Little Book Of Red Lies | Shubman Gill ✓

Epilogue

July, 2038

"Nehmat, bacha, chalo." Kavya calls out to her thirteen year old daughter. They had to catch a flight in two hours and were already running late, yet there was no frustration in her voice. She knew that Nehmat was making a card for Arjun and his wife, Emma.

"Mumma, bas do minute aur, Pops is helping me cut the flowers ." Nehmat tells her without looking up. Kavya smiles when she sees Shubman crouching over the study table with scissors in his hands.

When he finishes with all the four flowers, he searches for the glue. But what his eyes cannot find among the pile of stationery, Kavya does and she removes it from its hiding place.

Shubman beams at her. Together they finish Nehmat's greeting card and hurry towards the Airport. It is her first international trip and undoubtedly she is ecstatic. Young Nehmat was awfully fond of her Arjun Mama. No amount of video calls, messages or even his occasional trips to India were enough to satiate her. He always told her some interesting story about an ingredient or a dish. She had grown up looking forward to being greeted by him and his culinary delights, just like her mother had.

Fifteen years ago, Arjun had decided to pursue his passion for cooking. With Kavya, Sara and Shubman by his side, he told his father that he loved preparing food. And that was what he wanted to build his career in. Being the reasonable guy and doting father that he was, Sachin was thrilled to hear that Arjun had found his passion. Taking his family's blessings and his friend's jhappis, Arjun left for Paris to take part in a culinary course on desserts.

And that was where he met Emma. At first they were just food enthusiasts, giddy with happiness of finding someone equally passionate about food. Their conversations were full of flavours, seasonings, recipes from home. Emma was a native of London. She spoiled Arjun with her grandmother's recipes and Arjun spoiled her with Indian delicacies. Gradually, their love for food transcended into love and respect for each other as professionals. The more time they spent with each other, the more right it felt.

Kavya and Shubman had attended the opening of their jointly owned Restaurant in Paris named, Paris, Je t'aime, which meant Paris, I love you. And was an ode to the city of love where they had found each other.

It had been a day filled with celebration and champagne.

As they sit in the car, Kavya calls Sara,

"Haan bas, hum just nikle. Kya?!! Tum log already pahoch Gaye ho?" Kavya chuckles fondly. Sara's habit of being on time had finally rubbed off on Shekhar it seemed.

Kavya looks at Shubman, knowing that he must have something to add about the oddity of the situation

"Sara finally achieved the unattainable. Meri taraf se congratulate karna usse. Shekhar Bhai aur Being on time, unbelievable." He shakes his head as he drives and Kavya conveys his message to Sara whose cheeks colour at their playful teasing.

Sara had never thought she would fall for Shubman's brooding elder, vampire brother, Shekhar. But she found herself drawn to him right from the day he had come with Poornima to check on Rahul and the Tendulkars. He was not looking to fall in love either.

Nursing a broken heart from years, Shekhar had shut himself to experiencing any sort of feelings for a woman. But the more time he spent with Sara, the more he admired her spirit. He couldn't fathom how she had let Shubman go. She was phenomenal in reality and in his eyes, the strongest woman with a beautiful heart. He loved her spirit before he loved her.

Sara grew to realise that Shekhar was more than what he showed. He was much more caring than he let others believe. With him, Sara experienced a calmness she had never felt. Together, they were another power, vampire couple.

The four of them were inseparable. And had witnessed each and every milestone of their life together.

Sara vividly remembered the day the Gills adopted an eight week old baby girl and named her Nehmat. She would never forget how tight yet tender her bestfriend's embrace had been for her little daughter. And how her husband couldn't stop kissing the baby girl and calling her choti Arora.

She believed that for every terrible thing that had happened to them, they had found an even more vibrant reason to be grateful.

******

Le Marais, Paris

Tiny hands latch on his waist as Arjun is greeted by Nehmat Gill. A smile decorates his face. He had been anticipating her arrival and had many surprises planned for her. As Nehmat took the smells of the restaurant's kitchen in, she gave him a toothy grin.

Gesturing to her parents who were watching them from the corner, Arjun told them to go take a walk. Being assured that their daughter was in the safest company, they looked at each other, smiling as they laced their fingers together.

It was their favourite activity, walking on the streets, reflecting on their lives and pulling each other's leg, as always.

As the sun spread it's orange hues in the pink sky, Kavya felt Shubman stroke her arm.

"Kya soch Rahi hai, Arora?"

She turns to face him, taking a deep breath.

"Mai Nehmat jitni thi jab Mummy Papa mujhe chodke chale Gaye the."

As soon as the words are out of her mouth Shubman pulls her close. His hand sorting the stuck hair of her ponytail out and relieving her neck of their clinginess.

"I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be alive today. My only wish is to be there with her as long as I can. And thanks to you, Gill, I might as well get to love our daughter for eternity."

Kavya loved Shubman for a long range of reasons. Among them was the fact that as a vampire, motherhood meant a chance to be with her little girl in ways her parents hadn't been able to. She loved Shubman for giving her this chance.

"I'm touched, Arora. But I have to tell you this hadn't occurred to me when I turned you all those years ago. The only thought running through my brain was, I will get to love you forever. But now with Nehmat, I have two little girls to adore."

Kavya rolls her eyes at being called Little,

"Yeah yeah of course."

They come to stop in front of a violinist who is playing the tune of Ellie Goulding's How long will I love you. They look at each other and mutter,

"Paris!" The one word to explain serendipitous bliss. Then Shubman does something to make Kavya gush. He asks her whether she would dance with him.

And Kavya nods in delight. As they waltz goofily, the world around them fades.

Whether in Punjab or in Paris,

She is his Arora.
And he is her Gill.

Forever.