|| Carefree For The Moment. ||

|| Part Seventeen. ||

"Come. I'll take you home." Abeer said sitting up from her lap after a while. He looked up & saw the worried expression hadn't left her face. So he placed a kiss on her forehead before putting his arms around her, holding her close. She closed her eyes & delved her head into his chest as she held onto him tightly.

She didn't realise how close her actions caused her to almost lose him. She couldn't bear it if that happened.

Abeer pulled away from the hug & took her cheeks in his hand, causing her to look up at him as he shook his head. "Enough" he said softly. "That's enough now." He told her, moving some hair behind her ear. "I want my Angry Violent Chorni back" he teased & that brought a knowing smile back onto her lips.

"You'll regret saying that, you know?" She teased as the two of them got up from the bench & her heart melted when he chuckled, the first time she had heard the beautiful sound since she had told him the truth the previous day.
"Ab pyaar kiya toh darna kya?" He joked & she smiled as they made their way back to her home together.

"Abeer-" Mishti began as they almost reached the house."Mm?" he said looking down at her."Last night, Badi Maa saw I was upset so-" She trailed off"She knows?" He asked & she nodded."I'm sorr-""It's fine. Don't worry" he assured her, kissing the side of her head. "At least I'll have an elder in the family to help guide me" he sighed deeply & Mishti held onto his arm with her free hand."You don't have to come in if you're not up to it" She said when they reached Maheshwari House."No, it's fine. I'll come in for a little while.""Sure?" She asked & he nodded before following her into the house.
"Hey Bro!" Kuhu greeted him as she made her way out of the kitchen with a drink in her hand."Hey" He smiled as Mishti put her phone down on the table."How are you feeling?" She asked, worriedly. "You scared us all yesterday" She said & Mishti sighed, recalling the accident for the hundredth time."I'm fine." He assured her, throwing Mishti a reassuring look, to which she smiled.
"Abeer?" Rajshri made her way down the stairs, & they all turned to her. "Mishti, beta. What is Abeer doing here, he should be resting?""I told him, Badi maa. But he said he wanted to come & see you" She said & Rajshri smiled, putting her hand on his cheek. "How are you feeling now, Beta?""I'm okay" he nodded. "I just wanted to come & speak to you" He said & she turned to Mishti, who nodded."Why don't you sit down?" She told him & he sat down on the two seater sofa, beside Mishti. "Kuhu, beta" Rajshri addressed her as she sat on the sofa opposite them."Yes Daadi?""Can you go & help Varsha & Jasmeet clean out the store room? I don't think they'll be able to do it all by the time your Papa & Daadu get home. They still have to make dinner""Sure Daadi" She said & left the three of them to it as Abeer sighed.
"Badi Maa-" Abeer paused, sighing as he looked down at his hands."It's okay beta" She assured him, leaning over to take his hand. "I can understand what you're going through right now" She told him. "Mishti shouldn't have hidden it from you. I've already told her off, haven't I, Mishti?" She asked & Abeer turned to see Mishti nodding, silently."So have I Badi Maa, but your daughter is stubborn." He taunted. "She's always making these kind of mistakes""I know, she never learns, does she?" Rajshri sighed dramatically."Never!" He rolled his eyes."Okay, both of you. Really! I said I've learnt from my mistake, are you going to taunt me for the rest of my life?" She asked & both Abeer & Badi Maa exchanged looks."Yes!" They said in unison & Mishti hid her face behind her hands, making them all smile.
"But seriously Abeer" Rajshri addressed him. "You need to think about what you're going to do next""I don't know, Badi Maa" He sighed. "What do you suggest?""Well, beta" She sighed. "I'm not sure what I'd do if I was in your position. But-" She paused. "What I do know, is that whatever decision you do make, it's not only going to impact on yours & Mishti's life. It'll also impact on your family's life. They'll be just as affected as you are. Mm?" She said & he nodded. "You need to take each step carefully. If you want him to answer your questions, then go & ask him. But if he's as sharp as we think he is, he'll have an answer for all your questions. & he'll tie you up in a such a knot that you'll spend a long time unravelling it.""Yes, you're right" he nodded. "I need answers though.""I know you do. But there are many ways we can get our answers. Simply asking them isn't the only way.""Yeah" he sighed."Just think about it before taking any step. Mm?" She asked & he nodded. "I'll go & get you some water" She said & got up to leave the two of them to it.
