The beginning

Chapter 15

Deepika told herself she wouldn't be cheesy but found herself walking to the balcony and peering over the edge. It was a long way down but she saw Ranveer exiting the building and walking to the guest parking which adjoined it. He paused for a moment beside his car and she thought he looked up. It was hard to make out at this distance and with the poor lighting. She knew logically there was no way he could see her. Still her heart sped up. She watched as he drove away and then sat down on a chair in the balcony.

Her mind swirled with memories of the day gone by. She'd fallen asleep so easily in his arms but now she was wide awake and he was the cause of her sleeplessness. He was so different from anyone she'd ever dated before. It had only officially been a few days since they'd started dating, she'd only known him for about eight months now, and already she felt like her life would be incomplete without him. How could that be possible? And he, his behaviour, only made it worse. He acted like he couldn't live without her, like he'd do anything for her. She didn't know whether to trust it. She wanted to, and when she was with him, it was impossible to believe otherwise. But she couldn't help but ask, what could he possibly see in her that others hadn't?

Maybe this was just a phase. She shouldn't be thinking of things like love. "He calls you his love," a soft voice whispered in her mind. She shushed it. "It's just a term of endearment," she told it. "You thought of him as one of the people you love most in the world," it whispered. She had no defence against that. "A momentary lapse of judgement," she tried to tell it, but she was too honest for that.

That is what scared her. She couldn't deny, after all, that she loved him. Maybe she was even in love with him. But what if he wasn't in love with her? She wrapped her arms tightly around herself to hold in the pain of that thought. "So what if he isn't in love with me," she told herself. "He never promised anything more than trying, and it's way too soon to be thinking of these things anyway, come on, it's only been a few days." She struggled to silence the part of her mind that whispered that he'd never be in love with her, that no one would ever be in love with her. That she just wasn't worth the trouble.

She'd shut her eyes tight and was sitting rigidly on the edge of one of her balcony chairs when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She startled and turned around to see her father. "Deepika? What's wrong? Did something happen with you and Ranveer?"

She shook her head. "No, we had a lovely evening," she said, unable to shake the sadness from her eyes or voice.

"Then what's the matter, beta? Why do you look so unhappy?"

"Nothing, just being silly. Thinking too much."

"Care to share?"

"No, it was stupid," she replied with a shrug.

"Want a hug anyway?"

She stood and wrapped her arms around him. Her father. The one man who had always and would always love her. The one who knew her inside and out and would never judge her. Bit by bit she relaxed. "Love you Papa," she mumbled against his shoulder.

"Love you, too, kanna. Come on, it's late and we have to get up early to go to your set tomorrow. Let's go to sleep."

She nodded and disengaged from him. They walked back into the living room and she pulled her phone from her purse to set it to charge. It beeped and she saw that Ranveer had sent her a message saying he'd reached home. He bid her a good night and followed it up with rows of hearts and kisses. She smiled despite everything and sent him back a good night and a kiss.

Ranveer drove home with his mind full of Deepika, her smile, her eyes, the softness of her skin and the music of her laugh. The taste of her lips beneath his, the feel of her in his arms. He drove mostly on autopilot and reached home without realising what route he'd taken. He thanked the gods that it was late at night on a Sunday, so the roads were mostly empty and the signals were all turned off.

When he entered his home his mother Anju was still awake, in her nightgown on the sofa in the living room reading a book. This was her usual nighttime habit. He walked to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "How was your day?"

"The usual. Lunch with my gang and dinner at home. You tell me how yours was. Or wait, don't tell me, I can see already from your face that it was really good," she said with a smirk.

He didn't even notice it. "It was amazing. Deepika's family is lovely. Her parents are so nice. And she's- she's just-" he struggled for words. What word could he use that would do her justice? "I love her," he said, then stilled when he realised what he'd just said out loud. He looked at his mother. She didn't seem surprised. Instead she smiled a knowing smile.

"Does she know?"

He shook his head. "I haven't said anything to her yet. I... I don't know how she'll take it."

Anju studied him for a long moment. "Do you think she doesn't feel the same way?"

He scrubbed a hand down his face. "I don't know. I don't know how she feels. She's... had some bad experiences in the past. She's told me repeatedly that she's not ready for anything serious, but she also said that she'd be willing to try with me. I don't know, Ma, I just don't know."

"Are you okay with not knowing?"

He thought about it. "I guess so," he said at last. "It's only been a few days, after all. Just because I'm in deep already doesn't mean she has to be."

His mother nodded thoughtfully. "I hope you know what you're doing."

He smiled. "I don't know what I'm doing, not at all. I only know that I've never felt like this before. Being with her feels right. Like I'd been looking for something all my life and I didn't know what it was until I found her." He saw his mother look at him with quiet consideration in her eyes. She'd always been the person he could share anything with. Even more than his father or his sister, she was the one who knew all his secrets. And so he told her this one, as well.

"You know how a couple of years back we'd talked about how I thought marriage was a pointless institution for this day and age and how I didn't see the point of having children? Well, you were right and I was wrong. With her I understand the appeal of being bound to one person all my life. With her I want a family because I can see that she'll make an amazing mother. You were right."

Anju looked at him. She'd never seen him this passionate about anything. Well, no, that was wrong, she thought. She had seen him this passionate about one other thing - acting. Then, too, she had both marvelled at his conviction and been afraid that his dreams would be crushed. In the end she'd made up her mind to support him as best she could in chasing his dream. If he failed, well, at least he'd have tried. She'd never be the one to clip his wings or stifle his spirit. "Ma?" Ranveer's voice broke her out of her reverie.

