"I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile,

I've watched you sleeping for a while.

I know your fears and you know mine.

We've had our doubts but now we're fine,

And I love you, I swear that's true.

I cannot live without you."

Goodbye my Lover, James Blunt

Arundhati's POV

I think we were out cold for about twelve hours straight, because when I woke up, it was still light outside. Frantically, I checked my phone. 6:23 am, it read.

I turned to see Neil right beside me, dead to the world. He was on his stomach, facing me, and his mouth was open like a small child's. I smiled at that, despite myself.

"Crazy stupid man" I whispered.

He didn't even twitch.

I staggered out of the open door, only to hear the faint strains of television. There, in the living room, in front of the TV, sat Shantanu and George, engrossed in a re-run of a sitcom.

I sighed.

Of course, jet lagged, the both of them.

They must've heard me, for they turned. While Shantanu offered me a small smile, my son stared at me plaintively for a few seconds before decisively turning away to look at the TV again.

It took my brain a few seonds to figure out his reaction. He must've see the both of us on the same bed.

What was I going to do with this kid? He was turning out to be more judgemental than his father.

"You both want something to eat?" I asked, thinking about how to have a heart-to-heart with George.

"We found a carton of cornflakes a while back" Shantanu shrugged. George didn't even turn.

 I picked up the same carton and poured me a helping, and was just going to settle down next to them in front of the TV when Neil walked out of my room, rubbing his eyes.

"Morning, folks" he yawned and made his way to us.

Shantanu gave him a light salute, I smiled, George sat still as a statue.

"The kid doesn't like me much, does he?" Neil whispered unobtrusively as he stole a spoonful from my bowl.

I gave him the death glare for doing that.

"I don't share food!" I shot back in the same tone, "And yes, Sherlock, Georgie doesn't really like you."

He munched on his stolen mouthful for a few moments, staring expressionlessly at the TV. I turned too, trying to focus on a re-run of Modern Family that these two had been watching. It didn't take me long to tune out.

I had no job. My brother was in the ICU, and my family in deep crisis. My son was in denial, and idiot that my heart was, it was in love.

I smiled to myself at my hapless situation. God, when it decided to rain, it bloody poured till I drowned in the deluge.

"Hey, George" I snapped back into reality on hearing Neil's voice, "how about we go out and score some breakfast for everyone?"

"Grandma has cornflakes" George effectively closed the topic with an icy shot-down.

I saw the brothers exchange quick glances.

"Let's have a competition" Shantanu started, "Your mum and I in one team, you and Neil in one. Let's see who gets yummier food. Deal?"

He turned to look at me, and I could practically see him weigh the pros against the cons, till it hit him that if he goes with Neil, well...I would not be with Neil.

"Alright" he stood up and dusted imaginary dust, "Let's go, Uncle Neil."

Neil blanched at the word "uncle", but he got up nonetheless.

"One hour" Shantanu said, "and we shall meet here again."

George shrugged, Neil sighed and they both went off to put on their shoes.

"Should I ask what that was all about?" I asked, placing another spoonful of cornflakes in my mouth.

"They're going to bond, bhabhi" Shantanu said lightly.

"And what are we going to do?"

His grin stretched wide, "Watch TV."

***

Ma woke up shortly after, and so did Papa and bhabhi. We sat down and explained our situation to them, because, of course, they wanted to know. So I narrated whatever I could, leaving out the violent bits and the Stacie saga, and Shantanu added in details wherever I missed them.

Over cups of tea, my parents had just about finished cross-questioning me(and they had all right to do so too. Lord knows I would do it to George if he ever pulled this on me.)when the bell rang.

Bhabhi went to open it, and I heard her squeal in surprise. Curious, I got up to check out what was going on, only to see that Neil and George had returned with what I could only describe as bagfuls of food.

I could see an excited expression on George's face, a joyful excitement I hadn't seen in my baby since forever. Neil had a satisfied cheshire-cat-like grin.

"Mommy, we got soooo much fooooood!" George's voice full of childlike joy almost had me tearing up. This child had been forced to grow up so soon, see his parents separate for causes beyond his understanding, saw his father turn into a raging alcoholic, saw his mother with another man.

My baby deserved a better childhood. He deserved this childlike wonder, this joy.

"My God!"I exclaimed," I don't think we can finish this much for breakfast?!"

"George here was a little peckish, I believe" Neil's voice was layered with mirth.

"You look like you bought a shop" I laughed.

"Momma let's opeeeeen iiiiiitttt! I want to try eeeeeverything!" his large smile had me wish I could frame it.

"Of course" I directed him in, "go and give this to auntie, she will open it all up."

He bounded in, needing no furthur instruction. Shantanu came along to take Neil's bags.

We stood alone in the veranda.

"Should I ask about what happened?" I had a small smile on my face.

Neil's smile vanished the moment everyone went in. He was dead serious when he turned to me.

He reached for my hands, and I felt his thumb rub over my ring, but he remained quiet.

"He cried." was all he said when he finally spoke.

"What?" I reacted, startled, and made to go inside, but he gripped my hands tighter, stopping me.

"Hear me through" his voice was low, "When we left, he refused to talk, so I took him to the park two lanes away, and we walked. And after a round I finally sat down and asked him why he was behaving like this. I told him that it hurt you to see him behave like this...He started crying. He misses his father, and Charlotte. He loves you, sure...and like all kids, he believes that mom and dad were meant to be together...so why am I interfering?"

"But-"

"I'm not done, Dhati" Neil swallowed, "I told him that I wasn't, that I genuinely wanted to be with you, and that I would always keep you happy. You know...promises one usually makes to the brother of the bride or he would kick your bum..."

"And?" I prompted when he fell quiet.

"He was worried that I would stop him from being with you" his voice was hushed. "I told him I would never do that. I made him a promise, in fact."

"And?" I asked, not quite understanding where this was going.

"And he gave me his 'permission' to court you under his supervision" a ghost of a smile flickered on his face.

"But that's good, isn't it?" I asked, confused, "Why do you look so sad?"

"I get the feeling that something has happened at some point with him, Dhati" he would not meet my eyes, "How can a child be so untrusting, so fearful after so many reassurances?"

"He saw both his parents go through hell, Neil"I managed a weak smile," not to mention, his real, biological mother abandoned him and ran away."

"Biological?" came a stunned voice, and the voice didn't belong to an adult.

***

Hi readers,

First and foremost, a massive and deeply heartfelt apology for the timing of this update. I know, it's literally been ages since I last wrote, and so many would have stopped following the story because of this, but what can one do?

When work beckons, I go:(

Till the next one, I rest,

Ellanie :)