Fifteen - Payal

A/N: Just finished with the hectic financial year ending! Here's an extra long update to make up for the delay. Hope you enjoy reading!

________________________________________________________________________________

"How is Sameer now?" Payal asked Rohan as he entered their work cubicle.

Sameer was their trademark infringement client, the one who tried to commit familicide three days ago and was admitted in the same hospital where Vivaan worked.

The reminder was too painful, considering it had been three days since she had been avoiding Vivaan's calls. But Sameer was their client, and no matter his stupidity, work was work.

Rohan sighed. "He's recovering physically. Emotionally, not so much."

After she had left the hospital that day, Payal had confronted Sherman about Sameer and his actions.

"It's cowardice, Sherman!" she had said when he kept quiet. "Not only did he try to commit suicide, which is a crime in itself; he poisoned his wife and children, all of whom are currently fighting for their lives! It's your cousin in there, Sherman! At least now tell me the whole story." She had pleaded.

Sameer had always been a little shortsighted when it came to business. In the beginning, it had kicked off quite well, but he had been severely dependent on his business partner, who conned him and robbed a substantial amount of profit from the company, leaving Sameer with an almost bankrupt business and barely any resources. He had assumed the new product would help save the business and hurried with its launch- which nearly emptied the reserves. Unfortunately, the new product failed in the market. Now, not only were the creditors on his head, he was also facing trademark infringement. Sherman had known it was a sinking ship, but he couldn't say no to his sister and agreed to help with trademark infringement pro bono, but apparently, the pressure from the other side was too great.

"There is nothing we can do now, Sherman." Payal had said, once she heard the whole story. "You know that. This is now a police case, and if he survives, he will be charged with murder, attempt to murder and only God knows what else. The best we can do is refer him to an advocate who can help him."

Sherman had opted against doing so when they received the news that his cousin sister and one of the children – the daughter - could not make it. The son was still under observation, and nothing could be said about whether he would survive. At this point, nothing really could save Sameer, so they let protocol run its course, providing their testimony where required. Once he was discharged from the hospital, Sameer would be facing a trial.

"I met Vivaan today." Rohan said, bringing Payal out of her reverie. She raised an eyebrow, not trusting his stoic expression.

"He'll be sporting a black eye for a few days." Rohan continued in the same tone.

Payal rolled her eyes, although her heart warmed at Rohan's support, no matter the immature approach he took. "You couldn't speak with him without resorting to physical violence?" she asked.

"Well, I was considerate. I could have broken his hand or his finger or something. He's a surgeon, right? Their hands are the most important." Rohan contemplated, before sighing. "He hurt you Payal. There was no way I was letting him down easy."

Payal looked up at him then. "You mean, you talked with him after giving him the black eye?" she asked, curious despite herself.

"No, I gave him the black-eye after he said his piece." Rohan said. "Even after the explanation, I decided he deserved it."

"Why did you have to go talk to him though?" Payal asked. She found it difficult to take his name without a painful reminder of his words.

"Because you wouldn't give me any details. I wanted to know what caused this Ram-milayi jodi to have a fall out." Rohan replied, sitting down with a glass of water in his hands.

"Did it occur to you that there was a reason I didn't give any details?" Payal asked him, ignoring the epithet Rohan used.

"Did it occur to you that there was a reason behind his refusal to treat Sameer?" Rohan asked right back.

Of course it had occurred to her. In fact, she knew there was a reason. But that was beside the point.

"If you're referring to the fact Sameer practically committed murder, it still doesn't change my viewpoint. It is not his job to decide who lives and who dies. His job is to save lives. To him, there should be no difference between the good guy who got into a car accident and the serial rapist who needs a kidney transplant." Payal answered.

"That's an extreme comparison." Rohan noted. "But I digress. I fully agree with what you said, Payal. And I told him the exact same thing, minus the example."

Payal nodded.

