agar tum sath ho

chapter 30

" you did right by asking aalekh to live with us." Abhimanyu said.

" yes, Chauhan sahab,  given the nature of our job we can never be always with her. Also being in the same place might trigger her memory more than ever. So we have to trade carefully from now on. Besides assigning Naina and aalekh together wasn't our doing. I think army is having the same vision for them as it had for three of us. And that means......"

" the two of them will have same missions assigned to them most of the time. And if I am not wrong if not these two then one of the other four will always be with them . Army's algorithm always seem to work."

" yeah. And Besides aalekh is already family to Naina. And sherry is also warming up to him. He is like a comrade in arms for me and a protégé to you. He fits all the bills. At one point all of us will be there, you and sherry , me and Naina and ofcourse aalekh with his better half. That is the scene I am thinking about."

" I feel like laughing and crying at the same time. I mean no offense to neelu, she is lovely, but I can't imagine her living with us. Aalekh had always maintained that she needs her space."

" I feel like neelu will surprise us . Anyway her love for aalekh and yudi is something to be admired about. And everyone makes mistakes don't they. But she owned it and brought so much joy in out lives. I am sure we will figure out something.  Besides haven't we thought of buying the adjacent flat."

" umm about that I think I already did."

" When? And why don't I know about it?"

" Actually more than anything else it was for security reasons. You know the building has only two flats on a single floor owning to their large size as well as the old fashioned way the building has been made. I always feared who will live in the flat after it was put on sale. So I bought it. But we weren't in contact so I could never tell you. So right now we own both the flats."

" so you and sherry are going to live their when you shift to Delhi?"

" not immediately. I like our old flat too much. But eventually I thought when you and Naina would want to start a family you would need space. Also Naina's parents are our responsibility now. After a while they will live with us too, won't they."

" yeah , it all makes sense. I wish there was more than two flats on the floor now."

" for whom? "

" Aalekh. As we know him, he wouldn't like to live with us much if he doesn't own it."

" well I have thought about it. I am not going to offer it yet but if he mentions it then we will allow him to be on rent. We could put him on lease too, but I figured he will want his own place after he starts a family."

"Hmm, that's why one more flat."

" well we can always shift to another building when time comes."

But aalekh was much more smart than both of them. He would figure out a way that would put all of them at better ease.

For now , aalekh and Naina join their postings. Abhimanyu and Raj along with Sherry took leave to see them off and settle them there. But they couldn't stay more than 1 day. Raj would join them in two weeks time. And as for Abhimanyu and sherry it was still 1 year away. But they promised to visit them or weekends or holidays. But before that all of them will visit Barmer for Abhimanyu's and sherry's engagement.

Previously when Raj Abhimanyu and naveen used to share tha apartment, living arrangements were a little different.  It was a 3 bhk apartment with a small office room that boys have change into a strategy room . It was a room that was out of reach of Naina. Besides that room 1 room was for each one of them. Naina due to naveens older brother indulgence, lived in nsveens room , Raj and Abhimanyu lived in their own rooms with naveen sharing Abhimanyu's room whenever he would come. Abhimanyu would always say that he is lucky that Sherry doesn't visit them. And naveen with retort with even if she did Raj will never let her be with you in a single room.
And as for Naina,  she lived in Raj's room but went back to naveens room during his visits.
But now the living arrangements would need to change. Even though Abhimanyu has taken the other flat it is not ready to live and he is planning or renovating it for next year. So for time being he will inhabit his own room. Raj claimed his own room while aalekh was offered naveens room. Aalekh hesitated to take naveens room even after he was offered to pay the rent. But Naina convinced him. She told him that if the room was left empty it would pain her much more. Anyway naveen barely lived there. His belongings were transferred to the office room where they will forever remain . The place he spent most of his time as his room was occupied by Naina.