Chapter 6

Chapter#5

Not the least bit offended when the concern Sareena had for him redirected to her best friend, Vihaan lovingly watched the girl of his dreams make to leave the room. Once she had been advised that, at last check Jack was attempting to salvage his upcoming shaadi to his sweetheart, even his injuries took a back seat; albeit hesitantly. Indecisively, Sareena had looked back once, but was satisfied Vihaan was not as badly hurt, as first appeared, when she found him smiling back at her.

"Go to him," he insisted with a nod, after which he turned back to his stunned sister-in-law. Vihaan shrugged in the direction of his Bhabhi before excusing himself to go to the washroom adjoining her hospital room. Once there he grabbed some paper and wet it and began dabbing the damp cloth against his injured lip. He checked the mirror again to see if the bleeding had stopped, and that he had wiped all the congealed blood from his face. Sure, maybe he had been discarded like yesterday's trash Vihaan thought, but none of that mattered now. He hissed, when on turning, he jarred his side.  Okay, he supposed; he would probably need to get that checked, but in a bit since it only pained him when he twisted suddenly. First, he would go and visit with his Bhabhi, who he hadn't seen enough of in the past days. Especially in knowing now that he had the luxury of time on his side now, it seemed the best thing to do.

As he expected, Naomi was waiting for him impatiently when he approached. For both of their benefit, he offered her an air kiss to the cheek, and then took a seat in the vacant chair beside her hospital bed.

"How are you on this most wonderful of days, Bhabhi. You look beautiful, by the way. And my little nephew: how is he doing?"

 Naomi studied him for a little longer, marveling at her devar's change in attitude, and then nodded in understanding. "So, you mean to say is that all you needed was someone to knock some sense into you Vihaan? I wish I had thought of this, I would have gladly done the necessary if for no other reason that it would have saved both of you four years of heartache."

************

"You beat him up, Jack. How could you?"

The beleaguered bodyguard didn't even have the chance to offer an explanation to his best friend , when his fiance suddenly interjected.

"Oh that's the least of Mr. Thompson's failings Serena," Arpita tearfully complained. "Ask him why Vihaan felt the need to throw the first punch in the first place, if you really want to get to the heart of the issue."

"What...Vihaan attacked you? But why..."

Jack totally ignored Sareena as he beseeched Arpita for some understanding "Baby, please I've explained already why I did..."

The young woman angrily wiped her face to eradicate the tears that had begun streaming down her cheeks. "Haan, you did, and it's not good enough. Do you forget how long it took for my family to even accept us? If even a hint of this comes to my parents' attention. Forget it, I will do the needful and just cancel everything..."

"Baby I'm so sorry, but you are overreacting, and you need to calm down."

Worried more than ever that her friend's relationship was in real danger of ending in front of her, Sareena immediately changed tactics.

"Arpita, sweetie, come on. You know Jack loves you above everyone. He fought for your relationship just as hard as you did. Whatever he did cannot possibly negate this."

"He made me the other woman," The young design assistant blustered. "This whole time he has made Vihaan believe that the two of you were engaged, and today when Vihaan saw the two of us together..."

Sareena knees felt weak as she got an inkling of what had occurred, and she actually stumbled backwards, almost toppling. She was saved by a pair of strong arms, and for the first time noticed Rajeev there. Unclear to his reasoning, she stared at the coach for a second, before focusing back on the errant groom-to-be. "Jack that has to be the most asinine thing you have ever done. How could you demean Arpita's role in your life like that," she asked, not even daring to find hope in Vihaan's reaction to what he thought was the truth.

Jack shook his head; he didn't need Reena to turn on him as well, not when he needed his friend squarely on his side. "I never said that we were the ones engaged. It may have been inferred if anything, and if that's the case, then that was completely Vihaan's mistake in believing that."

"It was wrong Jack, and you know it. Whatever it was you were hoping to prove, you went about it the wrong way."

Everyone paid attention when Rajeev spoke up. The serious-minded man was not one that could be ignored easily. "I'm not going to excuse Vihaan's actions, but I will apologize on his behalf Arpita, and assure that no matter how angry he seemed, he would never have harmed you in anyway. But what is important now is for you to realize that this man here loves you more than life itself. And you know that he does: you need only think of all the changes Jack has made for the two of you."

Sareena saw the exact moment when Arpita's stance softened, when she considered that rather than relocating to the UK, back to his homeland, that the man she was to married had totally acquiesced to her wishes, and was repositioning his life here to Banaras for her happiness. Granted, the nature of his career allowed him flexibility, but he would be leaving his home, family and friends, when in the patriarchal society, she lived in, such was the expectation of a young woman, and not vice versa.