"But that is not what I was referring to. We both know that Vivaan takes his career seriously. And it was not misplaced righteousness that caused him to react that way." Rohan continued. "It was a trigger, Payal."

Payal felt her heart tug with concern for Vivaan. A trigger that caused him to react so badly obviously meant that he had been in a situation which changed his world view drastically. But then, she was reminded of his words again.

She shook her head. "I know that, Rohan."

"You're his life partner, and you're not going to do anything about this?" Rohan asked.

"I don't know if I even have that kind of right anymore." Payal ground out. "Because he clearly told me he doesn't want me to interfere in his life or his work." The words still cut deep, like sharp whips of pain.

"He told me that after you left, he had gone and given preliminary treatment to Sameer. Vivaan also assisted in his surgery to repair the damage caused to the chest wall." Rohan said.

"And I'm supposed to be impressed by that?" Payal asked, when Rohan didn't say anything further.

"No. What I'm trying to say is he said those words in anger. I'm not trying to defend him here, but the guy who was willing to forego his license and disobey his senior actually went back to treat someone he loathed after you walked out on him. Doesn't that say something, Payal?" Rohan asked.

Payal stayed quiet, not wanting to listen to Rohan being logical at the moment. Vivaan's words had raised a doubt in her head. She had only been concerned for his future, his dream. But was that concern a reason enough for her to interfere? If the situation were reversed, would she have listened to him? The answer to that question was a big yes; Vivaan  held a lot of importance in her life. What scared Payal was that Vivaan may not think the same way of her involvement in his life.

Her phone rang at that moment. It was Adi.

Worried for Vivaan, Payal answered the call, putting it on speaker. "Adi?"

"Thank you for picking up the call, Payal." Adi said. "It's getting a little difficult to handle Devdas here."

"Who?" Payal asked.

"Your fiancé." Adi elaborated. "He's picture-perfect Devdas at the moment. All that's missing is the alcohol."

"Ah, question." Rohan interjected. "Isn't alcohol supposed to be a defining characteristic? The drunk, rejected in love, angle?"

"Rohan, will you be serious for once?" Payal admonished.

"Hmm. Alcohol should be there. But we only have medicated ethanol here. Not really fit for human consumption." Adi said, completely ignoring Payal.

Payal sighed, wondering why she had so many idiots in her life. "Aren't you on duty? And doesn't that mandate no drinking?"

"I'm on duty, yes. But for Vivaan, its his last round today before the disciplinary hearing tomorrow. He might just lose his license tomorrow; his fiancée is angry with him and won't answer the calls; and his family is pissed with him for not answering their calls in the last three days. So yes, he is in Devdas mode right now, minus the alcohol." Adi explained.

"Why isn't he talking to his family?" Payal asked.

"He's ashamed, Payal." Adi said in a soft voice. "I don't know what you both said to each other, but you're both hurt and you're both suffering because of it. All I'm asking is for you to come talk to him once. He would have if he could leave. Please." Adi pleaded.

"I- I don't know, Adi." Payal said. "Let me think about it okay?" she said eventually, and cut the call, looking at Rohan.

"You know, I never understand why you say you'll 'think about it' when its obvious that your decision is made." Rohan said.

"I didn't say I'll go to the hospital." Payal said defensively.

"Caught you!" Rohan said. "I didn't say what your decision is. I just said your decision is made. You mentioned going."

Payal rolled her eyes. "That's dumb logic." She said.

"I know. But its an effective trick. Also, you don't know how to keep a poker face." Rohan said, smiling. "Shakal pe saaf likha hai ki tujhe uski chinta hai. Itna kya sochna? Jaa kar milo usse." He said. (Its clear on your face that you're worried for him. What are you thinking about? Just go meet him.)

Payal sighed. She may be surrounded by idiots, but they were well-meaning idiots.

***

Payal hesitated, remembering the last time she'd been at the hospital, just the previous week. Shaking her head, she made her way to the 2nd floor, where Sameer and his son were admitted in adjacent rooms.

