'...Yes Mr Raizada. I just got off the phone with them, they said they want to try and reach a settlement out of court. I have arranged a meeting here in the conference hall at three o'clock. Is that ok?'
'Hmmm...yeah I would prefer that too. The meeting is at three? So in an hour...good...the sooner we get this over with the better for all of us.' With that Arnav hung up the phone with Mr. Roy and turned to relate the details of the conversation to Nani and Anjali, who were staring at him intently.
'That was my lawyer. Viraj thankfully in this passing month has seen reason and has decided to reach an agreement out of court. He and His lawyer talked to Mr Roy and we will meet at Mr Roy's firm in about an hour.'
Hearing them wanting to keep the case out of court and thereby out of the media, relaxed the tense muscles in both Nani and Anjali's body, as Arnav too breathed a sigh of relief. He had hoped that the notice he had finally sent a week ago would not be seen as a threat but as an option he was willing to take, but would much rather prefer not to. It had taken many nights and serious conversations with Mr Roy to draw up a custody claim that would show Arnav's right over Aarav, but at the same time not seem too threatening. A whole month had gone by and Arnav had spent more time with Mr Roy, and found out way more about him and his weird quirks, than he would have preferred to.
Heaving a sigh, he got up to change into something more appropriate then his jeans and shirt, in which he had been watering his plants, while Nani kept him company. He had grown very close to her this past month. He wasn't sure how it had happened, and why she had not shunned him too like the others had, she should have in his opinion, but thankfully she hadn't; instead she had been his shoulder, and he was grateful for it. He couldn't understand how he had kept her at arm's length all these years, when after this passing month he couldn't even bare to think about not having her near him. He had latched onto her like a murder victim would onto their rescuer, like Sheetal had onto him after he had 'rescued' her from his bought goons. Clinging on for pure survival. He shuddered as the memory of Sheetal and everything that he had done to her entered his mind again. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, allowing the memories and the feelings of self-hatred to pass, just the way Nani had told him to do, and they did.
Once in control of himself again, he began towards his room, but was stopped in his tracks by a voice he hadn't heard in over a month. A voice his ears had craved for but in vain. For she wouldn't look at him, let alone talk to him. But today she finally broke her silence and called out his name.
'Chotey...' Chotey...Chotey. Chotey. How he had missed her soft, sweet voice and the way she uttered Chotey. He spun around to face Anjali, just to make sure he wasn't imagining her voice. He wasn't, she stood there, next to Nani, a small, fragile smile forming on her lips. How long had it been since she had smiled? Too long. But no matter she was smiling now, and that smile was for him and only him. He treasured that smile, for it was the first she had given him in weeks.
She had come here to inquire after Nani, when Arnav had received the phone call from Mr. Roy and so had stayed to listen to what the call was about. Arnav had been happy to see her there, but hadn't pushed his luck by addressing her, for she had made it clear that she wanted as little as possible to do with him in the past month. It had hurt not having her lap to seek solace in, but then he had done such a hideous crime he could not expect her to be anything but cold towards him. After all, what he had done, he had done in the name of her love, as misguided as that was; so she had every right to keep her distance from him, and he had to just accept it. But today, today she had come forward herself, finally broken the ice and acknowledged him. More importantly, smiled at him. That spread such warmth inside his body, the warmth of hope. Hope that things were finally coming around, that the worst was finally over.
Encouraged by her smile and her addressing him, he advanced towards her, but stopped a few feet in front of her, timid and unsure, whether she was ready to accept him completely or not.
'Di?' he inquired, shyly.
She was silent for a bit, trying to phrase her thoughts in the correct manner. When she finally spoke, Arnav could hear the emotion she tried to cover with her cool voice.