"Bring her home, Ranno. I want to meet her, get to know her. I want to know what it is about her that has you so fascinated."

He nodded. "I asked her today when she'd be free and she said that Friday dinner should be fine."

"Alright, I'll plan accordingly and tell your father to be home early that evening."

"Just hold off till I confirm, will you? We should know for sure by Wednesday with the way filming goes."

Anju nodded. "So then, tell me all about it," she said with a smile. "What happened when you went to her home?"

Ranveer smiled and stretched out on the sofa with his head in her lap. He and his mother had always been night owls. Their most memorable conversations had always been these heart-to-heart chats late at night by the light of a single lamp, her usually with a book in her hand. Of late, there had been the addition of reading glasses perched upon her nose. But the hand she stroked through his hair hadn't changed since he was a little boy.

It occurred to him as he told her the story of his day that he'd missed this. With work and his other commitments, with how distracted he'd been with Deepika, he'd hardly spent time with his mother.

"What's the matter?" she asked when he fell silent.

"I'm sorry I haven't given you much time lately."

She laughed. "Beta, that's to be expected now, isn't it? You're twenty-seven, not seven. I know you have your own life."

"Still. I've missed this. Telling you things somehow makes them simpler."

She smiled. "Well, you know where to find me."

"Yes, I do. So then, tell me about you. What's been going on?"

She smiled and set aside her book. "You'll never guess what Sunita said today at lunch," she began and he sat up so he could listen to her better. He'd got his love of stories and his interest in the way people behaved from her. She was a very witty storyteller with a sharp eye for detail and a dry wit that he'd grown to appreciate more and more over the years. He laughed along as she talked about her group of friends and the foibles of their families.

As interested as he was in listening to her stories, his eyelids began to droop. He'd hardly slept the night before and it was past one now. His mother noticed.

"Go on, go to sleep. I know you didn't sleep well last night."

"How did you - never mind," he said, sitting up and shaking his head. She knew him, often better than he knew himself. "Good night, Ma," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Good night, sleep well. Do you want me to wake you tomorrow at a particular time?"

"If I'm not up and about by eight send Di to kick me."

"Sure," she replied, turning to her book.

Ranveer fell quickly that night into a deep and dreamless sleep. The next week flew by with work and with the time he spent with Deepika. Day by day they built a new normal that was somehow both exciting and completely natural. They'd always eaten together, only now he pulled her so she was sitting pressed into his side. She'd always taken care of him, now she became even more solicitous.

They were shooting the ending of the film and it was hard for him to see her crying. He didn't have to fake the tears in his own eyes. Nor did he have to fake the pain he felt at the thought of hurting her. By the end of each day all he wanted was to hold her and never let go, but she had to leave as soon as they were done to promote Race 2. He spent as much time as he could by Deepika's side on set because she had no time to be with him outside it.

She was working double shifts and promotions were always hectic. He knew she was trying to organise everything so she'd have Friday evening free. In the end that meant that she'd have to shoot for one of her advertisements on Sunday. Ranveer tried to put her off, saying that she didn't have to give up her weekend for this, but she shushed him.

"You're important to me and they're important to you. I want to meet them," she said, echoing his words from the previous week.

He smiled and hugged her close at that. "You're amazing," he whispered in her ear. "Thank you."

She shook her head. "No, I want to meet them."

Their conversation ended there because they were called to give their next shot. The next two days flew by for Deepika and she was very grateful to be so busy that she had no time to worry. On Friday morning, however, she woke up with butterflies in her stomach. The butterflies only increased as she packed a change of clothes into her bag for the dinner that night. She met Ranveer on set and knew that he was thinking of the evening, as well.

Her distraction showed on camera and Sanjay sir was not pleased. She saw the disapproval on his face as she messed up time and again. He called cut and came over to her. "I know," she said as soon as he neared. "Give me five minutes?" she requested. He nodded and went back to his chair. "I just need a little time," she told Ranveer before walking away to her trailer. She sat down at the table and chair laid out beside it and took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. She closed her eyes and focused on breathing, trying to centre herself and let go of the anxiety that had been following her around since she'd woken up.

She startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and turned and saw Ranveer sitting on the chair next to hers with a concerned look in his eyes. "Everything ok?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Just nervous about this evening."

"Baby, it's going to be okay," he soothed.

She breathed deep. "Yes, it probably will be. I'm being silly."

He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "No, you're not being silly. In fact I'm highly impressed that you're still able to work. I was a wreck the morning before I came to your home."

"Really?"

He laughed and told her the story of his morning and how he'd had an hour-long panic conference call with his friends.

She was laughing by the end of it. "I want to meet them. They sound like fun."

He nodded. "They've made me promise to throw a party with you. They're eager to meet the woman who has me wrapped around her little finger."

She blushed. "Come on, Ranveer, I'm not that bad."

"Oh no, that's not what I meant at all. I've fallen most willingly."

She blushed more. "Let's get back to work. I don't want to keep everyone waiting."

He shrugged and they returned to the set. Deepika was no longer as anxious as she had been. Ranveer's words had left her with a heightened sensitivity to his proximity which was not necessarily a bad thing for the scene they were shooting. She allowed it to intermingle with the sadness, love, fear and anger that she needed to portray. As she slipped more and more into her character, she was aware of him responding in kind. The shot was of them discussing whether he believed that she'd betrayed him. She drew deep on the pain she'd experienced when she'd been betrayed before. She could see the same pain shimmering in his eyes and began to feel tears gathering. Her voice began to choke up.