She had chickened out on meeting with Vivaan just yet, despite what Adi had said. But she knew was Sameer was recovering, and wanted to talk to him. Hence, she decided to meet him and be done with at least a part of her restlessness.

However, as she neared the room, she heard voices. One voice was cold, and the other was sobbing.

"Please!" the person sobbing said. "I know you didn't want me to live. I was conscious and heard you when you said you wanted me to die. Please! Just kill me and be done with it!"

Payal recognized the voice at that moment. It was Sameer. She hurried forward but stopped just when she heard the other voice, which she recognized as well.

"You're right. You don't deserve to live." Vivaan said.

Payal cautiously peeped from the edge of the doorway. Vivaan stood at Sameer's bedside, a clipboard at his side. He checked a few readings. "You will be good to go by end of day tomorrow. I'll let the authorities know." He continued, as though the previous moment had not happened.

"Why did you save me?" Sameer rasped as Vivaan adjusted his drip. "If I don't deserve to live, why did you save me?"

Vivaan looked at him then. "So that you'd suffer." His cold voice shocked Payal. It was emotionless and dead. There was no warmth in it, no geniality. No sign of the Vivaan she'd come to like over the last few months.

"A familicide? Who are you kidding? You are a weak, cruel and desperate man, and your family? Your family was a victim to your abuse and your violence. You are a murderer. And I want you to feel that. Feel every moment of your actions." Vivaan continued. "If you died, you wouldn't understand the gravity of what you did. You wouldn't understand your crime. You don't deserve to be alive, but I want you to live, so you can suffer through the consequences of your act. Only then is it fair to your dead wife and child. Only then is it fair to your son who's still fighting for his life in the adjacent room."

Sameer was sobbing again by the time Vivaan finished.

"Someone told me that it isn't worth it, refusing to treat when someone would just take my place instead and let you live." Vivaan said. "It's only fair I did the treatment then, so I can at least ensure your suffering." He placed the clipboard back at foot of the bed, and strode out of the room. Payal moved back just in time, watching him walk out and move to the adjacent room. Cautiously, she followed, trying to see what he was doing.

Vivaan checked the vitals, before sitting beside the unconscious child, holding his hand. His expression was tender as he stared at the little boy. Seeing his expression, Payal couldn't help but wonder. What was it that caused Vivaan to go to such extremes?

Unable to bear the pain on Vivaan's face as he kept watch on the unconscious boy, Payal turned and fled, her resolve to talk it out crumbling once more.

***

"What is the appropriate gift for a couple on their anniversary?" Payal asked Aniket.

Her brother looked up from his chess game. "Are you serious? You've been giving gifts to me and Rohini from the past four years now. And to our parents from God knows how long." He said.

Payal rolled her eyes. "Two important distinctions – one, you guys are family. I know you all very well, so of course, I'll know what to give you on anniversaries. And second, you guys are like, a generation apart. Aryan is about my age. And Avika is in fact younger to me by a year or so." She pointed out.

"Anniversary gifts don't have anything to do with how long you've known the person or how old they are." Aniket countered. "Just give them anything that falls in the couple category."

Rohini raised an eyebrow from where she sat across Aniket. "Are you saying that's how you've been gifting our friends on their anniversaries? By giving them something that falls in the couple category?" she said, while simultaneously killing his remaining knight. "Check."

"You know that's not how I do it." Aniket said, promptly using his queen to kill the offending pawn. "Ha! That's how you confuse the enemy!"

"Yes, I know you're both geniuses and can play chess and discuss wedding anniversary gifts at the same time, but I can't. So please, a little focus here?" Payal grumbled.

"Why don't you discuss it with Vivaan?" came her father's voice. He was helping her mother out slowly to the hall.

"I uh, don't want to burden him with unnecessary stuff." Payal hedged. But her father merely raised his eyebrows, not buying the flimsy excuse.

