VANIE's POV
I stop mid sentence, when my eyes fall on a very beautiful woman. Her skin is pale, but her cheeks are blood red, brown eyes, chestnut short hair falling on her shoulder and her perfect symmetrical face.
She wears an oversized t-shirt, that has butterflies and sparkles around the text 'WHAT IF IT ALL WORKS OUT', with denim shorts. She wears multiple earrings and rings.
Even in something so basic, she looks prettier than me on my best day. It's not just the outer beauty, it's the conviction in her eyes, the confidence in her body language.
I freeze, as I recognise her.
Rooh.
Roohani Arya.
Aadi's sister.
I was here to smooth things out between me and Aadi, after today morning. Daadi gave me an earful for throwing Sidya and him out of the house at 4:00 in the morning.
She made me text Sidya and take her out to a 'girl's date'. After my outing with Sidya, I realised it wasn't fair to Aadi, if, I still stay mad at him. So, I showed up to his office with home-baked sugar-free cookies and matching bracelets. I found the recipe for cookies on youtube and bought the bracelets when I was out with Sidya. I am gald that I left them in my car.
But now, I regret coming here. She looks intimidating and with the way she stares at me, I have a feeling she is going to be a tough nut to crack.
I am not mentally prepared to talk to her. To have an actual conversation with her. My eyes move towards Aadi, who is already staring at me. I watch as his eyes dart between me and his perfect little sister.
I follow his eyes, as he moves them towards Rooh. Her eyes are dark and cold. She is mysterious and breathtaking.
"Rooh!" Aadi mutters.
I bring my eyes back on him as he continues. "This is Vanie, my wife-to-be. And Vanie, this is Rooh, my little sister." I nod as I smile.
He turns back to Rooh. "Both of you are of equal importance to me, I would love to see you two interact and get along with each other." He says cryptically.
Of course, we will get along. I get along with everyone.
"Hey! It's so good to finally meet you." I walk towards the boss chair, as I extend my hand forward.
She shakes my hand back. "The pleasure is all mine. Finally, I will get to know the woman, who lured my brother into getting married." She says in her fancy British accent.
I stare at her. What does she mean lured? He was already convinced. He is the one who agreed to the arrangement first.
"Oh! Do you not know that my brother doesn't believe in love or the idea of marriage? For years, I have seen him push away women." She says, as her neck turns towards Aadi. Her tone completely condescending.
I frown.
Huh?
"People do not need a marriage certificate to bind them together, and as far as my belief of love is concerned, it's a facade. Love is selfish. People walk away, when love dies. I believe in things that are eternal, not something short lived."
I know where his words are coming from.
I feel this sudden sense of pain in my chest. I want to hug him and tell him, that love is never short lived. It's long lasting. It's effects last even if it dies.
"I agree with him." I lie.
But, in a way, I do agree with him. For me, love is eternal, and he just indirectly called our relationship eternal.
Deep down, I know Aadi cares and loves me. He loves me enough, to respect me and do all the thoughtful things for me.
But, I also don't want to be the one pushing him to believe in something. Rather, I want to be the one who brings him to self realisation about love.
I watch as Rooh's eyes narrow, as she carefully observes me.
I have a feeling she doesn't like me, but, I want her to like me. I have seen how Aadi talks about her, she clearly means a lot to him.
I watch as her lips slowly curve into a smile and she pulls me in for a hug.
What?
"I don't like you." She whispers in my ear. "But, my brother acts different around you and I like that." She pulls back, with the same cryptic and annoying smile on her face.
I am still processing her words, as she turns towards Aadi.
What different? He just spoke a few lines.
"We should go out." Rooh announces.
"It's almost time for dinner, we can eat and I can get to know your 'wife-to-be' a little better." She air quotes.
I watch as she walks past me and walks out of the office, with this insane confidence in her walk.
I turn towards Aadi. "A warning would have been nice." I hiss at him.
I observe as he runs his hand up and down his face.
"Roses!" He whispers.
Worry oozes from his tone.
I nod.
"I want you to be a little patient with Rooh. Give her some time, she will love you and I know it. But, today, I want you to try and be yourself with her, so, she can know that you are a great woman."
I don't like you, her comment echoes in my brain.
What if she hates me?
"How can you be so sure? For all I know, she may not like me."
"She is just protective and has my best at heart. She will love you, once, she finds out, how beautiful of a person you are, inside and out." He smiles, as he pulls me towards him. My hands collide with his chest.
