Ruhaani stepped out of the closet fully ready for the evening pooja. Her gaze was immediately drawn to the sight of Aadarsh combing Pari's hair. He was seated on the bed while the little girl stood between his legs instructing him to do it properly.
"Take this hair also behind." Pari ordered pointing the few strands on her forehead. Aadarsh carefully ran the comb over them and took them back. His eyes focused sharply on her hair.
"One strand also should not be there. It should be neat. Like mumma does it. So nicely she makes it."
"Yes, Pari. I will make it better than your mumma does." He muttered, taking a clip from the side and pinning her hair back.
Ruhaani who had been smiling ear to ear admiring the sight before her, almost rolled her eyes. It was surprising how a man as mature and responsible as him could come down to such petty competitiveness.
"But Maasi makes it better than Mumma." Pari spoke up.
Ruhaani slightly shook her head in disapproval. She didn't understand why her daughter always preferred Arti to her when it came to hair. Perhaps because Arti bought her fancy hair clips or let Pari use her soft bristles hair brush.
"There done." Aadarsh said with a content smile, admiring his work. "You look like a princess!"
Ruhaani couldn't help but smile. His sisters and Pari brought out the soft side of him. The Aadarsh threatening his uncle and this man patiently combing his daughter's hair seemed to be two entirely different people. Just like the Aadarsh who fought with her, who could say anything to annoy her and this man who said anything to make the little girl happy.
"Bhaiya, my hair also!" A voice distracted Ruhaani's thought and she shifted her attention to Mukti Sehgal who stormed in with her hands full of a comb, a few hairpins and a hair-tie.
Off late, Ruhaani was noticing a pattern. Mukti would end up asking the exact same things from Aadarsh that he gave Pari. The other day it was a hug, on another she wanted to be carried on his back. Give me a kiss also, I also want help with my house, feed me also. They were not unusual requests coming from a child. Maybe some of them were. But more than that, it was the timing that bothered Ruhaani. They were immediately followed by anything Aadarsh did for Pari. It seemed like a tell-tale sign of her growing insecurities.
"I can do a fish style braid," Ruhaani offered. The trio looked up at her nearly instantly.
"I can do it better than your Bhaiya, Muku!" Ruhaani said with a smile when she saw indecisiveness flash on the girl's face. She glanced at her husband who looked at her amused. "Come on, now," Ruhaani said holding her hand.
"Okay," Mukti smiled. Mukti sat on the edge of the bed while Ruhaani stood behind her back taking her comb.
"Mumma, I will be down." Pari said ready to run off. While Aadarsh got up from the bed.
"Don't trouble your DJ." Ruhaani said, but the girl was fast gone.
"Try being a little creative next time although I know I do it better...." Aadarsh whispered into her ears and walked past her. His arm brushing lightly against hers.
Ruhaani's suddenly felt like her heart was bungee jumping. She turned and gave him a slow look over her shoulder as he walked over to the vanity and picked up his comb. Traditional attire suited him just as good as a well-fitting tux.
Is there anything else I can help you with?
His whisper from earlier cause a warmth on her skin. On second thoughts, even not having a shirt on, suited him. She bit her lower lip as her fingers worked on making a fish braid of Mukti's jet black hair that ran down till half her back. Maybe she should think about something else. Like Mukti's hair. The Sehgal girls were blessed with such thick and luscious healthy hair. In fact, it was all the siblings. She quickly turned and had glimpse of Aadarsh as he combed his hair. They all were also obsessed with their hair.
Aadarsh smiled to himself as he noticed her glance at him a second time. He hadn't liked the saree she had shown him earlier. It felt a bit too old-fashioned. But when she had said it was Badi Bua's gift he had to agree to it.
He wasn't surprised Ruhaani picked up that saree out of all she had. Every time he saw a live example of her mindfulness his respect for her grew a little more. In a world where money, authority, position, power drew respect, her thoughtfulness and kindness was scoring his respect.
The saree looked much better draped on Ruhaani's frame. The maroon blouse and similarly coloured bangles perhaps brought out the floral art print on the ivory saree, making it look like a hundred times better. He moved out of the room with his phone silently.
"And it's done," Ruhaani exclaimed with a smile, giving Mukti's shoulders a squeeze. She then leaned over the girl's shoulder and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You look beautiful just as you are, sweetheart!"
