Ep12. In Your Arms

“Alina’s mom is an excellent cook!!” Aahil said to Aman, as he finished eating, and left the dining table walking into the kitchen to put his plate in the washbasin when he happens to hear the conversation between Alina and her mother and he stopped in his track.

“Alina, I forgot to ask you why Aahil is staying with us?” Sabina asked while washing the dishes.

“He is meeting Meera’s family this coming Sunday!” Alina answered while scrolling through something on her phone.

“Meera’s family? Why?” Sabina raised an eyebrow and faced Alina for an explanation.

“They want to get married, so Meera arranged his meeting with her father,” Alina answered. “I don’t know every detail!”

“Strange,” Sabina said, and Aahil knitted his eyebrows standing outside the kitchen.

“Why strange?” Alina inquired as she looked up at her from her phone.

“That family is really dangerous. Meera’s father, Abhinav, is the client of the law firm where I work in. He is a filthy man!! He has built his palace on the corpses of many innocent people and definitely own a number of crimes up on his sleeves.” Sabina said while washing the dishes and Aahil had a complicated expression on his face when he heard her next words.

“I doubt if he really loves his family. You know, he made some changes in his will yesterday, and now, his all properties and all companies will go straight to his both future sons-in-law if he dies, not even a single penny will be inherited by both of his daughters and rumours says, he is behind the mysterious death of the CEO of his rival company. They both were aiming for some land deal where Abhinav wanted to build a resort. He is not a good man and extremely proud of his family’s name he is up to…..” Sabina turned while saying the last part and spotted Aahil at the entrance of the kitchen.

“Aahil, I don’t know if your mother had taught you this, but eavesdropping is an unpleasant habit,” Sabina said, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at Aahil.

Aahil walked inside with a pleasant smile dazzling on his face. “I know, and I am sorry.” He said and as he was about to put his plate in the dishwasher but Sabina snatched it from his hand. Aahil washed his hands and looked back at Sabina.

“I know you are bearing my presence because of Aman, I wanted to book a room in some hotel but he forced me to stay here and I agreed because I didn’t want to cause any friction between Aman and Alina, but I promise I won’t bother you, and leave as soon as my work is done here,” Aahil said and Alina put her palm on his shoulder.

“There is no such thing Aahil, you are misunderstanding us.” Alina tried to comfort Aahil, as she was tense because if Aman gets to know about this, she wasn’t sure how he was going to react to this. He had clearly stated that he won’t be quiet if her mom ever tries to bring Aahil down.

“I know, Alina.” Aahil smiled at her and turned to face Sabina. “I know you are upset because Aman supported my business financially, but it is a LOAN for me and I will pay him back.” Aahil clarified, stressing more on the word loan, and left the kitchen to go back to the guest room.

Alina gulped as she watched him leave when she heard her mother say, “Bloody Lier!”

“Tell me something, Ammi? Am I with Aman because he has a lot of money and a legacy behind him?” Alina asked. “You agreed to my choice because he is rich?”

“Are you crazy? We aren’t behind his money!!” Sabina shrieked loudly.

“Exactly, we are not!! I am not!! So how does it matter to me what he does with his money? It’s his money and his decision what he wants to do with it! So stop interfering in his matters!” Alina said, and Aman hears their conversation and inwardly, he was proud of his choice.

***

Aahil was in deep sleep and he saw himself sitting on the bench near the riverside with his mother. Aamna was wearing a pure white gown, her head was covered with a hijab and she was dazzling in silver light. She looked so enthral that Aahil just wanted to sit there and watch her. He was staring at her with his fist under his chin when Aamna turned to him and smiled. “Why are you staring at me, Aahil?” She asked.

“I longed to see you every night in my dreams where we could be together just like the old times. I wanted to see you, touch you, feel you around me, but you never came to meet me!” Aahil complained, looking at her beautiful, wrinkled face. “Now that you’ve finally come to see me. I just want to stare at you. Who knows when you decide to see me again?”

Aamna gave him a broad smile and ruffled his silky black hair. “I told you on my deathbed, maybe I am leaving this world, but you’ll always find me when you need me and see I am here today.”

Aahil furrowed his eyebrow, trying to decipher the meaning of her words. “I will always need you, Ammi. Not a single day has passed when I have not missed you.” Aahil said and Aamna stroked his cheeks. “Why did you leave me alone?” He said and lied down on the bench, keeping his head on her lap and she lovingly stroked his head. There was a long silence. Everything was surreal, like the old times.

