Chapter forty-four
"Do you─Do you miss them?" Srishti asked hesitantly and from the way his eyes hardened she was sure he definitely didn't. He looked ready to give her a piece of her mind but since Ayaansh was in his arms, he said nothing.
She was curious now. She wanted to know about his past but would he tell her? He's too closed off and the walls he's built around his heart are too high.
Sahil sighed and closed his eyes to forget those haunting memories when he felt tiny fingers tracing his eyes. He smiled without opening them and his whole body relaxed. The power this little guy held on him was beyond words.
Ayaansh giggled watching his Dadda smile and continued doing so. Srishti stared at Sahil intently hoping that would answer the questions she had in her mind but knowing that was impossible she let out a sigh and left from there quickly.
Some time later, Aditya and Zevah arrived and Srishti couldn't feel more relieved.
"We─uh─we have decided something." Aditya awkwardly cleared his throat as they sat in the living room. Zevah looked uncomfortable as well looking around everywhere.
"You both are getting married." Sahil said in a bored tone and Zevah looked at him in shock and later at Aditya with narrowed eyes.
"You told him!" She accused and he shook his head frantically.
"I swear, I didn't." Aditya denied immediately but she just huffed and rolled her eyes. Srishti was only staring at them in shock while Sahil had no interest in the ongoing drama.
"What is going on?" Srishti asked in a daze and Zevah bit her lower lip in worry. She was so going to be dead.
"Uh, she said yes." Aditya answered grinning widely.
"But you said no." Srishti narrowed her eyes at Zevah who looked ready to run. Sahil and Ayaansh were in their own world, not interested in their conversation.
"Srishti, listen ─"
"I don't want to." She said sharply and left leaving a worried Zevah behind. Aditya followed her and asked Zevah to wait.
"Srishti, please wait." Aditya called her from behind and she stopped reluctantly.
"Aditya, I don't think this is a good idea." She sighed as they stood infront of each other.
"You think my feelings for her are not genuine?" He asked looking hurt and she instantly felt guilty.
"That is not what I meant. All I'm saying is that she's too important for me and I don't want her getting hurt. She deserves everything and all she's ever got is nothing. I know your feelings for her are genuine but I fear the circumstances that will be created once you two are together." She explained and Aditya sighed.
"She confessed." He said and she looked at him surprised.
"She did?" Aditya nodded with a smile and Srishti chuckled as well.
"Srishti, I know you're worried for Zevah and trust me I'm glad you are her best friend. All I'm saying is I'm willing to give her everything if given a chance and I want this chance with everybody important to me approving of it. Problems will arise, I agree but if we all are together we can face them better. Right?" He looked at her expectantly and she gave him an expressionless face.
Dejected he turned to leave when she held his hand and stopped him. She hugged him, surprising both of them.
"I'm glad it is you." She smiled and he smiled relieved as well.
"So we're okay?" Aditya asked once they stepped away and she nodded.
"Oh, thank god. I thought I will have to court you as well after Zevah." He sighed dramatically and Srishti laughed.
"Srishti?" He turned serious suddenly and she raised her eyebrows.
"Is Sahil alright?" He asked and she frowned but then it dawned her.
"Because of what day is today?" She was hesitant but Aditya looked shocked.
"He told you?" It looked like he couldn't believe it and that confused Srishti.
"He just said that it's his parents death anniversary today." She informed and he looked ready to pass out.
"Fuck! This is a start, Srishti. He's finally coming out of his shell." The euphoria on his face was visible and he looked out of words. He hugged her tight this time and she was startled.
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, Srishti." He repeated again and again and she was just clueless.
"I don't understand, Aditya." She finally voiced out her thoughts and he took a deep breath.
"He never and I mean never talks with anyone, not even me on this day. All he does is drown himself in work and try to forget about it. But today he told you about it and most importantly, I was surprised to see him at home and not in his office. That's a first, Srishti. And I know with you by his side, he'll be fine soon." He smiled and Srishti could only ponder over his words.
"He came back because Ayaansh called him Dadda today." She whispered and Aditya's eyes popped out.
"He did?" She nodded and Aditya couldn't contain the grin that spread on his face. His jaw hurt from smiling so much and he couldn't even complain about it. Today had just turned out best for him and hopefully soon it'll be the same for Sahil one day.
