CHAPTER 21: Yuvi and Suhani
Next morning Bella expected to get court marshalled by Andy and Kuhu at least but surprisingly when they came downstairs, everyone was perfectly normal with them with the exception of Sumitra. As soon as they reached the dining table Sumitra launched her verbal attack on both of them. She spoke for fifteen minutes non-stop before Bella could get a word in. The general gist was the carelessness with which they had disappeared from the venue without informing anyone.
Bella: MA! Relax! Calm down. I am sorry. I should have informed you but buaji had pissed me off, Mahir had pissed me off and on top of that masi irritated me. I couldn’t take it anymore. I just had to leave. I know I should have called you but I didn’t think of that...
Polo: And why were you crying last night?
Bella: Because of Mahir. He was being an ass.
Yuvi: OMG! Bhai I never thought I would see the day when a girl would call you an ass. If I remember correctly all my girlfriends would go how sensible your brother is! Why can’t you be like him? Learn something from your brother!! Half of them had a crush on you. Bella! Thank you for calling my brother an ass and proving that he is just like me.
Bella: He is nothing like you Yuvi but yes he was being unnecessarily stupid yesterday.
Yuvi: Ouch! You could have agreed with me just to keep my heart you know.
Bella: NO!
Sumitra: Okay, you two! Stop fighting!
YuLa: Yes MA!
And they burst out laughing! With everyone laughing, Andy took that opportunity to pull Bella aside.
Bella: Yes dad?
Andy: Thank you, dear.
Bella: For what? Forsaying your son is stupid?
Andy: No. For defending my son. I heard your conversation with Ahilya yesterday. My sons have suffered because of what I did in life. I did what I did and you did not have to defend me or Polo’s honour for that matter. But you did. Thank you, Bella.
Bella: Dad I have no idea why mom is a part of our lives. But she is and that is all that matters to me right now. She is family and no one insults my family in front of me.
Andy: Dear, I was worried about how my kid's partners would fit in our unusual family situation. But you, Suhani and RJ not only accepted my kids with open arms but also support them unconditionally.
Bella: Dad, don’t worry we are family. No matter how unusual or otherwise but we are family and nothing will ever change that.
Andy: Bella, I had been meaning to talk to you about this for quite some time now. Ever since your wedding actually. This is neither the time nor the place but still. Mahir is very insecure about himself. Ever since his childhood, he has had to bear the brunt of being my eldest son. I did plenty of mistakes in my life, one of them was bringing Polo in Sumi’s life. I have no justification for my actions... I was an idiot... I mean Polo is great but Sumi has suffered a lot... Even Polo has suffered...
He looked very awkward and embarrassed at that moment. Gone was the Andy Sehgal Bella knew and admired. Before her stood a man, bent and defeated, one who had carried the weight of his mistakes for far too long. Seeing him so vulnerable, Bella was reminded of Mahir from the previous night. Andy and Mahir had nothing in common when it came to looks. Except for his height, Mahir had inherited nothing from his father. But that day Bella detected faint traces of Mahir in Andy.
Andy: Bella, Mahir was always taunted for being a cheater’s son. He was constantly reminded that he was my son and hence he was likely to commit the same mistakes. I could do nothing to shut the people who said this... I was so helpless Bella while my kids suffered in silence.
Bella: Dad, I don't need any justification. I told you. I have no idea why mom is a part of our lives. But she is and that is all that matters to me right now. And I know allabout his insecurities. And now that I know, I will ensure that he gets rid ofthem. Don’t worry.
Andy: I was embarrassed to broach this topic with you but seeing Mahir’s behaviour from the past few weeks, I knew I had to do it. I...
Bella: Dad, I know. I will make sure that Mahir never faces his old nightmare. EVER.
Andy gave her a smileand they both went to join the breakfast table. During the breakfast Bella keptgiving Mahir really dirty stares. So much that even Polo who was generallyclueless noticed it. When Anu dropped in for a bite, Bella gave her such aglare when she tried to talk to Mahir that Anu wilted in front of that one. Anuwho was an expert at comebacks could not think of something scathing to say.Yuvi noticed this and almost spit out his last bit of paratha. He as it waschoked on it and Suhani had to thump him on the back. Once he could breathe normallyhe whispered to Suhani
Yuvi: Did you justnotice the glare that Bella gave Anu?
