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Aaradhna
Grandparents hold a special place in grandchildren hearts. It was true with the Malhotra sibling. Same was true with their Nanaji. The twins rushed to hug him as soon as they saw him. Vikky waited patiently for his turn. The old man, held the twins closer to his heart. Their love was his only solace.
"Kaise ho bacha, school nehi hai aaj?" He gently caressed Vibha's face. Her hazel eyes reminded him so much of his daughter. He wished it was his little princess with him. He would trade his soul for his daughters forgiveness, but he knew no matter what he traded he would not get her forgiveness. Some mistakes were beyond redemption.
"Aaj show day hai, gramps." Vibha settled beside him. Vikky noticed his slight wince and gently pulled Vibha back. Their gramps was on drips. The doctor was concerned about his weakened state and arranged to pump in the much needed nutrition.
"Aram se princess, gramps ko lag jayege na?"
Vibha nodded het head, but her gramps pulled her closer, "Its okay, Vikky. I am glad you got her. I was missing them." And her. He left it unsaid but Vikky could hear the unspoken plea. He held his gramps hand gently and looked into his hazel eyes. The eyes that once commanded power now looked tired and exhausted.
"She will come around, grams. She loves you very much...."
"I know bacha, I am not complain. How can I complain after what I did to you?"
"What did you do gramps?" Vish questioned. "Why is mumma upset with you? Why does she not talk to you?"
"Vish garmps ke tabeyat kharab hai na bacha. Pareshaan maat kar unhe." Vikky spoke before his gramps could answer.
"Main kaha pareshaan kar raha tha big-b, it was just a question."
"A question you should not ask. Now stop it and spend time with gramphs. I will go get you some hot chocolate."
"Par Big-b....."
Vikky silenced him with a look. Vish looked down feeling guilty. His big-b was very cool, but he knew how to control them with a single look.
"No question, Vish. Do I make myself clear?"
Vish gulped and nodded his head.
"It's okay Vikky....."
"It is not okay, gramps." Vikky cut him off gently, "You rest. I will come just now"
Vikky did not let them argue and walked out. Vish hugged his graps carefully, "Sorry, I did not want to upset you."
"You did not upset me bacha, I will talk to Vikky...."
"Nehi gramps, big-b kabhi gussa nehi kartey" Vish cut him off immediately, "Aab daata hai to kuch galat kaha hoga maine. It's okay."
"Sahe bol raha hai Vish, Gramps. You don't worry. Big-b daat ke gaye hai to wapes aake utna he pyar karege. He is the worlds best bhaiya, right Vish?"
The twins hifived. The old man gave them a tired look. He was grateful to Vikky for interfering on time. he did not know what answer he could give Vish. His mistakes were not something he was proud of in anyway.
The twins entertained him with anecdotes from their school. The old man listened with a smile. It was grateful for their love. His eyes dropped, he tried hard to keep them open but he drifted off to sleep holding on to his little princess.
By the time Vikky came back he was already fast asleep. "So gaye itne jaldi?" Vikky was surprised.
Vibha bobbed her head. She was disappointed too, but the nurse told them not to disturb their gramps. "Nurse ne kaha ke ek ghante me uth jayenge, can we stay back?"
Vikky nodded his head and handed her the hot chocolate. "Pe le bachcha, we will stay till he wakes up."
She took the hot chocolate and settled on the couch. Vikky handed another cup to Vish.
"Gussa ho?" Vish bit his lips and sneaked a look at him. Vikky couched before him and held him gently, "Nehi, par dad ne tughe mana keya tha na Gramps se koi sawal karne se? Phir kyun poocha tune?"
"Mughe janna hai mumma kyun Gramps se itna gussa hai" Vish sighed and leaned into his big-b's warmth. "I mean Graphs itney ache hai big-b. Phir mumma kyun unse baat nehi kartey? Kyun...."
"Big-b aapne kahane beech me he chod de." Vibha intervened before Vikky could scold Vish again. Her dumb twin did not know when to shut up. Their father had warned them countless times not to ask questions. He promised to tell them everything one day, they would have to be a little patient. Vish and patience did not go well together. That was the reason why he got grounded so often.
Vikky looked up with a sigh. He knew exactly what she was trying to do, but he let her get away with it.
"Tughe ab bhi kahane sunne hai?" He smiled at her.
"Haan na, mughe janna hai ke prince princess se mila kaise? Did he fill the form? did the Cupid Girl set him up with the princess?"
