Chapter 15

For the next couple of days, we were both extremely busy. Virat was working all the time for the proposal. He was secretly working all night too. I know this because I got up one day to cuddle with him and I saw him asleep with his computer on. He looked so determined, my heart fluttered knowing he was doing all of this for me. I hated the fact that he looked so tired but I really couldn't complain. It was almost the weekend and the last day I had with him. We got home and it hit us that tomorrow we would fly for home and would never get to spend much time together now. Virat was on the phone busy talking to the lawyers about the meeting tomorrow. Papa would be joining them. It took a lot of convincing from Virat but he finally managed to convince Papa. My heart still fluttered remembering their conversation this morning.

Inder (Manvi's Dad): Virat beta, how can I take away the job that Virkram ji thought of for so long, I can't do this.

Virat: Uncle, I want you to take the job because I know you will do a better job with it. I am not giving it to you for chairity, I will still have a significant share but I need you to help me run it here, it is for the best.

Inder: But Virat?

Virat: Uncle, no ifs ands or buts. You have always treated me like a son, ek bar mujhe bhi beta ka farz karne dijye

Inder: Virat ek bar Vikram ji ki bare mein sooch, you should think about your dad too.

Virat: I am thinking of my dad Uncle, and in the sense that I grew up with two dads. Uncle, when I came to the US, I was completely alone. You just knew me through dad and you treated me no less than your own child. I had some guidance from dad but he was so far away and so mad at me. You realized that without me even telling you and you gave me a dad's guidance when I needed it the most. I will forever be indebted to you for what you did for me in helping me get my MBA here. Aap ke liye jitna bhi karu kam hai, I am a successful business man today uncle but without your help I would have still been struggling in India.

I had Goosebumps all over remembering how much he respected papa.

"oye whats wrong, kaha khoye ho," he was off the phone now and I was here smiling just remembering how sweet he was yesterday. I turned around and smiled, "Virat, the way you talked to papa yesterday, you respect him a lot don't you?" I knew the answer its just the depth of his respect had me astonished. I looked up to see he had tears ready to stream that were held back in his eyes. I held his hand and he sat me down smiling through his tears.

"Manvi I don't think I ever told you but Uncle was the only contact I had here when I came to the US."

"Is that why you were so emotional when you called him," I asked yesterday I asked seeing that he had controlled his tears from coming.

"Manvi, dad was so mad at me for telling him I wanted to do my MBBS that he kicked me out of the house. He had wanted me to go for the MBA as soon as I finished my bachelors in India and refused because I was more interested in medicine. Once he kicked me out of the house, bhai convinced me that I could get my MBA first and then start my MBBS but it was too late, dad was so mad at me that he wouldn't even answer my calls. I finally decided that I would apply for MBA programs and got into the one here in University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. Everything was going well until I realized I had no one to even help me settle in. Do you know when I got to the airport; I didn't even have enough money to get from the taxi to the campus. I spent the night at the airport scared that I wouldn't make it and ran into Uncle the next day. Bhai called him when he found out how much trouble I was having. I didn't even have to ask him for help, He took me personally to find an apartment, to find good roommates that were sons of his own friends, and he even introduced me to the two professors he did his MBA under. He stayed for a full week with me Manvi just getting me adjusted to the states and making sure I had everything I needed to survive. He got me an assistantship so I didn't even have to pay for college; he honestly sat and picked at any trouble that I would run into and removed it before he left. If it wasn't for uncle, I would have caught the next flight back to India and just be shunned from my own house. Uncle understood my passion and showed me how to apply to volunteer in hospitals and other places so I could build my resume for medical school too. When I went back to India, he had called dad and told him how successful a businessman his son had turned into. Dad personally came to the airport to pick me up. He was so proud of me, he called me his son after so long, I was so thankful to uncle for what he did. I had never shared this story with anyone but you need to hear it Manvi. This is why I don't want to do anything with you without permission, Uncle means so much to me and I would never be able to hurt him.

I was speechless after he told me all of this. "Virat papa didn't even tell me," I said still stunned.

"how could he? "I am only a year and a half older than you, he probably didn't want you to think anything low of me. That's just how uncles heart his. When he introduced me to his professors he introduced me as his own son Manvi, I will never be able to give him what he deserves for everything he did for me. He helped me when my own family had shunned me out, you can only imagine how thankful I am."

I hugged him tightly, "Virat what if he doesn't agree to our relationship, he always wanted me to get an arranged marriage?" My lips quivered as the words came out, I needed to know his answer. The entire time he was praising papa, the only thing I could remember is papa telling me as a little girl about how he always wanting to pick my prince charming, he wanted me to go through an arranged marriage. I didn't want to tell Virat this yet and scare him but knowing how much he admired papa, this was something I needed to know.

