Kavya's POV

'Kavya, Kavya,' someone was calling me and I opened my eyes and looked around and remembered that we are going to Kabir's farmhouse.

'We have reached,' I heard Kabir's voice and looked outside the window to see a beautiful farm in front of me.

'Wow!' I exclaimed as I have never see such a beautiful farm.

'You loved it?' Raj asked.

'Yes. This is so beautiful.' I hurriedly got out of the car and looked around.

Here it was so so calm and peaceful, unlike the hustle bustle of the city.

There was a big lawn infront of the house and---

'Let's go.' I saw Kabir holding Raj in his arms.

'Our bag?' I asked.

'I will bring it later,' he said.

'No. I will take it out,' I said.

'No. I will bring it. You go and have rest,' he said firmly and I didn't argue.

We were walking towards the house when a man came running towards us. He looked like he was in his sixties.

'Sir,' he greeted Kabir and looked at me.

'You should have told me you are coming. I would have prepared lunch for you,' he said and looked at me.

'Kavya, this is, Anand, care taker of the farmhouse,' Kabir introduced me to him.

'Namaste,' I greeted him.

'Namaste, madam,' he greeted me and looked at Raj.

'What happened to Raj baba?'he asked.

'He is unable to walk right now but he will be fine in few days days. Anyways, take our bags out and lock the car.' Kabir gave the keys to Anand and started walking towards the house.

I walked into the house and was mesmerized by its beauty.

I have never seen such a big house.

It has a big living room, a kitchen and a washroom.

Living room only had a set of sofa and a T.V.

On the right side was a kitchen which was big as the living room and there was a washroom near the staircase.

'There are three separate room with attached washroom in each floor and a terrace,' Kabir told me as he placed Raj on the sofa.

'This house is so big,' I exclaimed looking around.

'Yes, dad loved it so he bought it,' he told me.

'You are so rich? Why are you with me?' I joked and he looked angrily at me.

'Always speaking nonsense,' he said, making me laugh.

'What will you guys have in lunch?' Anand uncle asked as he kept the bag on the floor.

'What will you have, Kavya?' Kabir asked me.

'I will have anything,' I said as Anand uncle gave us a glass of water.

'We will have roti with baingan ka bharta,' Kabir told him and I looked at Kabir.

Baingan ka bharta? My favourite.

'Okay, sir. Luckily we have baingan. I bought it yesterday for us,' he said.

'Uncle, you bought baingan for yourself. You don't have to prepare it for us,' I said.

'It's okay, madam. If I will go to the market now, it will get late. I will go in the evening and buy fresh vegetables for you guys,' he said.

'And, what will you eat?' I asked.

'We have potatoes. We will make something with that. Madam, you dont have to worry.'

'Sir, should I carry Raj to his room?' Anand uncle asked.

'No. I will carry him. You can go now and prepare lunch for us,' he dismissed him.

'Okay, sir,' Anand uncle smiled at us and left.

'You seem so rude,' I said.

'I am not rude. I talk like this only.'

'Not with me,' I said.

'Yes. Not with you.'

'Raj, after showing the room to madam, I will take you to your room, okay?' he asked softly.

'Okay, bhai.'

'And not with Raj too,' I said and he looked at me.

He seemed confused for few seconds but, maybe, he understood, and just shrugged.

Instead, he took the bag and asked me to follow him.

We climbed towards the second floor and opened it.

There was a huge room with a bed and there was a big wardrobe with mirror beside the bed.

'There is washroom,' he gestured me towards the washroom.

'Here is my bag. Keep all your clothes in the wardrobe and then I will take my bag. Don't worry, wardrobe is clean. I ask Anand to clean everything everyday, including wardrobes.

'Everyday?' I asked.

'Yes. I pay him for it. Anyways, I will go and get Raj freshen up,' he said and left.

I walked towards the window, opened it and looked outside.

It feels so fresh here.

Few months ago, I never ever imagined that I will come here.

After coming here, it feels like I am using Kabir even though I know that I am not using him.

I went towards the bag before I dive deep into my thoughts.

I took out a towel, yellow top and jeans and then kept all the clothes in the wardrobe.

For the first time I will be wearing this type of clothes.

In the college, I used to see everybody wearing it and used to feel jealous but I thought after marriage I will be able to wear it but I didn't wear it.

Sohum was never interested in my clothes. For him I was beautiful in whatever clothes I wear.

But, sometimes, I wanted him to look at me and get swept off but that never happened.

Whenever I used to wear a new saree or dress, I was not able to see that glint in his eyes.

Yes, Sohum would have agreed on me wearing western clothes if I asked him but I wanted him to buy it for me when I told him that, I love wearing it but dad never allowed me to wear it.

When I told him, he just listened to me and went back to scrolling his mobile.

I wanted him to do what Kabir did today.

I closed my eyes.

Sh!t ! What I am thinking?

I bought myself out of my thoughts and went in the washroom.

*****

I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself.

Wow! I am looking so different.

So young and beautiful.

I never imagined, I can look so different.

I combed my hair and let it flow down my back.

I descended down and Kabir looked at me and for a second it felt like he was spellbound.

He was just looking at me.

This look.

This sparkle in the eyes.

The look of being mesmerized.

I wanted this look on Sohum's face whenever I wore something new.