Vikky made his way to her and sat down beside her. Vishal snuggled closer to him. He always needed comfort after a scolding. Like him he could not take it when anyone was upset with him. He draped a gentle arm across his shoulders and pulled him closer.
"Tughe bhi sunne hai?"
Vishal bobbed his head. "Bas us Ice-Queen ko maat le aao beech me, please."
"Ice-Queen ke bena kahane he nehi hai bacha. She has a major role in the Prince's story."
Vishal sighed, "Acha theek hai, batao kya hua phir, how did the prince react to the form?"
Vikky rolled his eyes remembering the incident. His buddy had taken one look at the research sheet and tossed it in the dustbin, refusing to even answer a single question. He remembered running behind him with the sheet begging him to answer the questions.
"Yaar please, buddy. Ek baar dekh to lo"
Vivek paid him no heed and draped the apron. He was busy in the cafe's kitchen. Weekends were the busiest days. He did not even have time to breathe.
"Buddy please..."
"Get out Vikky, let me work. Service starts in an hour."
"Then let the junior chefs handle it, you own the freaking cafe buddy, you do not have to do everything."
Vikky ignored him and reached for the dough. Vikky grabbed his hand. "Do you want me to go to that college?"
Vivek pulled his hand back and whacked him hard, not caring about the workers working around. Vikky stifled a wince. His buddy could be mean when he chose to. The workers who were used to their dynamics did not even blink an eye. Vikky could only be grateful. A seventeen year old being whacked around was embarrassing.
"Buddy please yaar....."
"Blackmail me one more time and I will cut off all your privileges and make you sit at home. That will set you right."
Vikky gulped. He knew his buddy was not kidding him.
"Sorry."
Vivek ignored him and continued to knead the dough.
"Acha theek hai, gussa maat karo aap. Busy ho na, time nehi hai aapke paas, samaj ata hai. Koi baat nehi, main he bhar deta hoon. Aap answer kardo na please....."
Vivek glared at him, "Please na buddy, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please,please, please......"
"Bas" Vivek stopped him, "Dekh nehi raha tughe, kaam kar raha hoon main. Let me work in peace. Ghar jaa, I will fill it in the night."
"Par mughe Miss Roy yeh document aaj raat he mail karne hai...."
"Nehi to asman toot padega?"
"May be?"
"Vikram...."
"Dad please yaar, mana maat karo. Please."
Vivek sighed. Vikky knew how to play him, He could never deny him anything when he called him dad.
"bata kaya hai sawal. Make it quick. I don't have time to waste."
Vikky hugged him tight and pulled back. He was glad he agreed. "you are the best dad, buddy. This will not take even ten minutes. I promise."
Vivek shook his head as Vikky took his place on the gas counter.
"Describe yourself in one word" Vikky read the question out loud.
"Bullshit"
"Yeh kaise answer hua yaar buddy?" Vikky glared at him.
"That question is bullshit. One word answers do not fetch you a bride, they fetch you nothing period. Tune lunch keya?"
"Yar buddy...."
"Haan ya na?"
Vikky huffed and shook his head. Vivek awarded him with a hard whack. "gadha hai tu? Time nehi dekha tune?"
"Yaar aapko na bas marne ka bahana chaye" Vikky sulked, "Form fill kar do, jake khalunga."
Vivek grabbed a puff from the oven and handed it to Vikky, "Eat"
"Par..."
"NOW" Vikky sighed and took a bite. He knew there was no use arguing with his buddy. Once he took a bite he realized he was actually hungry. He devoured the chicken puff and the next and the next without realizing it. His buddy made the best pastries. No doubt the cafe was so popular.
"Ek aaur" Vikky demnaded.
"Aur nehi. Ghar jake khana khana hai tughe. This stuff is not lunch."
Vikky sighed but did not argue. Vivek handed him a glass of water, "Pele aur gahr jaa"
Vikky gulped the water down but shook his head, "Pehle answers do aap. Tab jaoga"
Vivek sighed. He knew he could not get rid of him so easily.
"Pooch, kya hai agla sawal"
"Pehle wala ka kya?"
"No one can describe themselves in one word Vikky, that is the answer. If they do not like the answer they can...."
"Got the picture buddy, gussa maat ho jao. Next question bohot simple hai, favorite color?"
"really? Are we in kindergarten? Why does she need to know my favorite color?"
