***Abhimanyu's P. O. V***
"Oh really?! Good friends?! So you'd be okay if some dude who is interested in Naina comes up to you and talks with you?!" Kunal hissed, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring at me.
His words caught me straight in the heart, putting me back to the moment when I'd first seen that tattoo on Naina's chest, and to that moment earlier in the car - the tattoo of her ex on her chest... a guy whom she truly loved!
I blinked and looked back at Kunal, who continued to stare back at me with narrowed eyes.
"Rohan... is not in love with Shruthi okay?! Hey just because a guy and a girl are good friends doesn't mean that they're in love with one another!! Shru and I used to hang out all the time during college and everyone around us thought we were a couple because we used to spend so much time together!! But we both know that we're only good friends and she sees me as her bro and I find my sister in her!" I rolled my eyes at Kunal, trying hard to be in the present and not get lost to the grief of my heart - of how my girl has her ex etched on her heart!
And when Kunal didn't say anything else, I called up Rohan, asking him to come over to Shruthi's apartment right now.
"He so loves her!" Kunal mumbled, the moment I disconnected that call with Rohan and informed Kunal that Rohan would be here as soon as possible.
"Oh give it a break man! And stop being so paranoid!! They weren't in love!! Open your mind and see how Rohan is being a good friend to Shruthi... and that Shruthi loves you... and only you!!" I sighed, to which Kunal glared at me.
"Oh you're an open minded ass... I mean... Open minded guy... So you're telling me you're okay if Naina met up with her ex huh?!" Kunal's voice made me snap my head in his direction, blinking in confusion.
"You know about the guy?" I gulped, tears prickling my eyes in an instant.
Kunal blinked at me in confusion, and as the memory of that tattoo hit my mind again, my guts constricted and my heart squeezed in ache.
"Abhay.. or Akash... Or Amit... Or Anand... Or whatever that guy's name is... You knew about him right? You know about him.. and Naina... right?!" my voice was much more louder than I'd intended for it to be and tears blurred my vision but I continued to glare at Kunal, my whole body shivering with a rage I never knew to be possible of me.
Kunal's gaze instantly turned soft and he let out a deep sigh.
"I was away at business school when... When it all.... I was always Naina's best friend and I was always there for her... even though I was in hostel, I was just a phone call away for her!! But then...right after my school, I went away for higher studies... lost in my love for Shruthi, and my aim to become a good businessman and take-over from dadaji ASAP.... and I couldn't be there for my Naina... when she needed me the most... She felt lonely.... And they met... And she never told me about him..." Kunal sniffed and I gaped at him, wide-eyed, as he wiped his eyes with the hem of his t-shirt.
"I got to know only after the whole.... Fiasco... My poor baby.... She suffered so much and didn't once tell me about it!" He choked.
I stared him in confusion, and Kunal gave out a bitter laugh.
"That rat bastard only wanted her money! Of course initially he hadn't known she was a Raichand... But when he got to know.... And my idiot sister believed he loved her! And then... my naive sister fell deep and hard for that asshole, whilst all he wanted was her money!! He left her for good when he got to know that he won't be getting any money from her, but my idiot stupid naive sister still believes that that fucker genuinely loved her!!" Kunal gave another bitter laugh, before looking sadly at me.
"I was around 3 years old when Naina entered the family.... Di was 8-9 years old and since I was the youngest, I used to get pampered a lot.... but then Naina came... delicate and so tiny.... she got all the attention of my parents and di.... and even dada ji... he loved her a lot..." Kunal trailed off, smiling sadly at me.
I sat down at one of the kitchen counters, and so did Kunal, and for a moment there was pin drop silence.
"She was very delicate and ill at that time.... and for the first few months of her life, she was at the hospital. I remember dadaji fretting about her delicate condition and he'd rush to the hospital every day.... he'd spend nights there, looking after her and just sitting outside the ICU where she was admitted.... all of a sudden Naina became the VIP in the family and I was just another person!" Kunal sobbed.
"It all grew worse when they shifted her back home .. she was still so delicate... She needed a lot of care and attention... so now even the house keeping staff were all over her... nobody cared about me....." Kunal trailed off, his voice so broken... I'd never heard him so broken - even when he was missing Shruthi.. he was never this broken!
A loud groan issued from where Kunal was sat, followed by a loud sob, making me gaze at him in horror.
