Mumbai

Aarav had been sitting on the couch while Poonam was preparing his favorite food. "bhabhi aap rehne dijiye na" he said

Poonam stared at him "Aaru chup chap baithe raho tum.. tumhe kuch yaad nahi hai lekin main tumhe bata dun mujhe pasand nahi agar tum meri baat nahi maante ho toh" she warned him. 

Aarav smiled a bit hearing her words. She completes finishing the food, and poured it into the plate, and walked to him. Aarav places the cushion and Poonam sits down beside him. She took a bit and feeds him with her own hands. 

Aarav eyes turn moist, he coughs a bit. Poonam hands him the glass of water "yeh lo paani peeyo" he drinks the water with his eyes fixed on her. 

"kaisa bana hai?" she asked

"bahut acha hai" Aarav replied

She picks up her phone and shows him some videos "tum bhool gaye lekin maine sab yaadein sameetke rakhi hai Aaru dekho" 

Aarav's face lights up hearing her words. He sees the video and it was at the park when she was flying the kite. 

"bhabhi maa jaldi kaato patang! chintu ko harana hai humhe" 

"Aaru aaj toh main kaatke rahungi patang!" 

Aarav jumped "yaay kaat gayi.." he hugged Poonam from behind "Aap best ho bhabhi maa.." 

Another video showed how he dirted the hall with his shoes and Poonam scolded him for that. He held the phone and looked at all the videos a few times. 

He recalled when Vikram told him that he had attacked Poonam when she was trying to win his heart. He placed the phone on the table and moved a bit away from her. Poonam gets confused by the sudden move of this "Aaru achanak tum door kyun ho gaye?" 

Aarav lowers his head "wo jab aap bhai ke saath aayi thi toh maine bahut tang kiya tha aapko.. aapka gala bhi.." he felt guilty about it. 

Poonam held his hand and turned his face towards her. She looked at him keenly "idhar dekho Aaru" 

Aarav looked at her, and she smiled "tab main tumhari dost nahi thi Aaru.. lekin jab dost bani toh tumne mujhe apne bhai se zyada pyaar kiya.. aur uss waqt haalat aise they Aaru tumhari galti nahi thi" 

"aap bhi ek dum bhai ki tarah baat kar rahi ho.. wo bhi kehte hai meri galti nahi thi par sach yahi hai maine aapko hurt kiya bhai ko bhi hurt kiya.. bhai ne aapko ghar se nikala lekin mujhe ek baar bhi.." he sighed deeply. 

"ek baat batao Aaru agar tumhari jagah Vikram hote aur Vikram ki jagah tum toh kya tum use chod dete kahi bhi haan?" Poonam questioned

Aarav refused "kabhi nahi.." 

"toh Vikram kaise tumhari zimmedari se peeche hat jaate Aaru?" Poonam said

Aarav smiled hearing her words. "lekin bhabhi maa bhai ne aapse shaadi ki thi kuch vachan liye they unhone aap par bharosa karne ke aapka saath dene ke wo unhone nahi nibhaye jiske liye main unhe maaf nahi karunga" he said

Poonam was left in disbelief hearing him "Aaru matlab..."

"main Delhi wapas nahi jaunga aapke saath rahunga aapko meri zaroorat hai" Aarav said

"Aaru paagal mat bano! tum aise Vikram ko akela chodke yahan nahi rah sakte ho itne saalo baad tum thik hue ho Vikram ko zaroorat hai tumhari" Poonam said in concern

"thik hai bhabhi maa toh aapko mere saath wapas chalna hoga" Aarav declared.

Poonam's eyes became wide hearing him "Aaru.." 

"ji bhabhi maa.. uss ghar mein main wapas tab hi jaunga jab aap wapas jaogi!" He said and got up from the couch.

"Aarav ye possible nahi hai! mera business hai yahan pe.. yeh ghar sab kuch mera yahan hai" Poonam explained. 

