yun hi tu mere saath rehna

Chapter Twenty Two

In the aftermath of all the revelations that had shook everyone, the Rajvansh & Poddar family stayed in the living room of the Rajvansh Villa, unmoving. The Goenkas had finally left after Abir had ordered them to, Ruhi & Rohit taking them home. Abhira was still ensconced in Mishti's arms, clinging tightly to her. 

Mishti turned to Armaan and gestured for him to take her. “Ira,” Armaan whispered softly, trying to pull her to him. However, in a first, Abhira's hold on Mishti tightened when Armaan did that. 

“Gudiya Rani,” Mishti murmured gently. “Armaan ke saath upar jaa. Main bas tere peeche-peeche aa rahi hoon.”

“Pakka?” Abhira asked softly, afraid to let go of her. She couldn't lose Mishti. Not now, not ever.

“Pakka promise,” Mishti vowed. She squeezed Abhira tight, kissing her forehead. As Mishti's arms slowly unwound from her body, Armaan's arms took their place. Effortlessly, Armaan lifted her in a princess carry. Abhira hid her face in his neck, clutching him tight. Mishti squeezed Armaan's bicep, assuring him that she would follow. Satisfied, Armaan made his way upstairs, not sparing a glance to the Poddars, who were looking at the entire scene unfold in shocked silence.

They'd hurt him deeply today, with the way they'd all questioned Abhira. It was not new, this allegation of being a gold digger. His grandmother and uncle had both said it in the past as well, but he thought they were past all that, especially with the Rajvansh family in the picture now. With all the property that had been earmarked for Abhira, she was now richer than the Poddars, not that anybody knew that, Abhira included. Abir & Mishti knew that Abhira would never accept money from them, so they had instead transferred land in her name, just in case. Armaan was privy to the information only because he had handled the paperwork for them. But, whatever the reason, he had thought that now that Abhira had a family, and such an influential one at that, his family would never again be able to call her a gold digger or an orphan. Yet, they had somehow found a way to say it. They had assumed Abhira's guilt without listening to her side of the story. In a house full of lawyers, it was a cardinal sin to pass judgement like this. Yet, somehow, Abhira always ended up being judged this way. And it was getting on Armaan's nerves. 

Would he and Abhira ever be happy in this family? Would they ever truly accept Abhira, like Abhira's family had accepted him? He thought back to just yesterday when he had rightfully turned to Mishti for support, not having to think twice about it. And today, Vidya had called him back, asking him to abandon Abhira. 

Armaan had always felt that the love that the Poddar family had bestowed upon him was the greatest favour they'd done him. They didn't have to accept him. After all, he was Madhav's son from his first marriage, a marriage that Kaveri didn't approve of. Vidya hadn't even known about him before Madhav had brought him home one fine day, declaring that his son would live with them henceforth. Despite that, the family had accepted him. As much as they could. 

Armaan had been very young when he had understood that he was different from the other children of the family. Of course, some of it was because he was the eldest, but mostly, it was because his mother had not been a member of the family like the other childrens' parents were. He understood that not everyone in the family liked him. Yet, they still let him be a part of it anyway. With time, he came to accept this conditional welcome he had been bestowed. It became a part of his life, so ingrained in him, that he never thought twice about it, didn't question it. 

Now, though… He was starting to question it. In such a short period of time, the Rajvansh family had already been more welcoming of him than his own family had ever been. When Misha Masi made his favourite dessert, she didn't ask a favour in return. When Kunal Nanu ordered his favourite coffee, he didn't need to ask Armaan five times before remembering his order. When Mehr Mami pulled his leg, she never did it with malice. When Badi Maa & Bade Papa said he was her son, they truly meant it with all their hearts, unlike his own mother. In all the time that he'd known them, nobody in the Rajvansh family had treated him any differently than they did to the other family members. His voice was heard, his opinion was important. His happiness, his dreams, his heartaches, and his tears… They all mattered to the family. Nobody ever expected him to suppress his emotions, neither did they ever make him feel like he was wrong to feel them. They all supported him in any way they could.