June 2012
A (shockingly) sunny afternoon.
Some big house
Some unusual street name
Some confusing postcode
London.
The tantalising aroma of cinnamon and vanilla swirled inside the large kitchen, teasing the nostrils of the children playing outside in the garden, promising them the treat they all loved to devour at any time of the day. The kids rushed into the kitchen, which was the largest room in the house and had been one of the biggest positives when Arnav and Khushi had come in for their first viewing years ago. It had been love at first sight for them. The walls to the tall ceiling met the rich dark oakwood floor beneath them, and the eggshell blue painted walls broken by four large windows overlooked a large walled back garden. It was a pretty old-fashioned garden with a giant swing, a slide and various summer blooms and herbs planted by Khushi in hanging baskets and terracotta tubs.
Emma stood at the kitchen island, slicing fruit for the kids, who were now seated at a small breakfast table near the large windows. An eight-year-old sat in front of her on the island, busy licking the last traces of chocolate on the beater and mixing bowl while feeding some of it to her dress. The mass of soft curly shoulder-length hair was pulled back, yet some tendrils of silky spirals had come loose. Her eyes were big—almost too big for her small, heart-shaped face—and hazel.
"Shaarvi, the cupcakes will be done in ten minutes. Do you want to run upstairs quickly and ask Mama if I should serve snacks to all the kids?" Emma asked her gently and smiled, looking at her mouth smeared with chocolate. "I would like you to clean up before you go, though."
Groaning for being disturbed from what seemed to be her preferred method of meditation, Shaarvi jumped off the island and walked towards the door but changed her mind and took a detour towards the dining table where the rest of the children were seated.
"Siddy, you did five laps, not seven, my friend! I have been counting!" Neel frowned, sitting next to Siddharth who was munching on the dry fruits from the bowl before him.
"My dada doesn't lie!" Gayatri spoke defiantly. "I am seven years old and can count. I counted seven laps." She lied with shocking confidence while staring at Neel with fiery eyes. She had inherited her mother's temper, which flared the moment the world stopped behaving according to her fancy. Besides, at her age, her elder brother Sidhharth was the epitome of perfection and could do no wrong in her eyes.
"Gayatri—" Neel chuckled, "—can you even spell seven?"
"S - E -V - E- N" Shaarvi incised in her strong English accent, her eyes sparkling in the dying sunlight filtering into the room through the sunroof. "Stop teasing her, Neel Da. She is my best friend."
Neel's gaze fell on Shaarvi's chocolate-painted mouth and laughed. "Okay. Maybe I messed up the counting, Shaaru." He conceded, pulling a tissue from the tissue box and wiping off the chocolate traces on her face. "Now that's better." He said with a smile.
Dealing with younger kids didn't come easy at his age, but Neel was a natural. He had been assigned to supervise the kids that afternoon until the elders decided to take over. He sipped on this glass of water, trying hard to ignore the tiny wave of irritation that coursed through him remembering the argument with his father that morning. With his cast-iron expression brooking no argument, Akash had ordered him to shelve his cycling plan with his school friends in favour of his plan to be at the Chauhans' house for the weekend. A raw emotion clutched his heart as he remembered his friend and his life in Singapore.
"Can we play football outside tomorrow, Neel Da?" Shaarvi's voice broke through his thoughts. "Pappy said it is going to be sunny all day."
"Why not!" He tickled Shaarvi's chin, and she laughed.
"Will you show us that banana kick again?" Her voice was almost shrill in excitement.
"I will, but only because Shaaru asked." Neel chuckled, watching her grin and pouring juice into the glasses for Siddharth and Gayatri. "Now, do you want to check with Khushi Maasi about the cupcakes, as Emma suggested?"
Her eyes widened, and her tongue sneaked out. "Oops! I had forgotten all about it!" She ran towards the door but stopped on an afterthought. "Are you better at football than my Di, Neel Da?"
"You tell me."
"She's in our junior school team!" Shaarvi said proudly as if that explained why her sister should be better at play than him.
"So am I." He shrugged. "Now go!"
****
The heat of the day was surprisingly intense for this time of year, and Payal got off the bed to push open the two large awning windows in the bedroom wider to drag in some cool air from the garden into the room.
"We had already discussed with Khush and Arnav about sending Neel to the UK for his A levels." Payal turned from the window and walked towards the bed to occupy her place next to Khushi and Anjali. "But we weren't expecting an opportunity for us to relocate to London before that."
