Sana wakes up and turns to find the bed empty. She winces as she turns to look around. She remembers she had hurt herself last night. The clock shows it's 9:10 am.
Has Sidharth left for his office? He left her alone.
She thinks and tries to sit up,
"Amma.. Sidu chala gaya? Main akeli kaisi rahun gi?"
Tears fill her eyes and with a pout she slowly puts her legs on the floor. She tries to stand up but her ankle twists and she is about to fall when a hand grabs her waist. She opens her eyes to see him, holding her.
"Tum?"
"Kyun tum kisi aur ko expect kar rahi thi kya? Sameer ko?"
"Shut up. I thought you left for work."
Sidharth makes her sit down on the bed,
"Why did you get up on your own? You could have called me."
"I thought you left.. so.."
She wipes her eyes as she says.
"Not everyone is like your good friends who leave you alone. I took a day off today. Can't leave you like this?"
"Haye Sachi? When you say like this, Badal cute lagte ho."
"Ho gaya tumhara? Now go and freshen up."
He helps her to walk to the washroom.
"Wait, tum ne mana kiya tha, to use this bathroom. "
"Just go and call me if you need me. I am waiting outside. "
Sana comes out of the washroom and holding the wall, she walks up to the wardrobe. She opens the doors of the wardrobe when she hears a coughing sound. She turns to find him standing facing the other side. She gets startled, moves back, grabbing her towel tightly.
"What are you doing here?"
"I told you, I will be here to help. I didn't know you would come out like this. I didn't see anything. Promise."
"Shut up. There's nothing to see. Just go."
"Oh.. yes.. sorry. I am going."
Sidharth leaves, avoiding looking at her.
Sana limps out of the bedroom and sits down on the chair. Sidharth avoids looking at her and sits beside her.
"I'm sorry.. I didn't.. you know.. "
He says as he pours her a cup of tea.
"I know. You are a gentleman type guy. Abhi bataoge what am I eating. I am hungry, you see. What have you cooked?"
Sidharth raises his eyebrows,
"Do you think I am your cook here?"
"Of course. Now tell me, what's on the menu?"
"Mera Sar, khana hai?"
Sana touches his chin and turns it on both sides.
"You have got a handsome face, Sar mein kuch hoga jo mera pet bharega?"
"What the f..!"
Sidharth almost screams and stops.
"You are right about one thing though, sakal achi ho toh dimag kaam hota hai. I am an average looking guy, but you are quite pretty. Shayad isliye, dimag hai hi nahi."
He smiles as he says. Sana realises what he meant and grabs his t-shirt,
"Oye hero, you are going too far! You mean I don't have brains. But I forgive you, as you called me pretty. Main tujhe pretty lagti hun, Mere Siduram?"
Sidharth rubs his thumb on his cheek,
"Patakha lagti hai tu,
Laundo ki aah nikal jaye tujhe dekh kar.
Chand suraj uthe hai tujhe niharne ko,
Yeh duniya Tham jaye, teri ahat sun kar."
"Siduram is a shayar? You are a poet!"
Sana says after listening to him. Sidharth immediately removes her hand from his shirt and moves back. He gets up and goes inside the kitchen.
"Arey, where are you going?"
He comes back with bread toasts and egg omelettes.
"You are a surprise package. I mean, you are an architect and at the same time you work at a showroom. You are a taxi driver and a guitar player and also a poet."
"I am not a poet. And that was just.. nothing. That was a joke. Now eat, then you have to take your medicines. Rajvir will come, I told him about your dance in the bathroom. And my three musketeers will surely drop in. Don't blabber in front of them. Samjhi?"
"Dad ko Bata diya?"
"No. I haven't and Rajvir won't tell him either. I know he will get upset. I haven't told Ma anything. So keep that in mind please."
"Thank you and I know that. I will not tell her anything. But you are a poet.. wow.. kya tha.. Patakha lagti hai tu..wah! Ryan will love this.. "
"Satyanash!"
Sidharth slams his head.
"Hey Siduram and uski lugai!"
Ryan screams as he enters the house after Rajvir has left. He is followed by Rohan and Rohit.
"Agaya Nautanki ka baap!"
Sidharth mutters to himself.
"I am sure, mujhe gaali de raha hai."
Sidharth, who was picking up cups, stares at him and goes inside.
Rohit follows him,
"Ba has sent lunch for you both."
Sidharth takes the tiffin from his hand and puts it on the counter, "Chai piyega?"
He nods his head and Sidharth puts on the saucepan on the gas stove.
