Ummm, hey? This is my first post on the forum and I absolutely decided to go big lol. I binged Gen 4 over the weekend and fell in love with Abhimaan. As a long time Mishbir fan, this fic practically wrote itself. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.
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Chapter One
“Thank you so much, Armaan,” Abir Rajvansh said as he sat in the conference room with Armaan. Mr. Rajvansh was a new client that had come Armaan's way recently. Since, the case he'd been working on for Mr. Rajvansh could be classified as pro-bono, even though was being paid a hefty fee for it, the case had not been transferred to Rohit. Armaan was glad for it, not just because winning this case had given him a sense of fulfillment he hadn't felt in a long time, but also because he was really beginning to like the Rajvanshes. The husband and wife pair were old enough to be his grandparents, but they treated him as if he was an equal.
“Agar tum nahi hote toh pata nahi unn bachchon ka kya hota,” Mishti Rajvansh added. “We're really grateful.”
“Aap mujhe sharminda kar rahi hain, Ma'am,” Armaan protested. “Yeh toh mera kaam hai. Aur main unn bachchon ki help kar paaya… Yeh mera good luck hai.”
“Mishti taareef kar rahi hai, toh lelo. Waise yeh itni easily kisise impress nahi hoti hai,” Abir laughed. “Mujhse bhi nahi hui thi.”
“Shut up, Ajeeb Rajvansh!” Mishti scolded, whacking his arm. Armaan couldn't help but chuckle watching the two of them together. The love between them was clearly visible even now, after decades of being together. Watching them, Armaan hoped that when Abhira and him were old and gray, having spent their lives together, they would still love each other like the couple before him.
All of a sudden, Armaan was hit with a deep sense of longing. Of a future with Abhira. But more so, of Abhira herself. Things had been tense between them since she'd taken up the annulment case and they hadn't spoken properly for a bit now. Unable to stop himself any longer, Armaan excused himself, dialling Abhira's number even before he was out of earshot. A couple of tries rendered useless. Abhira didn't answer the phone, and neither did she reply to the frantic message he sent her. Sulking, Armaan went back inside. He would have to wait till the evening to speak with her now, but he decided that neither of them were going to sleep without resolving the issue today.
“All good?” Mishti asked, immediately picking up on his downtrodden demeanour.
“Yes, Ma'am,” Armaan replied, putting on his press smile, the one he was very well versed in now. What he didn't realize was that he would not be able to fake it in front of them.
“Armaan, I agree ki insaan ko hamesha haste rehna chahiye lekin yeh fake smile pe tumhe thoda aur kaam karne ki zaroorat hai,” Abir said, surprising Armaan. Not many people could differentiate his camera smile. It was just Abhira and Rohit, who had been able to do so.
“Aisi… Aisi koi baat nahi hai, Sir,” Armaan protested feebly. “Woh bas main thoda…”
“Thak gaye ho,” Mishti completed for him. “Pata hai humein. Yeh saare excuses bohot puraane hain, Mr. Poddar. But sadly, humaare saamne yeh excuses nahi kaam karenge.”
“Tum humein bata sakte ho, Armaan,” Abir implored gently. “If there's anything we can do to help…”
“Aisa kuch nahi hai,” Armaan replied resolutely. “Woh bas Abhira mere…” He trailed off, realizing he'd said more than he should have.
Both Abir and Mishti lit up at that. “Ohhhhh…” Abir hummed, a teasing lilt to his voice that wasn't there before. “Toh yeh baat hai. Tumhaara aur tumhaari Abhira ka jhagda hua hai?”
Armaan sighed, giving in. He might as well talk to them, because nobody in his family would be of any help, more so given the situation they were in. “Haan… Woh maine hi thoda zyada keh diya tha bina soche-samjhe. Ab woh mera phone bhi nahi utha rahi aur mere messages ka bhi jawab nahi de rahi.”
“Toh tum usse sorry kehdo,” Mishti shrugged.
“Lekin woh baat karegi toh keh paunga na… Bina baat kiye kaise?” Armaan questioned.
“Tum usse letter mein sab likhke dedo… Ya message? Tumhaare messages ka reply nahi de rahi toh kya hua? Dekh toh legi!” Abir exclaimed.
“Maafi bas… Dil se maangna, Armaan,” Mishti told him. “Jab baat dil se ho na… Toh dil ko asaani se samajh aa jaati hai. Aur phir cheezein theek hone mein zyada waqt nahi lagta.”
Armaan nodded. “Thanks, Ma'am, Sir.”
“Thank you mat kaho, bas jaldi se uske saath suleh karlo… Aur agar aur tips chahiye, toh mujhse pooch sakte ho. Mujhe kaafi experience hai,” Abir assured, making Mishti pull a face at him.
Armaan laughed, feeling better than he had since this whole debacle started. There was something about these two that put him so at ease. But perhaps, that came with the job. Abir and Mishti Rajvansh were the founders of one of the most successful NGOs in the country. Given their line of work, it did not surprise Armaan that they had a way of making people feel at home in their presence.
After they said their goodbyes, Armaan pulled his phone out once again and drafted a new message to his wife. (She may not be his wife on paper anymore, but that was just a technicality. In his heart, she was still his wife and would always be.)
