This entire chapter does not include the POV's of the main leads. This will provide a background to the happenings back home. Next chapter on Wednesday :)
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Udaipur
Loud, booming voices echoed in the halls of the Singhania Mansion. It was a rather busy morning in this household as the preparations to welcome their beloved daughter had begun. Navya Singhania, the youngest child of the family was adorned with love. She was their beloved, their princess, the apple of their eyes but she had been away for seven years, studying. At least that's what the majority of the family was told but no one except her brothers knew the actual reason why she left so abruptly.
( this isn't the main character's POV and will not come frequently but I will add some POVs from other family member as some incidents will be better narrated by them)
" Hritik, did you arrange for the flowers for Navu's welcome? And Agasthya, did you call her and remind her to be on time?" I asked both my idiotic brothers if they've done the little work I had allotted them.
Both of the yelled in unison that they will in sometime. Hum toh muharat ka wait kar rahe the, right?
Ignoring their answers, I did this as well along with everything else. I was running about the entire day, checking all the decorations and getting her room cleaned especially her jharoka, not that her room needed much cleaning. I stood leaning against the door of her bedroom , making sure everything is in its correct place. I adjusted her neon signboard that hung above her dresser that in glowing pink letters read, 'NAVYA'.
Navya, my baby sister is truly the apple of my eye. I still remember the day she was born. Pooja, my cousin had been the first daughter to be born in the family but somehow she and I never got along. I love her a lot and really respect her but we could never develop that innate connection that a brother sister must share.
After praying countless times when Chachi and Mamma were pregnant, I finally got my Navu. I can never forget the moment when my mom told me that I have a little princess, I bawled my eyes out and when after five anguishing hours she was finally in my arms, in that second, as a fucking five year old, I vowed to protect her with my life, to never let even a scar taint her snow-like skin. But I failed her, I failed her when I couldn't protect her from her demons. I failed her when I didn't even know that she was suffering, going through so much when everything was happening right before my eyes. She fled to another country, away from all of us just because my negligence, my mistakes. My sister didn't deserve this but she had to pay the price for my neglig-
I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt a soft hand against my cheek. I turned to my side to see my wife, Ishita stand there with a look of pure love and concern in her eyes. We have been together since grade 8 and if there's one person except my sister who doesn't need me to vocalise my feelings for them to to understand, it's her. Apart from my brothers, she is the only one who knows what happed on the night of 24th October, seven years ago, that dreaded night..
"It wasn't your fault. Stop blaming yourself. Itne saal ho gaye hai. It's all over n-" She said in a soft voice when I interrupted her.
"It's not over. It never will be chahe kitne hi saal ho jaaye " I said with tears in my eyes. She rose to her toes and pulled me in a tight embrace and we just stood there in Navu's room.
I wish I could go back and change a few things. I wish I could've been as good a brother as my sister was...
"Agasthya Bhai, you're sure she'll like this right? I mean it's the best I could think of but what if she doesn't like it. Oh god! I haven't been called for our costumes yet and maine toh flowers bhi nahi order kiya that Reyans-" I was rambling when he interrupted me and said
" Bas bas, 'DK' . I am sure she'll love all of this." He said with a mocking tone with special emphasis laid on the nickname. I frowned and said
" Don't call me that." No one except Navu can call me that. She and I have always been the duo that fights the entire time, who never spares an opportunity to insult each other and to show the other down but I don't know whether she knows it or not but when push comes to shove, I will gladly take a bullet to my fucking chest for her. My sister means the world to my entire family and finally she's coming back to us after seven long years. God, it's been so long!
Pappa's voice caught my attention as he yelled from the other end of the corridor.
" Hritik, call up the Rajvanshi's office and ask them to reschedule the meeting. We have to meet them as soon as possible and if they don't agree, just cancel the deal because we can't go meet them on the day of Navu's arrival."
We were rescheduling meeting and cancelling deals with the ruthless future king and the tyrannical business tycoon for that pagli but that was the place that she held on all our hearts.
"Uhhh! You had to run out of battery right now!" I let out a huge exasperated sigh.
" Pooji, you really need to take a break. You've been continuously drawing for the past 2 hours." My best friend advised me.
"I freaking don't have time to rest! I need to finish these designs. I thought I'll give these pieces to her when she comes but I guess not I'll give it her as a present on Ganesh Chathurthi." I exclaimed while impatiently tapping my feet, glaring at my tab which wasn't getting charged fast enough. Iske bhi natak hai!
Navu, bas ghar aaja. It really doesn't seem like home without you.
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