"Even my best version doesn't deserve a Goddess like you." He slowly murmurs.
I can feel my body heat with his words. My insides clenching. I want to push myself even closer to him. But, his sister is right outside the door and she already hates me. And I know that the idea of a girl with your brother, in this close proximity is never pleasant.
So, I smile nervously, as I try gathering myself and my feelings.
He slowly bends down and kisses my hair.
I freeze.
Not helping.
"We—ahh— we should get going." I say as I draw in a deep breath.
"Yes!" He smiles as he lets go of me and straightens his suit.
******************************
I play with my dessert, as I watch Rooh force a spoonful of brownie in Aadi's mouth.
"I am sending you back to London." He utters as he empties his mouth's contents in a napkin.
I can't help but laugh. I wish I had a bond like this with my brother. They tease, fight and play with each other. Aadi around his sister is the best man.
Rooh chuckles. "Vanie, you know when we were kids, he would always save his chocolates for me. Then he would make me bring him water in exchange of the treats."
I laugh.
Over the last 2 hours, Rooh have interrogated me like a criminal. Every now and then, Aadi would interfere the conversation, asking Rooh to tone down the conversation or stop questioning me.
Not even once, did this man take his hands off me. He was either caressing my shoulder, or gently rubbing his hand over mine.
But, every question came back to the well being of one person, Aadi.
I love her. She cares about her people. Even if she doesn't like me, I think we both love Aadi enough, to work out our differences.
But, I feel like she is opening up to me. She is talkative and have been smiling at me with love and affection. She even shared her and Aadi's childhood stories. So, maybe I passed the test.
"Bhai!"
Aadi nods.
"I want to drive with Vanie, in her car, on the way back." She tells.
I freeze.
We drove in separate cars. Since, I planned on going straight home after dinner.
I don't want to be with her without Aadi.
What if she asks me to stay away from her brother, like in movies?
What if she threatens me?
No. Please say no.
He nods. "I hope the ride can help you two bond."
Bond? She will drive me crazy.
I plead with my eyes, as I shake my head.
He slowly bends down. "She likes you." He whispers.
I stare at him.
His lip curves into a small smile, as he slowly holds my hand and presses it.
***********************
We stand on the sidewalk, as we wait for our car. The valet brings out my Honda City, followed by Aadi's G-wagon.
Rooh and I sit in my car, as the valet holds the doors for us.
I take a deep breath as I slowly pull out the driveway.
Aadi told me to drive her to their mansion, since, she hasn't met her father yet. Their mansion is 40 minutes away, and I am not mentally prepared for what this woman would ask me.
"It's me and you then." She says excitedly.
I smile, as I change the gear.
"Seems like that."
"I will be very honest, I still have my doubts about you. But, you are good for my brother. So, I am going to make sure that you are actually as good as you show." She admits.
Good for her brother.
"Rooh! I am going to die of nervousness, so, I am going to be completely honest with you." I say as I turn the radio off.
"I did not lure or seduce your brother into marrying me. He said yes to the deal, I was only told about the deal 30 minutes before the news went live." I inform her.
I watch as her expression changes. She frowns.
"So, you are telling me, your parents asked you, the independent Vanie Mehta, to marry a man you barely knew and you said, yes?"
"Well, that's a little tricky part. If, it would have been anyone else, I would have said no and would have thrown tantrums." I admit.
"What does that even mean?"
I look in the rare view mirror, Aadi's car is nowhere to be seen. So, I pull the car alongside the road, as I press the brakes.
"Please tell me you are not some psycho killer who is going to kill me." She says.
I shake my head. "I am a better murderer than that." I mock.
I take my seatbelt off, as I turn towards her.
"Rooh!" She nods. "Promise me that whatever I tell you will stay confidential."
"I can't believe you are going to tell your murder plan to me." She says sarcastically.
I laugh.
"Promise." She continues.
"This is the first time, I am accepting it in front of someone, who is not Sidya."
"Speak up woman. I am intrigued."
I take a deep breath. Just tell her.
"Ihadacrushonyourbrother." I say hurriedly.
Please don't ask me to say it again.
"Come again." She says as her eyes narrow.
I close my eyes. Tell her everything.
"I have had a crush on your brother, since, I was 14. Well, I have liked him even before that, but it took me some time to actually understand what I felt."
She stares at me, with no expressions on her face. She is very hard to read. She is either an open book, or a mysterious restricted section of the library.
"You have been lusting over my brother?."
"No."
Well, yes. But no.