Covering his face with both his hands, he broke into another loud sob, and I watched in horror as one of the most chilled-out guy in the world lost his cool and sob!
"Kunal!!" I gasped, getting off my place and rushing towards him.
"I just wanted her out.... I wanted all that attention on me again... I'd had enough in those few months and I.... I was tired of her!! So... I... I don't know what I wanted to do.... but I hated her Abhi!!" Kunal choked, tears streaming down his broken face as he shot his eyes to me.
"She used to sleep in my room y'know... I had to share with her....And then one day.... She was in her crib.... I went to her... and there she was.... this tiny little thing.... and even as I looked down at her, she smiled!! She giggled.... my baby sister giggled at me for the very first time!!" Kunal chuckled, wiping his tears and sniffing his tears.
"And at that moment I think... I kissed her... and knew she was my girl... and just like everyone else, she made me too fall for her... my baby girl she is.." Kunal chuckled.
I couldn't help smile... well he wasn't sobbing anymore!! I can only imagine how this 3 year old kid must have felt to have all the love attention that he used to receive, now having to share it with another baby!!! But to forget all that frustration (even as a kid!) and own-upto that small baby... wow!!
How would my Naina have had looked as a small baby?! She was so ill when she was a small baby.... and she survived all that - my brave girl!! I'll get to see a miniature Naina when we have a baby girl of our own!! I can't wait to hold a miniature Naina in my hands!! The same cute little nose.... and those beautiful doe-eyes!! And the silky soft hair... and her voice.... I'll pamper my daughter like how I pamper my wife... because both of them will be the queens of my heart!
"You love her a lot, don't you?!" Kunal finally asked, wiping his face and looking at me with wide eyes.
"And you'll continue to love her... no matter what, won't you!?!" Kunal added, looking quite somber.
I blinked at Kunal, who smiled, as though he didn't need any answer from me.
"Naina.... she's adopted... I found her adoption papers when I was in highschool.." Kunal trailed off, looking at me like as though I was a bubbling hot volcano!!
I continued to blink at Kunal, who was looking intently at me, as though waiting for me to burst.
But why's he waiting for me to burst like a volcano?!
"Okay...?!" I said, quite unsure of what Kunal was expecting me to say.
"What?! That's the reaction you have?! Like really saale sahab?! You find out that the woman you love is not a true born Raichand and that she's been adopted from some orphanage and this is the reaction you give?! Just an okay?!" Kunal asked, looking at me in half exasperation and half amusement.
"So what dude?! The fact remains that I love Naina, irrespective of the fact if she's adopted or if she's a true-born Raichand! What matters to me is her love and happiness... not what she's born of!" I shrugged, helping myself to a glass of water.
Kunal gaped at me as if I was that jadoo from the movie Koi mil gaya.
"What?!" I raised my eyebrow at Kunal.
"That fucker broke my sister to pieces after he found out that Naina's adopted... Well he'd have left her anyway, once he'd get her property I reckon...." Kunal shook his head.
When I continued to blink at Kunal in confusion, he sighed.
"Anand.... he... was Naina's ex.... he might have genuinely loved her I don't know.... but once he found out that she's adopted... he thought that he wouldn't get any of the property from Naina because she's adopted I think... yet he tried to keep it going and get as much money out of her as possible for as long as possible I think... but then... dadu found out..... and... well... that bastard tried to blackmail dada ji into signing Naina's share of the property into his name!!" Kunal chuckled.
"What?!" I let out a chuckle, wondering who this dick-head was who had the guts to try and blackmail Mr.Hitler-dadaji!!
"I don't know how Anand found out that she was adopted... but he knew that Naina didn't know it.... so when dada ji found out about them..... he invited Anand over, for a chat.... and that fucker came over in full swag, as though he owned the place.... that fucker had the balls to sit in front of dada ji, and blackmail him for shares in the property!! He didn't know my dadu.... anyway.... I don't know what that Anand did to my Naina.... she's never been the same...." Kunal trailed off, his eyes pooling with tears again.
I almost blurted to Kunal at how Naina still seemed to have feelings for this so called Anand, and how she had his name tattooed over her heart.
"... she wasn't the same... till you came along.... I can see that she's slowly turning back to her old self now... with you.... she's smiling more freely now, and she's turning into the feisty chatter-box I knew her to be... and for that, I shall always owe you Abhi... and thanks a lot... for bringing back my sister..." Kunal held my eyes in his gratitude-filled ones.
