Chapter 62

Pacing from one corner to the other in the hall, Roli was waiting for her father to return from the office. Glancing at the clock and the entrance alternatively, she wondered why her father was late to return home. When she was about to fetch her phone to call him, she saw him entering the house along with a guy. 

"Sameer!" Roli exclaimed with surprise as she was not expecting his entry. "You said you cannot come when I asked yesterday?". 

"Actually, I would not have come if I had not happened to see the news of someone getting married soon" Sameer's reply made Roli shift her attention to her father, who was watching her, calmly. 

"Papa_" Roli began slowly as if she was searching for the words to explain. She reached home early this evening and waiting to talk to her father about the news which Sid had announced, unexpectedly. 

"Will you invite me to your wedding?" Jamanlal asked, jokingly. 

"Papa" Roli pouted like a little kid. "Even I did not know Sid would announce it like that". She wanted to tell her father about their reconciliation first but Sid did not leave her the chance. 

"It's fine, beta" Jamanlal went near his daughter and said keeping his palm on her head "You are happy now and that's all that matters to me". 

Roli smiled and hugged her father as she felt blessed to have a father like him, who'd always support her in every aspect of life. 

"But, I'm surprised and confused as hell. As far as I remember, you were like never wanted to see Sid in the first place. Then how did this happen?" Sameer was clueless. 

"Leave it" Roli turned to face Sameer as she asked, "How did you return so soon? I mean, the news was telecasted just today".

"I was on the way here for some business work. As soon as I saw the news this morning, I came to you flying" Sameer replied as he fell onto the sofa with a tired face. 

"Again business work" Roli rolled her eyes at her workaholic friend. 

"Also for our get together party" Sameer added. 

"Yeah, this year it's going to be even grander than ever. Many new families are going to join us. The party will be the day after tomorrow. I have made all the arrangements. I hope it will be a memorable day for all of us" Jamanlal informed, making them excited. 

"Of course, it will be a memorable day, Papa" Sameer said as he suddenly felt energised, thinking about the party. Growing up together with Roli, he was fond of Jamanlal and respects him more than his own father. 

"You must be tired of the journey. Go have some rest" Jamanlal said, just like a concerned father for his kid. 

"Yeah, super tired!" Sameer got up lazily and looked at Roli "I will talk to you tomorrow". 

Roli nodded with a smile as Sameer went to the guestroom, upstairs. 

~×~×~

The next day, Roli woke up early morning as she had to meet Sid to discuss their project. Business work was secondary, she was just excited to meet Sid. Their patch up gave her a new level of energy that she felt alive after a long time. 

When she reached downstairs after getting ready, she was surprised to find Sid talking to her dad, seriously. 

"You here?" She promptly ran to him like an enthusiastic kid. 

"Then we will leave, uncle. I will let you know the details later" Sid got up from his seat, completely ignoring to answer Roli. 

"Okay" Jamanlal agreed, making Roli perplexed about their talks. 

"What is happening here?" Roli frowned. 

"We got to go somewhere. Let's go" Sid turned to Roli for a moment and then shifted his attention to Jamanlal as if asking permission to take her out, for which Jamnalal nodded positively. 

Before Roli could ask further questions, Sid urged her to follow him, which she had to do without any other options, as always. 

Reaching the parking area, Roli asked "where are we going now? Don't we have to work on our project?". 

"We can do both together. Now get on" Sid hopped on to his bike whilst Roli got rooted to the ground looking at the bike. 

"Are we going on the bike now?" She had a dreadful expression written all over her face. And by the smirk on Sid's face, she could realise what he was doing. 

"You deliberately brought the bike, right?" Roli stared at him.

"Good realization. Now get on the bike" Sid's retort made her annoyed. Roli was about to turn around to move towards her car but Sid gripped her hand and made her sit on the bike. 

"Drive slo__" Roli's words left incomplete as Sid kick-started the bike with such a speed that she fell on his back. 

"Can't you drive slowly?" She hit him at the same time holding on to his waist while scared of the speed. 

"I can't" Sid controlled his giggle as he enjoyed teasing her after so long. 

"Kadoos" Roli murmured as Sid raised the speed making her hug him more tightly. 

"Slow down, please" keeping her eyes shut, Roli cried as she clutched his blazer. 

"Am I kadoos?" Sid asked while keeping up the speed. 

"Of course, you are" Roli muttered only for Sid to raise the speed again. 

"Okay, you are not" She seemed to realise his intention and said to make him slow down the speed. 

Sid, however, did not seem to give in soon as he asked "what am I not?". 

"You are not kadoos" Roli said amongst gritty her teeth. 

"Then what am I?" Sid demanded, still not slowing down the speed. 

"More than kadoos" though Roli's voice was low, Sid could still hear it and he didn't slow down even when there was a bump on the road which caused her to lean on to him with a jerk. 

Roli inhaled a deep breath as she knew what he was expecting her to do. Gritting her teeth she spoke, "I meant you are so sweet that you did not get angry at me when I returned and being strict with you". 

The bike's speed slightly came down, making Roli sigh. However, her relief could not last long as she heard Sid saying "don't you think your words sound forceful? I want genuine words, Roli". 

Glaring the back of his head, Roli raised her hands, which were holding his waist, up to his necks and wanted to strangle him. 