"Thanks Bhabhs!" Mutki said with a toothy shy smile and turned around to hug her. Ruhaani smiled gently rubbing her back. She just hoped it was just a brief period of insecurity that would go away with time and love.
Ruhaani's smile faded as Mukti left the room. Relationships were always so delicate. It was so hard to not let relationship with one person affect the relationship with another.
A few months back, she had thought it would be easy to manage a family. It was all she had ever wanted— a family where she belonged, her family. However, now she began to fathom how important it was to balance each relationship. To keep them all happy.
She took a quick glance at the mirror, running a few fingers over her hair-bun. She walked out of the room to find Aadarsh in the passageway leaning over the railing with his phone pressed to his ear.
Maybe she should talk to him about Mukti's behaviour. No, what if he decided to over react and make it a topic of argument between them. She looked hither and thither wondering if she should take the chance and talk to him.
Maybe not.
Maybe he would understand.
Maybe he won't.
She was still pondering upon her options when Aadarsh turned, ending his call, looking at her. He looked a bit perplexed. He looked to the left and then to the right before casting his gaze back on her.
"Waiting for me?" He asked raising his right brow halfway up. There was a hint of mischief in his voice.
Ruhaani blinked. Yes or No. No. Maybe later in the night. No, that was an even more horrible option. Maybe now was the best time.
Aadarsh couldn't help but notice the tiny details that made her appear more striking than usual. Her hair was tired up neatly, not a strand out of place. The two centimetre long bindi having a shape similar to that of a leaf sat at the centre of her eyebrows. The deep red thing highlighted the shape of her eyebrows.
Her ears as usual had long jhumkas hanging. Her lips were painted in a dark red. He wondered if the colour would come off if something rubbed against it. Something like his thumb or his lips.
"Actually," she began after hemming and hawing a bit. She took two long steps and stood before him. His gaze angled lower to be on her face. "I wanted to talk about something."
Aadarsh had meant to tease her. Having the knowledge that she was attracted to him was both a blessing and curse. It made him feel powerful. He knew he could influence her actions and reactions. But it also meant, he had to be careful. Because if he slipped, she might too.
"About what?" He asked shoving away his distracting thoughts.
"It's actually about," she threw a cautious gaze towards the other rooms, and then looked back at him. "...Mukti."
"What about her?" Aadarsh asked frowning.
"Have you noticed a pattern in her behaviour lately?"
Aadarsh's eyebrows drew together as he thought over words. "I think she's okay. Why? Did something happen?"
"No. Nothing. Just listen to me with an open mind, okay?"
Aadarsh narrowed his eyes at her, opening his mouth to give a fitting reply but she pointed her finger at him, "don't!"
"The other day, when you hugged Pari, Mukti asked you to hug her too. When you were drawing stars on Pari's drawing she wanted you to do that in her book too. Off late, anything that you do for Pari she demands ..."
"She's my baby sister, Ruhaani. I don't see any problem." He muttered.
"Aadarsh, let me complete what I am saying. I can keep quoting examples. When was the last time Mukti came to you with the request of combing her hair? And she chose to come only today, right after you were making Pari's."
"Ruhaani, stop. You're over analysing. Mukti's grown up with me making her hair, drawing stars in her book, feeding her and every other thing I now do for Pari. So stop blowing it out of proportion." He stepped away irritated.
"Aadarsh," Ruhaani held his hand before he could turn and walk away. "Can you listen to me, please. I am just worried for Mukti. Because I know how it feels to live in the shadow of someone close to you getting all the love and care that you don't.
If Mukti is feeling insecure, or if she feels left out then it's us to the blame. If she feels the need to ask for everything she should be getting from us then we are not doing something right. I appreciate everything you do for Pari, but if it's making Mukti feel the need to ask for the same thing too then we should try and understand where it's coming from. She's a child, we need to teach her how to manage her emotions. If for any reason she feels unloved or less loved then we must make her believe it's not true. Maybe you're not being around her enough, maybe she needs your attention like she used to get before."
Aadarsh's gaze softened. Ruhaani had managed to make him see the whole thing in a different light. Off late he did spend less time with the twins. They had Ruhaani, he couldn't compete with her. She was definitely a better company than he was. Perhaps he was wrong there. Maybe they still needed his attention too.
