Chapter 12
The car came to a quiet halt in the driveway as they returned from their late-night drive. Naina stepped out of the car, still lost, her mind replaying every touch, every whisper, every heated kiss.
Ruhaan noticed her distraction and couldn’t help but smile. As they walked towards the main door, he couldn’t resist pulling her to him one last time. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he leaned in.
“That was the best moment of my life so far,” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.
Naina rolled her eyes, trying to mask the flutter in her chest.
“You don’t have to lie, Ruhaan. You’ve had more… intense experiences with your other so-called girlfriends. I doubt what little we had between us tonight could be your best moment.”
His grip on her tightened slightly, and he looked deep into her eyes.
“I don’t have to lie to you. Why would you even think that? What happened tonight was special, different and real.”
She reached up, placing a gentle hand on his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat beneath her fingers.
“That’s all I want,” she said softly, “for you to never lie to me. Even if what we have is casual, trust is important.”
Their moment was abruptly interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching from inside the house.
Naina quickly pulled away from Ruhaan’s embrace, her heart racing as they both turned towards the source of the noise.
But it was too late. Standing in the doorway was Kaushalya.
The shock on her face was quickly replaced by a look of fury as she took in the sight of them together, dressed for a night out at such an odd hour.
Naina didn’t know how to explain the situation, nor did she want to. Without a word, she quickly walked past Kaushalya, avoiding eye contact, and disappeared inside the house.
Ruhaan watched her go, then turned back to his mother, bracing himself for the confrontation he knew was coming. But instead of addressing her anger immediately, he walked up to Kaushalya and pulled her into a hug, trying to defuse the tension.
“Why are you still awake, Mom?” he asked, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Kaushalya stiffened in his embrace and pulled away, her eyes narrowing as she demanded, “What were you doing with Naina at this hour?”
He sighed inwardly, knowing his mother would never understand the complicated relationship between him and Naina. She had always been against him having any contact with Naina after their broken engagement, and now, seeing them together, her disapproval was palpable.
He met her gaze steadily though. “We were out, Mom. Naina needed to get some medicine because she had a headache, and I didn’t want her to go alone, so I drove her.”
Kaushalya’s eyes narrowed further, clearly unconvinced by his explanation. “At this hour? In the middle of the night?”
“It was important. I told you I couldn’t let her go by herself.”
But Kaushalya wasn’t buying it. Ruhaan, sensing that the conversation could quickly escalate, decided to cut it short.
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “We’ll talk tomorrow, Mom. I’m exhausted and need to get some sleep.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed towards his bedroom, leaving Kaushalya standing in the doorway, her suspicion and anger simmering beneath the surface.
She watched him go, her mind racing with questions and doubts about what was really going on between her son and Naina.
She had never approved of Naina’s presence in their lives, viewing her as a potential threat to their family’s stability.
Seeing her son with Naina at this late hour, clearly having been out together, confirmed her worst fears.
She made a silent vow to put an end to whatever was developing between her son and Naina, convinced that she was protecting him from making a grave mistake.
****************
The next morning, Naina was in the kitchen, standing by the stove, lost in the memories of the previous night—the late-night drive, the heated kisses, the feel of Ruhaan’s hands on her skin. She could still feel the warmth of his touch lingering, and despite herself, a blush crept up her cheeks.
Just then, Suman walked into the kitchen, catching sight of her distant, dreamy expression.
“What’s going on with you?” she asked as she approached Naina. “You look like you’re blushing over something... or someone.”
Naina quickly snapped out of her thoughts, her cheeks flushing even more. “What? No, nothing’s going on between us,” she stammered, trying to sound casual. “You’re overthinking, Suman.”
Suman’s smile widened as she let out a small laugh. “I never mentioned anyone specific, Naina. But since you brought it up, is Ruhaan the reason for this cute blush of yours this morning?”
Naina quickly turned away, pretending to focus on the tea. “Stop it!” she protested, giving Suman a gentle push, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Suman, however, wasn’t one to let go so easily. “So, did anything happen between you two?” she pressed, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.
But Naina tried to evade the question. “Nothing happened. You’re just imagining things.”
Suman was about to tease her further when Kaushalya walked into the kitchen, pressing her temple as if trying to ward off a headache. Her expression was pinched, and her mood seemed as stormy as the weather outside.