'Chotey, I...I just wanted you to know that just because I haven't been talking to you, does not mean that I am not happy with what you are doing. I am glad to see that you have realised what your responsibility to Aarav is and that you are actually fighting for him. Chotey, I am proud of the man I have seen you grow into in the past month...and Mama would be too, that I am sure of.' Her voice cracked on the last part, just as a hot tear formed in her eyes. Arnav stepped towards her wanting to say something but found his voice blocked by the hard lump which had formed in his throat. He raised his hand to comfort Anjali, but she looked away as she brushed her tears. She still wasn't ready to forgive him completely. Whispering a muffled good luck to him, she walked away; leaving an emotional Arnav with his arm still raised staring after her.
It was Nani's loving hand on his shoulder that brought him out of the moment and made him realise his hand was still in mid air.
'Chotey, don't be upset that she left. Be happy that she finally talked to you. That she is proud of you. Don't delve on what she didn't let you do, but rejoice in what she said to you.' Arnav cupped her hand on his shoulder with his and turned around to face her, showing her the glistening tears that pooled in his eyes. Before she could wipe it, he took her into a tight hug and the let his tears numb her shoulder.
'I am happy Nani.' He whispered into her shoulder, and to prove it he pulled back to show the teary smile on his face that expressed pure happiness, at finally managing to come onto speaking terms with his sister. Seeing his smile Nani was assured. She raised her hands to wipe away his tears, and he let her.
'Di...Di talked to me Nani', he stammered, 'and not just that, she smiled and said that she was proud of me. I made her proud Nani. Me. The person who has given her such grief, made her proud. I couldn't be happier. Would I have loved to give her a hug? Yes I would, but I am no fool Nani, I know what I have done, and so to even get Di's support if not her embrace means a lot to me. So, no, Nani I won't delve in what didn't happen today, but will rejoice in the fact that she finally spoke to me. The fact that I have made her proud means everything to me, and it also fills me up with hope Nani that one day, soon hopefully, I will manage to earn her forgiveness completely. And until that day I will be happy in the words and smile she has given me today.'
Hearing these words from her grandson brought tears to her own eyes. Anjali was right, he had grown so much in this past month. He had finally learnt to let his pain go and to embrace love and its warmth, wholly. She, herself was so proud of the man she was seeing him grow into. A man whose eye's didn't reflect hatred for the pain that lived inside him, but rather emitted love for the ones he fought to gain back in his life, day and night: Aarav. Anjali. Khushi.
She cupped his face and planted a kiss on his forehead, 'Chotey, I too am so very proud of the person you are working on becoming. I can't tell you about the happiness that blooms inside my chest at seeing this new side of you. I am happy that you finally learnt to let the pain go instead of festering it into a horrible wound. You will see Chotey, how much this will help you in conquering your goals. The day is not far when Aarav, Anjali and Khushi...yes Khushi too, will be by your side. This I am sure of.'
He couldn't say anything in response to this, so he just hugged her back, whilst silently praying that her words would come true. That he would have Aarav, Di and Khushi back in his life, soon.
'Hmmm...yeah I would prefer that too. The meeting is at three? So in an hour...good...the sooner we get this over with the better for all of us.' With that Arnav hung up the phone with Mr. Roy and turned to relate the details of the conversation to Nani and Anjali, who were staring at him intently.
'That was my lawyer. Viraj thankfully in this passing month has seen reason and has decided to reach an agreement out of court. He and His lawyer talked to Mr Roy and we will meet at Mr Roy's firm in about an hour.'
Hearing them wanting to keep the case out of court and thereby out of the media, relaxed the tense muscles in both Nani and Anjali's body, as Arnav too breathed a sigh of relief. He had hoped that the notice he had finally sent a week ago would not be seen as a threat but as an option he was willing to take, but would much rather prefer not to. It had taken many nights and serious conversations with Mr Roy to draw up a custody claim that would show Arnav's right over Aarav, but at the same time not seem too threatening. A whole month had gone by and Arnav had spent more time with Mr Roy, and found out way more about him and his weird quirks, than he would have preferred to.
