don’t mind him bro”, she said.
“What? Don’t mind her instead, okay? I am not her baby daddy, I am actually her man, and she is my woman”, he said and Siddarth’s eyes slowly widened in surprise.
Rina nodded, she was smiling broadly. She walked over to him and sat beside him.
“He is right bro. We are… in love”, she said and pecked him on the cheek.
“Wow!” He gasped, “I’m so happy for you baby sis”, he said, smiling.
“So, you had actually saved our bundle of joy, our happiness, our first bond, thank you so much”, Raghav said, thanking him immensely.
He smiled.
“It is a win for all of us, including me. He is my nephew, and I saved him from the claws of death, I’m happy I did”, he said.
They nodded in concurrence.
“Thank you Siddarth, thank you”, Aarti said.
“My pleasure My Lady”.
By now, Raghav’s hand was aching from carrying baby, and he handed him to Rina, who joyously took him.
“So boy, welcome to the family, this is your family as from today, welcome”, he said and went to hug him.
“I’m so honoured, thank you Maharana”, he replied.
“So Rina, I think this is a very memorable day for you. You had found Raghav, your brother, and your son!” Lady Aarti said, clapping her hands.
Rina smiled. Exactly, she felt like the whole world was at her feet. Like what exactly has she done, to deserve such mercy and love from God?
“I’m speechless My Lady, stupefied and gobsmacked, I don’t even know what to say or think”, she said, looking down at her son and smiling.
“You are blessed Rina, just blessed”, she said.
“Thank you Aunt”, Rina replied.
Aarti nodded in response and turned to Raghav, she had a very important message for him.
“Teddy?” She called.
“Yeah”.
“You have an urgent message, from the palace”, she said and the other two turned to her, “something that needs your attention”, she added and Raghav walked up to her.
“What is it?” He asked, his eyes looking at her curiously.
“Come with me”, she said and began walking out of the room.
Raghav turned to Rina.
“I will be back babe, just get along with your bro”, and he headed out.
She nodded.
“Okay”, then she handed the baby to his nanny and turned to Siddarth.
“Come… come sit bro, you have a lot of questions to answer. You must tell me what you were doing with goons, how the hell you ended up with them”, she said, putting up a serious face.
Siddarth scoffed and walked up to her.
“And you must tell me how the hell you ended up with the Prince as his woman, and even having a baby for him”, he said and sat down.
“Hmph”, she snorted and folded her arms, gazing at him.
“Yeah. By the way, where is mom?” He asked.
***
Lady Aarti and Raghav entered her study and she sat down, then asked him to take his seat, he did.
“Aunt, what is it?” He asked again.
“I got a message from the palace, and it’s not a nice one. Actually, I’m supposed to tell you as soon as you returned but, since you came in with Rina, I had to leave it hanging”, she said.
Raghav was looking more confused.
“What message Aunt?” He asked.
“It’s your mom, and your sis”.
“What about them? Did anything happen while I was away?” He asked, looking panicked.
“It was reported that your mom slumped, and was rushed to the hospital, while Prisha passed out, and was also rushed to the hospital, just this afternoon”, she said.
“What? What happened?” He asked, sitting up.