“Suman,” she said, her voice laced with irritation, “I have a terrible headache. Could you make me some strong tea with ginger, if possible?”
Suman nodded, offering a sympathetic smile. “Of course, Aunty. But you know what? Naina makes the best ginger tea. She’s an expert at it. Once you have it, your headache will be gone in no time.”
Kaushalya’s eyes flicked to Naina, her expression hardening slightly.
It was clear that the older woman wasn’t exactly thrilled to have Naina making her tea, especially after what she had witnessed the previous night.
But before she could say anything, Suman’s daughter called out from the living room, and she excused herself, leaving Naina and Kaushalya alone in the kitchen.
Naina continued to prepare the tea, adding the ginger, feeling the older woman’s gaze on her, heavy with judgment.
Finally, Kaushalya broke the silence.
“If you knew how to make the best ginger tea for curing headaches, why didn’t you make some for yourself last night? Why bother Ruhaan to take you out to the medical store?”
Naina stilled, realizing Ruhaan must have fabricated that story to explain why they were out so late. She hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully.
“I didn’t ask Ruhaan to come along,” she replied evenly. “He offered his help, and I didn’t see a reason to refuse.”
Kaushalya’s frown deepened.
“Aunty,” Naina continued, keeping her tone respectful but firm, “I understand your concerns, but Ruhaan is an adult. He’s capable of making his own decisions. Maybe it’s time to let him choose what he wants, without interference.”
Kaushalya’s eyes flashed with anger.
“And what about you, Naina?” she shot back with bitterness. “If your son, Neil, decides to make his own decisions someday, especially the wrong ones, will you just step back and let him? It’s easy to say these things, but much harder to live by them.”
The words were a reminder for Naina of the challenges Kaushalya faced as a mother. But she knew that this wasn’t just about parenting. It was about Kaushalya’s fear of losing control, of seeing her son make choices that she didn’t approve of.
Before Naina could respond, Kaushalya turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen. Naina watched her go, with empathy. She understood Kaushalya’s protectiveness, but she also knew that Ruhaan needed the freedom to live his life on his terms.
***************
A while later, Ruhaan noticed his mother sitting on the couch, sipping ginger tea and pressing her temples. He had come to know from Suman that the tea had been made by Naina to cure his mother’s headache. Seeing his mother in discomfort, he immediately went to her and sat down beside her.
“Mom, can I massage your head?” he offered.
Kaushalya shook her head as a scowl deepened on her face. “No. You’ve done enough. This headache is all because of you,” she snapped.
His brows furrowed, knowing where this was headed. “Mom, you know I never want to upset you. What’s really bothering you?”
But Kaushalya wasn’t in the mood to be placated.
“You always bother me by going against my wishes,” she blurted out, her voice rising slightly.
“You know how much it upsets me when you spend time with Naina, yet you do nothing to distance yourself from her. Everywhere I look, you’re with her.
I really wish I hadn’t coaxed you into coming here for this event.
If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have met her again, and all of this could have been avoided. ”
Ruhaan was annoyed but bit back a retort. He knew that arguing would only worsen his mother’s headache, and part of him understood that her concerns stemmed from a place of care, albeit misguided.
Before he could find the right words to respond, they were interrupted by a small, cheerful voice. Neil had wandered into the room and immediately sensed the tension between Ruhaan and Kaushalya. Seeing Kaushalya scolding Ruhaan, the little boy decided to step in.
“Daadi, are you upset?” Neil asked, his innocent eyes wide with concern.
Kaushalya’s anger seemed to flare even more at being called ‘Daadi.’ She turned to Neil with a stern face.
“Don’t call me Daadi. I am not your Daadi.”
Neil looked momentarily confused, then nodded with a smile. “Okay, Daadi,” he repeated, still using the title.
Ruhaan struggled to contain his laughter as he watched the interaction, finding the situation endearing. Neil, undeterred by Kaushalya’s harsh tone, took a few steps closer and looked up at her.
“I know the best way to make you feel better,” he declared with the confidence only a child could have.
“Oh, really?” Kaushalya rolled her eyes barely containing her irritation.