Heaving a sigh, he got up to change into something more appropriate then his jeans and shirt, in which he had been watering his plants, while Nani kept him company. He had grown very close to her this past month. He wasn't sure how it had happened, and why she had not shunned him too like the others had, she should have in his opinion, but thankfully she hadn't; instead she had been his shoulder, and he was grateful for it. He couldn't understand how he had kept her at arm's length all these years, when after this passing month he couldn't even bare to think about not having her near him. He had latched onto her like a murder victim would onto their rescuer, like Sheetal had onto him after he had 'rescued' her from his bought goons. Clinging on for pure survival. He shuddered as the memory of Sheetal and everything that he had done to her entered his mind again. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, allowing the memories and the feelings of self-hatred to pass, just the way Nani had told him to do, and they did.
Once in control of himself again, he began towards his room, but was stopped in his tracks by a voice he hadn't heard in over a month. A voice his ears had craved for but in vain. For she wouldn't look at him, let alone talk to him. But today she finally broke her silence and called out his name.
'Chotey...' Chotey...Chotey. Chotey. How he had missed her soft, sweet voice and the way she uttered Chotey. He spun around to face Anjali, just to make sure he wasn't imagining her voice. He wasn't, she stood there, next to Nani, a small, fragile smile forming on her lips. How long had it been since she had smiled? Too long. But no matter she was smiling now, and that smile was for him and only him. He treasured that smile, for it was the first she had given him in weeks.
She had come here to inquire after Nani, when Arnav had received the phone call from Mr. Roy and so had stayed to listen to what the call was about. Arnav had been happy to see her there, but hadn't pushed his luck by addressing her, for she had made it clear that she wanted as little as possible to do with him in the past month. It had hurt not having her lap to seek solace in, but then he had done such a hideous crime he could not expect her to be anything but cold towards him. After all, what he had done, he had done in the name of her love, as misguided as that was; so she had every right to keep her distance from him, and he had to just accept it. But today, today she had come forward herself, finally broken the ice and acknowledged him. More importantly, smiled at him. That spread such warmth inside his body, the warmth of hope. Hope that things were finally coming around, that the worst was finally over.
Encouraged by her smile and her addressing him, he advanced towards her, but stopped a few feet in front of her, timid and unsure, whether she was ready to accept him completely or not.
'Di?' he inquired, shyly.
She was silent for a bit, trying to phrase her thoughts in the correct manner. When she finally spoke, Arnav could hear the emotion she tried to cover with her cool voice.
'Chotey, I...I just wanted you to know that just because I haven't been talking to you, does not mean that I am not happy with what you are doing. I am glad to see that you have realised what your responsibility to Aarav is and that you are actually fighting for him. Chotey, I am proud of the man I have seen you grow into in the past month...and Mama would be too, that I am sure of.' Her voice cracked on the last part, just as a hot tear formed in her eyes. Arnav stepped towards her wanting to say something but found his voice blocked by the hard lump which had formed in his throat. He raised his hand to comfort Anjali, but she looked away as she brushed her tears. She still wasn't ready to forgive him completely. Whispering a muffled good luck to him, she walked away; leaving an emotional Arnav with his arm still raised staring after her.
It was Nani's loving hand on his shoulder that brought him out of the moment and made him realise his hand was still in mid air.
'Chotey, don't be upset that she left. Be happy that she finally talked to you. That she is proud of you. Don't delve on what she didn't let you do, but rejoice in what she said to you.' Arnav cupped her hand on his shoulder with his and turned around to face her, showing her the glistening tears that pooled in his eyes. Before she could wipe it, he took her into a tight hug and the let his tears numb her shoulder.
'I am happy Nani.' He whispered into her shoulder, and to prove it he pulled back to show the teary smile on his face that expressed pure happiness, at finally managing to come onto speaking terms with his sister. Seeing his smile Nani was assured. She raised her hands to wipe away his tears, and he let her.
'Di...Di talked to me Nani', he stammered, 'and not just that, she smiled and said that she was proud of me. I made her proud Nani. Me. The person who has given her such grief, made her proud. I couldn't be happier. Would I have loved to give her a hug? Yes I would, but I am no fool Nani, I know what I have done, and so to even get Di's support if not her embrace means a lot to me. So, no, Nani I won't delve in what didn't happen today, but will rejoice in the fact that she finally spoke to me. The fact that I have made her proud means everything to me, and it also fills me up with hope Nani that one day, soon hopefully, I will manage to earn her forgiveness completely. And until that day I will be happy in the words and smile she has given me today.'