Ryan sits beside Sana and asks,
"I told you to fake illness. Fever or something so that he would not go to work and you both could talk. Yeh kya karwa liya?"
Sana giggles,
"I slipped on the oil and shampoo that I had thrown on the floor in the morning. Lagi Kal joro se. But he carried me and allowed me to call him Sidu."
"Nice! Do continue this till Ma comes. She will return tomorrow night.. you will get ample time to talk to him."
"Kya khichdi pakk rahi hai wahan?"
Sidharth says as he comes out with cups of tea for his friends and him.
Ryan smiles, "Rohit, has Ba sent Khichdi for his son? Kal se hi bole jaa raha hai. I guess he wants to eat that."
"Nahi toh? Sid, tujhe khichdi khani hai? I can get it for you."
"Na re. Ryan is playing with his words like always."
Rohan says as he lifts his head from his phone.
"Ryan and Miss, I mean you, what is going on between you both?"
"Nothing. He was asking me how I slipped. That's all. Boys do you know your friend here is a poet. Kya tadake dar poem sunai."
"Yes, we know but tadake dar shayeri, Hume bhi suna hai."
Ryan says.
"Yes. Hume bhi"
Twins say in union.
"Biriyani mile khane ko,
Toh khichdi kise raas Aye.
Jab kismat mein tujh jaisa Kamina dost ho,
Toh dushmano ki jarurat kyun Aye."
"Waah! "
"Kya bey, teri problem kya hai mujhse? Main kamina? Tu kya hai kutte!"
Ryan stands up and goes to him. Sidharth walks to him as well.
"Limit Mein reh, I will make a rainbow out of you."
Both grab each other's collar.
"And I will break your nose. That nose where you have all your ego stored."
"Guys stop. Sidharth.. Ryan.. please Rohan stop them."
Sana screams. Rohan says,
"Chill! Inn dono ka yeh roz ka hai. They will go for each other's neck and the next moment hug each other."
"You a*****, get the hell out of my house right now!"
"Your house? Kab se? That's aunty's house. And I have all the rights to be here. You get lost with that huge ego of yours."
Sidharth pushes him back,
"Kya ego laga rakha hai? I don't have any ego, I am not rich and spoiled like you. What I have is self esteem jo tujh mein nahi hai."
Ryan pushes him back,
"Fine, I don't have self esteem. I have no problem asking for money from my father. Tu bahut Acha hai. Self esteem ke chakkar mein kya mila? You suffered, aunty suffered, you didn't get a right job, lost the factory and also your dad's life. What are you so proud of?"
Sidharth takes a step back.
"Ryan..stop."
Rohan says coming towards them.
"No Rohan. Don't stop him. He is right."
Ryan realises he has spoken too much.
"Sid.. yaar.."
"Tu sahi hai. Because of my stupid principles and self esteem, everyone suffered. I lost Dad and his dream. I.."
Ryan grabs his arm and stops him from going away,
"I didn't mean anything like that. Maaf kar de yaar."
Sidharth gives him a sad smile,
"I couldn't beg for money. I just couldn't. I was ready to sell myself but couldn't beg. I know I should have. Dad shayad bach jate. His factory would have been saved, if only I could arrange some more money. I know I should have asked uncle and kaka to help. But he had already helped, how could I ask for more? And I couldn't beg his brothers for help."
Rohan says, "Bahut boli liya, ab bas kar. You know it was not your fault. Uncle couldn't have survived the operation. Doctor had already told that. And you couldn't have saved the factory. Stop blaming yourself. Nobody has suffered."
Ryan takes a step towards him,
"You did the right thing by not begging to your uncles. They didn't care for him. And Rohan is correct, uncle was critical, no one could have saved him. I am sorry, I hurt you. I am an a******. I am. You are the best in everything, as a son, as a brother and as a friend. You were there to take care of me when mom left us and got remarried. I am sorry, I hurt you. I am not worthy to be your friend."
"Shut up! You are an idiot. You might be rich, spoiled, irritating and a certified mo*****, but you are a great friend. Chale idhar aaja."
Sidharth pulls Ryan into his arms for a brotherly hug.
Rohan smiles and hugs them and Rohit jumps over them.
"Awww… so cute… Boys, idhar dekho."
Sana says and they turn to look at him and she clicks a photograph on her phone.
"Nice!"
They break the hug and Ryan says,
"Chal tu abb chil kar, we are all leaving."
"Where and why?"
Sidharth asks.
Sana adds, "Wohi toh, stay na. We can have fun together."
Ryan goes to her and says, "No yaar. Apan logon ka program hai. I have a party in the evening. Dad's business related. So I need to buy something sober for it."
