Nineteen - Payal

One month later

"Thank you for deciding to meet us here Ms. Shah." Said Mr. Rodriguez. "We haven't opened a branch office in Mumbai yet. We will have to make do with this café."

"No problem, Mr. Rodriguez." Payal said, opening her laptop. "Sherman insisted I meet you here, in fact. Wasn't this where you first met him while you were just starting off?"

"Sherman has a long memory." Mr. Rodriguez said, smiling widely. "It has been ten years since then, easily."

"And you've both come a long way since then." Payal responded.

Once they had ordered, Payal started the discussion. Mr. Rodriguez was an important client. Other than being Sherman's friend and his first ever client, Mr. Rodriguez's company was fast climbing the ropes to become one of most sought-after vendors in the fintech industry. With increase in business, there was an obvious increase in compliances. And that's how Payal ended up meeting Mr. Rodriguez.

Once her meeting was wrapped up, Payal messaged Aarohi about her status. Aarohi's work place was close by and she had messaged about wanting to catch up since some time now. Payal was free after her meeting for a bit and she decided to ask Aarohi if she was free. As she waited for Aarohi to respond, she looked up and to her surprise, saw Mansi.

More specifically, Mansi was with a guy.

Calm down. They could just be friends.

Mansi didn't seem to have noticed her yet. She was laughing about something as she and the guy got a table a little way away from where Payal was sitting. Mansi's companion sat next to her instead of opposite her. Payal watched as he leaned in to kiss Mansi on the cheek, making her blush.

Oh, they are definitely more than friends.

Payal's hand clenched against her laptop bag. She was the baby in her family and had never had to be an elder sibling so far, but over the past months, since meeting Vivaan's family, she had come to regard Avika and Mansi as her younger sisters. Seeing Mansi so cozy with a guy, Payal's protective instincts reared up.

Her first thought was to share the information with Vivaan. He had a right to know. But for a moment, she hesitated. Vivaan was level headed, but he was very protective of his siblings. If she gave him half-baked theories, he would worry unnecessarily.

Her only other option then, was to confront the couple.

She got up and walked to the table where Mansi was sitting. Mansi had still not noticed her, and Mr. Romeo was busily holding a hand, smiling goofily at her. Payal waited for exactly two seconds before dragging out a chair on the opposite side with unnecessary force, making a screechy noise. Both Mansi and the guy jumped looking up. Mansi's eyes widened in both surprise and shame at seeing her.

"Bhabhi-sa..." she said, hurriedly getting up. "What are you doing here?"

"I was here to meet a friend and a client." Payal said, as sternly as she could. "You seem to be here with a friend too." She added pointedly.

Mansi flinched, obviously catching on that Payal had figured out. "This is Amit, Bhabhi-sa." She said, looking down. "My...boyfriend."

She looked so scared that Payal's resolve for a stern confrontation faded. "Does anyone at home know?" she asked softly.

Mansi shook her head, still looking down.

Payal sighed, sitting down so that Mansi would sit as well. "Explain." She said.

"I... the elders would be livid if they knew I was dating someone." Mansi started. "They are too old-fashioned."

"I'll have to disagree Mansi." Payal interrupted. "What about your brothers? And Avika? You think they are old-fashioned?"

"No, but they won't be level headed in this situation. You tell me, Bhabhi-sa. When you and Bhai-sa had fought, did Aniket Bhai-sa act levelheaded? Wasn't he angry?" Mansi asked.

"He did offer to punch Vivaan, but he wasn't really angry." Payal said. "And the reason is that my family knows everything about Vivaan and my relationship. They have approved it, in fact. Bhaiya in fact, suggested the solution."

Mansi looked up briefly. "That is because your family is more open minded and you are engaged to Vivaan Bhai-sa." She countered.

"To an extent, agreed." Payal allowed. "But my experience in these things is that our parents trust us a lot. And the moment we hide something from them, especially something this big, we break that trust. Old-fashioned or no, you've already hurt everyone by hiding that you are dating someone."

"But they wouldn't approve!" Mansi said.

"Of course they won't." Payal agreed. "Everyone in your family loves you, Mansi. They care about you and are protective about you. They will not agree to a stranger suddenly claiming he loves you." She waved a hand at Amit, who was sitting and silently observing their conversation.

"You have made up your mind that you will receive complete opposition on this." Payal said. "But you won't. If you are truthful and make them see your side of the coin, they will listen. And I know your brothers will take your side, for sure. But that is only if you don't hide all this from them."