It wasn't just the twins. After Ruhaani had come into their lives, he had finally felt a load lift off his shoulders. He could take time out for himself. He knew that Ruhaani knew what was happening in the lives of his siblings and for once he didn't feel the responsibility to go and talk to them about it. He knew she had it all covered. Maybe he was wrong there.
"Okay." He breathed out, looking thoughtful. "I will keep this in mind."
Ruhaani took a breath of relief.
His gaze lowered to her hand. "Is there anything else?"
Ruhaani looked him in the eye. Should she ask him about the court case? It had been something she hadn't been able to talk to him about since the night. He seemed in a rather understanding mood today.
"Bachhon, come out in the lawn. It's six fifteen already." Badi Bua's loud voice came from downstairs.
"We should go down." Ruhaani mumbled.
"Hmm," he nodded, his gaze lowering to her hand that was wrapped around his wrist. She wore rings on three fingers out of five.
Ruhaani followed his gaze. She quickly released his hand. They quietly walked towards the stairs.
Aadarsh was conflicted between offering his hand and not offering it. Whatever this thick inexplicable feeling between them was, was growing denser—alarmingly. It was like a balloon being filled to the point where pressure was being exerted on its walls. It threatened to push against the normal capacity and eventually burst.
He didn't have much time to weigh his options. And in that few seconds one option weighed heavier.
He extended his hand and she immediately placed her left hand in it while using her other hand to hold the pleats of her saree. He didn't trust Ruhaani on stairs, especially when she was wearing a saree. For some odd reason, he could never forgot that moment when she had almost fallen off the steps that lead to the beach. It had been very unsettling, even it's mere memory was disturbing.
It was hardly a minute of holding his hand but felt like an eternity. The more Ruhaani tried to resist his charm the harder it became. She was beginning to grow fond of some parts of him— being a father, being a brother were always on top of that list. He smiled more often when he was with the kids. He was more playful with Abhi. He was more caring with Ashvi. She was beginning to love those parts of him.
However there was a new addition to the list, it was this smug flirty side of him.
She wasn't oblivious to the amusement he got by putting her into a daze by his bold advances. Yes, it was embarrassing but there was little she could do to avoid it. She desired him. No matter how much of him she didn't like, she found him attractive. She would never let him know that, but at the same time she also knew that he already was aware of that.
Like they said, there was bliss in ignorance.
She was ignoring the fact that he knew her weakness. He was ignorant of the fact that he was playing with that weakness, of the whole thing. He refused to address it, just like her.
There are always some things in life that one just cannot find the courage to face. Some things that are left best as they are.
The equation between them was becoming one of those some things. It was better left as it was, without questioning it, without trying to understand it.
She felt his fingers uncurl and slowly move away from hers. She fought the urge to to holding onto them. She smiled at Badi Bua who was dressed in a peacock green saree, "you look gorgeous," she complimented.
"Thank you, and you look no less beautiful. I had known the moment I had seen this saree that it would suit you." Badi Bua beamed at her gently tipping her chin affectionately. "I hope you like it."
"It's lovely, Bua!" She beamed, her eyes almost glossy. She loved being showered with genuine affection. It was so rare.
"Abhi, come on, I need help." Badi Bua said turning towards the TV area. "Ruhaani, get the plate of flowers and colours from the kitchen. Aadarsh, come along with me, I need you to rearrange the sticks those guards have stacked it in the wrong way. Abhi, I want you in the lawn, now!"
A hint of smile roamed around Aadarsh's lips as he followed his aunt out, as a memory from his childhood suddenly surfaced. At every dinner time, he would be in the kitchen well before time while his mother would have to shout and call Abhi. Just like Bua had just shouted out to call him.
***
It was a pleasant evening. The fire crackled as Badi Bua instructed them on what they were supposed to do as part of the rituals. They all stood around offering their prayers.
Pari was unusually hyper today. She was bubbling with laughter and joy. Aadarsh smiled as she took the piece of coconut from him and took a step forward to hurl it into the fire.
"Pari, come back, I told you to stand here." Ruhaani suddenly scolded Pari yanking her back by the arm. "I told you not to go near."
Aadarsh who had momentarily turned to watch his siblings perform the offering alongside Dai Jaan, turned to his wife.
"I also want to put this in the fire." Pari said showing her mother the piece of coconut that was a part of offering to the fire.
"Throw it from here. You're not going near it."
