Ep13. True Brotherhood

“Thank you for treating Aahil right this time, mom” Aman looked at the mirror and thanked Alina’s mom for her hospitality and kind behaviour towards Aahil and his focus shifted back to the road.

“It’s alright. You are our future son-in-law. How can I disrespect your wish, but I still don’t like that boy? I don’t understand what you both see in him?” Sabina asked, rolling her eyes and Alina interrupted her “Mom, you started again.”

“What!! I’m just sharing my feelings,” Sabina said and Aman smirked on the driver’s seat taking the U-turn.

“It’s alright, Alina. She never really got to know about my childhood, nor did I ever intend to bring my past because I don’t feel like reliving the terrible memories.” Aman interjected their conversation in the middle.

“Well, I’d really like to know what you find so good in him?” Sabina asked Aman.

“As you know, my mother died while giving birth to me, and my dad, he never really cared about me after her death, and in less than three months, he remarried someone else. My stepmom was a good woman, she actually loved me but my father used to beat her and treated her like his slave, so one day, she eloped with our driver.” He said and Sabina raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“I don’t blame her. She tried her best to stay and hold on to this marriage, but my dad was an asshole to her. Anyway, He got married for the third time when I was eleven, and her new wife never really liked me. She absolutely despised me and attempt to send me away, but my grandfather named everything to me, so they had to bear my presence.” Aman paused. “The next year, I got a baby brother. My dad was busy with her new wife and his newborn son that he had not even a time to glance in my direction. I was all alone in that big, beautiful, marvellous mansion.”

“That time, there was a new admission in our class and Aahil came into my life. We instantly hit it off. My stepmom always tried to look for something to emotionally hurt me. Sometimes she innocently forgets to keep the lunch box in my bag or gives me cold food.” Aman chuckled, recalling her actions. “Aahil used to bring two lunch boxes to school when it was difficult to eat two meals a day at his house.”

“Nobody really cared about me, so I started going to his house after school and her mother always treated me like his own son. She used to feed me food, helped me in my studies and in the evening my driver comes to take me home.” Aman said, and a smile crept on his lips, recalling the memories that flashed in the back of his head.

“After a long time, I felt a sense of belonging in her arms. She saved my childhood from getting ruined, and the day she died, I felt like I have lost my mother.” Aman sighed, feeling a heavy rock on his chest. “I experienced the pain of losing a mother,” Aman said and took a deep breath.

“So now you tell me. How can I let anyone insult that boy whose mother has brought me up as his own son? You will never understand how much I owe him, and even if any day I have to give my life for him, I will happily die. I am really emotionally attached to him. Hurting him means hurting me.” Aman further added and stopped his car in front of the mall for their wedding shopping.

***

Mr. Shekhawat was having dinner when his son appeared in the dining area. He greeted him and sat beside him on the vacant chair. Mr Shekhawat smiled, looking at his handsome son, “My partner and your future father-in-law want to meet you, so let me know when you are free.” He said, and his son focused back on his father.

“Future father-in-law? His daughter agreed to marry me?” He questioned, knitting his brows, and his father nodded his head with a wide smile on his face.

“Yes, I got a call from Abhinav and he invited us for a dinner on Tuesday night to discuss this marriage and besides that, who will reject my handsome son?” Mr Shekhawat praised, and his son rolled his eyes.

“That’s not true, the girl I love rejected me and walked away with someone else.” He said while playing with the rim of the glass.

“Son, just forget that girl and move on. I bet Meera is way more beautiful than her.” Mr Shekhawat said and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. “So when you want to meet him, Mr CEO?” Mr Shekhawat grinned.

“He can come to meet at my office tomorrow. I am free after twelve pm,” He said and Mr Shekhawat nodded his head.

“Okay, I will inform him.” Mr Shekhawat agreed and left the dining area while his son unlocked his mobile and stroked Meera’s picture with his thumb. “We are going to meet soon.”

***

Sabina was awfully quiet during the shopping and in the entire car ride back home and when they reached home, Aahil was sitting on the couch, watching television, but quickly turned it off standing on his feet when his eyes met with Sabina, he thought she might not like him getting comfortable in her house.

“Looks like Alina has bought the entire mall!” Aahil said sarcastically, looking at all the shopping bags in their hands, and came forward to take bags from Sabina’s hand.

“Where is Meera? I have brought a dress for her.” Alina asked, keeping all the bags on the glass centre table.

“She left. She was getting late.” Aahil answered and placed other bags on the centre table. They all sat down on the couches to relax, sighing in relief.

“Finally! Done with engagement and wedding shopping!” Alina closed her eyes to relax and her eyes snapped open when she heard her mother’s voice.

“Aahil do you like Kheer (Indian Sweet Dish)?” Sabina asked and Aman smirked while Aahil looked at Sabina, a bit stunned not knowing if she really asked him. “Come on, I am asking you?”

