Next day morning, Virat is still asleep and I am helping Nikki and Ria get ready. We were supposed to head back home early in the morning, it is 7 AM already but my husband is fast asleep.
"Momma, when is daddy going to bring my bunny?" Ria asks me.
"BRING WHAT?" I shout.
"Bunny. Daddy said I can have a pet bunny if I am nice to Ms. Tuner. I will go ask him." Ria ran out to the living room.
"That's not fair!!!!!!!!!" Nikki pouts. "You said I cannot have a puppy for my birthday. Ria is having a rabbit."
"Ria is not having a rabbit." I assure him and we both walk into the living room. Virat is up but still on the couch and Ria is sitting by him giggling.
"Share the joke?" I ask. They both look at me with a straight face.
"Aren't you getting up? I thought we were supposed to start early?" I ask.
"Good morning to you too dear." He chuckles.
He is checking his emails on his phone and Nikki climbs up the couch, joining the party.
"Coffee please.." Virat asks me with a big smile. His grin is infectious, I smile, shake my head and go to brew a fresh pot.
"Why are you sleeping on the couch?" Nikki asks his father.
"Aaliya said whenever her mom is mad at her daddy, she made him sleep on the couch." Ria answers Nikki.
"Aaliya?" Virat is asks trying to steer her away from the topic.
"My best friend." Ria explains.
"Momma are you mad at daddy?" Nikki asks turning to me.
"No buddy." I reply.
"Then why did you make him sleep on the couch?" Ria inquires. Virat is coughing and I am at a loss too, I don't know what to say.
Kids!!!
Virat gets up and walks to me. "Momma took sleeping on the couch to whole new level." he pecks me on my cheek and I forget the whole bunny business. I look at him and I am blushing profusely, so is he. This is so embarrassing before the kids, they are looking at us.
"I hope you make me sleep on the couch everyday." He whispers in my ear and takes his coffee mug from me and walks away to my greatest relief.
"You are not buying her a rabbit." I tell him.
Ria looks up from her game on his phone, the color in the face disappears, she is tensed; she is looking at Virat with a but-you-promised expression.
Nikki is grinning "A puppy then.."
Virat raised his eyebrow, studying the reactions of the people in the room.
"And you bribed her? Mr.Genius, is that the only thing you can think about?" I sit beside him with my own cup of coffee in hand. Ria suddenly looks assured and is back to playing her game. He must have said something without me hearing it. I eye them suspiciously.
"What would I have done? You were exploding with jealously. You wouldn't say a word." He said to escape my stares.
My mouth drops open "I WAS NOT JEALOUS!!" I am offended and he is amused. "Stop grinning!!" I scowl.
But, I am not angry somehow, I look at the trio. Ria sitting in his lap and playing with his phone, Nikki standing on the couch, putting his tiny hands around Virat's neck and whispering something in his ear. Three peas in a pod. Me sitting here in front of them and watching them as it was the most normal sight, which was definitely not the case. God knows what we had to go through to get here. Virat catches my pensive eyes and pulls me close with his hand around my shoulder. Nikki who was standing between us, falls into my lap.
"Someone promised they will not overthink." he says.
His phone rings. "Yes Blanco." He answers."Let her through." He says and hangs up.
Virat goes and opens the door. "Good Morning." He smiles at Swetha.
Swetha looks at him with a what-is-wrong-with-you expression and she marches in without replying.
"I need to talk with you ASAP." She folds her hands standing over me. She looked really, really angry.
"Cool down Swe." I stand up putting Nikki on the couch.
"Want some coffee Swetha?" Virat asks, with the nicest smile.
She glowers at him but does not reply back. I am smiling awkwardly not knowing how to control her. He gets her coffee, which she regards with utmost suspicion.
"I am taking the kids inside. I will get ready in a few minutes. We should get some breakfast before we start." He tells me and I nod. "You and Ishan are more than welcome to join us." He tells Swetha warmly and carries the kids inside.
"What's up with Virat hospitable Vadhera?" Swetha smirks sitting down on the couch. "You better tell me what's going on." She asks me in a no-nonsense tone.
I sit beside her and take her hands in mine and squeeze them softly and smile the most assuring smile. "Swe, everything is fine. I am very happy with Virat. What you saw yesterday night was just an outburst, it's nothing." I tell her. She didn't believe me, she demanded the full story and so I told her- everything that happened since I landed with Virat. She listened attentively. She didn't speak a word in between. After I tell her everything, she gets up and starts walking to and fro.
