Arshi FF: Family

Chapter 21

Sorry for the late update. I'm busy with works at college and cannot sit to write anymore. I'll try to give small updates in every four days, but I can't promise. Sorry.

.Chapter 21

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ONE WEEK LATER

AR Farm House, New Delhi

8.15 am Saturday

"Good morning" Aman said as he walked into the silent farm house. Arnav looked up from the floor and sat up groaning. Aman looked at the empty bottles next to him and asked, "How many did you drink?"

Arnav scrunched his eyes and looked at him mumbling something. Aman sighed and walked to the kitchen to make a lemon juice.

"Here" he said after few minutes, extending a glass of juice. Making Arnav hold it, he made the man drink it.

"It's a been a week ASR" Aman sighed, "How long are you gonna do this?"

Arnav leaned his head on the couch and closed his eyes.

"Go back to RM" Aman said sitting next to him.

"They don't want me back there!" Arnav whispered.

"It's your house. It's your family. Go back to them"

"They don't want me Aman"

"Win them back" Aman cried.

Arnav took a deep breath and whispered, "I wanted to keep them to myself. I didn't want to lose them! Look where we are Aman! I've lost everyone and everything!"

Aman kept mum and Arnav asked, "Did they call?"

"Why would they call me?" Aman chuckled.

Arnav sighed and Aman said, "She calls Payals bhabhi every day. Aarav too!"

Arnav looked at him and he said, "I called Akash"

Arnav nodded and looked away.

"Waise I want you back in the office. AR is as if it's dead!" Aman chuckled.

"Akash is there!"

"Still, you aren't there!" Aman said smiling.

"I cannot Aman. I....I don't want...."

"How long are you planning to do this?" Aman asked, "Are you gonna drink to death?"

Arnav looked away and Aman said, "Just come back ASR. Everything is messed up, I know. But try sorting things back to the place it was. And start that from AR"

Arnav nodded no and said, "It's not a business failure to make a comeback Aman. I've failed in life. There is no sorting out. Not anymore!"

Aman sighed and said, "Okay then. Come when you feel like!" he stood up and said, "I'm leaving. Call me if you need anything!"

Aman turned to leave when Arnav asked, "Where is he?"

Aman turned to him and he asked, "Ishaan. Where did he leave?"

"How would I know?" Aman asked.

"You know everything" Arnav whispered.

"I don't. I gave him some money as a help. That's all. He didn't tell me where he was going" Aman said.

Arnav nodded and Aman turned walking away.

"I know that you know where Ishaan is" Arnav spoke up and Aman stopped. He looked at his boss who said smiling faintly, "Of all the people, you would definitely know where he is. It's fine if you want to hide it from others. But just letting you know, that I can catch you lying"

Aman looked away and said, "He didn't want anyone to know. He asked me to keep his details away from you and others!"

Arnav nodded and Aman walked away.

.

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Edinburg, Texas, US

9.30 PM Friday

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"Did you like Texas?" Aarav asked smiling as he drove through the streets.

Khushi nodded yes and looked out of the window smiling, "I love it!"

"The night city looks really beautiful" he said and looked out.

Khushi hummed and leaned back on the seat. "How's your work?" she asked.

"Great" Aarav said, "Great atmosphere and...yeah great people!"

Khushi smiled and Aarav said, "There is a little girl. Lily"

"Your patient?"

Aarav hummed.

"Cancer?" Khushi whispered.

"Hmmm" Aarav said, "Cancer doesn't have age ma."

Khushi hummed and Aarav said, "So Lily....well Lily is just a bundle of joy. It must be her age. She doesn't know that she has a deadly disease. And that keeps her happy!"

Khushi smiled faintly and said, "Sometimes it's good to be kept in dark. It keeps us in a world of illusion. We'll be happy!"

"One day she'll realize it. She'll be broken. Beyond repair!" Aarav whispered.

"Till then, she can be happy! Just like me!" Khushi whispered and looked out.

Aarav kept mum and Khushi asked him, "Don't you miss him?"

He nodded no.

"Lie" Khushi said chuckling.

Aarav took a deep breath and said, "Fine yes"

"And Shreya?"

Aarav looked out and Khushi said, "I think you should call her. It wasn't right to call it off!"

Aarav kept mum and Khushi said, "Life is short Aarav. You won't get multiple chances. Grab one when you get one!"

"It won't happen ma. It's over!"

"No it isn't. Why are you punishing her?" she cried.

"I'm not punishing her!" Aarav cried, "I don't want her to be in the mess I am!"

"What mess are you talking about?" Khushi cried, "We're all well here!"

Aarav sighed and said, "It's..."

"Listen, whatever your father did, it shouldn't affect your and Shreya's relation!"

"Ma" Aarav said slowly, "It's over!"

Khushi hummed and looked out. She suddenly turned to him and asked, "When you came to know about Ishaan, what was the first thing that came to your mind?"

"You" Aarav whispered.

"Then?"

"Then...I wondered whether he would've adopted me if I was really his son and Sheethal was my birth mother!" Aarav said slowly.

Khushi looked at him and he said smiling faintly, "He wouldn't right? I would have been kept away with my mother, just like Ishaan was. And I wouldn't have had a person to call dad. Like him!"

"Ishaan" Khushi whispered.

"I like him a lot. He is nice. Good. But the only thing I hate in him is his blood. That should've been me. I wanted to be ASR's son!" Aarav whispered.

Khushi hummed and looked out.

Aarav drove the car into their apartment complex and said, "Forget that. We aren't here in Texas to mourn about the people we left behind!"

Khushi nodded and Aarav leaned on the seat parking the car, "We've to start fresh right?"

Khushi hummed and nodded.