"Okay, we may have fought and I may be upset with him right now. So, I've been avoiding talking to him." Payal said sighing as she waited for the expected reactions from her family.

"Why didn't you tell me? Do you need me to beat him up?" her brother asked.

"Did he apologize?" Rohini asked.

"What happened?" her mother asked.

"Payal, you know avoiding someone is not the way to resolve conflicts." Her father pointed out over everyone's questions.

"I know. I just... I just don't want to face him right now. He said some pretty unpleasant things that day... and every time I remember what he said, I get upset. We can't have a rational conversation when the emotions are running so high. So, I've been avoiding him." Payal said.

"Payal, come sit here." Her mother patted the seat beside her. Payal sighed, sitting down on the floor instead and laying her head on her mother's lap. She sighed when she felt her mother's fingers move through her hair, some of the bottled-up frustration leaving her.

"You don't need to tell us what happened." Her mother said. "But you know arguments between couples are a regular thing. Do you know why?" she asked.

Payal looked up at her mother, shaking her head in response.

"Kyunki jhagda wahi hota hai jahaan pyaar hota hai." Her mother said, with a soft smile. "We worry about the people whom we love, and we can't stand seeing them in pain, or their suffering. And this worry often takes the form of nagging, pleading or arguments." (Because arguments only happen where there is love.)

"But what to do when worrying about them hurts so much?" Payal asked absently, while remembering Vivaan's conversation with Sameer.

"That depends." Her father chipped in. "Are you upset with Vivaan or are you upset for Vivaan?" he asked.

"Definitely upset with him." Payal said with a frown. "He said I don't..." she faltered, not wanting to reveal her argument with him.

"If you're upset with him, then you should talk to him about it. Tell him you didn't like what he said or did." Her mother said.

Payal nodded. "And if I'm upset for him?" she asked, curious.

"Then you wait for him to come talk to you about it. And he will." He said cutting off Payal's protest. "Because he cares for you too, and can't stand seeing you so upset."

"Basically, the moral here is that communication is important." Aniket piped up. "If you guys don't talk, you won't know what's wrong. And you guys are just getting to know each other. Ek dusre ko kya accha laga, kya bura laga; ye baate apne aap nahi pata chalegi. Unhe bol kar bataana padega." He said. (What the other person liked or disliked; you won't get to know these things without saying them out aloud.)

"I agree. For instance, on our first date, your brother took me to the movies to watch the Bollywood movie "Sultan". I told him that was completely unacceptable. And now, he knows better than to take me to watch ridiculous movies." Rohini added.

"Okay, I got your point, communication is key." Payal conceded quickly, seeing that Aniket was about to protest. "I'll talk to him." she said, just as the doorbell rang. As she got up to get it, her chest felt lighter. The way ahead was clear now. But her thoughts skidded to a stop when she saw Vivaan standing at the entrance.

"Hi." He said. Adi had been right. He didn't look too good. In fact, he seemed even more tired and exhausted than she had last seen him. A dark blue-black shadow had formed under around his left eye – a reminder of Rohan's earlier visit.

"H-Hi." Payal fumbled a greeting, trying to get her bearing. Yes, she wanted to talk this out with him, but not within two point five seconds of reaching that decision!

"Vivaan? Come in, son." Payal's father stepped up to welcome him, giving the get-yourself-together glare to Payal at the same time. Payal escaped into the kitchen on the pretext of getting him some water.

"Everything alright?" her father was asking as she brought the glass of water.

"Yes Papa. I just... uh..." Vivaan paused glancing at Payal as he moved to take the glass of water. "I just, uh, dropped by to meet Payal." He said eventually.

Payal kept quiet, not knowing what to say.

"Can we talk?" Vivaan continued, looking at her.

The silence in the room was oppressive. "Okay." She said eventually. Before he could say anything else, she walked inside to her room, leaving the door ajar for him to come in.

A moment later, Vivaan stepped inside. "Uh..." he trailed off, as though unsure where to begin.

