Author :
Continuing from where we left.
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• • •
At Vihaan's House 🏘 :
She blinks at her brother's retreating figure seeing which they all get tensed knowing how he is.
Gia looks at Shreya who sighs.
"A..a...mm.....How was the flight, बेटा?" Her Mumma, Anuradha asks her changing the topic with a nervous smile which helps Nishi to come out of her little daze.
[ Translation : बेटा or Beta in Hindi languange means son. However, it's also used as dear with love beyond the gender.]
"Ah! Don't ask Mumma! It was so boring! My legs are hurting so much! Ugh!" She makes a crying face which is showing her tiredness. To everybody's surprise not even one person can see any effect of Vihaan's treatment on her.
"She really doesn't care about anything at all." Gia mutters and Shreya gives her a look to shut up to which she rolls her eyes.
"Did not you come here with a flight? Then how come your legs are hurting?" Arushi asks pointing her finger at Nishi's legs.
"First, the flight got late in Mumbai due to the weather issues and because of that I had to wait for 2 more hours at the airport and there was not a single seat to sit as it was too crowded." Nishi says while walking towards the left hand side of two green sets of sofas. She sits making herself comfortable and says further having a fake dramatic smile on her face while throwing her hands in the air, "Secondly, flight mere Pappa ki to hai nahin ki mujhe pair pasaarkar aaraam se letne ko mil jaega! My legs were already hurting and now I had to sit in the flight for the next 6 hours and trust me! It was not less than hell!" She adds the last part with a tired look to which the mother figures give her an apologetic kind and weak smile understanding her tiredness.
[Translation : "Secondly, it was not my father's flight that I will get to spread my legs and lie down comfortably! My legs were already hurting and now I had to sit in the flight for the next 6 hours and trust me! It was not less than hell!"]
Arushi gives Nishi a pout taking her tiredness look in. Bhishma stands in between Nishi and Ajeet.
"Wait! How did you come here?!" Asks a bewildered Gia out of nowhere.
"Abhi tak kya main Arabic mein bol rhi thi? Obviously with the flight, Di!" Says a tired and irritated Nishi narrowing her eyes at her cousin sister.
[Translation : "Till now was I speaking in Arabic? Obviously with the flight, Di!"]
"Arre! I mean all of a sudden how did you come here? And-" Gia was going to ask further getting irritated but a familiar voice interrupts her as they hear multiple foot steps from the main door nearing them, "-more over, without even thinking of the need to inform anyone!!"
All heads turn to the main door where Mr. Vineet Khurrana enters and stands with his two best friends and four young men and two young women.
Meanwhile Vihaan enters the living room with a straight face and a disturbed heart. He looks at his father and walks towards his friends' group taking a glimpse of his just arrived sister and stands beside his best friend, Manav who raises an eyebrow at him in question asking if something is up with him to which Vihaan only denies shaking his head in a No. It doesn't satisfy Manav who exchanges looks with his other friends, Avinash and Mrityunjay and they make a note in their minds to talk to him later about the situation while nodding at each other talking in the eyes.
The three young men standing beside Mr. Vineet Khurrana, Nishi's father nod at the bunch of four best friends in acknowledgement to which they reply nodding back while the fourth young man standing beside Vineet walks towards the group and stands beside Avinash whispering, "What's exactly happening here? Who is she?" He was confused when he was asked to cancel a business lunch only to pay a sudden visit to Vihaan's house.
"Vihaan's sister." Avinash whispers back.
Avinash's answer widens Rajveer's eyes in shock and he looks at the just arrived girl and asks whispering, "How the hell she came out of nowhere?"
"No idea! We all are confused too! Now shh!" Avinash says shutting his mouth.
"I asked you something?" He asks his daughter in a calm manner but with a bit raised voice as if scolding her in a calm voice. However, the sternness was still there.
Bhishma gulps hardly which Nishi can hear clearly as he is standing beside her where she was sitting comfortably and is trying to suppress her laughter understanding his situation.
Meanwhile, one of the three youngmen standing beside Vineet looks at Anshuman and raises an eyebrow at him in question. Anshuman only shrugs not having any idea what's going on.