Neil stepped forward and planted a sweet kiss on her cheek. Kaushalya’s eyes widened in surprise as a brief flicker of softness crossed her face, but it was quickly replaced by horror as she realized what had just happened. Ruhaan too was caught off guard.
Neil smiled up at her, clearly proud of himself.
“Are you feeling better now?” Neil asked.
“How could your mother teach you such nonsense? Kissing someone to make them feel better?” she scolded.
Neil, still innocent in his understanding, shook his head. “It wasn’t Mom who taught me. It was Ruhaan,” he said matter-of-factly.
Ruhaan laughed heartily as Kaushalya turned around and glared at him.
“Ruhaan!” she exclaimed, scandalized that her own son was teaching such things to others.
Unable to hold back any longer, even Neil joined in, the two of them giving each other a triumphant high-five. But Kaushalya was far from amused.
“Stay away from Ruhaan!” she ordered Neil sharply. Her voice was stern enough to send the boy scampering out of the room in fear.
Ruhaan’s laughter immediately died down as he watched Neil run off, his heart sinking at the sight of the boy’s fear. Anger simmered as he turned to Kaushalya again.
“How could you scare him like that, Mom? He’s just a kid.”
She didn’t back down. “I don’t like him getting close to you, that’s why,” she retorted.
“What’s the problem? Neil is such a sweet boy. Why would you want to push him away?”
Her eyes flashed with pain, regret, and anger, all mixed together.
“Don’t forget, Ruhaan,” she said coldly, “that this boy is the reason Naina isn’t in your life today. She chose him over you. If it weren’t for him, you and Naina would have been married by now, raising your own children.”
Ruhaan clenched his fists at his sides. He had heard this argument before, but it still stung every time.
“That’s enough, Mom,” he said. “If Naina made that choice, then so did I. I wasn’t ready to be a father then. We both broke off the engagement because we weren’t ready, and you didn’t want me to take on the responsibility of raising a child that wasn’t mine.”
Kaushalya looked taken aback by his harsh tone, but Ruhaan pressed on, determined to make his point.
“And you know what? Maybe that’s why you’ve never been blessed with grandchildren.
Because you can’t see past your own prejudices and accept what’s in front of you.
Neil is a wonderful kid, and he deserves better than the way you’re treating him. ”
With those final words, Ruhaan turned on his heel and left the room, his heart heavy with frustration and anger. He needed to find Neil, to comfort the boy and assure him that he hadn’t done anything wrong.
As Ruhaan walked away, Kaushalya sat in stunned silence.
She had always prided herself on being a good mother, on wanting the best for her son.
But now, for the first time, she began to question whether her actions had truly been in Ruhaan’s best interests, or if they had only served to push him further away.
****************
As Ruhaan searched for Neil, he felt guilty for bringing up his sister’s inability to conceive, knowing it was a sensitive topic for his mother. But at the same time, he couldn’t stand by and watch his mother mistreat an innocent child.
He found Neil huddled in a corner of the garden, his small frame shaking with silent sobs. Ruhaan’s heart clenched at the sight. He approached slowly, not wanting to startle the boy.
“Hey, buddy,” he said softly, crouching down beside Neil. “I’m sorry about what happened in there. Daadi didn’t mean to scare you.”
Neil looked up, his eyes red and puffy. “She doesn’t like me, does she?” he asked, his voice trembling.
He sighed, unsure how to answer so he settled for a half-truth instead. “Daadi... she’s just having a bad day. It’s not about you, Neil.”
He reached out and gently ruffled Neil’s hair. “You know what? I think your kiss did make her feel better. She just doesn’t know how to show it sometimes.”
Neil managed a small smile at that. “Really?”
“Really,” Ruhaan affirmed. “And you know what else? I’m glad you’re here, Neil. I like having you around.”
The boy’s face lit up at Ruhaan’s words, his earlier distress fading slowly. “I like being around you too, Ruhaan. You’re fun, not like the other grown-ups.”
Ruhaan chuckled as warmth spread through his chest at Neil’s words. He realized just how attached he’d grown to this child in such a short time.
He hugged Neil wondering how Naina would react if she knew about this incident. Would she be angry? Hurt? Would she distance herself and Neil from him and his mother? And all of these questions flashed the past before his eyes again. The day when their engagement was called off.