"Thank you for having me over. It was one of the most delicious Biryani I ever had," Ram said when they were heading to the main gate.
"Of course," Adi exclaimed and pulled Brinda closer. "Meri baby ne order ki hain. It had to be the best." He cracked a smile and pecked her cheek.
"Nazar na lage." Ram rolled both of his hands behind his ears. "Thu. Thu. Thu." Then he pulled out a envelope from his blazer and handed it to them.
"Woah!" Brinda took the envelope. "Thanks."
Thanks. His eyes went round. Itni asani se maan gaye?
"Open it and see if you like it. Later don't—"
"Jaan," she cut him and step closer. "Whatever it is, thank you!" She raised a smile and hugged him.
"I don't want excuses later," he grumbled.
She shook her head, smiling at him. "No."
****
Adi was working with Ram in his house. Ram glanced at the clock on the wall and spoke, "I think you should go. She must be waiting for you."
"Yaa, don't worry. She is coming here," he answered while flipping the pages in the file.
"Tickets and reservations?"
"Everything done," he replied and smiled at him. "She did it."
"Lucky man!" He nudge him. First, she is planning the date. Second, she is coming to pick him up. It was blessing to have someone who cared so much.
"Of course, he is lucky to have me," Brinda intervened as she walked through the door. She was dressed in navy blue kurta, paired with diamond earrings and bracelet. She held her kurta and asked, "How do I look??"
Adi kept the file aside. He gave her a flying kiss, his gaze fixed on her.
"Are, yeh kaisa sawaal? Obviously you look kamaal," answered Ram.
"Thank you, par bilkul hasi nahi aayi. And why aren't you ready yet?"
Aditya narrowed his eyes. 'Why exactly should Ram be ready?'
"Cause you guys are going out and I'm working here in my room," replied Ram.
"No, you are coming with us." Brinda took files from his hand.
"Funny," he twitched corner of his mouth.
"Again, not funny," she pulled out tickets from her clutch, "Three tickets to Agneepath and reserved a table for three at your favorite restaurant. You are definitely coming."
He turned to Adi who was as surprisingly shocked as he was.
"Don't look at him. He has no idea. It's my plan," she replied. "Now, get ready."
He got down from the bed and went to her and said, "Bri, kya majak hain. It's Valentine's day. Shouldn't you two be together tonight."
She closed her eyes briefly. "I know, Jaan. Par tumhare kaam ne Adi ko bohot boring banaya hain. So, you will have to make up for it."
"But-"
"We have been celebrating together for years, almost a decade. Honestly, it feels like any other mundane day," she said.
He glanced at Adi who forced a smile and shrugged. Ram couldn't unseen the his saddened face. He attempted to speak to her but she paid no heed.
"Not a word anymore," she commanded and pulled out a shirt from his closet.
And, in the end, he had to agree.
"Hurry up! We will wait for you in the car."
Ram went to the bathroom while she pulled Adi's arm and walked out of his house.
"I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry," she apologized in low voice, continually. His house was medium-sized which was enough for anyone to hear things across the rooms.
She continued mumbling, without giving him any chance to speak, until they reached out.
Then, he made her stand at the driver's side door of the car.
"Shush!!" he kept his finger on her lip. "Take a deep breath."
"But-"
"Take a deep breath."
After few seconds, he took her hands into his. "Ab bolo." (Shoot!)
"I know it's our first Valentine's after marriage. We are supposed to be together and alone, and I swear it was the plan... but... but when I called you in the afternoon, you mentioned his family went to his Nani's house and...," her voice began to crack, "and I... I couldn't stop thinking about it. It's not even a year... since his... his dad.."
"How can his family be so hard-hearted?" her voice raised, her face was all scrunched up. "And not to miss, Vedika."
She clasped his hand and looked up at him, "He hides sufferings and never speaks for himself, you know that right?"
He managed to nod. He did not know who to react to that.
A while ago he was upset when his wife-the love of his life-thought he was boring, but after knowing the real reason he was deeply moved. 'How did he miss this in spite of spending entire day worh him?' He was with Ram since childhood, unlike Brinda whom they met in the college, who realized this.
He stepped closer and embraced her into a hug.
"He is alone. He is in pain. He needs someone. He needs us," she said while resting her head on his chest. "At least till he doesn't move ahead and have a life of his own."
He had nothing to say. His heart was full. Now, there was one more person who cared about Ram-even over her happiness.
He snuggled her closer and kissed her head.