“Ammi,” Aahil whispered with his eyes closed.

“Yes,” Aamna said.

“Meera’s father wants to meet me. I hope he approves of our relationship and everything goes well. But I don’t know….. I am terrified from inside. I have a very strange feeling like I am going to lose everything.” Aahil said. “And I am tired of losing everything all my life. Meera is the one who brings colours to my life. I can’t afford to lose her.” He added further and Aamna listened to him very patiently and let him pour his heart out.

“You know, life works in its own mystical way, and humans cannot do anything except, accepting. Life doesn’t always give us what we want in our life, but that does not mean we don’t try. Sometimes we get something after a lot of penance.” Aamna said and Aahil opened his eyes, looking at her.

“I don’t understand. What are you trying to say?” Aahil asked, confusion laced in his voice.

“You are my strong boy and you will easily face life’s every challenge. I just needed to push you a bit. I know, my son will pass life’s every exam with flying colours. You will survive all the tests god put you through. Just don’t ever accept defeat.” Aamna said, removing his head from her lap, and before Aahil could register her words, she disappeared into thin air and Aahil felt like he was falling off the bench.

Aahil shot his eyes open, and the dream ended. He found himself perfectly in the middle of the bed, and Meera was ruffling his hair affectionately, but his shocked expression surprised her as well, and he suddenly snapped his neck in her direction.

“What happened?” Meera asked while wiping sweat off his forehead with her scarf.

“Nothing. When did you come?” He asked, wrapping his arm around her waist. Meera could hear his heart thumping loudly and her palm travelled to his heart.

“I guess, fifteen minutes back. I tried to wake you up, but you were in a deep sleep.” Meera replied and slowly the sides of her mouth curved up. “Now hug me, please.” She said in a babyish tone and opened her arms for Aahil, and he embraced her.

“I want to stick with you like this all my life,” Aahil said in a husky voice clasping her waist and kissing her neck.

“I missed being in your arms!” Meera said, looking deep into his eyes. Aahil lowered his head, kissing her on the lips. They were lost in each other when Aahil realized he was at Alina’s place and that her mother might walk in on them. He broke the kiss and sat on the bed, taking a deep breath.

Meera looked at him with questioning eyes. “What’s wrong?” She asked, knitting her perfectly arched eyebrows.

“I totally forgot we are at Alina’s place. I don’t want her mom creating any scandal!” Aahil groaned while rubbing his eyes and Meera reached for his collar, yanking him to her.

“Auntie is not at home. She has gone out with Alina and Aman for wedding shopping.” Meera said, and Aahil pulled her by her waist and she ended up sitting on his lap.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Aahil winked at her and as he was going to kiss her again, Meera put her finger on his lips, shaking her head in no.

“Shut up and get ready, we are going out,” she said and climbed off his lap. She waved shopping bag, grinning. “I bought a new shirt for you.” She said, retrieving a crisp royal blue shirt from her shopping bag. “Wear this!”

“I’ll wear only when you will make me wear this shirt,” Aahil said in an amused tone and Meera scowled.

“Excuse me, don’t you think you are turning naughtier day by day? I’ll not do anything like that.” Meera pouted, folding her arms beneath her breast.

“Fine, we are not going out then,” Aahil said and sat on the foot of the bed looking at her annoyed face.

“Fine!! I’ll do it, but I’ll keep my eye closed.” She agreed and walked to him. Aahil smirked and stood before her. Meera closed her eyes, her heart was throbbing loudly and she pressed her lips in a straight line opening the buttons of his shirt while Aahil was watching her face suppressing his laughter, as she didn’t realize that in her nervousness she was trying to open the button of his jeans, thinking it was the last button of his shirt.

“What are you doing, Meera?” Aahil asked in a composed manner, and Meera shot her eyes and looked at him in confusion.

“What? Trying to open the buttons but this last one is not…” She said and her eyes travelled down and she looked back at Aahil again blinking her eyes. She blushed in a deep shade of red and ran out of the room mumbling out sorry, while Aahil started laughing, falling back on his bed.

A few minutes later, his phone pinged in his pocket and he retrieved his mobile from his trouser. “Come down in ten minutes. I am waiting for you in the living room.”

***

Present day,

“Meera’s father won’t let them stay long together,” Heena said and her friends agreed with her. “He is opening up his cards and Aahil’s dream was the sign that the countdown has begun.”

Ascetic passed an enchanting smile, “Life is not about reaching your goal, it is about the journey we experience. Once you reach your goal, all that would be left to cherish forever will be the journey.”