Mansi sighed. "I guess... in a very small way, you are right." She said eventually.

"I'd say I'm right in a much bigger way." Payal said, wryly. She turned her attention to Amit. "Why don't you tell me how you both met, Amit?" she asked.

"I study in the same college as Mansi, but from a different stream. We met during the college fest, back in the first year. After that we met a few more times due to our common friend circle. I fell for her first, and it took a lot of effort to convince Mansi to go out on a date with me. We have just been dating for about two months now." Amit explained. "Mansi has told me a lot about you, Di." (Di – Hindi term for elder sister.)

"Uh-uh, lover boy. No epithets yet." Payal warned. "What are your intentions with Mansi?" she asked him.

"I love her." Amit said, simply. "She is very important to me."

"And you Mansi?" Payal asked.

Mansi blushed. "I love him too." She admitted shyly.

Kids these days! Payal thought to herself. Here these two are freely admitting their love for each other after two months of dating; and then there is Vivaan and myself, who are still figuring our feelings out even after the engagement.

"Love is a heavy word to say." Payal said carefully, putting her own conflicts to the side. "You are both still very young for that sort of responsibility."

"No Bhabhi-sa. We really do love each other. Being with Amit feels so different." Mansi said. "It's like realizing that I have found another piece of me I didn't even know was missing."

Payal shook her head. "I cannot vouch for you lying at home, Mansi." She said. "Whether Amit's intentions are pure, whether you both love each other or no, you made a mistake hiding this from the family."

"Please Bhabhi-sa. I will talk to Bhai-sa myself. Please don't tell anyone until then." Mansi pleaded.

Payal felt torn. She wanted to give Mansi a chance. But hiding something from Vivaan felt wrong.

"I'll give you two days." She eventually told Mansi. "If you don't talk to Vivaan within two days, I will have to tell him."

"I will talk to him, Bhabhi-sa." Mansi promised.

***

"You look a little tense." Vivaan noted. "What happened?"

Payal smiled. "Nothing. Just a stressful week at work." She said, which was partly true. But along with Mr. Rodriguez's upcoming assignment, Mansi's situation had also worried her. It was three days since she had seen her and Amit in the café. Mansi had messaged her that Vivaan had a difficult schedule and wasn't available in the past two days. But he was going to visit home in the weekend as she had requested and that she would talk to him.

"Come here." Vivaan said, patting the space beside him.

They were in his dorm. After work, they had gone out to dinner and Payal had just dropped him off, but Vivaan had insisted she come in for a bit. Since it would be a while before she saw him again, Payal had agreed.

She sat down next to him on the bed and Vivaan immediately made her turn so that her back was to him. A moment later, she felt his fingers pressing her temple and the sides of her head lightly.

"What are you doing?" she asked, amused.

"Well, when I'm tensed, my solution for it is a cup of coffee and a hug from you." He reminded her and she could hear a smile in his voice. "But we never agreed on what to do when you are tensed."

"So, what?" Payal asked, smiling. "Your solution is to give me a head massage when I'm tensed?"

"Ma-sa says work related stress is best relieved by a head massage." He said. "You tell me, is it working?"

Payal smiled, taking hold of his hand and leaning all the way back so she was lying down with her head on his lap. "I don't need a head massage as long as you are here with me. Just being with you relieves all my stress."

Vivaan's smile rivaled a bright shining star. "Quite the romantic today, aren't you?" He teased, shifting a lock of Payal's hair away from her eyes and adjusting so she was better situated in his lap.

"Aapki sangat ka asar." Payal teased right back. (It's the effect of your company.)

"What would you like me to do next?" he asked. "Sing you to sleep?"

"Nope." Payal quipped.

His smile widened. "Hmm, then what would Your Highness like?" he asked, still playful. His tone made Payal laugh harder. She pushed up to a sitting position and inched backward. Vivaan didn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around her. Payal sighed at the comfort, laying her head so that it rested on his shoulder.

"I would like... to play three questions." Payal said.

Since she was practically encased in his arms, she couldn't see him, but she felt his nod of approval. 'Three questions' was a game they played often. Payal had devised the game. Three quick questions, could be anything, and the other person would have to answer them.

"You start." Vivaan, ever the gentleman, indicated.

"What's your pet peeve?" Payal asked him, after moment of thought.

"Hmm, I've never been asked that before." Vivaan mused. "I'd have to say lying. When someone lies to me, even for the smallest of things, it means they don't trust me, and that annoys me more than anything."