Deep inside in her heart she feels some emotional turmoil getting raise but she ignores it. She gulps nervously exchanging a glance with Bhishma which everyone notices with confusion. However, some find it funny while Nishi nervously smiles at her father in a funny way and says, "Hi..........Dad!"
"Hi Vineet! How are you?" Bhishma also smiles at Vineet with nervousness in his voice just in the same manner as Nishi which amazes everyone including her father as they have never seen Bhishma in such state ever before. They find the situation funny hiding their smiles including the group standing beside Vineet who were amused witnessing the scene.
Vineet understands his secretary cum best friend's situation and ignores the urge to chuckle seeing him in such situation after a long time. But still they all are not only confused, shocked seeing her here out of nowhere but are also worried as she must have come alone when she shouldn't have because she is not a common man's daughter but a billionaire's daughter.
"We met an hour ago I guess, why are you asking about my health out of nowhere?" Vineet asks him raising an eyebrow.
Nishi wanted to facepalm at her Dadaa's nervousness but she tries to control the situation with her next words, "I wanted to give a surprise! So I came here!" She says shrugging her shoulders.
They all look at her with shock at her reply except her father who is disappointed.
'Surprise!' Vihaan thinks chuckling bitterly in his thoughts as he looks away from her face and looks at his worried mother. His mother is worried as she knows her husband's anger and others are also well known to it but they too are now getting angry at the way she replies casually which is not helping the situation.
Vineet stares at her blankly for a few seconds as there was pin drop silence all around the big house even when it was filled with people. He says with a calm voice which worry others knowing his anger, "Do you think this is a joke? Hm?"
'Isn't it? You are the one who made it a joke.' Nishi thinks wanting to reply but instead just sits quietly feeling a bitter taste on her tongue.
Bhishma gulps hardly which catches Vineet's attention. He turns towards him asking with fake lopsided smile still with anger in there, "Would you like to explain what's going on here?"
"No!" Bhishma replies dumbly to which Nishi nudges him snapping him out of his dumb state which gets some chuckles in return from the boys. Vineet glares at the youngmen making them pose as if they are serious.(😂)
Bhishma gulps again in fear and says with fake enthusiasm, "Of course! Why not!" Licking his lips he says stuttering, "Ab....wo..actually..........m.....She wanted......to........gi-give a surprise.....and so......I just helped her. Yeah."
*Background crickets' sound with pin drop silence.*
"Do I look like a fool to you? She never tried to give a surprise in all these years! Then how come she planned a surprise out of nowhere! That too without informing?!" Vineet bursts out on Bhishma in anger still in a calm voice as his kids were also present there and he doesn't want to embarrass his friend in front of everyone. However, all know Vineet doesn't leave the matter when the matter is about family's safety.
Nishi scrunches her nose and says with a confusion, "But Dad, surprises to bina bataaye hi diye jaate hain na?!"
[Translation : "But Dad, are not surprises given without telling?"]
Some family friends smile at her American accent mixed with her Hindi.
Bhishma sighs deeply and puts a hand on her shoulder and says patting it, "Let me do this!"
"Are you sure, Chauhan?" She asks him shocking everyone with the way she addresses him. Mrityunjay's lips apart as he looks at Manav who was shocked.
Vineet's friends look at his daughter and then at Vineet who was speechless like others.
But Bhishma only nods at her. She shruggs and sits comfortably bending forwards taking out her blue-white sneakers.
Bhishma clears his throat and grabs everyone's attention who were shockingly looking at the way she addressed their uncle/friend in such friendly way. They look at him and Vineet raises an eyebrow at his secretary for him to start his excuses. "A.....I.....I forgot to inform you all!" At first Bhishma stutters, then blasts the bomb on them. They all get another shock, bigger than the last one.
"WHAT?! YOU 'FORGOT'?!" Some boys from the group of young men ask him shouting in disbelief. Vineet was standing at his place with wide eyes just like others.
*Pin drop silence.*
Bhishma gulps nervously exchanging looks with Nishi who raises an eyebrow in question. He tries to ask for her help while giving a puppy look to her to which she replies putting her hands behind her neck as she leans back on the sofa comfortably while looking at her Dadaa, "Don't give me that look. Your mistake. I told you I can deal with it but you said you will do it. Now face!" She says casually shrugging in the end.
Vineet looks at their banter with amusement while still being angry.
