Tanhaiyan | neirohi

32. so did

"She was so cute! Ugh, Bade papa why did she grow up! Itte cute-cute gaal teh uske!"

Akshara was spending her half-day off at her house, back in Goenka mansion. The plate of Kachoris kept aside, the Goenka family was busy gushing over the baby photos of all their children. With everyone in a good mood, a lot of awws and ewws came up as they flipped past the photo albums.

The photographs of Goenka sisters came with a buy one, get one free policy. Most of their pictures were together. With Mimi resting up in her room, the others were in awe of how they themselves looked once upon a time, the changes unbelievable. Suwarna remembered each of their habits, being equally involved with all the kids.

While Manish adored a baby Akshara, still remembering how she had him wrapped around her finger. Akhilesh too poked her gaunt cheeks, checking where all the fat disappeared. And Akshara? She had almost torn the pictures, trying to squish the plump cheeks of her younger baby sister through the photo. Time travel seemed like a great idea all of a sudden.

Her eyes felt teary. She had just gotten her sister back, and there she disappeared again. Out of sight, but never out of her mind. Flicking off the drops, she coughed and stretched a wide grin at her Bade Papa under whose scrutiny she was in. A very poor attempt to cover up.

Manish sighed, taking his child into a hug. Patting her head, he calmed her down. His thoughts fleeted over to his other grandchild, the one with whom his bonds were strained. Jaw pressed into a firm line, he sighed. Here or not, their daughters always managed to leave them in tears behind.

Catching hold of a little Aarohi in Kartik and Sirat's arms, his eyes softened.

To neither be forgotten nor be left behind; that's what a family means.

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"Dr. Chipkali ji is early today?"

She rolled her eyes. Half-turned she glared at him over her reading spectacles, shaking her head at that lopsided grin of his. Going through her latest patient's file, she circled the points she had to read over later and kept it aside. Neil Birla folded up his sleeves haphazardly, settling on the cold slab in the balcony, next to her.

He eyed the two steel tumblers expectantly. Coming back from office and getting a good cup of chai? What more could he ask for in life!

Only to spit out at the very first sip. The bitterness and warmth got his tongue scorched. "This is yours. Coffee hain," he grumbled, pushing it back to the rightful owner. Fingers circling the mouth of the glass, she sipped savoring her good ol' filter coffee. While he stuck to his tea, simple and sweet.

"Waise, there's no chaos inside your white walls? You're back real early today."

"Less traffic of patients, at least the ones whom I can treat. Not that I'm complaining."

He nodded, eyes on the sinking dusk. Mouth twitching she asked, "What is it? Kuch bolna hain?" which got him snap his neck, facing her. She pointed at his cracking knuckles and shrugged, getting habituated to his habits. Drawing out a breath, he asked, "Aarohi, do you think you can take leave next week?"

The abrupt request caught her off-guard.

"I don't think so Neil. But why?"

"Woh... I was thinking of going back home."

Her eyes widened by the slightest. Unnoticeable if you were not looking for it. Being the one who told him that he could go whenever he wanted to, she did wish that she could take her words back. He watched her face lose its color, which got his worry lines thicken. Mentally running through the statement once again, he explained himself, correcting his words.

"For a week. To visit. Office made us work on New Year and Christmas so they're giving us WFH since there are no major projects right now. A week that is."

She left a sigh at that, nodding. It made sense now. Been almost a year since they left Udaipur. However, she was certain that her answer remained the same. Clearing her throat, she replied, "I'm saving up my leaves for the time when my exams are round the corner. I'll have to work really hard at that time so yeah, I'm trying to cover up now for that time. You can go, it's just a week anyways."

His eyebrow shot up at that, "And if it's more than a week?"

Eyeing him head to toe from the corner of her eyes, she pasted her satirical smile by default, "Then what? You'll be fired, mujhe kya." Leaning back against the railing, she flipped her hair at the victory as he shook his head accompanied by his eye roll. He turned, watching the busy roads and humans scattered like ants. Or at least, from the fifteenth floor it seemed like.

"I'm not running away, Aarohi. Never was, never will."

Browns clashed blacks. The blink of assurance was all she needed. To believe, to trust. Clearing her throat, she looked away. The air heavy with feelings was not her cup of coffee.

Scrolling up and down the opened tab, he searched for flight tickets while she sipped her coffee at snail pace, humming zindagi sawar doon. He tapped his screen, frustrated, as it buffered with the dotted circle going round and round. With the notice of failing to display the page, he sighed. When life becomes stable, internet connections become unstable. Couldn't both these things run together?

"Chipkali, share your hotspot naa."

"It's the end of the month and mera bhi khatam hone waala hain."

She replied without her eyes lifting from the phone. Aarohi and her phone were known to be tied in a never-ending relation, not a single second would pass by without her phone in her hand. Without any questions, he swiped her menu tab, switching on the tethering option. "Aapka phone," he said, handing it back in one piece.

"Oh, thank you," came the sarcastic retort as she placed a hand on her heart, meaning to thank him from the bottom of her heart. Her head tilted at his doings, as she walked out of the balcony, stopping only when she heard his shriek behind.

"Mohtarma, password toh dekar jao!"

"Dil bhi de doon, par password naa doon," came the response as she threw back a wink and a laugh. It was way more fun to see him frustrated than her, she decided. And he kept trying all number combinations possible, to no avail. On the verge of giving up, he gave one last try. And to his surprise and absolute shock, it worked. Birthdays always worked. Throwing behind a glance, he shook his head, smiling.

"Bhabhi ki behna for sure."

Getting back to work, he busied himself in booking a ticket. Wondering how things would be back home, he stood in solace. But out of the million things he could ponder over, he had his thoughts stuck on just one. Finishing up his tea, he watched the dim stars shine with whatever light they could muster up in the dusk.

The night started falling and so did he.

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