Hotel Millennium, New Delhi
7.45 pm
.
Guests started flooding in for Iva and Peter's wedding after party and Lavanya and her husband stood at the entrance welcoming their friends.
"Khushi!" Lavanya cried in joy and hugged her friend. "How are you? Long time dear. Why didn't you call me? And you Aarav, my you look so different! And..."
"La calm down!" Khushi said chuckling.
Lavanya smiled sheepishly and Khushi asked, "Where is Iva? Lemme go and meet her!"
"Yeah she's up there!"
Aarav shook hands with Lavanya's husband and followed Khushi.
"Does she know that ASR is here too?" Augustine whispered to Lavanya.
Lavanya looked at him and said, "I don't know. She might!"
"Mom, did you meet Ishaan?" Irene said gathering her parent's attention.
Lavanya scrunched her face and Augustine smiled faintly at him. "Hello Ishaan"
"Hello uncle!" Ishaan said smiling.
"You're still in contact with him?" Lavanya asked sharply looking at Irene.
Irene shrugged and wrapped an arm around Ishaan's arm. "Chalo Ishaan, I'll take you to my friends!"
"Wait, he cannot go in!" Lavanya said alarmed.
"Why?" Irene demanded.
"La stop it. Let them go" Augustine said sighing.
"Khushi is in there. ASR is there. Raizadas are there. If they see him then..."
"I told you Irene I'm not coming" Ishaan said sighing.
"No. You're my friend. It's my sister who got married and you, as my friend, has all rights to be here. Chalo" Irene said and dragged him inside.
.
"Ah so this is the infamous Ishaan?" Iva asked smiling and hugged him. Ishaan was taken aback but patted her back as well. "Irene can't stop talking about you! Ever since you said that you're coming for wedding, she was over the moon!"
Ishaan chuckled and looked at Irene who smiled sheepishly.
"Meet Peter. Peter this is Ishaan. Irene's best friend!" Iva said to her husband who shook hands with Ishaan.
Irene held Ishaan's arms and took him down the stage. "See it's not that bad! You don't have to shy away from gatherings just because of Raizadas."
Ishaan hummed and Irene said, "Did you like them? My sister and her husband?"
"Yeah they're cool!" Ishaan said smiling.
"See, that's what I said. Parties aren't bad!" Irene said clapping her hands.
"It is when you have a few people staring at you as if you don't belong here" Ishaan muttered looking away. Irene followed his gaze and found Raizada family staring at him.
"Don't bother!" Irene said walking him to the food section.
Ishaan took a deep breath and nodded.
"Did you talk with Aman uncle after you left?" she asked.
He nodded no and said, "I've never contacted anyone. I didn't want to worsen things!"
"Things are already worsened. Khushi aunty and Aarav bhai doesn't stay with them now"
"They didn't come back?" Ishaan asked surprised.
"No. They came back yesterday for the wedding and will fly back after a few days!" Irene said.
"So it's really over" Ishaan whispered, "But why? I mean...I am gone. I not in their lives anymore. Why did they have to separate?"
"She cannot forget it man" Irene said softly, "It's a huge betrayal!"
"But he loves her. He really loves her. And I'm...I'm just a mistake" Ishaan whispered, "God, I shouldn't have agreed to come here after ma's death!"
"You're his son and it's the truth. No matter how much you hide, it was bound to come out one day. And now that it's out, let's try to fix it!" Irene said.
Ishaan looked at her and she said, "Why don't you give it a try? Everyone tried to talk Khushi aunty out of it but no one succeeded. Why don't you do it? You think they separated because of you? Now you bring them back!"
"He hates me. And so does she" Ishaan whispered.
"They don't. I'm sure they don't! Because no matter how much you blame yourself, you're not at fault Ishaan. Don't tag yourself as a mistake!" Irene said softly patting his arm.
.
.
.
Arnav was standing in the garden and looked back to the hall. His sister and mami were talking to Khushi happily.
"Hi" a slow voice jerked him and he looked at the person next to him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked sharply and looked at his family wondering if they saw him.
"Irene invited me. And yes, they saw me" Ishaan said pocketing his hands.
Arnav sighed and nodded.
"How are you?" Ishaan asked.
"How do I look?" Arnav asked.
"Messy. Terrible" Ishaan said.
"Thanks" Arnav mumbled and was about to walk away when Ishaan said, "Did you meet her?"
He stopped and looked at him, "Why did you ask?"
"Irene told me that she and Aarav bhai went away and came only for this wedding. Did you talk to her?"
"It's none of your business. You stay out of it. And yes, stay away from them!" Arnav shouted.
"I just want to help" Ishaan said shrugging, "I will talk to them."
"No need. I don't want your help to get my wife and son back!" Arnav retorted.
"Stop acting like a kid" Ishaan said irritated, "You both separated because of me. I thought I should bring you both back together!"
"I'm warning. Stay. Away. From. My. Family" Arnav hissed.
"He is family"
Arnav and Ishaan looked to their side to find Khushi.
Arnav looked at Ishaan and then at Khushi. "Khushi listen main..."
"Stop acting as a deer under headlights!" Khushi said shaking her head, "Why are you explaining? You were just talking with your son!"
She looked at Ishaan who walked to her and touched her feet. Khushi smiled and touched his head.
"Where were you? What do you do now?" she asked.
"Karnataka. I own a mechanic shop" Ishaan said.
"Karnataka? Who do you have there?" Khushi asked frowning.
"No one" he said shrugging, "I took a train that went to Karnataka" he said chuckling.
Khushi smiled faintly and looked at Arnav.
"Hii Ishaan"
Ishaan turned to see Aarav. "Hii Aarav bhai" he said smiling nervously. Aarav smiled and hugged him. "How are you?"
"Good. Aap?"
"Great" Aarav said smiling.
"Aarav he owns a mechanic shop" Khushi said smiling.
"Arrey wah!" Aarav said smiling, "That's what you wanted to do for so long right?"
Ishaan nodded smiling and looked at Arnav who was staring at Aarav. Aarav looked at Arnav and smiled faintly. "Hii" he said slowly. Arnav walked to him and hugged him tightly. Khushi smiled faintly. Ishaan smiled faintly and walked backwards. He saw Aarav breaking the hug and talking to Arnav, with Khushi next to him, listening to their conversation.
Taking small steps, he walked backwards and entered the hall. Smiling faintly at the trio, he looked at to his left to find Irene looking at him. She patted his shoulder and he said, "The Raizadas were right. I don't belong here"
"Ish..."
"No Irene. Look at them" he said smiling at the three, "That's a family. Me? I'm an outsider, a threat to that perfect family."
He looked at her and said, his eyes welling up, "I never had a family while growing up and I'll never have one. Even if they accept me, I'll still be the illegitimate son of ASR"
"That family is broken" Irene whispered looking at the three.
"No" Ishaan shook his head, "It's broken but not broken beyond repair. They'll be together again, I'm sure. But only on one condition. I should go away!"
"Come on..."
"No Irene. I shouldn't be here. If there is no Ishaan, then there is no problem" Ishaan said firmly, "Can't you see, I'm the one who broke them. I'm, indirectly, a member of this family but I'm the one who broke this family!"
Do check out my new story The Unwanted Guest. Yes, I know, another story on Arshi and their kids. I don't know why but I've got this strange obsession with Arshi's grown up children!