"Are you going to praise me wholeheartedly or do you want me to raise the speed?" Sid's condition made Roli roll her eyes as she suppressed the urge to beat him. 

And then Roli began her not-so-wholehearted praising. And Sid could realise the annoyance in her tone but that just added to his victorious smirk as he continued to drive on average speed while she said all the nice things about him, forcefully. 

When the bike came to a hault, Roli literally jumped down and yelled at him "I'm never going to get on your bike again". 

"Let's see" Sid got down with a giggle, seeing her flustered face due to his speed driving. 

"Are you going to stay here or shall we get in?" Sid asked as he found Roli still trying to calm her breath. 

It was then Roli realized that they were in Bharadwaj house. Looking at the familiar surrounding she felt nostalgic. Glancing at the entrance, she asked "will Maa be angry with me?". 

Roli felt nervous as she thought all might be angry at her for leaving without informing anyone three years ago. She was too broken to think about anything back then. 

"Yeah, she may be searching for a broomstick to welcome you" Sid replied, earning a glare from Roli. 

"Come now" Sid held her hand and pulled her into the house. 

"Maa" Sid called out as they entered the hall, gaining the attention of Sujata, Rajender and Mataji, who were discussing something, seating on the sofa.

Roli stood like a kid caught while doing mischief and others smiled broadly to see her. 

"As promised, I brought your daughter back" Sid spoke as he lead Roli near Sujata. 

"Roli" Sujata uttered in amusement. She cupped Roli's face "how long it's been seeing you". 

"Maa" Roli felt a lump in her throat while her eyes got moist. Not knowing how to express her happiness, she just hugged Sujata, who returned her hug, emotionally. 

"I told you all our Roli will be back to us, right? See here she is now" Mataji spoke up as she reached Roli and cupped her face. 

"How are you, Mataji?" Roli asked, smiling amongst tears. 

"Now that you are back and my dream of seeing you both getting married is going to fulfil, I'm more than happy" Mataji said looking at Roli and Sid. 

Roli smiled and then went to Rajender, who hugged her affectionately. "I'm getting to hear so many appraisals of you in the business world. I'm so proud of you, beta" he said breaking the hug. 

"I'm glad I could make you proud, Papa" Roli smiled at him. She was never intended to join the business world. She did only to keep herself busy and avoid thinking about Sid, in which she failed miserably.  

"If your daily soap episode is over, shall we go to our work?" Sid said, feeling the whole thing as an emotional scene in some soap opera, which he was not fond of. 

"Yeah, you can do your work" Sujata replied shaking her head at her son's words. 

Sid then brought Roli to his room where they could discuss their work. While Sujata went to the kitchen to cook Roli's favourite dishes. 

"It's still the same. Nothing is changed here" Roli smiled glancing around Sid's room. 

"Everything is the same except for someone who wanted to make themselves look strict" Sid's taunt made Roli pout. 

"Everything is indeed the same. Even you are still the same kadoos" Roli retorted, promptly. 

"What did you say?" Sid stood before her and glared. 

"I said you are kadoos. Super kadoos" Roli replied, standing face-to-face with him as now she did not have to be scared of anything.

"I even doubt all that being nice and flirting was just acting. Isn't it?" Crossing arms across her chest, Roli quizzed. 

"Of course, it is acting. Or did you really think I will change myself for you?" Sid queried back, making her piqued. 

"I knew you were acting. How can you be nice? Once a kadoos, always a kadoos" Roli huffed at the sudden change of his behaviour towards her. 

"Since you love to call me kadoos, let me be the same for you" Sid said with a stern face.  "And for now, let's do the work we have". 

Sid took out his laptop and they both started the office work. They got engaged in the work and did not think about their bickering until the moment Roli remembered something. 

"What were you talking to my Papa this morning?" Roli rose head from the file and asked. 

"Kids are not supposed to know such things" Sid replied without taking his eyes off of the laptop screen. 

"Who is the kid here?" Roli stared at him. 

"Everybody present in this room except me" Sid looked up to see her glaring. 

"Can't you just talk to me without teasing and taunting?" She looked at him with a grim face. 

"Let's try it in next birth. Not possible now" Sid shook his head. And he then added, "But, unlike this birth, if I'm lucky enough then I may not even have to meet you in my next birth". 

Roli evaded meeting his eyes as she knew he was deliberately teasing her. So, to avoid it, she changed the topic "Are you coming to get together party tomorrow?". 

"You know I'm not interested in such boring parties" Sid answered, retrieving a file from her. 

"But, this year it will be different. I will be with you" Roli tried to persuade him. 

"You are more boring than the entire party" Sid chuckled, annoying her. 

"Okay, fine. You don't need to come" Roli huffed and continued to do her work without looking at him, though he tried to disturb her few times. 

~×~×~

On the other side, a man was seated on the couch, holding a glass of drink in his hand as he stared at the card in his other hand. 

He clicked a picture of the card with his phone and sent it to someone with the caption "Here is the invitation for tomorrow's party". 

Immediately, he got the reply as "finally, we got the chance to separate Roli and Sid forever". 

"Hope you are ready with your plan" he typed and sent. Again he got the immediate reply "I'm always ready for it".