"Blue. Don't bother. mughe yeh sare sawalo ke jawab pata hai. I will fill them"
Vivek ignored him and continued to work as vikky filled the answers. He was least interested in them. He did not want a bride for himself, he wanted a mother for Vikky. He was not sure if any girl would be willing to offer his son the love he deserved. Vikky will have to learn the hard way that he will never be able to find the right Bride.
"What do you expect from your soulmate?" Vikky's question startled him. "Love or Honesty or companionship?"
Vivek did not answer.
"Buddy please yaar, you promised. Answer the question. Love or companionship?"
"Companionship. Love will fade away with age, Vikky, it is friendship in a relationship that survives the test of time. If she cannot be my friend she cannot understand what I want, and what I want is....."
"Got it" Vikky cut him off. He knew what his dad wanted. It was not happening. No woman would be dumb enough to accept a teen, he would have to find a way to convince his dad for the wedding without that condition.
"Ho gaya" He hopped down from the counter. Vivek frowned. He saw more than 100 questions there, how did he finish it so soon?
"Ho gaya?"
"Yup. Sab lekh deya."
"You took 3 days to fill your college application"
Vikky rolled his eyes. He had to write essays for his college application. The form was a cakewalk compared to those forms. Vivek reached for the papers and read them through. He smiled as he read the answers. His son knew him very well. He gave the sheet back to him.
"So she will use these answers to cast her magic?"
"She will shortlist a few brides. these answers will help. Don't make fun of it buddy, very soon you will be thanking her."
Vivek did not believe it but let it go.
"Aapka wallet kaha hai?" Vikky capped the pen and looked at Vivek.
"Aab kyun chaye tughe paise? kal he deye the na?" Vivek frowned.
"Mere friends movie jaa rahe hai sham ko, mughe bhi jana hai. "
"Tere card ka kya hua?"
"Aap cash doge ya nehi? Itne sawal kyun karte ho yaar, aise thode hai ke main paise leke kuch galat kaam karunga. I do not even smoke dude."
"Don't even think about it" Vivek's eyes glinted. Vikky gulped, "Yaar aapko pata hai na main nehi karunga aisa kuch. Sache. Ghuro maat aise."
Vivek could not help it. The boy was only 17. He could not trust him blindly.
"Acha theek hai, Arjun ke dad ne tickets magwaye hai, aap phone karke poochlo. Bharosa to nehi hai apne bache pe. call he kar lo"
Vivek sighed. He did not like seeing the sadness in his child's eyes. He cupped his face gently, "Baat bharose ke nehi hai Vikky. I trust you a lot, it is your age I am cautious about. Is umr me sahe galat ke pehchaan nehi rehte beta, one mistake can destroy your life. Be careful okay?"
Vikky bobbed his head. He would never do anything to worry his dad. Vivek reached for his wallet and handed it to Vikky, "Take as much as you need, don't take favors from anyone vikky. Pay your share."
Vikky nodded his head again. His buddy always told him that.
"Aarth baje ke pehle gahr ajana hai"
"Come on buddy...."
"A minute late and I will ground you for a month, clear?"
Vikky gave a dramatic sigh but agreed. Vivek hugged him and stepped back. He had a lot of work to do. Vikky happily walked away. His work was done. All he had to do was drop the form at Sadhana's office. He rushed to his bike and grabbed his helmet. He was the only one in the city to wear a helmet on a stinking cycle. His buddy insisted on it. The one time he caught him without helmet he grounded him for three months without privileges. Vikky learnt his lesson very fast. His friends teasing was nothing in comparison to his buddy's anger.
Once he was out of the cafe street he picked up speed. He loved racing, if his buddy ever found out about it he would skin him alive, so he made sure to do it when he was not around. He reached Sadhna's office in ten minutes and handed the form to the receptionist. She assured him that the office would contact them soon.
Vikky left from there a happily. The theater was only 30 minutes away. He decided to have something in the food coat. He texted his dad about the change in plans and made his way to the theater. He had an hour before his friends came in, so he ordered his lunch. Finished it in peace and came down to the parking lot to wait for them. He still had 30 minuets so he decided to take a stroll in the adjacent children's park.
The ducks in the park always soothed his hear. Every Sunday he came there with his buddy to feed the ducks. he had grown up with some of those ducks, or so he liked to think. Vikky purchased the duck feed from the entrance gate and waked inside. As he made his way to duck pond he saw a mother and child playing with ducks. For a second his heart constricted. he always wanted that. he had to force himself to look away. His buddy had given him ten times that love, he reminded himself. He could not insult that love by longing for a mother who could not come back.