She broke the hug, "Now, I totally understand, if you are mad-"
"I love you," he cut her.
"Huh?"
"I love you," he repeated. He pecked her cheek and pulled her into a hug again.
"I love you too," she said and clutch him tighter.
Since then, they have kept their word.
They never left him on his own, especially on his special days. Be it his birthday, his dad's birthday, his dad's death anniversary, Valentine's day, Vedika's birthday or even her marriage anniversary-any occasions that can potentially affect him.
****
Ram changed into his nightwear and tossed his towel on the couch. He grabbed his phone. His face lit up upon seeing the notification.
Adi: Thank you!!
Adi: We loved it♡
"Finally!!" exclaimed Ram.
He did not believe his ears when Bri agreed. No argument, no fight-just a plain, simple thanks.
For years, he has been trying to get them to agree, to stop worrying about him and have some quality time of theirs, at least on important occasions like tomorrow's-Valentine's day; but all in vain.
In spite of his high claims of being super busy with his family and business, his friends never trusted him. Thirty seconds with him and they could sense his happy facade. Thereafter, they would come up with excuses and either cancel their plans or include him.
Ram, too, realized things. Many times he felt guilty, but there wasn't anything he could do. How can he push away the only people who truly cared, for being worried about him just because he feels guilty?
At times, even his friends felt wrong for invading his personal space, interfering in his life too much, but there was no choice. They have been together for years and they knew giving him his personal space is letting him torture himself; let him suffer.
They knew his family. He knew his family. He pretended like his family cared. They pretended like they believed his is cared. And nobody said anything.
To make up for this, particularly for being the third wheel in their lives, he made their special days special.
It was their third anniversary when Kapoor Urbans bagged their first big project. He got his first big cheque as MD of the company. He spent entire amount in planning a Ram-free vacation for them. He secretly booked a long holiday trip at Mauritius and informed them last minute so that they wouldn't cancel.
'Thike, cancel it. Kya hi hoga? We won't get any refund aur meri khoon pasine ki kamaai waste hogi... dil tutega woh alag... par parwah kise... You go ahead and cancel it.'
These were his exact words when they refused to go. They had no choice but to agree. (Even then, they called him too many times that he had to block them till the vacation ends).
Thereafter, he did this every year.
He texted back smilingly.
Him: Always a pleasure :)
Him: Hope you have a good time and please DO NOT CALL ME.
Adi: Hehe, we won't.
Adi: Take care. Bye!!
"Tomorrow will be different," he muttered.
He pecked his phone and flopped on the bed, feeling less guilty for not being a third wheel; hoping this would be the case hereafter.
Indeed, tomorrow was going to be different, cause so was his today.
Brinda has finally stopped bugging him (in a good way); hence, she and Adi get each other's undivided attention more often, unlike the old times when she use to call him every now and then to know his whereabouts.
After ages not only Aditya took a day off but they readily agreed to spend the day without him.
Nowadays, he does not call Adi to seek help over silly matters, just to feel little less alone. (He still calls and will always call Adi for important matters like marital rules & norms, online money transfer, particularly for big purchases like buying Auto or Tons of Guava).
He smiled briefly, then, tuned off the lights and kept back his phone into the medicine tray. In no time, he fell asleep, unlike past nights when he struggled to sleep.
Then, he would work all day only to fall asleep thoughtlessly, yet the thoughts kept coming. When he'd get into his bed, he'd stare his hollow room for indefinite time. He could not even sleep for two hours straight. Overtime, he simply endured the emptiness of his life. He began to sleep less and work more.
Now, his nights are serene.
He no longer drains himself by working day and night. Neither he gazes his large empty bed or huge void room, nor he catches a glimpse of the photo frame beside. Vedika's picture on his side table, which once upon a time he glanced every night, now remains unnoticed for weeks. It stays there like any other showpiece items in the room.
Anytime his heart feel heavy, he doesn't reach to the old photo albums, to drown himself into the agony of beautiful past once and imaginary happy future. Neither he takes pills to numb his demons.
Instead, he grabs his phone and scrolls through the gallery, indulging into his happy present. A faint smiles makes its way on his face, knowing there is someone who's trying to smile with him.
He is no longer a purposeless man with zero expectations from life or anyone, someone who lived for his family and smiled for his friends.
Now, he seizes every day of his life, hopeful.
He was not a third wheel anymore; in fact, he was becoming the hero of his own story.
P.S.: Was working on this chapter for quite a few days and coincidently there was a similar scene on the show, anyways!!