The meeting with the elderly Shah couple went on smoothly. The old man and lady were very easy to please. They wanted nothing more than their grand-daughters happiness. Anjali was a career oriented girl who refused to settle down. Vivek was the first guy she agreed to meet. They were thrilled with their grand daughters decision.
A young man accompanied the elderly couple. He was Anjali's elder brother, Ashok. He remained silent though out the meeting but when it was time for them to leave he looked at Vikky with a polite smile.
"I heard that the garden here is beautiful, Vikram. Would mind taking a walk with me?"
Vikky nodded his head enthusiastically, but Vedant held his hand in caution.
"Aapko Vikky se jo bhi baat karne hai, humare samne kejeye beta" Vedat voice was polite but firm. "We don't have secrets in our family."
"I suggested a causal walk, uncle." Ashok looked at Vedant with a smile, "It's okay if you do not trust me....."
"It's not about trust, Ashok. Vikky is 17...."
"Come on pops. Mr. Shah will not bite me. I am sure he wants to know me a little better, after all his daughter would become buddy's wife. His concern is fair. I don't mind the walk."
"Vikram...."
"It's okay uncle. I wanted to know him a little better. Anjali would be his step-mom. I will respect your decision. Let Vivek and Anjali meet. There is still time for us to know each other well."
Vikky gave Vedanth an imploring look. Vedant hesitated.
"Jane do beta" Mrs Saha spoke with a smile. "Rishta pakka hua to Ashok uska mama banega. Maa bhanje me dosti to bante hai. Kyun Ashok?"
Ashok gave a strained smile. Vikky was too innocent to see though it. Vedanth was uneasy but he did not find a reason to say no. The couple were very kind and generous. He could not insult them by mistrusting their grand-son.
"Go" He gave his consent reluctantly, "but we need to go back in twenty minutes. Vivek will be worried"
Vikky bobbed his head enthusiastically. Ashok got up and showed Vikky the way. He had been waiting all evening for the opportunity. He waited till Vikky was comfortable in his presence. He did not want to spook the kid.
"My buddy is a very cool guy, Mr. Shah. You have nothing to worry about." Vikky spoke enthusiastically.
Ashok looked up and nodded his head. he had conducted a through investigation on Vivek, what he found out satisfied him a lot. The guy was a through gentleman. There was nothing he found amiss in Vivek. Expect the one thing that was nagging him since the moment his sister said yes to the meeting. She was too young to play mother to a teenager.
"What are your future plans, Vikram?" He broke the subject gently.
Vikram gave him a broad smile, "I have applied for NYCM. I will be moving to New York very soon. I wanted to stay closer to home, but buddy wants the best for me. He thinks I will benefit a lot from NYCM. I agree, but you see I don't want him to lonely for the next four years. That is why....."
"Marriage is a life long commitment, Vikram." Ashok cut him off gently, "You will be back after four years, but Anjali and Vivek will have to stay together for ever. Have you thought about it?"
Vikky bobbed his head. his pops had explained it to him. Marriage was not a joke. It needed serious commitment. He was prepared for it.
"We will take good care of Miss Shah, Mr. Shah. She will be very happy with us."
"Vikram I can see that you are a very good kid. You love your dad a lot, right?"
Vikky bobbed his head.
"You have had his exclusive attention for 17 years. That is a very big time. You never had to share him with anyone. Have you thought about it?"
Vikky bobbed his head again.
"Tomorrow your dad and Anjali may decide to have children of their own. Vivek is only 34. He has his whole life ahead of him. He may want more children. Anjali would want that too....."
"It would make me very happy, Mr. Shah....."
"Would it Vikram?"
Vikram looked confused. He did not understand what Ashok was hinting at.
"I will not beat around the bush, Vikram. I like Vivek a lot. He is perfect for my sister. But i cannot digest the fact that he has a teenage son."
"You did not know about me?" Vikky took a step back hurt.