"How did the hearing go?" Payal decided to initiate, when it became clear that he wasn't going to start.

"Hearing?"

"The disciplinary hearing. Adi told me you had it a couple of days ago." Payal elaborated.

"Ah. That hearing... went well. I have been suspended for a week for disobeying my senior's direct orders. But I get to keep my license." He said.

Payal nodded stiffly, but then stayed quiet, unsure of how to proceed.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Payal."

Payal froze, keeping her gaze downward. She blinked her eyes to clear her tears. "There is nothing to apologize for, Vivaan."

"No." his voice was stronger now. For some reason, it reminded her of the first time they had met and how he had asked her not to lie to her parents about rejecting the marriage proposal. "No, there is a lot to apologize for."

She looked up then. "Yes, there is a lot to apologize for, but not to me. You need to apologize to your seniors for breaking their trust and faith in you and your capability. You need to apologize to Adi for worrying him with your behavior. You need to apologize to your family, for not talking to them." She said.

"And you?" he asked. "I hurt you the most with my words. I – I didn't mean what I said on that day, Payal. I –"

"Which part did you not mean?" Payal cut him off. "That you won't treat Sameer? That all I care about is defending him? The part where you insulted the entire community of lawyers and the legal system? Or when you said that I have no right to interfere in your life?" she asked, causing to flinch at the last statement.

"Yes, lawyers sometimes have to defend criminals. Do you know why? Because if they don't oppose and rebut every claim made by the prosecution, it cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt that their client is in fact guilty. They willingly become the villains in order to ensure that justice prevails." Payal said in a quiet tone.

"We lawyers spend hours at work trying to understand our client's profession and business. Countless nights are spent looking up material, drafting or reviewing agreements. A lawyer bears the curse of defending a socially ostracized person; or for defending criminals; and sometimes even faces death threats. All this, for a client. To save the client. What does the lawyer get? A monetary compensation that cannot even begin to repair the mental trauma undergone by the lawyer. And yet, lawyers are called selfish." Payal continued.

Vivaan was quiet at her words. He made a move to hold her hands, but Payal moved back.

"Not only did you insult my profession, you also insulted my feelings." She said. "I came to talk to you as your fiancée, not as my client's legal counsel. I was trying to knock sense into your head because I was worried about you losing out on your dream of being a doctor, not because I was afraid my client would not make it. Instead, you thought I was interfering in matters I didn't understand. And the worst part of it all, is that I have to spell it out for you." Her voice shook, traitor tears falling out.

She could see his expression changing to one of shock when he saw the tears. "Do I not have even that much right, Vivaan?" she asked. "What am I to you? Please tell me." she asked, giving up on hiding her fears.

A moment later, she felt his arms around her, as he hugged her. "I'm sorry I led you to question your importance in my life; to question your right on me. I'm really sorry about that." He whispered in her ears, making her cry harder.

After a moment, when she had calmed down a bit, he made her sit down on one of the single beds in the room. He himself sat down on his knees before her, taking her hands in his. "I never wished to hurt you, Payal, even a little bit. And it hurts that my words caused you so much pain. But all I'm asking for is one chance – to hear me out. Will you give me that?" he asked.

Payal nodded, remembering Rohan's mention of a trigger. Perhaps, Vivaan wanted to open up about it.

"I told you that I met Adi when I joined medical school. That is not completely true." He started. "I actually met Adi when I was just six years old. His parents were our neighbors when they shifted from Jaipur. Adi and I used to play together every day after school. They seemed a really happy family from afar. If only that were true." He scoffed.

"Things were great for about six months. Then, Adi's father suffered a huge loss in business and tried multiple ways to save it. But he couldn't. Soon, he was in such deep debt that he went into depression. Creditors came to his house to threaten him on a daily basis. Adi, who used to go home straight after school, started coming to our house instead, afraid of the 'bad men' in his house." Vivaan continued. Payal could see that he was finding it difficult to say something further. She squeezed the hand holding hers, silently encouraging him.

