Chapter 9

In the evening, Hridhaan came home and saw his friends and his mother already sitting in the living room and laughing at some joke cracked by Nishant. He happily went to them and sat beside his mother leaning his head on her shoulder and closing his eyes with a little tiring smile.

“Tired?”, Mihika asked caressing his hair and he just gave a small tired smile.

“Of course he would be tired aunty. Every day he would go to the orphanage for lunch and then he would come back to the office. And all this, just for his first Love”, Nishant said and at last winked at Hridhaan teasing him.

“Oh god, every day you go to the orphanage for having lunch? How is she? And when are you bringing her home? I also want to meet her.”, Mihika asked all excited and Hridhaan only smile at her excitement.

“Mom, first let her trust me and get close to me then inly I can get her home. You really get too much excited sometimes.”, Hridhaan said with a chuckle and Mihika twitched her lips into a sad smile.

“This you will know when you will become parent. Your friends are already having children and here you are still unmarried. Uff, when I will also have those days in my life when I will be able to play with my grand-children and grand-grand-children.”, Mihika said over-dramatically and Hridhaan could only sigh in disbelief.

“Oh god aunty, let him first get close to the mother of his child. Then only he would have children, right Hridhaan?”, Nishant asked winking and Hridhaan throw a pillow on him.

“You know what Nishant, today you are not getting any food in my house. And Aditi if tonight you will give food to him at your house, then I won’t come to your birthday party.”, Hridhaan first said pointing his finger at Nishant and then warned Aditi.

“Don’t worry Hridhaan. I will also see how he gets food tonight.”, Aditi said smirking at her husband and Nishant only looked at both of them in horror.

“By the way, where is Rudra and Mishit?”, Hridhaan asked looking around but couldn’t find them.

“They are playing in the garden outside.”, Ananya said and Hridhaan nodded in understanding.

He then excused himself and went upstairs to get fresh and to change into casuals. He came down and saw everyone already settled in dining area for the dinner.

“I told you that you are not having dinner today, right?”, Hridhaan asked Nishant with devilish smirk and brows raised.

“Please forgive me, bro. I won’t joke with you after today but don’t take away my food from me.”, Nishant said dramatically and everyone nodded their head in disbelief at useless banter going on.

“Chachu (uncle), mumma was telling me that you are getting chachi (aunty) for me?”, Mishit who was sitting on left side of Hridhaan asked him innocently and Kritika immediately palm her face to save herself from Hridhaan’s glares.

Hridhaan who was happily having his food, choked at Mishit’s words and then glare hard at kritika.

“Your mother has gone mad, baby. She needs to be admitted into a mental asylum.”, Hridhaan said with greeted teeth and a forced smile towards Kritika who smiled back at him nervously.

Others just chuckled and mishit pout in confusion. After dinner all were sitting in living room talking while Mihika had already left for her room bidding good night and both Rudra and Mishit were already asleep, so they were also made sleep in their rooms and now only youngers were sitting.

“Hridhaan, even Aavya is coming to the party, right?”, Aditi asked jumping on her place and Nishant immediately glared her for being careless in her pregnant condition.

“I am sorry Aditi. I asked her but still she does not trust me enough to come with me.”, Hridhaan said with a small sad smile recalling his and Aavya’s conversation in the afternoon.

“yes but Hridhaan at least we can go there to meet her right? You know ever since you told us about her, I am very excited to see her.”, Ananya asked excitedly and even others agreed to her.

“No Ananya, not now. Let her at least adjust with me first then I will surely make you guys also meet her.”, Hridhaan said and everyone nodded in understanding.

“But Hridhaan please ask her once again…I and baby both wants to meet her.”, Aditi asked pouting and Hridhaan smiled back before replying, “I will ask her tomorrow again, happy??”