"No, I want to go little near." Pari argued. "Everyone is going."
"Pari," Ruhaani gave her a warning glare. "I said no."
Pari threw a tantrum hitting Ruhaani's legs. Aadarsh picked her up instantly. "Bad manners, shona. Mumma cares for you. If you go near the fire, you'll feel hot. Like the other day, when you touched hot dal. Your fingers became red naa?"he wiped her tears using his right thumb while his left arm held her.
She hid her face in the crook of his neck and sobbed, "I also want to put it in fire."
"Okay, no crying. I will take you close then you can drop it in it. Okay?"
The girl pulled away from his shoulder and looked at him thoughtfully then nodded rubbing her eyes.
"That's like my good girl," he cooed, taking a step forward and stretching the girl's arm so that she could drop the piece of coconut in the fire.
Ruhaani just stared at them. Somehow near fires she became a little restless. She should have handled it like Aadarsh did. But her hostility towards fire and fear from it made her react to the situation instead of responding to it. It wasn't like she had pyro-phobia but considerably sized fires made her break into a sweat both figuratively and literally.
"Now put a bit of colour in it," Badi Bua said aloud.
Ruhaani picked the packet from the plate and passed the plate around.
"You okay?" Aadarsh asked softly standing beside her. It was odd what had happened. Ruhaani handled situations much more better than this. It struck him a bit later that her parents had died in a fire.
She nodded absently, opening the packed of colour. He took it from her hand. "Let's do this together, shall we?" He turned to Pari.
The girl nodded smiling like she hadn't been crying the minute before.
"Ruhaani," he said softly drawing her attention. She seemed a bit lost in her thoughts. She looked up at him. "You can hold my hand," he said.
Ruhaani wordlessly agreed and grasped onto his wrist. Just like Pari's hand grasped onto his right arm. He dropped a little of the coloured powder into the fire.
Badi Bua chanted some mantras and then clapped. Others followed the suit. The final part was to perform the circumambulation around the fire. Aadarsh moved around with Pari in his arms and Ruhaani followed him closely.
"Aadarsh, Ruhaani, it's your first holi after the wedding. I hope the colours of the festival always brighten up your marriage. Come on, apply the first colour to each other." Badi Bua wished them as the rituals came to an end.
Aadarsh wore a polite smile and took some of the red colored powder on his fingers.
"Aadarsh, fill her hair partition first," Bua reminded him. He did as he was told. Some of the colour fell on her nose. He used the side of his finger and gently rubbed it off, as Ruhaani's gaze remained fixated on him.
"Ruhaani, do the tilak," Badi Bua guided.
Ruhaani took some of the red color powder on her thumb and swiped it upward from the point in between his eyebrows. Their gazes met again.
"Now you can color each other wherever you want," Phupha Ji announced and then turned to his wife. "Can I get my first color too?" the others all laughed.
"Aww," Abhi and Ashvi cooed looking at the older couple.
Ruhaani's gaze was stuck on Aadarsh's. She raised her hand to his cheeks and applied the color. "Happy Holi!" She wished softly. She could hear Phupha Ji say something in his usual funny way but could barely listen. Her attention was entirely on her husband.
His fingers gently caressed her cheek, very slowly. "Happy Holi," he said. His voice was low perhaps overpowered by the laughter around. Ruhaani gulped, she had been standing close enough to the fire to feel the heat. But the heat that Aadarsh's closeness brought was a whole different level. She felt tingles spread all over her skin. Her breathing became slower.
A clearing of throat made them pull away from each other.
"If you both are done with each other, can we also..." Abhi's voice abruptly halted as Aadarsh smeared color on his cheeks, squeezing his face. Ruhaani's eyes widened at Aadarsh's wild action.
"Happy Holi, Abhi!" Aadarsh said in a sing song voice, shaking his face.
Ruhaani and Ashvi giggled. While Ashvi stepped forward to apply color to Aadarsh, the twins raced to Ruhaani. Ruhaani kneeled and asked them to take a cheek each instead of fighting for who'd be first.
Aadarsh smiled hugging Ashvi, his gaze falling on his wife who was applying color to his younger siblings simultaneously. His smile widened.
Soon they were all wishing each other and applying the colour on each other's faces. Pari being the only one with no colour on her face. She avoided everyone including her parents. Soon Badi Bua ushered them inside for dinner, reminding them that the actual playing holi was the next day.
