With one last dance to Buddhu Sa Mann, Birla's annual children's Christmas party concluded. Everyone was brought onto the dance floor, including a reluctant Harshvardan and a buoyant Manish. Manish circled Harsh like a shark before taking his hand in a rather intimate slow dance. For Aarohi's sake, he couldn't quarrel with Harsh, but that didn't mean Manish couldn't embarrass and mortify Harsh in other ways.
"Thank you," the kids gushed as they enveloped Vansh' Santa,' Akshara, and Abhimanyu in a bear group hug. The impact of the hug propelled Akshara into Abhimanyu's arms. It was moments like these where time fell still, and she gazed into his eyes as if they were the best present she could ever get. Haider called it her Harlequin Romance face. Akshara thought he was teasing her until he explained that it was the best she could ever look. You look like a woman in love, and there is nothing more precious than that, Akshu. Don't let it go.
She could have admired him forever if she hadn't seen Kairav's face twitch in concern.
"Sorry," she murmured, her voice barely visible over the cheers of the kids and the music in the background.
Abhimanyu coughed as he straightened himself out. "Okay, kids. It's way past your bedtime so let's go back." The kids put up a fight to stay back, grumbling and stomping their feet cutely, before a yawn escaped them. Vansh offered to escort the children back to their hospital beds with the orderlies, but Aarohi insisted he stay around for her announcement.
Aarohi didn't know where to begin. Well, she did, but standing in front of both families and knowing what she was about to admit to was nerve-wracking. Everyone's attention was on her. The Goenka's had questions in their eyes. Harsh and Mahima's eyes and tapping feet indicated impatience with her conduct. Abhimanyu's attention wasn't on her, as always. And Akshara. What was in Akshara's eyes? Was it fear, concern, heartache, or something else entirely? Something Akshara never shared?
"Aarohi, is everything alright?" Akhilesh asked.
Oh, AG, she thought, always the first to come to my aid. To defend me and support me. Will you love me the same, or will my choices disgust you?
"Dr. Aarohi, get on with it," Mahima chastised.
"Main ye shaadi nahi kar sakti (I can't marry him)," she blurted out. Her voice bounced off the walls. The joyous ambiance from the party was long gone. In its dust were the Goenka's and Birla's gaping faces.
Thud! A mop hit the ground. The custodians looked like deers caught in headlights.
Harsh's brain went wild with questions. When did they arrive? How much did they hear? Would they tell the press what they heard? These custodians were a PR nightmare for Harsh.
"I'm so sorry, Sir," a custodian apologized profusely.
"Can you guys come back in a few minutes?" Aarohi requested the cleaning staff, "we're having a personal discussion."
"Kya kaha tumne?" Manish questioned when the door shut.
"Main ye shaadi nahi kar sakti," she repeated, much slower this time, enunciating each word.
"Sach?" Kairav, Neil, and Haider's faces gleamed with delight when Aarohi nodded. If pissed-off elders didn't surround them, the trio, along with Maya, would've started dancing like bharati.
Aarohi braced herself for their disdain.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Harsh demanded.
"Shaadi koi gudda gudiyon ka khel nahi hai Aarohi, ek pal haan keh diya aur dusre pal inkaar! (Marriage isn't a game Aarohi)," Manish shouted.
