Dadu felt the sudden wave of tension in the room as Neerav mentioned his father.
He could see Rahul and Arjun looking at their mother for an explanation but Sunita didn't entertain it owning to the presence of Tia, who was their guest and had no idea of what was going on in their lives.
After Breakfast, Dadu deliberately asked Neerav and Tia to accompany him for a short walk in the garden, knowing that the two elder kapoor brothers had a lot of questions brewing in their minds.
Sunita lined up the breakfast dishes in the sink ignoring the accusatory glances from both her sons. It was Rahul who spoke up first,
"Maa? Yeh main kya sunn raha hoon? Neerav spends time with dad every Sunday?" He demanded folding his arms.
Sunita carried on about her work, opening the warm water tap to let the grease slide off the dishes.
"I thought you kept his identity unknown from Neerav, but yahaan he is spending time with that man?" Arjun spoke up, irritated.
"I can't believe ki itna sab kuch hone ke baad bhi, you are allowing Neerav to spend time with him, you're keeping in touch with him?!" Rahul hissed angrily.
"Toh aur kya karti main? Kya batati uss masoom ko jo baar baar mujhse apne papa ke baare mein puchta rehta?!
Neerav was just a baby when your father left us. Tum dono bhi nahi thhe, so that I could expect a little help in explaining the situation to his little self!
Aur Harsh jaise bhi hain, he is as much as Neerav's father as he is yours.
Tum dono ke paas toh phir bhi bohot yaadein hai par Neerav baccha hai. I don't want him to have a childhood that is deprived of his father's love." Sunita spoke up finally, as her patience gave up.
"But Maa you know what that man did to you, how can you forgive him?" Arjun demanded this time, angrily.
"I remember what he did to me Arjun, and did I talk about forgiving him?
I'm just saying that woh Neerav ke baap hain, he has as much of his right on him as much as he has on both of you. Not even the judiciary can stop him from seeing Neerav." Their mother replied, anger rising in her tone.
"Mujhe koi haqq nahi chahiye uss aadmi se, aur agar mera koi haqq hai bhi toh chhodta hoon main usse." Rahul stomped away angrily as Sunita rubbed her agitated temples as her second son, walked out clearly irritated as well.
Rahul didn't see where he was going rather let his feet carry him as his mind was blinded by rage from the fact that his mum kept in touch with the man who destroyed their lives all those years ago.
Fishing out a cigarette from his pocket, he kept it between his lips and lighted it up with a lighter, taking in a long puff.
It's been so many years, yet still thinking about the day that scattered all his ties, his relationships had his rage boiling over.
A very sweet sound fell in his ears again, and just like that he found his feet walking towards it.
There she was again, in a pretty lavender colored anarkali, twirling as the fabric twirled with her in its full glory.
The little girls, were trying to copy her in their own adorable way and Aru smiles warmly before correcting their postures lovingly..
From what Rahul could make out from the steps, apparently the woman (radha) was asking her lover (krishna) to stop teasing her, as she's getting late to go home.
Rahul quickly doused the cigarette beneath his shoes and walked closer, resting his frame on one of the trees in her garden.
Aarohi twirled again, and he stood their speechless at her grace, and beauty..
Marhami Sa Chaand Hai Tu,
Dil Jala Sa Main Andhera,
Ek Dooje Ke Liye Hai, Neend Meri, Khwaab Tera..
Back when they were growing up,she had always been different from all the other girls, always more focused on what she wanted to do. When all the other girls her age wanted a rich boyfriend, Aarohi used to work on pursuing her dream, juggling between dance classes, art sessions.
Did she still paint? Rahul thought out loud in his mind for the memory of a teenager Aru, hastily tying up those loose wisps of hair in a ponytail, half falling, half gathering her canvas, paint box, palette, pencils and brushes was still fresh in his mind.
An innocent giggle broke his chain of thoughts, and he found one of the little girls laughing at him adorably, covering her mouth with her little palms.
Rahul smiled back at her, kids have always been topic of interest and liking. Another reason why his agent Rosa's two year old daughter was fond of him.
He picked up a petunia from the nearby climber and gave it to the little girl who took it from him with a sweet smile. But then another little girl who was standing beside her, looked up at him in hope that he would give her a flower too and Rahul did.
But then, Aarohi twirled did a very graceful expression of shying away which Rahul comprehended as the shyness and blush of Radha when Krishna tried to hold her hand and embrace her.
That subtle mischief of being a woman, that beauty, that grace was something he hadn't seen in the woman that he has met before. Not even Tia,who was his best friend.