Sanjay sir ended the shot and the room was quiet except for her and Ranveer's hitching breaths. She knew that they were both on the brink of tears. He stared into her eyes and she could see that he was drawing from the memory of some deep hurt, as well. Without giving herself time to think about it too much, she stepped into his space and he drew her into his arms. When she felt his warmth she breathed deep and relaxed. She felt his body curve into hers and tightened her arms around him. Around them she heard the bustle of the crew moving and Sanjay sir giving out soft instructions, but the atmosphere was subdued. No one disturbed them.

She held him and he held her until they had both somewhat regained control over their emotions. She raised her head from his shoulder then and he smiled at her, a quiet, grateful smile. She couldn't resist kissing it, a brief brush of lips, before she stepped out of the embrace and walked to where Sanjay sir was discussing lighting and angles with the cameraman. Ranveer followed behind her. "We're ready," she said.

Sanay sir nodded. "That was spectacular. You brought tears to my eyes. Come, let's talk about the next shot." He walked over to the set and began discussing the positions he wanted them to begin and end in. Deepika and Ranveer followed him, used by now to the spontaneity of his process. They acted out various options for him and gave their own suggestions. When he was more or less satisfied with what they'd come up with, a process that took close to an hour, he returned to his spot next to the camera to begin shooting.

Then he called out adjustments from behind the camera until he got them perfectly framed. And then he began the process of actually filming the shot, pushing them to find deeper and deeper reserves of emotion. It was exhausting physically, mentally and emotionally, but neither Deepika nor Ranveer minded. Because when they walked over to the monitor, what they saw was beyond anything they'd imagined they could do. It did mean, though, that when he called for shooting to stop at six in the evening they were both utterly spent.

They walked back to their vans in silence, both too exhausted to speak. Deepika paused outside the door of her van. "Give me fifteen minutes? I need to take off the makeup and change."

Ranveer nodded and kissed her cheek before heading to his own van to change. He sank into the makeup chair once he was there. He was ready to drop, so he could only imagine what Deepika might be feeling. His van had a small shower that he sometimes used but he elected to forego it today since he was heading home.

When he knocked on the door of Deepika's van around twenty minutes later it was opened by her assistant. "She's almost ready," she told Ranveer with a smile. "Come in."

Ranveer stepped into the space and breathed deep. He felt his tension and exhaustion melt away. The van smelled like her perfume and lotion and body wash. He sank into her sofa and watched as she put in earrings. Her hair was clipped into a bun, presumably for the shower whose faint warmth and humidity still lingered in the van. "I'll see you on Sunday, then," Deepika said to her assistant, who nodded.

"Have a good evening," she said to both of them.

Ranveer smiled at her. "You, too," he replied as she walked out of the door, shutting it behind her and leaving them alone in the van.

"I've asked Jalal and Shanu to take an early evening as well," Deepika informed him. "Since I'm not going out."

He smiled. "So what you're saying is I'm your bodyguard and chauffeur for the evening."

She laughed as she brushed her hair. "Something like that," she agreed. She clipped it half away from her face, then stood and turned to him. "Do I look okay?" She was dressed in a simple kurta and flowy pants, no makeup at all.

He got up off the couch and walked to her. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "You look beautiful," he replied and was rewarded with a sweet smile and a blush. "Come, let's go home."

The drive to his home took a little over an hour. She curled up in the front seat of his car so she was facing him and he found himself turning every so often just so he could look at her. She looked like she belonged there.

She asked him to put on some music. He had a wide and eclectic taste in music and he was flattered by her appreciation of the unusual artists and albums he knew. Today he picked an album that had Brazilian roots and a singer with a breathy, unusual voice. The music was quiet and hypnotic, a soothing balm at the end of their taxing day. They drove home to the swaying rhythm and smooth instrumentation, both quiet, simply enjoying each other's company.

When he pulled into the drive of his house she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered. "That was just what I needed."

He picked up her hand from where it rested on her thigh and kissed her fingers. It was moments like these that had him convinced that she was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Letting go of her hand, he opened his door and walked around the car to offer a hand to her as she stepped out. She smiled up at him as she took it. They walked together to the front door and he rang the doorbell. They'd barely stood there a couple of seconds when the door opened.

"I thought I heard your car," the woman who opened the door said. "Come in, come in, welcome to our home," she gushed as she pulled Deepika into a hug.

"Ritika, you're going to scare her." Ranveer laughed as he saw the bemused look on Deepika's face. Her body language as she put her arms around Ritika said that she was unsure of what exactly was going on.

"Ranveer, is that you?" Deepika looked up as Ritika let her go and saw an older woman whom she presumed was Ranveer's mother walking to them. "Ah, Deepika, welcome, beta, Ritika, let her get beyond the door, come on, you can take off your shoes here," she said, directing them as Deepika looked on a bit overwhelmed by the warm welcome. She slipped off her shoes near the spot indicated, a small bench with a little decorated wall and shelf next to it. "Come on in," Anju said to her.

"Umm, thank you for inviting me," Deepika said as she walked in and took in the house. It had a large sitting room sunk two steps down from the entryway. Looking up she saw that it had a double height ceiling with a faceted chandelier casting a golden glow over the space. There were a couple of large couches and several comfy-looking armchairs. There were paintings on the walls and well-read books on the tables. The whole space looked warm and inviting. "You have a beautiful home," she said.

