Sometimes Love Is Not Enough

Chapter 29

Six years later

Arnav

"Nani, Where do you want these?" I inquired, looking down at the thali of flowers in my hands, then back at her.

"Keep them in the mandir for now." She stated. "Oh, is Anjali Bitiya back from the office?"

"No." I said and turned to walk to Mandir.

"Why did you have to send her to the office when you know we are having a function at home?" Nani inquired, her brow furrowed as she glanced at me.

I looked at her, my eyes wide with surprise. " I...? I sent Di? She insisted on going. She said that she needed to sign an important document. I had even suggested she get it delivered by her PA. But she didn't even listen to her boss. How is that my fault?"

Nani frowned before asking, "Couldn't you stop her?" Isn't she your sister as well?"

I turned and shook my head at her, adding, "You're impossible."

As I placed both taali on the mandir, Mami exclaimed, "Hariprakash? Arre o Hariprakash? Where are you? Is my daughter-in-law ready for her baby shower?"

Even after all these years, it is still unsettling to see her speak with such care about Payal. When Akash wanted to bring Payal back, she was upset with everyone. But after an hour of private chat with Di and a half-hour with Payal, she literally changed. And ever since that day, we are all still trying to adjust to her endearment for Payal since the three of them refused to tell anyone about their conversations. So we had no option but to accept it.

"Arnav?" Di's voice came in before she entered through the door. It still stings when she addresses me by my given name. But she hasn't called me Chote since that day. And she, too, has changed tremendously-in a good way, of course.

"I'm here, Di." I replied as I exited the mandir, and she entered the house.

She gazed at me with big eyes filled with disbelief as she looked between me and the mandir that I had just stepped out of.

"You... you were in Mandir?" Her voice was surprised.

"Relax." I responded as I took the file she was holding and flipped through the pages. "Nani had told me to keep those thalis there." I pointed at the thali.

"I thought you went to..." she said, huffing a breath and shaking her head. But she couldn't finish because loud Bollywood music flooded through the living room.

"NK Bhai have reached?" Di asked as she tried to glance over my shoulder when the loud noise stopped.

I nodded, and a smile flashed across her face as she added, "I'll go meet him."

She walked away as I flipped through the pages of the file, my gaze fixed on the most important lines. As I turned another page, I heard it.

My breath froze in my throat as I heard her payal approaching. I looked up in time to see Bua ji, Aunty, and Uncle stroll in with bags in hand.

When I didn't hear the sound again, I smiled at them and took their blessing by touching their feet.

"Namaste, Aunty. Namaste, Bua Ji."

"Namaste." They replied together.

"How are you, Uncle?" I inquired.

It was quite a shock when he spoke up about how he had gotten paralyzed. But Shyam's involvement was not entirely unexpected. Because a man who murdered his own child and attempted to murder his own wife will go to any length to get his way.

"I'm fine." He said this as the rest of the family came to greet them.

I heard the sound nearing again as they went inside. But this time... I saw her.

She entered the room wearing a simple orange saree, a bag swinging from her arm, and two large trays with crimson covers in each hand.

I stared at her as she spoke to someone behind her and handed him the trays before starting to walk but stopping when she saw me.

I smiled at her and said, "Hi."

"Hi!" She replied with a smile before strolling past me into the living room.

I kept staring at where she was standing, then bowed my head slightly before I turned and followed her inside.