Chapter 51
Fifty-One
HARSH
There was a crowd gathering, whispers getting louder as a few braver souls called out to him asking for autographs or selfies. Harsh ignored them all, his gaze on the entrance to the community, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest.
And then he saw them walking out together. Ram had one arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders and was talking furiously. Raashi’s head was bent but the minute she stepped out of the community gates, it snapped up, her eyes lasering into his.
And then she was running, full tilt, shoving her way through the crowd gawking at him, her gaze unwavering and focused only on him. He opened his arms out for her and she threw herself into his chest, her hands clutching at him like he was the only brand of oxygen her starving lungs required.
He wrapped his arms around her and held on tight. “I’ve got you,” he whispered. “I’ve got you.”
A small, strangled sob escaped her as she clung to him, burrowing into his chest like a puppy looking for warmth.
“Let’s go home Chinna.” Ram’s voice cut through the moment. “The crowd is getting restless.”
They got into the cars and peeled out before crowd control became an issue. The silence in the car was easy, the mood jubilant. They’d got exactly what they wanted from Anant. Ram would take it from here.
Harsh held onto Raashi’s hand, not letting go for a second.
They arrived back at Kodela House to find it lit up like it was Diwali. Agastya paced in front of the main door with the two fathers seated on the couches in the living room. Veda came running from inside at the sound of the cars and flew down the stairs to the driveway.
“All went well?” she asked anxiously.
Raashi nodded, reaching to hug her sister but coming up short when she realised Harsh wasn’t letting go of her. He didn’t bother with anything but a subtle tightening of his fingers around hers.
She smiled, the smallest, sweetest smile he’d ever seen on her face. But before either of them could say anything, they were swept into the chatter and debriefing the fathers demanded of the evening.
Raashi’s father pulled her aside, gripping her hand with his. Harsh only allowed hand gripping of one hand. He was firmly attached to the other one.
“I,” Chaitanya Gadde cleared his throat. “Wanted to apologise.”
“Nanna.” Raashi shook her head. “I am the one who is sorry. I betrayed your trust. I should have never allowed him to manipulate me the way he did. I failed miserably at making the right choices.”
“You were a child Raashi,” her father replied gently. “Like you said at the dining table, if anyone failed, it’s the adults who were meant to be taking care of you. I’m sorry.”
Raashi gave him a one-armed hug, a look of peace on her face. “I’m sorry too.”
“And Raashi, when you’ve had some time to settle down, bring your business plan to me. I would like to discuss it further. Maybe we could even talk about funding.”
She beamed, looking like she’d swallowed the sun. “Thank you, Nanna.”
They watched her father walk away, looking like someone had taken a massive weight off his shoulders.
“What’s this business plan about?” Harsh asked, pulling her back against his chest and holding her close. Staying away from her was proving to be physically impossible.
“Initially it was a program which focused on women in STEM, helping them procure funding and grants for their research projects. But now,” she turned in his arms, cupping his cheeks with her palms. “I’d like to start a school that works with children with learning disabilities, identifying and tailoring programs that help them integrate into mainstream education.”
He'd often wondered what it would be like for someone to see him, to truly see him and tonight, looking into Raashi’s tired, red rimmed eyes, he knew.
“So, do you see a future in Hyderabad now?” He needed to know. He was desperate to know.
“I’ve always seen a future in Hyderabad.”
“Do you see a future with me?” It had to be the weirdest question in the world for a husband to ask his wife, but they were the weirdest couple he’d ever known. And yet, somehow, their coupling seemed to work.
“Do you?” She lobbed the question right back at him, her serious eyes trained on him.
He nodded. “More than ever.”
“It didn’t seem like it. Not before.” She cocked her head to one side, quizzically. “You didn’t like me defending you to your father. Was it what I said or was it whom I was saying it to?”
“That’s not –“
“I’ll never stop fighting the world for you, Harsh, even after this marriage ends. And you can’t make me. Because I will spend eternity fighting everyone for you, even if it means fighting you to do so.”
“Raashi?”
She tipped her chin up, wary eyes watching him like he was the Big Bad Wolf.
“Shut up,” he said mildly.
“You shut up,” she fired back.
“As intellectually stimulating and refreshingly mature as this conversation is,” Veda said dryly from behind them. “We’re waiting for you guys to join us in the living room.”
Harsh’s arms tightened around Raashi before he forced himself to let go. “There are too many people in this house,” he grumbled. “Let’s move out.”
Raashi giggled. “We just got off their shit list. Let’s not launch ourselves back to the top of it.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Veda said airily, ignoring Harsh’s pointed glare. “You guys obliterated that list.” When neither of them answered, she tipped her head towards the crowd in the living room. “So, coming?”
With a muttered curse, Harsh followed Raashi back into the living room.