𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔

𝟯𝟲. 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁

Chapter Thirty-Six: Relive The Scent

The plane taxied down the airport and the wait was over but somewhat there was still some wait at this time all four of them didn't know how to calm themselves but somehow managed to clear their thoughts and think straight so as not to fumble any chance to meet Nehmat.

Tugging his collar nervously, Shubman stood at Geneva Airport with Kohli's. "Will she even entertain us, Paaji?" he asked, directing his words towards the male figure beside him.

Virat gulped, glancing nervously at Shubman. "From the information I gathered, there's a Mrs. Rose who looks after the yard and assists her. Word has it she's not very friendly. If you don't mean business, she won't let you stand there for a minute."

Anushkha rolled her eyes at the two males. "If you're finished with your assumptions about how she won't entertain us, can we please get moving?"

Virat whined, "But Anu if we can't even stand there, what's the point of coming all the way from India to here?"

Vamika huffed, looking at her father. "Daddy, will you please stop making assumptions and give it a try? Don't just let her go like you did three years ago. Please, let's not miss this chance. I can't bear to let go of the opportunity to be with my Nini again."

Vamika held her mother's hand tightly and led her towards the waiting car. Virat sighed heavily and followed behind his wife and daughter, silently praying for the chance to reunite with his sister. Meanwhile, Shubman lingered for a moment, gazing out at the snow-clad mountains. It was exactly as Nehmat had drawn four years ago-an escape from loneliness, a place to learn to be quiet so everyone could find peace amidst her nonsensical talks. Oh, how wrong she had been. She had thought her absence brought peace to their lives, yet it only disrupted the peace between them. In reality, she was their source of peace. He wished upon the mountains that had sheltered Nehmat for the past three years, pleading for them to return her to them, to restore their blessing and lift the curse of strained relations.

He closed his eyes tightly before stepping towards the car and taking the passenger seat, while the other three sat in the back. As the car started moving along the beautiful roads of Geneva, Virat had a lot of thoughts swirling in his head. He tried to answer each one to clear his mind. But then he stumbled upon a thought, and his eyes widened. He leaned forward and asked, "Hey, Shubman, I forgot to clear the news and find out who tipped off the media. I guess finding Nehmat had me prioritized this time."

Shubman, with his elbow resting on the window and his fingers under his chin, took a moment to collect his thoughts before responding, "The photos have been removed from the internet everywhere, and the board warned that one more stunt like that and they would ban me. But for now, it's all quiet on that front. As for the person who tipped off the media..." He paused, swallowing nervously, but Virat pressed on, "What about the person who tipped off the media?"

Shubman bit his lip before glancing at the rearview mirror and answered boldly, "I threw divorce papers in their face." Virat was still processing what he meant, but Vamika and Anushka caught on immediately. Vamika patted his back and cheered, "That's the way, SG! That's how you do it!" This made Anushka turn around to Vamika with stern eyes, causing her to gulp and suddenly become interested in the scenery outside the window.

Virat realized what Shubman meant, understanding that serving divorce papers was the right thing to do given the circumstances. Leaning back, he shrugged and said, "Well, here's to happy freedom." He smiled as he looked out the window. Meanwhile, Anushka questioned, "Did you really go that dramatic and throw the papers in her face?"

Shubman, looking through the rearview mirror, replied, "Yes, bhabhi." Vamika muttered quietly while still gazing outside, "How satisfying that must be," which made Virat and Shubman chuckle. This time, Anushka couldn't stop Vamika from speaking her mind. She agreed that it must have been satisfying to get out of that relationship. Ruffling Shubman's hair, she said, "Well done, boy. That was one of the best decisions you made."

After 20 minutes, the car stopped in front of the hotel, causing Vamika and Shubman to exchange disappointed looks. They then turned towards Anushka and Virat, asking in unison, "Wait, we thought we were going straight to Nini/Nehmat?"

Anushka and Virat began unloading the trunk while Shubman and Vamika, still pouting in the car, waited for an explanation. That's when Virat, while paying the driver, replied, "It's already evening. They don't entertain guests after 4. So, we'll go tomorrow. Come on out now, both of you."

Both of them, still pouting, reluctantly agreed. After waiting for so long, a little more waiting couldn't possibly drive them crazy, could it?

Once they were settled in their room and freshened up, Vamika dashed to Shubman's room, of course, with her parents' permission. However, when she entered, she found him sorting through letters, which left her confused. "What are you doing, SG?" she asked, making him panic, causing a few letters to fly here and there.

Shubman quickly gathered the scattered letters, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Oh, uh, just sorting through important papers," he stammered, trying to regain composure.

Vamika narrowed her eyes and said, "That must be surely important, but not something formal considering the way you kept it. Tell me what it is?"

Shubman sighed as he arranged and held some stack of letters before answering, looking at her. "These are letters from the day I stopped talking to Nehmat."

Vamika settled herself next to him and asked, "Did you really write all these, SG?"

Shubman nodded quietly, his expression pensive as he glanced over the letters spread out before them. "Yeah, I did," he admitted softly. "After everything happened between us, I found it hard to express myself verbally. So, I wrote letters instead."

Vamika listened attentively, her eyes filled with empathy. She reached out and gently squeezed Shubman's hand, offering silent support.

"It's just... sometimes words on paper felt easier than speaking face to face," Shubman continued, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "I guess it was my way of trying to make sense of everything."

Standing on her knees, the six-year-old hugged her uncle tightly. "You are brave, SG," she whispered. "Standing strong even after all these. I hope and pray Nini understands you after everything you both went through."

Shubman hugged the little one back, holding her close. "I hope Nehmat accepts me too, not as a lover because that's going to take time, but maybe as a friend," he whispered softly.

His gaze fell onto the kiwi plush toy, a realization dawning on him. He hadn't really noticed it until now, but Vamika was carrying it everywhere. It was the first gift Nehmat had brought her from her first salary in New Zealand, back when they were out on a date.

"So, Vami, you still have the kiwi plush toy?" Shubmanasked a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

Vamika looked down at the kiwi plush toy, a fond smile spreading across her face as she remembered that special day. "Of course, I do," she replied, her voice filled with warmth. "It's a reminder of happy memories and any gift from her is special ."

Vamika settled herself on his lap, her gaze fixed on the kiwi plush toy in her hands. "You know, SG, more than any other meaning, it still holds Nini's smell-her Zara perfume," she said softly.

Shubman's eyes softened as he listened, his hand gently brushing against the plush toy. "Yeah, it's amazing how scents can evoke such strong memories," he replied, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "Even after all this time, it's like she's still here with us in some way."

Vamika nodded in agreement, her fingers tracing the contours of the plush toy. "It's comforting, in a way," she admitted. "To have a piece of her with us, even if she's far away."

Shubman chuckled at the memory, a soft smile playing on his lips. "I remember that," he said, shaking his head fondly. "I once told her how she smelled like roses because I couldn't quite put my finger on the scent. And she gave me a whole lecture about it being her Zara perfume and exactly how it smelled."

Vamika laughed softly, shaking her head in fond recollection. "She was always so particular about her scents," she remarked. "But it's those little quirks that made her who she was."

Shubman sighed wistfully. "Tomorrow seems so far away. I wish the sun would rise early so we could meet her as soon as possible," he said, his voice filled with longing.

Vamika nodded in agreement, wrapping her arm around him in a sideways hug. "Yes, and instead of just her scent through this plushie, I can actually hug her and relive the scent," she said, her tone hopeful.