Payal tensed up. In a roundabout way, her hiding Mansi's relationship was her lying to Vivaan. When he got to know (and he would, Payal was sure), he wouldn't just be annoyed, but also hurt. For the umpteenth time, Payal considered breaking her promise to Mansi.

"You okay?" Vivaan asked, for she had gone very quiet.

"Yes, I'm okay." Payal said, tilting up so she could see him. "Your turn."

Vivaan laced their free hands together. "What holds the most importance in your life?" he asked eventually.

Payal frowned. "That's pretty open ended a question."

Vivaan laughed. "You know the rules. You have to answer, and you have to be honest." He reminded.

"Fine." Payal agreed, thinking her answer. What held the most importance in her life? What did she want the most? The answer became clear after a moment. "Peace. That is what I hold most important in my life." She said.

Vivaan looked a little confused at her answer, so she elaborated. "I want there to be peace and stability in my life. And that can only be the case if I'm satisfied with life for the moment. Of course, I'll never be at peace completely, but because of that, it is something that holds a lot of importance to me."

Vivaan seemed to consider the answer. "That's interesting. Your second question." He prompted.

Payal paused, wanting to give a more subjective question. "Tell me... about the biggest regret in your life so far." She asked eventually.

Vivaan was quiet for so long Payal pulled away from his arms and looked at him concerned. "Sorry, we can change the question if its too bothersome." She said, looking at his now clenched fist.

"No." Vivaan stopped her. "No, I want you to know." He said.

Payal waited, lightly squeezing his hand in support. "By choosing my career, I let my family's expectations down." He started. "My father and uncle needed support, and because I chose medicine, Aryan had to step up and take the mantle. I love my work, and I know my family loves me. But that doesn't change the fact that they had to make some difficult sacrifices at that time. Aryan especially. He had to grow up all of a sudden so he could support Baba-sa and Kako-sa. That's the biggest regret in my life. I abandoned my family when they needed me."

"Hey." Payal said, after a moment of silence, a little sad at his admission. "I can understand what you mean." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I'm proud of you for acknowledging your regrets. Not many people have the courage to do so, Vivaan."

Vivaan smiled at her, a slow mellow smile. "My turn." He said, in what was an obvious subject change. But Payal allowed it.

"What is the one thing in your life that you didn't ask for, but are grateful to receive it nonetheless?" he asked.

This was an easy one. Payal didn't even have to think her answer through. "You." She said, softly, blushing when he looked up. "I didn't know I needed you in my life until you came in, and then proceeded to make it better, more colorful."

Vivaan seemed to be touched with her answer. He just stared at her for a moment before cupping her cheek and leaning in to kiss her forehead. Payal felt her toes curl at the affection in his gesture.

"Thank you." He sighed. "Thank you for letting me know that." He hugged her close and Payal could feel his happiness. She gently pulled away from him after a moment.

Vivaan was still gazing at her with a soft shine in his eyes. On an impulse, Payal asked her last question. "What does love mean to you?" she asked.

With his eyes still shining, Vivaan smiled. "Happiness, freedom. That is what love means to me." He reached out to hold her hands. "Love makes everything transparent; it brings out clarity in life. Love helps us do anything, be anything. Until recently, I used to think love is trust and respect, but they add to the feeling of love. Love is a separate emotion altogether. And to me, love is freedom and happiness." He said.

Payal looked down, overwhelmed with his description of love. "Your turn." She said, trying to hide how affected she was.

"When was the first time you experienced love?" he asked.

Payal looked up, her eyes wide. Did he know she knew? "What's with the extremely subjective questions?" she asked cautiously.

Vivaan shrugged. "Everyone has experienced love in some form or the other. You must have felt it too. I just want to know when you first understood it." He elaborated, but she could see that he had noticed her reluctance.

"So, a general perspective then?" Payal verified.

"Whatever interpretation you wish to use." Vivaan said.

Payal thought the question over. "When I was in eighth grade." She said at last, trying not to focus on how Vivaan was suddenly listening very intently. "I had fought with my best friend and when I reached home, I was in bad mood. More than anything, I just wanted to eat my favorite comfort food then – kadhi chawal. And Ma made it, without my having to ask. It was like, she sensed what I wanted even before I knew what I wanted." Payal smiled as she remembered the memory.

