Chapter 27
The doorbell chimed through the apartment, and Naina opened it with a mischievous grin playing on her lips. Ruhaan stood there, his heart skipping at the sight of her smile, though for entirely different reasons than usual.
He entered the apartment with Neil, who was chattering animatedly about the cricket game as she held the door open for them.
“You should’ve seen them, Mom!” Neil exclaimed as he skipped inside. “Ruhaan bowled for me, and my friends said I was awesome! They all thought Ruhaan was so cool. And I played so well today! Did you see my batting?”
Naina chuckled as she knelt down to help Neil untie the pads strapped to his legs.
“Well, I’m glad you impressed everyone, Neil. But, I can’t say the same about Ruhaan.” She smirked, rising to face him. “I mean, considering what I saw from the balcony... Clean bowled by a kid? Really?”
Ruhaan rolled his eyes at her mockery, though a small smile tugged at his lips.
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
Her giggles filled the room, but they caught in her throat as Ruhaan suddenly caught her elbow, spinning her around to face him.
“Do you want to know why I got clean bowled?”
“I don’t need any of your excuses,” she managed to say through her lingering laughter.
He leaned closer.
“I wouldn’t mind telling Neil that I was distracted. By you,” he whispered. “Neil should know I was so lost in admiring his mother that I forgot to play my best shot.”
Giggles died in her throat.
“Don’t you dare tell him that,” she warned.
That’s when Ruhaan’s phone interrupted him. His mother’s name flashed on the screen. He knew he had to answer but he was also aware of the chaos that could follow if she heard Naina or Neil in the background.
Turning quickly to Neil, he crouched down to his level. “Neil, buddy, it’s my mom calling,” he said almost pleading. “I need you to stay quiet for a minute. Okay?”
Neil frowned. “Why? Can’t she know you’re with us?”
Ruhaan sighed giving him a weak smile making up a story that Neil could understand. “Well, champ. Just like your mom might not want you staying at a friend’s place without her knowing, my mom wouldn’t like me being here without telling her first.”
Neil nodded reluctantly, but Naina crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. She could see through Ruhaan’s excuses. Of course, he didn’t want his mother knowing he was with her and Neil. This, whatever it was between them, would always remain hidden in the shadows of his mother’s expectations.
And that thought stung.
“Come on, Neil,” she said. “That’s enough playtime for today. Let’s get you something to eat and then you need to rest.”
Neil protested at first, but Naina took his hand and guided him toward the kitchen, deliberately giving Ruhaan space to take his call.
Ruhaan watched them go, catching the hurt in Naina’s rigid posture. He wanted to explain that this wasn’t like before, that everything was different now, but his phone’s insistent ringing demanded attention. With a silent thank you to Naina’s retreating back, he finally answered on the last ring.
“Hello, Mother India.”
“Ruhaan! Where are you?” Kaushalya’s voice was sharp as if she suspected something. “I’ve been trying to reach you all day. What’s going on?”
He leaned against the wall, forcing a casual tone. “Nothing, Mom. I’ve just been… busy. Needed a break, so I took the weekend off.”
“Busy? You never take breaks. Are you at home?”
“Not exactly,” he hedged, rubbing the back of his neck. “I went out for a bit, you know, just to clear my head.”
“Out where?” she pressed.
“Nowhere special,” Ruhaan replied, trying to sound disinterested. “Just needed some time to myself. Everything’s fine. How are things there?” He tried to divert her and it worked.
“Nothing is fine here,” she exclaimed. “Can you believe Ryma’s in-laws? They actually support her decision to divorce. I thought they would try to talk her out of it, put some sense into her, but no, they are on her side. What kind of family is this?”
He sighed, having already known about this from Ryma herself. She had messaged him earlier to confirm that her in-laws had been understanding.
“Mom, this is for the best. If Ryma’s in-laws are supporting her, it’s because they care about her well-being too. We should want her to be happy, shouldn’t we?”
Kaushalya wasn’t appeased.
“Of course, I want her to be happy, but how can I be okay with this? Living alone for the rest of her life with no partner? Is that what you want for your sister?”
“Who said she won’t marry again?” He countered gently. “Maybe, in time, she’ll meet someone better, someone who will love her the way she deserves. And maybe she’ll want to marry again. We can hope for that.”
Kaushalya sighed heavily.
“I was here hoping that soon I’d get my grandchild, and now Ryma is divorcing.”
Ruhaan couldn’t help but roll his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll give you as many grandkids as you want. Happy?”
