Chapter 30
Next Weekend
Kaushalya set the steaming bowl of vegetable upma on the table, arranging the plates.
This was her weekend ritual…making Ruhaan’s favorite breakfast and hoping to sit down with him for a quiet, warm start to the day.
But today, her heart wasn’t in it. Ever since Ruhaan had dropped the bombshell about marrying Naina and bringing her and Neil into their home, she had been struggling to accept it.
She sighed deeply as she called out to him again, her voice louder this time.
“Ruhaan! Breakfast is ready. How long will you take?”
“Two minutes, Mom!” came his reply from the bedroom.
She huffed, pouring tea into the cups. Two minutes always meant ten with him.
As she waited, her thoughts churned. No one seemed to be on her side…not her brother, her sister-in-law, or even her own daughter, Ryma. They all supported Ruhaan’s decision.
“At least he’s settling down,” her sister-in-law had said. “What does it matter if Naina is his choice?”
Her brother’s exact words were: “Naina has raised Neil alone with such strength, despite him not being her own son. She is already a good mother and will be a perfect wife to Ruhaan.”
Even her daughter Ryma believed that destiny had brought Ruhaan and Naina together after seven years apart.
It irritated her endlessly. She wasn’t against Naina as a person, but the circumstances, the baggage, as she called it, were overwhelming.
How could Ruhaan be so sure about this when all his life, he had never defied her wishes?
Ruhaan finally emerged from his room, dressed sharply in a suit. She frowned, immediately noticing the formal attire.
“Where are you going? Do you have to work today?” she asked, trying to hide her annoyance.
“Yes, Mom. There are some important meetings with the Bakshi group. It’s only for a few hours,” he explained, sitting down at the table.
“You’re already not home during the weekdays, and now you’re working on weekends too. I’m all alone here.”
Ruhaan paused, mid-bite, and looked at her. “Not all weekends, Mom. Just a few until the formalities are done. And this upma is fantastic, as always.”
Her lips twitched, but she refused to smile. “Flattery won’t work on me. I get bored alone at home without having anyone around. You know, my friend Mrs. Malhotra is also not around this weekend.”
“Why not?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“She’s gone to Haridwar with Shalini and Mukta. All of them went together.”
“That sounds nice,” he said casually, taking another bite.
“What’s nice about it? I wanted to go too. But for them, it’s easy. Their sons are married, and their daughters-in-law take care of everything. They can leave their homes without any worries.”
A slight grin played on Ruhaan’s face, which he tried to hide behind his teacup. His mother was unknowingly making his case for him, after all, wasn’t he trying to bring home a daughter-in-law who could share these responsibilities?
“That does sound convenient,” he remarked innocently.
Kaushalya caught his smirk and narrowed her eyes. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m not going to let Naina take over this house in my absence.”
He leaned back in his chair, chuckling softly. “Noted, Mom. But by the way, that reminds me—I need a favor from you.”
She looked at him suspiciously. “What favor?”
He drained his glass of juice and began buttoning his suit jacket. “You see, this Bakshi company we’re taking over is also Naina’s client. She’s working this weekend too - actually, all our meetings are at her office. The whole team is there – Bakshi, me, everyone.”
Kaushalya raised an eyebrow. “And?”
“And… we need someone to look after Neil for the weekend,” he said casually, though his eyes sparkled mischievously.
Kaushalya’s spoon clattered onto her plate. “You want me to babysit Neil? Have you completely lost your mind?”
He grinned. “Come on, Mom. It’s just for a few hours today and tomorrow. Neil’s a sweet kid. You’ll love spending time with him.”
She crossed her arms, glaring at him. “I’m not a babysitter. And why can’t his own mother manage her schedule better?”
“She usually has someone,” Ruhaan admitted, picking up his laptop bag and casually checking his phone, “but her housekeeper, Shanti, had a family emergency and had to leave town. So… I figured, who better than Neil’s future grandmother to take care of him for a couple of days?”
Kaushalya glared at him, her nostrils flaring. “Future grandmother? Don’t get ahead of yourself, Ruhaan. I never agreed to this ridiculous marriage of yours.”
Ruhaan stood up, grabbing his car keys. “Mom, think of it as a trial run. Who knows, you might enjoy it. Neil’s a fantastic kid. I promise he won’t be any trouble. You won’t even know he’s here.”
“I will absolutely know he’s here!” she retorted. “I’m not used to having children around. And don’t try to sweet-talk me into this.”
“Mom, please. Do this for me. We really have no other option.”