Blood rose to my cheeks and I rubbed the nape of my neck - why was he thanking me?! Isn't it y duty and my deepest desire to keep the love of my life happy?!
But does Kunal know how I'm keeping Naina happy?! Maybe not... seeing how he's still a virgin, even after a month of his marriage.
I pursed my lip to stop myself from chuckling at the thought... well whatever, he's my BIL and I will always be thankful to him for helping me get the woman of my dreams!
"After that Anand fiasco..... dada ji avoided Naina, sent her to a far off country under the pretence of sending her to college and never once going out to meet her.... our parents distanced themselves from her... all our relatives were already all about how pretty and ideal di is for having made such respectable marriage and achieving so much in her professional life... always comparing di to Naina.... after returning from Australia, my baby sister had changed beyond recognition.... she tried to be all buoyant and cool.... but her eyes never had the twinkle it once used to have.... but now.... I can see that twinkle in her eyes again Abhi... she's smiling from her heart!! Thank you man!!" Kunal pulled me into an abrupt hug, taking me completely by surprise... due to which....
"What the fuck are you doing?! Why's your hand on my dick?!" Kunal groaned in disgust, pushing me away.
"I wasn't prepared for the hug!!" I said hotly, rubbing the nape of my neck in embarrassment, and just realizing that I just had a second-base moment with my saala by touching his dick over his pant!
Quickly washing my hands in the sink, I turned to look at Kunal, who was still shooting furtive glances towards me, fiddling with his hands.
"What?"! I cleared my throat, feeling rather shy - fuck I just touched my wife's brother's dick.... over his trousers but still!!
"Naina doesn't know she's adopted... it might kill her if she finds out" Kunal trailed off softly, but firmly, as though indicating that I ought to continue keeping this matter a secret.
"And she won't find out" I nodded my head to Kunal, reassuringly, to which he nodded back and smiled.
For a moment, there was pin drop silence, as we shot furtive glances to one another, a question burning to burst out of me - but do I pose it to Kunal, or not?!
"Have you met this Anand in person?! Where's he now?!" the question tumbled out of my mouth even before I could stop it.
Kunal cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably on the balls of his feet, as though pondering on what to answer.
Finally - "I uh.... I haven't met him in person... no... I was away when all this happened.... and so I don't even know what he's up to..... I do know that he's married some rich girl and is a businessman somewhere....." Kunal trailed off, rather thoughtfully.
Hah - so the dude is a good long way away from my girl so that she doesn't get upset... so that's okay?! I guess?!
I'd barely opened my mouth to ask what this dude's full name was, when the door-bell rang.
"Ah... must be Rohan!!" Kunal jumped in an excitement that didn't suit him at all, as he turned and dashed out of the living room.
I'd just turned to pour out the coffee that Kunal was making earlier, when...
"What the blazing hell is this?!" Kunal's yell made me jump and rush to the living room.
There in the living room, stood a completely pissed-off looking Kunal, a confused looking Rohan, and.... an ecstatic looking Nikhil.
Oh my God this is gonna be fun!!!!
A chuckle escaped my lips as my eyes caught Nikhil's relaxed form, with a smirk up his lips, ready to start pulling Kunal's legs any moment now.
"So Kunal bhaisahab... kaise yaad kiya is bichare ko?! Urgent work... wait... am I becoming maamu?!?!?!?" Nikhil broke the silence, smirking but trying to look very innocent as he gazed at Kunal's pissed-off face.
"Why did you ask them to come?!" Kunal whined, turning to look at me, his eyes red with fury.
"I didn't know Nik was gonna tag along!" I shrugged, forcing my face to look nonchalant as I sat down on the sofa, trying hard not to laugh.
"Hey now the old saying goes that happiness increases by ten folds if you share it!!" Nik shook his head disapprovingly at Kunal.
"Everything okay man?! You asked me to come up ASAP?!" Rohan asked in concern, walking over towards me.
"Oh yeah all... cool..." I said as seriously as possible, a chuckle almost escaping my lips.
"Oh my God... Shru really is pregnant?!" Nikhil cried in a voice filled with half amusement, half disgust.
"Really?!" Rohan blinked, looking completely shocked as he gazed from me to a pissed-off-looking Kunal.