"I can't believe this! You actually forgot to inform us that she was coming here?" Asks Avneesh with an unbelievable look with a bit of confusion while coming forward into Bhishma's view. He was not believing, actually no one was believing that Bhishma can be this dumb to forget such important info from his memory card to trasfer it to them, but he did forget to their shock.
Bhishma nods in positive looking everywhere but not at Vineet at which Vineet narrows his eyes and asks him, "What about her security?"
"Oh! That? She came with the security. I took care of that attentively. I told the security to be with her whenever she will come. No worries!" Bhishma says casually, this time with his friendly tone.
Finally Vineet and others release a relaxed breath.
A frown makes its way on his forehead as Vineet asks another question, "Does anyone know about her arrival?"
The elders wait for Bhishma to reply however this question of Vineet confuses the youngsters who look at each other at his question.
"No!"
"Good!" Vineet relaxes with the remaining people while Nishi relaxes leaning backwards with closed eyes stretching her legs on the wooden table placed in front of her. Her entire body was aching due to the long journey and she only wanted to lay down quietly for some good time. Looking at Nishi the elders finally feel relaxed.
Bhishma nudges Nishi, "Now, what?" She asks with a tiring face opening an eye.
"Need to introduce you with some people." He replies.
"Can't we do it later?" She asks being tired.
"No!"
She sighs deeply and gets up standing properly.
Bhishma gestures to an adult man of her father's age who is standing near Vineet and introduces him, "Meet Mr. Dhananjay Rawat, your father's best friend and a shareholder of your father's company."
Nishi joins her palms together and greets him politely bowing her head a bit in respect, "Namaste Uncle!" She smiles surprising Vineet's friends and the three youngmen and two women standing near him who look at each other.
Dhananjay smiles at her greeting back with surprise, "Namaste Beta!"
"This is Mr. Avneesh Singh Rathore, our company's another partner, your father's best friend and Mrityunjay's father."
She greets him in the same manner making her parents proud on her. Avneesh greets her back with a soft smile and welcomes her, "Welcome home, Beta!" She smiles at his genuine nature.
"He is Rajveer Rawat, Mr. Dhananjay Rawat's elder son and your brother's another best friend." Bhishma says gesturing to a man near her brother's age who was standing near Avinash.
Nishi smiles brughtly at Rajveer while greeting him, "Hello!"
Rajveer smiles nervously not knowing how to react and greets her back, "Hi!"
"Meet the brilliant police officer of this area, Rohan Sharma who is also your father's one of the best client's son and also Anshuman's college time best friend."
Rohan comes to his senses hearing his name after staring at Gia who was just looking at Bhishma hearing him attentively. He nods at Nishi who nods back at him being confused at his blank face.
"This is officer Kabir Rathore. He works with Rohan." Kabir nods with a blank face at her and she nods back in acknowledgement with a smile which surprises and confuses him as he felt like an open book out of nowhere. But he doesn't show it and looks at Bhishma instead.
"And he is Ariv Chauhan who also works in Government as an officer with Rohan and Kabir as a team. Their team also works with our company for the security issues." Ariv smiles at her professionally which she returns with enthusiasm feeling a positive aura coming from him.
"And she is Shrishti Agarwal and that's Kritika Verma. They work in the company with the security." They nod at her with a professional look.
Nishi nods back then suddenly looks at her Dadaa with confusion, "Security?"
"Security of the companies we own, your houses, yours!" Bhishma explains.
"Oh!" She replies raising her eyebrows in acknowledgement.
'Looks like this security game will not let me live peacefully.' She thinks sighing inwardly.
"Are we done with the introductions or anything else." She asks Bhishma raising an eyebrow.
"No. We are done here." He says with a professional voice.
Nishi sighs deeply and says tiredly, "Can I please have my room now? I'm tired as hell! Thanks to the long journey!"
"Mm. . . .wo. . ." Bhishma stutters. She raises her eyebrow in question.
"Now that I forgot to inform them your room is not. . . . . .ready." He drops the bomb on her. She stares at him with angry yet tiring look.
"At least room hai?" She asks her mother with a tiring expression by pressing her lips in a thin line.
