Chapter 47

2 years ago

varshaoforange

@varshaoforange

—Wednesday, February 9, 2022, 8:30PM—

“You really didn’t need to drop me back,” Imlie said, “I could have taken an auto.”

“Nonsense, if I didn’t drive you back then there was no point in me not drinking.” Shiv said, smiling at Imlie.

Imlie gasped, “Ah, I ruined your night that way too?”

Shiv looked at her quizzically, taking the second to last turn before he reached Aryan’s house, “Too? You didn’t ruin the night. Didi was so happy to see you.”

Imlie sighed, “It was great to see her too, I just…I’m not in the celebratory mood.”

Shiv nodded, but didn’t probe further. The irrational part of his brain was working on overdrive and he couldn’t stop it. He knew if he asked Imlie what was wrong, she’d share, and even if he didn’t have the right advice for her, she’d figure it out herself, and go and fix the problem with Aryan. So the irrational part of his brain told him, ‘Don’t ask Imlie anything, put it off, at least until you get your chance,’ and Shiv decided to listen to it. He pulled the car into the driveway of Rathore house, and heard Imlie click open her seatbelt. Then he heard her open the door.

“Night, thanks for the ride back, and for a fun night. Sorry, I wasn’t more fun.” Imlie smiled, and then closed the door.

Shiv opened the door and ran after her, “Wait, Imlie, I wanted to—”

“Imlie!”

Imlie looked to see who had called her, and Shiv cursed whoever it was that had stolen this chance.

Rupi walked out of her car and approached Imlie.

“Rupi Didi, what are you doing here? And why were you waiting in your car?” Imlie asked.

Rupi shook her head, “That’s not what’s important right now, I had to talk to you.” Rupi looked at Shiv and tried to figure out a reasonable way to get him to leave, nothing came to her mind.

“What’s wrong? Is everything okay at the house? Is Maa—”

Rupi interrupted, “Chaachi and everyone else is fine. It’s Aditya. Did you know he’s leaving Delhi?”

Imlie stepped back from Rupi. Shiv noticed her face looked like Rupi had slapped it.

Imlie’s voice was shaky, “Lea—leaving? Where?”

“He’s gotten a job in Mumbai.” Rupi said, “But I don’t understand how he got the job so quickly. And then, obviously, based on what he said about the lawsuit, I realized Aryan Ji must have done this.”

Shiv noticed Imlie’s face getting paler, and she stumbled further away from Rupi, but Rupi just walked closer.

“But, I’m not here to argue with you about him. I know there’s nothing going on. I don’t understand why Adi Bhai thinks there is. Just…Imlie, I know you’re happy working where you are, studying where you are, everything is working out for you. But, I know you can be happier. Just please, give Adi Bhai one more chance. He’s made mistakes, he knows that, but you two are made for each other.” Rupi took Imlie’s hands, pleading with her.

Imlie stared at Rupi Didi, speechless.

Shiv decided to intercede, he’d seen Aryan open the front door and approach the three of them, this conversation didn’t need to get even more heated.

“Ms. Tripathi, I don’t think this—” Shiv started.

Rupi whipped around to stop him, “This doesn’t concern you, Mr. Agarwal. I have no idea what you’re doing here, I’m grateful that you helped my brother, but I doubt you’re as kind as Imlie made you out to be. So please.”

Imlie finally spoke, “Rupi Didi, I think…I think you should leave. Shiv, I apologize on her behalf. I’m going to go inside.”

Rupi pulled Imlie back, preventing her from leaving, “Imlie, please. Just listen to me once. Adi Bhai doesn’t want to go to Mumbai. He doesn’t want to be away from his family. And I know that you don’t want that either. That’s why you stopped Malini from doing just that. I know you did it because you still care about Adi Bhai, you still love him. If you didn’t, why would you help him with this lawsuit? Don’t let him move, please. Please tell me you’ll stop him. You can’t give up on him. It’s not like you can spend the rest of your life alone, right?”

Imlie didn’t meet Rupi Didi’s eyes, she just pulled her hands away. She turned and ran into the house, not noticing Aryan, not saying goodbye to Shiv. She needed to get away, get away from the expectations, the accusations, the assumptions. What did it matter if she stayed alone, Imlie thought, fighting back tears. It would be better than spending her life with someone who didn’t respect her, who didn’t trust her, who didn’t actually love her—just the idea of her—wouldn’t it? Imlie ran up the stairs, ignoring Kaki Maa’s and Arpita Didi’s questions.