"Thank you," Anju said, smiling. "Come, sit down and put your feet up. You must have had a terribly long day. Ranveer said you were having a difficult shoot when I called him at lunch today." She drew Deepika over to one of the large couches. Ranveer watched, amused, as Deepika followed meekly along. He thought she looked a bit shell-shocked. He knew this was very different from what she was used to at home. Her parents, from what he had seen, while they were every bit as loving as his own, were much more reserved.

Deepika thought to herself as she took her seat that she should have expected Ranveer's family to be like him - warm and exuberant. She looked at his mother's face and saw the same kind spirit looking out of her eyes that she was so drawn to in Ranveer. She smiled and let go of some of her apprehension.

Setting her bag down beside her, she opened it and drew out a paper box. "This is for you all, aunty. It's not much, I didn't really have time, just some brownies." These were her quick-and-dirty version of her brownies, which took only about twenty minutes to make.

"Oh wow, did you make those?" Ritika asked. Deepika nodded. She snatched up the box from her mother's hands. "I'm calling dibs."

"No fair!" Ranveer exclaimed.

She thumbed her nose at him. "Deepika, my brother has been making me jealous with all his stories of how amazing your brownies are all these months. Now that I've finally got my hands on them, there's not a chance in hell that he's getting them back."

Deepika laughed. "Oh, you should have told me earlier, I'd have sent some for you."

Ritika shook her head. "I have no trust in this fellow. He'd eat them all."

Deepika laughed again as Ranveer looked wounded, then shrugged. "She's right about that," he said with a wicked grin.

"Ritika, you just let me know, and I'll send some specially for you with my driver so Ranveer can't get his hands on them."

Ranveer pouted. "You're mean," he said to Deepika, eyes sparkling with mirth.

Deepika shrugged, her smile lighting up her face. His eyes grew warm and she blushed. Their stare was broken by Anju's laugh. "Beware, Deepika, these two have been fighting over food since they were young."

Deepika turned to her. "Ah well, aunty, it's the same with my sister and I. We used to fight over who would finish the last piece of mango."

Anju laughed at that. "Oh, these two were the same," she said, pulling on Ranveer's ear where he was sitting on the arm of the sofa next to her. Ritika had walked away to put the box of brownies in the kitchen.

"Ow, Ma!" he exclaimed.

"Go on. I know you want to shower. Your father's freshening up as well. Don't worry, we'll take good care of Deepika." She smirked at him when she noticed him looking at her. She watched as Deepika nodded to him with a smile. She could see her fidgeting with her fingers and knew she was probably nervous. But the smile Deepika gave her son was warm.

Ranveer sighed. "I'll be right back," he said, dropping a kiss on his mother's head. He walked to the stairs, then with a last backward glance at Deepika, walked up them.

Anju turned back to Deepika and saw that her eyes had widened in panic, though a smile remained on her lips. "What will you have to drink, beta?" she asked her. "Wine, juice, water? I'm going to have a glass of wine myself. Would you like to accompany me?"

Deepika nodded. "Yes, please. A glass of wine would be great."

Ritika walked back out of the kitchen. "I'll take one, too," she said. "Red or white, Ma?" she asked, walking to a cabinet on the far side of the dining area adjoining the living room.

"Red, please," Anju replied. "What about you, Deepika?"

"I'll take red, as well."

Ritika nodded at her and extracted a bottle of wine, three wine glasses and a corkscrew from the cabinet. She poured and brought the glasses over to where the women were sitting on the sofa. "Cheers," she said when they each had a glass. "So, Deepika, how's the film been going? Ranveer said that you guys are shooting a really emotional scene right now."

Deepika nodded. "Yeah. It's the ending of the film. It's an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, so, you know? And Sanjay Sir, he doesn't allow you to do anything, umm, upar-upar se. He wants you to really feel it." She sighed.

"Wow, that must be tough to deal with," Ritika empathized.

"Yeah, but it's worth it," Deepika said with a smile. "He pushes us to do things we didn't know we were capable of. The way Ranveer has acted in this scene..." she trailed off, recalling his expressions, the way he'd brought her to tears. She turned back to Ritika who was watching her with a soft smile. "He's incredible. He's one of the finest actors I've ever worked with."

Ritika smiled at her. "Well, it's a good thing he picked the right profession, then."

Deepika laughed. "And you? What do you do?"

"I'm the business brain, like my father. Someone had to take over, since my little brother clearly won't." She said it with obvious affection.

Anju smiled, too. "That was obvious when he failed maths five times in fifth grade."

Deepika laughed. "What? Really?"

"Yep," Ritika replied. "He just couldn't be bothered to study it. He asked where all the stories were, and when his teacher said that maths had no stories in it, he asked her what the point of studying it was, then."

Deepika laughed out loud. She could just imagine a little Ranveer arguing with his teacher.

"What lies have you been telling my girlfriend?"

Deepika startled and turned around and saw Ranveer coming down the stairs with his father, Jagjit, following behind him. Ranveer was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and his hair was damp from a shower. Deepika blushed and tried to hide her face in her glass. He'd just called her his girlfriend in front of his entire family. Her blush turned red when he came and took the seat beside her and put an arm around her back. He looked much more relaxed and smelled divine. She tried to block out her consciousness of the heat radiating off his body, but that was next to impossible with him sitting so close. Her body wanted to sway towards his so she sat up straighter.