"Rishi wait" He heard someone scream.
The panic in the voice made him turn around. He saw a young boy running blindly out of the park. He was making his way towards the main road. Towards the traffic.
"Rishi stop" The lady yelled again. Vikky rushed to stop the kid. The main road was not a place to go running around. He rushed to stop him, but the boy had already stepped onto the road. The road was relatively deserted but there was car coming towards the boy. Vikky saw the car and panicked, "move kid" He yelled.
The boy turned and looked around. Vikky was shocked to see him. He was the same kid who had collided with him the hospital.
"move" He yelled again, but the kid stood there looking at him blankly. Vikky did not pause to think. he ran to save him. Before the car to hit the boy he pulled him away to safety, but it doing so they stumbled and rolled over. his head hit the pavement hard. He got up wincing. The pain was unbearable but all he could think about was the kid. He turned to the kid who was holding on to him in fear, "Tu theek hai champ?"
The kid gave him a glassy look. A pair of gentle arms reached for the boy. Vikky looked up as Rajveer pulled the boy into a deep hug. The boy stood regid in his arms.
"Tu theek hai bacha?" Rajveer checked him over for injures, "kahe lage to nehi na? Please bata na..... tu theek hai na?"
The boy did not respond.
"Nehi lage use" Vikky answered, "bas dar gaya hoga. kyun champ?"
The boy gave a small nod in acknowledgement. Rajveer looked shocked. Vikky ruffled the boys hair, "Samhal ke rehna chaye tha na? Aise koi bhagta hai kya road pe? kuch....."
Before he could finish khushi rushed pulled the boy in her arms. Vikky took a step back. The ice queen refused to leave him alone. He should have known she would be around. He turned to go but Rajveer stopped him.
"Thank you" His voice was filled with gratitude, "Thank you for saving him. Agar tu time pe nehi ata to....."
"I did what anyone would do Mr. Mittal. You don't need to thank me. Make sure he does not go running on the roads. The traffic here is crazy"
Rajveer nodded his head. Khushi looked up. Her eyes were overflowing with tears. She had taken her eyes off the boy for only a second. She never thought he would do that. She opened her mouth to thank Vikky but the moment she recognized him the words died in her thoroat.
"Tum?"
"You mean Thank you?" Vikky drawled. She rubbed him the wrong way for no reason.
"A thank you does not cut it close, Vikram" Rajveer spoke. "I will forever be grateful. What you did...."
"He is bleeding" Khushi gasped.
Rajveer noticed the blood at the same time. Vikky winced as a few drops seeped into his eyes, making them burn. Rajveer held him immediately, "bohot khoon beh raha hai, doctor ke paas chaltey hai"
Vikky shook his head. His head was not hurting that bad. He was sure it was a minor scrape, "No Mr. Mittal I am fine...."
"No you are not" Khushi insisted. The blood scared her. The kid was bleeding a lot. She removed her scarf and tried to stop the blood. within seconds her white scarf turned red. Vikky winced. The blood grossed him out.
"Doctor ke paas chaltey hai Veer, khoon nehi rukh raha."
"main gade leke ata hoon...."
"I am fine Mr. Mittal" Vikky tried to protest but no one listened to him. The Ice queen forced him to sit and bandaged his wound with the scarf. It did no good but it prevented the blood from seeping into his eyes.
"Give me your dad's number, I will call him and inform" She spoke in an urgent tone. Vikky shook his head. If his dad found out he would be worried for no reason.
"Dad will get worried...."
"Call you mom"
"I don't have a mom" He pulled back annoyed. He did not want her calling his dad. His dad could not handle a scratch on him, if he saw the blood he would be devastated.
"Listen ma'am I am absolutely fine. I can take care of myself. I will go home...."
"No you will not" Khushi insisted. "If you don't want to inform your dad, its fine. Thats your choice, but you are coming to the hospital.
"You have no say over my life lady...."
"Then call your dad. NOW."
"He will worry..."
"It is his job to worry, Vikram. Your father has the right to know about the incident. Call him"
Before Vikky could argue Rajveer came back with the car. Khushi ushed him inside with the boy. Vikky did not get a chance to get in a word. When Khushi Birla wanted to do something, she got it done. No one could stop her. Vikky was stubborn but, she was more stubborn. Vikky did not have a chance to win against her.