Rohan says, "And we both have puja to attend with Bapuji and Ba."
"You can stay a little longer na."
Ryan winks, "Nopes."
Rohit sits beside her and whispers, "Ryan ka strict instructions hai, we need to leave you both alone. I want to stay as there's no puja. But I can't. He will kill me if I do."
Sana didn't disturb Sidharth after the three left. She talked to her father and Sumitra ji while he worked in the room. They had a silent lunch after which he helped her lay down on the bed.
"Sidharth, are you alright?"
"Tumhe Mera naam yaad hai?"
"Yup. Mujhe sab yaad hai. Now will you tell me are you okay?"
Sidharth puts a pillow under her ankle and stays silent.
"What happened to your Dad?"
"Accident."
"Oh! I know whatever Ryan said, he never meant anything. You don't feel bad. I know it could never be your fault.."
Sidharth does not say anything.
"You know my mum too passed away in an accident. I miss her so much. Don't you miss your Dad? I know you must be. Losing someone is so painful."
Sidharth could feel a pain rising near his chest as he stared at her teary eyes.
She continues,
"I got so lonely after she left. Dad was never around us. Rajvir went off to his boarding school. I.. I was so lonely."
Tears break the boundaries and flow over her cheeks.
"Mumma used to brush my hair, cook my favourite food, sing to me. Nobody did that after her demise. I miss her, Sidu. I..miss her."
Sidharth could no longer sit there and see her weeping. He cups her face and says,
"Bas.. aur Kitna rona hai? Your mumma will be upset seeing you like this. Do you want that? Bolo?"
She shakes her head to say no.
"Then no more weeping. Remember she is always with you. "
He uses his thumb to wipe her tears.
"Tum bhi bahut miss karte hoge apne Dad ko, hain na? You were close to him na. I remember, you were always with him. "
Sidharth nods his head.
"I miss him everyday. I was very close to him. He was my best friend. I have three idiots now who don't let me feel lonely. But there's a vacant space in my heart that can never be filled. He was my everything, friend, philosopher and guide. My biggest supporter, my strength."
Sana wipes the tear that escaped her eyes,
"You have forgotten about your other friend. "
Sidharth stares at her without replying anything.
"Sidu, Sidharth, don't you miss our friendship? We were inseparable when we were kids but we had to stay away from each other for years. Fate has brought us together again. I know you hate me for what I did earlier. Can't you ever forgive me? Can't we become friends again?"
He just gazes at her. Her nose is red, eyes filled with water and she bites her lower lips in an attempt to stop herself from breaking down again.
"You won't forget anything. I knew.."
She covers her face and breaks into sobs. Sidharth sighs and wraps his arms around her.
"Stop crying now. Why do you always cry? Koi nal khuli hai kya?"
"You always hurt me. That's why.."
"Fine. I am sorry if I hurt you. Now stop crying."
"Na.."
Sidharth smiles,
"Then keep on crying. Main jaa raha hun."
He breaks the hug and is about to go when she clutches his t-shirt and stops him from going away. She buries her face near his chest,
"Mujhe rona aa raha hai. Don't leave like this. You said you are not like my friends. Then stay with me and let me cry."
"That's fine with me but don't wipe your nose on my shirt please. Yucky.. "
She lifts her head and pulls his hair.
"Ahh.. moti chod.."
"Aur bakwas karega?"
"Sorry moti, chod. I will lose all my hair."
"Good boy.. leh chod diya."
She puts her head on his chest and says,
"Main moti nahi hun. Stop calling me moti, samjha Siduram."
"Moti toh tu hai, aaj bhi. And stop calling me Siduram."
"I will never stop calling you that. If you forgive me and we become friends again then also I will call you Siduram. I like the name. My cute Siduram."
"Really? And you think we can become friends again?"
"Yes. You hate me but I don't. I will keep trying till you finally accept me as your Shehnu. I will. I am not giving up on us. Whatever happens, you will always remain Siduram for me. "
She smiles with tears in her eyes.
Sidharth caresses her hair,
"I don't hate you. I never did. "
He smiles at her and says,
"And if you keep calling me Siduram, I will call you moti."
Sana shakes her,
"No.. I am not moti.."
Sidharth smiles mischievously,
"Okay then. I have the perfect name for you. Ryan bol raha tha na to give you a cute name. So I finally found one. What did you think about rondu billi?"
Sana makes a face and he starts to laugh.
"Siduram ki Rondu billi.. lovely!"
"Amma.. no.. "
He kisses her forehead and then continues to laugh.
Sana holds him by his shirt and watches him laughing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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