"Does my brother know?" She moves her eyes towards the road.
I shake my head in refusal, as I speak. "No."
"OMG!" She screams.
Then she turns towards me.
"My mother knows. That's why she always took your side."
What?
My side?
"How would she know?" I question. Nobody knew, except Sidya and Daadi. Their mother wasn't even here, I have never even met her.
"Oh, that woman is a mastermind. She will love you. Well, technically she already loves you."
I frown in confusion. Her relationship with her mother is nothing like Aadi's with her. She talks highly of her mother with love and affection, while, Aadi talks about her with hurt and pain in his eyes.
It's like she reads my emotions.
"I believe he told you about our mother."
I nod.
"He never gave our parents a chance to explain. Things would have been different, if, he at least tried."
Tried? That man still suffers from the trauma. He was just a kid, who was left alone to suffer.
"What chance? He was just a kid, who was abandoned by your mother like a rag doll."
I watch as she turns towards me, her eyes water.
"My mother did not abandon him. I know it was hard for him. He never got the chance to process it. My father, instead of dealing with him, sent him to a boarding school, since, he couldn't process all those emotions himself. Aadi, instead of looking for answers, decided to avoid them."
I look at her as she takes in a deep breath.
"It's his story to tell you. I won't tell you something, he himself isn't aware of. Just know, he never got a chance to be a kid. I saw his hidden child come out in front of you. He wasn't AADISH ARYA with you, he was just Aadi."
"What does he not know?" I ask.
"He resents my mother, he never gave her a chance to explain. If, he had, he would know, she did everything to protect her children." She gives me a weak smile.
I don't think, Aadi can ever forgive his mother. No reason can be big enough to abandon your own son, to separate your kids.
"He acts different around you." She mutters
"How?"
"Well, he has gone from barely talking to being involved in every conversation. The man I knew used to hate word love, but, the man I saw today, has a substitute for it. He didn't deny to love you."
I blush.
Eternal. That's what he called it.
"Rooh, I really want us to be friends." I say.
"We will be. Just be nice to my brother."
I nod, as I put my seatbelt on and start driving.
In ever fake scenario I created about Rooh, none of them ended like this.
I imagined talking about our interests and me begging her to give some of her designs to me.
"Aadi told me you have a clothing line." I break the silence.
"I do. But, my designs are more an expression of myself and my desires, than, something you can wear on the road. They are always controversial." She tells.
"Who buys them then?" I ask.
"Well, insanely rich people, who can understand the hidden meanings." She winks.
"What is your brand called?" I ask curiously.
"MANOBHAAV COUTURE." She looks at me with pride in her eyes as she continues. "It's Sanskrit word for emotions."
I smile.
She really loves her work.
"Care telling me, why your car smells like peanut butter?" She asks as she sniffs.
The cookies.
"I baked cookies for your brother."
She laughs. "He hates sugar."
"I know, which is why they are sugar-free."
She laughs harder.
"Why would you do that?"
"We had a little argument this morning and I wanted to make up for it." I explain.
"Can I try them?" She asks.
No.
"Only one." I warn, as I watch her hand already moving towards the box in backseat.
She gasps, as she opens the box. "You cut them in heart shape."
I blush.
They weren't meant for her.
I watch as she slowly takes a bite of the cookie. I smile, hoping for her to tell me how good they taste.
"Vanie!" She calls.
"Yes." I say proudly.
"How often do you bake?"
Are they that good?
"Well, it's my first time."
"And what exactly was the argument and whose fault was it?" She questions, as the bite still sits in her mouth.
Why is she not swallowing it?
"Well, Aadi and my best friend didn't get along. I invited them for a peace treaty, but the two of them acted like kids and woke me up at 4:00 in the morning, to hear them verbally abuse each other."
"Oh! The cookies are perfect then." I watch as she spits the cookie on a tissue paper.
"Why would you spit it?" I ask.
"Because they are punishment cookies, and taste like sand."
No, they don't.
I love sugar, so, I didn't try them. But, I followed the exact same recipe as the man on youtube.
"You are lying."
She stuffs my mouth with a small piece of cookie.
OMG!
What did I even bake?
She laughs as I snatch the tissues from her hand.
"We are definitely feeding them to Bhai."
"No!" I protest. "We can't. They taste like feet. He will hate me for feeding something so bad to him."
"Relax, he won't be mad at you. You can hit that man with a bus and he will still ask you, if your feet hurt from pressing the pedal."
I blush. Because she is right.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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