Aarav smiled "mujhe yaad nahi aapke saath bithaye hue pal.. ab main aapke saath rahkar nayi yaadein banana chahta hun hosh mein rahkar aapka pyaar chahta hun aapki daant sab kuch.." 

Poonam's eyes get teary "Aaru.." 

"ab aap mujhe batayengi guest room kaha hai?" he questioned

"Aaru meri baat samjhane ki koshish karo.. aise Vikram ko akela chodke yahan please.." she requested.

Aarav sighed deeply "thik hai main jaata hun wapas par aapke ghar lautne ka intezar karunga" he said touching her feet.  He left from there while Poonam watched him leave.

Delhi

Vikram had been pacing up and down and wondered what happened in Mumbai. Aarav returns home, Vikram smiles seeing him. Aarav walked straight upstairs to his room. 

Vikram followed him and asked "mila Poonam se? kya hua waha pe?" 

Aarav told him everything that happened but didn't inform him that she was pregnant. He shouldn't interfere in their matter. 

"bhai mujhe bhabhi ghar mein chahiye yeh mujhe nahi pata aap kaise karoge par bhabhi yahan honi chahiye" he demanded.

"Are meri baat toh sunle.." Vikram tried to explain but Aarav didn't listen. Vikram showed him his phone and Aarav glanced at it. He had actually booked a ticket to Mumbai for morning but then cancelled it. 

"I am sorry bhai.. aap toh jaane waale they par main chala gaya aapse pehle... sorry sorry sorry" he apologized. 

Vikram made him sit on the bed and cupped his face "sorry kyun kah raha hai tu? tera haq tha teri bhabhi maa se milna.. main khud chahta hun Poonam hamare saath rahe.. bas tujhe sab batane ka intezar kar raha tha main agar use bata deta ki tu thik ho gaya par use yaad nahi hai toh use hurt hota na.."

"toh aap unse naraz nahi ho?" he asked

"hun Aaru.. jab tu zindagi aur maut se ladh raha tha main chahta tha wo yahan ho mere saath par wo nahi thi.. kitna kaha nahi maani usne meri baat naraz hun par yeh matlab nahi ki usey pyaar nahi hai! aur uska wapas na aana bhi main samajh sakta hun.. tu fikar mat kar teri bhabhi ko main manake ghar laaunga" Vikram replied ruffling his hairs a bit. 

Aarav smiled upon hearing his words, and both of them thought about each other. "thik hai main intezar karunga bhai.. aur ab mujhe use manana hai jise maine anjaane mein hurt kar dia" he said remembering about Chintu.

Vikram understood whom he was talking about. "Aaru Chintu.."

"haan bhai Chintu aapke aur bhabhi ke alawa ek wahi toh tha jo mujhe paagal nahi dost manta tha.. mujhe use bhi sorry kehna hai" Aarav replied.

Vikram smiled hearing him. "lekin hamari ladai jabtak khatam nahi hogi jabtak aap bhabhi ko ghar nahi laoge samjhe!" 

Vikram folds his hand in front of him "pata hai mere baap! wo gussa hogi na maine use nahi bataya tere baare mein"

"haan bhabhi gussa toh bahut hai" Aarav said sadly. 

"hmm hona bhi chahiye.. ab toh bahut zyada efforts daalne padenge use manake laane ke liye" Vikram said

"Wo toh aap yuhi kar loge bhai.. pehle bhi toh kiya tha aapne" Aarav said placing his hands around his shoulder.

"pehle? tujhe pata bhi hai kya kiya tha.." 

"haan aapne hi toh bataya.. mumbai gaye they raat bhar khade rahe they bahar.. isse zyada kya hi karwa lengi bhabhi aapse" Aarav said teasingly. 

"maar khayega tu mere haath se.. sharam hai hi nahi kuch.. bhai ka mazak uda raha hai" Vikram said annoyed. 