She perked up instantly. “You mean it? You’re ready to settle down? Marriage, Ruhaan?”
He paused, not because he didn’t have an answer, but because his attention was caught by Neil.
The boy had snuck out of the bedroom, now dressed in his pajamas, making funny faces at him.
Despite having been told to stay quiet, Neil was giggling silently, clearly enjoying his mischief.
Ruhaan’s lips curved into an involuntary smile at Neil’s antics.
Naina appeared in the doorway, catching Neil mid-act. Her face turned apologetic as she hurried forward to drag Neil back inside. Ruhaan stifled a laugh, charmed by the boy’s playfulness and Naina’s attempt to control him.
“Ruhaan?” Kaushalya’s voice broke into his thoughts. “What are you laughing at? I asked you something.”
“Nothing, Mom,” he replied, shaking his head and fighting the grin that threatened to split his face. “I’ll call you later, okay? Take care of Ryma and yourself. I’ll see you tomorrow evening when you’re back.”
Kaushalya let out an exasperated sigh but relented. “Fine. But think about what I said.”
Ruhaan agreed and ended the call just as Naina returned. She looked slightly flustered, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she spoke. “I’m so sorry. Neil usually listens, but today—”
Ruhaan pulled her close, pressing a finger to her lips.
“It’s okay. He’s a kid, and it’s fine if he doesn’t obey everything we ask all the time. You don’t need to apologize for that.”
Her breath hitched as his finger lingered for just a second longer than necessary. She managed a small smile and sighed. “Thank you.”
She was about to ask about Ryma and his mother, but he continued speaking about Neil.
“Actually, I want him to do all the naughtiness he can because that’s what kids should do at his age.
If it makes him happy, it makes me happy too.
” His eyes softened as he spoke. “In fact, I’m going to pamper him so much.
.. so damn much that he can’t even imagine how much, and he’s going to love every moment of it. ”
Confusion flickered across Naina’s face. She didn’t know how to respond.
“I can’t believe how you can pamper him so much in two days? Don’t forget you’re here only for the weekend, and then tomorrow your mom is returning, and you’ll be back home with her, and my son will be with his mom... that’s me.”
Ruhaan grinned realizing she was missing the bigger picture, and he didn’t know how to tell her yet…that his plans for pampering Neil weren’t limited to just two days, but extended to a lifetime. Before he could voice these thoughts, Neil’s voice called from the bedroom.
“Mama! Where’s my coloring book?”
Naina sighed and turned toward the bedroom, to look it for him.
**************
Night
Neil dozed off on Ruhaan’s shoulder, lulled to sleep by his medicine and the gentle murmur of cartoons on TV.
The three had been munching pop corns and watching Neil’s favorite cartoons when he dozed off.
Ruhaan lifted the sleeping child, cradling him close as Naina led the way to Neil’s bedroom, turning down the covers while Ruhaan gently laid him down, tucking him in.
They stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Neil’s peaceful sleep before quietly closing the door and stepped out.
“I think it’s time to call it a night,” she muttered, avoiding his gaze and was about to turn when Ruhaan reached out, clasping her hand in the semi-darkness of the living room.
“Stay,” he whispered.
“Ruhaan…” she hesitated, shaking her head. “We shouldn’t—”
“Please, Naina,” he interrupted, his eyes earnest. “Just a little longer. I leave tomorrow, and... I just want this time with you.”
His sincerity made her relent. “Fine,” she sighed. “But only because you’re leaving tomorrow.”
He smirked, but the way his eyes lingered on her made her heart skip a beat.
“Show me that photo album I saw in your room earlier? I’d love to see more of Neil’s childhood.”
Naina hesitated.
“It’s just memories of Neil and me, from his birth until now. Nothing special.”
“That’s exactly why I want to see it. I want to be part of those memories, even if only through these pictures.”
Naina was unsure how to respond. Silently, she walked to her bedroom and returned with the album.
Setting it on the couch, she hesitated before opening it.
The first photo was of tiny Neil, barely a week old, cradled in Naina’s arms. Her exhausted smile spoke volumes about the sleepless nights ahead.
“This was his first week at home,” she explained, her finger tracing the edge of the photo. “I was terrified to even hold him at first. He was so small, so fragile… I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to do it.”
Ruhaan gazed at the picture with admiration.
“You did more than just ‘do it’. You gave him a home, a life.”
In the next picture Neil was a toddler, sitting in a high chair, his face smeared with food. Naina laughed softly. “He hated carrots. I had to trick him into eating them.”