Hearing these words from her grandson brought tears to her own eyes. Anjali was right, he had grown so much in this past month. He had finally learnt to let his pain go and to embrace love and its warmth, wholly. She, herself was so proud of the man she was seeing him grow into. A man whose eye's didn't reflect hatred for the pain that lived inside him, but rather emitted love for the ones he fought to gain back in his life, day and night: Aarav. Anjali. Khushi.
She cupped his face and planted a kiss on his forehead, 'Chotey, I too am so very proud of the person you are working on becoming. I can't tell you about the happiness that blooms inside my chest at seeing this new side of you. I am happy that you finally learnt to let the pain go instead of festering it into a horrible wound. You will see Chotey, how much this will help you in conquering your goals. The day is not far when Aarav, Anjali and Khushi...yes Khushi too, will be by your side. This I am sure of.'
He couldn't say anything in response to this, so he just hugged her back, whilst silently praying that her words would come true. That he would have Aarav, Di and Khushi back in his life, soon.
Dressed in his suit, he gathered his papers and turned to get his phone that lay on the bed. He swiped the screen to check the time and that's when her face lit up his screen. Khushi. It had been a whole month since he had seen or heard from her. His heart gave a violent pang at seeing the photo of her he had set as his display picture. It wasn't of any significant occasion and to somebody else it would have seemed a very ordinary picture, but to him it was his Khushi in her most beautiful form. It was of her sleeping, in her tai-Kwando position. But it wasn't the angle in which she lay that set his heart running a marathon (that part was cropped out of the photo as it was), it was the peace and innocence that emitted from her face and extended to him every time he saw her sleeping that made his heart beat a mile a minute. That was his Khushi: so sweet, so serene, so beautiful and yet so crazy at the same time. He heaved a sigh. He missed her terribly. How he yearned to call her, hear her voice. Tell her about the meeting he was going to. He needed her love, her support desperately, but he restrained himself from dialing her number, just the way he had been doing every minute of this past month. He had promised her that he would give her space and so he wouldn't break that promise. He couldn't, he had broken her heart already, and that too, too many times. The least he could do was keep his word and leave her be until she was ready to talk to him.
Out of desperation he pressed the phone towards his chest, and closed his eyes, trying re-create her feel. But of course, she wasn't there and so he felt no warmth, no love spreading through his body. Pulling himself together, and silently scolding himself for being silly for hugging a phone, he moved back to the table, picked up his file, drained the last dregs of coffee that were in his mug before heading for the door. That's when his phone lit up a second time, but this time it displayed a new picture of Khushi. A picture that stopped him dead in his tracks. This was of her in a red sari, the one she had worn for the calendar shoot. That day she had made him stop dead in his tracks too, for it had been the very day his heart had opened up to her, although he had denied it back then. He stared at it. That picture meant only one thing: she was calling him (this was the photo he had assigned to her number). That meant...that Khushi was calling him. Khushi. Dumbstruck he stared at his phone.
Out of desperation he pressed the phone towards his chest, and closed his eyes, trying re-create her feel. But of course, she wasn't there and so he felt no warmth, no love spreading through his body. Pulling himself together, and silently scolding himself for being silly for hugging a phone, he moved back to the table, picked up his file, drained the last dregs of coffee that were in his mug before heading for the door. That's when his phone lit up a second time, but this time it displayed a new picture of Khushi. A picture that stopped him dead in his tracks. This was of her in a red sari, the one she had worn for the calendar shoot. That day she had made him stop dead in his tracks too, for it had been the very day his heart had opened up to her, although he had denied it back then. He stared at it. That picture meant only one thing: she was calling him (this was the photo he had assigned to her number). That meant...that Khushi was calling him. Khushi. Dumbstruck he stared at his phone.
*****
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