∞On these Roads∞
Aradhaya Singh Rajvansh
"Aru, have you gathered everything?" I double-checked the bags once more while Yug Bhai, on the video call, guided me through the items he'd left in his room for me to pack. "Yes, Uncle, count them once. There should be nine bags in total." After ensuring all the luggage was settled in the cars, I glanced back at Yug Bhai still on the video call. "Are you certain it was nine bags?" He gave me a confused look, raising an eyebrow in question.
"Don't confuse me, Bhai! You left behind your two suitcases, and I wonder what you were packing. It's not your wedding, after all, but Shravan Bhai's." He had always been the fashion-conscious one among us. Every time we went somewhere, he always had his luggage excessively packed.
"Aru, it takes more than a few outfits to look this good," he said, rubbing his stubble and flashing his charming smile at me.
"Of course. We'll be leaving in a couple of hours. I need to check if Bhai is ready yet or not. Make sure you keep the room key cards secure with you. I'll call you when we get there." He nodded at my words, and I could see his self-absorbed self admiring his reflection on the screen.
"Bhai!! If you forget, I'll make sure Aridhaan Bhai beats your butt," I teased, pulling him out of his reverie, and he gave me a sulked expression.
"Whatever, just make sure to arrive on time and stop scaring me by mentioning Bhai," he said firmly, growing tired of his whining. I ended the call.
"Driver Uncle, you can leave after lunch with the luggage so you'll arrive before us. All the gifts are in the big suitcases, while Yug Bhai's suitcases are the grey ones. I've labelled them all." Driver Uncle nodded and went to inspect the cars.
The wedding functions were commencing the next morning, and we were supposed to leave for Udaipur yesterday evening. However, since Bhai had to retrieve the contract paper from his lawyer for the new project he planned to sign with Ridhima bhabhi's cousin, I stayed back with him. Knowing him well, I served him lunch on a plate and took it to his study. I knocked on the tempered glass, hearing a firm 'come in' from inside.
"Aru, I was waiting for you." As I walked to the coffee table and served the delicacies on the plate, he walked over to me with some papers in his hand.
"What is it about, Bhai?" I poured him a glass of water, knowing his habit of having one before every meal.
"The idea you proposed about the clothing line, I am signing it with a corporation from Delhi who happens to be Ridhima's cousin." I passed him the glass of water as he took the seat beside me, gulping the water down his throat.
"What are your plans about it?" I mixed some dal with the rice, taking a spoonful to feed him. "I want you to lead it, I feel you are a better fit to lead this project. You can have a read, it's a merger between -" I put a spoonful of rice in his mouth and nodded to the details he provided me with.
"I get you, Bhai, and moreover, I was looking for something to start working on. To be honest, after working all these years, it's getting difficult to stay idle, even for a day more." I ate the morsel he made for me.
"This project is going to commence soon. I suggest if you have a doubt, you should have a look at the company and the project, but if you ask me, I feel it's perfect in every way for you. Just sign the papers whenever you feel like, I'll finalise the deal and arrange a meeting with the project head from their side with you as soon as possible." He fed me while narrating everything about the project.
"If it's verified by you, there is nothing for me to inspect myself." I wiped my hands with the napkins and took the file folder from the table, signing at the required places.
"You should have read it at least once." Bhai took the folder and turned the pages to check my signatures.
"We have to leave for Udaipur, Bhai, and you have checked it already. I don't need to do it again." I closed the folder and packed it in his laptop bag.
"Okay, let's get going then." We finished lunch and got ready for the long drive of 7 hours to Udaipur. Jaipur is the best place to have a wedding in, but since Shravan Bhai met Ridhima bhabhi in Udaipur, they both wanted to have the wedding there. Apparently, bhabhi was on a trip with her college friends when she met Bhai there. It was love at first sight for both of them. It was better that RR had a heritage palace there, perfect for a wedding.
Settling behind the wheel of his Land Rover Defender, Bhai called out to me from the porch. I ran with the packed snacks for the journey and hopped into the passenger seat beside him. It used to be our custom as kids to go on long drives every weekend. Yagya and Yug Bhai used to fight with each other whenever Bhai offered them the chance to drive. I had been the passenger princess for as long as I could remember, although on these road trips, I learned driving just by sitting beside them. Actually, I learned almost everything from my brothers, whether it was driving, cooking, or even self-defence. I remember Chote Papa enrolling all of us together, and Aridhaan Bhai once punched the trainer because he hit me during training.
The chiming of my phone brought me back to reality. I pressed it against my ear, answering my father's call.
"Yes, Papa, we just left the house."
"Yes, I have everything essential with me."
"Yes, Bhai is driving, and we will inform you when we enter Udaipur."
"Okay, we will have our dinner on time."
Answering all his queries, I finally ended the call to see Bhai smiling at me. This was our father's usual behaviour; he would call me whenever I was about to leave for somewhere and would meticulously calculate the time I would be reaching so he could call to confirm. He does the same with all four of us, and sometimes we wonder if he is a magician, as he knows our timings almost every time.