“Hmm… yes.” He replied, confused.

“Great, I am going to make kheer for us,” Sabina said as she gets up from the couch and sauntered to the kitchen.

Once she left, Aahil looked at Alina. “What happened to her, suddenly?” He asked, and she gave I don’t know look as she was too confused like him.

“Nothing, just realization hit her hard. Never mind, let’s open the bags. I have bought something special for you.” Aman said diverting the topic and started opening all the shopping bags one by one.

“How’s this looking?” Aman asked, holding his wedding sherwani (men’s wedding attire) in his hand.

“Cool bro, Blue really suits you. Are you going to wear this at your wedding?” Aahil asked and Aman nodded his head while retrieving another sherwani from the shopping bag.

“What? two similar sherwanis?” Aahil questioned, his eyes travelling from sherwani to Aman’s amusing face.

“Yup, this is for you,” Aman said and Aahil looked at him in disbelief. He stood up from the couch and took the sherwani from his hand, inspecting the price tag, and his eyes widened.

“Thirty-five hundred dollars? Are you mad? Sabina auntie already thinks that I take advantage of you and Alina, and now you just confirmed her misunderstanding,” He said and Aman rolled his eyes.

“We usually say thank you after receiving gifts.” He made a sarcastic comment and Aahil glared at him.

“Actually, mom suggested that he should buy this for you,” Alina stated, sitting leisurely on the couch, and the sherwani slipped from Aahil’s grip, looking at Alina dumbfounded.

“WHAT? Really? She asked Aman to buy this for me?” Aahil asked Alina while picking sherwani from the carpet, and Alina nodded her head.

“Are you done? It’s my money. You are my brother and I don’t need any damn permission to buy anything for you. Now go to your room and try this out. Check if there are any fitting issues.” Aman said while pushing Aahil into one of the spare rooms.

***

“What are you planning to do?” Meera’s mother asked her husband, Abhinav. “You know she loves someone else!”

“So, didn’t you love someone else before our marriage?” Abhinav asked while fixing his tie and looking in the mirror.

“But…” Meera’s mother tried to speak when he turned to face her.

“Shh,” Abhinav gestured for her to stay quiet. “I don’t recall when I gave you the right to speak. Meera is my daughter. I will take decisions for her.” He said in a deep, domineering voice.

“If you don’t want her to marry someone she likes, why don’t you just tell her? Why playing with her?” She asked.

“If you’re forgetting, I still wear branded belts that can turn you purple.” He threatened to beat her and a chill ran down her spine, looking into his cold eyes.

“Don’t try to teach me next time! And don’t open your mouth before Meera!” He said and walked past her, slamming the bedroom door shut. He briefly stopped outside Meera’s room and peeked inside through her door and watched her talking to someone on the video call. His nostrils flared in anger and he walked away quietly.

***

Aahil changed into sherwani and was looking in the mirror while brushing his hair when he got a video call from Meera. He picked it up immediately and placed it on the wooden shelf from where she can see his whole appearance. “How am I looking?” He asked her.

“Wow, you are looking handsome, but why are you wearing sherwani now? The engagement party is tomorrow, right?” Meera asked, looking confused.

“Aman bought this for me to wear at his wedding and you know what, he bought two similar sherwanis, one for himself, and one for me. He thinks so much about me.” Aahil said, getting a little emotional and Meera raised her eyebrows, smiling.

“Yeah, Aman is a great friend. We are truly lucky to have him in our life.” She agreed while removing hair strands from her face. “By the way, the blue colour really suits you!”

“Really? Then I think I should wear something blue at our wedding,” Aahil said with a wink and she blushed.

“No.. no... no, you can’t wear blue, you have to wear something in white or green because I will wear something orange. I want us to be colour coordinated.” She said while Aahil smiled, opening the buttons of the jacket.

“Aahil?” she said.

“Yes love,” He replied while removing sherwani’s jacket.

“We will get married, right?” Meera asked, and Aahil paused for a second. He picked up the mobile in his hand and looked at her on the mobile screen.

“Meera, we will get married. I won’t let you ever go. There is no meaning to my life without you.” He comforted, “Don’t worry, you know my convincing skills. I will convince your parents and besides that, your dad already wants to meet me even after knowing about my religion. We have won the half battle.”

“You are right, I am unnecessary taking tension.” Meera smiled.

“Tell me what are you wearing tomorrow?” Aahil asked to divert her mind.

“You will see!” She winked at him.

***

Present Day,

The student gulped, "Is this story going to get a happy ending? The asked the ascetic. "I don't have a good feeling!"

"The dynamics are about to change." The ascetic said and his blue eyes travelled to Heena who was deep in thoughts.

"Are you alright?" He asked and Heena snapped in his direction.

"Yeah... I was thinking about Aman. He seems to be a great friend!" She said and the figure of a man vaguely appeared in the back of her mind.