Alia P.O.V.
You never realises how quickly time passes. Sometimes it feels like time is moving so slowly and a day can last a week and you wish for time to speed up. And then there are the times when you wish life had a rewind button. Like when you look at the calendar and realise that you've been married for twenty years, you're daughter is turning eighteen in a week and your son is fourteen.
There are moments when I feel this life has been a dream and I'll wake up next to Varun and the past twenty or so years will just not have existed.
I know that it's too real to be a dream but sometimes I wish it was, or at least parts of it, like Shanaya and Veer growing up. I can still remember back when I would panic because I would wake up in the morning and Veer wouldn't be in his room. Me and Varun would frantically search the house only to find that Veer had crawled into bed with Shanaya at some point in the night.
Now, they won't even share a room for one night in a hotel, but they still love each other. Veer is fiercely protective of Shanaya, despite being younger. He takes after Varun in almost every way. Out of our two kids, he's taller, not by much, but he is. He also looks like Varun, almost a mirror image, although his face is more round and he has my smile. He has a love for the gym, movies, food and reading. He's a force to be reckoned with if you mess with his family, especially Shanaya.
Shanaya is more like me. She's barely an inch taller than me and looks more like my sister than my daughter. She could probably pass as a Bhatt as opposed to a Dhawan if it weren't for the fact that she has Varun's eyes, mishevious smile and hair. She inherited my love for shopping and acting and Varun's reading habits and love of chicken. She also has a love for movies but that just comes with being part of a filmi family.
Right now our family was more filmi than I thought possible. Considering the family I grew up in, that's saying something.
I had just come home from shooting for an ad and had walked in on Shanaya and Varun having a staring competition with Veer looking on with an expression that was a mix of concern, exasperation, amusement and annoyance. He was the first to notice me.
'Ma! Finally you're home!' He exclaimed. Varun and Shanaya both turned to me.
'Alia, tari chokri ne kaink kehyde toh.'(tell your daughter something.) Varun said to me, gesturing at an angry Shanaya.
'Tari chokri nati?' (She's not your daughter?) I asked, going to stand by her.
'She doesn't want to listen to me.' He complained.
'Papa, hun bhi kochu, you're being ridiculous.' (Even I'm saying.) Veer spoke up.
'Okay, someone tell me what's going on.' I said.
'Mummy, mane bare jawuche ne Papa won't agree.' (I want to go out) Shanaya whined.
'Varun, let her go out. She's almost eighteen, what's the big deal?' I was shocked he would say no, he hadn't had a problem with either of them going out until now.
'It's not just that she wants to go out. She wants to go out with a boy.' Varun told me.
'So what's the problem? When I was her age, I was always with you and Sid.'
'Ma, dad and Sid chachu were your friends. You weren't dating them.' Veer put in, grinning. Shanaya glared at him.
'Shanaya, you know the rule.' I told her.
'Papa's rule isn't fair! I am not going to wait until I'm twenty to date a guy.'
'That was just a joke. But you know you can't date a guy we haven't met.' Varun told her.
'Toh meet him. Why are you making such a big deal?' Shanaya asked.
'Because you said you want to go out with him tonight! Your mum wasn't home yet and I don't even know this boys name!'
'Papa, chill.' Veer said. 'And hurry up and sort this out. I need to go to football practice.'
'Veer, I'll drop you to practice, come on. Shanaya, we'll talk about this when I get back.'
'But it's already six! I have a deadline of half ten. By the time you get back it will be almost seven. Then I have to call him and he'll have to get ready and then you want to meet him. By the time I go out it will be nine.' She complained.
'Fine. Tell me about this boy, quickly.' Veer looked like he wanted to complain, but kept quiet.
'His name is Abhi Singh.' Varun stopped her before she could say more.
'Abhi Singh? You're joking right?' He asked.
'No, Papa. He's in my class at school. We got paired in chemistry. Actually it's three of us, me, Abhi and Rohan.' Me and Varun exchanged a look. 'He plays football on the school team and he's really smart. He lives with his dadi, his parents passed away when he was little.'
'No. Absolutely not, Shanaya.' I told her.
