Chapter 24

Rishi rushed to the living to see the sight he was yearning for a long time but stood rooted and his smile vanished instantly on seeing Shruthi dancing in her work out clothes.

Rishi quickly averted his gaze from her and made his way to the kitchen and saw Aadhi preparing her coffee. She looked divine dressed in a cotton saree and her hair draped in a towel but he wished to see her swaying her hips dressed in a shorts and shirt. He wished to see the real Aadhi rushing to bath after cooking the breakfast in a hurry. He leaned on the refrigerator and Aadhi cast a quick glance at him before she poured coffee in a cup.

Rishi: Can I have a cup of coffee Aadhira ?

Aadhi looked at him shocked that the great Rishi, the fitness freak was asking for a coffee and from his looks she knew he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet.

Rishi: Why do you look shocked ? I broke the wall that I built around my heart…no no..no I m wrong. You broke the walls that I successfully built around my heart and now I wanted to break my rules too.

Aadhi placed a cup of coffee for him and walked out of the kitchen. She got seated in the dining and Rishi sat beside her. He moaned after sipping the coffee and turned to Aadhi who was casually sipping her coffee.

Rishi: Now I know why you were interested in having coffee without brushing your teeth. I think I will ditch my gym routine to have coffee with you.

Aadhi finished her coffee and was about to leave when Rishi called her.

Rishi: You look beautiful Aadhira but do you know what I like the most ?

He moved close to her and slightly bend to her ear.

Rishi: I like to see you swaying your hips in those shorts and shirts. I know, I m confessing late but I m not too late Aadhira. Give me a chance, one chance, please.

They were interrupted when Shruthi stood next to Aadhi, opposite to Rishi. Her top hung loose revealing her cleavage. Aadhi noticed Rishi averting his gaze feeling uncomfortable and he simple walked away leaving the cup in Aadhi’s hand.

Shruthi watched his disappearing figure and turned her attention to Aadhi who made her way to the kitchen to wash the cups.

Shruthi: Did I interrupt something Aadhi ? Why did he leave abruptly ?

Aadhi smiled at her and without replying her question she simply adjusted her top.

Shruthi: Come on this is so common Aadhi. Why would he feel so embarrassed in seeing me wearing a tank top ?

Aadhi: Its not about wearing tank top Shruthi, its the way you wear it. Didn’t you say you know Rishi very well ? Relax and go get ready. Today is first day of your new project so you should be on time.

Shruthi rolled her eyes and walked away mumbling something that Aadhi didn’t hear. Aadhi placed the casseroles on the table and returned to bedroom to get ready. Rishi walked out of the closet and saw Aadhi drying her long hair and he pinched himself to see if he was seeing an angel in his room. She looked gorgeous with her hair waving and her flawless skin was glowing naturally without any make up.

Rishi: Aadhira, I m planning to meet Manjari today. I wanted to set everything right with her too and I really wanted to take you with me but I know that she will hurt you in some way. Do you have any idea what should I buy for her especially now that she is pregnant ?

Aadhi: Her husband and family will buy her everything to take care of her but she will love some expensive gift from you.

Rishi bobed his head, his guilt resurfacing everytime the reality of what he did to her hit hard. Rishi arrived at Vimal’s home and saw Manjari watching TV and Vimal’s mother placing a glass of juice to her. He got reminded of Aadhi’s words when he informed her about meeting Manjari. Kavitha was the first to notice Rishi and rushed to the threshold to invite him.

Kavitha: Rishi, what a surprise ? Please come inside. Where is Aadhi ?

Rishi: No aunty, she has gone to the college to complete her admission procedures. I came to meet Manjari. I will bring Aadhira some other day.

Kavitha: Its ok, please come inside. Vimal has gone out and will be back anytime. His father is out for a meeting.

Manjari smiled on seeing Rishi and before she could get up Rishi rushed to her and sat beside her.

Manjari: What are you doing here bro ? Is everything ok ?

Rishi: Everything is fine and I thought of meeting my sister.

He gave the chocolate and fruits to her and Manjari placed them on the teapoy turning her attention to him. Rishi gave her a jewel box and Manjari gasped on seeing the earring and pendant in it.

Manjari: Oh my god, bro this is so beautiful. Thank you so much. You are the best.

Rishi smiled once again not on seeing Manjari’s excitemet but about Aadhi’s words that Manjari would love expensive gift.

Rishi: How are you doing and when is your next appointment ?

Manjari: I have my next appointment next month bro. Let me keep this earring in my wardrobe or Vimal would complain that I m being clumsy. She was about to get up and Rishi helped her.

Rishi: Let me help you to your room.

Manjari was surprised to see his behaviour yet let him help her. They entered her room and Rishi saw it was a mess. Manjari gestured him to be seated on the couch and entered the closet to place the earring. When she returned to the room Rishi pat the space next to him and Manjari sat still clueless of his behaviour.

Rishi: I m sorry Manju, I know its too late for this but I wanted to set things right with you. You might think that I didn’t care for you but I do. I really do care and love you but I made myself reserved from everyone and everything so I couldn’t bring myself to express my care for you.