Readjusting her head on Anjali's lap, Khushi watched Payal's face break into a big smile. The three of them had always talked about living together someday. So when Akash and Payal broke the news of their moving to London a few months ago, it had been a dream come true.
Anjali's fingers in Khushi's hair halted. "Rub it in, daayan!" She snapped. "I am seeing you both after two bloody years while you have been seeing each other daily for the last six months! God, I won't be putting on weight anymore, Pi. I will burn all of it in envy just thinking of you together!"
Khushi laughed and lifted her eyes upwards to stare at Anjali's chin. "Why don't you leave your Nikku darling with his daddy to handle the business and move here with the kids, Anj? Sidhharth is ten and will soon be ready for his A levels, and Gayatri is just three years behind him. So you have a valid reason to—" She giggled when she felt Anjali's fingers curl around her neck. "— Arey, I am not joking! I am serious!"
"Shut up, Khush!" Anjali's fingers let go of Khushi's neck and returned to running slow massaging circles through her hair. "I miss you guys. It's unfair. Once I go back, that world will swallow me up. It's hard to stay in touch regularly— with my job, the perennially absent husband and my jungli kids." She grimaced and glanced at Payal. "I feel like I am a single parent sometimes!"
Khushi smiled. "Well, you just told us he took over the reins of the company last year. Give him time to find his bearings, and it will all return to how it was before."
Anjali nodded half-heartedly and glanced at Payal. "How are you settling in, Pi? Has Neel adjusted to the new school and environment?"
"Fairly well, all thanks to the Chauhans. We were practically living in this house for the first month after we moved here." She glanced at Khushi. "It is smooth because Khush is here, period." She smiled and then glanced at Anjali. "But Neel has gone quiet. He still misses his friends. He has been in Singapore all thirteen years of his life. It's a bit hard on him. It's worse because now, at his age, he feels as if the world is conspiring against him to make him unhappy."
"Oh, bless him." Anjali smiled. "And we aren't very far from that number, are we, Khush?"
"Yes, we definitely aren't." Khushi sighed. "I feel like—"
Shaarvi barged into the room and flung herself over the bed near her mother. "Mama, the cupcakes are ready, and Emma asked me to check with you if it's okay for the kids to have it." Her dulcet voice came out muffled as she burrowed her face in Khushi's chest. Turning her head upwards slowly, she regarded Anjali with a frown. "Why are you sleeping on Maasi's lap, Mama?"
"Mama has been sleeping on my lap since she was eight years old, Shaaru," Anjali said fondly, staring at the doll in front of her. A darker shade of Arnav's eye colour, soft curls like Kabir's, but everything else on the little one's face was stamped Khushi. "Isn't that as old as you?"
Shaarvi looked surprised for a moment but quickly lost interest in that bit of surplus information. "Anj Maasi, Mama has ordered a big cake for Pappy for his birthday tomorrow." She informed Anjali, assuming she had no clue what was happening in the house. "And guess what? Rishi will be coming home any minute now!"
Khushi laughed and planted a kiss on her cheek. "She is very close to Rishi, they being almost the same age. You should hear them speak to each other on the phone, Anj. It's the most adorable thing you've ever heard." She smiled and turned her head to look at Shaarvi. "Did you finish making the birthday card for Pappy?"
"Yes. It's ready. All Di has to do is draw a picture on it, colour it and then write on it."
Payal and Anjali laughed. "Arey baap re! You've done most of the work, then. You didn't leave much for Di, did you?" Anjali teased. "Will you help Gayatri make one for him too?"
"Yes!" Shaarvi almost jumped in excitement. "Me and Gaayu are Chandoomukhis. We do everything together."
The women laughed in surprise. "Where did you hear that word, Shaaru?" Khushi asked her in wonder, running her hand through her curls.
"Gaayu said best friends are called Chandoomukhis in Hindi." Shaarvi shared her newly acquired knowledge proudly.
"And Gaayu is right." Khushi sat up in bed and glanced at Anjali and Payal. "Chalo meri Chandoomukhis!" She said with a grin. "Let's feed the hungry kids. I'll make a smoothie for them, and we can have some adrak waali chai."
"I am waiting for the Maasi's besan laddoos box to arrive with Kabir." Anjali grinned, getting off the bed. "What time will they be back from the airport, Khush?"
"Anytime now, Anj. Kabir's flight landed more than an hour ago." Khushi said, glancing at her watch. "Pi, when are Akky and Niks returning from the golf course?"