I'm sorry, Ira. Pichle kuch dinon mein kuch zyada hi tanaav aa gaya humaare beech. I understand ki tum Manish Uncle ko mana nahi kar paayi. Aur main tumhaari baat samajhta hoon… Shayad ab Rohit ka Ruhi se alag hona hi sahi hai. Aur tum wahaan rahogi, toh mujhe pata hai ki tum na Rohit ke saath bura hone dogi, na Ruhi ke saath. Ek tarah se achcha hi hai ki yeh case tumne le liya. Personal aur professional life alag rakhna thoda difficult ho raha hai, Ira… Lekin hum manage kar lenge, mujhe pata hai. Tum hamesha ki tarah sab sahi kar dogi. I trust you. I'm sorry and thank you. I love you.
Abhira read Armaan's message and put her phone aside, breathing deeply. A wide smile made its way to her face as she relaxed, falling back on her chair. Armaan wasn't angry with her. He wasn't mad at her. It made everything infinitely better now that she knew he would support her. More than anything else, what she craved was having someone in her corner. Once upon a time, that had been her mother. After she passed away, Abhira had found some support in Armaan's family members, but she knew she could never count on any of them to always be there for her. They only supported her when it suited them. Perhaps because she hadn't been able to make a place for herself in their heart. But slowly, she was starting to believe that Armaan would be there for her, even when he disagreed with her. Struck with the need to feel Armaan's arms around her, she made her way to the office immediately.
Once she was there, she called him. He picked up on the first ring. “Abhira,” he sighed. And nothing after that.
“Khadoosmaan, main bahaar tumhaara wait kar rahi hoon. Jaldi aao,” she instructed him before hanging up.
A couple of minutes later, she saw Armaan weaving through the crowd, running to her. She outstretched her arms and he rushed into them with a force that almost sent them tumbling. Finding their footing, the two of them stayed wrapped in each other's embrace for a while, not saying anything. Finally, it was Abhira who murmured, “Let's never fight again.”
“Agreed!” Armaan exclaimed immediately. “Yeh do din meri life ke sabse worst do din the. Main tumse baat kiye bina nahi reh sakta.”
“Main bhi nahi reh sakti,” Abhira agreed. Just then, her stomach grumbled, breaking the moment.
“Tumne subah se kuch khaya?” He asked her, already knowing that she hadn't. Abhira shrugged. “Iraaaaa,” Armaan scolded. “Tum kyun aisa karti ho? Chalo ab… Pehle kuch kha lete hain. Mujhe bhi bohot bhook lag rahi hai.”
Armaan guided her to a nearby cafe. As they waited for their food, Armaan & Abhira took turns to tell the other about what they'd been upto these past two days. As Armaan recounted his latest meeting with Abir and Mishti, Abhira grinned. “Awww… tumhe mujhe manane ke liye unse help leni padi? How cute, Khadoosmaan! Waise mujhe yeh Mr. Rajvansh bade smart samajh aate hain. Tum unse aur tips lelo.”
“Kya yaar, Abhira!” Armaan pouted. “Aisa kuch nahi hai. Main bhi bohot smart hoon, okay?”
“If you say so,” Abhira laughed. “But at least… Unhe phone karke thank you toh bol dete haina.”
Armaan rolled his eyes but agreed. He called Abir up and put the phone on speaker at Abhira's insistence. “Hellooooo, Armaan! Meri advice ki phir itni jaldi zaroorat pad gayi? Kya baat hai? Tumhaari Abhira maani ya nahi?” Abir greeted.
“Mr. Rajvansh,” Abhira answered. “Main maan gayi! Thank you for your help… Warna yeh stupid Khadoosmaan toh pata nahi kitne din laga deta sorry kehne mein!”
Abir let out a loud guffaw at that. “Always happy to help a pretty girl,” he promised.
“Aapko kaise pata main pretty hoon? Aapne toh mujhe dekha hi nahi hai,” Abhira protested.
“Tumhe ek raaz ki baat batau?” Abir asked.
“Bilkul,” was Abhira's prompt response.
“Iss duniya ki har ladki bohot, bohot, bohot pretty hai. Chaahe woh jaisi bhi ho,” Abir announced, making Abhira grin.
“You're absolutely right,” Abhira agreed. “Aap wakayi bohot smart ho! Aap please Armaan ko bilkul apne jaisa bana do! Meri toh life safal ho jaayegi.”
Abir laughed. “Done! But only for you!”
“You're the best, Sir,” Abhira grinned. She felt so nice talking to him. He seemed to be such a nice person. Just speaking with him felt so good. She couldn't even imagine how great it would be to meet him in person. An idea struck her at the thought and she acted on it impulsively. “Sir… Aap aaiye na dinner pe aaj humaare saath. Ab aap Armaan ko phone pe toh itne life lessons nahi de paayenge na!”
“Yes, Sir,” Armaan jumped in. “Aap aur Mishti Ma'am dono aaj dinner humaare saath kariye. Humein achcha lagega.”
“Waise idea toh bura nahi hai. Main aur Mishti bhi akele dinner karke bore ho gaye hain. Ghar pe humein aadat haina sabke saath khaane ki… We'll be there!” Abir agreed enthusiastically.
“Great!” Abhira clapped her hands. “Toh phir aaj shaam ko milenge.”
“See you then!” Saying so, Abir hung up.
“He seems like a great person,” Abhira commented.
“He is,” Armaan nodded. “Both of them are. Tum unse milogi na… Tumhe bhi bohot achcha lagega, I promise.”
Abhira grinned. She shifted her chair closer to Armaan's and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. “I can't wait!”
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