"No lies, bhai, there's no need to lie when the truth is quite enough to make her question her choice," Ritika smirked.

Ranveer pretended to be offended. His father came and took one of the armchairs. "Don't mind these two, Deepika, they're always trying to one up each other," he said, smiling quietly at her. She smiled back at him. Something in his smile reminded her of her own father.

"Shall I get you a glass of wine as well, darling, or would you prefer something else?" Anju asked.

"Thank you, jaan, wine would be great. Ranveer?"

"Just water for me, thanks. I've got to drive Deepika back home."

"Ritu?" his mother looked to Ritika, who nodded and set her wine glass on the table so she could go and get drinks for her father and brother. She returned with them and raised her glass. "What shall we toast to, now that we're all here?"

"To our guest," Jagjit said, raising his glass to Deepika, who blushed. "May this be the first of many such evenings." They clinked glasses and drank. "So, Deepika, I heard from Ranveer that your parents were visiting last weekend."

Deepika nodded. "Yes, uncle, they were. My mother and father had come over for a few days for my birthday. It was really nice to have them here. With the way work is going right now, I don't have the time to go home to Bangalore to visit them."

He nodded. "Yes, Ranveer was telling us that you're doing double shifts on this film and another one?"

Deepika shrugged. "Yes, that's how it's worked out. The dates for a couple of my films are clashing, and I have promotions for another couple, so I have to put in longer hours. But it's okay. For the most part I enjoy being busy and my team have been really impressive. I worry about them more than me, you know? They have to work a lot behind the scenes to make sure everything is set up for me. I don't think they've had a holiday in three months." She shook her head ruefully.

"Baby, you haven't had a holiday in three months," Ranveer said.

She coloured. "Ranveer!" she hissed. How in the world could he call her 'baby' in front of his parents?

He misconstrued her. "What? It's true."

Ritika smirked at the exchange. She didn't think her brother had even realised the endearment he'd used.

"That's not good for your health, beta," Anju said to Deepika.

"No, aunty, it's okay, I usually have Saturdays half off and Sundays off completely. So it's fine."

Anju nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm, that's better than nothing, I suppose. But come now, you must be very hungry after your day. Let's have dinner."

She rose from the sofa and went towards the kitchen. Deepika rose as well. "Can I help with anything?"

"No, no, everything is ready. It just needs to be heated. You've had a long day, just sit down at the table."

"Is there anything you don't eat?" Ritika asked as she served the chicken curry and bhindi sabzi.

Deepika shook her head, then stopped. "Oh, um, I don't like curd." Ritika looked at her, astonished. "Sorry?" Deepika said at her expression.

She began to laugh. "Now I know why my brother picked you. What are the odds, hmm?" she asked her father, who also began to laugh.

Deepika laughed along. "Yeah, I knew at the first lunch we had together in Sanjay sir's office, when he turned down the raita, that I was going to get along well with him."

Ranveer turned a heated gaze towards her. "I knew that we would get along well, too, after that lunch."

She blushed red. The memory of that afternoon and the way he was looking at her made her incapable of meeting his eyes.

"Ah, is that a story I sense?" Ritika asked.

Deepika shook her head while Ranveer nodded. "It's not really that long or complicated. She knocked my socks off," he said with a shrug, eyes fixed on her.

Deepika blushed further, mortified that he was saying this in front of his family. She looked up when Ritika started laughing. "Oh, that much we know," she said, and Deepika didn't know where to look. "You came back home with your head in the clouds. Deepika, I do believe he put salt in his coffee and drank it without even noticing that something was wrong with it."

Deepika began to laugh as well, still blushing but amused. She looked at Ranveer out of the corner of her eyes and saw that he was blushing, too. "Di!" he hissed and Ritika shrugged.

Deepika watched as Ranveer and Ritika ribbed each other and his mother rolled her eyes and admonished them to eat. She watched his father smile and brush a spot of curry off his mother's cheek. The obvious love between the people at the table filled her heart as much as the excellent food filled her stomach. She soaked in the warmth and stayed mostly silent, chipping in with quiet comments whenever someone addressed her directly. Being here made her miss her family. Yet it also soothed the pain of missing them.

Anju glanced at Deepika from time to time, taking in her wistful expression. She watched as her eyes grew softer every time they rested on Ranveer. She didn't think Deepika was aware of the fond smile on her lips. Anju watched as she passed food around the table without being asked, attentive to each person's plate. She noticed that Deepika filled Ranveer's plate without asking him what he wanted and without breaking the flow of conversation. She also noticed that Ranveer accepted it as a matter of course. She smiled and filed the observations away for consideration.

When dinner was done Deepika began gathering the dishes as she would at home. "No, no, you put those down," Anju commanded. "You've had a very long day and you're our guest. Ritika and I will manage. Ranveer, why don't you show her around the rest of the house? Go on, while we get dessert ready."

Ranveer nodded. "Come on," he said to Deepika. They washed their hands and he gave her a tour of the house, beginning with the gym and prayer room that were on the ground floor. The first floor held a large open area that had several bean bags and a home theatre system. It also had his parents' bedroom and living space, and a small guest room. The uppermost floor had a small common area with rugs and couches and a few games. It had two doors leading off it, one to Ritika's room and the other to his. Ranveer opened the door to his room. "Come in," he said.