"They should be here by the time Arnav gets back, hopefully. Although I don't trust Akash to be there on time."
"The punctual man in the group struggles to keep time now— how the mighty have fallen!" Khushi teased.
"The credit should go to me." Payal winked, and Khushi laughed.
The sudden sound of crunching tyres on the gravel driveway outside the house caught everyone's attention.
"Rishi! Kabir Chachu is here!" Shaarvi squealed, jumping off the bed and making a dash for the door. She ran out of the room, screaming their names all the way down the staircase.
****
"Get them on the football field tomorrow morning and kick them out of their game! Ask your mother how to go about it. She knows it all too well." Kabir advised with a smile, wiping away his niece's tears. "Next time, if you come crying to me because two silly boys bothered you, I will be disappointed, Chiu."
"Mama and violence? No, Chachu. Mama is the most non-violent person I have known in my life! And we have to follow the same boring code of non-violence at home. I can't retaliate even if I want to!" She sniffled. "Those boys are a pain, Chachu. Unfortunately for me, they are the sons of her best friends. But I hate them. Why are boys so annoying?" She sat down on the bed with a thump.
"Non-violent!" Kabir guffawed, the image of a non-violent Khushi refusing to conjure up in his mind, no matter how hard he tried. "Your Mama was a big badmaash in her —" He sighed, "—Well, I guess she's growing old now. Ignore her, Chiu. Now that I am here, I'll handle this. Don't you worry." Kabir winked at her and opened his suitcase to pull out a couple of carry bags. "Daadi and Naani have sent some goodies for both of you. And the laddoos." He watched her smile and snatch the tin of laddoos from his hand, and love flooded his heart. "And you are right. Boys are annoying and stupid. It's better to stay away from them." He pulled her to sit before him and looked into her eyes. "But if they cross you, you stay quiet once and ignore the second time. But if it happens again, you strike back."
"Pitega! Chup baith." Arnav walked into the guest bedroom with Rishi sitting on his shoulders and Shaarvi perched on his arm. "If Khushi comes to know of this little chat of yours, you will sleep in the garden tonight, Chhotu."
"I am not scared of your wife. You are!"
"That is so true." Arnav conceded, and a bright smile bloomed on his lips, watching Shirley walk into the room. "Chhoti! Congratulations once again on the opening of another branch of the bakery! I hope and pray there are many, many more such occasions in your lives!"
"Thank you, Bhai." Shirley smiled and suddenly felt a sting of tears in her eyes, surprising her.
Handing the kids to Kabir, Arnav rushed towards her and enveloped her in his arms. "I know it still hurts, Chhoti. But I know your father would have been proud of you like we all are. Like we always will be. It's not a small achievement. You've done extremely well."
It was uncanny the way she always seemed to open up her heart with Arnav so easily, Shirley mused, as if he had already stepped into her father's shoes. "I always cry in your arms, Bhai. This is silly and embarrassing." She laughed, wiping away her tears.
"He has that daddy vibe around him, Shirls. And tomorrow, on his fortieth birthday, that vibe or feeling will gain a totally different — grey sparkle." Kabir winked, and Shirley laughed. "Any grey hair, Bhai?"
Arnav smiled. "One or two, I think."
"The salt and pepper look will suit you." Kabir smiled, staring at his brother. "My brother is the most handsome man I have known, and time won't alter that fact." The words arrived hoarse and uneven, pulsing with a deeply felt emotion of unbounded love for his brother in his heart. He swallowed thickly and quickly turned his attention towards the kids. "And now ...watch these monkeys laugh until they cry!" He growled like a lion, and Shaarvi and Rishi squealed before they were laid down on the bed and tickled until they begged him to stop.
Shirley had a smile on her lips, looking at Chiu. "Chiu, you've grown tall! Hain na, Bhai?"
"Yes," Arnav said with a smile. "All the cells are growing up, but the brain cells—"
The hazel eyes widened, and Chiu gasped. "Pappy! You are mean!"
Arnav grinned as he looked at her. "You have to let me complete my sentences, Chiu! I was about to say the brain cells are growing faster!"
"I know what you were trying to say!" Chiu frowned as Shirley hugged her. "I think I will go before you start winding me up again." She glanced at Kabir. "You know, Chachu, all boys in this world except you are annoying! You are the best!"
Arnav laughed. "Oh, by the way, Chiu, I just checked the bicycle's front tyre. It's a puncture. I'll fix that."