Suhani: I did. What was that for?
Yuvi: I think I know. Meet me later. We will speak with Bhai.
Suhani: Okay.
Post breakfast, Yuri and Suhani went to Mahir, who was in the study, going through some files looking thoroughly miserable. Pratham had to leave immediately but they promised to keep him posted. He brightened up at the sight of Yuvi and Suhani.
Yuvi: Bhai what didyou tell Bella that she gave such a poisonous glare to Anu?
Mahir: I... I toldher about the Goa incident last night and some other things...
Suhani: What Goa incident?
Yuvi: Shh. I willtell you later on. Was that why she was crying?
Mahir: No. That is a long story and not meant for your ears. Just know this that I am in a hot soup. She is still angry that I pretended and then I went on to call her a terror. As in I said she is a terror when she gets angry and also well I told her that I sort of kissed Anu back...
Suhani: You kissedAnu? When? How?
Mahir: When I wastwenty. She kissed me actually...
Yuvi: Bhai you sureknow how to screw up a story. Suhani long story short we were in a night clubin Goa celebrating Anu’s birthday when Anu out of blue kissed Bhai. Bhairesponded for a micro-second before pushing her away. I wouldn’t call thatresponding but Bhai thinks it is. In order to push someone/something away youneed pull that object close for a micro second. Only then will push be effective. Newton’s third law of motion Bhai. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. I was there Bhai, I saw you push her away. When someone ispushed away, a small jerk comes. That is the moment when that person isslightly closer to you. I had a hard time convincing Bhai that he should notfeel guilty and clear it with Anu which he did. It was all my stupid sister’splan to get Bhai and Anu together.
Suhani: But...
Yuvi: Bahi don’t tell me you told Bella the details.
Mahir mutely nodded his head.
Yuvi: Bhai! Why did you go into the details? You could have simply told her the truth but why go into the details? This is cruelty against women.
Mahir: Look Yuvi I appreciate your concern but you can’t tell me how wrong I am, okay? Trust me I already know. I was just trying to keep the honesty factor intact but I guess I bombarded her with too much information last night. And on top of that my stupidity... I am in so much trouble... I mean she took it quite lightly but Iknow she is hurt.
Suhani: Bhai, I knowBella since we were kids. She will not hold this against you. She will not-torture you for something that happened more than ten years ago.
Mahir: I know Suhani.Anu deserves the glares but that is not why she is upset with me. There are other things that I have done in the recent past that have hurt her tremendously. Anyways I don’t know what to do...
He went from thereleaving behind an exasperated Yuvi and a puzzled Suhani.
Yuvi: Look at this man! First, he spent his youth waiting in a corner for some girl to notice him. Now that she has, he destroyed it with his own two hands. He is digging his own grave.
Suhani: I hate to say this, but I agree with you. We need to do something.
Just then Mahir came rushing back and caught hold of Suhani’s hand.
Mahir: Suhani, come with me. I need to talk to you.
He dragged her to hisroom and shut the door behind them.
Mahir: Suhani, how do you befriend someone?
Suhani: What?
Mahir: How do youbecome friends with someone?
Suhani: Why are you asking this Bhai?
Mahir: Bella has toldme that before I become her husband, I will have to become her friend first. And I don’t know how. Shall I take her out on a date? Or maybe get a gift? Oh, Iknow I will take her out on a holiday? Or maybe I will gift her a spa package...
Suhani: Bhai! Calmdown. Take a deep breath! These things are what boyfriends do. Or husbandsdo. Friendship is not about material things. I mean I rarely gift Bellaanything. The only time we gift each other is on birthdays. Friendship will nothappen tomorrow. It builds over time. Love can happen in an instant butfriendship? It takes years of efforts from both the sides for it to growstronger. Friendship is not about gestures, it is about promises; the promiseto be there, the promise to support, the promise to lend an ear whenevernecessary. It is not always about having the right advice but also about beingable to just listen. A friend is someone to whom I can go and rant and rant andrant and then we can go out for a coffee, the topic of ranting left far behind. Friendship is about being a safe place where I can share all my secrets. My ownpersonal locker. Friendship is about giving these rights to a person.
Mahir: But we already have these things. I mean Bella comes and rants to me. She shares her worries with me. She does all those things that you said...
