Chapter 29
Later at Evening
Kaushalya stared at her phone screen, frowning at the unfamiliar address Ruhaan had texted.
Something felt off about this impromptu meeting at a residential apartment.
Ryma had already called her brother during their cab ride from the airport, demanding answers, but Ruhaan had remained cryptic, insisting they’d understand everything once they arrived.
When they reached the building and rang the doorbell, Ruhaan greeted them. While Ryma hugged her brother, Kaushalya’s steps faltered at the sight of Subodh and Malti Kundra in the living room.
“Whose house is this? What’s going on here?” she demanded, but before Ruhaan could answer, a child’s voice rang out.
“Daadi!” Neil called cheerfully, running toward her.
He touched her feet in greeting, just as Naina had taught him.
She could still feel the little boy’s hands as he touched her feet, his innocence warming her heart while her mind screamed in denial.
Though Kaushalya automatically blessed him, her mind was already piecing together the puzzle. She turned sharply toward her son.
“Is this Naina’s house?” she asked.
Ruhaan nodded. Kaushalya stared at her son, silently demanding an explanation. Ryma, on the other hand, was all smiles as she hugged Neil too, before waiting to know why Ruhaan had called them here.
“What is happening here?” Kaushalya addressed the Kundras directly. “Why are we all meeting like this?”
Naina stepped out with a tray of tea, her hands trembling slightly as she placed the cups on the table. She greeted Kaushalya politely, but the cold reception she received in return saddened her. Ruhaan took the initiative and introduced Naina to Ryma.
“I think I know why we’re here,” Ryma said, smiling. “And I’m happy about it.”
Naina’s smile was still weak, knowing the storm that was about to break. She turned to Shanti.
“Take Neil down to the play area, please,” she instructed.
Neil immediately protested, clinging to Naina’s hand.
“I don’t want to go, Mom!”
Ruhaan knelt beside Neil.
“Champ, just for a little while, okay? You can come back soon. Your mom and I need to talk to Daadi and everyone here.”
Neil frowned but eventually relented, allowing Shanti to take him downstairs. Naina watched them leave, exhaling deeply before turning back to the tension-filled room.
Subodh cleared his throat addressing Kaushalya directly.
“Kaushalya, Ruhaan and Naina have made a decision, and that’s why we’re here today, to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
Kaushalya’s gaze snapped to Ruhaan, her expression already brimming with suspicion. “What decision?”
“Mom, I want to marry Naina,” Ruhaan stated firmly.
The words dropped like a bomb. Kaushalya shook her head violently, her disbelief giving way to anger.
“You what?” she demanded. “I was away for just two days, and you start building relationships behind my back? The most unexpected ones at that! How could you?”
“Mom, what’s wrong with this?” he argued. “You’ve always wanted to see me settled down.”
“Yes, but not with a woman who comes with so much baggage!”
“Neil is not baggage, Mom,” he interjected before Naina could respond. “He’s a child, for God’s sake…a beautiful, bright, innocent child.”
“Ruhaan, you’ve always been impulsive, but this?
” she scoffed. “This is beyond reckless. How can you possibly make a decision like this? How can two weeks in Delhi suddenly transform my commitment-phobic son into someone ready not just for marriage, but to become an instant father? In two weeks, you’re so confident it’s love that you want to settle down?
Do you even realize what you’re saying?”
“Mom, I get it,” he began, sitting beside his mother, taking her hands into his.
“I know it’s hard for you to understand how my feelings for Naina and Neil could develop so strongly in such a short time.
But love doesn’t follow timelines or logic.
It happens, and when it does, it feels right.
That’s how I feel about them. I didn’t fall for Naina or Neil in Delhi, instead, I realized there what had been missing in my life all along. It’s them. They’re my family.”
Kaushalya pulled her hands back, shaking her head in frustration.
“And what happens when reality sets in, and you realize you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?
Marriage isn’t easy. Parenting isn’t easy.
You think love will solve everything? You’re deluding yourself!
It’s not just a relationship with Naina, it’s a lifetime commitment to her and her son.
Have you even thought about what that means? ”
“I have thought about it. Every single day since I met Neil and Naina in Delhi, I’ve thought about it.
And I know what I want. I’ve spent my life avoiding commitment, running from anything that looked like it could tie me down.
And look where it’s gotten me. Empty relationships, an empty life.
