Please note, this is an unedited draft. There will be several mistakes. You have already been warned. The next part will come after 250 comments. If there is no feedback, the books will not be posted here. I would rather take a few beta readers who give an honest feedback and help me with the proofreading then waste time posting a book that is read by thousands but lacks feedback.
Aarahdna.
The snowflakes danced in the air, painting the world outside white. The vision in white did nothing to impress the seventeen year old boy, sitting by the fire place, shooting daggers at the frosted glass. It was the day of his freedom. He was done with his board exams. After a month long of late night studies, ungodly hours and skipped weekends, he was lookin forward to celebrate his freedom, but the snow ruined his plans. He wished he had a remote to control weather, he would have turned off the snow at will. Good riddance overall. Who the hell wanted snow?
A young man in his early mid thirties walked inside, holding a big tray filled with snacks. The delicious aroma of the pakora's, did nothing to lift his sprits. He turned his face away, refusing to look at the delicacies.
"At your service your highness." The man gave him a mock bow and placed the food tray on the center table. The boy refused to look up.
"Vikky, dekh to le bacha, sab tera favorite bana hai," The man coaxed gently, his musical tone, soothing as always, but Vikky refused to be cajoled. He was sulking and making his displeasure known.
"Acha to humhare nawab sahab naraz hai" The perched himself on the arm of the couch.
"Don't talk to me, buddy." Vikky huffed and tried to get up. The man forced him to sit down.
"Itna naraz kyun hai bacha, the storm will pass away, phir chale jana apne friends ke saath party karne ke leye."
"Mughe abhi jana hai, buddy. I wanted for a month, yaar. This is so not fair" He whined. His buddy smiled at him and ruffled his hair. Vikky wanted to resist, but he could never hold out against his buddy. He leaned into his touch and buried his face into his buddy's warmth.
"I really want to go out, buddy. I am so bored"
His buddy placed a warm kiss on his head and got up, dragging him along.
"Kaha le jaa rahe ho, buddy. I am not in the mood yaar. My life sucks." The man stopped and whacked him gently. Vikky winced, his unruly mouth often got him into trouble.
"What nonsense are you talking? Why does your life suck? Itne kya problem hai tere life me bata? Ek baar tere plans kya flop ho gaye, tu kuch bhi bole jaa raha hai. I mean do you even think, Vikram......" Vikky blocked his buddy's mouth with his palm to stop the lecture. His buddy's amber eyes blazed with irritation, adding charm to chiseled features. The frown on his brow did not suit his angelic face.
"Come on, buddy, chill yar. You don't want to end up with wrinkles at 34! Apke fans ka dil toot jayega." He received a hard whack for his efforts and burst out laughing. His buddy never believed in holding back.
"Are baba, itna gussa? Bas aise he muh se nikal gaya tha, buddy."
His buddy looked away in anger. Vikky sighed. The man was very sensitive when it came to him, he should have known to keep his mouth shut.
"Acha ,sorry" He held his ears and pleaded, trying for charm, "Maat karo itna gussa yaar. Aapka bacha jhel nehi payega."
His buddy walked away angrily. Vikky rolled his eyes and chased behind him. It was groveling time again. He had 16 years of experience behind him, it was a cakewalk for him. He hugged him from behind, stopping him from escaping to the den. He knew from experience that once his buddy locked himself in his music room, he was lost to him forever.
"I love you, buddy. Please gussa maat karo na." He deepened the hug. He heard the sigh and knew he had succeeded.
"Aap gussa karte ho, apke bache ko bilkul acha nehi lagta."
"To aise stupid batey karta kyun hai tu, Vikky?" His buddy turned around and glared at him.
"You know buddy, yeh angry man look na apke good boy image ko suit nehi karta. Aap na muskurate hue he ache lagtey ho, aise" He pulled his buddy's lips till they resembled a smile.
His buddy shook his head, but smiled for him. Vikky relaxed immediately. he had not been kidding when he said that he could not take his buddy's anger. Truth was he could never deal with it. He never had to deal with it, he was hoping he would never have to deal with it, ever.
"Kaha kho gaya?" His buddy waved his palm before him breaking the chain of thoughts. Vikky shook his head with a smile.
"Let's eat, buddy. I am starving."
"How about we watch a movie?" His buddy suggested as he walked back to the living room with him. Vikky made a funny face. His buddy sighed.
"Tu he batatey kya kare?"
"Let's go out buddy, please."
"In this weather?"
"I am bored buddy. You promised I could go out after exams. Now take me out."
"I will take you out, Nawab Sahab, first let the weather settle."
"Buddy yaar......"
"Don't argue, Vikky. Who the hell drives he this crazy weather."
Vikky looked outside. The snow storm intensified but that did not stop people from going out. He could see a few vehicles on the road. It was only his buddy who insisted on safety.
