Page 1

1. The Planning Chaos

RK Estate

Raghav was in his office cabin, going through the vineyard’s financial reports for the previous quarter when his phone pinged on the desk beside him. His eyes moved to the notification. It was a message from Krish on the WhatsApp group. The very group that had somehow become an extension of their family over the years.

It was rarely silent. There was always something happening there. Someone sending a photograph, someone complaining about something, someone starting an argument that was never really an argument, or one of them dragging the others into some ridiculous conversation that had nothing to do with anything.

But lately, it had been unusually quiet. The last proper conversation on the group had been three days ago. And, unsurprisingly, it had been about the same thing.

The couples-only getaway.

The idea had first come up almost three months ago during the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of RK Estate. Somewhere between the celebrations, the men had decided that they needed a break for a couple of days with their spouses. Somewhere outside India, without the children. Just the four couples. The idea had sounded perfect when they had first discussed it.

The problem had been convincing the women. Three days ago, Krish had brought up the subject again on the group, asking whether they were finally going to decide something or keep discussing the trip until the children were old enough to travel with them. The conversation had quickly turned into a debate. Meher had been the first to raise the obvious concern.

How were they supposed to leave the children?

Yes, there were grandparents who loved the children and would willingly take care of them. But Meher could not bring herself to simply leave the kids behind and disappear for five days. Trisha had agreed almost immediately because her daughter, Prisha, was still too young, and the thought of leaving her for a couple of days without either parent was enough to make her uncomfortable.

Simran had felt the same way. Her first son, Veer, was old enough to understand that his parents might want some time away, but Sanvi was just four-and-half years old and was especially attached to Vishnu. She could manage without Simran for a while, but not without seeing her father. And Siya? Especially after Rudra had fallen ill and then, more recently, Riya had also been unwell, Siya had been even more reluctant to leave them for a trip.

And so, despite the men’s repeated attempts to convince them, the four women had remained firmly sceptical.

Raghav had mostly stayed silent through all of it as he always did. He was rarely the one to keep a WhatsApp conversation alive, and he had never understood the need to type something merely because everyone else was typing. He preferred watching, listening and waiting until there was something worth saying.

When his phone pinged again, he finally opened the group. Krish had once again decided to revive the discussion.

Krish: Okay, come on, guys. Are we doing this or not?

Raghav’s eyes moved down the screen as another message popped up.

Krish: Last time, this conversation ended like a cliffhanger. Nobody had a better suggestion, nobody agreed to anything, and nobody decided anything. But I think I have a better solution this time.

Raghav leaned back slightly in his chair, intrigued.

Krish: Why don’t we leave the kids together instead of leaving them separately with the grandparents?

A few seconds passed before another message appeared.

Krish: Rukmini Aunty, Kailash Uncle, Pratap Uncle and my dad, who is luckily in the city, can all stay at one place with all the kids and look after them. What say?

Raghav’s eyes narrowed slightly. The idea was not bad. But Krish was not done.

Krish: One house. All the grandparents. All the kids. Everyone under one roof.

Raghav stared at the screen for a moment. It was, admittedly, not the worst idea Krish had ever had. Whether the grandparents would agree to it was another question altogether. He barely had to scroll before Meher’s reply appeared.

Meher: Dad and Paapa both have their own schedules. And how exactly are we supposed to bring all the elders under one roof?

Krish: Yeah, I know. And I agree, getting every elder to agree to this is going to be a task in itself. But we can try.

A second message appeared, this time from Ayaan, who was flying back to Mumbai from Austria and was currently on a layover in Abu Dhabi.

Ayaan: Guys, even if we somehow manage that, bringing all the kids under one roof is going to be absolute madness.

Simran joined the conversation next.

Simran: Exactly.