Ruhaani helped Badi Bua and DJ in setting up the dinner while the rest of them were out in the living hall making plans for the next day.
"Ruhaani, your family is coming right?"
For a fleeting moment Ruhaani was confused. Her family was right here. She nodded understanding that Badi Bua meant her uncle and aunt. The older woman had specially called them to invite them over.
"Bhabhs," Ashvi called entering the kitchen. "Please talk to Bhaiya about it, no?"
Ruhaani turned to Badi Bua. "It's a yes from my side but you have to ask him. Aadrash's decision is final." Badi Bua told raising her hands in surrender.
Ashvi wanted to celebrate the festival with her friends. Apparently a holi party was arranged on the grounds close to her college and half her class was going to it. She wanted to go too, but she wasn't ready to ask Aadarsh directly because she was almost certain he would say no. She had approached Abhi first but he refused to help her out. Hence she had approached Ruhaani to advocate for her.
"Fine, let's go. But you're going to ask. Only if he says no, I will interfere. Okay?" Ruhaani said and Ashvi nodded.
They both made their way outside the kitchen and then to the TV area. They had been told by the kids who were running around the house placing the remnant flowers from the pooja along the wall. It was surprising how they could come up with their own games from random things.
Ruhaani stepped past the wooden partition into the TV area. She noticed Aadarsh and Abhi on the sofa. Her gaze then naturally went up to the television. Her eyebrows arched up a tad bit, eyes widened a wee bit as she noticed the music channel that played songs.
It starred Zara, a popular actress in recent times, who was called the bombshell of the industry because she did a lot of adult movies and item songs. Currently she was on the screen wearing what was essentially a bedazzled bikini with matching colour threads criss-crossing across her abdomen and joining the two pieces of the set. There was way too much on display than was decent. Plus the choreography was highly suggestive. It was enough to spoil teenagers.
What was more shocking was that the two brothers sat with their eyes glued to the screen! They both were both so damn engrossed.
Men!
She cleared her throat and they both immediately snapped their heads back, looking like they had been caught red handed.
Aadarsh was the first to gain composure. "Dinner is ready?" He asked casually, standing up and turning such that he was facing Ruhaani.
"No. I came to talk." Ruhaani answered glancing at Abhi who was trying too hard to be casual. Her gaze went back to the screen where the actress was on her knees and then on her fours crawling towards the camera. God, how was all this allowed to air on national TV in peak hours? "Please turn that off." She said turning to Abhi, "and, apply the parental lock on that channel."
"We were just switching through channels. God, what all they show on TV nowadays." Abhi said shaking his head in disapproval like he hadn't been watching the screen. He switched off the television and stood up too. Ruhaani gave him a dead stare folding her arms and Aadarsh rolled his eyes. Abhi had always been terrible at covering up something.
"Talk about what?" Aadarsh asked drawing back Ruhaani's attention on himself, saving his brother from further embarrassment.
"Actually, Ashvi..." she turned to the side and then behind and found no one. She took a deep breath calling out to her. "Ashvi!"
After the second call, Ashvi appeared, hesitantly.
"Ashvi, wanted to talk to you." Ruhaani completed and gestured Ashvi to talk.
"Bhaiya, actually, there's this.." Ashvi looked at Ruhaani nervously, then back at her elder brother. "Holi party that all my friends and half my class...in fact many more people from my college are going to. I wanted to go too. I know, we celebrate holi together, all of us. We always have. But I thought it would be nice to celebrate this year with my friends." She completed, clasping her fingers together, nervously.
"Is the party for eighteen plus?"
"Yes," Ashvi answered with apprehension.
"Where is it?"
"Leelawati Grounds"
"Will alcoholic drinks be served?"
"For people who are twenty-one and older,"
"No. You're not going." Aadarsh declared.
A sudden strong silence fell.
"Bhaiya, it's not like..."
"I said, no." He said authoritatively, quieting her.
"At least hear her out." Ruhaani stepped in into the conversation.
"I have heard enough." He said pinning her with a piercing gaze.
"But she was.."
"Ruhaani, it's between me and her. You should stay out." Aadarsh's voice was cold as ice.
Ruhaani pressed her lips together. She turned to Ashvi only to see her crestfallen face and then turned to look at Aadarsh again. "I know it's between you two. But Aadarsh, at least listen to what she's saying. Your this attitude is the reason why she didn't even want to ask you about it in the first place."
