Chp. 3

Har ehsaas mein tu hai
Har ik yaad mein tera afsaana.
 
The invitation to the wedding of La and Arjun had left me a lot incredulous.

I was sure that sooner or later those two would make that big step, but I was not sure I could even make  a step so important as to return to Chandigarh.

Five years earlier I had gone away .

I said goodbye to my father, to the Raizada's, all my friends and I got on a plane that had brought me miles and miles away, in a city I knew only through photographs and news on TV. Mumbai!

I knew that I would have started a new life, a life where I will be alone, with my unique strength, a life where there were no friends who offered a shoulder to cry on if something went wrong, a life in which there was no father who maintain you, a life where I had to grow up and become independent.

I was twenty and it was time that I took serious and responsible.
Luck wanted that in the plane that took me to Mumbai  I met Avinash Malhotra, my Avi, the only person who has been next to me throughout this period.

Like me, he went out from a difficult situation of loving and he wanted to forget. His girlfriend betrayed him with another man, but not any ordinary man, his best friend, who Avinash had learned to consider a brother. A double betrayal that led him to run away and start a new life.

On that plane we talked a lot, maybe because talking to a stranger is easier.
In the end, we both knew that once we reached the end of the travel each one would take different paths and we would not have ever see each other again. However, exactly one week after arriving in Mumbai we found out we had rented our apartments in the building, just a door away.

We took a coffee together and then we never left. I think I know him from a life and maybe it's so because I know him really well since my new life has begun and I'm not going to get away from him.
He has helped me over the years and, perhaps, if he has not been next to me, my life would have been a disaster.

- Mom are you ready? - Surbhi asked me while watching TV with his little brother.

To make me forgive about the fact that the night before I stayed at work, I had promised that I would have brought them in the afternoon to eat an icecream, so after lunch I had prepared them both and then I was racing to prepare myself.

- Yes darling, I'm ready. Come on - I said addressing to both and they immediately switched off the tv.

I took the bag and then hand in hand with my two treasures I went out of the house and bumped into Avinash.

- I think only a shower didn't help you to open your eyes - he told me while I pretended to do a sarcastic laugh.

- Hey, do not make fun of my mom! - defended my angel with brown eyes.

Me and Avinash smiled of my angel's jealousy even if there wasn't nothing to be surprise.

Nannav had always been so. For him, Surbhi and me were his women. 
Sometimes this side of his character reminded me of HIM, HE who has an unprecedented type of jealousy, especially when it was about me.

I stopped to look at my angel and I could not help to notice that was not that the only thing that made Nannav so like him. It seemed to me to see him in the black-haired boy who was my angel of five years.

Nannav was handsome, fine-featured black hair, but the most beautiful thing were these eyes. They were lively and rebellious a bright brown, a light chocolate brown eyes that catch you at first sight and he was able to steal your soul . Two brown eyes just like his dad

I chased away those thoughts, even though I knew they would return again and again and again and the rest of the thing was not so abnormal.

- So let's go or not? - Avinash asked picking up the little Surbhi .
- Yes, yes, Avi's mamu. I want a milk shake- she replied, smiling happily.

So with Surbhi in the arms of Avinash and Nannav hand in hand with me, we headed to the coffee shop where they made the most delicious icecream in all of Mumbai.
It was summer and it was very hot, there was no need to sit inside.

- What would you like to eat? - Avinash asked to the two little ones.

Nannav ran a hand through his hair then put his finger on the chin taking a thoughtful face and I smiled after a few seconds. For the second time within a day I found myself thinking about the guy who years ago took the same expression when he had to think about something.

- Mango icecream- Nannav answered. 

- And you, little girl? How do you want it? - Avinash also asked even we knew how she  would take it.

- Chocolate and mint icecream - she said, confident.

Those were her favorite flavors and at that moment I could not help to remember all the times I stole a bit of those flavors of ice cream to her father.
Surbhi was the sweetest girl in the world, constantly with a smile.

