Vivek debated about making the call to Khushi. Vikram was not ready for the meeting but he could not deny his child the right to know his mother. Vedant suggested that the meeting would break ice between the mother and son and serve as a goodwill gesture. Khushi will realize the truth with time. If they kept Vikram away from her that would only nurture her hatred. Vivek agreed but was apprehensive. In the end he made the call with a heavy heart.
Khushi gave a condensing reply and told him that she would take care of the arrangements. She would have disconnected the call but Vivek did not let her.
"Khushi you need to know something about Vikky" He tried to explain.
"Vikky is my child, Vivek. I do not need to learn anything from you. You have done enough damage. Don't think you will win. Vikky will soon realize what he can have with me and walk away. You will never get to see him again. You will...."
"Can you stop your rant and for once listen Khushi?" Vivek lost his cool and yelled. Every time she said that he was scared. Loosing Vikram was not an option for him. He wanted to selfishly keep Vikky away from her, but he could not. He was trying his best, and Khushi was not helping matters.
"Never ever raise your voice at me, Vivek Malhotra. I will....."
'Vikky is allergic to sea food." That silenced her immediately. She loved sea food. Her pregnancy cravings revolved around sea food. She drove both Vivek and Veer crazy with her demands. All the crazy cravings she had were not easy to fulfil. Sea food was very expensive. Both Vivek and Veer pooled in funds to take her out to her favorite sea food cafe. That was one of the good memories she had about her pregnancy. She remembered crying after she realized that both the boys had worked for seven days in the very same cafe to get the money. Veer was never short of funds but Vivek was against splurging Mr. Mittal's money. Veer made up in different ways. She remembered how lucky she felt to have a lover and best friend like them. All her illusions shattered when Vivek left.
"You are lying" She hissed.
"He is also allergic to mushrooms and peanuts. He cannot eat a lot of spice, and he does not like continental food."
"Nonsense. That is everything I like. You are lying on purpose."
"He also does not like Chinese. Our son only likes Indian. Biriyani is his go to food." Vivek continued to speak ignoring her accusations. "He loves ice-creams, but he is very sensitive to cold. Make sure there are no peanuts in any of the ice-creams. He alwyas carries an epi-pen with him. No matter how careful we are, we cannot avoid mistakes. In case of emergency you can use it. It is not difficult to administer the medicine. I will send you a video. If you have any questions call back. I will be happy to help. Bye."
He disconnected the call. The woman infuriated him. If he was not used to her behavior he would not be able to deal with her, but Khushi had always been impulsive. She alwyas knew what she wanted. When they met she was very sure of her feelings. She did not hesitate to chase him. He was reluctant to get involved with an heiress but she convinced him that a relationship was about two people and not their social status. She went against her parents wishes to date him and now she was going against him to get her son. He was once attracted to her stubborn and sassy behavior. Vikky had inherited the traits from her. Now he found it difficult to handle the behavior. He wished for once she would keep her temper aside and listen but something told him that it would not happen anytime soon.
Khushi paced her room agitated. She knew nothing about her child. The moment Vikky said yes about the lunch meeting she had made reservations at the biggest sea food restaurant in Delhi. She was planning on flying him there and surprise him. All her plans were ruined. The food was poison for her child and she did not know. She knew nothing about her child.
Her phone beeped. She saw the video link that Vivek shared and opened it. The video made her pale. She called back Vivek without thinking. He took the call on the first ring.
"This will hurt him" She gasped.
"Khushi its is a type of an injection. It will hurt a little, but it will save his life, if such a situation arises. Calm down....."
"How the hell should I calm down. I booked a stupid sea food place....."
"That's okay Khushi, you did not know now. Now cancel the place. Vikky loves the local Dhaba much more than fine dining. Don't overdo it on the first meeting. The staff at the Dhaba know Vikky well. They will make sure they do not serve anything he should not eat. He will be fine. Don't worry. We only had to use the device a handful of times. Vikky knows to be careful."
Khushi rubbed her throbbing temple. Her child was allergic. He must have suffered so much.
"was he ever hospitalized?" She could not stop herself from asking.
"once" Vivek's voice was heavy with regret. "He was ten. I was making these cookies. I got a big order. Back then I used to bake at the house. I made the cookies and left it on the counter to cool down. Vikky came back from school. Our son is always hungry Khushi. I made sure to keep snacks around the house. He assumed those cookies were for him and took them to his room. By the time i went to check on him the allergy had worsened. The EpiPen did no good. I rushed him to the hospital. It was the worst experience of my life. It took him three days to open his eyes." His voice broke.