Kaushalya glared at him, but he quickly kissed her on the cheek before she could protest further and the doorbell rang. His face broke into a knowing grin.
“They must be here.”
“They?” Kaushalya’s heart skipped a beat. “Who’s they?”
“Naina and Neil,” he replied casually, already striding toward the door.
Kaushalya felt her blood pressure rising as she hurried after him.
Ruhaan swung the door open and there stood Naina in a powder blue button-down shirt tucked into tailored navy trousers, her hair pulled back in a neat bun.
Her expression was professional, but Kaushalya could detect the tension written all over her face.
Beside her was Neil who looked as cheerful as ever, clutching his small backpack and beaming with excitement.
The boy’s innocent enthusiasm made Kaushalya’s heart clench, but she quickly steeled herself, unsure of what was coming next.
Ruhaan greeted Naina with a casual, “Hi,” his eyes sparkled with confidence knowing his plan was foolproof.
Naina nodded in return, but her displeasure was evident.
Her lips tightened as though she were biting back the urge to scold Ruhaan for dragging her into this.
Two days ago, when Ruhaan had proposed leaving Neil with his mother while they worked, Naina had strongly objected.
But Ruhaan had convinced her to trust him, believing that if anyone could soften his mother’s stance against their marriage, it would be Neil’s innocent charm.
Kaushalya was still struggling to process what was happening.
“Ruhaan, what is the meaning of this? You didn’t even ask me properly!” she said, in anger and confusion.
“Mom, we’re already late, so there’s no time to debate this now.
In fact, there’s no time for even calling Naina in right now,” Ruhaan announced, smoothly taking control of the situation before his mother could protest. “It’s just you and Neil for the day, okay?
Don’t worry, I’ll call to check in during my breaks. ”
Kaushalya gawked at him, utterly speechless. “But—”
Before she could finish, Neil piped up, “Hello, Daadi!” He stepped forward, his small hands clasped as he bent to touch her feet in a traditional gesture of respect.
The sight disarmed her completely. For a moment, she forgot her irritation, placing her hand on his head to bless him out of reflex.
The boy’s wide grin made her feel a flicker of something she wasn’t ready to acknowledge.
But she quickly steeled herself, shooting daggers at her son with her eyes.
Neil was secretly thrilled about spending time in what would be his future home, though neither Ruhaan nor Naina had told him about their strategic convincing plans.
They’d simply explained that they had work and needed someone to look after him.
Ruhaan hugged his mother quickly, perhaps to prevent any verbal protests, before pulling Neil to him.
“Champ, be good, okay? Take care of Daadi for me,” he said, winking at his mother.
“Don’t worry, Ruhaan. I’ll take care of Daadi!” he declared with all the seriousness a seven-year-old could muster.
Kaushalya shot Ruhaan a glare. “This is not how you leave a child with someone. What if—”
“You’ll do great, Mom. Trust me.” He didn’t let her finish. Hugging her quickly, he then stepped back, grabbing Naina’s hand and pulling her toward the elevator.
Naina hesitated. “Ruhaan, I don’t think we should do this.”
“You promised, Naina. Just trust me on this, okay?” He cut her off gently but firmly.
With a reluctant nod, she followed him, glancing back at Neil, who was now standing awkwardly in the doorway, smiling at Kaushalya.
“Bye, Ruhaan! Bye, Mom!” Neil called cheerfully, waving at them before they disappeared into the elevator.
Kaushalya stood in stunned silence as Neil shut the door behind them. Her head was spinning with disbelief. How could Ruhaan have just dropped this boy here without giving her any real choice? And how was she supposed to spend the entire day with a child she barely knew?
Neil, oblivious to her turmoil, trotted up to her with his ever-present grin.
“Daadi, don’t worry! I’ll be a good boy,” he said earnestly, his big, innocent eyes gleaming with sincerity.
Kaushalya didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or yell. Instead, she simply turned around and walked into the living room, muttering under her breath.
“This boy… this son of mine… always taking advantage.”
Neil followed her like a shadow, his backpack bouncing as he walked. “Daadi, where should I keep my bag?”
“Anywhere,” she replied curtly, sinking onto the couch with a sigh.
Neil, unfazed by her tone, placed his bag neatly in a corner and sat cross-legged on the sofa in front of her. “Daadi, what do you usually do on weekends?” he asked, tilting his head curiously.
“Why do you want to know?”
He shrugged. “Because I want to do what you do.”
And here it begins… she thought!!
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