Something very like panic sent chilling tentacles through Armaan's spine as he hung up the phone call.
He had made a mistake, a serious mistake, by leaving Janani. He should have listened to his heart and simply cancelled the trip
Now he had to pray that he had sufficient time and the opportunity to put it right. And if he didn’t?
Good lord, that option could not even be considered!
***
Janani walked down the steps of the mandir after spending an hour there with her family doing some pre wedding poojas
She had gone over to find some peace and had terribly failed as her mind kept going back to what she had come to know yesterday
She stopped on the stairs as she saw Armaan get down from the car.
"Heyy. Isn't that Armaan?? " Richa asked
"He was supposed to return next week. He is a stickler for schedules" Janani said confused
"Seems like you bridegroom missed you more than you know as he is here now" he mother said teasingly
Sheathed in a dark business suit teamed with a white shirt and silvery tie, he looked both formal and formidable. His lean, handsome face was taut, the line of his beautiful mouth forbidding. A jolt of dismay ran through Janani and quite instinctively she found herself wondering if she had done something wrong.
Ava flew down the stairs without heeding to any warnings and launched herself into her dada's arms
As they reached down the stairs his dark chocolate eyes immediately sought hers as though he was looking for something and then he quickly turned his attention on to the other family members.
To a backdrop of Advi's squeals of excitement and loud vocal appeals to be noticed, Armaan responded smoothly and pleasantly to her family's greetings before taking a swaying Advi from Aditya
"Hush" he said softly to his son while ruffling his hair. "You can’t always be the centre of attention."
"Well, when he isn’t he likes to let us know he doesn’t like it!" her father quipped cheerfully. "He’s a terrific little scene stealer."
"Let me take him" Janani's mother urged, holding out her arms. "You and Janani should have some time together in peace.We have a little more shopping to do too"
Advi complained loudly at the transfer, demanded Janani with pleading arms and then sobbed.
"It's okay ma. Give him to me" Janani said raising her arms to pick up a crying Advi but Armaan caught hold of her arms before she could reach Advi
"No!! Let him go with your parents. We need to talk" Armaan said
All her nervous antennae were telling her that something was badly wrong. His long, lean, powerful body was incredibly tense, his movements less fluid than usual and his lean, strong face taut with tension
Oh, my goodness, she thought in sudden fear. Maybe he had returned early because he had changed his mind about marrying her!
It was a nightmare scenario with the wedding guests all invited and preparations almost done, but it was perfectly possible that he had got cold feet and come back early to tell her.
After all he was a commitment phobe
Armaan shot another veiled glance at Janani
She was pale and there were shadows below her beautiful eyes and he could see that she looked nothing like a happy bride on the brink of her wedding. Inwardly he cursed himself again and he reached for her hand.
"We have a visit to make." He said in a roughened undertone
Her brow furrowed as he deftly walked her away from the others to his car "A visit?"
"I believe you had tea with Shreya yesterday –"
"My goodness, the grapevine around here is positively supersonic!" Janani countered while she thought fast.
"I like to keep an eye on events when I’m unable to be present in person" Armaan assured her with a perfectly straight face.
"Controlling...much?" she muttered under her breath
"What did you think about Shreya??" Armaan asked
"We don't have much in common" Janani said mildly
"She was a bitch to you, wasn’t she?" Armaan growled as they reached the guest house
He closed his hand firmly round hers and urged her on towards the cottage.
"Why are we going to see Shreya" she prompted uncomprehendingly. "I admit she wasn’t the kindest hostess but I have nothing more to say to her."
"But I have plenty to say" Armaan incised, banging on the door with his fist.
Shreya opened the door little more than three seconds later.
"Armaan" Shreya greeted him stiffly
"Shreya" he grated, moving past her to stare in shock at the array of photographs and paintings decorating the cottage living room. "What is all this?" he breathed.
"Well, you should know. After all she is your daughter's mother" Shreya said archly
"I know who she is. And that's not the answer to my question"
Only moments into their visit Janani was already feeling better, for she could already see that Armaan had had no part in creating the shrine in the room to his ex lover. That, it seemed, had been solely Shreya's doing.
Shreya was breathing heavily
"I want to know what she told you yesterday" Armaan asked Janani
"She talked about her sister."
"And what did you tell about your sister,Shreya?? With the look of the shrine you have created in here I can make a lucky guess as to what you might have fed into Janani's brain" Armaan said in a cold tone
"You were going to give her my sister's place and you think I would simply stand by and watch it happen??" Shreya asked ,her voice rising
"I have been bearing with your tantrums for so long Shreya. And I did that only out of respect for Ishana. I won't tolerate this anymore" Armaan roared
"Respect?? What kind of respect did you have for her? You abandoned her when she needed you the most" Shreya scoffed
"I didn't abandon her. I never knew she was pregnant. And I would have been there for her had I known about her pregnancy" Armaan declared truthfully
"Are you telling me you would have married her Armaan Verma??" Shreya let out a humorless laugh as her eyes brimmed with tears "She asked you to marry her. Begged you to marry her. Didn't she??"