She nodded. "Would you believe I have walked back from Ally's house with that?" She let out a sigh and walked into his arms. "Pa, Ally's dog is so cute!" She pulled away to look into his eyes. "You promised to buy one for us once my brownie points count goes to one hundred, right?"
"Absolutely! But that's a long way, isn't it, considering you are still on twenty three? You need to buck up, little one." He planted a kiss on her forehead and, a moment later, frowned. "By the way, why were you not wearing your helmet and knew-elbow pads when you rode the bike today morning?"
She pulled away from him and looked at him, her teeth pressing into her lower lip. "I will not wear it for some days, Pappy."
"That's not acceptable, Chiu, and you know it." Arnav's frown deepened. "It's for your safety, and you will wear it every single time you step out on your bike." His voice was stern as he looked into his daughter's eyes. "You are not old enough to—"
"I am eleven!" She snapped.
"Yes. I am aware. But—"
"Those silly boys would have teased the life out of me had they seen me wearing all that." Chiu groaned. "They call me a delicate darling as it is and—" She stopped speaking abruptly. "—you know what? I hate boys!" She declared, turning on her heels and walked out of the room.
Kabir watched her stride out of the room and let out a low whistle. "She's got a temper, alright. Sometimes I feel she is two Khushis packed into one. No trace of you in her, Bhai. None whatsoever!"
"Dude, what about the dimples?" Arnav asked cheekily.
"Aah! Now that is a trademark of you. Period." Kabir smiled smugly as he walked towards Arnav. "The Chauhan genes habitually add that little shimmer and glitter to everything, hai na?" He winked looking at Arnav.
Arnav laughed. "I am so glad you made it, Chhotu." He folded Kabir in his arms for a tight hug and then pulled away. "You are my own brand of the Chauhan shimmer and glitter. You know what I mean?" He said fondly as he looked at his brother, and Kabir chuckled. "Get ready to shine and shimmer, my brother, for we play Rummy all night after dinner."
*****
Emma placed a pot of coffee, a large bowl of freshly sliced fruit and some toast on the table for everyone when she arrived in the sunny breakfast room the following morning.
"Thank you, Emma" Anjali smiled at her picking up a toast. "Of course, you snore like a pig, Niks!" Anjali continued where the conversation had halted, pushing herself back on the chair. "Gaayu wakes up in the middle of the night and joins us in the bed, after which my sleep goes for a toss. But this insufferable man, I swear to God, just snores without waking up even once! I feel like killing him sometimes!"
"Where and when have you heard a pig snore, my darling?" Nikhil asked her in a teasing voice while adding milk to his coffee. "And this is all because of you. You tire and drain me out. I sleep like a log after that."
"That—" Akash grinned, munching on his fruit. "—that being the operative word."
"Shut up, Akky!"
Payal laughed. "It's so nice that Gaayu comes into your bed, Anj. Neel grew up so quickly. We didn't even realise. We miss those days." She said with a wry smile.
"We?" Akash raised his brow and coughed. "I think she wanted to say 'I'."
"You miss those days?" Anjali threw her a look of sheer disbelief. "Good. Then I think you should keep her with you for the nights until I am here, Pi. Trust me, you will enjoy the sleepless nights and relive those beautiful days again." Anjali winked, and Arnav laughed.
"You guys should consider having another baby, Mathur." Arnav teased. "Payal is missing motherhood. Her laadla skipped many years and directly jumped to the teenage."
"Don't even mention teenage," Akash said gruffly, finishing his coffee. "Let's not even get there."
"We are getting there, as you know," Arnav said with a grin. "I have been asked to buy a pack of fruity lipgloss for Chiu for Christmas last year." He grimaced, placing a hand over his heart. "My weak heart is unable to handle the speed at which my daughters are growing up."
Shirley grinned. "Especially Chiu! I say this so often, but she really is growing up to be a splitting image of Khushi, Bhai. My heart warms up every time I look at her now. Same face, same colour, same long hair, same temperament and same voice." She smiled. "Which reminds me, when exactly will your Biwi step out of the kitchen? She isn't allowing anyone to lend her a hand or enter the kitchen either!"
"The birthday boy has woken up with a farmaaish of Daal Bhaati." Anjali muttered under her breath.
"I have not! Excuse me! Why would I ask her to cook today of all — what did you just say? Daal Bhaati?" Arnav stood up quickly. "Let me check what she is up to."
