Hamesha, Yours!

-32-

"I don't think this is a good idea, Aryaman." Abhimanyu stated. 

"But, its..." Aryaman paused and leaned into the sofa seat.
"She would never hold a puja alone for them. These receipts show that one was held each year in Mangalore. She wouldn't do it alone, but it would be kind of against the..."

"Tradition?" Abhimanyu questioned, "It's hers to keep or to discard, we can't just impose it on her."

"But we can follow it for her. We can make it our own."

"Aryaman," Abhimanyu sighed thinking his words carefully. How could he just blandly tell him, a boy who had lost his own family, that this wasn't his to keep because it was and it wasn't. 

"Aryaman..." he continued as he saw tears well up in his eyes, "Buddy, its hers."

"But.."

"Aru, your family is here. I am here right?" Abhimanyu continued as clam and carefully as he could. But, he couldn't stop the tears that had already flooded Aryaman's eyes. He knew what was coming from his side and he was already hurt without the words. 

"This is hers. Its her parent's death anniversary. Let her choose to keep it or not."

"But..." Aryaman shuddered. 

"Aru.. It's not your parents."

"She called me her child before breathing her last," Aryaman teared up even though his voice held firm truth.

Abhimanyu pulled Aryaman into a warm comforting hug as that night flashed before his eyes. A pang of dust clouds followed the thud that still resonated in their ears. Screams played shrill in the background as everything stood still for moments that seemed untimely long. A wave of commotion swarmed around and blackness took over the sirens. 

Aryaman's sobs brought Abhimanyu back from that night and put him in the present. It was irony that they sat here in the house that wasn't theirs but pained and cried for who were momentarily theirs. 

"Fine."

Fine, was all that Abhimanyu spoke and Aryaman held him tighter before pulling back with a weakened smile. 

It wasn't his tactic to get things done but, a pure moment of acceptance and bliss that gushed a small smile on him. Like Abhimanyu claimed, it was all fine. That words had power. It was fine with him to carry on with those lingering memories. It was fine with him to accept what they had seen. It was fine with him to abide by that momentary relation. It was fine with him what happened and what led to where they are. It was fine with him where they were. It was fine with him to carry on this little that was and wasn't theirs. It was just fine.  

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-Goa: Harshad's House- 

The sun peeked through the otherwise dark green leaves, peeping through them, leaving them blushed in their light hue. The rays danced through the blinds of the curtains, tingling her glowing brown tresses, that fell all over her. The scent of coffee filled the room, and she woke up to a manly hum.

"Morning to the savior of the night!" he mumbled.

"Morning! How do you feel?" she questioned taking a sip from the coffee he offered her.

"That should be my question and my cup, right there- Nandini!" he played back.

"As if your don't know I was born to steal!"

"As shiny and adulterated too!" he grinned.

"A mix of all shades of grey!" she tucked her hair behind her ears and dangled her gaze at the shining sun out the window.