Deepika stepped in and took in the space as he turned on the lights. It was spacious and divided into a living space and sleeping area. It didn't surprise her that his room was neat. He was meticulous about his personal habits and his trailer was always well organised. So it would have been a greater surprise if his bedroom had been any different.

One entire wall was covered in closets. She listened as he told her about the football memorabilia scattered around his room and pulled apart the curtains to show her the balcony. She could sense his nervousness in how fast he talked and in how his eyes kept scanning her face. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed his palm.

He breathed deep and his shoulders relaxed. "So, do you like it?"

"Yes, I like it very much. As I told your mother below, you have a beautiful home. And I like your room, too. The combination of light and dark, green and brown and hints of copper go very well together."

He sighed and gathered her up into his arms. "Thank you for coming."

"Don't be silly, Ranveer. I wanted to come."

"Still, after that insane day, it would have been easier to just go home and sleep. No one would have blamed you."

"I keep my commitments," she said with a smile.

"I know. It's one of the reasons I-" He stopped, unsure whether to finish that sentence.

"Yes?"

He could see the turmoil in her eyes. Her body beneath his hands had grown tense. He smiled and gave her a different truth. "It's one of the reasons I respect you so much." He saw the way her shoulders relaxed and knew he'd made the right decision. He set aside the slight sense of disappointment he felt.

He looked into her eyes. Her expression was soft though he could see the weariness in the creases at her eyelids. She'd kept up a bright facade for his family but he knew this had to have been difficult for her. He'd noticed her quietness throughout dinner.

He caressed her cheek and pulled her even closer, urging her to rest her head on his shoulder. She sighed and sagged into his body. He used his right hand to undo the clip holding her hair up and began smoothing the fingers of his left hand through it. She sighed again and linked her arms around his waist. He set the clip down on his desk and used both hands to rub her back and massage her neck in slow circles. He could feel her minute hums against his neck. Her body grew heavier against his. His body relaxed along with hers.

He didn't know how long they'd stood there, swaying slightly in each other's arms, before she raised her head. Her eyes were warm and sleepy and she blinked them rapidly as if to clear away the fog. She raised her hand to her mouth and yawned. "If your goal is to put me to sleep again, I'd say you're succeeding admirably."

He smiled and yawned as well. "Sorry, you just looked so tired and I wanted to make you feel better."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I do feel better, thank you. But we should return to your family. They'll be wondering what we're doing up here."

He nodded. "Come," he said, holding out his hand.

"May I use your bathroom first?"

He nodded. She'd just about shut the door when he heard a knock. He'd left his room door partially open, so his sister entered after the knock. "Hey, hope I'm not interrupting anything," she said with a sly smile which changed to confusion. "Where's Deepika?"

"In the bathroom, we were just about to come downstairs."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry," he said with a quick smile to reassure her. She smiled back. Just then Deepika came out of the bathroom.

"Oh hey Ritika, we were just on our way down."

"Yes, Ranveer said," Ritika replied, linking her arm through Deepika's. "But since I know my brother and his ways, I'm going to bring you downstairs myself." Deepika smiled at her and allowed herself to be led away as Ranveer pretended to sulk.

He followed them down as they talked about colour schemes and the arrangement of spaces and Deepika complimented Ritika on the house. He watched as his sister was charmed by Deepika's sincere appreciation of the spaces she'd worked on.

When they came downstairs Jagjit greeted them at the dining table. "I'm going to say goodnight here, beta," he told Deepika, shaking her hand. "I've got an early meeting tomorrow and I'm not someone who stays up very late anyway. But it was lovely to meet you. Come home again soon. Don't wait for Ranveer to invite you. You're always welcome here."

"Won't you stay and have dessert with us, uncle?" Deepika asked, holding onto his hand.

He smiled. "No thank you, dear. Anju will send some with my lunch tomorrow."

Anju walked in with a large covered bowl with several small bowls stacked on top of it. She set them down on the dinner table then walked to her husband's side. She kissed his cheek and he hugged her and kissed her forehead.

Deepika watched them out of the corner of her eye as she sat down at the table with the siblings. She watched Jagjit whisper something in Anju's ear that had her blushing and whispering something back. She turned away and gave them privacy. She noticed that Ranveer and his sister didn't seem fazed by their parents' behaviour. His mother's cheeks were slightly pink by the time their father bid them all a good night, but neither Ranveer nor Ritika commented on it. Deepika assumed this must be a fairly common occurrence.

Anju served them dessert in little glass bowls with silver spoons. Dessert was phirni garnished with rose petals. "Aunty this is delicious!" Deepika exclaimed. "Did you make it?"

Anju beamed. "Yes, I did."

"It's incredible. The rose flavour is so delicate! It's so creamy! Wow. I've never had kheer like this before."

"It's called phirni. The recipe has been passed down on my mother's side for generations. Here, have some more."

"I really shouldn't, but I will," Deepika said with a grin. She didn't notice Ritika giving Ranveer two thumbs up behind her back, or Ranveer's blush and shrug. She caught Ritika's grin in her direction, though.

"Life's too short to not eat dessert, am I right?" Ritika asked as she held her own bowl out for a second helping.

Deepika nodded vigorously around a spoonful of pudding. "Absolutely," she said once she'd swallowed.

"Now there's only one more thing I need to know," Ritika said, face serious.

Deepika looked at her, heart beating faster at her expression. What could put that look on her face? "Yes?"

"Federer or Nadal?"

Deepika burst out laughing and caught the wickedness in Ritika's eyes. "Federer," she replied between peals of laughter. "Nadal is an all time great, too, but Federer's game is sheer poetry. Plus he's such a gentleman."