Little Innocent Giggles broke Aarohi's attention to find her class of girls giggling at an awestruck Rahul Kapoor standing there watching her.
Had he been here all along? was the first thought that crossed Aru's mind.
His eyes clear as the sky on a beautiful sunny day and as brown as her favorite chocolate chip cookies were fixed on him and she didn't know why but warmth flooded her cheeks. If he had been here, he must have been watching her.
The mere thought made crimson rise up in her skin, it was just like all those years back whenever he used to look at her all love struck during their common sports classes.
Tucking a few strands of hair, Aru untied the dupatta from her knot and placed it properly on her shoulders, hushed at the little girls to be quiet and turned to Rahul.
"Hi... that was all she managed to say.
Her voice broke his attention and Rahul blinked clueless.
The little girls giggled again and Aru hushed them to be quiet.
"Hey.. He smiled at her, warmly.
"Tum yahaan? She asked.
"Yeah actually...? Rahul stressed at his memory to think that why he had been here in the first place but couldn't.
"Never mind. Anyways, you're a beautiful dancer Aru. Watching you is like a heavy downpour of rain after a scorching summer's day.. He complimented her looking straight into those doe black eyes, and strangely she couldn't gather the courage to look up at him.
Tu Ghataa Hai Fuhaar Ki,
Main Ghadi Intezaar Ki,
Apna Milna Likha Issi Baras Haina?
"Thank you.. She smiled, finally looking up at him through that compliment ushered a whole fleet of butterflies in her stomach.
Somewhere In Coonoor..
The oven's timer beeped announcing that the task was done.
Wearing the cute red polka dot printed glove, Harsh Kapoor pulled out the tray of cookies which wafted a buttery aroma in the kitchen.
He picked up one carefully, and broke it off from one side testing it's crunchiness and took a bite as the butter crust melted in its mouth giving way to caramel and chocolate beneath it.
His hair had generous sprinkling of grey in it but still, his face still had the tightness of a youthful man.
His good height and fair features would just make women think the term handsome as he still was.
"Delicious and Perfect!" Harsh mused happily, as he gently put the two trays of cookies into a cute blue jar. His youngest born loved these cookies, and there would be a no better gift then this when he would meet him tomorrow.
Two arms wrapped around him, making him smile as he turned to find Anu's dark grey eyes looking at him warmly.
"Are you making my favorite pancakes?" She smiled taking in his subtle cologne.
Before Harsh could answer, Anu took another sniff and the smile grew wide on her lips.
"No wait, they are my favorite butter cookies right?" She asked happily, caressing his cheek.
"Uh.. I was making chocolate and caramel cookies for Neerav, it's Sunday tomorrow." He smiled a bit remembering his youngest son but then his smile faltered as he watched a cold spell took over in Anu's grey eyes and her arms dropped to her sides.
"Oh, and here I was living in the bubble that you were making something for me." She smiled, sarcastically and walked towards the fridge.
"Toh banaa deta hoon yaar, it's not a big deal." Harsh tried to calm her down.
"Why don't you understand Harsh? It is a big deal, when you give more preference to your son than me or our relationship." She added, throwing her hands up in the air.
"It's not like that, it's just that I made his favorite cookies, and not just his, it's Rahul and Arjun's favorite too. So I made an extra batch for them, you know when they were kids I used to bake these for them and they LOVED it." He explained, rubbing his temples which had started throbbing.
"Save your sob story Harsh. Even I have kids. Can you imagine I learnt from Mrs Subramanyam yesterday that Kritika got married a week ago.
My Daughter! And I didn't even knew!" Anu spoke up loudly, this time.
"It's not my fault that your family and your kids don't want to keep any contact with you!" Harsh yelled his patience giving up.
"Wow Harsh Kapoor! All these years, where I broke off all of my ties with my family, my husband, my kids, just to be with you so that you could throw it as a taunt right back at my face!" Anu yelled at him, closing the door of the fridge with a bang.
"You're an ungrateful lowlife Harsh Kapoor! Aur kab tak tum yeh Neerav se humara rishta chupaate rahoge just to be a hero in your son's eye? I'm warning you, tell him the truth about our relationship or otherwise you surely won't like the carnival of your self esteem at Christmas right in front of your sons!" She added, venomously.
"Are you threatening me?" Harsh spoke up through clenched teeth.
"Damn Right, I am." Anu answered, as she walked away pushing him.
Rahul watched with a smile on his face, as Aru dismissed her little students for the day after helping them untie their ghungroo and reminding them that their next class would be on Monday.