Rupi stood there between Shiv and Aryan, and looked to the both of them.

“I don’t know—” Rupi started.

But Aryan interrupted her, “I know Imlie considers you family, so I’m not going to cross my limits, but this is my house you’re standing in front of. You said what you wanted to say, now please leave.”

Rupi glared at Aryan, “She won’t be happy with you, Aryan. Can’t you see that?” She turned and left, getting into her car and driving away.

Aryan looked at Shiv, “Tujhe alag se invitation chahie kya? It’s time for you to leave too.” (Do you want a separate invitation?)

Shiv was more worried about Imlie than Aryan’s mood, “But Imlie—”

Aryan raised his hand, “She’ll be fine. Good night.”

Aryan headed up the stairs, after reassuring Maa and Didi that everything was fine. They didn’t seem to believe him, but he’d convinced them he’d talk to Imlie. He knocked on Imlie’s door, there was no answer. He knocked again, but again no answer. He pushed it open. He saw Imlie sitting on the window nook, her arms around her knees, head bent down, crying. He walked towards her, unsure of what to do. She was angry with him, but he couldn’t just leave.

“Imlie,” he said, softly, trying to voice an apology through just her name.

She lifted her head up to look at Aryan. Seeing him there, with that look of concern, it made her want to hug him. But what if it wasn’t concern, Imlie wondered, what if it was just pity?

“What? Do you plan to get back at me for the other night with some sasta therapy of your own?” Imlie shot back at him, “It’s going to come as a shock, but I’m not in the mood to be yelled at about my life choices, thank you.”

Aryan knelt down in front of her, taking one of her hands, “I wasn’t going to yell—”

She pulled her hand away, “Please, I heard you loud and clear before. ‘Galti hui mujhse,’” she mocked the tone he’d used, “Maaf kardiya, theek? Mujhe tumhaaree dayaa nahin chaahie. Get out.” (I made a mistake…I forgive you, okay? I don’t want your pity).

Aryan chuckled, “Yah to nainsaaphee hai, tum mujhe gyaan de sakatee ho, lekin main kuchh nahin kah sakata?” (This is unfair, you can give me lectures, but I cannot say anything?)

Imlie groaned, holding back a sob “Aryan, I’m really not in the mood. Aur, tum bhool rahe ho kee main tumase naaraaz hoon.” (You are forgetting that I am angry with you.)

Aryan nodded, smiling, “You’re right? First, you’ll have to forgive me, then we’ll worry about making you feel better—I think revenge is a great tack to take personally.”

Imlie made a face at him, she wasn’t going to fall for his once in a decade sweet act.

Aryan tugged on both his ears, “Sorry?”

Imlie crossed her arms, not saying anything.

Aryan tapped his chin, dramatically, “kya karoon? kya karoon? main gaana gaoon? naachoon? uthak baithak?” (What to do? What to do? Shall i sing a song? Shall I dance? Sit ups?) He started doing sit ups, holding his ears. He kept at it, ten, fifteen, twenty, Aryan decided he wouldn’t stop until Imlie smiled. Then he lost his footing and fell. He looked at Imlie, and she let out a laugh.

“Main jaanata tha. Tum meree takleef dekh ke hi has ne vaali thi.” Aryan said, standing up. (I knew it. You’d only laugh after seeing my pain.)

Her laugh trailed off, “That’s not true, I also laugh when you do stupid things.”

Aryan smiled, he gestured for Imlie to stand up. She didn’t know why she felt like listening to him, but she did.

“You want to see stupid?” Aryan asked, wiping away one last tear from Imlie’s face.

Imlie nodded, grinning.

Aryan sighed dramatically, “Fine. But only because you’re feeling sad, and only because you still have to forgive me.” He took out his phone and put on a song. He barely remembered the movie in which this song was from, but he remembered hearing it recently and thinking of Imlie.

Imlie’s face lit up upon hearing the starting lyrics.

(Aye masakali masakali // hey white dove)

Aryan pulled her to the bed, standing on it first, and then pulling her on it as well. Then he started dancing, he wasn’t a great dancer, but in this moment he decided to suffer through the embarrassment, just to see Imlie smile again. And she did smile, and laugh, and then started dancing as well.

The song ended and the two of them collapsed on the bed, Aryan leaned against the headboard, and Imlie next to him, pulling a pillow under her head. Aryan looked at her, and Imlie’s smile reassured him that at least for the moment, she’d forgotten what happened downstairs.