'Mummy, please. At least meet him once.' She pleaded. I looked at Varun, it was his decision now.
'Fine. Call him over.' He sighed.
'Thank you, Papa!' She quickly hugged Varun before running upstairs and I was reminded of a scene in Humpty.
'Okay, I'm going to drop Veer off. I'll be back soon.' Varun nodded and me and Veer left.
***
I ended up waiting for Veer to finish practice. It was only a half an hour practice so I figured there was no point in going home and coming back.
When I got home, there was a motorbike in the driveway that was not Varun's.
'Ma, this guy drives a bike. You're going to let didi go on a bike with some guy?' Veer asked, his protective side coming out.
'I don't know yet, Veer.'
'You don't even let us get on a bike with Arjun uncle.'
'That's because your uncle is a bad driver. You go on the bike with Papa and mama.'
'Yeah, but you don't know how this guy drives.'
'Veer, don't worry. Your didi will be fine.' I assured him. He nodded and we went inside. 'Okay, go shower and then come down for dinner.' Veer rushed off up the stairs and I walked into the sitting room.
Varun was sat on the edge of the armchair with Shanaya stood behind him and the guy I assumed to be Abhi stood on the other side of the coffee table.
'Varun, stop trying to be so intimidating, you didn't like it when it happened to you.' I reminded. He relaxed very slightly but was still staring at Abhi. 'Okay. I'm Alia, Shanaya's mum. And this is my husband, Varun. Sorry for the silent starring.' I introduced us both to a very intimidated Abhi.
'Nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm Abhi.' He said, reaching to shake my hand. When I didn't shake his hand, I could hear Varun and Shanaya both laughing.
'That wasn't the right thing to say.' Varun told Abhi, getting up and shaking his hand. 'Alia hates being called ma'am.'
'Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to offend you.' Abhi apologised. I was shocked by how polite he was. I turned to look at my daughter.
'Are you sure this is the right guy?' I asked her.
'Yes mummy. This is Abhi.'
'You don't take after me as much as I thought then.' I told her.
'What?' She asked. I turned back to look at the boy in front of me. He was wearing smart jeans and a shirt with a tie. I could tell from his hair that he had been wearing a helmet. He was polite and neat and very safe. I turned to look at Varun. He was in an old t-shirt and even older jeans. His hair was a mess as always. Though Varun is a complete gentleman, he is anything but safe and neat. He grinned at me, knowing what I was thinking.
'Nothing, Shanaya. Your mum is just thinking about her own preference in guys.' Varun told her.
'I don't think I want to know.' She said, looking a little queasy.
'Oi! Mind out of gutter, Shanaya.' I scolded. 'Anyway, Abhi seems okay. You can go. But be back by half ten.'
'Yeah, of course. Thank you.' She smiled at me.
The two of them left and I waited until I heard the door shut before turning to Varun.
'So, how long do you think that will last?' I asked him.
'Two months. If she's anything like you, she'll go for a guy who's a little more of a bad boy.'
'Varun, you're not a bad boy.' I laughed.
'I'm certainly not such a neat, safe guy. He actually wears a helmet.'
'You noticed that as well?'
'Yep. Kid had helmet hair.'
'You really think two months? I'd give them a little longer.'
'Alia, there is another guy involved in this picture. I can tell you from now, Rohan will come between them at some point. This is Shanaya we're talking about, her life is bound to be filmi. And if she is like you, she'll look for a guy who's her best friend, which is not Abhi. Her and Rohan have been almost inseparable since they met in the eighth standard...' I nodded, understanding what he was implying.
'You know, it's ironic. Shanaya going out with a guy named Abhi and being friends with a guy named Rohan. Who would've thought?' Varun just laughed.
That's when Veer came running down the stairs.
'Ma, can we have pizza for dinner?' He asked.
'Sure, Veer. Go get the menu.' He went into the kitchen.
'He better not end up with an Ishita.' Varun mumbled. I laughed and Veer walked back into the room looking at me like I had gone crazy.
A/N: nidhi_nagda03 this is for you, hope you enjoyed it. Sorry it's so short.
Hopefully, I'll be able to update tomorrow. I've got an idea for a songfic that I hope to be able to write.
See you soon