"One day, Adi didn't turn up to school. I just assumed he was sick and didn't think much of it." Vivaan resumed after a moment of hesitation. "But when I got home, I saw Ma-sa and Kaki-sa in tears while Baba-sa emerged from Adi's house, carrying him and rushing him somewhere. I begged Kako-sa to take me wherever they took him just so I could see what was wrong. He refused to do so. But I was so stubborn, I refused to eat or drink until I got to see Adi. Eventually he took me there. We reached when Adi was being given CPR."

Vivaan looked down then, as though hiding his tears. "His sorry excuse of a father was so far gone in his depression that he decided to commit suicide and kill his wife and child in the process. Adi's mother was already gone. She lay lifeless in the adjacent bed while the doctors used a defibrillator on Adi. I was so traumatized by the scene that I fainted then and there." He finished. His hands had become rigid by the time he finished, as though he was trying not to let the anger show.

Payal was at a loss to know what Adi went through at such a young age. "But he made it, didn't he?" she asked him gently, afraid that he might snap at her.

He sighed, deflating. "My parents nursed me back to health, and they didn't speak of the incident until I plucked up the courage to ask them about two years later. All they told me then was that he was healthy and he had to move elsewhere due to some reason. I was too young to understand the details but I understood that someone had died, and that person died because no one arrived to help in time. That incident made me decide that I wanted to become a doctor once I grew up. And then, when I went to med school, I met Adi again." He explained.

"And you recognized him?" Payal prompted when he felt silent again.

"At first, no." He said. "But later, when I saw his full name, I realized he was my childhood friend. Ironically, he doesn't know me, or remember me."

"What?" Payal asked. "You didn't tell him?"

"I tried to make him remember, of course. But he doesn't remember anything. All he knows is that his parents passed away in an accident. He's grown up an orphan." Vivaan said, squeezing her hands as though seeking comfort. "I sourced his doctors and pulled a few connections to access his medical reports. Adi had to be put into a temporary coma to help his body heal. When he did wake up, he had forgotten everything about the incident. His mind seemed to have wiped the incident from his memories completely. It was good that he didn't remember anything, so his aunt let it remain that way. She took him to Shimla with her, and raised him with the story of his parents passing away in an accident. He eventually ditched his full name and preferred calling himself 'Adi', and has always been a cheerful and loyal kid since then. Of course, he had forgotten everything about his childhood, so he didn't recognize me or my parents when we met him but as fate had it, we became really good friends again. Till today, he doesn't know what I know, and trusts me completely. And meanwhile, I'm keeping one of life's biggest secrets from him." Vivaan said, shaking his head like he couldn't believe himself.

"So that is why you reacted so strongly with Sameer's case." Payal said, the puzzle pieces finally falling in place.

"Yes." Was all he said, but Payal could hear the repressed anger and rage in that one word. She disengaged her hands from his, and knelt down before him, holding her ears in apology.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. And for the second time that day, she saw his eyes widen in shock.

"No, please." He reached out and pulled her hands away from her ears. "Irrespective of what has happened in the past, I should not have reacted the way I did. I just... for a split second, I saw Adi on the bed in place of the little boy. I saw his father in Sameer's place. And I lost it."

"Anyone in your situation would have felt that way." Payal said, gently wiping under his bruised eyes, where one tear had escaped. "I was wrong to judge you so harshly."

"You didn't know. You were – rightfully – worried about me losing out on my dream. And I didn't understand your concern. Instead, I made you question yourself." Vivaan said, his voice turning anguished at the end. He cupped her face gently, staring into her eyes and causing her heart rate to jump.

"I was so affected by the situation and the past that I was willing to let go of my license, Payal. Nothing could have made me change my mind about my stance. But you did. Your words reached cut through all the chaos in my head and anchored me, preventing me from straying down the wrong path." He said, his gaze gentle and filled with adoration. "Never doubt your place in my life, Payal. You remember what I said the day we said yes to this marriage?" he asked her.