"Abeer" Mishti began, turning to him. "Pandit Ji mentioned that Mehul Uncle's wife left when she was expecting a child & he hasn't seen them since. Perhaps if we go back & speak to Pandit Ji in Rajgarh, we might get some answers?""Yeah, maybe" he nodded. "We need to be careful though." He told her & she agreed. "& we need to do something fast." He said.
"Abeer" Rajshri said making her way back over to them with a glass of water. "Did Meenakshi-Ji tell you?""Tell me what, Badi Maa?" He asked taking the glass from her."Pandit Ji gave us two dates for your Gordhaana" She said excitedly & Abeer smiled, looking down to meet Mishti's gaze before taking a sip of his water. "One for 2 days time & one for 2 months time""Really?" He asked, putting the glass down."Yes!" She chuckled as Mishti smiled to herself. "Now you two just need to decide how quickly you want to get married.""I have no rush, Badi Maa!" Abeer said, shrugging confidently. "If Mishti is in a hurry..." He trailed"Oh, hello!" She scoffed. "I'm happy as I am too""Okay, okay! Enough!" Rajshri laughed. "You two just start whenever you get the chance!" She shook her head at the two of them. As both Mishti & Abeer smiled to themselves."Talk to your family & let us know, we'll confirm with Pandit Ji""Yes, Badi Maa" he nodded then sighed. "I'd better go" He said & got up as both Mishti & Rajshri followed suit. "I'll talk to everyone & tell you.""Okay beta. Take care of yourself""Yes Badi Maa, Jai Shri Krishna""Radhe Krishna beta" She smiled & Mishti followed him to the door.
"I'll call you later" He said & she nodded."Just... be careful" She said & he agreed."I'll see you" he said & Mishti watched as he walked off, out of the gate & down the street.
Abeer made his way home & looked up when he heard someone address him as he walked in. "Abeer, beta." Parul made her way over towards him with a glass of juice in her hand. "There you are"Kunal looked up from his laptop & put it on the coffee table. " Bhai! I told you to call me." He said making his way over to Abeer."I'm fine Nanko" he said placing his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't worry""Here." Parul handed Abeer the glass. "You have this. Kunal. I'll go & get you another.""Thanks Maasi" he said as she turned to walk away. "Where's baba?" He asked the two of them & Parul turned a few feet away to exchange a look with Kunal before Kunal placed his arm on his brother's shoulder."Bhai let's-""I'm here, beta" a voice said & Abeer turned towards the door to see his father making his way over to him. "How are you feeling?""Yeah. Fine. Where did you come from, Baba? I thought you'd come & get me from the hospital?""Sorry beta" he smiled. "I had some important work. & besides, your mother & Kunal came.""What kind of work?" Abeer asked"Oh. Don't worry about all that" he placed an arm around his son's shoulders & began to lead him towards the sofas as Kunal was already back working on his laptop."Why don't you & I go out?"
"No" a voice interrupted the two of them "Perhaps you've forgotten but his mother hasn't. Abeer's just gotten out of hospital. He just had a major accident. He could've lost his life. He needs to rest" She seethed & Abeer sighed.
"It's fine. I'll rest today then we'll go out tomorrow or something, Baba""Okay beta" his father smiled. "I'll go & freshen up then I'll come to your room""Sure, Baba" He nodded & watched as his father walked away.