"Right on!" Ritika high fived her. "And he's so good looking, am I right?" Her family laughed along with her. This was obviously something they'd heard before.

Deepika nodded. "Yes, very good looking."

"He's on my list. Is he on your list?" Ritika winked at her.

"What list?" Deepika asked, confused.

Ranveer groaned and shook his head. "You don't want to know."

To Deepika's surprise it was Anju who clarified, a mischievous smile on her face. "The five people you can, let's say, sleep with, no questions asked, no consequences."

"Ma, I'm impressed!" Ritika said as Ranveer groaned.

Anju laughed and pretended to pat herself on the back. "What, your dad and I have lists, too, you know."

"No, no, I don't know and I don't want to know," Ranveer said, shaking his head.

"Speaking of your father, let me just go and check whether he's taken his medicine and set his alarm. He tends to forget," Anju said, rising from the table. "I'll be back in a few minutes." The others nodded.

"So, is he?" Ritika asked Deepika, who had forgotten the original question.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Is Federer on your list?"

Deepika blushed. "Umm, no, I don't have a list."

"Well, this is a golden opportunity, then! What better time than the present to make your list, am I right? Right Ranveer? I know you have a list, don't you?"

Ranveer looked panicked as Deepika turned curious eyes on him. "I, umm, it was, that is, I made it a long time ago, okay? Before I even got to know you."

She shrugged. "It's no big deal. I know it's just for fun."

"So tell us, then, who was on your list?" Ritika turned to him with a wicked grin and a knowing gleam in her eyes.

Ranveer could feel his skin heating up and knew he was probably turning dark red. His sister had been there with his friends while they'd all discussed their lists. He knew that she knew that the number one spot on that list had been taken by none other than the brown-haired, doe-eyed, long-limbed, absolutely stunning woman sitting next to him with a curious expression on her face.

"It was a long time ago, okay? I, umm, don't remember everyone. Angelina Jolie was on it, I think. Umm, Penelope Cruz, probably. A young Zeenat Aman. Possibly Victoria Beckham. That's all I can remember."

"That's four out of five," his sister teased. "Sure you can't remember the fifth?"

He shook his head. "No, I definitely can't remember. Nope, definitely not." Deepika looked at him strangely and he knew she didn't believe him. He glared at Ritika who was still grinning mischievously. "Do NOT," he mouthed to her when Deepika looked her way.

"Ah, well, it has been a few years I suppose," Ritika said. "So, Deepika, shall we make your list? Let's make my brother jealous."

Deepika smiled. "It seems to me this list needs some serious thought. Maybe we can make it the next time we meet? Without your brother around. Since he won't tell us who the last name on his list is."

Ritika burst out laughing at the look on Ranveer's face. "Oh that's brilliant! Yes, let's do exactly that. Really give him something to stew about."

Deepika laughed as well and Ranveer knew he was doomed. She was even more captivating now than she had been when he'd put her at the top of his list of dream women. He was not ashamed of the fact that he'd fantasized about her before he even knew her. But all fantasies paled in comparison with the reality of her sitting beside him in his home, laughing with his sister after a meal with his parents.

He was shaken out of his stupor by his mother's hand on his shoulder. "Your father's fast asleep, snoring as usual. What are you ladies laughing at?"

Ritika smiled. "We've decided that we're going to meet without Ranveer here and make Deepika's list so she can hold it over him."

"Ah good. A woman must always have her secrets." Anju smiled as she said it.

Deepika laughed again. She liked these women. She liked them a lot. She could see herself becoming good friends with them. "I'll keep that in mind," she replied with a wink, her smile widening when she heard Ranveer's groan.

"Great, now you're going to be on their side, too," he whined, but Deepika saw the twinkle in his eyes and knew he was just hamming.

"What can I say, they're just so much nicer, smarter, better looking..." She laughed and pinched his cheek when he pouted. "Don't worry, I still like you."

He pretended to sulk. "You're just saying that to be nice to me."

"No, I really do like you," she said and kissed his cheek, then blushed when she realised she'd done it in front of his mother and sister. He looked at her with a besotted smile on his face and it made her blush deeper. She turned away from him and caught Anju's eye. She had a soft smile on her face that somehow helped Deepika be calm again.

"Ranveer?"

He startled and turned to his mother. He shook his head to clear it. "Yes, Ma?"

"Don't you think it's getting late? You've both had long days and I'm sure Deepika has work tomorrow, too, am I right?"

Deepika nodded. "Only a few hours, though, aunty, it's okay."

Anju shook her head. "It's past twelve, dear, and while I would love to stay the whole night taking to you, let's save that for another time, shall we? I can see the circles around your eyes."

Deepika felt her eyes beginning to fill with tears and knew Anju was right if she was about to cry because of her motherly concern. She cleared her throat, blinked a couple of times, and said, "Yes, of course. I have had such a lovely time this evening. Thank you so much."

"It was our pleasure entirely," Anju replied as they all stood up from the table. She pulled Deepika into her arms and gave her a warm hug. Deepika almost burst into tears again. All of this was making her miss her family with a fierce ache. She managed to smooth her face as Ritika hugged her, too, then walked to the door with her and Ranveer.