Khushi gasped. She could understand what he was not telling her. They could have lost their son. She wanted to accuse him for being careless, but like fool she had booked a sea food restaurant. She had not even bothered to find out if Vikky had allergies. She was thinking about impressing her child and Vivek was talking about safety. She had no right to throw pebbles.
"It was not your fault" She found herself saying. The pain in Vivek's voice was not something she could ignore. Vivek never shared his pain with anyone. Even when they had been in a relationship she had a tough time making him express. He opened up with her gradually but he did not tell her everything. If he got hurt it was Veer he approached alwyas. Almost every time they fought, he went to Veer. He never shared any details of their fights but Veer was his only solace. She did not know how he could cut off ties with a man he considered a brother.
"I know" Vivek sighed, "But sometimes its not easy to accept. The moral of the story is no parent can be too careful. I stopped baking at home after that. The idiot still found of ways to get into trouble. Mom used to joke that trouble chased our Nawab Sahab."
"Nawab Sahab?"
"That's what we call him. He loves the nick name but pretends to hate it. He loves to cuddle. He loves to have breakfast in bed. He loves to sleep with his head on my lap. He loves to travel. He loves books but above all, he loves music. That is his passion Khushi. His voice..... One day he will make big in the world of music. He will make a name for himself."
"That was your dream, Vivek" Khushi stiffened. She was worried that Vivek was forcing Vikky to fulfil his dreams. All parents wanted their children to follow in their footsteps. She loathed business, but she had to take up the reigns because her father did not have another heir. She could let Vikky suffer her plight.
"My son will do exactly what he wants to do, Vivek. You have no say in his career choice. You...."
"He got though New York School of Music" Vivek cut her off, "You know the college Khushi. They only accept a handful of applications. Our son is gifted. He will be joining there this fall. This is his choice Khushi. I don't force my child to do anything. He will do what makes him happy. He will have the choice that I never had....."
"Don't talk about choices Vivek. You have no respect for anyone's choice. I am not buying your words. I will find out what my child wants. If he does not want music, you will have hell on your hands. I will never let my child suffer."
"Good. That puts us on the same team. If you don't have anything else to say, I need to go......"
"On another date?" Khushi cannot hold back the taunt.
"How is that your business khushi?"
Khushi bit her lips, it was none of her business, but she did not want another woman near her child or so she told herself.
"I need to go. Dad and Vikky need to eat. I have not made dinner yet. If you need to ask anything else call me in an hour. I will be done my then."
"I don't have anything to call you about. Do what you want. Just don't call back."
"You called me back khushi"
"Whatever. Goodbye"
She disconnected the call and sat down. The talk with Vivek relaxed her. Her stomach rumbled reminding her that she skipped lunch. Vivek talking about dinner had made her hungry. She walked to the kitchen to eat. The chef had prepared all her favorite dishes. She looked at the mushroom pasta. Her son could never taste it. He could not enjoy any of the dishes she liked. Her appetite died. She reached for the orange juice from the fridge wondering how Vikky was. He had not responded to any of her messages. The body guard told her that he was fine and in his room, but she wanted him to respond. She put the juice away and texted him again. There was no response. She sighed and walked away. Her child needed time to accept her, logically she knew she should be giving him time, but she could not hold herself back. She texted the bodyguard to send pictures of him. She wanted to see for herself that the boy was doing fine.
Messages popped up on her phone. The photographs that the body guard sent made her eyes water. Vikky was sitting by the windowsill playing guitar. She caressed his face gently. She could not see anyone in the background. Did her baby really like music? was that his passion? She did not know but she needed to find out. She had compromised all her life for her father, she would not let her child shoulder the same pain. He would live the life he chose. he would soar in the sky like a free bird. Vivek Malhotra would have no say in his life. She would make sure of it.
The lunch proved to be a disaster. Despites Vivek's advice Khushi had made reservations in a five star restaurant. She sent instructions to the staff in advance. She booked the entire restaurant for themselves. She did not want anyone around. She wanted to enjoy the lunch with her son. A varied range of dishes were prepared for Vikky. An assortment of all styles of Biriyani's awaited them.
Vikky did not touch any of them.
"Why don't you have something Vikky?" Khushi tried to coax him. "I heard that you like Biriyani. You dad told me. If you would rather have anything else, you can tell the chef. he will gladly make it for you."