'Wow! You are looking so different,' he said as I went and stood in front of him.

'Thank you. For you I am able to wear it.'

He didn't say anything.

He was just looking at me.

This is the second time, he is looking at me like this.

He gave me this look when I wore black saree for the first time during the party.

This is the look I wanted on my husband.

'For the first time I am wearing western clothes,' I said and he was just staring at me.

'Then, make a habit of wearing it. You look so beau.... I mean, you look so different in a good way,' I chuckled at his change of words.

'I got it, you mean to say I look beautiful, right?' I teased him.

'Kavya, you look beautiful,' his eyes bored into mine and I got nervous by the ways his eyes were never leaving me.

Few seconds back I was teasing him, and now I am the only one feeling like hiding myself somewhere as his eyes were not leaving mine.

'Uh... thank you. Water. Can I have a glass of water?' I asked.

'Yes, of course. Anand, bring a glass of water for madam,' he said and I took a deeb breathe as his gaze left mine.

Anand uncle hurriedly came and gave me a glass of water.

'Thank you, uncle,' I said as I sat on the sofa.

'You have unpacked your bag, right?' he asked.

'Yes.'

'Then, can I go to your room and take my bag?' he asked.

'Yes,' I said and he went upstairs.

I went in the kitchen to see Anand uncle roasting baingan.

'For how many years you are working here?'

'I came here when sir was ten years old. I have seen him growing up but I think he has changed. He always used to make faces while eating baingan but today he asked me to make it,' he said and I chuckled.

'Tell me, he was always rude like this as a kid?' I asked and he started laughing.

'As a kid also he was very grumpy and he was that kid who never tolerated injustice and was always ready for a fight if somebody messes with him. Raj baba is totally different from sir,' he said.

Yes. Raj is quiet and understanding guy.

Raj is someone who will not pick a fight and will stay silent even if he is bullied.

'But, you know the best part about sir. He is a just a kid from the inside who just wants love. One day he bought some friends here, they had a fight and his friends left. When I came here, he was covered with bruises. He way maybe fifteen to sixteen years old. I made him sit down, cleaned all the bruises and put ointment on it. Then I looked at him, he was on the verge of tears, and I could not control back and hugged him tightly. For the first time I saw his walls break as he hugged me back and we stayed like that for five minutes. After that he wiped his tears, and ordered me to prepare pasta for him, as if nothing happened,' uncle told me as he satared peeling garlic.

'But from that day, he made sure me and my family does not have to face any problem. As he grew up and his dad passed away, he started handling the business, and then he bought a house beside this farmhouse for us, he helped my son in getting a job, and he even got my grandson admitted to best school and he pays the school fee every year,' he told me.

'You know, I remembered something, my wife got into an accident but we did not tell anything to sir about it as he already does so much for us. All our savings went in her recovery. Few years back, when he came here with Raj and got to know about it, he got so angry as we had not told him about my wife's accident as we didnt wanted to burden him anymore. You know what he did?' he asked with a smile on his face.

'What?' I asked curiously.

'He used to make me sit on the sofa, didnt let me do any cleaning or cooking. For two days he ordered takeouts for Raj and himself. My heart used to break when he treated me like that until on the third day I couldn't take it anymore, hugged him tightly and started crying and that time he hugged me back and said only one thing.'

'What?' I asked hurriedly.

'I still remember his words clearly, he said, 'I don't want to be your son, but I want to be someone you depend on in times of need. I want you to be dependent on me as you are one of the person I am close to.'

'After that, once again I hugged him tightly and again, he hugged me back, but after few seconds, he broke our hug and ordered me to clean the whole house as if nothing happened. From that day, I always video call him on our family's special occasion like birthday, anniversary or my grandson's first day at school and he always pick up the call even if he is in an important meeting,' he said as he started crushing the baingan.

'When you were upstairs, he asked me about my family, and when I requested him to come for dinner today along with you and Raj, he agreed. He has met everybody in my family. My family loves him a lot, specially my wife and my grandson,' he told me and there was a big smile on his face.

'I have already told him but I am saying again. I want you to come to our house along with them,' he invited me.

'Uncle, thank you, but is it okay if I don't come. I mean... I am just his friend and---

'His friend is our friend. Please don't deny the invitation. Even though we are not rich like sir, but still---

'Uncle, don't say stupid things like this. I will come.'

'What are you guys talking about?' Kabir asked as he came and stood beside me.

For the first time I am seeing his ruffled hair and he is wearing black T-shirt and blue jeans, and that changed his whole look.

He doesn't look like a CEO of the hotel, but a college student.

'Nothing, sir. You guys go and sit, it will take fifteen minutes to prepare lunch,' he said and we sat on the sofa.

'Did you check on Raj before coming here?' I asked.

'Yes. I checked him before coming here. He has fallen asleep.'

'Oh. By the way today you are looking different. I have always seen you prim and proper, but today, for the first time I am seeing you in ruffled hair and in a jeans and T-shirt,' I complimented him and he looked away shyly which surprised me.

What? This guy can can also get shy?

'Are you getting shy, Kabir?' I asked and he cleared his throat and met my eyes.

'No. I will go and check on Raj once again.' he ran from the hall making me laugh.

I can't believe how much free and happy I feel from the day Kabir came in my life.

*****

I hope you liked the chapter.

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