“Feeling better?” Aryan asked.

Imlie nodded, then she sat up, “Wait a second, you said you’d sing. I would like a song.”

Aryan shook his head, and got off the bed, “No, no, no. The dance was it. I’m not singing.”

Imlie exaggerated a frown, “Please?”

Aryan wasn’t going to fall for it, “Nope. Anything else, no singing.”

Imlie smiled, “Anything?”

Aryan looked at her, “What? What do you want now?”

“Mere saath film dekhoge?” Imlie asked (Will you watch a movie with me?)

Aryan relaxed, just a movie, he could do that. It wasn’t even nine yet. “Fine. What movie?”

Imlie looked at him as if he’d just asked her the dumbest question ever, “You don’t know me at all, do you? DDLJ!”

Aryan shook his head, biting back a smile, “You and your SRK obsession. It’s a sickness, Imlie.”

Imlie laughed, “The best kind of sickness. You’re in for a treat, by the way.”

Aryan raised an eyebrow, “I may be a bore, but I have seen DDLJ before.”

Imlie shook her head, grinning, “You haven’t seen it with me before, my dramatic commentary is going to make it the best experience of your life.”

Aryan put his head in his hand, hiding his laughter, he looked at her again, “I’ll find it on the TV, but shouldn’t you change? Or are you going to watch a three-hour movie in that pantsuit?”

Imlie looked down at her clothes and then at Aryan’s, “You haven’t changed either?”

Aryan looked down at his suit, “You’re right. I’ll change, and get the movie.”

Imlie jumped dramatically off the bed. Aryan stood transfixed, more by the fact that he could smell her shampoo or perfume again than by her ridiculous jump. Imlie walked over to the dresser, then she turned to Aryan. He just stood there.

Imlie raised an eyebrow, “Are you going to keep standing there while I change, or what?”

Aryan snapped out of it, his ears reddening, “I’m going, I’m going. Jungli kahin ki.”

Imlie skipped downstairs to the family room, it was smaller than the main living room in the house, but it had a giant television, one that Imlie loved to use to watch old clips of famous news anchors and tv journalists when she had time, but of course she mainly used it to watch her favorite SRK movies. Aryan was cueing up the movie and Imlie couldn’t help but stare. She could imagine him a decade from now, a few gray hairs on his head, trying to put on a movie for his kids as they fought for his attention and pulled at him. If Imlie was able to convince him to watch a movie he probably didn’t like, he’d be a total goner for his kids. Then she realized she’d put herself in her daydream and pushed that insane thought out of her head.

Aryan turned to Imlie, “Ready?” he asked.

Imlie smiled, taking a seat on the couch, “For SRK? Always.”

Aryan shook his head slightly and started the movie. He tried to sit as far away from Imlie as possible so that flower scent wouldn’t draw him too close, but it was no use. Less than a minute into the movie his eyes were on Imlie, her smile illuminated by the light of the television.

Amrish Puri was delivering his final lines, (Jaa Simran, jaa jee le apni zindagi! // Go Simian, go live your life!!) and Aryan looked to Imlie, she hadn’t delivered her commentary in around twenty minutes, “I forgot how dramatic this scene was…” Aryan trailed off as his eyes fell on Imlie. She was asleep, curled up with her head on the armrest. He smiled to himself, turning off the TV. ‘Jungli kahin ki,’ he thought, ‘badi aayi philm dekhne, khatm hone se pahale hee so gayee.’ (Jungli…she came to watch a film, and fell asleep before it was over.) He looked for a blanket with the light of his phone and draped it over her. He’d wake her up, or carry her to her room in a bit, she seemed too at peace to disturb. He pushed a few strands of hair that covered her face behind her ear.

“Jab tum jaag rahi hoti, to main tujhe bata nahin sakta. Main nahin keh sakta, jab tum mujhe woh teri badee, khoobsurat aankhon se dekh rahi hoti. Lekin, mujhe kabhi to batana padega na? Ki main tumse paagalon ke tara pyaar karta hun?” (When you’re awake, I can’t seem to tell you this. I can’t say it when you’re looking at me with your big beautiful eyes. But, I have to say it at some point, right? That I love you like crazy?)

Aryan wished he had the courage to tell Imlie this. He wished he’d had the brains to stop denying it for so long. He pulled the blanket further over Imlie, making sure to cover her shoulders and feet. He’d tell her soon, he’d do it. No matter what her answer was, no matter what it meant for them.