"There will be a time where everything will seem normal but to you it may not be."
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"Is Aarav inside?" I questioned uncle as we waited in the car outside. I have no idea how to face him. "I don't want to dump the news on him, he has many things going on now. I don't want to trouble him."
Uncle sighed before turning towards me and facing me. "Avni, we are not forcing you into telling him anything. You must know what is better but I can tell you one thing, never let this thing cause any problem between you both. I want you two to develop a relationship together before you decide on keeping the truth a secret," he completed the speech and got down the car. "I will be waiting inside, come inside once you think about what is correct for you and him." He spoke from the window and left me alone.
Yes, he was right. I don't need to think before making a decision. Our two lives revolve around it. But the main reason for not wanting to meet him was completely different. I considered him as my brother for some time but meeting him now after knowing that we were blood-related made it seem more awkward for me. If I meet him now what am I going to speak about?
I can't console him for his mother being the main villain nor can I sympathize with him. I can't even speak about his father or how his mother cheated us all and hid the truth. Whenever I am thinking of his face, my father's face flashed in front of my eyes.
I remember the small things I did with him. He used to buy me ice cream when I cry and from listening to Anu, I took after my mother and she used to comment that if they had a son then he might be like my father. It made me curious to see whether Aarav took after my father.
I smiled thinking that I may see my father in him.
"Ok, then I will go and speak to him first then I will decide on what to do next." After telling the words to myself, I got down the car and went inside the restaurant.
"Good evening, ma'am. Do you have a reservation?" The hostess greeted me as I entered the restaurant.
"Goenka," her eyes widened and she checked my dress and she tried to cover it, but I caught it. She didn't question me and directed me to our table. I guess I need to adjust to the status and dress properly. I was still in the morning clothes and they were not in good condition. After going home, I am going to take a long bath and have a nice sleep. But I need to speak to him first.
I went inside the private room provided for us. All looked up at me and I gave them a small smile, my eyes immediately went to Aarav. I observed his face for a moment. His eyes are similar to mine, and his facial features resemble my father.
"Avni!" I snapped out of my thoughts when my uncle called me. "Come and sit here," he gestured towards the empty seat. The chair was opposite to Aarav, I slowly walked towards my seat mumbling a small sorry for being distracted.
"It's ok mama. Eat this," Diya replied and fed me a French fry.
"Yum! It's tasty. But why are eating these now, I told you right, no fried food at night." I scolded her for eating these for dinner.
"Mama, it's yum. I want it." She pouted. I melted seeing her, she was safe and I think I can grant her wish for today.
"Ok, only today. From tomorrow no French fries or pizza for dinner. Ok?"
"Yes, mama." She nodded her head and went back to her food.
"Avni, here." Akky helped me with the food placing every item present on the table.
"Enough Akky. I can't eat this much." I said after seeing the quantity of the food on my plate.
"Oh stop it. You probably missed lunch, complete the plate. Who knows what she might have done?" Akky mumbled the last words in a low voice but I caught them. I gave her a look but she shrugged her shoulders in reply.
She was angry at others and also at me it seems. She ignored me and went back to eating and helped Diya. Akky was hurt, same as Abhi she too lost two important people in her life but she should not be rude about it not thinking about others. I finally gathered my courage and looked at the silent person, he looked lost in his own thoughts and drew patterns on his plate.
"Aarav," he didn't respond for the first time but others looked in my direction probably curious about what I was going to speak. "Aarav," he looked up from his plate after I called him one more time.
"Yes," he looked up from his plate giving me attention.
"Umm, how are you?" I asked the first question that came to mind, as I didn't know what to speak when he looked at me.
He sighed and dropped his eyes back to his plate. I cursed myself mentally for starting this conversation, the table fell silent after listening to my question. I ruined the mood.
"I am sorry, I just want to know how you are doing." I tried to justify.
"No need, I know that you care for me and do what is best for me." My heart swelled listening to his words.
"I am sorry. For what my mother did to you and your family. She is wrong and I apologize to you as her son." He bowed his head in apology.
"Hey, don't be sorry. It's not your mistake." I can feel others' eyes on me but I focused on only him. "Look at me Aarav," he looked up at me after my soft command.
"You are her son, it doesn't mean that you need to apologize for every mistake she commit. She is not the only family you have, your father made sure that you had a good family when he is absent. That man knew this was going to happen and I promised him that I will look after you as your elder sister. So, now you are going to eat the food and sleep well. Tomorrow we will decide on what to do next. Got it," he nodded his head and bit his lips before going back to his plate. I saw tears in his eyes, I need to speak to him alone and know what is running in his mind.
We ate our dinner while having a small conversation. Diya kept us entertained speaking about everything she saw today and fought with her aunt regarding who was everyone's favorite.
"Uncle, you lowe me more right?" Diya blinked her eyes at Aarav who was silent the whole time.
"No, you love me more. Right Aaru?" Diya glared at her aunt. Uncle and I smiled seeing their conversation.
"Uncle, I lowe you this much," she spread her hands wide showing how much she loves him. "Do you lowe me this much uncle?" Aarav looked conflicted between choosing his sister and niece.
"Alright, knock it off you two. Why do you keep bothering him?" I scolded them and they simply glanced in my direction before starting a conversation with Aarav.
"He looks happy," uncle commented from my side.
Aarav had a smile on his face and his face looked less stressed than before. His posture was relaxed as he conversed with Akky and Diya. "Looks can be deceiving, uncle." I sighed and went back to my food.
After dinner uncle paid the bill and we got out of the restaurant. "Avni come, I will drop you off first along with Akshaya before going back home." He offered me.