Aarav pulled his cheeks "All the best! bhai jeet aapki hi hogi.. aur haan meri bhabhi ko zyada tang mat karna warna.."

"main kyun use tang karunga haan?" Vikram asked

"mujhe kya pata.. aap unpe gussa kar sakte ho" Aarav tried to give him a hint. 

"kya?" Vikram asked in confusion. 

"Nothing.." Aarav denied. He thought "ab bas bhai bhabhi ko manake ghar le aaye.. lekin agar bhabhi nahi maani toh? nahi nahi.. bhabhi ko aana hi padega.." 

Aarav immediately booked the tickets "yeh lijiye ab aapke ticket maine book kar dijiye chalyie jaane ki tayari kijiye" he pushed him out of his room and closed the door in his face. 

The next morning, Vikram gave some instructions to Maria "diet chart hi follow karna aur haan time pe dawaiyan dete rehna isey"

Aarav sighed deeply "bhai I can take care of myself" he said cutely

"tu office hi sambhal le wahi badi baat hai Aaru! Sambhal lega na??" he asked as he was concerned about his health.

Aarav kept his hand on his shoulder and smiled "han bhai.. Aap meri fikar mat karo main zyda stress nahi lunga pakka" he assured him

He smiled and cupped his face.

Vikram left for Mumbai and after dropping him off Aarav went to the same garden where he use to come to picnic. 

He looked around but didn't find Chintu anywhere. He moved towards the lake and finally found him sitting with his mother. 

"Chintu kabse tumhare dost tumhe khelne ke liye bula rahe hai jao na" his mother tries to convince him but he denied it. 

"mere saath kheloge?" Aarav asked. 

Chintu looked at him, he smiled a bit but remembered what Vikram told him and his behaviour that day. Chintu picked up his ball and went away. Aarav followed him "Chintu sorry..." he apologized. 

Chintu turned "Aap yahan kyu aaye ho? aap toh mujhe jante nahi ho na.. mera dost toh bhool gaya mujhe chala gaya mujhse door" he said with teary eyes. 

Aarav holds his ears "nahi aapka yeh dost kahi nahi gaya aur kabhi nahi jayega! maaf kardo please.." 

Chintu crossed his arms and looked away. Aarav gets emotional "6 saal bit gaye Chintu.. jo mere dost they na wo mera mazaak udate they.. mujhe pareshan karte they aur ek na mujhpe ilzam bhi lagaya tha ganda waala.. tab tum aur bhabhi maa mere saath khade they! tumne meri masoomiyat ko samjha mere saath khele aur mera gusse se bhi dare they tum haina?" 

Chintu listened to him silently. "aapko sab yaad hai?" he asked

"nahi par bhai ne sab bataya mujhe toh ek chaavi banali maine unn sab baaton ki.. lekin tumhara chahra toh tab saamne aaya kab main bhabhi maa ke paas gaya aur videos dekhe.. dekhoge?" he asked

Chintu nodded in yes, Aarav showed a few videos to him and Chintu laughed a bit. "I am sorry Chintu maine uss din tumhe aise hi jaane diya.. main hamesha aapka dost rahunga aur aapke saath aise hi khelunga" 

"toh karo batti.." he said showing his hands and Aarav looked at him in confusion. 

"aapko sab batana padega phirse.." Chintu hits his forehead.

"haan aapko batana padega main bhool gaya na" Aarav said sadly. 

Chintu smiled and hugged him tightly. Aarav caressed his head and they went to play. 

Chintu noticed sadness on his face "aap sad kyu ho?"

"bhai aur bhabhi maa ki wajah se.. Bhai unhone manane gaye hai wo aayengi na?" he asked

"aayengi.. Aapko pata hai bhabhi hamesha meri patang katti thi Aapko jeetane ke liye toh iss baar bhi Aapko jeetayengi" he replied

Aarav ruffled his hairs and just prayed Vikram returns with Poonam soon.