"I am an ass, for even considering what I let happen to be okay, but I am also the man who has been in love with you from the moment you first wrapped that measuring tape around me for KT, Arpita." The handsome man, came closer to his wife-to-be. "Surely that fact, should count for something," he begged.

Arpita sniffled, her resolve definitely weakening, but still stepped away from Jack. "Fine. Sareena, can you please check his eye, so we will have some inkling whether we will need to do anything about the swelling before our ring ceremony?"

She moved back further to allow the doctor the space to do her examination. Once in direct contact with Jack, Sareena stared at him questioning him with her eyes. Their years of friendship had him understanding her, and she in return willing to wait for a later time for the answers she needed. Right now, his focus needed to be on the woman he would be marrying soon.

"An ice pack for the swelling should suffice," Sareena concluded, "But I will check it again in twenty-four hours just to be sure."

She then stepped away and allowed the couple to come back together. It was then that Rajeev got her attention.

"Sareena, can I drop you home?"

He understood her need to get away, and she was glad for it.

"If wouldn't be too much trouble; I would really appreciate it."

************

"They still can't pinpoint exactly why it happened, but my doctor has indicated that potentially it may have been a good thing, judging by the baby's weight when he was born. In another seven weeks, I may have been in a rougher time of it anyway, I've been told."

"So he has taken after his Papa and is a hulk of baby," Vihaan stated.

"Ji, not that the girls look to be much different, now?"

"Hmm you are right, Bhabhi. I can't believe how tall they have gotten. Skype clearly doesn't give you a full appreciation."

Naomi smiled. "I miss them so much. Talking on the phone isn't quite the same. And, anyway,  all I seem to get from them when I do is Vihaan Chacha this and Vihaan Chacha that."

"Just trying to distract them that's all; trust me Tanvi and Lalita miss you terribly. Bhai said he will be bringing them tomorrow for a visit."

"Haan, I can't wait either," Naomi. "Although I expect them to be disappointed not to be able to see their little brother, hopefully, I will suffice."

Vihaan didn't doubt it, and smiled when both he and Naomi had fallen into a companionable silence. He took the opportunity to glance towards the door. No Sareena yet, but he was sure of her return as her handbag still set on the stand beside the hospital bed.

"Thik hai, Vihaan, now that we have the formalities out of the way, why don't we get down to the nitty-gritty and you tell me why you decided to put yourself through hell the last couple of years?"

He didn't beat around the bush in his response. "I am first rate idiot who couldn't see the forest for the trees, and couldn't fathom that a man and woman could be as close as they were, for the relationship to be purely platonic. Such things didn't exist in my world. I thought she loved him."

"She does Vihaan, and she always will, so you better understand that." Instantly Naomi's mind cast back to the incident that had led to Vihaan's misunderstanding. Jack, already injured in an attempt on his life, when Sareena's nephew had been kidnapped, had suffered further injury in saving Rachna , who in her own heroic effort had taken Naomi's place in the double kidnapping plot. On discovery, only Jack's intervention had saved the designer when the culprit attacked her with a knife. The bodyguard would forever carry  scars from the slashing wounds that had been inflicted on him. Sareena had immediately swung into action to save the man, only breaking down after Jack had been wheeled into surgery, and then too, only in Vihaan's presence. Vihaan recalled her stating over and over how much she loved Jack, and praying that nothing should happen to him. In that moment, with the woman he was certain he had begun to fall in love with, falling apart in his arms, Vihaan had concluded that for her contentment, that he would step aside and allow Sareena to have the happiness she deserved.

"Oh Vihaan."

His Bhabhi's soft cry had him reverting his attention away from his memories and back to her.

 "You loved her even back then didn't you, Vihaan? And I was absolutely horrid to you over the situation," Naomi continued. "The two of you were...are perfect for each other, and I thought that you just wanted to play the Casanova for a little while longer."

"It's okay Bhabhi," Vihaan answered to his sweet sister, who looked in danger of breaking down now.

She nodded. "Thik hai, we just need to work on resolving this, that's all. But first you have something else you need to do . There is a gift shop in the lobby, you should be able to find some sort of token of apology for Arpita. And not only because she deserves it, but to make sure you are allowed entry into Kabir and Rachna's home after word gets out how you've acted today."

 *************

 Daadi opened the door expectantly, frowning when confronted with troubled visage Sareena wore.

"Beti, is everything okay? Did your interview go badly," the older woman queried unable to reason why her adopted daughter would be so troubled.