"So, let me get this straight. Virat has not been with one single woman but with who-know-how-many women and you are okay with that." Her voice was raising by the minute.
"Swe, keep it down. That was after I left. The cops told him that I probably died. We were not together then."
"As outrageous as that sounds, put that aside. You have this secretary that openly confessed in front of you that it was her, on that day, in your bedroom."
"Yeah." I shrugged.
"And you are ready to discredit her and trust him again and give the whole thing another chance unconditionally?" She summarizes.
"Yes Swetha. I love him and I feel his love. I trust him 100%."
"ARE YOU MENTAL?" she screams.
"Keep it down, the kids are up." I stand up and hold her hand.
I coolly explain her the whole mystery and shootings and break-in's; that there are bigger things going on, that are frankly over my head and I am just going to be happy with my family more than anything else.
"I don't believe him." Swetha says folding her hand, brooding and shaking her head.
Virat walks in showered and dressed up. He was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, he looked so much younger and relaxed today.
"So are you coming with us, we are ready to go." Virat asks Swetha.
"Please come, we might not see each other for a few days atleast, with your work and everything." I tell her.
"I need to get to work by 9, but if you want to go the restaurant in here, me and Ishan will join you." She tells me.
"Okay then." I beam. Virat puts his hand around my shoulder and we smile at each other sweetly for no reason.
"Alright, see you there in a few minutes." Swetha said glaring at me.
"I am watching you Vadhera.." she warns Virat.
"I am glad you are..." he smiles.
Man! Virat being nice to Swetha is a treat to watch. She doesn't bother him anymore. I am so glad. Swetha will warm up to him too, in some time, maybe.
~~~
All four of us are sitting in the restaurant at the resort with Swetha and Ishan around a big round table.The kids in between me and Virat; Swetha by my side and Ishan by Virat's. Surprisingly, Virat was being very friendly with Ishan as well, asking about his work and business. I look around to see if Blanco was around and he was standing by the entrance door with Randy.
I looked at Nikki, he was putting so much syrup on his pancakes that it looked like he was eating syrup with a little bit of pancake on the side. Ria was studying Swetha and Ishaan.
"Eat up bunny." I tell her.
"Momma who is he?" Ria asks me pointing to Ishan.
"He is Swetha masi's boyfriend." I tell her.
Her brows furrow as she is examining this piece of information. "Do you have a boyfriend?" Ria asks me. Virat is looking at us now.
I start coughing at her question but then recover pretty soon. "Your daddy was my boyfriend for a while and then we got married." I reply.
"Oh, When will I have a boyfriend?" she asks me with a puzzled face.
Jeez, what's with the questions all of a sudden?
"When you are thirty sweetheart, or thirty five is even better." Virat replies with a straight face.
Everyone splits into laughter including me, except for the kids and Virat. Virat wasn't joking. Ria looks at me confused. I kiss her cute innocent face.
Suddenly our attention turns to lone TV perched up high in the corner of the diner as the name Vadhera Global Enterprises is heard. Virat shifts uncomfortably in his seat. He doesn't want us to listen to this but there are a lot of people around and he didn't want to make a scene.
Mr. Karan Shekawath, one of the major partners and the executive director of Vadhera Enterprises has been arrested by the New York police department on charges of fraud and embezzlement filed by the CEO of the company...
I looked at the images of the cops walking Karan away from their office. He was surrounded by lawyers and media personnel. He looked pissed.
I am beyond shocked. My jaw drops, I am looking at Virat.
He was carefully looking at my reaction. "Finish up your food baby, we need to leave." He says.
~~~
"I don't like the guy." Virat says once we were in the car.
"Which guy? Ishan?" I ask
"Yeah, he looks like he is with Swetha for a reason. You should talk to her. I would have told her myself but she would do the opposite of anything I tell her right now."
"Ok. Wait a second. You got Karan arrested and we are not talking about that? Ans Swetha is a big girl, she can take care of herself."
He hated her guts yesterday and today he is protective about her????
"What's there to talk about Karan?" he asked putting his glares and starting the car.
"Why? Why did you get him arrested?"
"Because, I doubt his intentions."
"You doubt someone and he is inside a freaking cell. Karan is your friend Virat."
"Not anymore." he snapped.
"You think he had something to do with the shooting?" I gasp with horror.
"Possibly."
"But you are not sure?"
"Manvi, if I was sure, he would have been inside a grave by now. You said you wouldn't think about all these things. Please, let's just enjoy the drive." He said turning on the music.