They waved to her and even to him as he waved them back with a smile while Aru gave them a kiss each.
She was so gentle with kids.
"they love you." Rahul observed smiling, as she untied her own pair of ghungroos from her feet.
"I love them too, they're these bundles of positivity that brighten up my day." Their smile is literally sunshine. Aru replied, fondly.
"Well, their teacher has a beautiful, bright, sunshine smile too.." Rahul spoke up before he could stop himself.
Aru looked up at him, unsure if she heard him right but then the cute flush of pink on Rahul's face told her otherwise. Smiling, she looked down, crimson in its first hue staining her cheeks but then looked at him.
"Thank you!" Aru thanked him smiling, and then both of them stayed quiet for a while. Though that silence wasn't unbearable rather peaceful.
"Um.. would you like to come.. come over my retreat and have.. have a cup of coffee?" Aru finally gathered up the courage.
"Yeah.. I would love to. Though you have a retreat?" Rahul asked, smiling at her and doing a little dance inside at her invitation.
"Yes, though it's not a big deal. I mean.. It's just a small property that I brought with my saved up money when I returned from Italy." Aarohi smiled as she got up and both started walking.
The sun was mild yet warm, with no breeze as of yet but same couldn't be said about the evenings and nightfall where the temperature drops.
They started walking towards a small hill, that was beautiful yet a bit deserted from the main population and soon, a beautiful, small bright house came into the view.
Aarohi opened the front door with her keys which had a keyring that was a mini version of her favourite Captain America's star spangled shield.
Rahul shook his head amused at the fact that she was still crazy about her favorite avenger.
She switched on the lights to a beautiful, cozy living room whose walls were painted in a very pretty shade of cream.
Fresh wildflowers that were a fragrant native to the hills of Coonoor are arranged beautifully in a corner in a simple ceramic vase.
Some paintings hung at the walls, while one particular portion of the wall, was occupied by photographs.
Some were from her college, some from art school and Rahul was surprised to find a picture of Him, Aru and Arjun holding a newborn Aarav in their arms while they themselves were kids, showing their toothy smiles as the infant Aarav was yawning.
"Make yourself at home." She spoke up from behind as Rahul turned to look at her.
"Yeh photograph toh.." He tried to recall when Aarohi helped him with it.
"Papa ne kheechi thi, just a few hours after Neerav was born. We all were so excited at the prospect of someone being much more younger than us. Tum aur Arjun toh yeh soch kar khush the, ki ab tumhare order lene wala koi aa gaya hai." Aru laughed a bit remembering their childhood.
"You still have these?" Rahul asked her, surprised.
"I have many more of them in my bedroom back at my house and in here too." She replied with a smile.
"zindagi chahe hume kitna bhi aage le jaye, yeh yaadein, memories hume apne jaddon se jode rakhti hain. Aakhir inn sab cheezon mein ek yeh yaadein hi toh apni hoti hain." Aru added, smiling thoughtfully.
Each and every word of hers carried a depth that resonated with Rahul. Hadn't he thought that after leaving Coonoor, and everything else behind he would be happy, but was he really? Sure he pursued his dream, was earning millions but then the strange satisfaction, and joy he felt when he came back home, saw his mother, his family was something he still needed to comprehend.
He heard her in the kitchen, putting up the electric kettle for some hot water and let his feet wander around the small cozy house.
Near the window, he spotted a canvas and on a small table beside it were neatly kept palette, pencils, brushes and colors.
On the canvas, a beautiful woman with red lips was looking straight at him with her dazzling blue eyes, and in her silhouettes, was a woman rocking a baby in the cradle, working as the CEO till late hours and the third and the last one was celebrating her anniversary with her husband.
Though the painting was still in its developing phase and only half of it was painted, Rahul couldn't help but be amazed at the thought gone behind it, with the beautiful color theme.
She still painted!
Several other canvases were kept in order, where one of it had Mark Antony and The Beautiful Queen Cleopatra locked in an embrace against the war, death background in Rome, and another one was just a beautiful submergence of a river into the mighty ocean painted in beautiful hues of blue, green, and white.
"Aru, your paintings are beautiful. But it should be out there in the world. Not here in this small town, cuz ppl here won't value these masterpieces." Rahul spoke up, coming into the kitchen.
"Thank you Rahul. But you know, why I left Italy when I could've stayed there and earn millions?" Aarohi turned smiling at him as Rahul still looked at her clueless.