Suhani: Bhaifriendship about one more thing. In friendship, rights are not just given but they are also to be exercised. She exercises her rights as a friend. Do you do the same?
Mahir: I don’t want to burden her with my problems...
Suhani: That is whereyou are wrong. She is feeling like she is the only one sharing things with you. When you say this, you make her feel like a stranger and I know Bella. She will take this as a personal failure. She will say that she has failed as a personto get you to open up to her. She will blame herself.
Mahir: She is blaming herself. You are right Suhani. But what do I do now?
Suhani: There is one more rule in friendship. As in between best friends if at all you end upoffending the other person, you say sorry but you don’t wait for the otherperson to forgive you. With best friends, forgiveness is a given. You go back tobeing as you were. But remember to never repeat the same mistake again. Don’tbehave any different with her. Behave just the way you were.
Mahir: Are you saying that me going back to normal will help?
Suhani: It most certainly will. Mahir bhai, she is stubborn as hell but deep down she is a sweetheart. I will have a word with her. She will be fine.
Mahir: Thanks Suhani.
Suhani: Any time bhai.
In the meanwhile, Bella had reached the study for some reason and was amazed (read shocked) to see Yuvi standing there.
Bella: Yuvi, what are you doing inside the STUDY?
Yuvi: Marvelling at my brother’s stupidity.
Bella: What?
Yuvi: Yeah... He told you about the Goa incident with Anu right?
Bella: He told me a lot of things last night...
Yuvi looked surprised at that.
Yuvi: Bella, I know I am, not a very reliable source but trust me when I say, Bhai did not kiss her back. It was just his perception.
Bella: I don’t need you to tell me that. I know he did not kiss her. It’s just that... Well, I need to have a word with you. Come...
She dragged him out of the study towards Yuvi’s room. Once there she turned to him.
Bella: Tell me honestly, what did you see?
Yuvi: When?
Bella: When you told me to go and get my man, you sounded like you knew something was not quite correct and hence you were warning me. So, tell me what did you see?
Yuvi: You caught that huh?
Bella: Of course. I know you well enough by now. So are you telling me?
Yuvi: I might as well tell you that. Come sit.
Bella sat on the edgeof his bed.
Yuvi: Okay, you will listen to me first and then freak out, get it? I am not dealing with your tantrums today.
Bella simply noddedher head, looking at him keenly. He got a dirty look for his last statement.
Yuvi: When I came toyour room that day, I did not know how I was going to broach the topic. Whatever I had seen was awkward and very very sensitive. A part of me told me that it was none of my business but a part of me told me that as a friend it was my duty to warn you. So I had decided to simply warn you without going intothe details. But then I found you crying like a weakling and it pissed me off. Hence the lecture about crying instead of doing something.
Bella: What had you seen?
Yuvi: I was passingMahir bhai’s room on that very day when I heard a girl’s shrill giggle come from in there. I knew you were at work and Kuhu was in her room, so I wondered who was in Bhai’s room. Against my better judgement, I peeked inside. The door was open slightly and all I had to do was to peep inside. What I saw, stunned. Mahir Bhai was sitting on his bed. Looking supremely uncomfortable and Anu was flirting with him. And by flirting, I don’t mean harmless flirting with words. I will spare you the details but she was saying something like all Bhai had to do was to kiss her once, he would remember all of their magical moments together. Bhai looked ready to burst into tears. I knew I had to rescue him.ASAP. So I knocked on the door and Anu had to jump back. She gave some flimsy excuse of having come to ask about his health and I showed her the door. Bhai had been behaving really weird with me ever since he lost his memory so I thought it would be unwise to say anything to him.
Bella: So you came to warn me?
Yuvi: Bella, I knew Bhai would not succumb to her advances. But he has this habit of getting guilty. He was guilty about kissing her last time. I had a hard time convincing him that HE was not at fault. And if eighteen-year-old Anu could kiss him, then this older Anu can most certainly do that. I did not want her ruining your relationship. You make him happy Bella. And I want him to be happy. So...
Bella got up and hugged Yuvi tightly.
Bella: Thanks Yuvi.Mahir told me all about Anu and her attempts of convincing him of their affair.
Yuvi: Any time Bella.
Shiv Shakti
