Veer has not yet returned from outside. I was getting restless. So I decided to Talk to Papa.
Dhwani was orphaned at the age of 5. That was the first thing she and Veer bonded over. He felt that after the death of his mother , it was as if their father abandoned them too.
There was always a gap between the father and sons because of it.
She had tried very hard to build a bridge over that gap but the Singhania men are the defenition of stubbornness. Eventually she let go of the idea.
Her parents had died in an accident with her two year old brother. They were coming back from a relatives wedding. Dhwani didn't go as she was unwell.
None of her family members wanted to take her in. So the orphanage became her second home.
Even if Veer felt like that , for Dhwani Raghav Singhania has always been there as a father figure. Even before her wedding. From the day of her interview.
*
"Good morning sir"
"Good morning"
"Make yourself comfortable" he said pointing towards the chair in front of him.
"Thank you sir. "
"Dhwani Taneja am I right? "
"Yes sir. "
"Let's start the interview shall we?"
.........
"Ms Taneja, your academic excellence is really impressive but I am more impressed by how you carry yourself. Trust me I am never impressed. " He said with a smile.
"Thank you sir" I sighed.
"There is one last question I want to ask. "
"In your resume it states that you worked for a human welfare NGO and that is the only career experience in your life. But is it a real job Taneja? "
"You are right. It's not sir. It is not a job but a person's duty. I believe that every human being should do what he can to make this world a better place. So I was not exactly doing a job. I was merely doing my duty towards my fellow humans. "
He looked at her shocked.
His eyes burned into hers as if he was searching for something. Then he smiled , a slow painful one like the smiles we give when remembering a bittersweet memory.
"You are hired miss Taneja. "
*
Dhwani was more than surprised when he proposed a marriage between her and Veer.
Yes she did have a crush on him.
Yes she was happy.
But it doesn't mean she wasn't shocked.
After their wedding Veer had told her one day that my charecter resembled his mother's a lot.
I had asked him where he got that notion and he replied , because Papa felt so.
Nothing changed between them during the time she was his PA or now, when she became his Bahu. He was always a father figure for her.
Therefore her panic was justified.
Dhwani didn't know how he would react to their seperation.
She would gladly accept his anger but she can never see disappointment.
"Aarohi have you seen Papa?"
"No didi. As a matter of fact , I have not seen him since yesterday. "
"Ok. Let me call the office. "
"Hello this is Dhwani Singhania "
"Is Raghav Singhania still in office. "
"Oh. Ok"
"Thank you. "
"What happened?"
"He didn't go to the office today."
Suddenly Aarohi s phone started ringing.
She looked at the id , sighed then turned to me.
" Bade papa hai. "
Something was clearly wrong with Dhruv. He was ignoring me again.
First he made amends with me.
Then today he smiled. Like a real smile.
And now he is back to his depressed teenager phase.
I swear to God , even pregnant women don't get mood swings this fast.
"Is there a reason for this silent treatment? "
I asked him.
He was in his laptop. Doing office work. Again.
"What silent treatment? " He said not looking up from his work.
This one actually.
"Mahika , I have pending work so I am finishing it. That's all. No one is ignoring you. "
"Yeah right.
He does this and tells me let's be friends again. " She muttered.
"Okay. What do you want me to do? " He laid his laptop in the bedside table.
"You said we were friends right? Then lets play a game. "
"We can play truth or dare. "
"With two people? " He asked incredulously.
"Yeah right. That's boring. "
"Let's play snake and ladder. I clapped my hands with excitement. "
"Seriously? What are we nine?"
"Please." I said giving him my best puppy eyes.
"Fine. " He groaned.
But there was something soft in his tone that Mahika failed to notice in her excitement.
I took my snake and ladder set from my cabinet. She loved her board games.
They started playing, sitting opposite each other in the bed.
"Get ready to be a loser. " Dhruv said with a smirk.
*
"Yes. " I punched the air.
I stood up in the bed and started dancing.
"Who's the loser now?"
"Singhania's always win my ass. "
"Mahika Rai hu. Winning is in my blood. "
"You are the loser. "
"Really ? "
He pulled me down by the edge of my kurti.