Vikky looked at the spread. Nothing was wrong with any of the dishes. He could not make himself sit down with her and eat.
"I am not hungry, Miss. Birla...."
"Mumma" Khushi corrected. She was desperate for him to address her as mumma. He never did till she asked him to.
"Mumma" Vikky stiffened. He hated that he was being forced, but he did not have the luxury to rebel.
Khushi picked up a dish and served him herself, "Thoda taste karke to dekh. May be you will like it?"
Vikky closed his eyes frustrated. Now the woman would force him to eat. Was he her slave now?
"Thoda sa kha na Vikky, please."
Vikky picked up a spoon and ate it. His tastebuds protested immediately. It was too spicy for his liking. He reached for the water glass. he came down with a coughing fit. Khushi got up to help him. He was coughing a lot.
"Are you coming down with an allergy?" She was scared. "I told them not to add any peanuts and mushrooms. what is happening....."
She did not know how to help him and that terrified her. The manager came there immediately. Khushi took it out on him, "what the hell did your staff serve?" She yelled in anger. "I told you there should be no mushrooms or peanuts....."
"Ma'am there is nothing like that in the food."
"Shut up. I ma going to sue you to hell and back. I will....." Vikky grabbed her hand to silence her. It was not the managers fault at all.
"Epipen kaha hai tera?" Khuhi looked at him sacred. he looked red in the face. She was sure it was an attack. She felt like a terrible mother. She should be helping her child but she was yelling at the staff.
Vikky gulped the water down. He had not eaten anything the whole morning. The spice did a number on him.
"I will call Vivek....." Vikky got up and took the phone from her. She was overreacting.
"I am fine mumma, please sit."
"No you are having an allergy attack. We need to go to a doctor. We need....."
"I am not having an allergy attack. The food was a little spicy......."
"I told you not to serve spicy food."
"Mumma please, Its not their fault that I cannot handle spice. Dad does not let me eat out for this reason. I cannot handle any dry spice. There is nothing wrong with the food. I am used to home cooked meals."
Khushi fell silent. Vikky looked back at the manager. He did not wish to get anyone into trouble. "Give the chef my compliments. The food was really good. Thank you."
The manager sighed in relief and walked away. Vikky sat down back. The lunch was as disaster. He was not expecting it to be any different.
"Why do you have to behave so rudely with people, Miss Birla?" Vikky could not stop himself from asking. "Those people are not your slaves. Yes you gave them instructions. But you cannot behave like this. He must have felt so bad."
"He is here to do a job, Vikky" Khushi tried to justify herself. When she was upset she lost control of her anger.
"Put yourself in his shoes. How would you feel if someone spoke to you that way?"
Khushi fell silent.
"Just because we are upset, we don't have to make peoples life miserable, Miss. Birla. Let others live in peace."
"And you think had a easy life Vikky?" Khushi looked upset. "You think...."
"Aap khush nehi ho to kese ko khush nehi rehne doge aap? That little kid, are you planning on making his life miserable too?"
"Vikram"
"Don't yell Miss. Birla. That will not make you right. If you are done eating. Lets leave. I have had my fill"
"Par tune kuch kahya he nehi" Khuhsi looked at his untouched plate of food.
Vikky remained silent.
"Thoda sa khale please. Don't be upset I will make it upto the manager. Eat."
Vikram did not argue. He sat in silence as Khushi tried her best to initiate a conversation. She tried her best to make him talk but he did not budge. In the end she had to give up in the end. Neither had touched anything. The waiter got the check. Khushi left a huge tip behind. Vikky saw the amount and frowned. That was his fathers monthly income. It was enough to run their home. His father slogged for a month to make the amount that his mother was tossing away.
"Chal" She stood up.
"Is that the bill or tip?" Vikky looked up.
"tip. I told you i will make up to the guy. He will be a happy man today" She gave him a smile. Vikky wanted to shake her up. Did she think money was the solution to everything?
He grabbed a pen from his jacket and quickly wrote a thank you note for the chef. He left a decent tip and handed her the money back.
"It's okay Vikky...."
"It's not okay, Miss Birla. That tip will be more insulting than your behavior. You will not understand. I worked alongside dad. I know how service industry works. We need respect, Miss Birla. A word of appreciation means more to us much more than money."
Khuhsi looked away no matter what she did it came out wrong. She did not know what else to do. She walked out with him blinking off tears. She hoped he would talk to her in the car but he sat silent.
