MISUNDERSTOOD - an Arylie Story

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The Rathore House was filled with the cheerful and reverberating voices of family all around.

Narmada's younger sister's daughter Priya, was visiting for the week-end. She had brought her little 5 year-old son, Ansh, along.

Ansh was a tiny bundle of joy—and he was also his Aryan Mamu's favourite.

This would, however, be the first time he would be meeting his Imlie Mami properly—since the wedding.

Imlie was more than excited to have a little kid in the house. She remembered how in Pagdandiya she used to play with all the younger village-kids, running around while also climbing trees with them. She missed it all so much now.

Priya had slowly introduced Ansh to his Imlie Mami, throughout the morning—and surprisingly they both got along very well now.

They were running around the house, in no time, playing hide and seek—with Imlie also carrying him as a train to drop him at his designated 'station'. She also made him open all the gifts she had bought for him.

They were having a very fun day so far.

Aryan, however, had not returned from work yet—but he would be pleasantly surprised with this change, if he seen how the tables had turned...Imlie chuckled to herself.

She resumed running behind Ansh again—who had just given her a timer to catch him.

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Aryan had walked into the house late in the evening, coat in hand, pleasantly surprised with the changed environment of the house.

It seemed like a different buzz all around.

He questioned his house-help, who helped take his coat from him, and replied with a smile simply,

"Ansh Babu is here with Priya Didi."

At this, Aryan had a wide smile on his face—he was about to search for everyone—when Arpita and Priya came to greet him themselves.

Priya leapt forward and gave a big hug to her bhaiyya.

Aryan immediately asked, "What an amazing surprise—but why wasn't I told sooner? Didi, what is this? Where's my little Ansh?"

"Arre Aru calm down, we had tried to get in touch—but your secretary told us you'd be busy till evening, so we thought you'd like the surprise in this way."

Aryan let out an exasperated sigh at that. He grumbled then,

"Why is everyone giving me surprises like this? I have always liked to be well informed of things from before-hand."

"Arre my UNB—you might be the only person in the world who hates surprises."

"Seriously bhaiyya—such a nice surprise it was!—Why do you act so akdu ?" Priya added to the teasing and slightly pulled his ear.

"Seriously, what did you call me?"

Arpita, enjoying every bit of this, also joined in pulling his other ear.

"Seriously Pri, I agree!!! Mr. Akduuu—lighten up..."

"Ouch—why are you both hurting me so much? Didi, wasn't it enough of you teasing me with Imlie, that now I have to tolerate you both as well?"

Aryan pulled his ears away from them.

Both the girls were just laughing and running behind him —to catch his ears again, while Aryan just ran further away.

"Maaaaa— see what Didi and Pri are doing to me..."

So saying, he continued running away—while laughter echoed in the well-lit Rathore Mansion, for that entire evening, rewinding the time to a younger phase of all their childhoods.

———————————

After quite sometime, he had finally escaped his two evil sisters below and was now walking up the stairs—even more curious as to where his wife was now.

He hadn't seen her around so far—and was now eagerly waiting to just catch her in his arms and not let her go—for having been away from him for so long.

As he neared his room, however, he could hear muttering and quiet giggles across the door. He wondered what was happening now, as he slowly leaned on the door.

There wasn't a moment's peace in this house, he realised.

He could see the light switched off—but he also heard quiet, shushed voices.

He slowly turned the doorknob and on came the light, with two people loudly screaming out —"SURPRISE!"

Aryan, just stood there, his hands folded across his chest with a deadpanned expression.

What the heck was wrong with everyone—why were they all trying to surprise him like this?

But as soon as he seen the two disappointed faces across him—of his wife and little nephew, he couldn't help but suppress his laughter.

Imlie came forward now, with a pout,

"What is this ABP? We were planning this for sooo long... since before you arrived! And you did not even have a slight change of expression. That's really .....really....annoying!" She let out a small huff.

Aryan was about to reply before Ansh jumped straight into his arms with a big scream,

'Mamuuuu'!

Aryan lifted him up with one go and was so very happy to see his little nephew.

"Hi, little champ! I haven't seen you in so long...and my goodness, how have you grown up so fast? I can't even lift you....oooh!"

Aryan feigned back pain, with an exaggerated expression and brought him back down.

Ansh started giggling, "Yes mamu, I'm a strong boy now, I have been having a lot of vegetables as Mamma said....and I am very strong now."

"I can defeat you in all those boxing matches you tell me about!"

At this, Imlie's eyes widened.

"What...you tell a little kid about boxing matches? Are you ok, Aryan Singh Rathore?"

Aryan put a finger up to shush his little nephew, before picking him up again and putting him on his shoulders.

"That's our little secret, champ. Only between us. Come on, I will take you on a little ride along the house....let's goooo!"

Both of them went out of the room, laughing and shouting the loudest—while Imlie felt a weird warmth in her chest—seeing both of them together.

It was a different side of Aryan that she was witnessing—and she didn't realise how precious it was to her, to just watch him become like a little kid as well.

She noticed how he threw his head back, while his entire body reverberated as he laughed—while listening to Ansh's responses.

She looked at him reaching down the stairs  and then saw him, slowly turning his head to look up at her—with their eyes meeting in a quiet, knowing smile.

Unknowingly, she blew a small kiss to him.

In Imlie's mind she kept thanking God that no one else could see her right now—as she couldn't help it. She wanted to protect this man and this moment—and treasure it forever!

He then put his nephew down—and brought his hand back up, passing her an even bigger kiss, watching his wife blush to a bright red.

Imlie covered her face quickly and went inside the room—leaving an amused Aryan smirking to himself, ready to go on another round with little Ansh, who was just as confused as anyone else by their antics.