"I did, Vikram. I tried to discourage my grandparents and Anjali, but they are not willing to understand. I cannot let Anjali destroy her life. She is too young to play mom to a teenager."
"I am not looking for a mother, Mr. Shah" Vikky's voice was filled with sadness.
"You don't have to Vikram, but Vivek will have expectations. My sister will be burdened. I have nothing against you or your dad. Believe me if you were not in the picture I would have celebrated this alliance. but...."
"I am the hurdle? That is why you are so reluctant?"
Ashok remained silent.
"I promise to never become a burden on Miss Shah, sir. I want my dad to be happy....."
"My sister's happiness does not matter?"
"I did not mean it that way, Sir...."
"Vikram you are very young. You do not understand the complexity of the situation. As long as you are with your father, you will always remain a burden to him. No woman can accept a teenager. It is not fair for you guys to expect that from any woman. If you were a child, things would have been really different. You are no child Vikram. You will be nothing more than a burden to any woman who comes into your father's life."
Vikky's eyes filled up.
"Ask your dad to say no to this alliance. Please."
"You brought me here to tell me this?"
"I had no intention of hurting you, kid. I was looking out for my sister. Trust me if you were not Vievk's child I would not have any problem with this alliance...."
"So I am the reason why you don't want dad and Miss Shah together?"
"Your dad cannot find a bride till you are a part of his life, Vikram. May a few years down the lane when you settle in life and move out, Vivek would be relatively free. That will be the time to look for a partner. Not when he is burdened with a teenager. Sorry. That is the harsh truth. Let's go back. I don't want your grandfather worrying."
Ashok turned to go.
"What if I am not a part of dad's life?" Vikky forced the words out.
Ashok looked startled. "What?"
"I am going to NYCM in three months. I will be there for four years...."
"You will come back one day, kid...."
"Dad is my only family, Mr. Saah. Ofcourse I will come back. I cannot stay without seeing him. But i will not stay with him. I can come and visit him for a few days a year. Maybe? Will that be too much?"
"I am not asking you to break off ties with your dad, kid. I am not a monster. I want my sisters happiness."
'And I want my dad to be happy, Mr. Shah. Dad has given up a lot for me. He does not have to suffer more. I am a grown up now. I can take care of myself. I will be gone soon, Mr Shah. You will not have to be worried about me."
"Vikram they have not yet met. What if they do not like each other...."
"Then we do not have to see each other again, but if they do like each other and decide to give each other a chance, I want you to consider this. I will never become a burden on any woman my dad choses. I will stay back, Mr. Shah. You have my word."
"I did not ask, Vikram."
"You did not have to. I love dad enough to step back. Let's go. Pops is waiting for us."
"Your father will hate Anjali for pushing you away, Vikram. It's not fair to my sister."
"Like I said Mr. Saha you did not ask. I offered. Buddy will not know anything about this conversation. If tomorrow they decide to take it forward, we will discuss this again. Till then lets not think about it."
"Stepping back will not be easy Vikram. You love your dad...."
"My dad is my universe, Mr. Saha. I love him a lot, that is the reason why I want him to be happy. Believe me I can never become a hinderance on his way of happiness. I will step back. I promise."
Ashok wanted to argue but Vikky did not let him. He was too hurt to say a word. Somewhere he had always known that he was burden on his father, Ashok's words confirmed that fear. His dad had his whole life before him. He would never let him destroy it. If the only way his father could be happy was by stepping back. He would do that a thousand times over!
"Is he carzy?" Vibha's eyes blazed.
"Dude should have punched the mean man on his face. How dare he say that the boy was a burden on his dad? Can any child be a burden on their father?"
Vish's voice was filled with indignation.
"The brat is a big time fool. His dad loves him so much. Why does he keep thinking such stupid things?" Vibha scoffed.
"Tu uske jagah hote to kya karte, Princess?" Vikky looked her in the eye. He was not proud of his decisions. Specially when they let to his father's pain, but he wanted to know what his siblings would have done. Taking that decision had not been easy for him. No one appreciated what he did. As a grown up he found faults in his decision, but the kid in him hoped that someone would understand his pain.