"Look, buddy" Vikky dragged him to the French windows, "The world outside is still active. You need to learn to let go, yaar. Kya ho jayega agar hum thode der ghum ayenge to? Kuch bhi nehi hoga, chalo na please."
"No, Vikky. Don't argue. Safety first. The rules will not change in this house."
Vikky's eyes blazed with irritation, "You are being mean, buddy."
"I am being practical, Vikram."
"Fine" Vikky huffed and walked away upset. His buddy chased behind him but he shut the door on his face. He was not in a mood to give in.
"Vikky, zidh nehi kartey bacha......"
"Ane do pops ko, bohot shekayat kaunga aapke." Vikky yelled.
"Vikky bas yaar, aja bahar. Pehle snacks khale, phir karle mere shekayat jee bahrke."
"No."
"Fine! Keep sulking. I will not have to share the pakorars. Aaj to jam ke khaney wala hoon main, nawab sahab. Aap andar he band raho."
Vikky waited by the door, hoping his buddy would plead, when five minutes passed by and nothing happened, he opened the door slightly and peeped out. He could not find his buddy anywhere. He pushed it wide open and looked around. The man was supposed to coax him into eating, he could just leave him to sulk! He was filled with indignation. He wanted to stop his feet but stopped himself at the last minute. He was seventeen, he had to remind himself and walked out, looking for his buddy.
He found him in the living room enjoying the snacks. Vikky was annoyed beyond reason. The man did not know how to grovel, he wished someone taught him how to. He tried and failed, he did not think anyone else would succeed, but he could always hope. He marched to his buddy and snatched the snacks from his hands, "this is mine, go get your own."
"Abhi to tughe nehi kahna tha?" His buddy raised his eyebrows. Vikky did not dignify the taunt with an answer and focused on his snacks, cursing his buddy inside. He wished..... His phone buzzed startling him out of his thoughts. He looked at the number and a big smile bloomed on his face. He dumped the plate back into his buddy's hand and stood up in excitement.
"Reached pops?"
His buddy gave him an amused smile but he ignored it and walked away. He was waiting for his pops call. He had a mountain of complains against his buddy. He wanted to bitch in peace.
"Is this Vikram Malhotra?" A gentle female voice surprised him.
"Ji, aap kaun?"
"Hi, this is Sadhna Roy, you do not know me Vikram. I was in the same flight with Mr. Vedant Malhotra. He told me a lot about you."
"Okay, but why is his phone with you?" Vikky frowned.
"Vikram, do not panic okay" That one statement made Vikram panic.
"Kya ho gaya? Pops kaha hai? Please batao kya hua?"
"Vikram Mr. Malhotra suffered a cardiac arrest in the airport. We took him to a nearby hospital. The doctors....." The phone slipped from Vikky's hands, his eyes filled up with tears. His buddy walked in with the coffee and saw his reaction. He pulled him to his chest immediately, "Kya ho gaya, bacha? Tu ro kyun raha hai? Kya kaha dad ne?"
Vikky was too scared to answer.
"Hello, hello...." The female voice was faint but they could here it, his buddy grabbed the phone immediately.
"Vikram are you there?" Sadhna sounded worried.
"This is Vivek here, Who am I speaking with...."
"Mr. Malhotra. Thank god you took the call" She sounded relieved, "I was trying to reach for an hour. You father suffered a stroke this evening. We got him admitted to city hospital. The doctors are saying it is a mild stroke, he is doing fine now, but he has been asking for you...."
"How is he doing?" Vivek paled. He pulled Vikram closer to his chest.
"It was a mild stroke, Mr. Malhotra. There is nothing to worry. He has been asking for you."
"I am on my way, Miss...."
"Roy. Sadhna Roy. Don't worry Mr. Malhotra, I will stay with Mr. Malhotra. I will wait for you."
Vivek disconnected the call, Vikky hugged him and cried. He was terrified.
"Pops ko kuch nehi hoga na, buddy. Please tell me pops will be fine. Please buddy....."
"He had a mild stroke Vikky" Vivek schooled his emotions and pulled back, "He is fine now. Let's go meet him."
Vikky wanted to believe his words but he was scared. His whole world revolved around his buddy and pots. The though of loosing them terrified him. Vivek put his arms around his shoulders and guided him out of the cottage, they did not have time to waste.
By the time they reached the hospital, the storm had reached its peak. The visibility was next to zero. The drive was not easy, Vivek had hardly spoken a word. Vikky needed comfort but Vivek was in no position to offer any. He had to make sure to reach the hospital unharmed. The moment they reached the hospital, Vikky ran inside, not able to wait a second longer. He reached the reception and asked about his pops. The nurse told him that he was on the third floor. Vikky ran upstairs, in his hurry he collided with a boy who was a coming down the stairs. They would have both tumbled down, but a pair of firm hands grabbed them in the last moment.
