The Unwanted Guest

Chapter 2

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Raizada Mansion, New Delhi

12.35 am

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"You seem to be a night owl!" Akash commented as he walked into the terrace seeing Aisha there.

Aisha turned and smiled, "Aap bhi!"

Akash chuckled and said, "Work pressure!"

Aisha nodded and Akash said, "Waise...I want to apologize for yesterday. I shouldn't have talked like that!"

Aisha frowned and Akash said, "When you came back late..."

"Ah it's fine" Aisha chuckled, "I should've come early!"

"Aisha, it's not like I dislike you. I don't have any problem with you. But yesterday I was really worried. Your phone was off and I didn't know what to do. It was 3 in the morning and I even thought of going to police" Akash said sighing.

"Sorry" she said slowly.

"I don't have any problem with parties and all. I scolded you because it was really late and Delhi isn't safe for girls. If something happens to you, I won't be able to forgive myself. Lavanya has trust in me and I cannot break that trust!" Akash said, "I don't differentiate between you and Ayush"

"Then why do you hate when I call your wife ma?" she asked slowly.

Akash took a deep breath and said, "I know Payal likes it. Even I do. But I lost some very important people of my life because of this ma chakkar. Years back, something similar happened and...." He stopped himself and looked away.

"ASR....Khushi right?" Aisha asked slowly.

"La told you?" Akash asked.

"Not everything but small pieces, here and there....I know that you have a brother and he left the house with his wife and new born baby" Aisha said.

Akash nodded and said, "Me and Payal are the only ones who miss them here. My dadi too....she passed away few years back. And Ayush...he doesn't know much about them. He has never seen them!"

Aisha smiled faintly and Akash said, "I get busy with office and Ayush is busy with his friends. Payal gets very lonely. She doesn't talk much with other people here. And then you came. I've never seen Payal this happy after they left. And I owe you a huge thank you for that!"

Aisha smiled widely and said, "I like her too. Sometimes I miss mamma and I go down to the kitchen where she will be. And then I feel better. That's why I call her ma!"

Akash smiled and Aisha asked, "Didn't they call you? Not even once?"

Akash nodded no, "I tried finding them but they seem to be vanished!" he looked at Aisha and said smiling faintly, "I don't even know whether they had a son or daughter. He or she would've been your age by now! 23!"

"How old is Ayush?" Aisha asked.

"20"

"Hawww....he is younger to me! And he calls me Aisha! That boy better call me didi!" Aisha cried.

Akash chuckled and said, "I'll tell him!"

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"Bahot mazaa aya!" Khushi said happily and clapped her hands like a kid. Arnav rolled his eyes and Akash and Payal chuckled. "Ha Khushi ji" NK said cheerfully, "we should often do this. It's so fun!"

"NK bhai you're right" Akash said leaning back on the couch, "It's been a long time right? Remember, before wedding we three used to go out for long drives at night!"

"Ha Akash" NK cried.

"Yeah right!" Arnav scoffed, "More like me being a driver for two drunkards!"

"Drunkards!" Khushi and Payal cried and looked at Akash and NK.

"Err...kabhi kabhi....like very rarely....bhaiiii!!!" Akash cried seeing Payal's glare.

Arnav chuckled.

It was 11 pm in the night and the five were out in the garden sitting around a small camp fire.

"I like it when we spend time like this!" Payal said smiling, "You guys are busy with office and me and Khushi with our dabba service. We should spend moments like this more often!"

"I wish di also joined us!" Khushi said sighing.

Arnav sighed and looked back at the house.

"What should we do bhai?" Akash asked shaking his head, "Di is....she is so depressed after learning Shyam's truth!"

"I think we should give her some time" Payal said.

"It'll be hard for her. She trusted him so much" NK said sighing.

Arnav took a deep breath and said, "She doesn't talk to anyone. Not even to me. Not even to nani. I don't know what to do. She just sits in her room, eat what HP takes to her room and walk around like a corpse."

"I think we should ask di to adopt a child" Khushi said and everyone looked at her, "What hurts her the most is that Shyam, the one whom she loved the most, killed her child. This added to her shock of her child's death. So adopting a child would make her feel better!"

"I don't agree" Akash said shaking his head, "Just because we want her to come out of her depression, we cannot let her adopt a child. I mean, it wouldn't be fair to that child. When he or she grows up, wouldn't they want someone as a father?"

"Yeah, no matter if the whole family stands by her side, no one can be a father!" NK said.

"But I think..." Khushi began when Arnav cut her off, "When a kid is upset, you show them their favorite toy to make them feel better. That's what you're saying here! To bring di back, you are suggesting adopting a child! But Khushi, adopting a child and buying a Barbie doll is different!"

"He is right" Payal said.

"Okay okay" Khushi said chuckling, "It was a suggestion. Now don't eat me up!"

Everyone chuckled and Arnav said, "You're a kid and that's why you have childish suggestions!"

"Hawww" Khushi gasped and smacked his arm.

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"What are you thinking?" Payal asked patting his arm. Akash looked at her and then at the opened laptop before him. "Ah nothing, I was....nothing"

Payal smiled faintly and said, "Arnav ji and Khushi...hai na..."

"NK too!" Akash said chuckling, "When is he coming?"

"It's rakshabandan in two days. He'll be here!" Payal said smiling.

"Ha, after all he has to get a rakhi tied from you" he said smiling.

Payal smiled and nodded.

"I wish my sister was here too..." Akash said smiling sadly and looked at the rakhi she had tied him, years ago.

Payal looked at him and took a deep breath.

"She loved rakshabandans" Akash said smiling at Payal, "She used to demand strange things from me as gifts. Remember when she made me took all of bhai's suits and replace it with colourful shirts?"

Payal chuckled and said, "She knows that you won't agree normally. But on rakshabandan you're bound to grand her wishes right?"

Akash chuckled and nodded.

"I miss them Akash" Payal whispered.

"Me too" Akash whispered.