Manjari: Its ok bro, I understand but what changed now ?

Rishi Mv: I can’t say that Aadhira changed me, that will only provoke her more against Aadhira.

Rishi: I have always wanted to be expressive but now that you are pregnant I felt I should come out of my shell and be the brother you deserve at this time. I want you to know that you have me to support you.

Manjari: Thank you so much bro, I m really happy today.

Rishi: You don’t have to thank me Manju, you can share anything with me and call me anytime and I will always be ready to do anything you wish.

Taking her by surprise he side hugged her and Manjari was totally taken back by the sudden gesture. Manjari felt happy and let him wait for a minute and entered her closet. She returned with her hospital file and gave it to him.

Rishi opened it and saw the scan photos in it. He touched it with a smile and immediately looked at Manjari. He couldn’t believe that his little sister was carrying a baby .

Rishi: I still remember you running around in our lawn dressed up in those little frocks. The pink one with sequins was your favourite one and when you grew up you wanted similar one and cried for hours.

Manjari: Yet, I never got that.

Rishi: But now you have me and ofcourse Vimal to buy you anything you wish for and lets spoil my niece or nephew whatever he or she want.

Manjari bobed her head and Rishi returned the file to her.

Rishi: Alright, I have a meeting so I will take my leave. You take care and I will see you soon

Rishi pat her head and rose to his feet to leave. Just when he was about to leave, a notebook caught his attention. He picked the note and flipped to see hardly one or two pages written in it.

Rishi: Manju, what note is this and I have seen Aadhira have a similar one. She used to write every night before she goes to sleep.

They both heard something drop and saw Vimal standing with a shocked expression and a package had slipped from his hand. Manjari stood by Rishi who was clueless and pulled him out of the room.

Manjari: Bro, Its a customized diary Vimal gave me. He said that anytime when I feel alone and couldn’t express or share my pain then I should pen it down in that dairy.

Rishi felt like his heart was stabbed with a knife. He gulped hard unable to utter a word. He saw Vimal gesturing Manjari to leave but she hesitated and tried to speak to him. Vimal shut his eyes and that was her cue and Manjari left without a word.  Vimal stepped towards Rishi gritting his teeth with tears brimming in his eyes.

Vimal: Do you know when was the first she met you ?

Rishi: The day I was here to meet after the wedding proposal.

Vimal held his collars and Rishi was taken back on seeing his rage. Rishi did not fight against Vimal knowing he deserved for hurting Aadhi. Vimal let go of him but his nose was flaring in anger.

Vimal: I warned her, begged her that you will ruin her life, I knew you are not the one for her but that stupid girl was not ready to listen to my words. She was full of herself and I would say she was over confident that you are the one for her but I was right. You fucking don’t deserve a girl like her. What did you do to her ? She won’t share anything with me so you better tell me what did you do to her or I will kill you. Come out with me and you are not leaving until you reveal everything to me.

Vimal stormed out and Rishi followed him, his mind in a whilwind of emotions. Vimal was waiting for him in the car, holding the steering in a tight grip. Rishi sat in the passenger seat and immediately Vimal roared the engine to life and drove off. He parked the car by a park and waited for Rishi to speak.

Rishi: I hurt her, hurt her badly…

He explained everything happened since the first day of their wedding and hung his head feeling ashamed of his deeds.

Rishi: I regret everything and now I m trying really to fix everything. I know sorry is a simple word but please trust me and give me a chance. I want her in my life and I will win her back. She changed me and now its my turn to show her what she means to me in my life. Please. I love her. I wanted Aadhira to be the first person to my love for her but here I m confessing to you that I love her, she has become a part of me that I couldn’t survive without her. Slowly and steadily I fell for her but realized it only after I pushed her away from me. Please.

Vimal: Wish I could kill you but I spare you only for my Aadhi. Only if I had not fallen in love with your sister then my Aadhi would not be suffering being married to you but I m not you. I will not let your sister pay for your deeds. I really love her and nothing will change despite you torturing my sister. I give you a chance not because you regret your actions or because you are my wife’s brother but only because Aadhi wanted you in her life. She is the sole reason I m letting you alive today. I will give you a month time and if you couldn’t earn a chance from her then forget that you were once married. I will bring her back with me even if that is at the cost of killing of you.

Vimal was about to drive back but Rishi stopped him.

Rishi: Thank you and sure I will earn my chance from her. What did you mean by the question about our first meet ?

Vimal: Why should I tell you ?

Rishi: If you think Aadhira deserves to be happy in her life then please let me know anything that would help me to earn a chance from her. I really want her in my life and I know she wants me too.

Vimal: She didn’t marry you because the marriage was proposed between you two. She sacrificed her crush and the budding love, her first love. She agreed to marry you because she wanted me to live my life with my love but she was the most happiest girl to marry you after I showed her your photo. I had no idea behind her excitement until she confessed that you were her crush, her first love.