"Can we go to the theater"
Vikky question surprised her. She agreed quickly. She did not know why he changed his mind but she was happy. She booked the tickets to the show he wanted to watch, but was disappointed when he sat in silence. She did not understand what he wanted. Vikky on the other hand was getting upset. He was trying to pull back from his father gently. His dad was used to having him around. He wanted to gently put distance between them. That way he hoped it would not hurt him more. After the move he asked Khushi to take him out for dinner. She surprised him by taking him to his favorite Dhaba. The staff there knew him and greeted him with a smile. They got him his favorites even without him requesting.
Khushi hoped he would give her the same smile that he bestowed so freely on his friends. There was no such luck. He sat in silence. Khushi did not initiate conversation. She knew he would not talk. She wanted him to spend time with her, but every second he spent with her hurt her more. When he was away at least she was happy with the imagination of him loving her, now she had to face his silent hared. He was telling her without telling that he did not want her around.
"Chale?" he asked after two hours of silence. Khushi looked at his plate. Once again he had not touched anything.
"Yeh tera favorite restaurant hai na?" Khushi asked when he called for the bill.
Vikky nodded his head as he packed food neatly into containers that he had requested for.
"Phir khaya kyun nehi?"
"I am full, Miss Birla"
He got up once he was done packing. They left together from the restaurant. Vikky saw a couple of kids playing outside and called them over. They rushed to greet him.
"Kiase ho bahiya?"
"Theek hoon, Biriyani khaoge?"
The kinds yelled in enthusiasm. Vikky handed the parcel to them.
"Khalo. Chalta hoon."
One of the boys hugged him. He ruffled the boys hair and walked away.
"Jantey ho un bacho ko?" Khushi wondered what the boy had that she did not. Her son was ready to hug strangers but kept her at a distance.
"They are the kids of the staff. Dad knows most of them here." Vikky's answer was crisp but polite. She wanted to shake her son. Why was he behaving so coldly with her.
"What will it take for you accept me, Vikky?" She asked helpless. "Tell me what will it take and a I will give it to you bacha. Sare duneya ke khushiya rakh dunge tere kadmo pe. I can give you anything you want....."
"Kya denge aap mughe Miss Birla? Aapne to mughse bas cheena he hai....."
"Cheena hai? Kya cheena hai maine tughse? Tere dad ne mughe tughse cheena hai Vikram. He is the only Villan in this story...."
"I do not want to argue with you Miss Birla. I am tired and I am having a headache. Can we go now?"
"Your dad poisoned you against me, Vikky. I am not the monster he made me into."
"That is the real problem, Miss Birla. You are nothing like what my dad told me. I do not want to argue. If you cannot take me home, i will take the bus...."
"You do not have to use the bus, Vikky. You are my son. You should have been raised in the lap of luxury. And you are living......"
"Please Miss Birla bas kejeye. I am happy in my life. Dad gave me the best....."
"His best is that place?" Khushi scoffed, "Look at your phone Vikky. He cannot even give you a decent gadget. I can......"
Vikky walked away. His fathers insult was the one thing he could not take. he was putting up with everything but she kept on pushing. There was a limit to what he could take. Khushi chased behind him. He was not stopping.
"Khaa jaa raha hai."
"Ghar" Vivek pulled back.
"I will drop you. Please. Raat bohot ho gaye hai. Zindh maat kar. I picked you up from the house. It is my responsibility to drop you back. Please sit."
Vikky did not argue. His head was pounding. He was exhausted. He wanted to go back home to his dad. Khushi was relived. She did not know what she would have done if he argued. She dropped him to Vivek's house. Vikky got down and went inside without a bye. Khushi was dejected. She felt helpless.
Vivek rushed to open the door. Vikky hugged him the moment he saw him. Vivek held him to his chest and looked up. He could see Khushi in the car. She drove away the moment their eyes met. Vivek guided Vikky inside the house.
"How was the day bacha?" Vivek looked at him carefully. he looked exhausted.
"Fine dad. We had a lot of fun." Vikky gave him a big broad smile. "Mom is really cool"
Vivek wanted to believe him. But the tell tale flickering of his eyelid betrayed him.
"Really?"
"Ya. She took is very very cool. You are right. She is really an angel. I had a lot of fun. I am exhausted dad. I need to rest. Goodnight dad."
"Dinner nehi karega bacha?"
Vikky was hungry but he shook his head. His dad needed to get used to a life without him. Small steps he reminded himself.
"I had dinner with mom dad. I am full. Aap khalo."
