See You Later

Chapter 38

The present: At the Mehras

Aarush had reached Maahi's house a little earlier than Maahi had mentioned. A middle-aged man opened the door and looked at him quizzically.

"Ab yeh kaun hai?"

Aarush broke into a smile and extended his hand to introduce himself.

"Hello uncle! Main Aarush Iyer. Maahi ka dost."

The man's expression turned into one of recognition as he asked Aarush to come in.

"Accha accha! Main Maahi ka papa. She is getting ready. Baith jao."

He then spotted the tote in Aarush's hand and said, "Suitcase corner mein rakhdo isse."

"Suitcase corner?"

Aarush looked at him quizzically. The man sat down at the breakfast bar and pulled up a plate to cut up some fruit. He then pointed at a corner where there seemed to be two suitcases already lined up.

"A corner meant only for suitcases baba."

Aarush then said, "Oh. Par uncle...Main toh bas kuch hi der ke liye aaya hoon. Hum nikalne hi wale hain abhi."

Maahi's father looked up and waved away Aarush's comment.

"Koi baat nahi beta. Iss ghar mein hum sabhi musafir hi hai. Aate jaate rehte hain."

Something seemed to settle in Aarush's heart as he heard this. Like a key turning in a lock and opening it. He slowly walked over to the suitcase corner and kept his tote there. It looked at home there with the other bags. He smiled a content smile and walked over to the counter where Maahi's father sat cutting fruit.

Carefully but quickly, the man cut up watermelon and pulled two bowls. He then divided the fruit evenly and pushed one bowl towards Aarush. Aarush looked up with a bright smile and said, "Thanks!"

He looked up at Aarush. He took a bite of the fruit and said, "Yaar you look very familiar. Ab it will bug me until I know kaha dekha hai tumhe."

Aarush laughed and said, "Uncle, main Maahi ka classmate tha college mein."

"Accha?" Maahi's dad brightened. Then he frowned and said, "Nahi yaar."

"Sach mein tha, sir!" Aarush responded with sincerity.

Maahi's dad burst out laughing and said, "Nahi, sorry! I meant kahi aur dekha hai tumhe!"

Aarush straightened up and said, "Phir, you may have seen me on YouTube? Stand-up comic hoon."

Realization dawned on Maahi's father's face and Aarush had the urge to laugh again. But he managed to just smile as he watched him put two and two together and say, "Tabhi! Tabhi main sochu itne familiar kyu lag rahe ho! Tumhara video Papaji share karte rehte hain!"

Aarush laughed and asked, "Sacchi? Papaji se milwana phir kabhi!"

With great amusement lighting up his eyes, Maahi's dad replied, "Arre pehle humse toh theek se mil lo!"

Aarush nodded and said, "You're right. Batao uncle aap kaise ho? Norway kaisa raha?"

"Sab pata hai tumhe bhai!"

Maahi interjected at this very moment as she came out of her room and kept her bag next to Aarush. She then looked at the fruit they were both eating and pointed at herself before walking into the kitchen. Her father immediately cut up some more fruit and asked Aarush to pass a bowl that was kept next to him.

Without realizing why, Aarush felt an odd sense of comfort here. He didn't feel like he needed to create an impression or try to be someone else here. He could just be.

Maahi poked him in the shoulder and asked, "Why do you look so vacant, Iyer?"

Aarush blinked and replied, "Uh nothing. You ready?"

"Yup." She grabbed her keys from the counter and got up.

"Can I drive? My car's..." He asked.

"Nope."