"I know what you're wondering." She said when she saw his confused expression. "No one in my family, including my mother, liked kadhi-chawal. It was only me. She still made it for dinner, knowing Bhaiya and Papa would complain. She did it because she loved me. It was the first time I noticed such a selfless act – something just so my selfish needs would be met, and without me even saying it out loud." She finished. Vivaan was smiling at her.

"I don't really know what I wanted to hear when I asked you that, but your answer was so pure it didn't matter." He said. "You surprise me to no end, Payal Shah."

Payal laughed. "Well, I do have very high expectations, Dr. Mehta." She teased. "Such moments in my life have been few and far between, and mostly within family only."

"Tell me about the moments outside of family, then." Vivaan requested.

It was like words triggered a missing puzzle piece to come into existence, connecting and completing a puzzle that her mind had been working at from a long time now. Each such moment when she felt love outside of her family? A montage of images rushed through Payal's head. Vivaan's hug the night she got her mother's diagnosis; Vivaan saying he considered her family as his own; Vivaan taking a stance for their relationship before Rohan; their first kiss; Vivaan figuring her concerns and solving them before she could even say anything about it; Vivaan agreeing to wait for as long as she needed, and letting her set the boundaries; and most of all, the suddenly floaty feeling in her heart when Payal realized Vivaan loved her.

You love him. Her mind seemed to have switched to a broadcasting frequency. Payal Shah. You're in love!

Payal couldn't help the smile that made its way to her face. Of course, she was in love! She had been in love with Vivaan all along, falling for him bit by bit, until she was suddenly in love with him. So this is what it felt like. She thought, registering the sudden increase in her heartbeat, the world becoming slightly blurry. Or was that tears threatening to spill out of her eyes?

"Payal?" Vivaan asked, his expression cautious. "Are you okay? You seem a little startled."

Was she startled? Yes, yes. She was. She loved him!

"Payal?" Vivaan sounded worried now.

"Nothing." She said, smiling wide. "And I don't have to answer your question. Your three questions are up." She said.

"Payal, come on." He protested. But Payal wasn't listening. She leaned on his shoulder, sighing contentedly. She loved Vivaan. Do I want to confess now?

She paused. Vivaan hadn't confessed yet. But did he have to do it first? She could tell him first as well.

Let me cherish this feeling for a while. For just a little while. And then I'll tell him, whether he says it to me or no.

***

It was Sunday evening when Payal was in the kitchen, arranging the groceries, when her phone rang. It was Mansi.

"Hi Mansi!" she greeted as she answered the call.

"Bhabhi-sa, they found out." Mansi said. "Ma-sa and Dadi-sa saw Amit and me at the market today." She seemed close to tears by now.

"Isn't Vivaan home for the weekend? You told me you were going to talk to him." Payal asked.

"He is, but Bhai-sa was really tired when he came home last night. We were going to speak after lunch today, once he had rested. But this happened before that." Mansi said. "Bhabhi-sa, its not looking good. I don't know what to do!"

"Okay, calm down, Mansi. I'll come over." Payal said, sighing out loud. "Be there in an hour."

"Okay, Bhabhi-sa." Mansi cut the call.

Payal quickly finished her chores and checked on her mother. She was still sleeping, but she clutching the comforter close. Payal touched lightly placed a hand on her forehead. Too warm. Sighing, Payal moved out to the living room where Aniket was following a tennis match.

"I'm heading over to meet Mansi." She said. "Ma is asleep, but I think the fever is back. No response from Dr. Maniar yet?" she asked.

Aniket shook his head. "I'll measure the fever when she wakes up and update the fever chart." He paused the game. "Why are you suddenly heading out to meet Mansi?"

"Something came up. I'll tell you later. I'll be back home by dinner time. Message me if anything is to be picked up." Payal said, grabbing the car keys from the key bowl. "Oh, and Papa messaged saying the conference will extend into dinner. So, he won't be home for dinner."

Aniket made a mock salute. "Rohini will be back from meeting her friend soon too. The dinner prep is done anyway. See you at dinner." He said.

As she drove over to Vivaan's house, Payal's mind was pre-occupied with the new symptoms in her mother's condition. She had been thinking about getting a second prognosis for a while now. Her mother's condition since the discharge was very weak. She had a severe iron deficiency at this point, and developed fever at least twice a day. Both weren't uncommon for atypical CML, but then again, there was no textbook case for any kind of cancer. Each patient was different and each patient had different treatment path. But each doctor also thought separately. Maybe there was an alternative they weren't considering yet.