"After completing my course at art school, I had thought to settle down in Italy, put up exhibitions here where people, art lovers could appreciate the hard work I put into my paintings, even pay for it. But then one night, after my second art exhibition when I was calculating the amount due to the gallery for putting up my paintings, I just thought why am I doing this? Why am I wasting my talent in a place that has millions of artists? My exhibition won't make a difference here. But back at my home, it will. It will inspire others to not to be afraid to embrace their inner artist. If my paintings could pull a crowd in Italy in Mumbai then why not here? I want to do something for the place I grew up in, I want to stay true to my roots. To be with my parents who matter the most to me.." She added, stirring coffee in the mugs that were now half filled with hot water.
"Tum duniya ko bohot alag nazar se dekhti ho.." Rahul smiled a bit, realizing that they were opposites when it came to personalities.
"Well, change of views is refreshing isn't it?" Aarohi turned, smiling at him and offered him his mug of coffee.
"It is and it's surprising to know that you still remember that I don't like too much sugar in my tea and coffee." Rahul raised an eyebrow amused.
"Old Habits Die Hard." Aru spoke up before she could stop herself and Rahul find himself grinning from ear to ear as soft crimson rose up in her cheeks.
"You like the coffee?"Aarohi spoke up, swiftly changing the subject.
Rahul chuckled and took a sip from his mug relishing the slight sweetness with that creamy bitterness of the caffeine.
"It's delicious, just as I remember.." He smiled warmly at her.
Aru thanked him, taking a sip of her own coffee and they talked a good bit about the old days. Rahul was quite surprised to find that the old momos stall where they loved going to as teenagers still operated and Aru pulled him along, for a treat.
Thapa Momos was one of oldest shop serving delicious momos ever since they could remember and not to mention was one of the most favourite of the natives. It wasn't one of those fancy food trucks you would see in big cities but a cozy place with some simple chairs and tables spread out in front yet was extremely clean.
They ordered a plate of veg momos each and Rahul asked for mayonnaise too, making Aru look at him, eyes wide.
"You are going to eat momos with mayo? Really?" She asked him, chucking a bit.
"Yeah, cuz the dip is too spicy for me.." Rahul spoke up, sheepishly.
"Kapoor! You haven't changed a bit! Even back then you used to ask for mayonnaise cuz original dip se tumhari haalat kharaab ho jaati hai." Aarohi laughed, making him smile too but then she suddenly realized that she had addressed him as what she used to back then.
"I.. I'm.. sorry.. I just got carried away." She spoke up, a bit embarrassed.
"No, it's okay. You can call me Kapoor. Ek apnaiyat si lagti hai, otherwise sab kuch toh change ho chuka hai." Rahul smiled, brushing his fingers on her knuckles as she smiled looking at him and nods a bit.
Their momos came in, steaming hot as Aru smiled thanking the little boy who served them their orders and both didn't take a minute to bite into the hot, spicy treats. Aru laughed as Rahul gasped for air after eating the whole of it in one bite for they were too hot for his mouth.
His eyes widened in shock as Aru did the same, rather dipped the whole momo in the spicy dip and didn't even flinch.
"That's amazing!" How do you do that?! Rahul asked, cutely surprised.
Aru bows gracefully and a bit dramatically, still giggling making him smile as well.
"Im not telling you that!" Aru spoke up, cutely proud.
Though they had intended to eat just a plate each, but soon both Rahul and Aarohi were ordering 3 more plates for themselves.
Aru laughed again as Rahul tried to eat the piping hot dumpling in one bite but couldn't.
"You need to hone your skills Kapoor! But jo bhi karlo, mujhse nahi jeet paoge, cuz I'm the undefeated queen!" Aru spoke up, proudly squaring her shoulders dramatically.
She chuckled seeing the blotch of mayonnaise on his face, and told him to clean it up, handing Rahul a napkin.
"Where?" Rahul asked clueless, touching his face.
Aarohi indicated it on her own face, right beside his lip but still he wasn't able to get it.
"Tumhara sense of direction abhi bhi kharaab hai..!!" She shook her head laughing, and leaned in to clean the blotch.
Her fingers gently wiped off the mayonnaise from the side of his lip, realizing that she had leaned in too close and that her fingers just brushed on his soft lower lip. And if she was sure, she felt him shiver under her touch.
The proximity they had shared in his room, was already spinning around in her mind. The way his lips had brushed on her skin, or her fingers had traced the muscles of his arm had her thinking about Rahul way too much than she already was.
Rahul was literally fighting the urge to trace her bottom lip with his thumb, and give her an idea of that delicious shiver she had spent down his spine.