"Birthday boy looks happy now!" Akash grinned as he got off the chair. "Alright, lazy bones, now that the breakfast is done, let's go out for a family football session. The kids are already there. Shirley, go drag your sleepy husband out of bed, please."
****
Khushi stood before the hob, feeling the June heat seep into the kitchen through the windows and the open garden door. Her hair was untidy, silken threads of black tumbling around her face where they had escaped from the elegant chignon they were supposed to be contained in.
When Arnav stood at the doorstep, that was what he saw. She was stirring something in a pot, bending low to smell, a slight frown on her face. He ignored the usual ache of love that filled his chest just from looking at her and walked towards her. "Everything smells divine when you are in the room, Khush." He drawled, standing behind her wrapping his arms around her waist. She smelled of flowers and spices, and touching her was a thrill he didn't think would ever become commonplace. "Biwi, I forgot to ask. Did Stuart finalise your trip to Germany?"
"Yes. I spoke to him yesterday. All arrangements are done." Closing the lid over the pot and switching the heat setting to simmer, Khushi turned around to face him. "Arnav, I was just thinking that travel has become easy since Pi and Akky have moved to London, hai na? It has taken the stress out of my life completely. The fact that I don't have to worry about our kids anymore when I am travelling and don't have to rely only on Emma anymore is surreal! Although—" She paused to smile at him, raising her hand to press one thumb pad over his lower lip. "—-the third kid is always a mischief-maker, no matter the situation. I can never say what he would do next."
"That's because you still don't know what you do to him." He whispered huskily in her ear.
Planting a kiss on his lips, she gave him a smile that made his heart flutter even after so many years of being married to her. "Happy Birthday once again, my love."
"Fortieth."
Khushi chuckled. "Although nothing is wrong with that number, I don't feel it is forty yet. Not on this face. Not in these arms. Not in this heart. And definitely not in the bed." She winked.
"Shouldn't we check tonight, just to be sure?"
"I intend to do just that." She replied saucily.
"But—"
"—I haven't seen Shaaru since morning! Where is she?" She tried changing the topic and watched Arnav raise an eyebrow at her.
"Are you ignoring my feelings and neglecting your patni dharm?"
"Pati has to learn to exercise some control over those feelings in a house full of people —" She giggled. "—and inform me about what exactly happened with that helmet and safety issue because of which his elder daughter thinks he is a jallaad."
Arnav looked at her in shock. "That little birdie can't keep a thing from you, can she?" He frowned and then sighed. "Does everything have to be a fight with her, Khush? It's for her safety that I insist on wearing those things!"
Khushi smiled, looking at him. "She is in that age where she is experimenting with her limits, rights and toying with the ideas of independence — how many times have we been through this, Arnav?" She said, running her index finger over his forehead and straightening its frown. "I know what you did was right, Saaheb. Let her do her bit too. She strengthens her wings every time she tries flapping them on her own. Let's allow it."
"Don't talk logic, Biwi. You know all my logic fails when it comes to my daughters."
Khushi chuckled. "I just thought I should remind you."
He stared into her eyes. "Keep reminding me, and someday I am going to get it. I promise you." He said with a grin. "And what's with the cooking today? Kyun kar rahi ho yeh sab aaj? What's the point wasting time in the kitchen when our entire family is outside and—"
"—My entire world is here in my arms?" She said, resting her head on his chest. "I feel like making something for you today. Don't deny me that, please."
Arnav pulled her away from him and kept looking at her beautiful face, suddenly finding himself at a loss for words. "What have I done in my previous life to deserve you, Khush?"
"I keep wondering about the same!" She winked, and he smiled. "Arnav, doesn't it feel like we've lived an entire life together? Leaving the first few years of our lives and those—"
"—wretched four years and four months! Don't remind me of them." He cupped her jaw with both his hands. "Just remind me of the hisaab for that period, which is still pending, Mrs Chauhan." He smiled and touched his mouth to hers for an incendiary kiss.
She opened her hooded eyes and stared at him. "That was —"
"Senseless?"
She nodded with a shy smile. "Senseless."
*****
"Shaaru, run with the ball. Run, run, run!"
Arnav laughed, watching the little piece of his heart run towards the goalpost, pushing the ball forward with her tiny feet. She was doing well today and was just about to reach the box when her foot slipped, and she fell face down, grazing her knees badly. The men in the field stood still, waiting for her to get up on her own. Shaarvi took her time, and brushing the mud off her shorts, she got to her feet quickly. Placing the ball a few feet away from the post, she kicked the ball home with all her might and jumped all the way back into her father's arms in absolute joy.