"That its always been a yes for you?" Payal asked, her thoughts muddled by his intense gaze.

He laughed, pulling her close, and resting his forehead against hers. "That, of course. But I had also said that I'm okay with dilemmas as long as you are there to show me the solution." He said. "You are my fiancée, my life partner. And you have all rights on me, Payal. Always." He whispered, before kissing her softly. There was nothing but comfort in this kiss, nothing except an assurance and a promise of never letting go. Payal sighed as the tense knot of frustration, doubt and anxiety within her finally dissolved, replaced with warmth from Vivaan's assurance.

"That was for hurting you, for making you doubt your feelings." He said, pulling away after a moment. Before she could respond he kissed her again, more insistent this time.

"What was that for?" she asked, breathless, when he pulled away eventually.

"For unintentionally demeaning your job and your profession." He whispered. "I didn't mean what I said. I have no idea how the system works and was just frustrated about everything. But I do respect everyone and their work out there. And you, especially." He said, rubbing his thumb gently against her cheek.

Payal sighed into his touch, finally relaxing. She hadn't realized just how stressed she had been in the last few days until it actually left her.

"Payal, I was- Oh! I'm so sorry!" Rohini shielded her eyes as though the sight of Payal in Vivaan's arms had burned her eyes.

Payal and Vivaan jumped apart, quickly getting up and standing a respectable distance away from one another.

"Bhabhi! Please come in." Vivaan said.

"No, its okay." Rohini said, still peeping from between her eyes. "I was um, asking if you were staying for dinner, Vivaan?"

"Yes, please stay for dinner." Payal said, even though she could barely face him out of the embarrassment.

"Alright, Bhabhi, I will stay." Vivaan replied. Rohini gave a quick smile and left, discreetly closing the door behind her. Payal couldn't help but laugh. She had never had to face such an awkward situation before.

"That was funny, wasn't it?" Vivaan said, a sheepish smile on his face. He looked so adorable with one hand rubbing the nape of his neck, Payal laughed again.

"So, am I forgiven?" he asked her, holding her hands.

"That depends." Payal said, pretending to think.

"On?" he probed, curiously.

"Whether you continue to kiss me if I forgive you." she told him with as serious an expression as she could muster.

Vivaan's eyes shone with relief and something else as he tugged her close, locking his arms around her. "Ms. Shah, what about your father and brother in the next room?" he asked, his tone light and teasing.

"What about them?" Payal asked right back in the same tone.

"I don't know about you, but I won't be leaving the house with my arms attached if they caught us." Vivaan said, making her laugh again.

"What do you mean, 'caught us'?" she asked him between bursts of laughter. "You aren't a secret boyfriend sneaking into my room at midnight."

"I know." He said, smiling despite himself. "But isn't it a rule or something? No PDA before the family?"

Payal shook her head, smiling at her old-fashioned fiancé. She remembered when she had introduced Vivaan to her friend Surveen over video call a couple of weeks ago. Surveen was right. She thought, as she looked at his warm, shimmering eyes. He is special.

"You've never broken a rule in your life, have you, Dr. Mehta?" she teased him.

"Not until I met you." He responded, tightening his arms around her. "With you, I'm discovering a new person altogether."

And then he kissed her until all was right again.

Glossary:

pro-bono - latin phrase, used in the legal context especially to refer to work done for a client without charging any fees. Usually undertaken for clients with a low income.

Ram-milayi jodi - a hindi phrase, equivalent to  "a match made in heaven". In India, this phrase is used to refer to a perfect pairing, or for two individuals who are perfect for one another.

Devdas -  the titular character of a popular Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Devdas  is about a man undergoing separation from his childhood lover Paro, his subsequent relationship with Chandramukhi, a reformed courtesan. Devdas is also used to refer to someone who is heartbroken, or has recently suffered a separation from someone he/she loved deeply.