He sighed and wrapped his arms around me, "toh mein papa ko manalunga, I will try my best. But Manvi I can't make any promises," he said as his grip tightened. "I can't think of losing you, but I can't think of disrespecting uncle either. I told you, uncle helped me during a time when my own family didn't care, he has a big heart Manvi and I am sure I will be able to convince him. Did you want to tell them before or after I finish my schooling," he asked cupping my face. I looked down unable to speak a word and he knew the answer, "hey look at me Manvi, you don't have to feel bad about anything. You are being so strong for me already accepting your feelings and considering me your boyfriend; I know how hard this is for you and you have no pressure ok. Even if uncle asks you to get an arranged marriage, I don't want you bound to this relationship under pressure, I want you to listen to your heart and do what you think is right. I will be happy to see you happy ok. I know how much you respect uncle and aunty, whatever decision you make I will always be here for you to talk. We started as friends and will always be best friends, this relationship comes after that friendship. Just remember you are never alone. Remember what I told you in India I wait my entire lifetime for you, you are that special to me. I love you ok, until you are comfortable, no one has to know," he said pecking the side of my head.

My eyes watered looking up at him. "you would be ok if I agreed to marry someone that papa picked," I asked unbelievingly as I fiddled with the engagement ring he gave me.

He steadied my hand and removed my ring "I promise, you have no pressure from me at all Manvi. If that is what would make you happy then yes I would have no problem. I just wanted you to give me one chance and you gave it to me. The decision is completely yours," he said sighing as he looked down at the ring and then my empty finger. I could tell he was having a hard time; he forced a smile and looked up at me as he caressed my cheeks. It took me less than two seconds to make my decision.

"Virat Vahdera marry me?" I asked bluntly smiling through the tears welled up in my eyes. I stared at him for a while trying to understand his reaction.

"Manvi," he asked quivering as he cupped my face.

"Yes or no," I needed my answer, it sounded desperate but I couldn't have him think that I would leave him anymore. He looked like he was in so much pain for these past five minutes we were on this topic. I would never forgive myself if I left him like that.

"think about it some more, itni jaldi nahi hai," I could tell his heart was saying something else but he was just being considerate of my feelings. He really doesn't realize how much I need him does he. Virat what am I going to do with you!

I placed my hand on his and forced him to look at me. "Virat I made my decision and no one can change it. You opened my eyes to love, are you really going to leave me in the dark now? I need you to guide me to the light like you have since the day I met you. If I can't marry you then I will stay single but I refuse to live my entire life with someone that doesn't have my heart. You have my heart and always will, you stole it ever since I met you in India. I asked that question to you to see your response and it would be pure stupidity if I didn't marry the guy that offered to sacrifice his happiness just so I would be comfortable. I slid his hand across mine holding it as I helped him place the ring back on my finger, "this belongs to me for tonight, you can have it tomorrow so mummy and papa won't ask, when it comes time again, the ring will be mine again," I said caressing it. He smiled and held me close until our noses touched.

"you women just really have to be sentimental don't you," he said as he got up running for his life "Virat vahdera you are such a mood killer," I shouted as I ran after him with my pillow. He finally calmed me down and we watched a movie and enjoyed the rest of the night. He slept in the guest room today since I remembered to open the door before I fell asleep this time. I woke up the next morning to see him sleeping like a baby in the guestroom. I looked at the ring on my finger and with a heavy heart took it off and kissed it before I placed it in the box and set it next to his stuff. He was hugging a pillow but this time it wasn't because he was cold, I could tell pretty easily now when he was cold in his sleep. I walked over to hear him mumble my name in to the pillow sighing as he adjusted his head still hugging it. I slowly took the pillow out of his hands to see his face twist from smiling to worried. I placed myself in the pillows place and cuddled close to his chest. I would miss this a lot once we got back home. We still had a week together but I wouldn't dare do this with mummy and papa around. I kissed his cheek and let myself relax in his arms for the little time we had together. "I love you," he mumbled kissing my forehead as he slightly opened his eyes. "ditto," is all I could respond. I was in so much peace his arms, I wanted to enjoy every second. He had become a need for my life within 3 weeks, I smiled remembering what we watched in bhabhan the other night.

"tum ho to hum hai, hum hai to sub kuch hai, varna kuch nahi, kuch bhi nahi,"

It was the exact way with us too. We both needed each other as a necessity to live, if we both had each other, we didn't need anything else because all we wanted was each other, everything else was worthless to us. I sighed and with this thought fell into a deep sleep in his arms yet again, this would be the last time for a whole year so I decided to make the best of it.