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Chapter 2
After dinner, everyone gradually started to retire to their respective rooms. Saahil picked up Anya to take her upstairs.
“Saahil, let me pick her up. You won’t be able to take her all the way up.” Om said looking doubtfully at the two of them as Saahil wobbled a little with the adorable weight in his arms.
Both turned to look at him, Saahil in protest and Anya with indignation. Shivaay looked at the group laughing silently. He knew what altercation was about to occur and looked on as an interested spectator.
“No. Can.” Anya said hugging Saahil tightly. In spite of their age difference of eight years, Saahil and Anya were surprisingly close to each other. Each one had a selfish interest that bound them as if stuck with super-glue. Always having been the youngest, Saahil finally had someone to whom he felt older and for whom he felt responsible. He took good care of her, as far as possible in his capacity and also practised his seniority upon her. For Anya on the other hand Saahil was the closest to her level, would play with her no matter what, and would let her get away with most of her newfound tantrums. So both stuck together like partners in crime or members of one team.
“I can take her halfway up.” Saahil said tentatively. He never defied Om openly. He may sometimes argue a little with Shivaay and Rudra was more like a playmate to him. Even with them, he mostly listened as that was just his temper. But from the very beginning, Saahil had imbibed the same trust in Om that Anika had in him and followed any instruction given by him.
“Ok.” Om said thoughtfully. “Shivaay and I will walk on each side of you two. Halfway up or when you start to feel tired, I will take her from you.”
Saahil nodded but before he could utter a single word Anya quickly chimed in.
“Ok, O.” she said nodding vigorously so that the ringlets of her open, curly, dark brown hair bobbed up and down, some of the curls kissing her brow softly. Her deep blue eyes, a shade darker than Shivaay’s, were very wide trying hard to show utter seriousness. She had a perfectly round face that had Shivaay’s light complexion and Anika’s beautiful features. The kid was a perfect mix of the prettiest attributes of her parents. Nobody could look at her without being mesmerized by her striking beauty and it was virtually impossible to stay upset with her for her shenanigans.
The foursome started their journey upstairs as planned.
In the dining room, Aashi hung around Anika, helping her with tidying up the place.
“Bhabhi, such talks will increase now. We have completely ignored what happened three years ago, so far. But did you see Rudra’s condition when Choti Ma mentioned marriage. Thank God, Ma is so composed and calm and she diverted the whole topic coolly. But don’t you think it’s time to address the situation now?”
Anika nodded thoughtfully. ” You are right Aashi. But the situation is so complicated. Till date we don’t know what the two feel for each other. Both had maintained at the time that it was just an accident and completely irrelevant. To avoid making it any more serious, both acted so casually until Soumya left for U.S. for her higher studies. The past year Rudra has worked furiously pouring his two hundred percent in the business. We have no idea what the status is with the two. With Rudy, j have an inkling that he has some feelings for her. But I have absolutely no idea whatsoever how Soumya feels. She was too young to know her real feelings at that time and later was possessed completely by not letting Ranjana aunty down. And I suspect Rudra wanted to support her in that mission wholeheartedly. Now until she gets back here, we can’t really act upon that matter.”
They started to walk up the staircase together. ” Yes bhabhi. But there is still some time left for Soumya’s degree to be completed. With Rudra so well settled in business and being of age, how long will we be able to deny his marriage talks? But forget that. I can’t stand his loneliness. I don’t have an inkling, I am pretty sure that slowly and steadily, over the years, he has loved her a little more with passing time. You are right though, until Soumya is back, there is not much that can be done. And thank goodness Dadi knows everything. So she will manage it with Ma’s help.”
They had reached Saahil’s room and heard great commotion from inside. A fabulous sight awaited them. Shivaay and Om were running helter-skelter all around the room being chased by Saahil and Rudra with Anya in his arms.
“Whoa! What’s going on here?” Anika asked in a loud voice trying to get heard while Aashi laughed by her side.
“Mission, tickle the grown-ups silly.” Rudra informed.
” And clearly, you are not a grown up?” asked Anika.
“Me? Grown up? What a silly joke Anika bhabhi!” Rudra hollered above the din in the room.
“Nika bhi” Anya laughed as she shook while Rudra ran around.
Anika shook her head laughing. Anya called her “mamma” about thirty percent of the time. The rest of the time she said what she heard which was Anika or Anika bhabhi. She called only three people in the house by their correct names given her relationship with them. The first was her father. He was “Daddy” and nothing else. Dadi was Dadi. And the third person had just joined them having heard all the noise.
“Boooaaa!” cried Anya as she saw Priyanka arrive.Priyanka was taken aback by the scene before her. She laughed and joined in tormenting her two older brothers.
Later that night, Rudra lay back on his bed. The events of the entire day passed before his eyes and in his mind. He laughed thinking of the good times in Saahil’s room. Just thinking of Anya warmed up his heart. When he held her, for some time it felt like all was well with the world. But each night in the solitude of his room, he felt loneliness strike back. He recalled what Pinky had said earlier that evening and felt restless. Picking up his phone, he typed a message. “Good morning. Ready for college?”
In her apartment, Soumya heard the ping from her phone as she was getting ready to go to the library. She rushed and picked it up. “Yes. It’s him.” she thought as sensations of thrill ran from the top of her head to her toes.
“Yes. To the library. You ready to sleep?” she messaged back.
Rudra felt a smile creep around the corners of his mouth as he read her message. Some of his loneliness disappeared. ” Trying to. You carry on. Finish your work.” he wrote. Then on second thought added something that he had been itching to write for months but didn’t have the courage for.
” Everyone here misses you. Wish you could finish your studies soon and be back home.” he wrote. Then before he deleted it like he had done umpteen times before, he quickly sent the message.
Soumya’s heart skipped a beat as she read the message she had just received. She had sub-conciously wished that he would say that although she never acknowledged the fact. It would mean that she felt something more than friendship and she was afraid to accept that. This was Rudra Singh Oberoi. No matter how close they were as friends, she knew that the the girl to become his life-partner would have to fit a certain type. And Soumya knew only too well that she did not fit that type. Besides, she told herself, her goal I was her career, not marriage. She was a practical person, not one living in a fantasy world. Yet, she allowed herself the luxury of feeling happy about his friendly message.
“Yes. I am speeding up my degree work, so should be done earlier than expected. I miss everyone too.” she wrote back.
Rudra sat up on his bed very excited. “Speeding up her work? Will be finished earlier than expected?” he thought quivering a little. His hands shook as he wrote, ” Ok. Work hard. Get done sooner. Come back fast. Bye.”
“Bye.” Soumya wrote and sent the message. She was in a state of agitation and was glad that she was about to go out. It was not easy to suppress one’s natural emotions and it was a herculean task for her to pretend that she felt nothing for Rudra and that what had happened three years ago was really just an accident and nothing more. She took a deep breath, gathered up her things and left the apartment that she shared with three other girls.
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Thanks for reading everyone. Double thanks for the encouragement. Really appreciate it. Hope this chapter was satisfactory and by the grace of God hope I will be able to keep producing enjoyable chapters. Fingers crossed. Please comment if you can. OmRudraayShivaay namaami?