"We haven't had sex yet!" Kunal grumbled, as he threw himself onto a nearby sofa.
"What?!" Nikhil yelled dramatically and so suddenly, he made all three of us jump.
"I'll go see where Shru and Naina are at..." I got up, hastily making my way towards the main-door - I'm gonna die controlling this laughter if I sit here for another second!!
"Why did you call me?!" Rohan asked, making me turn to face him.
Do I tell them the issue... or not?!
"You're a virgin..... and so is Shruthi....." Nikhil trailed off, looking at a red-faced Kunal in suspicion.
"Fuck!! You guys don't know how to have sex, do you!?" Nikhil gasped, before he fell down laughing.
"Really?!" Rohan blinked at Kunal, who nodded his head slowly, his face now the deepest shade of puce!
As Nikhil continued to roll around laughing, Rohan sighed, sitting down next to Kunal now, and looking at him rather uncomfortably.
"I uh... have a doctor... friend.... I'll give you his number.... if you want to... um... y'know.... talk... and uh..." Rohan trailed off, shooting furtive glances towards Kunal.
"Hey!! I am ready to banto-fy free gyan here!! Gyaan should be distributed freely!! Not by some consultant who'll charge like a thousand bucks an hour!!" Nikhil shook his head indignantly, looking seriously at Kunal.
"I'll go and check up on the girls!" I quickly dashed out of the house, and up a flight of stairs before stopping for breath - it's gonna be a looooooooong time before Nikhil would finally shut up... and I am not gonna be at the receiving end of his "free gyaan".. again!!
Had enough the first time oh no!!
Shaking my head and chuckling to myself, I slowly made my way to the terrace, hoping Naina and Shruthi would be there. Maybe I should talk to Naina face-to-face regarding this tattoo thingy and how it's disturbing me?!
The cool night breeze hit my face and ruffled my hair as soon as I opened the terrace door, a smile curling my lips as my eyes fell on my best friend, and then on my lovely wife - will I ever stop loving her?!
The two girls were sitting on the porch-chairs laid out on the terrace, their backs to me. Naina was sipping on a bottle of beer, and Shruthi was toying with the label of the bottle in her hand, Shruthi trying to convince Naina about... whaT?!
Nope!!
"... I can't be around Rohan because I slept with him in college Shruthi!!" Naina shook her head, making me stop dead on my tracks.
What?!
"What?! That's preposterous!!! Rohan went out with you in college yes, but he never had sex with you Naina!!" Shruthi was shaking her head in disagreement.
"I was depressed as hell for having to come back to India... it was the last day of semester... and there was some party.... he was there too... and we both were drunk... very drunk!! I woke up in his bed the next day, he was buck naked!!" Naina was shaking her head too, sighing rather sadly?!
"Oh God Naina for the last time!! Rohan did not have sex with you that day!! If you people had... had sex.... then he'd have told me about it!!" Shruthi's voice was raised as she glared at Naina.
"Arre yaar!! We both don't remember how we ended up on his bed... but we did it!! We were so damn drunk... he was naked bro!!! Why else would he have been naked?!" Naina hissed.
I don't know when and how I turned away from the place, and back the flight of stairs to Shruthi's apartment - Naina was in a relationship with Rohan?! Why hadn't she ever mentioned it to me?! And they'd even been physical?! Why hadn't Rohan ever told me about it either?!!?
Was this the reason why he'd avoided coming to my wedding with Naina?!
"You!!!" I hissed, entering Shruthi's apartment in a rush and walking straight to Rohan.
"You two... out!!" I hissed at Kunal and Nikhil, who both stared at me.
"OUT!!!!" I yelled, and without further adieu, both of them rushed to one of the bedrooms and closed the door behind them.
"You... my dear friend .... you dated Naina in college?!" I hissed at Rohan, as he stood up to gape at me in horror.
"You guys even had sex!! You were together for quite some time?! When were you even planning on telling me this huh?!" I hissed at Rohan, who looked at me in horror.
"Bro!! I agree that Naina and I used to date back in college... but I swear... we never got physical!!" Rohan shook his head.
To be continued....
A/n - so... how's the chapter?! I'd missed Nik hehee.... leave in your comments and I promise to update next chapter in a few days' time (3-4 days at max)
Love,
Megha.