She was smart and always knew everything, she was a step forward in everything and she kidnapped you with that little angel face. The wavy black hair, the sly expression, and two large and deep black eyes inherited by me. That child was in all aspects like her dad, but at least her eyes had taken from me and I was satisfied.

Even me and Avinash chose our icecream, and soon the bartender gave them.

Nannav and Surbhi were euphoric.

It was enough to keep them happy. A simple icecream, stay awake  an extra hour in the evening or a sandwich at McDonald's was more than enough to watch them to be so happy and it could not make me more happy.

- Of course, we see today you do not have to go to work - Avinash spoke after watching at me.

- And why? - I asked curiously.

- Well, when you go to work you dress too serious. You are only twenty-five years -he explained to me.

- A few skirt and a top is too serious? And I remember you that it is a job, not a walk where I can wear any clothes. And another thing: I work for a fashion magazine if you'd forgotten it - I told him 

-  Understand you women take lots of brain - he pointed out to me.

- I also think so - Nannav intervened making us smile.

He spoke like a little man who had already experienced many things in life, when in fact he was still living inside a bubble of glass that I had painstakingly built around him and his sister.
He had no idea how difficult life was, how hard the world was, but I like to observe with his brown eyes of a child who sees everything colored. 

- And I once again give you the same answer. Women should be loved, not to be understand - I told him while everyone smiled because that phrase had become a sort of my motto for life.

- Mom tonight can we go to the amusement park? - asked Surbhi smiling.
- Hmm, I have to think - I replied evasively, but with a sweet tone.
- And if I make you taste my milkshake? - she asked me with puppy eyes
- If you put it like this ... - I started to say before I east a little of her milkshake- I would say that ... Done deal - I said smiling.
- Yay we'll have fun tonight - Nannav said to his sister giving her a kiss on the cheek and messy it.

She adored the attention from his brother. She cleared her cheek and then resumed talking quietly. To foreign eyes we could look like a happy family and we were basically it even if our own family was not complete in effect.

What the twins considered their uncle was my best friend, who in all those years had been, he  give his everything from being their uncle, a grandfather, a friend.

I still remember the time when the children were born and me and Avinash had tried to stay together. We were successful for two months then we gave up realizing that our relationship works best, but much better as friends.
When we think of those two months we could not hold back a laugh since it seemed too crazy about it. Despite this, however, I must thank this time because we had together even more, we had united in an indissoluble link that would hardly ever break.

The children were aware that Avinash was not really their Mamu , but they loved to call him so.
Me and Avinash were the only family they knew.

They had a mother who was also the father, a grandfather and grandmother.
Avinash who had acted as their uncle, aunt and best friend.
They had two people who loved them unconditionally.

I heard the phone ringing and after taking it I noticed that is was the office so I immediately answered, probably if it was urgent as Jassi called me during my day off.

- Hello? - I said when I pressed the green button.

- Miss Gupta, sorry to bother -Jassi began to say.

- Tell me, do not worry - I answered warmly.

- You should be in an office, there is a problem - she told me.

- What kind of problem? - I asked, curious.

- Nothing to worry about. It's just that there is a woman asking about you and she has no intention of leaving the studio until she has spoken with you - she explained briefly.

- Is about work? - I asked, unable to figure out who could be.

- I have no idea. She would not tell me anything. She only said that she must speak with you.  I notice that this was your day off and to come tomorrow, but she did not want to hear stories. She said she must speak now. She's guarded in the waiting room and she did not move from there since two hours. So I was forced to call you - she told me.

- Ok Jassi ji, do not worry. You don't need to justify. Warn the woman that I'll be there in half an hour.- I answered and closed down the phone in my bag.

I could not understand who could be so urgent that want to speak with me.

- What is it? - Avinash asked.

- A woman. She wants to talk to me and apparently has no plans to leave before she had no itt - I explained.

- Mom you have to go to work? - Surbhi asked me sad.

- Treasure is an emergency - I told her.

- But today is your day off. We had to stay together, go to amusement park - reminded to me Nannav.