Vibha fell silent.
"If your 34 year old dad sacrificed his every happiness for you, would you be happy? Would not not want to see him happy?"
"But can the prince be happy without his child, big-b?" Vibha looked at him with eyes filled with sadness, "Do you really think he will be happy without his boy?"
Vikky looked away. His 10 year old sister was wiser then him. He really was dumb.
"You are saying that because you speak as an outsider, Vibha." Vish cut her off, "Keep yourself in the brat's place. he must have seen a lot. He had no one except his dad and pops. His pops wanted his dad to settle down. The brat believed that no woman would ever accept him, which may be true. What does mumma say, it takes a heart of gold to love a child who is not your own. Right?"
Vibha nodded her head, but she could not agree with what the kid did. She could only think about the prince. He must have been hurt a lot.
"Did the Prince find out, big-b?" She looked back at Vikky. "Did he realized what the brat did?"
Vikky nodded his head. There was no escaping truth. It always came back to haunt you at the wrong time.
"Did the prince get hurt?"
Vikky closed his eyes against the tears that rushed to them. He wished he could give her a different answer, but he could not. He nodded his head with a heavy heart.
"how did he find out?" Vibha hugged him tight. She hated the feeling. The prince did not deserve to be sad.
Vikky opened his other arm for Vish. He looked equally sad. The twins snuggled to him.
"The boy was dumb, bacha. But end of the day he was a kid. He could pretend before everyone, but when it came to his dad, he just did know how to pretend. When he went back to the room, his father took one look at him and knew something was very wrong. He made him sit down and addressed the issue head-on"
"batayega kya hua?" He stared him down.
Vikky shook his head and forced a smile, "Kuch nehi, dad. It went so well. They are great people. You will really love them."
Vivek looked at his father. he knew Vikky was lying. He wanted to know what happened.
"The meeting went well, Vivek. They are really good people, son" Vedant patted his back gently. "Her grandmother loves your cupcakes. They have know you for years. It seems they are your regular customers."
Vivek did not pay attention to the information. the only thing that concerned him was the haunted look in his child's eyes.
"If they are so lovely people, why does he look so upset?"
Vedat looked at Vikram. The boy gave him a sweet smile. Vedant looked back at his son confused. "He does not look upset to me"
Vivek looked back a his child. He could see right though his smile. Vikky smile always reached his eyes, his child did not know how to hold back, but now he was doing it.
"Are you sure, you don't want to tell me anything, Vikky?"
Vikky buried his face into his dad's midriff. There was a lot he wanted to say, but he could not. Silence was the only solution he had.
"Bhook lage hai, dad." He whispered softly.
"Chal nehhe, buffet start ho gaya hai" vedant ruffled his hair gently. The boy had hardly touched anything in his excitement.
"mughe dad ke hato se khana hai" Vikky tighten his hold.
"Beta hum hotel me hai na...."
"Its okay dad" Vivek cut him off gently, "I will order something here. We can eat in the room. Okay Vikky?"
Vikky bobbed his head with a smile. Vivek wished he would stop trying so hard and tell him the truth, but he knew his child very well. He was very stubborn. He would have to get the truth out of him.
That night Vivek fed Vikky with a lot of love, trying his best to coax the truth out of him, but Vikky did not speak a word. In the end Vivek had to give in when Vikky complained of exhaustion. The boy held to him and drifted off to sleep immediately. But Vivek could not sleep a wink. He prayed that his child would talk to him. For the first time in life he wished he had Khushi by his side. A teenager needed a mother. He needed a gentle influence over him. He had never given marriage a serious thought but at that moment he realized that marriage could give Vikky a mother. If the woman he met would not hesitate to accept his child, it was in everyone's best interest to get married. Khushi would be married soon. He could not pine over his brothers wife. He needed to move on. Marriage was the only solution. His eyes filled up helplessly. Why did it have to hurt so much?
