Three Hearts

Epilogue #2

"I'm talking to you." Mr. Parmarkar raised his voice to bring Updesh out of his trance and crossed arms over his chest. "You were saying something?"

"Papa ji!" Nidhi's voice boomed in the hallway as she came out to inspect the whole farce. "What's going on?" Her eyes landed on Updesh and her whole face brightened. "Updesh, hi! You are late."

"Thanks to your location sending skills, it took me four hours to locate your place." He grumbled and she grinned, introducing him to her father. "Papa ji. He is Updesh. From the flight. I told you about him."

Realization dawned upon Mr. Parmarkar's face, "Oh, the man with dogged views? I remember. I remember." He guffawed, making Nidhi embarrassed. She groaned under her breath. "Papa ji, that's not..."

"Come on in, son. Why are we standing out here?" Mr. Parmarkar ushered Updesh in. Nidhi followed them to the living room and helped Updesh in getting comfortable. Updesh was more at ease as he conversed with Mr. Parmarkar. The older man was a very vibrant man. He beautifully encased the soft heart in a bold, intimidating exterior.

"I was certainly your age when I got married and within three beautiful years, Akriti was born." Mr. Parmarkar said with a tinge of pain and Updesh felt for him. Suddenly the memories of his father's demise rushed to him and agonized him. He wasn't in the state of thinking about his father without missing him today beside him.

"Papa ji!" Nidhi quickly got to her feet and sat on the armrest, wrapping her hands around her father's neck. She kissed the top of her father's head and smiled. Only then Updesh noticed that Mr. Parmarkar's eyes had glossed over.

"Sorry to hear about your loss, sir." Updesh felt the need to say and shifted a little closer, unsure of what to do next. Nidhi faked a falsetto and pouted her lips. "You told him only about Akriti dida, why? Am I not important to you? Won't you tell him about the one time I was lost?"

Updesh chuckled at her antics and muffled his grin with a cough. Mr. Parmarkar grinned as well, shifting his eyes to Updesh. A tale was in them. "This child of mine is so clumsy. She got lost in the Essel world and decided to find us by reporting a missing complaint of ours."

Updesh laughed wholeheartedly and Nidhi smiled, picking at her father's collars shyly. "I thought my parents got kidnapped."

"Of course, the whole family got kidnapped at once, right?" Mr. Parmarkar asked, making fun of her and she rolled her eyes, getting up. "I was a kid, papa ji."

"12 years. Old enough to put two and two together." Mr. Parmarkar said to Updesh who was clearly enjoying this and he chortled. "I agree, sir."

"I am gonna make some tea for you both but if you keep laughing, forget about it." Nidhi threatened and more laughter followed.

*****

"So? I saw you enjoying it with my father. I am impressed by the way. You charmed him totally." Nidhi teased him, sipping coffee and swinging on her two seater.

Updesh pushed himself away from the garden wall and trudged next to her. He hummed sitting beside her and pressed his feet against the moist floor. "Well. To be honest, that was very much intentional."

They both chuckled and swung, watching the small bushes swaying with the twirl of wind. Updesh took a long glance at Nidhi when she picked up their cups and set them on the side table. Her small, beaded jhumka danced in the air and tangled with her hair, making her slightly wince.

His fingers twitched to untangle her hair but he controlled his urge and immediately looked away. Nidhi was a different temptation today; poured into pink kurti and black leggings, she looked stunning. And, her black bindi was his favorite. No one could say she was already a mother.

Mother.

"I confronted my mum!" He blurted out and her head snapped to him. "Really?"

He nodded in affirmative, looking down at his feet. "I asked her why she left me. I asked why she never tried to contact me and she told me that... that it was dad's fault."

"She wanted to choose me." His voice faltered and he cleared his throat. "She wanted to keep me when dad refused to negotiate on joint custody. He forbade mum to meet me. He freaking cleared it in clauses. It states that neither mum nor he was allowed to meet or persuade either Kanika or me."

"Can you believe it?" He humorlessly laughed. "He left Kanika just like that. He even refused to meet her so that mom couldn't meet me. I can't believe he hated mom that much. I was allowed to willingly go with mom but he poisoned my brain for her. How blind I was to not see the reality! I am ashamed of myself."

"Sshh." Nidhi kept a finger on his lips and looked deep into his eyes. "Forget it. Try to forget it."

"It's hard." He mumbled and she smiled. "Do you believe in love now?"

He innocently nodded and she retracted her finger back. "Then this will get easy."

"Will you be with me?" He asked in a small voice and she blushed, closing his hand with hers. "Always."

"I am really thankful that I met you." He whispered against her finger and she blushed, "I know. I am happy too."

Just as she tried to move her hand back, he stopped her and closed his palm over hers. She gazed at him with a questioning gaze. He was looking straight at her, "I know it's really quick but I want you to meet my mom."

Surprise flickered in her eyes. "Why?"

"Just like that. I want her to know you. Don't ask me the reason. I don't even know it. I know I am hurrying over but I just want to..." He blabbed and she stopped him. "Shh... I will meet her. Okay?"

"No," He said and sighed. "I just don't want you to meet her. It's like..."

"Updesh, before you say anything, I want you to think over it." She said with a serious face and pulled her hand back. "It's just not gonna be me alone. I have a... a daughter too. I can't risk her future for just any doubts that you might have in your mind. So, if it's totally fine, we should stay..."

"Do you know why I want you to meet mom?" He asked her and she stared at him, blank. He smiled at her, "I want you to meet mom so that she can meet Nikita and know her better. I want everyone in my family to meet Nikita."

He was dropping hints on hints, hoping Nidhi would get that it wasn't only Nikita he wanted to introduce everyone to. It was her, but he didn't rush things because the fear and the insularity was visible on her face. He rubbed his hands together and asked, "Oh, when is she going to come back?"

"In the evening." Nikita had gone to a satsang with Nidhi's mother. He nodded, getting up. "I wish I was staying here for that long but I have to go. I hope you all are coming to the engagement."

"Yeah, definitely." Nidhi smiled and he reverted a grin. "Cool, I'll see you there then. And, don't forget to bring my Nikita."

"Sure." Nidhi laughed at his possessiveness. She saw him at the door with her father. As Mr. Parmarkar left the two kids alone to talk, Updesh walked into space and Nidhi also grew conscious.

"Okay, so I will leave..." He began and she nodded, "Okay. Have a safe journey. Call me when you reach."

"Sure." He stepped down the stairs and as he came to the landing, she called him again. "Hey, Updesh."

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for coming. I thought you were..."

"Bluffing?" He raised an eyebrow and she shook her head. "Joking."

"I will see you at the wedding." He smiled and she nodded.

"And, yeah, wear pink. It suits you." He added with a wink. Carrying the memory of Nidhi's blushing face, he went to his way with a merry tune on his lips.