"I know what's right for her." Aadarsh said his jaw clenching, as his blood began to simmer. He hated defiance to his judgements. And Ruhaani knew just how to get on his nerves, by doing exactly that.
"She knows too. She's not a kid. Stop treating her like one. If Abhi was the one wanting to go to a party, there wouldn't even be a discussion." Ruhaani argued.
"Will you take responsibility and blame if God forbid anything happens to her?" Aadarsh asked in a uncannily even voice.
Ruhaani fell quiet. He walked around the sofa and made his way towards her. He walked past Ashvi and stood in front of Ruhaani. Barely a foot of distance between them.
"She's my sister. I know what's right for her and what's not. Don't challenge me on it. And for God's sake, it's not because I am biased because she's a girl. It's because I know that the world is not a safe place as I would like it to be for her. Especially not in a Holi Party that's open to public and has drunk people around. This topic is over."
He turned to his sister. "You can invite any number of friends you want here." Having said that he walked out.
"Why didn't you tell me that drinks were allowed?" Ruhaani asked Ashvi as soon as Aadarsh walked out
"It's a given, Bhabhs. Almost all Holi parties have that nowadays. I knew it, he won't allow me."
"He has a point Ashvi." Abhi who had been a silent spectator so far, finally spoke up. "What are you going to do if someone tries to misbehave with you? You're not well equipped to handle that."
"My friends will be there. There are both girls and guys."
"How can you trust them to help you?" Abhi questioned. "what if they are not around at the moment or they're not able to help you?"
"Why are you all always assuming the worst?"
"Ashvi, Abhi has a point. At the end of the day, it's you safety that comes first."
"And my happiness can go to hell. Do something, lock me inside my room. Why are you even sending me out to college? Anyone can misbehave or harm me anywhere?"
"Ashvi," Ruhaani said softly. "Aadarsh cares for you."
"No Bhabhs. Don't take Bhaiya's side. The way things are going, I will not be surprised if in future he chooses where I work, who I date, who I marry. He's going to make all the choices for me." With that closing remark, Ashvi walked out.
Aadarsh who had been standing against the partition watched his sister storm away. He had returned to take his phone but had stopped, hearing their conversation.
"Hey, Bhabhs, you okay?" He heard Abhi's voice.
"Yeah. Maybe I shouldn't have encouraged her to ask or given her hope." Ruhaani replied.
"On the contrary, I think you did the right thing. Bhai, is a bit authoritative when it comes to us. But I think with time he has to understand that Ashvi is no longer that ten year old girl he needs to hold hand of. You're right in your place."
"Well," Ruhaani sighed. "I hope your brother understands that. If not, he's going to have that permanent scowl on his face again and that pricking silence."
"Hmm, maybe he'll be pissed. But I think you can rectify that easily. Just keep the door of your room closed." He winked at her.
Ruhaani's eyes widened and she whacked his arm. "Chii Abhi! You're so shameless."
"Oh, and you both are not?" He asked laughing, dodging the second whack.
"Abhi, I am going to kill you if you don't disappear!" Ruhaani muttered extremely embarrassed at Abhi's suggestion.
"Nice joke Bhabhs. You and me, we both know nothing can change the truth!"
Aadarsh shook his head, a hint of smile on his face as he quickly walked away. The last thing he'd want right now is to get caught overhearing their conversation.
***
There was an unusual silence on the dining table. Ashvi didn't even look at anyone. She ate very little dinner and left for her room. Aadarsh was clearly unhappy with that. He had tired to convince her to eat some more but she didn't say a word, just shook her head and left.
Badi Bua had then bought up their pending honeymoon, without actually saying the word.
"That's a wonderful idea. They definitely need a vacation somewhere far-away, somewhere private." Abhi had remarked with a grin teasing both of them.
Ruhaani and Aadarsh had looked up at the same instant and ended up meeting each other's gaze and then looked away.
"I want to go on summer vacation too!" Mukti had said excitedly hearing the word vacation from Abhi.
"Yes, we all can go for a vacation," Ruhaani had added. There was no way she was going anywhere with just Aadarsh. Honeymoon would be a disaster for their equation, given how things were going between them. "Their exams end by end of next week."
"I will see how my work is placed. I might have to be here. There's a tender bid upcoming." Aadarsh said.
