Ch 4: Yeh rishta kya khelata hai:
Viren and Maanvi took a seat at the table in a far end corner of the restaurant. It was a table for two. Maanvi sat on the chair across from Viren, with Muskaan on her lap. But she shifted nearer to Viren, settling the bags underneath the table. Their order had just arrived.
"Pasta.. my favourite!!!", said Maanvi.
"And black forest cake bhi hain, Madam!!" added Viren, with a smile and a chuckle on seeing her eyes widening with glee.
Maanvi, not able contain her excitement, squealed, "Yum!!"
Viren took the fork and fed Maanvi some pasta. On seeing her fan her mouth half open, by closing her eyes a bit in pain, he warned her, though a bit late, "Careful Maan! It's hot!"
Muskaan "Aww's" at her Mom and soothes her, by caressing her Mom's cheek with her soft palm. Maanvi turns and winks at a giggly Muskaan. She leans forward and acts as if she's going to bite her, to earn another giggle along with a squeal of excitement.
A pair of dark browns continued to look on at the three. They blinked again, but flashed with a purpose in them.
The table suddenly became overshadowed, with no light from above streaming in. Viren looked up confused, and as his grin had appeared, suddenly vanished as his eyes registered the human being in front. His mouth ever so slowly gaped as a number of memories came back to him. He couldn't have mistaken to recognise those eyes. They looked just like they were, like his father's. A husky voice cut in through his thoughts, making him blink in realisation.
"Bhai?"
Maanvi, who was playing and feeding her messy daughter, with adoration glinting in her eyes, looked up at the voice, coming from somewhere nearby. As the light was right behind him and was forming a halo on his head, she couldn't really see his features, so narrowed her eyes, and blinked, as his face came into view. There she saw in front of her, the very same person, she had long forgotten, standing there exuding the same persona like he used to a long time back. His demeanor was the same, and oozed of arrogance, as he stared straight into her Hazel eyes. But today he looked a bit different from what he used to look like in those days. Only in physical appearance, I guess, she thought. But as she thought this, more thoughts, or rather memories, popped up from the back of her head and played like a movie. She gripped onto Muskaan, who rested her head on her shoulder, reflexively and played with her Mom's hair. A familiar voice cut through the air and she turned to Viren speaking.
"Viraat! Tu?" said Viren, standing up in greeting.
She couldn't believe her ears nor her eyes. She wondered how did Viren voiced his name with so much familiarity. But the next thing she knew was that she was choking. And started coughing incessantly and covered her mouth with her fist.
*Cough *Cough *
Viren fell back to his seat, concerned,. "Maan? Kya hua? Are you ok?" he asked, taking Muskaan in his arms and handing Maanvi a glass of water, and patting her back after that.
Seeing Maanvi calm down a bit, he asked again, "Are you ok ? Jaan, you scared me!!" He sighed in relief, on seeing Maanvi nod in assurance.
Maanvi cupped Viren's cheek, and assured him, "Viren baby, I'm fine! Theek hoon!, and smiled.
Virat absorbed the whole scene and again felt a pang in his chest, making him wince mentally. He was about to voice that wince out, but controlled it in time. His eyes dilated the instant, Viren addressed her like that and scorched on hearing and seeing Maanvi address him in the same way. They were so casual and so close to each other, that it made him...Made him... He sighed mentally, because he couldn't get a word to describe how he... Felt?
Viren kissed her forehead and pulled her up from the chair.
With a smile, he said, "Maanvi.. I'd like you to meet my Chhota Bhai, Virat! And Virat, this my beautiful and the love of my life.. My Wife, Maanvi!!" his tone induced with pride and love for the person whom he was addressing.
"Chhota Bhai?.." Maanvi said in a low voice, with confusion, clouding her eyebrows. "You never mentioned him before Viren!", looking at Viren, she continued softly, "I never knew you had a brother!"
Virat cut in at the right time, "Oh really? Is that so?", he said, with an undertone of taunt, that didn't go unnoticed by Maanvi. "Well that is expected!" he said continuing in a casual tone. He looked back at Maanvi and clarified, "Well, you see its complicated!", brushing it off as something casual. "Kyun bhai?", nodding in askance at Viren, he asked, "Yeh rishta.. kya kehlata hain? We ourselves don't know!", pouting at the matter while looking back at Maanvi, with a casual furrow in his brows.
