Mr Rude's Shortcake

Chapter 18

Parth's POV

"It's nice to meet you, Parth and Arshika. You have been very cooperative. Sana and Duvvi keep talking about you. You are indeed great friends," Vadina (sis-in-law) said. 

"Akki erm there is something that I want to tell you. Parth and I are dating" Sana announced. 

"When did this happen?" Tanmay Anna asked. "21st of August. The day before Annayya and Aru started dating." she said. 

I thought staying quiet is the best because she is talking to her siblings and I don't think it is apt to meddle in these cute sibling talks. 

"Did you think at least telling me about liking him was unnecessary?" confronted Vadina. 

"She did not even breathe about it to me until today" added Dhruv. 

"I did not intend to hide it from you. I just wanted it to be a surprise for you all," Sana said. 

"Well. I am forgiving you for this time. Dhruv told me about Arshika as soon as he fell in love. I expected you to be a smitten shadow" Vadina said. "I am a smitten shadow" said Sana locking her eyes with me and the others giggled while I blushed. 

I looked at Dhruv. He looked euphoric. I did not want to spoil the mood but, now or never. "Shall we go on a walk C.A.?" I asked and he said, "Sure, come on". 

"Take us along with you." Sana and Arshika asked. I cannot afford to say no to these ladies but I had to. It was very hard. Perhaps Dhruv understood I wanted to tell something important to him, so he said " We are going to play Marvels Contest of Champions while walking. If you want to come, you are most welcome".  

"No, thanks" replied Sana. 

I and Dhruv were walking alongside the beach. The heavy steps that I was taking represented the heaviness in my heart which I had been carrying for the past 15 years. There was silence everywhere and I could hear only the sound of the tides. That was a very peaceful sound. If you hear something you like, it is pleasant and something which you don't find appealing, always sounds disturbing. Just like the decimating news that Amma disclosed to me on my third birthday. 

"Are you alright Parth?" Dhruv asked noticing my dewy eyes. 

"Let me narrate a story. Once, Krishna's hand was hurt and it was bleeding. Subhadra asked her handmaiden to get a cloth to bandage his hand, as her saree was adorned with pearls and she did not want to tear it. While Draupadi tore a piece from her garment adorned with gold, diamonds and valuable gems and aided Krishna. Since then, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated. Bonds are not made by ties of blood. This is what the story tells us. I grew up upholding this story in my heart. Paatti narrated this to me on that desolate night."

"What are you talking about Parth? I don't understand anything"

"Facing the truth is like swallowing broken glass, Dhruv. It shatters within and leaves you raw. On that day, when I turned three, Amma took me aside." I said and tears were cascading out from my eyes. 

"This is the first time I have seen you cry Parth. You are so bold and brave all the time. Is everything okay? What happened? Hold my hand tight." said Dhruv. 

"Arshika is adopted. We are not twins. I am six months older than her" I revealed and Dhruv was aghast. 

"What are you saying, Parth? You must be joking" he said. 

" Amma told me that I was six months old when Arshika was brought home. She was a feeble newborn baby. Her mother died as soon as she birthed her. She was an escort, and Amma told this to me when I turned 14, as she promised me that she would tell me about that woman on my 14th birthday. Arshika was born in the hospital in which Amma and Appa worked. Amma always longed to have a girl child. However, amma was diagnosed with postpartum endometritis. So, they decided to bring that baby home. No one else knows this except Amma, Appa, Paatti, Thatha, Mama, Attai and Me." I revealed and Parth was mum. 

"I was named after Amma's dad. His name is Parthasarathy. So Appa and Amma decided to name her after Amma's mom and Attai. The names Aradhya and Shivapriya were combined to form Arshika. Arshika did question Amma about her looks. She looks a bit different from all of us. Amma convinced her saying she resembled Amma's mother a lot. I told Sanskriti about this on the same day we started dating. To me, dating is just marriage by heart. I consider her as my other half. She needs to know everything that I know." I told. 

"She is still your sister Parth. Blood or non blood it does not matter to us. You love her so much. Isn't that enough? Relationships are supposed to be made Parth. They are not fixed" comforted Dhruv. 

"Of course, she is my sister. She was the only friend I had till I met you, Dhruv. My life without her is not defined. Whenever she calls me Anna, I feel like I have won the world. There is no way I can live without her. She is my twin! My sibling and birth cannot change that" I said. 

Dhruv hugged me hard and said, "Yes, Parth. Truth can be a faded map, showing the way but lacking the roads to follow. You need not blindly follow it all the time. Sometimes forgetting it is better" he advised. 

"Yes, she does not know this. Please don't tell her" I requested. 

"To me, she is Dr Arshika Ramanathan, the daughter of Dr Ramanathan Murali and Dr Vidya Ramanathan," he said and I smiled wiping my tears. 

"Let's go now. It's time for dinner I suppose" said Dhruv.