Everyone talked for random topics for a while before bidding bye and leaving for their respective places.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next morning:

Hridhaan woke up at six in the morning and left for his regular jogging. At around eight he came back and after having his juice he went to get ready. After getting ready and having breakfast, he left for Mehra industries…

In the afternoon he came to the orphanage and had lunch with all the girls. This time even Aavya sat with them to have lunch and Hridhaan’s happiness had no boundaries.

After lunch, they were sitting in the garden when Aavya initiate the conversation, much to Hridhaan’s surprise.

“Don’t you have to go to your office?”, Aavya asked looking at the little girl playing.

“Why? Don’t you want me to be here?”, Hridhaan asked humorously.

Aavya looked at him blankly before turning her gaze back to little girls making him sigh audibly.

“By the way, I know I have already asked you but can you come to my friend’s wife’s birthday party?”, Hridhaan asked immediately diverting the topic, while Aavya once again looked at him without any emotions on her face.

“Actually yesterday she asked me that whether you are going for her birthday party or not. And when I said that you are not going, then she become sad. My all friends wants to meet you and Aditi, I mean the one whose birthday it is, she is pregnant and I didn’t feel like making her sad. So I said I will ask you again. So—now will you come for the birthday party?”, Hridhaan said, hoping that at least now Aavya agree to come with him.

Aavya looked at his face for finding any dishonesty but find only truth and then she recalled Mother Michiel’s words who asked her to trust him, just for once.

“Ok, I will come.”, Aavya said with a nod and passed a small smile to Advaith who first widen his eyes in shock and then slowly a huge smile made its way on his lips.

“Oh my god, thank you so much for trusting me Aavya. You don’t know how much Aditi and my other friends will be happy to know that you are also coming to the party.”, Hridhaan said happily as he unintentionally took hold of her both hands in his’.

Aavya looked at him with wide eyes before looking down at their entangled hand, which even Hridhaan noticed and he immediately left her hand saying, “I am sorry. I just excited with the thought of introducing you to my friends.”

“I am not trusting you. I just don’t want to break your friend’s wife’s heart as it is her birthday and then she is pregnant as well “, Aavya said sternly, too stubborn to let him cross the walls she created around her heart since the year.

Though Hridhaan got sad after listening her, but again somewhere he knew that may be he is the only reason why she agreed to come to the party and he was happy with this baby steps in their growing relation.

“So, her birthday is day after tomorrow. I will come to pick you up at seven in evening. is it ok with you??, Hridhaan asked, concerned more about her convenience.

“Ok. I will be ready by Seven o’clock.”, Aavya said with a small nod and Hridhaan had no limits to his happiness.

“By the way, how is your leg now?”, Hridhaan asked pointing at her leg where she had got hurt with glass the previous day.

“It is healing, slowly!”, Though Aavya said in the context of her wound, but Hridhaan felt as if she is talking about those wounds in her heart.

Hridhaan looked at his watch and realized he has a meeting to attend so asking her to take proper care of herself, he bid her adieu and went to the office. while Aavya kept looking at his retreating figure and unknown to herself, her lips slowly curved into a small smile.

In the evening, as it was Friday night, it was their rule to practice music and so everyone were at Ananya’s place for some jamming.

After an hour of practice, everyone sat on the floor all tired and butler entered the room with glasses of beer bottles.

“Well I have a good news for you, soon-to-be-mumma.”, Hridhaan said to Aditi, taking a sip of alcohol and all looked at him to continue.

“Wait, let me guess! Is Aavya coming to the party?”, Kritika asked and everyone looked at Hridhaan excitedly.

Hridhaan smiled widely before bobbing his head in ‘Yes’ making girls to squael in happiness and boys to smile warmly.

“Oh My God, like finally we are meeting otherwise you didn’t even show us her photo.”, Ananya said with a sigh and Hridhaan chuckled st her excitement before saying, “I am sure you guys will love her.She is just delicate and fragile an beautiful like a doll.

“Oh Man!!!!you are completely wiped”, Mishkat teased Hridhaan while winking at him, who blushed a little and everyone hooted loudly.