Vikky's heart skipped a beat. He was a close call. If he had slipped he would have broken his head. The man couched down before the boy and checked him over, looking for injuries.
"Theek hai champ?"
The boy stood silent. Vikky looked at the boy, there was something in the boys eyes that troubled him.
"Vikky?" Vivek's voice startled them. They looked back. Vivek rushed to his side immediately, "Kya hua bacha?"
"Vivek?" Vivek looked up as he heard the familiar voice. Recognition flashed in his amber eyes.
"Rajveer?"
The man nodded his head in acknowledgement. Vikky looked at the man, he looked like he had stepped out of a fashion magazine. He was completely out of place in a remote hospital. He looked back at his buddy.
"Aap jantey ho inhe, buddy?"
Vivek nodded his head but did not offer details. Rajveer looked at Vikky, Vivek gently pushed Vikky behind him, "Yaha kaise, Rajveer?"
"Well if you cared enough to stay in touch, you would have known, Vivek" The voice was so cold that it could cut though glass. Vivek stiffened. Vikky did not like the tone the stranger was taking with his buddy.
"Listen, bro...."
"Go to your pops, Vikky" Vivek cut him off before he could lash out.
"Par, buddy."
"I said GO"
Vikky did not know how to defy the voice so he walked away, cursing the man for behaving like a moron. He wished he had decked him, that would have earned him a lifetime grounding but it would have given him immense satisfaction. He was still cursing the stranger when he saw her standing outside room 302. His pops room.
He was mad at the stranger, upset about his pops, but he still could not stop himself from appreciating what he saw. She looked like an angel in white. Clad in a simple white khurta and blue jeans, she looked like a......
"Princess?" Vibha's question startled Vikky out of his thoughts. He was completely caught up in his past. He closed his eyes trying to find the right words. How did you define a woman like Sadhna Roy?
"Batao na, Big-b. Is she a princess?" Vishal nudged him gently.
Vikky smiled at his question.
"She is a princess, Vish. The bravest of her kind. A fierce lioness. A woman who knows how to give and how to fight back. A maama bear, with a heart of gold!"
"So did our prince marry her? Was she his princess?" Vibha wanted to know.
"Abhi to kahane shuru hue hai, Vibha. What is the hurry? Listen to the tale, and then decide if the prince should marry this warrior princess."
"Haan theek hai" Vish chimed, "continue karo aap. This brat saw the princess, uske baat kya hua."
"Why are you calling him a brat?" Vikky whacked him gently, "He is such a cute kid"
"Cute my foot big-b! Kaun itne nakre karta hai? I mean dude is begging to be grounded. Drive in snow? really?"
"Jiase tune kabhi zidh nehi ke dumbo" Vibha hit Vish with a pillow, emphasizing her point.
"Aab ek baar aur marana mughe, to acha nehi hoga, bata raha hoon Vibha. I will deck you hard, girl or not."
"really you think you can take me on? come on! Come on, aaj tughe bhi pata chal jayega ke kaun really strong hai"
The twins geared up for a fight. Vikky knew from experienced that if he did not stop them they would bring the roof down with their fight. Neither knew when to give up. A trait that they inherited from their mother.
"Ok guys, time out. Story nehi sunni kya?"
The twins glared at each other, not willing to back down. Vikky got up, "Fine continue to fight. I will leave."
The twins blocked his way immediately, "Are aise kaise chale jaoge aap. Story to abhi shuru bhi nehi hue hai."
"Par tum dono ko ladna tha na?"
"Are is dumbo ko ladna tha" Vibha held his hand and made him sit back on her bed. "Please continue."
Vikky looked at Vishal, who came and settled at his feet, "Nehi ladunga, promise. Batao na kya hua. Did the prince and princess meet?"
Vikky nodded his head. A prince met his princess that day, but it was a tale for another day!
"Phir kya hua Big-b?"
Vikky looked into her innocent eyes. "And so the bond began between two people who were complete stranger. A teenager who craved for love, and a woman who had enough love to share. It was the beginning of a new relationship. A relationship not bound by blood, but something much stronger."
"What is more powerful then blood, big-b?" Vishal frowned.
"Heart, Vish. God binds us to some people by blood, but some relationships go beyond the call of blood. The relationship that the boy shared with the Princess was something like that. That day he did not know it, but soon she would become his solace, his safe place, his....."
"Mother?" Vibha's eyes sparkled.
"Well only time could tell that? Hai na?"
Vibha gave a dramatic sigh. She wanted to know the end, but knowing her big-b, she realized that she would have to wait a long time for the answer. The story was only beginning, she would just have to be a little patient.