The Reuniting Holi
"Please Sultan?"
"No Aryan."
"But Madhu said..."
"I said NO Aryan."
Aryan sighed and looked towards the ground as Madhu walked into the room with an excited smile on her face. She held a tray full of colours and wore a white Punjabi style suit with blue outlines. As soon as she saw Aryan's face, her face fell in response. She bent down to his level and lifted his face by placing her finger under his chin.
"What happened to my strong boy?"
"Sultan said...said I can't play...holi with you..."
"Arey! Why'd he say that?"
"Sultan said that I don't have time to...play holi."
"What?! Aryan, are you doing something?"
Aryan shook his head slightly.
"Then from what I can see, you have all the time in the world to play holi with me."
She smiled as Aryan's eyes lit up. She reached into her tray full of pink powder and spread it against his cheek as he smiled.
"Happy holi my little Aryan."
Sultan watched with wide, furious eyes from the couch he sat on. He kept his eyes on her as she turned around. It took everything he had to not speak up, after all, he was staying in their place so he didn't have a say in much. He watched as Aryan held onto Madhu's hand and was walking out the door. Before leaving the room, Madhu glanced back at him to give him a look, which showed her victory. She smiled and then ran through the doors with Aryan.
----
RK returned from his outdoor shooting in America. He threw his luggage onto his bed and called for Bittuji.
"BITTUJI!"
Seconds passed when he came running into RK's room.
"Yes chief?"
"Cancel anything that's planned for tonight."
"But chi..."
"Do you not understand the meaning of cancel, Bittuji?"
"Yes chief."
Bittuji ran out of RK's room whilst dialing a number to cancel all plans he had made for RK on that special night of holi.
RK stood alone in his room, pacing back and forth as he remembered Madhu's word, I share no relation with him...except one...I saved his son...not everyone is a sadist like you. His steps came to a stop as he thought outloud.
"I have to apologize. Right. Now."
----
Sultan sat in the chawl, waiting for the holi commotion below to come to an end. He had his arm placed in a homemade sling by Madhu and laid on the bed. It had been an hour since Madhu and Aryan had left him to go play Holi. He began to think about everything Madhu had done for him when suddenly he saw her walking towards him. She was covered, head to toe, in the colours of holi. She had a mischevious smile on her face and before Sultan could properly read it, she threw purple powder at him.
"HAPPY HOLI!"
She giggled and ran away. It was obvious she had put all her miseries behind herself for the special occasion; she seemed to be enjoying herself more than usual. Sultan attempted to be angry but her smile took his breath away. He watched as she ran away and then he slowly stood up himself. He followed her out the door but was bombarded by colours as he tried to keep his eyes on her. He wanted to get her back for getting him covered in colours. His eyes finally managed to catch her as she ran away; she glanced back at him and smiled as she realized her plan to get him outside had worked. Aryan walked towards Sultan and had colours in both his hands. Sultan angrily stared down at him so Aryan stepped back, not applying any colours onto his own father. Aryan was just about to put on an upset face when suddenly Sultan yelled over the music.
"Won't you apply colour to Sultan?"
A smile lit Aryan's face and he threw green powder at Sultan.
RK slowly came to a stop outside the chawl. He noticed the holi celebrations taking place but his eyes moved up towards Madhu's home door. He didn't care how many colours covered him; he needed to apologize. I'm not leaving until I do, he thought to himself. He stepped outside of his car and scanned the crowd for Madhu but had trouble seeing her since everyone looked the same with colours. He began walking towards the chawl gates when suddenly a lady ran upto him. She handed him a tray of red powder in a hurry without even looking up at is face.
"Can you hold this please!"
She didn't give him the chance to say no and suddenly ran past him. He looked down at the tray in his hands and wondered what to do with it as he began to walk into the crowd.
Madhu continued to run far from Sultan, towards the other side of the chawl when suddenly she was splashed with water. The water soaked her clothes and she was caught off guard. She began to step backwards while wiping at her face. Suddenly she backed into someone, she stumbled over and landed in someone's arms. Red colour began to fall down onto her face as it blocked her view. The red colour covered her face and she coughed. She remained in the man's arms as she tried to wipe at the powder on her face, but then he spoke.
"Madhu..."
She froze and slowly opened her eyes. She blinked and saw him covered in red colour as well...RK. They stared into eachother's eyes for a moment. Then Madhu helped herself to stand straight, while stepping away from RK. She raised her arm to wipe away at the red powder on her forhead when RK grabbed her arm. She looked at him with wide eyes, as he slowly shook his head no. He lowered her arm and raised his hand to her face. She closed her eyes as he slowly wiped away at the red powder on her face, leaving just the powder on her forehead. As he moved his hand away slowly and she opened her eyes, he admired her with the one sign of their marriage, which she had never received. She looked beautiful in his eyes...and complete. She lowered her eyes, as he couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"Perfect..."
She looked up at him confused.
"What...?"
He grabbed her arm and pulled her away as she struggled to get free.
"RK let me go! Where are you...let me go!"
He pulled her outside the chawl gates and backed her into the brick wall behind her. He looked into her eyes and admired her face.
"Leav..."
He placed his hand over her mouth just as he had done the day she had been asking for her earrings. He noticed the spark from her eyes had disappeared. He felt his heart aching at the lost sparkle in her eyes.
"Will you speak?"
She shook her head no slowly as she stared at him with wide eyes.
"Will you run?"
She shook her head no.
"Will you let me speak."
She stood still for a seond but then nodded her head yes. He moved his hand away and placed it on the other side of her head behind the brick wall. Then he slowly whispered the words he had never said to anyone before.
"I'm...sorry Madhu."
Her eyes widened and then softened. An array of emotions flowed through her as she tried to figure out what he was speaking about. He had done so much to her that she could never tell what he felt remorse for.
"For...?"
She whispered and awaited an answer as he continued to admire her. Then he spoke with the most passionate voice she hadn't heard from him in months.
"Everything..."
Her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat as she began to choke up. She couldn't tell if he was serious. She stared at him and noticed a passionate expression on his face. Her heart began to race as he slowly closed in on her. She closed her eyes and felt his breath brush against her skin. She wanted to run but something stopped her. Then he whispered while their noses nearly touched.
"I miss you..."
He pulled her in for a hug, as she remained stunned beneath his embrace. The comfort she felt caused her to slowly raise her arms in response. She ran her hands up his back, taking in his hug after so long. She snuggled her face into his chest as he kissed her head. He spoke quietly into her hair.
"I missed you so much Madhu..."
Their arms tightened around each other and they remained in their hug for a moment. Then slowly she pulled away slightly to stare at up at him. He smiled down at her as his eyes filled with tears. He wiped away at her tears and then took her face in his hands.
"I...I love you..."
She smiled slightly in response and then he began to close in on her. Giving their relationship a name once again as he mouthed the three true words into their kiss.