Arnav had just sent Shaarvi back to her position on the field when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to look into the glittering hazel eyes of his elder daughter. "Yes, Chiu?"
"Maybe you should make Shaaru wear the knee-elbow pads and the helmet as well, Pappy." Her eyes blazed in defiance and victory as she stared at her father with a cocky smile playing on her lips.
Like mother, like daughter. The corner of Arnav's mouth tugged upwards slightly, and he nodded. "Touché." He paused. "But you will still wear those pads and helmet when you ride, Chiu."
"Of course." She winked and ran away towards the other side of the field.
Khushi had whistled from the spectator stand, and Anjali and Payal had jumped, clapping their hands after watching Shaarvi score the goal. Gayatri had jumped, too, standing next to her mother, and Anjali had chuckled, watching her daughter get back to munching on the raisins without wasting a moment.
"Teri beti hain, Anj —" Payal teased as she glanced at Gayatri with love. "—food is a priority."
"I know. Why do you think she is not playing?" Anjali winked, and Payal laughed. Pulling her sunglasses over her eyes, Anjali turned her attention towards the field again. "Come on, Rishi!" She cheered, and Khushi and Payal joined her.
Rishi took the goal kick, but the ball didn't travel far from where he stood. "Pa! Look!" He cried in pride as he jumped up and down.
"Kya Pa look?" Kabir half frowned, half smiled. "Arey chhoturam! Had you blown the ball away with your tiny mouth, it would have gone further than where it is now!" He shook his head and walked up to him. "Zor se laath maar! Tere baap ki izzat ka sawaal hain!"
The men and the boys in the field laughed as they watched little Rishi kick the ball with all his might once again and jump in joy when it travelled across the field to Arnav.
"Okay, people! Last five minutes to wrap up." Arnav announced and pushed the ball along to pass it to Nikhil.
Before the ball reached Nikhil, Arnav watched his elder daughter run towards him like lightning through the field, intercepting the pass, startling him. And within a blink of an eye, the ball was snatched away from their possession before he could react. He stood staring at her running away with it, and his eyes met Khushi's instantly. Khushi grinned and tapped a finger on her chest, a gesture which said she's my daughter, and he laughed.
"Chiu — from the left! Run!" Kabir shouted, watching her glide through the field, beating Akash and Nikhil on her way.
Arnav warned Neel to guard the goalpost, but she had already reached the penalty box. A triumphant gleam flashed through her eyes as she inched closer to the goalpost. Glancing at Kabir once, she locked her foot and kicked the ball hard towards Neel.
Expecting a goal attempt, Neel was totally unprepared for the ball to come spinning at him, delivering a shocking blow to his chest. He staggered for a moment staring at her, his eyes widening as a million shafts of pain penetrated his chest and set it on fire. He was so stunned by the impact that he forgot he had saved a goal for his team for a moment.
"Well done, young man! That was a brilliant save." Arnav came running towards him and patted Neel's back. "You okay? Are you hurt?"
Neel shook his head and passed the ball back to Arnav, who ran back to his position with the ball. When Neel glanced at Chiu once again, she was smiling at him. The smile threw him off entirely, and he walked towards her, watching her, too proud to show how badly he was hurting. "I don't know what you are smiling about, Chiu, but I hope you realise you have missed the target by miles." He said, huffing out a laugh.
She stared at him, fire burning in her eyes. "And I hope you realise soon that I didn't." She hit right back and walked away from him.
Neel stood staring at her as she gathered all the hair escaping from the ponytail and tied it back again into a tight knot. Anger exploded inside him in the form of fire and flowed through his veins like molten lava with the realisation that she had sought him out deliberately to hurt him. He shook with anger and cursed himself for reading her wrong all these months and for underestimating her. She had surprised him, and he hated it.
Across the field, Khushi's eyes widened and instantly met Kabir's the moment the ball hit Neel's chest. Years fell away into thin air, and the memory of one such day in their lives years ago passed through her heart as an ache. In that moment, she thanked her bhaggu ji once again for bringing her life back to a smooth sail when it seemed like it had the potential to spin out of control forever. Kabir was her wonderful, loving, caring and loyal friend. Always was, always would be. He was also a fantastic Uncle to her daughters - a bonus, she thought with a smile. Their bond had grown only stronger over the years, and now it was hard to imagine a life without him, Shirley and their seven-year-old bundle of joy. She sighed. They really had come a long way, she said to herself. A very long way, indeed.