He turned to his mother, who herself had turned to walk off. "Maa?""Yes Abeer, what is it? Do you need anything?""Just some answers" He told her & she looked at him, puzzled, before turning to Kunal, who mirrored her facial expression. "I know you won't give me any of the answers I'm looking for, so I only have one question.""Tell me, Abeer""When Baba left" he began & Abeer looked up to see the direction in which his father had disappeared up the stairs. "When we moved here, you said that Naanu's health wasn't well. Was that true or was that another lie?""That was true, Abeer!" She assured him. "He suffered a heart attack after everything that happened""But you won't tell me exactly what it is that happened" He scoffed. "Nice" he said sarcastically. "I'll be in my room. Thank you for that truth, at least.""Abeer, I have a surprise for you" His father walked into his room & Abeer looked up from the stairs to see his father had his hands hidden behind his back & feigned a smile on his face."What is it Baba?" he asked & his father revealed a card from behind his hand.
Abeer Kapadia Weds Mishti Agarwal.
His eyes widened. "Baba..." He looked up. "What's this?" he smiled & saw his father had a proud grin on his face as he sat down beside Abeer."I know I should have asked you before making one but this is only a draft" He said taking the card from Abeer, to read it. "If you.. or Mishti want to make it look a little different, that's fine." He said looking up at Abeer. "I just thought it'd be nice if you took your proper name on your wedding card. What do you think?""Well-" he paused. "Well, yeah baba. Sure. That makes sense" he lied. "But- won't people get confused if they see this when my name is already registered as Rajvansh""Yeah, true" He sighed dramatically. "You know what? Forget it" He said shaking his head. "We'll change it to Rajvansh, that way Big Don & your Naanu will be happy too" He smiled & Abeer paused, glancing at the card in his father's hands.
"Oh, speaking of Mishti" He began. "Listen beta, I really don't want to be the one to cause a rift between you & your mother" He said & Abeer listened intently. "Why don't you speak to Mishti rethink your idea of moving out?" He suggested"What?" He asked him. "But Baba, we've got the house & everything. Don't you like the house?""No! No!" he said quickly. "I do. The house is beautiful""But?" He persisted & Mehul sighed."But, your maa, your Naanu. & Nanko. They'll all miss you""But like you said Baba, this is what's best for Mishti & I. No one will accept her & I just want to live with the two of you. Together.""But Abeer-""I know it's not ideal & even Mishti isn't too keen on the idea, but give it some time. Everything will work out then we'll all live together happily""Abeer!" His father exclaimed, Abeer witnessing him getting frustrated for the first time since they reunited. He sighed, quickly realising that he had lost his cool. "I'm sorry Beta, I just don't want them to put yet another blame on my head. That's all. I can't take all this. It's just so tiring""I know it is Baba" He told him. "Don't worry. We'll get to to the root of the matter, eventually.""Root of the matter?" He asked, turning to Abeer, confused. "What do you mean?""I mean..." He smiled. "We'll find a solution that makes everyone happy. That way no one will be upset & no one will be blamed. Okay?" He asked & Mehul nodded, unconvinced. He turned to look down at the card in his hand & Abeer watched his father intently.
"Baba, I'm really worried about your health nowadays. You're not looking after yourself properly""I'm fine beta. It's just all this stress.""But Baba, you know stress isn't good for your heart. You need to take it easy""How can I do that when my family is breaking apart, Beta?""We're not breaking apart" He assured him. "Nothing can break us apart. We just have different views of things, that's all" He told him & Mehul sighed."Look, why don't you look for your reports & I'll send them to the doctor like I said" He said & Mehul's eyes widened as he looked up at Abeer. "I was supposed to do it days ago but I just-" he shook his head. "Anyway, I'll do it today, itself. Mm?"
"Abeer" He paused "I'm not sure where I put the report. If I've even still got it.""That's okay Baba, I'll help you find it. If not, I'll call the doctor in Mumbai & get a copy of it. Your health is my priority Baba. That's the only thing that matters right now, okay?" He said & Mehul feigned a smile, nodding slowly."Why don't you go & get some rest? Then we'll look for your reports""Okay, beta" He said, getting up. "Here" he said turning to Abeer & handing him the invitation card."Thanks" he smiled & watched as his father walked out of the room.
Abeer glanced down at the card in his hand;
Abeer Kapadia Weds Mishti Agarwal.
Interesting...