Vikky handed the dinner jacket to his buddy with a smile. It was time for their meeting. Anjali had requested a meeting in the hotel restaurant. She even had a table reserved for them. His buddy had to only walk in with a smile.
"You look handsome, dad" Vikky straightened Vivek's tie and looked up at him.
"Aab bhi nehi batayaega itna upset kyun hai?"
"Are main upset nehi hoon, dad. Kyun peche pade ho mere? You should be thinking about the lady. Aise sade hue shakal banake jaoge kya unke paas?"
Vivek looked him in the eye. willing him to talk the truth.
"Do you really like the family, Vikky?"
"A lot, dad. They are very kind people. Infact you have met them. They visit out place often. You have intricated with them...."
"That is not what I asked, Vikky. Do you really like them?"
"Yes dad! Kyun baar baar ek he baat pooch rahe ho aap? Apke bache pe aapko bharosa nehi hai?"
Vivek fell silent. There was a knock at the door. A bell boy walked in with flowers. Vikky had ordered them. He paid for the flowers and tipped the bellboy generously. His dad had told him to tip anyone who offered him a service. He was slowing learning the curtesy. Though the money pinched him, he could not deny the workers tips.
Vikky came back with the flowers and handed them to Vivek. "Roses for the lovely lady. I am sure she will love these."
Vivek did not reach for them.
"Come on dad, they are beautiful...."
"I am not going there to charm her, Vikky. I need to talk to her, understand her. She needs to understand my motives. We need to be on the same page...."
"Then start with the flowers. They alwyas help to make an impression."
"How do you know?"
"trust me dad, it works. Chalo aap behes na karo. Take them and go. You are getting late"
"Vikky...."
"Ache mere khatir le jao na, please. Humor me"
Vivek had to give in. He could not say no to his child. He walked away with the flowers. Vikky sat down with a heavy heart. If things worked out for his dad, he would have to walk away. His eyes filled up helplessly. He brushed his tears away. He could not be selfish, he reminded himself. He needed to think about his dad's happiness. And he would. He forced a smile on his face and walked away. He prayed the meeting would be a huge success.
Vivek was walking to the restaurant when he saw Khushi making her way into the restaurant. Their eyes met instantly. For a second neither could breathe. Vivek could not take his eyes off her. She still looked the same. Her beauty was unparalleled. Her hazel eyes had him captivated.
"Vivek, right?" A female voice startled him out of his thoughts. Anjali waked to him with a smile, diverting his attention from khushi.
Vivek nodded his head. he was grateful for the distraction. He had no business looking at Khushi that way. She was going to be his best friends wife. It felt wrong to even think of her that way.
"I booked table No 8. It's that way." Anjali spoke politely.
Vivek nodded his head and followed behind her silently. Khushi's eyes followed the couple. She was seething with anger. Seeing Vivek with another woman was a slap to her face. It took her 17 years and yet she was not able to forget him. Forget the way he hurt her. She reminded herself and yet he was waltzing one woman after another. She was disgusted by his behavior.
She wanted to dismiss them and leave but she could not. She forced herself to sit down and watch. She hoped her stupid heart would stop hoping for the monster to turn into prince charming. She hoped that once she saw Vivek with another woman her suppressed hopes would die once and for all. That was her way of getting rid of her demons.
She could not hear what they were speaking but she saw Vivek offering the flowers to Anjali. The woman took it with a smile. Khushi's hands fisted by her side. She was the night manager for crying out loud. Vivek Malhotra moved too fast.
Anjali called the waiter over and placed an order for the drinks. The waiter came back with the drinks. Vivek reached for his glass and looked up. Their eyes met again. Vivek set the glass down immediately. Khushi loathed alcohol.
"Lejeye na vivekji" Anjali smiled, "Its the best in town. Our hotel offers the very best"
Vivek politely declined. He looked back at Khsuhi, she was still glaring at him. He did not know how she came there, but he needed to get away soon. He had given his word to her father. He could not risk breaking the word. He could not keep Vikky a secret forever. Running away was his only solution. He was not looking forward to the conversation with Vikky. His child would not appreciate leaving early.