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"So you're ready now." Sahil commented and Zevah nodded curtly. She didn't want a conversation with him for God's sake and thankfully he didn't say anything after that.
She was waiting for Srishti and Aditya to return and it seemed like they were taking a forever. What were they even discussing for so long?
Finally after a long wait when they walked out, Zevah found Aditya gleaming with joy while Srishti still looked lost in her thoughts. What the? What did he even do?
"Srishti, I'm sorry." She blurted out immediately once they were near and glared at Aditya who looked taken aback. What did he do now?
Srishti chuckled and hugged Zevah, surprising her but she hugged her back nonetheless.
"Its fine. I'm not mad, just surprised. And I'm glad that you finally confessed." Zevah's eyes widened and her head whipped in Aditya's direction who was smirking at her.
She looked away as her cheeks turned red and Srishti laughed at her.
"Alright fine. Now that everything is settled, let me spend some time with Ayaansh." Aditya announced and without giving a chance to Sahil, picked Ayaansh in his arms.
"What the─!" Sahil exclaimed and tried to take his son back but Aditya wasn't having it. He turned away from him and Ayaansh giggled finding it amusing. This continued for some time as Ayaansh kept laughing and the two men purposely fought to entertain him.
Srishti kept staring at Sahil with a smile as he played along, staring at Ayaansh with a different kind of shine in his eyes. What was he really hiding?
Some time later, Srishti and Sahil were the only ones in the house because Aditya actually took Ayaansh with him and somewhere she knew that he was doing it purposely.
And true to Aditya's words, Sahil was locked up in his study room after they left and she didn't know what she was supposed to do. Should she go in there and talk to him?
And have a death wish? No thanks.
She sighed and left for the terrace not knowing what else to do. As she stood there and thought about her relationship with Sahil, she heard the door opening and turned around only to find Sahil there.
He stopped as soon as he found her there and stared at her. What was she doing here?
"Sahil," She called out as he turned to leave and he stopped in his tracks.
"Do I make you uncomfortable?" She asked and he still didn't turn around.
"Why would you?" He counter questioned and she sighed.
"Because you're running away, again." She pointed out and he turned to look at her this time. She held his gaze not backing down.
"Again?" He raised his left eyebrow and she shrugged. After a two minute silence, he walked upto her and stood beside her. None of them said anything but she could stay quiet only for so much time.
"How did you feel when Ayaansh called you Dadda?" She turned her head to look at him and noticed his lips turning upwards a bit.
"I can't explain." She gave him a are-you-serious-look and he shrugged in return.
"You know, I don't know who my parents are." She started staring into space whereas Sahil turned to look at her.
"Did you notice that my name is only mentioned as Srishti? No surname?" Sahil nodded at that and she gave him a small smile.
"That's how it has been. I don't even know if my real name is Srishti. What my surname is, who are my parents, why was I abandoned, do I even have a family, nothing. I know nothing. I tried to find them at first, I cried, got angry, tried to take my own life but in the end I got to know nothing at all. So I gave up. I accepted that I had no identity in this world and that my presence or absence wouldn't make a difference to anybody. Everyone I knew at that age, left one by one, got adopted, ran away but then these kids which were there with me, whom I took in, made me feel important. I lived for them and fearing that they would leave as well, I refused to give them for adoption. Selfish I know, but I couldn't do anything else." She sighed and looked down trying to control her emotions.
She didn't know why she was sharing it all with him but it felt right in that moment. She didn't dare to look at him because if she did, she knew she would break down.
"So are you never going to let them have what they want?" She swallowed hard at his question and he just gauged her reaction.
"No─I─I'm going to let them go." Her voice wavered and she closed her eyes tight to keep her tears inside but eventually they slipped out.
"You don't have to let them go, you just have to set them free." Sahil said and she looked at him for the first time since her crying session.
He was staring at her with something akin to tenderness and she couldn't tell if it was her blurry vision or her thoughts which were messing up with her mind.
"Don't try to hold onto something which will easily slip away through your fingers. Just let it go." He stared at her intently and she stared right back.
Something had changed between them in that moment and both were aware of it.
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To be continued...