Snapping out of her thoughts, she glared at him, making a hand gesture which told him she would kill him after the match. He saw it and laughed, waving her threat away with a flick of his hand like he always had been for so many years.
*****
"Saamne aaye toh main aankhon mein chhupa loon
Thaam ke baiyaan unhe ...dil mein bithha loon..
Shaam savere, saath ho mere, gori ke sung jaise gaagariya...
Jiya le gayo ji mora saawariya...
Laagi mann mein lagan.. hui baawariya..
Jiya le gayo ji mora saawariya.."
Hair falling in a mass of vibrant soft curls down her shoulders, her elbow rested on a raised knee to support the arm whose fingers were softly pressing down the strings of the taanpura, she sang the bandish with her eyes closed, no strain showing on her face except for the colour flooding the smooth, light skin of her cheeks every time she hit the high notes. After gliding smoothly on the notes of the last line of the song, Chiu ended the song after rendering it to utter perfection.
A moment later, light hazel eyes ringed with long lashes opened up warily to assess the reaction of the audience seated around her in the living room. Her heart raced when no one uttered a word as they stared at her dumbfounded. Even the kids had gone silent. Her nervous eyes then flickered to her father's, whose face was now beaming with pride he couldn't contain in his eyes. Her lips curled then, dimples blooming instantly when she finally heard everyone break into applause. Her eyes sought her mother's and saw tears swimming in them.
"Good lord!" Kabir sat as if frozen, his fingers still tingling from accompanying her on the tabla, the face reflecting pride as he watched his niece smile at him shyly. "Not a note here or there. You've worked hard, Chiu!" He glanced at Khushi and smiled, happiness reflecting on his face along with pride. His eyes then found Shirley's smiling face. "What do you say, Shirley? This is big at this age, isn't it?"
Shirley nodded with a smile switching the keyboard off. "This is big indeed. She is a natural, Khush. I see her in the recording studio behind a mic already."
Khushi smiled as she pulled her daughter into her arms. "Right now, we are learning and practising. One day at a time, Shirley." She glanced at her daughter's flushed face. "We are not in a hurry, are we, Chiu?"
She shook her head and smiled, the dimples peeking out once again. "One day at a time, Chachi."
The evening after the celebration and dinner had ended with her soulful performance. Smothering her with hugs and kisses, everyone moved towards the large conservatory along with the kids while nursing their nightcaps.
Bending over the floor, Chiu pulled the zip of the cover over her taanpura and stilled. "What are you looking at?" She lifted her head to Neel, who stood watching her as if in a daze while she carried out a very simple task with utmost grace.
"I'd never heard you sing before. What were you singing? Is that a Bollywood song?" Neel asked her in a soft voice.
She looked away and got to her feet. Resting the tanpuura against the wall, she turned to look at him. "It is. But a very beautiful bandish in Raag — never mind." Letting out a sigh, she turned on her feet and started walking away from him towards the staircase that led to the bedrooms upstairs.
Neel almost ran behind her to fall in step with her. "Why do you close your eyes when you sing?"
She stopped, thrown by the question. "Why?" She frowned. "Because I need to disconnect with this world to connect with the inner—"
"So you are saying the music is inside you."
"Yes." Her eyes hardened as she turned to look at him. "Look, is this another prank? Because I—"
"What does Chiu mean?"
She stared at him with a puzzled frown on her face. "It means a sparrow in Marathi. Why are you—?" Her eyes flashed in anger and irritation. "— what's with the questions suddenly? Want new information to tease the life out of me again? Because you never say much, do you? And when you do, you are usually very offensive or impolite. So before you say anything else, let me tell you that I have very little respect and patience for the likes of you."
"Chiu—"
Her head whipped suddenly to glare at him. "No." Her voice was firm and harsh. "Only my friends and family call me that, and you are neither." She sliced at him. "You will use my name the next time, Neel." Delivering the last jab smoothly, she turned to the stairs without glancing back at him.
*****
Half an hour later, Arnav and Akash returned home from the store with tubs of ice creams and lollies for the entire family. Stepping into the conservatory with bowls and spoons they had picked up from the kitchen, they were surprised to find everyone fast asleep. The lights had been dimmed, blankets and throws were scattered all over the place, and cushions were tucked under the heads and the backs.