But when I look at Naina and Neil, I don’t feel trapped.
I feel free. I feel like I’ve found the family I didn’t know I needed. ”
Kaushalya opened her mouth to counter, but Ruhaan continued before she could speak.
“Neil is an incredible little boy who just wants someone to love him and protect him, and I want to be that person for him. He deserves a father, and I want to be that for him. Not because I have to, but because I choose to.”
Naina, who had been standing silently, tears brimming in her eyes, finally stepped forward.
“Aunty,” she said. “I understand your concerns. I know this isn’t what you envisioned for Ruhaan, and I’m sorry if our decision is causing you pain. I didn’t expect Ruhaan to want this life with me and Neil. If he’s here today saying this, it’s because he truly means it.”
“I don’t have a problem with you or Neil personally, Naina,” Kaushalya replied.
“You’re a good woman. I’ve seen that. But good intentions don’t make for a smooth life.
You’ve been through enough. And so has my son.
I don’t want either of you to end up regretting this decision.
I won’t watch my son take on responsibilities he’ll regret later.
You can’t just become someone’s father overnight, Ruhaan! ”
Subodh, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up.
“Kaushalya, I think you’re underestimating your son’s ability to make his own choices.
Ruhaan isn’t a child anymore. If he says he’s ready for this responsibility, then perhaps he truly is.
And Naina? She’s proven time and again that she’s capable of raising Neil on her own.
Together, they can create something beautiful if we let them. ”
Kaushalya frowned, her shoulders slumping slightly. “But it’s so sudden…”
Ruhaan seized the opportunity.
“Mom, life is unpredictable. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching Ryma’s struggles, it’s that waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment or situation doesn’t guarantee happiness. Sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith. And I’m ready to take that leap, with Naina and Neil.”
Ryma, who had been quietly observing so far, placed a hand on her mother’s shoulder.
“He is right, Mom. Ruhaan is not making this decision lightly. You raised us to be independent, to make our own choices. Trust him. Trust that he knows what he’s doing.”
“How can you say that, Ryma? Ruhaan doesn’t have that experience to be a father,” Kaushalya continued to argue.
Ruhaan again cut through his mother’s protests.
“I may not have experience as a father, but where did Naina get her experience as a mother? Yet when the time came, she took on the responsibility of raising Neil alone. Being a single mother is far more challenging than being a father, Mom.” His voice softened.
“I know what a father’s love is. Dad showed me that every day.
And I’m ready to give that same love, and more, to Neil.
He looks up to me, Mom, and I love him too. ”
Kaushalya’s face hardened. “Is this your final decision?”
“Yes,” Ruhaan stated without hesitation. “I’m marrying Naina, Mom, and I want your blessings.”
She let out a bitter laugh.
“When you’ve already decided everything, who am I to stand in your way? You might forget that your mother’s wishes deserve respect too, but I can’t forget my love for you.”
Ruhaan’s face softened, but before he could speak, she raised her hand to stop him.
“I’m done convincing my children to listen to me.
Both of you, Ryma and you, have decided to go against my wishes.
So if this is what you want, so be it. But don’t expect anything from me, Ruhaan.
I’ll be a silent participant in your life and your choices.
Don’t blame me later if I don’t actively participate in your wedding or if I can’t shower all my love on your wife and her son. ”
Naina flinched at Kaushalya’s words, but Ruhaan’s hand on her back steadied her.
Kaushalya rose from her seat and turned to Subodh and Malti Kundra, “Whatever you decide for the wedding, don’t bother consulting me.
My son is clearly mature enough to make his own decisions now. I’ll leave it to him.”
Without sparing another glance, she walked toward the door. Her eyes flickered briefly toward Naina before she exited the apartment. Ryma hurried after her.
Ruhaan sighed deeply, rubbing his hands over his face. He had anticipated his mother’s reaction, but it didn’t make it any easier. He looked up to see Subodh Kundra shaking his head.
“This didn’t go well,” Subodh observed grimly. “What will you do now? Your mother is hurt, and it’s clear she’s not going to make this easy for you.”
“I know my mother,” Ruhaan replied with quiet confidence. “Give her some time. Just give me a month before we set the wedding date. That’s all I ask. She’ll come around, and if she doesn’t, I’ll still marry Naina. This time, I’m not stepping back.”