"Uncle, I have my luggage at your house. I need to grab them," Akky requested him. I very well know what luggage she was speaking about. I hid my face in Diya's hair as she slept on my shoulder. Diya was getting heavy and I think I can't carry her anymore.
"Uncle, don't bother. Aarav will drop us, we are going to the same house anyway," I suggested looking in Aarav's direction for his agreement.
"Yes, I will drop them." He came towards me and took Diya from my arms after seeing my struggles. I gave him grateful smile. He gave a small smile and walked towards his car.
"Akky stay there for the night and come to the hospital in the morning," I suggested and hugged her.
"Ok, but I am still angry at you. Don't forget, I need an explanation tomorrow."
"Ok, sleep tight and have a good time with him. Don't go psycho on him," she slapped my back before going back to uncle's car.
"What was that about?" he questioned seeing my playful wink in Akky's direction.
"I think you know what that was about, old man. You almost know about everything." I scold him, that man is in the entertainment business but he knows everything beforehand.
"Oh, about my son and your friend. I think they make a unique pair. They have a long path ahead of them, let's see where they will end up." He said gazing into the sky. "But know what are you going to do about him?"
I looked up at the sky, the moon was full and the stars were shining ahead. "I don't know." It was the truth, I really don't know what I was going to do. "I can't expose the truth and I can't be quiet either. But I think this will affect his life more than mine, then the decision must be his, right?" I observed him look at me from his peripheral but I ignored him.
"There is one more reason why Rudra married you to his son," I looked in his direction curious to find the answer. "It's because of what's inside here," he pointed towards his chest where the heart is present. "You have a beautiful heart and you always think of others before taking any action. You are a gem, Avni. Rudra noticed it when you were young and got you to be his daughter. I was a bit late to realize it." He shook his head in regret.
"Oh, come on uncle. Nihal is my brother don't pair us like that it is giving me creeps and that woman inside will beat me to death if I approach your son with that intention," I motioned towards Akky who was inside the car.
"Oh, she will kill me and my son first though," I laughed watching him shudder in horror.
"Stop it, uncle. She is not that scary." I defended my friend.
"Fine, I will stop it. Speak to him and ask him what he desires the most, even though you have best intentions towards him sometimes they may backfire." He kissed my forehead and ushered me to the car, he opened the door and helped me settle in the seat.
"I will meet you in the hospital tomorrow and will speak then," I nodded my head understanding the hidden meaning behind his words.
"Drive safe, uncle."
Aarav started the car and we were on the road, silence enclosed in the car. I looked back and found Diya safely tucked in the passenger's seat and sleeping peacefully.
"She will be fine," I looked at Aarav as he spoke. "She is like her father never waking up from sleep," I agree with him. They were like dead logs once they fall asleep.
"Yes, it is quite difficult to wake her up for school." I stopped not knowing what to ask him.
Aarav sighed gaining my attention. "You can ask me, I won't feel bad."
"No, it's nothing like that. I just want to know how you are doing. I knew that you weren't telling me the truth there." I spoke to him softly.
He gave out a sarcastic laugh before answering my question. "I found that my mother is a murderer and killed my dad. She wanted to kill my family for money. I am perfectly fine considering this."
"Sorry, it was a wrong question to ask. If you wish to know anything just ask me," I offered and looked out of the window.
He cleared his throat after five minutes. "Can you tell me what my father spoke about?"
"Yes, he approached me through Akshaya. I met him the next day after he was accused, he informed me who was behind everything and provided me evidence to arrest your mother. I didn't understand what he gave me till this morning. He knew that he will not be alive and came to me to tell me everything and seek my apology. I accepted it as he was trying to protect his wife and unborn child. That man knew what was going to happen and planned many things," I looked at Aarav and found him with tears running down his cheeks.
"Aarav, you are not alone in this world. Your mom left you a long time ago and your father took the responsibility of never making you feel lonely. He left a family for you, you can approach them anytime you want and they will treat you well. You know it better than me." I smiled softly.
The car stopped and I noticed that we reached our house. I removed the seat belt and opened the door when he spoke again.
"How come you don't hate me?" I looked behind me, his eyes were red from crying and there were trails of tears on his face.
"What?" I faced him closing the door.
"My mother destroyed your life yet you don't hate me or her from the way you spoke. Why?"
I sighed as I thought of that question. "I don't hate your mother for killing my parents, I was trying to find that person from that time, and when I found who she was she is related to my family. She was important to the people I love, I definitely don't hate her after listening to her speak about her revenge. I feel that she is not mentally healthy that's it." It was the truth, after my struggles on finding the culprit, that person was my family who was important to many people.
Even though people may reject their relationship with her, they do have good memories of her. This time it was not me who spoiled that image. She herself destroyed her family by killing her husband.
"About the next question, why would I hate you? You weren't the reason for your mother's actions, she will take the sole responsibility for it." I knew that I was telling lies, if she was right then Aarav was the reason she killed my parents and he was the reason she tried to kill Abhi and Diya.
He may be the reason for her thoughts but he never will be the one to be blamed for her actions.
"Aarav, don't think about it much. Your mother committed a crime and she will be punished accordingly. You are not involved in it so don't be guilty. Go and take a bath first before going to bed. We will discuss this tomorrow." I ordered him and got down the car.
I opened the back door and tried to take Diya when Aarav helped me. He lifted her up and took her into the house. He placed her on the bed.
"Good night, di." He left wishing me and leaving me shocked.
The feeling was magical he called me sister. I want to have that feeling again.
I know what to do, I will do it tomorrow and know I need a bath and good sleep.
I hope that everything will go according to the plan or so I thought not knowing that my downfall was waiting for me.
Hello people,
New chapter, I really had no idea what to write in the beginning but here you have it finally.
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