"Am I a loser?"
Mahika stilled at his closeness.
She saw his hands travelling towards her waist. Realisation hit her a bit too late.
"Dhruv no."
She tried to move away but he started tickling her before she could.
"Am I an idiot now?"
"YES. " I said still writhing under him.
" Yes? "
"Dhruv..... STOP... please"
"Say sorry. Am I a loser?
"No. I'm sorry. "
We both lied next to each other laughing.
Then I whispered.
"This is the first time you laughed since years. "
The smile vanished from his face.
"Thank you Mahika..."
He was interrupted by Aarohi before he could finish.
"Didi ......didi? "
"I'm coming. "
"Bhai ko bhi le aana. "
We both went to the living room.
Everyone was present there.
"Kya hua jiji? "
"Papa ji called. He's at your old house and he wants everyone to reach there tomorrow. "
Dhruv and Mahika looked at each other.
She was going home.
"Can you not? " Rehan groaned.
"Can I not what? " I asked him innocently.
"Can you stop making those sounds. I'm trying to read here. "
"Oh really. I'm so not sorry. "
"Ahhh. Why did you end up with me of all the men in the world? "
"I ask the question to satan everytime he visits me. "
"He must be so proud to see his little devil torturing this poor soul. "
"Whatever 'teacher' . "
"For the last time. I am not a teacher. I am a freaking professor."
"Do I look like I care. "
"One day I'm going to take a pillow and choke you in your sleep. "
"Too messy. I would recommend putting the right amount of pressure on the medulla oblanketa"
"You are insane"
"What did you expect? I'm a limited edition. "
A smile was threatening to grow in Rehan's face. He went back to his reading, pulling up his best poker face.
Arya was trying to rile him up. After the whole divorce fiasco , Rehan was aloof and tensed. But mainly because she was bored.
Aarohi called us both to the living room.
Dhruv and Mahika also arrived.
Veer Singhania was the only person who was missing.
"Kya hua jiji?" Mahika asked
"Papa ji called. He's at your old house and he wants everyone to reach there tomorrow. "
Rehan smiled at that.
"So when can we leave? "
He had the excitement of a child who just knew they were going to an amusement park.
"Tomorrow morning. " Bhabhi announced.
*
They were packing their clothes.
All of them decided that they will stay there for two days.
"What's so special about that house anyways? "
"My father build it for my mother. It's her dream home. We lived there till our mother's " his voice broke " Till ma passed away. We buried her there too. "
I stopped realising that it was a sensitive topic for him
Chachi and dadi were staying back. Aarohi couldn't come because of some lecture.
So it was three brothers and us bahu's.
"I can drive one car and Veer bhaiya can drive another. " Rehan suggested.
"Don't worry. You guys can go in one car. I will drive the other."
Dhwani bhabhi said.
"Are you sure? "
"Hundred percent. "
"Let me get some snacks. "
Mahika exclaimed and ran to the kitchen.
In the car Bhabhi asked what song we wanted to play.
"Illahi" I said.
"Chogada thara" Mahika said.
Bhabhi shrugged her shoulders and started playing. Makhna.
"Guys , this is the first time all of us are hanging out together. " Mahika screeched.
"That's right. " Arya said chuckling.
"We never did get a chance to include Arya into our family. " Bhabi looked at her through the mirror with a warm smile.
"Welcome to a lifetime of craziness." Mahika said then extended the Pringles in her hand.
"Pringles? "
I took some in my hand.
"Don't finish it. Mujhe bhi chahiye." Bhabhi screamed from the front seat.
Both of us showed her our tongue and all three of us started laughing.
Maybe this family was not that bad afterall.
â
A sweet fluffy chapter for my sweet reader's.
How is it?
Why is Raghav Singhania in their old house?
Why is he calling everyone there?
Is Dhruvika sailing at last?
So the thing is Raghav is .......
Just kidding.
All the questions will be answered in the next chapter.
Bye for now.
With Love
Aswa_maya
"Family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them out and enjoy their riches."