"Of course, beta! Your room has been waiting for it's owner from a long time." Her mother says gulping her tears which catches Vineet's attention and his gaze softens at his wife's tears. Then he realises how long it has been for them waiting calmly for this precious day to come. They all notice the environment turning emotional even the officers and the two young women Shrishti and Kritika.
Nishi releases a relaxing breath and asks, "Where is it?"
"Near the stairs, first room on the left side. But Beta, it's still not in good shape for you to rest. More over the bed has no quilt. Give me one day and it will be fine just as you want it." Her mother says.
'Why? Is she preparing your grave?' A voice asks the teenager who suppresses an urge to scowl thinking, 'Shut up!'
"Is it too much dirty?" Nishi asks blinking.
"No, but still if I had known you were coming I would have decorated this entire house and made sure that your room is neat and clean and just as you want it!" Karuna explains with excitement but then it fades away as her tone gets sadder and sadder which aches Vineet's heart, "But........I didn't know....you...were coming." Karuna says lowering her gaze.
'Neither me. What a coincidence!' Nishi thinks chirpily.
"Hmm......Naah! It's ok! Where is the broom?" Nishi asks casually while everyone was only observing the girl about whom either they only heard or just saw her picture.
Karuna looks up at her daughter and asks frowning,"What will you do?" All of them just look at the duo conversing.
"I just need the floor to be neat and clean." Everyone gets curious as much as they see this sudden arrival's weird talking manners and her calm and carefree nature. They become curious to know more about her as she has lived for a long time in foreign but is still behaving as if she just left for a few months.
"Why will you do it? I'll tell someone, they can do it." Karuna asks her surprisingly.
"It's my room, my responsibility. Why someone else will do it?" Nishi says while walking towards the main door taking her luggage where it was placed.
They all were getting a lot of surprises today, first- the sudden arrival of the youngest child of Khurrana family and second, her casual and friendly treatment towards Bhishma and then her common behavior as if she never left.
Karuna makes a face and was going to protest but then Bhishma says, "She doesn't like anyone doing her work." Karuna blinks at him dumbly. He shruggs looking at her.
"How do you know that?" Vineet enquires Bhishma raising an eyebrow.
"He talks to me from time to time even after being so busy, unlike some people!" She taunts her parents to which Vihaan makes a face as he frowns at her words.
Vineet and Karuna look at Nishi with some emotions and then just look down not saying anything. Bhishma sighs looking at Nishi and her parents. Ajeet gets confused at this little reaction of their Big Boss, his wife and his secretary, specially her words which only confused everyone more.
"That one, right?" Nishi asks pointing at her own room which is situated near the stairs on the left side.
"Yeah!" Shreya replies nodding.
"Mom, can you please just give me the broom until I place the luggage in there?" Nishi asks her mother.
Anshuman walks towards Nishi taking the heaviest bag and whispers, "Let me help you." She nods not having the energy to argue or talk anymore.
"I'll tell her that I'll clean her room. She must be tired." States the soft spoken and shy Shreya while turning towards Nishi's room but Bhishma's words stop her in midway, "Koi faayeda nahin hai, Shre Beta. She is too stubborn to listen. Even more than your Chachu(Vineet)."
'Off course. We all know that.' Anshuman thinks leaving for her room.
Vineet looks at his best friend to which Bhishma replies nodding, "She is."
Karuna sighs hearing Bhishma's words and says standing up, "If she is stubborn like her father then I'm also her father's wife! Main bhi dekhti hoon kaise meri baat nahin sunti hai." She smiles with a determination and goes to find the broom to clean her room by herself. Anuradha and Sukanya smile widely at Karuna as they see her truly and this much happy and peaceful after a long time.
"Main jaakar tab tak uske liye kuchh achchha sa khaane ke liye banaati hoon." Anuradha says excitedly and Sukanya encourages her smiling brightly, "Let me help you!"
This confuses the youngsters and the two women working with Vineet's company's security. Manav, Vihaan, Avinash, Rajveer look at Mrityunjay confusedly who was as clueless as them.
The duo leaves for the kitchen as Vineet says, "Kids!" Everyone turns towards Vineet who says further, "I want you all in the study room. Now! Arushi beta you too!" He orders as all of them follow him to the study room including the three officers, Ajeet, Ariana, Shrishti and Kritika with a nodding Arushi.
*End of the chapter.*
Author :
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