Armaan sucked in a breath as the familiar guilt assailed him remembering his last meet with Ishana
"Will you marry me Armaan?? Will you?? " Ishana asked and Armaan stared at her in disbelief
Marriage?? Where had it come from now??
"You know I'm not into commitments Ishana. I was very clear from the beginning. I never made any promises." Armaan said irritated at having to have the most hated conversation in the world
How do they all end up with this when they have a totally different outlook when a relationship is started
"Things change. Doesn't it Armaan??" Ishana pleaded
"Nothing has changed for me Ishana. I find you attractive and that is no reason for a life long commitment. What I can offer you is a temporary affair. I have already told you that"
"Then I can't see you anymore Armaan. Because there is someone I love more than I love you" Ishana said sadly and raised on her toes and pressed a light kiss on his cheeks
"Good-bye Armaan" with that she walked out of his life and he hadn't heard anything about her until few months back a legal attorney contacted him regarding her will
"That's what I thought" Shreya said with scorn as she saw him going silent at her question
Armaan took a deep breath
"I won't lie to you Shreya. I wouldn't have married her even if I had known about her pregnancy" Armaan stopped as he saw the disapproving look Janani threw him at that statement and sighed
"She would have been miserable if she had married me Shreya. I never believed in commitments and we would only have ended up hating and hurting each other.And it would only have spoiled our daughter's life" Armaan said
"Yet you are marrying now. You gave my sister's place to her in Ava's life. I can never accept that. My sister loved her baby. Everything she did was for her baby. My parents asked her to abort the baby if she wants them to accept her back. She denied. She denied her own parents to give birth to her baby. And how easily you replaced her." Shreya broke down as she recalled the past
Janani could only sympathise with the woman in front of her
If she could mourn the loss of a sister who did everything in her power to destroy Janani. She could only imagine the pain Shreya had gone through losing a sister whom she grew up with and who loved her in return
"I would never take your sister's place in Ava's life Shreya. Ava would always remember your sister. That's a promise" Janani said as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder
"Now you would say that. Will you love Ava as much as you love your own son. You will feel burdened with Ava when you have more kids" Shreya said through her tears
"If someday I have my own children, it wouldn't change anything for Ava and Advi. They will always be my children. It doesn't matter that I didn't give birth to them" Janani said and Shreya looked up at her in surprise
"Advi is not your son??" Shreya asked
"Advi is my twin's baby. Like you, I too lost my sister recently. So I can understand how you feel. Or may be I can't. I have only know her for a couple of years and we were never that close." Janani said ruefully
"Akka loved Ava so much. She worked hard to give her a home. She neglected her own health working hard to provide for Ava. She was working herself to death when Ava's rich father was out there enjoying his life. That's why I hate him so much" Shreya said and Janani flinched at the hate she could sense in those words and looked up to see Armaan looking at them with an expressionless face
"It broke my heart when I heard Ava calling you momma.I couldn't bear it." Shreya admitted
"I know you are worried for Ava. I promise you I would love her till I take my last breath. About what happens when I have my own kids, if it gives you peace, we will decide against having more children" Janani said
"What the??" Armaan uttered in total bewilderment
"You would do that??" Shreya asked shocked. She never expected that. She know Janani loves Ava. But she hadn't known the depth of love and devotion Janani felt for Ava
Maybe she was wrong in trying to separate Janani from Ava
Ava already lost a mother. How can she claim to love her neice and still try to snatch away another chance at happiness and security of a mother's love in her life
"I... I'm sorry" Shreya gulped as a sob rose up into her throat
"What the hell" all three looked towards the doorway to see Aadesh standing there looking at the photos and paintings in horror
Shreya paled as she saw the furious look on his face
"This why you needed the key to this place. You f*cking lied and I believed you" Aadesh said angrily
"I.. I" she couldn't form words
"I never thought you were so evil Shreya.I always thought it's your pain that is talking. I didn't even imagine you were capable of doing something like this. You called bhabhi here for tea expecting what?? That you would create misunderstandings and break off their wedding. For your twisted revenge??"
"Aadesh please.. "
"No.. Do not utter a word. I'm done. I tried being a shoulder for you to cry. I tried to take away your pain. I don't care anymore.You wanted to ruin my brother's happiness.I can't forgive you for that" Aadesh said and turned on his heels to walk away when Shreya caught his hands
"Please don't go" Shreya whispered tears running down her cheeks
"Let go Shreya" Aadesh said with a straight face
"Please" Shreya pleaded
"Aadesh. Everyone deserves a second chance. If not for her, do it for your own happiness. Talk it out with her. It was me she tried to hurt. And I understand why she did it. If I'm ready to forgive her, you shouldn't hold it against her.Do you think your brother would be at peace if you decide to sacrifice you happiness for your loyalty to him? We will leave you two to talk" with that Janani took hold of Armaan's hands and walked out of the guest house
It's about time he talked about his past