Chapter 15 #2
Ruhaan chuckled as he zipped the trolley bag and placed it back in the closet. “That’s because I’ve got a mental map of all your secret hiding spots now. One of the many perks of being your son,” he teased.
She laughed softly but then became quiet, looking at him with affection and a touch of sadness. “You shouldn’t have to do this for me, Ruhaan. You’ve got so much already to think about. I wish you would settle down, find someone who could help you take care of things around here.”
Ruhaan paused, his thoughts briefly shifting to the date he had planned with Naina on the terrace that night. But now, standing in his mother’s room and hearing her words, he sighed inwardly. He sat down next to her, already sensing where the conversation was headed.
“It’s no trouble, Ma. And don’t tell me you want me to get married so my wife can help you find your misplaced stuff all the time?”
“No, beta. Not just that.” She reached out to hold his hand. “It’s not just about that. It’s about you. I want to see you happy, Ruhaan. I want to see you with someone who can share your life, and yes, even help with these small things.”
He groaned softly.
“What do you think about Poonam?” she asked, her eyes bright with hope.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Ma, how many times do I have to tell you? I’m not ready for marriage yet.”
“You need to stop being so adamant, Ruhaan,” she chided. “I’ve been after you to marry for years now. Is it so wrong for a mother to want to see her grandchildren?”
Just as Ruhaan opened his mouth to respond, a soft knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Both turned to see Neil standing in the doorway, his small fist rubbing sleepily at his eyes. The boy’s gaze moved from Kaushalya to Ruhaan.
“Have you seen my Mumma?” Neil asked, his voice heavy with fatigue.
Ruhaan’s expression softened immediately, all thoughts of his mother’s marriage plans evaporating as he rose and crossed the room towards Neil. “I haven’t seen her, buddy,” he said gently. “Why are you looking for her?”
“I’m sleepy,” he mumbled, leaning slightly against the doorframe.
Understanding dawned on Ruhaan. Neil wanted Naina to put him to sleep.
“Let me help you find her,” he offered, then paused, a grin spreading across his face. “Or... I could put you to sleep instead. What do you think?”
Neil’s eyes widened, suddenly more alert at this unexpected offer. “Really? You’ll put me to sleep?” he asked, excitement replacing his earlier drowsiness. “Will you read bedtime stories to me?”
Ruhaan blinked, caught off guard by the question. “I agreed to put you to sleep. Where did bedtime stories come from?”
“That’s how I fall asleep,” he explained patiently. “Mom reads me stories at night.”
The hopeful look in Neil’s eyes made it impossible for Ruhaan to back out now. With a chuckle, he nodded. “Alright then, bedtime stories it is.”
Kaushalya, who had been quietly watching the interaction, observed the growing bond between the two with curiosity. It was beyond her understanding how attached Ruhaan had become to the child, but she remained silent.
Neil’s small hand reached out to grasp Ruhaan’s larger one and he began tugging insistently, eager to start their impromptu Storytime. Ruhaan turned briefly to bid his mother goodnight and left the room.
As they walked down the hall toward Neil’s room, Ruhaan too realized how naturally this role seemed to come to him. There was something about Neil, something that made him want to be there for him, to protect him and care for him as if he were his own.
When they reached Neil’s room, the boy climbed into bed eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation. Ruhaan sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the bookshelf filled with children’s books.
“So, which one’s your favorite?” Ruhaan asked, gesturing to the books.
Neil pointed to one at the very top shelf. “That one! Mom always reads that one to me.”
Ruhaan grabbed the book and sat back down, opening it with a sense of unfamiliarity. “Alright, let’s see what we’ve got here.”
Neil climbed under the covers, as Ruhaan began reading the book for him.
**************
A while later
Naina, still clad in her vibrant yellow saree, was looking for Neil. She had assumed he would be playing with Suman’s daughter Pinky and the other kids, but as she checked around the venue, there was no sign of him.
With a growing sense of unease, she began asking around, calling out for Neil, hoping someone had seen him. Finally, one of the kids came running to her.
“Aunty, Neil is with Ruhaan,” the boy said, before running off to join the others.
She paused for a moment. What could Neil be doing with Ruhaan at this hour?
Especially when Ruhaan was supposed to be waiting for her on the terrace, their secret rendezvous that they had planned after the haldi.
She was supposed to tuck Neil into bed, leave him fast asleep, and then sneak away to meet Ruhaan.
She headed toward Ruhaan’s bedroom. It was technically her room, one that she had given up so that Ruhaan could stay in it during the wedding festivities. But when she peeked inside, the room was empty. There was no sign of Neil or him.
A bit more anxious now, she made her way to the guest room where she and Neil had been staying. As she opened the door, the sight before her made her freeze in place.
Under the warm glow of the bedside lamp, Neil had snuggled tightly into Ruhaan’s side, wrapped up in a soft blanket.
Ruhaan was lying on his back, holding an open book, his voice soft as he read out a bedtime story.
Neil, already half-asleep, had one arm draped across Ruhaan’s chest, his tiny body curled into the man as if Ruhaan were his ultimate source of comfort.
It was a sight she had never expected to see, and it took her breath away. The image before her was one she had secretly wished for, but never dared to hope for. It was more than she could have asked for—a glimpse into what life could have been if things had turned out differently.
As she watched the two from the door, Ruhaan’s voice began to trail off, his own eyelids growing heavy.
He turned the page, but Neil was already fast asleep against his chest. Ruhaan let out a tired sigh and soon closed his eyes as well, the book slipping from his fingers onto the floor beside the bed. Within moments, he, too, was asleep.
Naina’s eyes stung with unshed tears. It was a scene that could have been hers—a life that could have been theirs if Ruhaan had been ready all those years ago. If only he had accepted Neil as his responsibility back then, they could have had this every night.
But he hadn’t. He had walked away
Her hand trembled as she wiped away a tear that had slipped down her cheek.
She wasn’t angry at Ruhaan anymore. She had made peace with the past. But watching them now, so close and so natural together, it brought up emotions she had buried deep inside.
Was it possible that this could be their future?
Could Ruhaan be the father figure Neil had been missing all along?
She took a deep breath and stepped quietly into the room, tiptoeing closer. She couldn’t take her eyes off them.
She knelt by the side of the bed, brushing a stray lock of hair from Neil’s forehead. His soft breathing was a comfort to her, a reminder of how much she loved him and how she would always choose him first. But that thought only brought a new wave of uncertainty.
She had agreed to a casual relationship with Ruhaan, thinking it would be a safe way to explore their lingering connection without getting too attached.
But now, seeing Ruhaan with Neil, so effortlessly stepping into a fatherly role, she wasn’t so sure.
Was she setting herself up for heartbreak?
Worse yet, was she setting Neil up for disappointment?
She had promised herself that Neil’s heart would always come first. That he would never feel the void of not having a father figure, and yet... here Ruhaan was, filling that void in ways she hadn’t expected.
Tears threatened again, but she blinked them away, standing up carefully. She needed to think. She needed space to clear her head and figure out what this meant for both of them…her and Neil. Was it fair to let Ruhaan get so close, knowing how things had ended before?
With one last glance at them, she quietly left the room, closing the door softly behind her.