"Nahi Daadi, it- it actually went very well. I actually have an offer letter here..." she looked around, realizing only then that she didn't even have her handbag. "I..."

Daadi led the disoriented woman into the house calling for Kabir as she did. Both her grandson and his wife met her in the lounge.

"Sareena, what's wrong," KT asked his deep voice betraying his concern. "Has something happened?"

"Haan, um there was a fight, and..."

Signaling one of the staff to get some tea for the stunned woman, Daadi returned to the door, when the bell rang. It was Rajeev who had been delayed parking his car.

"Namaste Daadi, may I come in?"

***************

"Congratulations to both of you, and Arpita..."

The woman in question shook her head. "It's fine, Vihaan, there is no reason to apologize again."

"That's very kind of you."

"Well," Jack said, hoping to move on from the subject that had caused him so much trouble, "Now that we are all clear on that, I guess Arpita and I will get going." He approached the hospital bed and gave the patient a kiss on the cheek, moving afterwards to give his fianc  enough room to bid Naomi farewell. "I'm devestated you won't be able to attend our ring ceremony, Pretty Eyes, but we just want you to concentrate on getting better and taking care of the baby, okay?"

"Just make sure you have some pictures the next time you come to visit, okay?"

The couple agreed, and once again wished their friend well; waving from the doorway.

Naomi stared at her devar, who no longer could hold back his concern over the delayed return of his brother, who he had come to learn had taken Sareena back to the Tripathi residence. He was desperate for news on how she was after learning everything, and if she was willing to meet with him soon. As far as he was concerned they had a lot discuss.

"Vihaan, leave already it's okay. I will be fine you know."

"Nahi Bhabhi I will wait until bhai returns at least."

He saw his sister-in-law brighten and  then a blush come to her face and understood even with his back to the door, that his wait had ended. He reached for the handbag that Sareena had left behind and then rotated to reach for the car key his bhai held aloft.

"Good Luck," Rajeev called out at his distracted brother, before focusing on his beautiful wife, who looked better than she had in recent days.

*************

Seated on the sofa in the Tripathi lounge, Vihaan watched earnestly, the staircase from which Sareena would descend from the second floor of the home. He smiled to himself, wondering if this was how bhai had felt as he waited for his own love four years ago, when the home had also been Naomi's when she had come to Banaras. He hadn't long to dwell on this, when Sareena appeared on the landing, her expression impassive, but not avoiding his stare either. Vihaan swallowed as he stood, feeling more nervous than he thought he would ever be. "Don't be an ass, Vihaan. Don't say anything stupid and screw this up," he mumbled under his breath, as she came closer.

Finally, she reached him and stared at him for a moment, before averting her eyes from his heated gaze.  He was glad that she did, as for a moment, he had just gaped like a fish out of water. Finally, to break the impasse caused by their mutual silence, Vihaan twisted to retrieve the handbag he had returned.

"Dammit to hell," he hissed when the movement aggravated the clear injury he had received at Jack's hands.

Instantly Sareena reached for him.

"Vihaan did you even think to get this checked out while you were at the hospital," she queried impatiently.

"It only pains when I twist suddenly. I'm sure it's nothing serious."

"Unbutton your shirt: I will be the judge of that," Sareena replied, having already slipped into physician mode.

Totally detached, she poked and prodded; getting him to rotate his body, while she assessed him completely. Luckily for him, it appeared that he was right, and with some rest, he would recover from what she had determined was more of a strain than anything.

"You do realize the ridiculousness of going up against someone like Jack, don't you, Vihaan," she asked.

"Nahi, I don't, especially when being here right now, makes it completely worth it."

Her hands stilled, and she looked up at the man, who stood bare-chested in front of her.

"I mean, it was worth discovering the truth, after all this time. But even if I have been right in my thinking, I most likely; nahi I would definitely have done the exact same thing. I would never allow anyone to disrespect you, Sareena. You mean..."

"You're fine, Vihaan, you can put your shirt back on now."

Vihaan held on to her hand, when she went to move away. "Only if you stay. You know we need to talk, Sareena."

"Nahi, we don't. You have already made your decision, and there is nothing either of us can do about it now," she whispered emotionally.

Vihaan looked at her in confusion.

"Haven't you agreed to your parents' choice; of the alliance, they intend on arranging?"

Vihaan paused before answering, shocked that word of his decision was public knowledge already. "Ji, but..."

"Then we have nothing more to say.  Thank you for returning my purse. And I am glad you weren't seriously hurt, Vihaan."

And then she left without saying a word, fleeing back up the staircase.

[NOCOPY]

crtkelly2016-12-19 22:54:16