"You have your indispensable , favourite employee for that no? Devashish Vashisht " Abhi muttered with a sugary smile.
Aadarsh sighed. "I will see what I can do."
***
Ruhaani was dreading facing Aadarsh. It had been a long and eventful evening. She sat on the swing in the lawn. She was almost sure he would go back to ignoring her. Or perhaps he would have a mouthful to say about her interference. He was clearly angered because she spoke against him for Ashvi.
Aadarsh walked over to the swing from the shadow of the building. It wasn't the first time he was seeing her sit on the swing facing the compound wall. He had noticed her sit all alone on the swing twice before from the balcony.
She seemed a bit off since the evening. He had no business walking to her when all she wanted was to be alone. But he wanted to. Luckily for him, her phone had been ringing, he got an excuse to approach her.
"Are you okay?" He said standing by the pole that fixed the frame—from where the swing was suspended—into the ground.
Ruhaani gasped, sharply turning to the side. "Why do you have to be creepy?"
He extended her phone towards her, amused. "Your phone had been ringing. Three missed calls already from Arti. Thought it may be important."
She took her phone slowly, looking at him dumbfounded. He wasn't ignoring her. He didn't look angry. He came down from the room and out into the lawn, all the way to give her the phone. She blinked.
"Are you okay?" He asked again. "You looked a bit...unwell, during the pooja."
"I am fine." She managed to say. She had never shared her weak moments with anyone. She didn't see any reason to start now.
A looming silence mushroomed between them.
"Okay," Aadarsh said. Perhaps it was foolish to come out. He turned around giving her one last look.
"Aadarsh wait," She said when he began walking away. She pushed back on the swing very slightly and held his hand.
He turned to look at her after glancing on her hand that was curled around his arm.
"I am sorry for making you upset earlier. I didn't know there would be drinks in the party. I didn't think the whole thing through. But, I still feel that Ashvi must make her own decisions."
Aadarsh sighed, pulling his hand back from her hold. "The discussion is over."
"Just hear me out, please. Ashvi is upset. She's an adult, she should be allowed to go where she wants. I know you're worried about her safety. But Aadarsh, no one is safe anywhere in this world. She's going to start holding it against you for determining how she should lead her life. Maybe you're holding on too tightly. It might cracked your relationship with her."
Aadarsh looked away. He hated how he understood what she was trying to say. He sighed and walked around to the other swing and sat on it. "I cannot stop seeing her as this little girl who doesn't know how the world works."
"It's understandable, Aadarsh. It's almost a habit for you to make decisions for her." Ruhaani said softly, turning to his side. She was seeing a whole new side of Aadarsh. He was sharing his thoughts voluntarily with her.
"I don't want her to go for the party. The whole time I am going to be worried about her. And I definitely don't want to keep her on a call the whole time to give me updates."
"Hmm," Ruhaani hummed thoughtfully. After a lot of thinking she spoke up, "Do you realize, this issue wouldn't have come up if you knew her friends?"
Aadarsh turned to look at her with disbelief. It was mostly dark, except for the stray lights coming out from the inside of the home and the lamps hoisted upon the compound wall. "Stop finding my faults. Do you have a solution Miss-I-know-it-all?"
Ruhaani rolled her eyes, letting the remark pass without resistance. "Let her go and take a chance. We can call her every half an hour to make sure things are going well. There's always a first time."
Aadarsh sighed. "Fine."
"Wow that was easy." Ruhaani mumbled to herself.
"What?"
"I didn't say anything," she shrugged.
"I heard that," he mumbled getting up from the swing.
"Where are you going?" Ruhaani asked.
"To make sure she eats something and to tell her she can go for that party."
Ruhaani's lips curved into a heartfelt smile. "All the best!"
"You won't come along?" Aadarsh blinked wondering why he wanted her to come along.
"Nope. It's between you and her. Besides I have my sister to talk to." She smiled raising her phone in the air.
He nodded and walked away. Ruhaani slowly lowered her hand holding her phone, on to her lap. She turned and looked at his retreating figure. He was a nice man. Appeared so much more nicer without that stinking attitude of a jerk. She smiled ear to ear. He didn't ignore her after a disagreement, that was progress. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope after all!
• — • — •
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Would love to read your thoughts on it.
Next : Friday
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—Anami!♡