And that's it, he doesn't want to talk about it anymore.
Ria and Nikki were bickering about what pet they were going to get in the back seat. Virat is aloof about things other than the kids or me. I wrap my hands around my waist protectively and look out of the window.
It's not easy to ignore all these things Virat!
~~~
We were home. There were people waiting for us, they looked liked security people, as they all dressed the same, like Blanco, in well-cut black suits. Virat asked us to stay in the car and went to talk with them.
Blanco and Randy went inside while Virat was taking with Martin, our housekeeper. Blanco comes out and signals all clear. I am getting the idea that Virat doesn't trust anybody other than Blanco when it comes to security. Virat comes to get us and we all go in.
All this intimidates me so much. I would like to have a control over my life, not constantly depend on dozens of people to keep me and my kids safe. The rational part of me understands why Virat is so controlling and ruthless when it comes to security but the emotional part of me hates seeing him change so many colors. Yesterday night he said he was Manvi's Virat. Right now, I don't even recognize him or know what he is going through his head.
We walk inside, nothing seems different. It is the same house and same stuff. Same Liz and Martin.
"They can go to school from tomorrow. They must be tired with so much going around." Virat tells me while getting dressed. He has to go to work. I walk upto him and start buttoning his shirt.
"What is it?" he asks reading my mood.
I look at him, his eyes dripping with concern. "I miss Manvi's Virat." I mumble.
He smiles. "He is always here when you need him baby." He replies caressing my face with his fingers.
"I love you so much" I hug him tightly. I don't know why, I really needed to know that he is still the same. This is the only way to know right now.
"I love you more." He smiles into my hair, tightening his embrace.
"I just wish I you weren't so enigmatic. I wish I knew what you are thinking." I say sullenly.
"Enigmatic?" he looks at me, tilting his head, testing the word.
"Enigmatic." I repeat looking up at him, with my chin on his chest.
"I don't tell you things because I don't want to worry you with the specifics, I don't want you tangled up in all the crap. Is that so difficult to understand?"
"I get that. But.."
"Look at your face. It's filled with so much worry and tension ever since you saw the news, that's why I keep all that away from you."
"Can I atleast go back to work. I need the distraction." I ask. I was waiting for a right moment to ask him this.
He takes a deep breath and I think he will be annoyed. "Let's talk about it tonight. I have to go now."
"You got more people to lock up?" I ask, my voice tinted with sarcasm.
He is amused. "Anything to keep you safe baby." he says. With his hands on either sides of my head, he tilts me back more and kisses my lips lightly. "Last night was awesome. I wish we never came back." He sighs and then leans back in; this time it's a long and hard kiss."You look so lovely when you blush." He is teasing. And ofcourse I blush some more..
I hold out his jacket, and he shrugs it on easily. He holds my hand and we walk out of our bedroom to the kids room. He had made this a kind of ritual. He would kiss them goodbye whenever he is heading out.
Nikki was showing Ria the pictures of puppies online, convincing her to get a puppy instead of a bunny. "Rabbits are so quiet, they will not even move. Puppies are friendly and they wag their tail.." Nikki was making his sales pitch.
"...and they lick you with their tongue and cover you with their spit." Ria made a face. But she was fascinated with this golden retriever puppy picture he was showing. "His ears are as big as a bunny." She observes, not taking her eyes of it.
"No pets in the house." I tell, more to Virat.
"Please momma.." they both beg.
"I always wanted to get a dog." Virat adds, his face filled with kiddish excitement.
"Only if it is him." Ria points to the screen.
All three of them look at me with cute little puppy faces. "Jeez, fine. Spare me the cuteness." I give up and agree.
"I love you momma.." the kids hug my legs. Virat is as happy as my kids. He left grinning like a fool, promising to take them to a dog house in the evening. Who knew Virat Vadhera wanted a puppy!!
~~~
Later that day, I got a call from StarCom agency, a subsidiary of the company I used to work with in India. "Ms.Choudhary, we have some really big projects lined up. We need to know if you are available. We want to hire someone else if you are not available. You will still have your job reserved but not as the creative head." They tell me.
"I am available. I can start from tomorrow. But I will be able to work only for 5 hours in your office. I can work from home if you need me for more hours. I have small kids." I explain.
"Yes ofcourse, we can talk about that. We are very accommodating about such things." The lady assures me.
"Thank you. I will meet with you tomorrow." I hang up.
I let out a deep sign.
Virat is going to blow the roof off.
~~~
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