I'll Love You Longer Than Forever

Chapter One Hundred & Fourteen

"Billy?" Armaan asked when he saw his father sitting in the living room, deep in thought, later that night. "Kya hua? Everything okay?"

"I'm not sure," Billy answered after a moment.

"Baat kya hai? Kuch pareshaani hai toh mujhe batao... maybe I can help?" Armaan asked. Everyone else had retired for the night, leaving the father-son duo to their devices.

Billy sighed. "Pata nahi tujhse kaise kahoon," he admitted. "Aisi kuch baatein hai... jo main tujhse karna chaahta hoon... but shayad ab woh mera haq nahi hai... ya phir shayad, main kehne se ghabrata hoon."

"Dad," Armaan replied. "Aisa kuch nahi hai. Aisi kya baat hai jo aapko kehne ka haq nahi hai? Aap mujhse kuch bhi keh sakte ho."

"Kuch bhi?" Billy confirmed.

Armaan nodded. "Haan," he added. "Kuch bhi." Wanting to lighten the mood, he joked. "Haan, but kisi Bollywood movie ke villain baap ki tarah mujhe shadi todne mat kehna... cause woh main nahi karne wala."

"Yehi toh main chaahta hoon, Armaan," Billy answered, Armaan's joke falling flat on him. "Ki tu Riddhi ko kabhi nahi chode."

"Billy... kaisi baatein kar rahe ho aap? You know I love Riddhima... Main usse kabhi nahi chodne wala!" Armaan rebuked.

"Har baar," Billy whispered. "Har baar sirf pyaar kaafi nahi hota, Armaan."

"Aap... aap jabse aise ghuma fira ke baat kyu kar rahe ho? Seedhe seedhe bolo na taaki mujhe bhi samajh aaye," Armaan requested.

"Armaan... kal subah se teri shadi ki rasmein shuru hone wali hai. Kal hum sab iss ghar se niklenge, aur jab waapas aayenge, toh tu akela nahi hoga... Riddhima tere saath hogi. Teri wife," Billy started.

"Riddhima bohot zyada achchi ladki hai, Armaan. Uske jaisi, maine aaj tak koi bachchi nahi dekhi. Itne saaf dil ki, itni sachchi... tujhse kitna pyaar karti hai woh... hum sab se kitna pyaar karti hai woh. Itne kam time mein woh hum sabki life ka itna important hissa ban chuki hai, humaari family ka itna important hissa ban chuki hai... hissa kya... humaari toh family hi woh haina? Aaj hum sab yahaan hai... main yahaan baitha tujhse baat kar raha hoon, tu meri baat sunn raha hai... sab uski wajah se.

Riddhi... woh iss duniya ki har khushi deserve karti hai, Armaan... aur uski khushi tere saath hai, tere paas hai... usse kabhi yeh khushi mat cheen'na, beta. Please."

"Dad, aap yeh sab... aap iss tarah kyu baat kar rahe ho? Mujhe darr lag raha hai," Armaan whispered, astonished at seeing this side of his father. Billy was always the moment. He was the life of every party, the funniest and happiest person Armaan knew. To see him so sombre and serious... he didn't think it had ever happened before.

"Pata hai, Armaan... shadi ke baad na... life bilkul badal jaati hai. Chahe woh love marriage ho ya arranged... humein kitna bhi lage ki hum apne partner ko bohot achche se jaante hain... actually hum unhe nahi jaante. Jab rishta bandh jaata hai, jab hum ek doosre ke saath rehne lagte hain... sab kuch change ho jaata hai. Aur, har couple... har couple yeh change sahi tarah se face nahi kar paata.

Main aur Annie bhi nahi kar paaye. Armaan, main Annie se bohot pyaar karta hoon, hamesha se. Lekin... maine bohot galtiyaan ki hain, beta. Khaskar Annie ke maamle mein. Maine usse apna pyaar hamesha diya, lekin apni understanding? Respect? Space? Yeh sab main nahi de paya... shayad isliye hi hum dono alag ho gaye. Main nahi chaahta jo galtiyaan maine ki hain, woh tu kare.

Main Annie se itna pyaar karta hoon, lekin uska dil sabse zyada buri tarah maine hi toda hai, Armaan. Maine uska saath tab nahi diya jab usse meri zaroorat thi. Main ek achcha boyfriend toh tha, but ek achcha husband nahi ban paaya, aur isliye Annie mujhe chodke chali gayi. Main yeh nahi kahoonga ki sab meri wajah se hua, kyuki ek rishta judta do logon ki wajah se hai toh toot'ta bhi do logon ki wajah se hai... lekin maine hi aisi situations create kardi ki Annie ko kuch aise decisions lene pade jiski wajah se hum alag ho gaye.