Viren looked up on hearing Virat address him, and as the words sank in, his brows furrowed slightly, but were clouded with something called irritation. Virat looked back at him and blinked, as if to taunt him. Viren looked away in disbelief, and breathed in deeply, as the old anger tried to evade his new found happiness of his wife and daughter.
It was if both the bros were chewing each up in their minds.
Maanvi looked at Viren, then at Virat and back again. Her eyes travelled from one to the other, as she sensed the tension underneath their sophisticated exchange. It wasn't because how she felt about Virat's presence, because it was lit up the instant she saw him. But this was something else, that was hitting her from the outside, in the cold of the temperature inside the restaurant. She realised that there was something that made them behave so. Something that they had not yet sorted out. Some tension brewing and becoming heavy with every passing second. All the load that they were putting in with this heated silent exchange was not at all within her comprehension, but what ever they it was, she could feel it's weight increasing around.
And the awkward silence wasn't helping either. No one could think that these two were even brothers, if they saw them like this.
Maanvi couldn't take it anymore, and to break this gnawing silence, she said, "Virat? I'd like you to meet your niece, Muskaan!", showing him her daughter.
She turned to Muskaan, and spoke in a cute kiddish tone, "Muski baby! You know who is this? Huh? Who is this?", pointing at Virat, with her finger. She nodded in negative with Muskaan, and stepped a bit forward and spoke soflty and slowly, "This is your Chachu...Say Chachu? Virat Chachu!"
Virat, licked his lips as he watched the sweet, adorable exchange and waved his hand and said, "Hi?", pursing his lips, unsurely.
Maanvi turned to look at Virat. At first she thought against giving Muskaan to him, but she couldn't let Viren think otherwise, and question her. So she pasted a smile on her face, and extended her arm to Virat, presenting Muskaan.
"Here!" sais Maanvi, sounding casual.
"Maanvi.. Virat doesn't know how to handle kids!" coming forward, unfortunately to his brother's aid. "Careful" said Viren, on seeing Virat hold Muskaan a bit clumsily.
Looking back, "Viren! Kuch nahi hoga! That's her chachu!" said Maanvi, with a smile to both the men there.
Holding Muskaan well enough, and looking up with a smirk, "Chill bhai! I can handle girls!" "I'm an expert at that! Kyun Maanvi?", looking at Maanvi the whole time, and rocking Muskaan in his arms.
Him addressing her like that, stunned Maanvi and the only thing she could come up with was, "Ji?", which was followed by a slight widening of her eyes.
"I mean see she seems happy in my arms!" Virat corrected himself, before any suspicions lingered. He added with a wide smile, looking back from Muskaan to Maanvi, "Bilkul Maa ki jaisi hain! I mean she looks like you.. Just as beautiful!"
Maanvi looked back at Virat.. Her eyes stinged a little on his comment, as memories flew back in the window of Trash. But she blinked them back, facing the ground and looked back up with clear eyes.
Viraat Vadhera, I understand what you meant by 'She seems happy in my arms. Bilkul maa ki jaisi" very well enough, she thought as she grimaced mentally, while successfully putting up a casual smile on her face.
She blinked. But in the same instant a picture like memory fell on her heavily, reminding her of the past.
* flash back*
Virat hadn't missed the glint of anger in her hazel eyes, that he loved to see. And had mentally smirked at his effect on her. Oh, so she is still affected by me? Hmm..., thought Virat. And then, he saw her blinking and then gasping suddenly, making him all the more curious of what had she seen. Her clasping Viren;s hand didn't go unnoticed by him, because that made him grit his teeth hard, and he was about to pinch Muskaan's flesh, but controlled himself on time. He eyed Maanvi suspiciously to see any signs of the last effect, but could see none.
"Why don't we all sit down!" said Maanvi, as she indicated them to the table.
The two men nodded and proceeded towards the table.
After settling comfortably and seeing Muskaan fascinated with his cuff-links, he smiled and said, "Bhai! Your very lucky you have such a beautiful wife and daughter! I'm jealous!" grinning and making a casual funny face with a pout.
Viren raised his eyebrow, on hearing this, and acknowledged it with a nod, followed by, "Thank you!" with a smile.
