Love: Predestined || A Ramayana FF, Chapter 3- 24/9, [On Hold] - Page 7

CHAPTER 3

Lakshman Suryavanshi stood at the window in his room, a small smile playing on his lips, his mind relaying a beautiful pair of almond eyes. What he would do to see them again.

Lakshman!', he scolded himself. What happened to never falling in love? Woah wait. Love? I have seen Urmila once, and I already start love. Wait, Urmila? Really? Ur-Ms Nimi. Ms Urmila Nimi. My Urmila Nimi. Oh God!'

"Lakshman"

Ragahava's amused voice was heard from behind him.

"Bhaiya", said Lakshman, looking at him, a little startled at the interruption.

"What is going on in your head, my dear brother?", asked Raghav, eyes twinkling in amusement, taking in his brother's state.

"Nothing Bhaiya", said Lakshman.

"Really? Your mind isn't on a bubbly lawyer, whose eyes were so powerful that no one can resist?", asked Raghav, his brother's blush amusing him to no end.

"Why would I be thinking of Urmila?", said Lakshman, shutting his mouth after his retort. Too late! Raghav had already assimilated the comment.

"I don't think I mentioned Urmila", said Raghav, laughing when he saw Lakshman fidgeting.

"Bhaiya!"

"Kya Lakshman?"

"Don't be mean"

"I am not being mean. You mentioned Urmila. I just said bubbly lawyer"

"She is the only one you know"

"How would you know?", asked Raghav. "I happen to know a lot of people"

"All of them being a bubbly lawyer?"

"Maybe? Lakshman, don't evade"

"I am not evading Bhaiya"

"You are kid", said Raghav/ "Anyway, I think she would be a perfect match for you"

"You do?"

The smile on Lakshman's face grew.

"I do", said Raghav, affectionately. "She will keep you on your toes, and will challenge you as well"

The two brothers smiled at each other, one in the beginning stage of love, one, unknown to himself, wanting to discover love.

The house was quiet. The girls had gone off to the caf, and Sunaina was in the kitchen. He sighed. The house was alive with laughter when his girls were about. As it was, it was his day off from work, and his brother and sister-in-law were out of town.

Janak shook his head and went back to his accounts. He missed the lively bounciness of Urmi and Kirti, the chirpiness of Manasi and the quiet, sedateness of Prithvi. He knew that they would be back in the evening, yet, he missed them. A very family-oriented man, he loved his four daughters immensely.

Though Manasi and Kirti were his brother Kushal's daughters, he never thought of them as different from Prithvi and Urmi. Sunaina too, never thought that they were Chandrakala and Kushal's daughters. Just as Prithvi and Urmi were as much the others' daughters and Manasi and Kirti were.

The car horn sounded, and Janak looked up with a smile. That had to be Urmi at the wheel. She was always impatient for the gate to be opened and to come in. Standing, he went to the front door, a smile on his face. He was right, it was Urmi at the wheel, with Prithvi at the passenger's seat.

"Paaa!" said Urmi, jumping out of the car, and slamming the door behind her. The others winced and got out more sedately, even as Urmi threw herself at Janak. He hugged her, and the other girls as well.

"Hi Bade Pa!" said Kirti, excitedly. "We brought pastries from the caf!"
"Did you? I love the ch-"
"Chocolate hazelnut pastries!" chorused the girls, giggling.
"I do, yes," smiles Janak, leading them in. "How was your day?"
Immediately, all four girls started talking, all at different tangents, and Janak shook his head. "One by one?" He said, covering his ears. "What a din you four girls make!"
"Paaa!" pouted Urmi. "Not fair!"
"Very fair," he laughed. "Sit down, catch your breath and tell me what happened."

As they all started pouring out the day's happenings enthusiastically, Janak leaned back and relaxed. It was lovely to have his daughters back home.

Urmi stood impatiently tapping her feet. She hated the tardiness of some of the staff of the caf.
"Fast!" she said, to one of the staff who was dawdling.

"Calm down, Urmi," said Prithvhi, sedately.
"Di!"
"I know you don't like their tardiness. But calm."
"Okay, Di," pouted Urmi, childishly.
"Does that work on me, Urmi?" Prithvi asked, amused.
"No, but I can always hope," said her sister, smiling. "Di, these people are so slow."
"Calm, Urmi!"
Urmi's reply was cut off by the ringing of the bel. Someone had come in!

They both rushed into the front of the caf. Urmi stopped short as she saw who entered.

"Hello," she said awkwardly.
"Hey," he said, smiling. "You, here?"
"I run this caf, Mr Suryavanshi," she said, grinning. "With my sisters. Meet my sister, Prithvi. Di, this is Mr Lakshman Suryavanshi. He runs Ikshvaku's, the bookstore. Kirti and I met him and his brothers at the race."
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr Suryavanshi," she said, smiling at him. In surprise, she looked at her sister, who had gone from bouncy to shy and quiet in seconds. She smiled, shaking her head.
"The pleasure is mine, Ms Nimi," he said, smiling at her. He liked Prithvi, an air of calmness around her, patience and tolerance were etched in her.

Urmila shifted from one foot to the other. This feeling of awkwardness was alien to her. She didn't understand it and was wondering what to do about it, when she caught the look in Prithvi's eyes. Her sister knew something!

"Di," she said quietly, as they stood behind the counter as Lakshman spoke on the phone.
"Yes, Urmi?"
"What do you know that I don't?"
"Why would I know anything?"
"You do know something, DI!"
"What makes you say that?"
"I don't know, I just know you know."
"You will know, soon enough," smiled Prithvi. If only you knew, little sister,' she thought.

The four brothers walked towards the cancer ward in the General Hospital. Raghav smiled affectionately, as he watched the twins getting teased by one another and by Bharat alternately. He laughed to himself. His brothers could be a handful when they want to be. His heart told him that something was different about today. Something new was going to happen.

The brothers entered the cancer ward, and Raghav's heart beat out of his chest, as his soulful eyes met beautiful doe-like eyes.