- And there we'll go darling, I promise. I run to see what happens and then I'll be back and will go where you want, I swear - I told him.

- Sachi Muchi? - they asked both in unison.

- Sachi Muchi My Jaanis- I always answered as we made it an oath.

- Ok, then we believe you- they said and came to give me a kiss.

- Avinash do you mind if ... - I was trying to say.

- No, I do not mind at all. I'll look at them. Hurry to see what wants this crazy  woman and then come to the carnival...we 'll wait for you - he said with a wink to the children.

- Thanks, you are a treasure - I replied giving a kiss on the cheek of my children.

I took the bag and stopped a taxi and indicate the way. I could not imagine who it might be.
In twenty minutes I arrived at the destination and after paying the taxi driver I went to the office by taking the elevator and push the button number 23.

When the doors opened I walked in.

- Excuse me if I called you, but I really could not do otherwise. That woman is impossible- Jassi told me even before I say hello.

- Jassi ji does not matter, really. However, where is she? - I asked.

- She went to get coffee, but she told not to claim victory because she would be back before I had done my hundredth breath - she told me.

- You know how she is made. When she put something in her head there's no way to change her mind - said a voice behind me, a voice that I hadn't heard from a long time, but I could recognized among a thousand.

I turned toward the voice and I realized that I wasn't wrong.

A few paces away, a tall, black hair and big black  eyes boy smiled at me happy.

- Arjun? - I asked amazed seeing there less than a meter away.
Arjun, my old friend Arjun.

- Just me, in flesh and blood - he said getting closer and embraced me warmly.
- Oh God how much I've missed you - he said then.
- Me, too, a lot - I answered sincerely.

- Well I'm going to search my future wife and comes back to you - he said and then disappeared from the room.

La was there with Arjun, in my workplace.

I was happy? I really could not be?

- You know them? - Jassi then asked me who had witnessed the scene.
- Yes, very well. I go into my office, when they come, take them there - I said smiling.

I walked into my office and sat in the chair. My attention was hit by two frames that were on the desk. One that showed me and Avinash at Juhu beach. I clearly remember the day when we had made that picture. Two years earlier, to celebrate my new job for Vogue magazine we had gone along with the children. We had a great time that day.

The other pic, depicting my twins, Nannav and Surbhi, when they were still ten months.
Looking at that picture a spontaneous smile came over my face.
Those two children had been my blessing.

I took this last photo and rest in the top drawer, ready to place it back in place when La and Arjun were gone.

Five minutes passed and then a beautiful girl with long black hair and gray eyes run like a fury in my office and  five seconds later finding her in my arm.
Vigorously I hugged her and only then realized how I much I really missed her.

After interminable minutes we separated and, after an "I miss you" spoken in unison by both, she went to sit in the chair opposite the desk. 
- Excuse me Miss, but she  would not give me time to announce - Jassi said. 
- Not worry. La is always the same - I said smiling at her and then lay the eyes on my best friend. I  heard the door close sign that my secretary was out.

-   So what do I have the honor to have you here? - I asked, amazed.

In five years they had never come.

-We wanted to make sure that you'll come to the wedding - Arjun told me while La seems to search to find something in me.

- Yes, it arrived last night, but I read the good news just this morning - I replied.
- Will you come? - she asked.

Would I go there? Obviously I had no intention of going to.
After all she knew the real reason why I became allergic to that city.

Chandigarh took a middle name, Arnav Singh Raizada, and I had no intention of seeing him again. His last words were imprinted in my mind.

"Khushi Kumari Gupta, get lost from my life" 

Over the past five years, every time I went to visit the city I stayed there for no more than two days, though I hadn't been there since last two years that I did not visit them and this had a simple reason.
Arnav had returned.
He had been away from Chandigarh for three years and since two years now,  he had returned to his family.
Since then I was no longer went there, I could not run the risk of seeing him.

- So? - La asked.

I had to find a plausible excuse for my refusal.
Yet I had to do. Think Khushi... prepare an excuse, an excuse is plausible.
Now even my conscience spoke to me, but this time it was right, damn right.