The Second Mother (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 13: Tune Maari Entriyaa

Shivaay tried to calm himself, he really did. But the image of Omkaara leading her into the car played in a loop. He decided to go to the studio to blow off some steam. His eyes were on the road but his mind was on the sweet gestures that Omkaara was showering on her.

He was surprised that her calling him a monster didn't trigger an anxiety attack. In fact, it made him believe that he was more than that. He was more than his past. At least he liked to think he was.

Maybe it was the sympathy in her voice or the fearless way she stood upto him but he found himself wanting to go and finish the fight. To find out what exactly she thought about him. To show her that he was better than her perception of him.

But his brother was whipped. He could see it in the way that he didn't bat an eye at her obviously huge mistake. But the question remained, why did he care? And did he really care?

She watched as the kids played on slides. She had been a little wary about sending Kara without supervision but Omkaara had assured her that Reyaansh was a really great older brother and he actually was. He didn't leave Kara's side as she crawled over the jumping house.

"He shouldn't have to grow up so soon." She told him her eyes still stuck on the five year old hovering over Kara like a shadow.

"He shouldn't have to but he already has. There's little we can do to give him his childhood back."

She snapped her head to find him looking gloomy. "Why are you always this hopeless?"

He sighed. "I prefer being practical these days."

She shrugged. There was little you could do to help a man who didn't want your help. "Why did you not get angry?"

"I have my reasons." He told her with a slight smirk before taking a sip of his Kale smoothie. She gagged in her mind.

"Why are you brothers so bitter? Shivaay takes black coffee with no sugar and you like drinking these concoctions." She asked with a disgusted shiver. No one needs health if it comes in the form of a bitter, ugly green drink, was her funda in life.

"Shivaay? How do you know about his tastes?" He asked and there was something in his eyes that told her he knew more than he let her believe.

She faked nonchalance as she said, "I offered him coffee."

"Ah! Oberoi love stories always start with a drink, Daadi used to say." He said as he disinterestedly took another sip of his disgusting smoothie.

"Why does your Daadi want you guys hitched so desperately?" She muttered with annoyance before the words registered in her mind. Was Omkaara suggesting something in the lines?

"So, he told you about the Ishqbaazi talks. Interesting!"

"Cut the crap and tell me what is going in that bade baal wali khopdi of yours!?"

"Nothing much. Just that you make him care and he is going to push you away."

"H-how are you so sure that I don't want to be pushed away?"

"You're still sitting here. You knew what you were walking into when you took the job. You could resign now, your payment is due for later this evening. But you aren't going. You wanted to apologise to me about morning when you knew that if you didn't there were high chances I would fire you."

"But I don't want him, Omkaara. There are things that he doesn't know, things that you don't know. It's always going to stand in between us."

"I never talked about a possibility of you and him together. I only said he cared. So, why are you fighting this?"