Arnav found Khushi sleeping, Shaarvi's head resting against her chest, and a blanket drawn over them. Kabir and Nikhil were snoring on the carpet, and Rishi was sleeping in the wedge between them. Anjali was spread out on the long chaise with Gayatri snuggled in her arms under the blanket. Shirley and Payal had nodded off on a chair with blankets pulled up to their necks.
The sight warmed the hearts of the men standing near the door. Arnav felt a tight band of emotion suddenly close like steel around his chest. His throat worked as he felt an arm on his shoulder. He turned his head sideways to look at Akash, the man who always stood by his side as they faced life together, hand in hand. And they really had faced quite a lot together, he mused with half a smile. Together. Always. Like brothers. Like each other's shadow. Everywhere. Anytime.
Akash gave him a soft, understanding smile as if he knew what Arnav was feeling because he felt the same wave of emotion crash against his ribs at that moment. But Arnav didn't smile back. There was just too much emotion at work inside him for him to manage a smile. "Kya soch raha hain?" He asked him in a hoarse whisper.
"I just realised that I have everything I need in my life right now. And some more." Arnav's throat grew tighter as he stood watching his world immersed in deep slumber in front of his eyes. He then glanced at Akash in the dim light of the room, and tears brimmed in his eyes. "My cup runneth over, Mathur." His voice shook as the words left his mouth, lips wobbled, and a tear finally rolled down his cheek.
****
Exhausted after the day's events, unable to sleep in the conservatory, Neel walked towards the bedroom he was sharing with Sidhharth for the night. He frowned when he found Chiu sitting on her haunches in one corner of the landing, looking for something on the carpet.
He switched on the lamp at her end. "Something—" He stopped, then started the question from a different place. "What are you looking for at this hour?"
She turned her head towards him, a soft frown darkening her brow. "I have been searching for it for hours now. I was hoping to find it before the day ended. Have looked for it everywhere."
"What is it?"
"My anklet." She stared at him. "It's a black thread with a small ghungroo on it. It's exactly like the one Shaaru wears except she doesn't have the ghungroo on it because she keeps losing—" She kept staring at him, realising she was rambling. " I had it on before the football match, don't know where —have you seen it, by any chance?"
"No." He snapped in irritation. "And you should know by now that if I had it, I would have given it to you."
She stared at him and then nodded. "You are right." She paused, "It's just that I have had it on me since birth. I hope I find it soon." She looked away immediately and returned to her search, too proud to show him her emotions. Suddenly she turned her head towards him. "Neel?"
Neel had turned the knob to his bedroom door and stopped, his eyes finding her's once again. "Yes?"
"I haven't told anyone I've lost it. Especially my parents. Can you keep this between us until I find it?"
He nodded. "Go to sleep now. It's late, and we have school tomorrow. I'll help you look for it in the morning or after school."
That surprised her, and her eyes widened. "Are you sure?"
He gave her a curt nod. "Yes."
"Thank you. Two pairs of eyes will be better than one, I guess." She said edgily as she got to her feet. "I—" She hesitated. "—I am sorry for the kick on your chest."
"It's okay. It is not like it was done intentionally." He felt a smile tugging at his lips for some reason because her face paled for a moment.
"Goodnight, Neel."
Guilt ran like fire through his blood watching her slumped shoulders and strained pallor. His right-hand thrust into his trouser pocket to grip her anklet firmly in a fist, and his eyes met hers. "Goodnight, Uma."
-----------------THE END-----------------
THANK YOU so much jaanemans! :)
This is the final chapter of the story. I am sorry it took so long to finish it, but I am glad I did. There have been a lot of ups n downs in my life, but I have tried to be here whenever I could and finish this story --my first baby, it will always be special to my heart. :)
As it happened, the last few lines of this chapter lead to another story which I wasn't sure I was going to write when I had finished this one years ago. But I did and finished that one too. It's a spin off --Neel's & Uma's story.. and I do intend to share it with you here soon. :)
I once again thank each and every one of you, for finding time out of your busy lives to be here with me, for writing such lovely comments and for staying with me till the end. It was a long project and some of you have been there with me at every step through the entire journey, and I cannot thank you enough for that too.
Thank you, silent readers, your presence was always felt in your absence. :)
Thank you, everyone, from the bottom of my heart. It's you, your love and your words which I lived on for the last few years of my life.
It was pure happiness. It was fun. It was love. It was an addiction.
I will miss it. I will miss you.
I thank you all once again for being with me on one of the most treasured and exciting journeys of my life. I will always cherish these moments spent with you forever.
Take care, smile and stay blessed, always. 🙂
Love and best wishes,
S :)