Oh really? The Virat is jealous?? Acha hain! Burn!! You deserve it!, thought Maanvi, rolling her eyes, but trying not to make it obvious.
Pursing his lips, he continued with a frown of confusion, "How did you get so lucky?"
The way he said it, somehow held a taunt, a sarcasm he couldn't ignore, so Viren chose his words correctly and replied, "That's because God is happy with me! Therefore he blessed me!", taking Maanvi's hand and bringing it closer to his other hand. "I thank my stars!", he continued, while putting an arm around Maanvi's shoulders and bringing her closer.
After a while of chit chatting they all proceeded to go home.
That night at home,
After putting Muskaan to sleep, Maanvi went up to Viren and wrapped her arms around his chest from the back and hugged him with her head resting on his shoulder.
Viren could feel her chest pressing against his back, and put the file down. And taking Maanvi's hands in his, pressed them lovingly.
"Kya baat hain! Aaj itna pyaar aa raha hain pati pe!! Kyun?", he asked with a tease, while turning around to face her and putting his arm around her neck, and resting it on her shoulder.
Maanvi, holding onto his hand, winding around her neck, and playing with his fingers, "Viren, aaj hi nahin! I love you since.."
"Since?" asked Viren, cutting in.
Maanvi craned her neck up to reach his ear and whispered to him, "The night we kissed for the first time. The night we...we conviced Muskaan!" and blushed hard as she looked at him.
Viren's eyebrows rose on hearing her say it all so boldly, and said, "Aye haaye! Meri sherni blushes bhi?", caressing her cheeks and leaned in to kiss her. He added, "Waise, do you want to relive that moment? Hmm?" with a wink.
Maanvi gasped and hit him on his chest, lightly, "Badmaash!"
Viren chuckled and hugged her tighter. Maanvi pondered a while and looked up to him, and asked carefully, "Viren? Can I ask you something?"
"Maan, you don't to have ask me! Just shoot right away!" replied Viren.
"Viren, shaadi ki raat ko you told me everything but why didn't you.." Maanvi said. But before she could continue, she saw Viren's smile disappear as he caught onto the topic fast enough. And felt him break away and face the other side.
Viren sighed, as memories flashed in his mind each passing second. He closed his eyes, breathed in deeply and said, "Maan because.. baat hain ki.." He swallowed hard, as he couldn't find words to describe it.
Maanvi rested her hand on his shoulder in assurance and spoke softly, "You can tell me Viren! I will, am always here for you!" nodding in reassurance.
Viren breathed in deeply again and relaxed a bit, but his form stiffened as he started speaking.
"Maan, Viraat is my half brother ..there a lot of differences between us. In fact until today, I hadn't met him for the past 5 years. Our relationship is very sour from his side." he nodded in disbelief. "I still accept him as my brother, but when ever I give him that chance, he always does something to prove me wrong.. To make me think why do I even forgive him! In fact, Maanvi, I wonder how do I even tolerate him!"
Maanvi nodded in understanding, and pressed his shoulder, and said, "Viren, he is your brother!" She closed her breathed in deeply, because what she was about to say, made her cringe and hard to breath. Yet she continued, "Please for my sake... sort out the differences and accept him? Muskaan can have her chachu!! I want to bring the family closer and don't deny the fact you were happy to see him!" her voice indicating her pout and confidence. "I saw the love in your eyes for him!", smiling tenderly.
Viren sighed heavily and turned and nodded in negative, "Maan, please! You don't know how he is!" Licking his lips, he mumbled to himself, "ek number ka kamina hai woh!" resting his hands on his hips.
Maanvi looked at a corner of the room, looking nowhere as such. Her ears registered what Viren said in the last, and she nodded affirmative to herself and mumbled back, "I know!"
Viren's eyebrows furrowed on hearing something from Maanvi and turned to her and asked, "Kya?"
Maanvi immediately composed herself, and corrected, "I mean, I bet I can understand! But... Still! He is your brother!"
Viren sighed and thought of Muskaan and looked back into Maanvi's hazel eyes that held hope and concern for both him and Muskaan and love. Placing his hands on her hips, he nodded and said, "Fine! Just for you!". He warned, "But I swear, Maanvi! If he ever does anything to harm my family, meaning you or Muskaan...then all hell will break lose!! And am serious!"
