Sara woke to the soft ringing of bells from the puja room. Nisha was still snoring beside her, but Elena was nowhere in sight. "Nisha, wake up" Sara called, still half-yawning. Then she glanced at the clock—and panicked. "NISHA! It's 10 AM! We have to be at court by 11:30!" Nisha jolted upright. "Didi, five more minutes—" "No! I'm going to shower. You clean up the bed and eat breakfast!" "Ughhh…" Nisha groaned, dragging herself out of bed. Sara quickly got ready (it took her 30 minutes) slipping into jeans and a white t-shirt, with her signature watch and bracelet. When she came downstairs, Zade, Elena, and Nisha were already having breakfast. "Nisha, go clean up," Sara said. Nisha huffed but obeyed, heading back up. The house was buzzing—some elders read newspapers, some exercised, others prepared breakfast. "Good morning," Sara greeted. "Good morning," the Reyes siblings chimed in. "Where are our parents?" she asked. "Rishabh and Stacy went sightseeing, I think," Elena replied. "And Khushi and Sebastian are out in the lawn." Sara nodded quietly. Everyone finished breakfast, and soon Nisha joined them. "Mom, we have to go, right?" she asked. "Yes. Call Rishabh," Khushi replied firmly. Both sisters were shocked at her stern reply as Khushi never called him by his name. Sara hesitantly dialed. "Dad, we need to leave for court." "I know. Be ready. We're on our way," Rishabh said flatly and hung up. Sara stared at her phone, feeling stung by his coldness. While they waited, she sat with her grandparents, "Wada karo beta, tum apni mummy aur bhen ka khayale rakhogi" ("Promise us, that you will take care of your mother and sister"). Sara silently squeezed their hands in promise. After what felt like an eternity, Rishabh arrived and they headed to the court. "Good morning, Mr. Grover. This way," their lawyer, Mr. Pathak, said. Inside his office, he asked, "Are you both sure this is a mutual divorce?" "Yes," Rishabh and Khushi answered. "Then please sign here." Sara watched, numb, as her parents signed paper after paper. She held Nisha's hand tightly, not wanting to believe what her eyes were seeing . She glanced at Stacy—who was smirking. Then came the final blow. "The children will stay with Mr. Grover," Mr. Pathak declared. "What?" both sisters gasped. "Miss Khushi doesn't have a stable income, so she cannot afford any child," he added. " But if she stays with her parents and get a job then she can right?" Sara said cutting his words. " Yes miss sara you are right." "Then I will get a job, I need my children " Khushi pleaded. Mr. Pathak sighed and said "If that's the case then You both may decide who stays with whom." Nisha's teary eyes begged not to be taken away from their mother. Sara hugged her tightly. "This might be the last time" she whispered. Then she stepped forward. "I'll stay with Dad. Nisha will stay with Mom." "Do you both agree?" They nodded silently. Sara glanced at Khushi, now holding back tears, and then at Rishabh—expressionless, with Stacy clinging to his arm. 'Living with Dad might not be so bad... at least I'll be with Zade',she thought. Little did she knew what the future held.
