In the Agnihotri household, Sunday afternoons were usually reserved for "The Great Garden Picnic." However, today there was a problem. Aarya, now five and a half, had decided that her younger brother Ishaan was "banned" from the royal castle (which was actually just a very expensive playhouse Rithvik had built in the backyard).
Rithvik and Dayana sat on the patio nearby, sharing a pot of tea and watching the drama unfold.
"She has your negotiation face," Rithvik remarked, leaning back in his chair. "Look at the way she's crossing her arms. That's exactly how you looked when you were trying to convince me that we didn't need a chauffeur."
Dayana laughed, tucked a stray hair behind her ear, and took a sip of tea. "And Ishaan has your 'anchor' expression. He isn't crying; he's just standing there waiting for the storm to pass so he can get what he wants."
Down in the grass, Aarya was holding a plastic wand like a scepter. "Ishaan, the castle is only for people who know how to keep secrets. You told Mamma about the extra cookies Papa gave us yesterday. You broke the truth code!"
Ishaan, barely three and still a bit wobbly on his feet, hugged his stuffed tiger. He looked up at the castle, then back at his sister. "Cookies are yummy," he said simply. "Mamma like cookies too."
"That's not the point!" Aarya sighed, sounding exactly like a miniature CEO. "The point is loyalty."
Rithvik cleared his throat, hiding his smile behind his hand. He stood up and walked down the patio steps toward them. "Is there a crisis in the kingdom?"
Aarya turned to him, her eyes bright. "Papa, Ishaan is a whistleblower. He can't come in the castle."
Rithvik knelt down so he was eye-level with both of them. He remembered how silence used to be a weapon in this family, but now, it was just a part of their games. "Aarya, a good leader knows that the truth is always better than a secret. Even if it means Mamma finds out about the cookies."
Dayana walked up behind them, placing a hand on Rithvik's shoulder. "And a good Queen knows that her kingdom is much more fun when her favorite knight is inside with her."
Aarya looked at Ishaan, who was now offering his stuffed tiger to her as a "peace treaty." Her fierce expression softened—that "steel wall" of hers was only ever for the outside world; for her family, she was all heart.
"Fine," Aarya said, waving her wand. "Ishaan is pardoned. But he has to be the dragon today."
Ishaan let out a tiny, high-pitched roar that made everyone laugh. As the two kids scrambled into the playhouse, the sound of their combined laughter echoed through the garden.
Rithvik stood up, pulling Dayana close to his side. They stood there for a moment, just watching the "adventure" they had talked about years ago.
"You know," Dayana whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. "I used to think that being a 'steel wall' meant never letting anyone see me be messy or loud. But watching them... I realize the strongest thing we ever did was let the noise in."
Rithvik kissed the top of her head. "The noise is the truth, Dayana. And the truth sounds pretty good to me.