The Distance Between Us

Track Fifty Six - Halke Gaadi Hako

Previously On...

Armaan & Riddhima decide to give their relationship another try.

Track 56 - Halke Gaadi Hako, Kabir Cafe

"It'll be fine, right?" Riddhima asked Armaan anxiously.

"Don't worry," Armaan replied, unsure if he was trying to reassure her or himself with his words. "We'll handle it."

The two of them were on their way to see Rahul and Muskaan, all the way to Patiala. Rahul had called Armaan a few hours back, telling him that the couple was planning to elope because Muskaan's family weren't happy with the match. One panic attack and a few breathing exercises later, both Armaan & Riddhima had boarded the first available flight. They were standing outside the Grewals' ancestral home where Rahul had been staying for the past few days, waiting for someone to open the door.

Sure enough, a couple minutes later, the door opened to reveal Rahul. His face was the picture of surprise. "What—What are you—Why—How are you here?" He finally managed to ask, stumbling on his words. He had been asleep if his bedhead and rumpled pyjamas were any indication. Belatedly, Armaan realised that it was almost 3am. Of course he'd been asleep.

"You didn't think I'd let you get married without me there, did you?" Armaan joked. Rahul stood there, still dumbstruck.

"Thoda side hatega? Or are we going to keep standing here all night?" Armaan asked.

That seemed to break Rahul out of his stupor and he moved aside to let the two of them in. He stood there, still in shock, as Armaan put his many suitcases in the corner while Riddhima did the same for her modest few bags. "What are you doing here?" Rahul questioned once more, this time more awake.

"Rahul, you just called to tell me that you were getting married tomorrow. Of course I'm here," Armaan replied.

"How did you get here so quickly?" He questioned further. Turning to Riddhima, he added, "Why are you here too?"

"Rahul," Armaan answered. "Please relax. Let me explain, okay?"

At Rahul's hesitant nod, he continued. "I was already here when you called," he said, purposely leaving it vague enough so as to not lie, but also not clue Rahul in that he had been in India for hours when Rahul had called, having spent all that time with Riddhima. "It was very lonely back home, all alone. So I came here. And then you called, so of course I had to be there for you. And since it also involves Muskaan, I called Riddhima. She agreed to come with me."

"Oh," Rahul replied. "Thank you. So much," he said, looking at both of them with undisguised happiness. It occurred to Armaan that before they'd gotten here, Rahul had been ready to do this alone, without any kind of support from anyone. He doubted Rahul had told anyone else. He knew that their sisters and mother would have descended upon him if that had been the case. Mummy had always envisioned a big, fat, Indian wedding for all of them. Armaan couldn't say he was entirely on board with that idea, but he was also a little skeptical about an elopement.

He would never stop Rahul and Muskaan if that was what they truly wanted, but he knew the two of them and knew how important family was to them. He knew that Muskaan had also always dreamed of a huge YRF style wedding, and that Rahul would always regret it if he got married without his mother there. He wanted their wedding to be the happiest day of their lives, not a compromise they made to ensure their togetherness.

"Rahul, are you sure?" He asked. "Tujhe sach mein aise shaadi karni hai?"

Rahul sighed. "You think? Absolutely not. Na main yeh chaahta hoon na Muskaan. Lekin tu hi bata... What do we do? Uncle ne toh seedhe mana kar diya. And you know what? I understand. I completely understand where he is coming from. Muskaan and I have so much history. Our families had wanted us to get married more than a decade ago. Tab, the two of us had backed out. We fought so much with our families to get them to let the whole thing go. And then the fake marriage and the real break up... I left Muskaan and didn't talk to her for eight long years. How can they overlook all that? Muskaan's family is only looking out for her. They don't have a reason to trust me and I agree with them. If I had been in any of their place, I would have rejected myself outright too."