"What are you thinking about, Aru?" I turned my head to see Bhai talking to me with his eyes fixed on the road. "I am thinking about the time we all spent together and the time I was away from you all. You know, back in New York, when Papa was there for the first three years of my graduation, he used to drive me and Aahana to the campus, and no matter how much I asked him to let me drive, he wouldn't let me at all." Bhai heaved a sigh, listening to me.
"How did you manage it all?" His question took me aback, and I knew this was something I had been expecting for a long time. "It was tough, especially when Aarna aunty was not there, and both Papa and Abhijeet Uncle were going through a tough time. Some days, Aahana and I had to cheer them up while Abhimanyu Bhai was struggling with Khurrana Industries. But I am glad that I was successful in persuading Papa and he got back here." His forehead creased when I told him about the time there.
"Do you want to drive?" Aridhaan Bhai changed the topic, and I knew how well he is at this, so I quietly went with the flow. "Are you sure? It's your favourite car." He chuckled at my words, parking the car at the side.
"Well, I want to be the passenger princess today." I giggled at his words and unclasped the seat belt, exchanging our seats.
"You would be a passenger prince, Bhai, not princess." He laughed, shaking his head, and I wished these smiles would find a permanent residence on his face.
The rest of the journey went smoothly with us exchanging the role of driving every now and then and endless chatter about almost everything.
"Did he answer the call?" Bhai asked me as I dialled Yug Bhai's contact once again, knowing that dumbhead is in deep trouble since he probably forgot to keep the key cards.
I shook my head in no, and he fished his phone out, muttering curses I didn't want to hear for Yug Bhai. It was beyond midnight when we reached there, and Yug Bhai must have been sleeping, forgetting about us.
"Thank you both for blessing me with the presence of my lovely cousins this early in my wedding functions. I thought you both would come at the time of vidai," I heard Shravan Bhai walking to us, flashing the key cards.
"Bhai! You are a saviour!" I ran to him when he opened his arms for me. "Fufa ji gave me the spare key cards, in case you both didn't get it from the most responsible of all of us, Yug." He shrugged, making us sulk at his name.
"He needs a lesson," Aridhaan Bhai interjected, amid the fatigue of the long journey.
"Give him all the lessons in the morning. I'll show you your rooms, and since you both are this late, you can skip breakfast, but be there on time for the tilak." Shravan Bhai walked us to our rooms, instructing us about the rest of the itinerary for the functions. The luggage was also moved to our rooms, and it was 2:30 when we headed to bed. I was too tired to stand for another minute, so the moment my head touched the pillow, I was in deep slumber in no time.
It was around 11 in the morning when I slipped out of my room, still dressed in my comfortable night attire, and made my way to the breakfast buffet. While I wandered aimlessly in the buffet hall, everyone else was busy with preparations for the Tilak ceremony. Suddenly, I collided with a solid surface.
"Oh, wow, young lady, I guess you're sleepwalking," the young man remarked, turning to face me. As I rubbed my head, I looked up and noticed the striking resemblance between this person and someone I had encountered once before. He waved his hands before my face, saying, "Hello... are you really sleepwalking, beautiful lady?"
Snapping out of my daze, I managed to respond, "No! I mean, I'm not sleepwalking. I was just looking for something to eat but couldn't decide. I'm sorry for bumping into you."
"It's fine. I don't mind running into a beautiful young lady like you in the morning. You just made my morning a good one. If you're confused about what to eat, try some sandwiches and the veg cutlets over there. They're really tasty," the young man suggested, with a polite smile on his face.
"It seems like you've already met my younger cousin," another voice chimed in from the corner of the hall, and Ridhima bhabhi came into focus. "Good morning, sweetheart. I was just about to wake you up, but here you are," she said, giving me a hug.
"Good morning, bhabhi. We arrived late last night, so sorry I couldn't wake up on time. I guess I missed the family breakfast," I apologised, shifting my attention to her.
Patting my cheeks, Ridhima bhabhi reassured me, "It's alright. Shravan told me already. By the way, meet my younger cousin, Abhir. He's a national basketball player," she said, pointing towards the young man.
Abhir was a handsome man with a perpetually witty smile. I extended my hand for a handshake, and Abhir held it, bringing it close to his mouth to place a small peck on my knuckles. I giggled and said, "Nice to meet you, Abhir. I'm Aradhaya."
"Beautiful name for a beautiful lady," he remarked, leaving my hand with a cheeky smile.
Our conversation was interrupted by a throat clearing, typically Aridhaan bhai making his presence known alongside Shravan bhai. "Young man, my sister is off-limits, so keep your distance," Shravan bhai stated, patting Abhir's back.
"Of course, Jiju, I wasn't trying anything. Just a friendly compliment," Abhir replied, chuckling along with Shravan bhai, but Aridhaan Bhai maintained his stern expression.
Abhir exchanged greetings with Aridhaan Bhai with a firm handshake, which he returned with a polite smile. "Aru, get ready, bache, or Maa will be furious. We don't want to be late for the function," Bhai said, looking at me.
I nodded and replied, "I'll take your leave. See you at the function."
As I made my way back to my room, I couldn't shake off the feeling of familiarity with Abhir. His charming smile and easy demeanour reminded me of someone from the past, but I couldn't quite place it and I really don't want to place it in the place it is fitting, it can't be. Shrugging off the thought, I focused on getting ready for the Tilak ceremony.
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