They exchanged phone numbers and the usual pleasantries while Deepika and Ranveer put on their shoes and Deepika checked that she had everything in her handbag. She promised Ritika that she'd check her schedule and let her know when they could meet for lunch sometime in the next couple of weeks. She promised Anju to come home again soon, and that she would eat whatever Anju sent to set. She waved to them through the window as Ranveer put the car in gear and drove away. Ritika activated the button that opened the gate and let them out. Deepika turned back for a last look as the gate closed and saw the two women smiling and waving back.

She turned to Ranveer when they were out of sight. "You are incredibly blessed, do you know that?"

He picked up her hand and kissed it. "I know."

"I mean, to live with your family, who love you and love each other so much."

He turned to her briefly. "I know, Deepika. I sometimes forget, but every time I do, something happens to remind me. So I know, and believe me, I am so very, very grateful. I know I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today without them by my side."

She sighed and turned away, staring out the window.

"What's wrong?"

She sighed again. "Nothing. I don't regret moving here. How could I? It's allowed me to pursue my dreams. But every once in a while, especially on days like this, I wish I could go home and they would be there, you know? Oh, I'm just being sentimental. It's just that my parents were here earlier and now being with your family, it just..." she shook her head, at a loss for words.

He kissed her hand again. "It's not sentimental. It's natural. I don't know how you do it. I am in awe of your strength. Me? I'd be a wreck trying to manage my own home and finances and schedule and health and food and still be at the top of my game as an actor. You're allowed to want your loved ones around, Deepika."

She smiled at him, a melancholy smile. "It does no good to think like that. I learnt that a long time ago. I've always been pretty independent. Wishing for other people to take care of me has never worked out well. It just depresses me when they're not there to do it."

Ranveer didn't know what to say to that. What he wanted to say was that he'd be there, he'd always be there, to take care of her. But he knew she wouldn't want to hear that. Not yet, at any rate. She wouldn't believe it even if he told her. And why should she? Men had made promises to her before only to leave her. Her family loved her and took care of her as much as she allowed and as much as they could from hundreds of kilometres away. But there was no one who would turn up for her in the middle of the night just because she was feeling mopey and needed someone to watch a goofy movie with. No one who would nag her to take medicine and pack tasty dabbas when she was feeling under the weather. No one to greet her with a smile and ask about her day when she came home.

He wanted to be that person. He would be that person, he promised himself. He just needed patience, and to show her that he wasn't going anywhere. He watched her watch the quiet roads in silence. Watched the orange phosphorescence of the streetlights highlight the stillness of her expression. She seemed incredibly alone, self-contained, as she sat there curled in on herself. As he watched she turned and smiled at him, a soft, slightly sad smile that tugged at his heart. He knew she didn't see her life as lonely, but the more he got to know her, the more she allowed him into her world, the more he saw how solitary she'd become. It was a struggle to leave her at her door when he knew that behind it there was no one but her. Yet he wouldn't diminish or undervalue her strength by assuming she needed someone when she clearly could take care of herself.

Deepika shut her front door after Ranveer had left with a feeling of mingled loss and fulfillment. Being with his family that evening had reminded her of all that she'd given up to pursue her dream of becoming an actor. It was a bargain she'd willingly made. Just sometimes, like now, she missed the warmth of family. Yet looking back on the evening filled her with happiness. Ranveer's family, especially his mother and sister whom she'd interacted more with, were very loving. His home gave the impression of truly being a home, where the people living in it actually lived in it and were concerned for each other's well-being. There was a genuine sense of care and love and fun that she found herself drawn towards.

Seeing his family helped her to understand Ranveer better. She knew now some of the reasons why he was the way he was. His exuberance, his kindness, his sense of mischief, his abiding respect for her and his lack of fear in showing emotion - these and several other aspects of his personality came from the way, she could see, that he had been raised. The way his family had welcomed her told her that he'd been talking about her to them quite a bit. They didn't seem surprised when he used terms of endearment for her. She guessed it was something he emulated from what he saw of his parents' relationship.

For a little while, as she brushed her teeth and changed into her nightclothes, she allowed a little daydream of becoming a part of his family to fill her mind. What surprised her when she became aware of her thoughts was how easy it was to imagine. She could see herself spending time with these people. She could see herself relying on them, see them relying on her. She could imagine hours spent chatting or cooking or shopping with Ritika or with Ranveer's mother. She could imagine waking early with his father. It was almost frightening, how easy it was to imagine all of it.

She tried to understand why as she got into bed and lay there unable to sleep. Why was it so easy, so effortless? And she realised that it was because at the heart of it, his family and hers seemed to have the same basic values. Love and respect for each other, a celebration of individuality, encouraging each other to pursue their dreams and passions, and a genuine care and concern for the well-being of all. His home exuded the same warmth that hers did. Somehow, meeting his family eased some fear within her. Without even knowing it, she let go of some of her apprehension about being in a relationship with him. The visions of life with him and his family snuck into her subconscious as she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Author's note: So this is the last proper chapter. Lots has happened since I wrote the previous chapter, both in my life and in the lives of the people this story is based upon. 

I must say I'm glad that this story is coming to an end. I will probably add an epilogue just to wrap things up, but no more than that. In a way, I've outgrown this story. I began writing it at a time when I needed an escape and the people this story is based upon provided one. I've come now to the point where I would like to write my own stories, my own characters, and writing about Deepika and Ranveer and their story has become limiting. 

I will always be grateful to them and to all of you who have read this story and encouraged me to keep writing it. Thank you so much, and I hope you've enjoyed reading this. As I said, this is the last proper chapter. After this there will only be an epilogue.