As she neared the house, Payal was surprised to hear strains of people talking. That meant someone was shouting. Payal rang the doorbell, and suddenly all was quiet. A moment later, Mansi flung open the door, crying.

"Bhabhi-sa!" she cried, hugging her all of a sudden. Once Payal had managed not to fall down, she noticed the rest of the people in the living room. Vivaan's mother, aunt, grandmother stood with almost identical expressions of anger. And the last person was Vivaan. He seemed more hurt than angry though.

"It was as I told you, Bhabhi-sa. They don't even want to consider my side of the story." Mansi said.

Payal winced. Across the room, everyone turned their attention at Payal. "You knew?" Vivaan asked her.

There was no other way forward. Payal nodded, and then winced again at the look of betrayal on Vivaan's face.

"How long?" he asked.

"What?" Payal asked.

"How long has it been since you knew?" Vivaan asked her.

"Less than a week." Payal said. "I saw them in a café on Monday. It was obvious they weren't just friends so I confronted Mansi about it." She elaborated patting Mansi's shoulder in comfort.

"And you didn't tell me." Vivaan said. There was no question attached to the statement. Vivaan had drawn the conclusion, just not the whole conclusion.

"I-" Payal started, but Mansi beat her to it.

"So you could repeat the same thing you said today?" she asked scathingly.

"Mansi!" Vivaan's mother admonished.

"There is nothing wrong in what I'm saying!" Mansi said loudly. "No one in this house listens to anything unless it fits our customs!"

"Mansi, stop." Payal stopped the girl from saying anything further. She was just making the situation worse.

Vivaan turned and made his way up the stairs. Payal made to follow but he raised a hand, not completely looking at her. "Don't, Payal. I'd like to be alone for now." He said, and continued upward without hearing her reply.

It hurt terribly, the fact that she had hurt him. But he doesn't even want to be in the same room as me at the moment.

"Mansi, go to your room. We will talk once your father comes home." Mansi's mother told her.

"I won't. Let's finish this here and now." Mansi said vehemently. "I know the verdict anyway. No point pushing it to later."

"Mansi, that's enough." Payal said, pulling the younger girl's arm and making her look at herself. "Let's get you out of here for a while. You need to calm down."

"What is the point in doing that? Anyway no one is going to listen." Mansi bit out.

"We will all listen to you, I promise that." Payal said. "Par sahi baat galat tarike se kahi jaaye to baat bhi galat ho jaati hai." (If the right thing is said in the wrong way, then what you say also becomes wrong.)

Mansi hesitated a little. Payal gave her an encouraging smile. "Go on. Go to your room for a while. Drink some water. Sort your thoughts out. Once Baba-sa comes home, you can present your side of the story to everyone. And if you express yourself the way you should, everyone will listen." She said.

With a huff of annoyance, Mansi stalked upstairs to her room, just as Vivaan had done.

"Ma-sa, I –" Payal started, but she interrupted.

"I'll be honest with you Payal." She said softly. "We appreciate you looking out for Vivaan's siblings. You should do that as they are also family. But we cannot accept you shielding their mistakes and lying to us about it."

Payal looked down.

"Vivaan has been taught the same thing. We expect you to follow the same rules, Payal." Said Kaki-sa.

"I understand." Payal said quietly. "I'll... ensure this doesn't repeat. And, I apologize for disappointing all of you."

"No, you don't have to apologize." Vivaan's mother said. "Not to us." She added meaningfully.

Vivaan.

Payal hesitated. Vivaan had clearly said he wanted to be left alone. But she didn't want to leave the conflict unresolved. Sighing, she opened his message thread on her phone.

P – I'm at the café nearby. Lets talk once you have calmed down?

Message sent, Payal left the house to wait at the café. She hoped she wouldn't have to wait for a long while. Ever since their first fight regarding Sameer, Vivaan and Payal had an unspoken agreement to never leave a conflict unresolved. Payal hoped Vivaan wasn't too upset and would want to talk it out too.

About fifteen minutes later, she spotted Vivaan entering the café. Payal raised her hand so he could find her. Vivaan made his way over when he saw her.

Vivaan placed his order, but after that, he didn't say anything. Payal realized she would have to initiate this time.

"Vivaan, I just wanted Mansi to tell you about it herself. I did not want to hide anything from you or our family. This was what Mansi wanted to talk to you about this weekend. And I do care for Mansi. I wasn't going to allow her to see Amit if I had the slightest doubt or suspicion about him. Please trust me on this." Payal explained.