"Acha theek hai, kamse kam company to de dey. Come tell me about your day."
Vivek walked towards the kitchen. Vikky knew he could not sit there with his dad and continue to lie. he also wanted him to prepare for a life without him. There was no way he could do it without hurting his father. He was crying inside but he faked a smile.
"I am really tired dad. I need to sleep it off. Aap khalo"
Vivek looked back shocked. His son never did that. In their home they always believed that food needed company. Even when Vikky had his dinner he made it a point to sit with him for meals.
"goodnight, dad"
Vikky forced the greeting and rushed away. Vivek sat down at the kitchen table. Tears rushed to his eyes.
"Come on Vivek, the kid is tired. You don't have to be dramatic" he scolded himself and got up. He felt like an idiot for getting upset over a meal. He waited for Vikky to come back so they could eat together. He had missed his child. As a single parent he had Vikky's attention to himself. Now he had to learn to share it with khushi. He could not act like a looser. He pulled himself together and reached for a plate. No matter how hard he tried he could not make himself eat. He put the food away and go up. He was no longer feeling hungry.
The windows rattled. There was a snow warning in effect. He hoped Khushi reached home safely. He was about to close the window when he saw Khushi's car outside. He thought she drove away. He secured the window and went out to meet her. She saw him come and stepped out. She felt like a fool to linger around.
"Ghar nehi gaye tum?" Vivek looked at her with a frown.
"Usne kuch kahaya?" Khushi voiced her concern. The boy had not eaten anything the whole day. She could not go till she was sure he had something.
Vivek's frown deepened. "Khaya matlab? You guys went for dinner right?"
"Usne kuch nehi kahya Vivek. He did not even touch drop of water. I tough he did not like the food at the restaurant. I took him to the place you suggested, but he did not eat. He went without food the whole day. Please use kuch khelao. Shayad use mughse problem hai. Main....."
"Woh khaye bena nehi reh pata, Khushi. I will go talk to him. Tum ghar jao. It's going to snow heavily."
Vivek went inside. Khushi walked towards the car but she could not do it. She stayed there hoping Vivek would convince Vikky to eat something. She paced outside for a few minutes and then went inside. The cold was killing her and so was worry. The hall was empty. She looked around. The place was spotless and clean. The hearth casted a subtle glop around the living room giving it a surreal look. The place looked cozy and welcome. Not the dumpster she imagined.
She looked up as she heard footsteps. Vivek rushed downstairs. he was surprised to see her in the living room.
"Khaya usne"
"Use bohot teez bukhar hai khushi" Vivek spoke as he reached for the phone. "Main doctor ko call karta hoon"
Khushi rushed up to check on the boy. He was sleeping on the bed shivering. She felt his forehead it was burning up. She had touched him several times in the day. She did not realize he was coming down with fever. She did not know what to do.
Vivek came up before she could panic.
"The doctor cannot cannot come till the morning. I have medicines at home. He prescribed the same. If the fever does not break till the morning, I will take him to the hospital."
"Why wait till the morning Vivek. Uska sharir tap raha hai. Abhi le chaltey hai"
"Khushi there is nothing to panic. These fevers are common. He must have had icecream without me telling. Its very cold outside. He will be fine."
Khushi could not belive him. She could not leave when her child was so sick. Vivek waked to the washroom and came back with with a bowl of cold water. He took out a clean hand towel from the closet and sat down with Vikky.
She saw him giving Vikky cold strips and sat beside him. She wished she could help in someway. Vikky stirred in sleep and buried his face into Vivek's warmth.
"Hurting dad" He murmured.
The cold cloth disturbed his sleep.
"Kaha bacha?" Vivek gently caressed his hair.
"Head. It's killing me" he buried his face further into Vivek's warmth.
"That is because you have not eaten anything" Vivek scolded gently and pulled back.
"I will get you some soup." Vivek pulled back. Vikky looked up and saw Khushi. He stiffened immediately.
Vivek handed Khushi the bowl and got up.
"I will make the soup. You do it."
Khushi reached for it gratefully. Vivek took step towards the door but Vikky held his hand. He hated being sick, and he hated khushi's presence. He was getting agitated.
"Don't leave me" His voice chocked.
Vivek looked startled at the tears. Vikky never cried.
"Bacha main bas soup....."
Vikky hugged him and broke down into tears. Vivek tried to pull back but he tightened the embrace. Khushi and Vivek looked at each other helplessly. Why was Vikky behaving that way?