Forever Yours

Chapter Sixteen

Siddharth heard a crash from the hall of his apartment, followed by pin-drop silence. He looked at Shehnaaz, who was looking back at him slightly worried.

"What did you break this time around, Kushal?" Siddharth shouted from inside his room, pulling his munchkin in his arms.

"I didn't." Kushal responded, struggling to hold his laughter. "It was Jay."

"I leave you guys alone for FIVE MINUTES and you're going completely nuts."

Siddharth came out of his room, Jay was sitting on the floor, wincing slightly.

"Kya hua?" Siddharth asked, chuckling and went ahead to help the man up. "Kucch toota toh nahi?"

Jay groaned. "Yeh Kushal hai na, dost nahi hai. Dushman hai saala, meri biwi ko jhoothi kahaaniya suna raha tha, aur Maahi bhi maan gayi. Itni zor se dhakka kaun deta hai baby?" Jay asked innocently.

"Mein koi jhooth nahi bol raha Maahi, woh Aakriti hai na, aage-peeche ghoomta hai yeh tera pati uske.." Kushal repeated himself and Maahi glared at her husband.

"Kaun Aakriti yaar?" Jay exclaimed.

"Tu bhool bhi gaya, kal toh bol raha tha uske saath dinner hai Monday ko?" Siddharth joined into the leg-pulling session of Jay Bhanushali.

"Abbey yaar, ab toh teri bhi shaadi hone waali hai, kyon kar raha hai mere saath aise. Ghar pahunchne se pehle yamlok pahunch jaaunga mein. Dekh toh kaise ghoor rahi hai mujhe.." Jay gulped.

The other two boys laughed.

"Oye.. vaanar mandali.. Maa aur Didi log kahan hai?" Siddharth asked.

"Woh Shehnaaz ka gift laane gaye hai. Raj jiju Ishaan aur Daksh ko sula-kar aa rahe hai. Kal unka school hai na."

Siddharth nodded.

"Kya gift?" Shehnaaz asked childishly, looking eagerly at Siddharth and he pecked her lips.

"Mujhe bhi nahi pata baby, abhi aayenge toh pata chal jaayega." He said truthfully.

Shehnaaz pouted.

"Abhi aa jaayenge na beta.." Aarav jiju said gently, cupping her face affectionately.

Shehnaaz grinned. "Aapko pata hai, jiju mein na birthday pe itna khush-khush rehti thi. Matron Ma'am mujhe pyaare-pyaare dresses mein ready karti thi, fir hum kabhi Siddhi-Vinaayak jaate the, kabhi bas aise hi orphanage mein doston ke saath rehti thi." Shehnaaz informed him. "Jab Maa pehli baar aayi na, toh mere birthday mein 2 weeks the. Unhone mujhse poocha tha aur fir woh birthday pe bhi aayi thi. Ek bhot pyara dress aur khoob saari chocolates ke saath."

"Tujhe ab tak yaad hai?" Aarav asked amused.

Shehnaaz bit her lip. "Orphanage ke staff ke alaawa bhot kam aise log hote hai jo hum bacchon ko daya ki nazar se na dekh kar, pyaar se dekhein. Anaath hona na, hamaare liye abhishaap hota hai. Sab log aise dekhte hai jaise.. hamaari galati ho. Maa ne kabhi mujhe aise nahi dekha. Jab bhi dekha.. ek normal insaan ki tarah, normal.. woh cheezein bhoolna-- not possible."

Aarav kissed her forehead. "Tu anaath nahi hai baccha."

Shehnaaz nodded. "Ab nahi hoon."

Siddharth sighed softly, itching to hold his little bird in his arms but then, he knew Aarav jiju was doing enough and so he stepped back.

Aarav led her to the couch and made her sit, feeding her a small bite of her cake. "I'm told that sweets are great mood-lifters."

"I'm not sad."