"Aap pareshaan lag rahe hai Vivekji?" Anjali broke the silence. She was getting uncomfortable.
Vivek looked back at her. His mind was everywhere but her. It was not fair to her.
"Nothing, Misss Saha. I was thinking about Vikky."
"Your son?" Anjali gave an understanding smile.
Vivek nodded his head. The waiter placed the first course. Vivek took a bite out of curtesy. The taste did not sit well with him. It had too much spice for his liking. His taste buds protested. He could not hold back the cough. Anjali got up worried. He was coughing a lot.
"Aap theek hai Vivekji?" She offered him a glass of water and patted his back gently. Khushi had seen enough. She could not stomach it anymore. She got up and waked away. Vivek Malhotra could not fall any lower. She loathed him from the bottom of her heart. She could not stomach his sight.
Vivek saw her leave and felt a pang in his heart. He could read the judgement in her eyes. He could not fault her for it. Anyone in her place would have assumed the same. He was on date with another woman. She did not think anything wrong, but what troubled him was the pain in her eyes. The woman who was ready to move on and marry his best friend should not be bothered by him. He did not know what to think of her reaction.
Anjali took her seat once, Vivek was comfortable. She could see he was upset. She did not expect anything else. Her brother had told her about the conversation with Vikram. She expected Vivek decline the meeting and ask them to get lost. She was surprised when he said yes. The flowers baffled her. What was Vivek Malhotra really playing at?
"Miss Shah I do not want to beat around the bush" Vivek put his fork down. He did not see a point in dragging their conversation. Neither was comfortable in the situation.
"I am the father of a teenager. I am not looking for a young and pretty Bride" he spoke honestly. "All I want is a mother for my child."
Anjali looked taken aback, "And yet you are here for the date?"
Vivek looked at her surprised. She realized that he was clueless about the conversation. She was filled with frustration. What her brother had done was unacceptable to her. She had no intention of marrying Vivek. She said yes to the match because her grandparents could not stop nagging. She was planning on gently saying no to Vivek. Her brother complicated the solution. he had no right going behind a parents back and hurting their child.
"My brother spoke to Vikram yesterday evening, Mr. Malhotra. I thought you were aware of the situation."
"What situation?" Vivek tensed.
Anjali sighed. There was no easy way of doing it.
"Mr. Malhotra, my brother loves me very much. He wants the best for me. He did not mean to hurt Vikram in anyway....."
"what did he do?" Vivek's tone turned stone clod. Anjali looked at him surprised. The controlled fury on his face made her nervous. She found herself blurting the whole thing out.
"Believe me Mr. Malhotra. I do not share his believes. I have no problem with Vikram. He sounds like a very nice child." She forced the words out. His silence spoke volumes about his displeasure.
"I wanted to do this gently, I am sorry I said yes to this meeting. I am not looking for a husband Mr. Malhotra. I got offered a job in London. I am awaiting my Visa. It is the biggest opportunity in my life. My grandparents wish to see me settled. I have been married once. My husband died in a car accident. The marriage lasted two months. I barely knew him. I never loved him. I hardly grieved him. I don't think I am capable of loving anyone, Mr. Malhotra. I have my own ambitions. I want to make something of myself. Marriage and children are not my goals. I tried to make my family understand this, but they are set in their ways. My brother had no right to talk to your son behind his back. I am sorry your son got hurt because of me, Mr. Malhotra. I am sorry......"
Vivek did not stop to listen to her apologies. He had heard more than he could stomach. His child was hurt and he refused to share his pain. He promised to walk away from him. That was something that he could not accept. The boy was his life. He tried to show him everyday what he meant to him, and yet he chose to not trust him. He could not protect the woman he loved, neither could he protect the child for whose sake he had broken his woman's heart. At that moment he felt like an abject failure. He failed everyone he loved. How could he live with that realization?