He hadn't felt like this in a long time. Sure he has had a few girlfriends but the relationships had been off and on, and neither did they meant something so deep to him to share intimacy. He hadn't felt like this.. Well, ever since they separated back in the unfortunate summer that saw the end of their innocent romance.
The little boy, who served their orders came running with their bill, and that broke their trance as Aru straightened herself and wiped some small droplets of sweat o n her chin using the back of her hand.
Tia paced the porch eagerly awaiting Rahul's return, when she had returned from the walk at the garden with Dadu and Neerav, Rahul wasn't to be seen anywhere. She asked Sunita, but the kapoor mum had no idea where her eldest born could be.
Since then, she was waiting for him for Rahul wasn't the kind to wander off anywhere without informing her. Tia tries calling his mobile again, but it said, switched off.
The sun was setting in, and there was no sign of her best friend.
Tia was about to try his cellphone again, when she spotted him coming up the hill but he wasn't alone, the girl next door, what was her name now? Aarohi? Yes Aarohi was with him.
They were laughing heartily, and not just that, she had his jacket on her too which Rahul being the gentleman must have given her as she might have started feeling cold, for temperature drops as soon as the sun sets in.
Even that morning, she had found them intimately close in his room. She was in his arms, and his arms were around her waist but wasn't she just a next door neighbor to be that close to Rahul? Or did they have a history about which she was totally unaware?
Tia didn't know what it was, but she already felt a wave of profound repulsion every time she saw her, though they've just met twice.
"It's been an amazing day Rahul. Thank you." Aru smiled as they came to halt at the crossroad just in front of their house.
"I should be the one thanking you, I don't remember the last time I had so much fun." Rahul held her hands, reciprocating the smile.
"Well, I'm glad you did!" She held onto his hands this time and leaning in kissed his cheek.
It was unexpected for Rahul but not unpleasant as felt the tips of his ears going pink, again.
"I'm happy that you and Arjun are back Rahul, specifically you cuz all these years I've seen Sunita Aunty, Aarav and Dadu struggle to keep this home, their life working, struggling everyday to make ends meet. Sunita Aunty may not say it out loud, but she has been through a lot after you and Arjun left, your presence will give her the much needed support." She spoke up with a smile caressing his cheek and there was something in her words that made Rahul realize what he had missed in past five years. All the struggles that his family went through alone, hoping that he would return while he had been away, chasing his dreams.
Her words snapped something inside him.
Aru walked to the path that led to her home, with a sweet smile on her face, feeling the soft fabric of his jacket on her shoulders. Tucking a few strands of hair behind her ears, she turned and saw Rahul still standing there. She waved at him, and he waved back at her, this sudden burst of happiness was something she hadn't expected in a long time.
Rahul came up the porch, humming to himself as Tia greeted him with a happy hug.
"Kahaan the tum? I called you so many times!" Tia demanded, folding her arms.
"Aise hi, Ghar mein baithne ka dil nahi kar raha tha. Aur regarding phone, battery discharge ho gayi thi Yaar, and I didn't remember to charge it. I'll do it right now." Rahul smiled at her.
Tia reciprocated his smile but a turmoil had started inside her mind. Rahul shared everything with her and so did she, which was the reason why they were the best of friends but he just brushed off her question. He didn't want to tell her that he had been with Aarohi?
She followed him inside where Sunita was arranging the dinner table and asked Rahul to freshen up and sit down for the meal.
"Nahi Maa I'm already full." Aru ke saath bohot saare momos khaa liye the! Rahul gave a hug to his mum.
"That's great! Atleast you too have started getting along well, warna tum dono ke introduction ke baad I was very worried ki shayad tum dono ek doosre ko pehchana hi nahi.." Sunita smiled at her son.
Tia didn't realize when her fingers had balled into fists, not only did he brush her off, he spent a whole day with Aarohi, without her having the slightest idea.
Rahul had just plugged in the charger to his phone when Neerav came into the room, followed by Arjun.
"Rahul Bhaiya aap hi Arjun Bhaiya ko samjhao naa, Dad aap dono ko dekhkar bohot khush honge." Neerav pleaded, his face beaming with hope.
"Dad khush honge, par mujhe unko dekhkar koi khushi nahi hogi." Arjun snapped at his younger brother whose face looked like as if he was about to cry making Rahul recall Aru's words that all these years his mum, brother and grandfather struggled a lot to keep their life going on.
"Theek Hai, main chalunga." Rahul agreed that instant as Neerav hugged him happily..
Originally posted by: GrilledCheese
this is such a beautiful story! i'm probably the only one who ships both couples equally 😆can't wait for more!
Loved it... Thanks again for the PM and a great update...
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