Darmiyaan

Happy..... Valentine's Day.

It was his father's birthday. It was also Vedika's birthday. And incidentally, it was Valentine's day too. His father was an epitome of love, be it for his son, his friends, his wife or even his colleagues. He used to celebrate love even when Ram's mother passed away. In her memory, he used to light candles all around their house, sing romantic songs with his friends, and used to dance on slow tunes among all the other couples. He did this not to make people see how much he loved his wife, but to celebrate all the times he was with her, all the memories he made with her. That made him happy.

And much like his father, Ram was determined to have a gala every year on this day, in remembrance of his mother and father, his love for Vedika, and most importantly, his love for love.

'TIME TO CELEBRATE LOVE.' The invitation read. Shashi used to think that this was a little weird, Vedika wanting to go on a party instead of a romantic date planned by her husband, on her own birthday. Until he realized how feasible this was. He didn't have to go through any of her birthday plannings, while throwing her the best party ever. He just had to show up on the party organized by Ram, and just stand in front of Vedika when she cut the cake brought by Ram, to take the credit. That's it. It was as simple as that.

Kapoor mansion was dolled up like a beautiful bride, full with roses and candles in every corner. Ram was looking like an irresistible sweet, a white bowed black suit, like it was stitched just for his physique. There was a big hollow heart for an entrance and people were starting come in. Shivina and Brinda were standing along the doorway greeting people. Shivi and Ram usually lived alone as Shubhu was always travelling for some kind of business. Their uncle and aunt came frequently, but Shivi missed her mom and dad on these kind of occasions. So, Ram was always there with her, mainly because he missed them too. Them being together somehow made the missing bearable.

'Ja bache, apne dosto se mil le, I think they're waiting for you.' Ram told Shivi, seeing her getting bored with all the greeting. Shivi gave him a you-know-it-all look along with a kiss on the cheek and rushed back of the party.

Brinda looked at him and said, 'agar vo do minute aur yaha rukti na, toh guests uski shakal dekh kar hi vapis mud jaate.'

'acha, aur tu?' Ram figured she was also getting restless standing here.

'Mai kya? Meri jaan ki party hai, saari raat bhi logon ko greet karna hua, toh vo bhi khushi khushi kar lungi.' Bri replied, looking content.

'Saari raat haan? Aur jo vo tera bhalu teri wait kar raha hai, uska kya hoga?' Ram asked, teasing her.

'Adi, kyu wait kar raha hai?' Bri asked, and looked in the direction of their other friends, searching for him.

'Hello madam, just to remind you again, agar in decorations se kuch clear nahi hua hai, aaj Valentines day hai.' Ram said, earning a look from her, and then added,' vo keh raha hai aaj ki pehli drink tere saath hi piyega.'

'Hayee sachi? Mera bhalu!' Bri replied in aw.

'Jaygi ab, ya saara pyaar yahi nikale gi?' Ram replied sarcastically, although there was no one else who loved their bond more than him. Bri gave him the same look Shivi had, along with a kiss and made her way towards her bhalu.

Ram smiled widely looking at her go, and stroked his arm. He dropped his cufflink on the inside of the doorstep of the life sized heart and and stepped inside to retrieve it. Right when he got up and his gaze travelled through the foyer, he was going to drop the silver swan again. He looked like he had seen something unreal. Vedika was making her way towards him, looking absolutely gorgeous in a red sheer saree. His heart seemed to rush towards her to meet her halfway because it was beating so fast, even though he was fixed on the same spot where he picked up that cufflink. Her hair was left open to let the lucky wind tread through them, and Ram suddenly felt jealous of a non living entity. She walked slowly like she was not entering the white heart on the entrance, but like she was entering his heart all over again.

She noticed him, standing on the doorway like a prince waiting for his princess. It took all the strength she had not to smile lovingly towards him, to run towards him and kiss him like their was no one around. When she reached the outside of the heart, quite literally, Ram was still staring at her. They were standing one step away from each other, separated by the boundary of the heart. For a moment, both of them thought it could take one step, just one, to make all this uneasiness go away. But just this one step could also destroy a lot of lives, if taken.

Ram fiddled with his cufflink, still staring at her. Vedika noticed that he was trying to put one cufflink on top of another. She smiled a little and held out her hand. Ram looked at her hand and then at her, not sure where this would lead. He gave the cufflink and then his sleeve to her, and she started to button it up. Ram could not help but look at her intently while she fixed her cufflink. She glanced up, and caused Ram to look down at his shirt like their was something really interesting written on it. Both their hearts were in sync with each other and Vedika knew that because she could feel his pulse rising from his wrist. It made her flush.

It was done. The cufflink was fixed on the right sleeve. But still they couldn't bring to let go of each others hands. They slowly lowered them until their fingers were entwined with each other, perfectly parallel with walls of the heart.

'Happy....' Ram started, unsure what to say, or to even say it or not.

'Birthday?' Vedika said, with hopeful eyes.

'Yeah.. Happy Birthday Vedu.' Yes, this was exactly what he wanted to say. Nothing else.

'Thankyou.' Vedika tried to act normal apart from the tingling in her toes that always started when she heard him say Vedu. One by one, their fingers unfolded from each other and their fingertips touched, and they knew it was time to let go. But for some reason, their eyes felt otherwise.

AAGOSH MEIN HAI JO AAPKI, AISA SUKOON AUR PAYE KAHAN,

AANKHEIN HUME YEH RAAS AAGYI, AB HUM YAHA SE JAAYE KAHAN,

DEKHA HAZARO DAFAA AAPKO,

PHIR BEKARARI KAISI HAI,

SAMBHALE SAMBHALTA NAHI YEH DIL,

KUCH PYAAR MEIN BAAT AISI HAI.