"We met just three days ago, Payal. Why didn't you tell me then?" Vivaan asked, his tone neutral.

"I told you. Mansi requested that I don't tell anyone until she's talked to you about it. I didn't want you to worry unnecessarily either." Payal said.

"I would have understood it if that was the reason you gave to the rest of the family." Vivaan said, slowly. "But not to me."

Payal looked down, upset that he was not agreeing with her.

"Payal, I've said this before as well. We're engaged to be married. Partners for the rest of our lives." Vivaan said softly. "It's like walking together on two parallel train tracks, blindfolded while holding hands. If one stumbles even a little, the other will fall."

Payal looked up then, at the man she had come to love. His tone was calm, but his eyes were shimmering, reflecting the light from the street lamp outside.

"Payal, you don't have to shoulder all the burden on yourself. You already have to deal with a lot – work, your mother's health, taking time out for us, taking time out for yourself even." Vivaan explained. "You can't take on all responsibilities for our families all by yourself. That is what I'm here for. It is my responsibility to shoulder the burden with you, to help you. When the waters are rough and they threaten to make you fall, it is my responsibility to be your anchor. To hold you stable so you do not fall. But I can't do that if you don't share everything with me. If you don't trust me enough to be your anchor."

Payal realized that she had truly been in the wrong this time. Her entire perspective flipped when she tried to look at the situation through the lens Vivaan was using. If it had been her at his place, wouldn't she have felt the same?

"That is what hurt me." Vivaan said, his tone softer now. "I have full faith that you have the best interests of my siblings at heart. You would never make the wrong decision for Mansi. But I wish you didn't have to hide it from me. That means you didn't trust me to support you."

Payal was trying her hardest not to cry, but the guilt was overwhelming. Vivaan trusted her with his everything. All he wanted was for her to be honest... so that he could support her in turn. She remembered their first meeting, when she had explained the difference between a responsibility and a relationship to him. Today, she had forgotten the difference herself. And in choosing to do so, she had hurt him.

"I'm sorry." She said, bring her hands up to hold her ears in apology. "I never realized that I was pushing you away. I didn't realize that my actions would hurt you in the worst possible way." She tried to blink back her tears so he wouldn't see them.

"Hey, hey." Vivaan got up and shifted his chair so he was sitting beside her. He put an arm around her and drew her in his embrace. "Don't cry, Payal." But his words only caused her to cry more. He was being kind to her when he should be upset with her. After a minute, Vivaan got up and went to the billing register to pay for their order. He came back and tugged her hand.

"Come on, Let's get you out of here." He said, indicating to the people who were looking curiously.

Payal took his hand and let him drag her outside to a more secluded bench.

"First, stop crying, Payal." Vivaan requested. He wiped her tears gently.

"Sorry, I'm just an emotional mess today." Payal spoke through her tears.

"It's okay." Vivaan said, putting an arm around her and rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "Everyone has such days."

"I really am sorry though, Vivaan." Payal said, after a quiet moment. "I understand what you said. And I agree that I shouldn't have to hide anything from you. I'm really sorry for hurting you."

"To me, all that matters is that you understood my point of view." Vivaan said, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "I don't need any apologies."

"Liar." Payal said, mock-slapping his arm. He laughed.

"Okay, I did want to hear an apology from you earlier." He said, smiling when she looked up at him with a stern look. "Okay okay! Apology accepted." He relented.

"Will you forgive Mansi too?" Payal asked carefully.

Vivaan's smile dropped at her question. "Mansi has let me down. I never expected her to hide something so huge from me." he said, as though thinking his words. "But I will talk to her, don't worry."

Payal nodded. "I should get going now. Bhaiya will be waiting for me."

"Should I drop you?" Vivaan asked.

"No. I'll drive myself home." Payal said, getting up and moving toward her car. Vivaan followed her.

"Drive safe." He told her, making her smile.

"You message me once you've sorted everything out." She told him. He nodded in agreement.

"Thank you for being there for my sister." He said, hugging her.

"Your family is my family too, Vivaan. Please don't thank me." she said.

He smiled at that, his eyes bright and filled with love.

Payal smiled back, hoping to some day confess that she loved him as well.

Glossary:

Kadhi-chawal  - this is a popular dish in India. Kadhi refers to a curry made by simmering curd with besan (gram flour) and spices. Chawal is another term for rice. Kadhi may also be eaten as a part of a full meal; or with roti or paratha.