Way Back Home

Niharika- the first Rain Drop

Ranvijay POV.

Sitting on my desk, jammed between too much work files to look upon, too many strategies to be concerned of, I was thinking about this girl.
My wife. I have literally little to no knowledge about her. I didn't even bother to know before. But now, there is this restless feeling inside me that itches to get her to know better. But my stupid cold self won't let me ask. So, here I am trying to figure out the already open book, or is it?

My secretary, Hemant notified me that it was already time to leave. Not wanting to stay back, I walked out of my office to go home. It was about a 20 minute car ride from my office.

Although, I have my keys, I want to hear her voice. So I did the most stupid job I have ever done. I put my keys inside the farthest corner of the bag, so I can give the excuse of misplacing my keys and rang the door bell.

"Coming..."

There goes my heart, rapidly beating on it's own accord. It's been almost a year, I am seeing the same face everyday, but still lately this face makes me nervous and jiffy and fuzzy and all over the place.

Niharika broke the reverie of my thoughts, " Oh, you came early! Welcome home." And there's that smile, robbing my heart from its cage. "Hi". -"Hi".
She took my bag from me and kept it on the couch, offering me a glass of water.

She was running here and there, don't know what she was doing. I was way too busy observing her moves.
-"I am sorry, the dinner will be ready just in 5 minutes, till then please go and freshen up. Actually, you generally come a bit late, so I started preparing dinner a bit late. I am really sorry."
-"Yeah, Okay."

Yup, do you expect me to say a full sentence telling how is it okay, because it is me who is at fault and she shouldn't be saying these many sorry, because I truly don't deserve that.

I was just changing in the bedroom, when her phone kept ringing. It was ringing almost the third time so I decided to hand it over her. Picking up the phone, I noticed that it was her elder sister, Prajakta.

Without a second thought, I answered the call but before her sister's voice,  I heard a boy almost wailing into the phone. It wasn't hard to figure out, it's her nephew. She had a special bond with her nephew, and anyone can tell that.

"Where is Pari? Pariiiiiiiii..", "Your Pari is in the kitchen, hold on a second, I am giving it to her." He continued sniffing.

"Niharika, Parth called you, he is crying for something, I guess."

-"Whaat? Put it on Speaker!" Her eyeballs would've fallen any second the way she widened her eyes.
-"Bachha, what happened? Why are you crying?"
This must have done something, because the kid was wailing way too much now.

She quickly rinsed her hand and took the phone from me. They talked for sometime, in which she concluded that she is on her way.

I was watching her pacing through the living room, mumbling sweet nothings and encouraging words to her nephew. Damn, how can someone look this attractive while being worried.

She dashed towards me saying, "Listen, please don't mind, can you order something for yourself. I will have to go to Parth right now. Didi is furious and I don't know what happened. Don't wait up for me, I might be late."

She turned around to leave when I held her wrist." Have you seen what time is it? It's 9:30, it's not safe. I will drive you there. Go get ready."

She nodded offering me a little forced smile and hurried to the room. With in 5, she was done and we left for her sister's place. It wasn't exactly far, but almost took 40mins to reach there.

Her brother-in-law, Nitin opened the door and whispered to Niharika," The temperature is quite high. Trespass carefully." One more thing I admire about them is the bond they have. Niharika loves her sister beyond the stars. And she and Nitin shares a genuine bond, even closer than blood-related brother-sister.
And her love for Parth is no less than a mother. Parth calls her Pari. Why? I don't know yet but will love to know.

"What the heck did Parth do to piss her off this much?", asked Niharika. Yes, Prajakta is even more calm and understanding, Parth must have done something really bad to tick her off.

-"Ask your Parth."
-"Wow, so now he is mine. What a father you are! Don't forget that he is your sperm!"
-" and your sister's egg, with your crackhead genes".
There goes their banter. Prajakta's angry voice shut them off.

-"What are you doing here?", asked Prajakta.
-"Yeah, um didi, I just came by. Ranvijay was passing through here. So we dropped by. Yes. Right Ranvijay!"

I was dumbfounded to say the least. But Prajakta didn't buy her lie. I haven't killed your nephew. By this time Parth came running to her masi like a bullet train, and Niharika lifted her up in an instant.

-"What happened? Why is my little bean crying so much?"
I scoffed, but Prajakta completed my inner statement, "As if you don't know."
-" Pari, mommy scolded me and said no food and no chocolate for a whole week." The kid  cried even more louder hiding his face in the crook of her masi's neck.
-" Haaw, she said this. Never gonna happen."
-"Ask your nephew, what he did in the class. I am so ashamed."
-" Whatever di, he is a kid, he will come round, right Golu?"

And the sisters went so and on. Nitin came to me and side hugged me. "Wanna go outside? This will continue till midnight until they make up. Both of them are stubborn, and my son being over dramatic and spoiled by his masi, will now cash it till he can, complaining about his mother. Let's go get some dinner for everyone."

I was still a bit awkward. But went along with him. And that was my best decision. I never knew that my wife was this strong. I never knew my wife had expected this much from her future but ended up with nothing but scars. Scars given by the world. By her own family. By me. Will I ever be able to make up?

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That's it. The third chapter.

What did Nitin tell him about Niharika?
Who is She?

To know her better, stay tuned to the next part.

Thank you for giving this a chance.