Journey towards Love

6.30 pm, London

A man in his late twenties, sat on the couch of his living room sipping his favourite black coffee, simultaneously working on his laptop, when another man of his age entered, rather barged into his house hurriedly.

'Aman?' The man frowned, placing his coffee aside on the table.

'Arnav, we need to leave to India immediately', Aman urged.

'But what happened? Is everything fine? Dadi?' Arnav asked worrying about the only support he had in his life.

Aman, who had by then relaxed after his small run, placed an arm on his best friend's shoulder, and said, 'She is critical and being admitted in the hospital.'

'What? And why dint Radha Kaki inform me about this?' Arnav yelled, checking his phone for any missed calls from his home in India.

'Your phone was not reachable Arnav. Hence she called me. I have made all the arrangements for us to fly back. Pack your bags and the jet will be ready to take off in another hour.' Aman spoke while arranging all the things into laptop bag, as he knew very well that Arnav wont be in a state of mind to react after hearing the news.

In the midst of this, Eva, Arnav's secretary in London, came with all the necessary files for the meeting that was supposedly to happen the next day. Seeing the rush inside, she asked, 'ASR? You leaving somewhere?'

'Yes Eva, myself and Aman are heading back to India now. You will have to manage here.' Arnav spoke.

'But ASR, this deal requires you in person. If you miss to attend it, then we will lose whole 300 crores, and what about the reputation of AR?' She asked. Being a secretary, she had to speak for the sake of the company.

'Its about his Dadi, Eva. We have to head back.' Aman answered.

'But...' before Eva could complete her sentence, Arnav scowled with a determined look on his face, 'No deal is bigger than my family Eva. I dont care even if I lose this. If you are capable enough to handle this, then do it. Otherwise, this deal does not make any difference to me.'

Taking their bags, Aman and Arnav sped out of the house to board the jet to India.

Arnav Singh Raizada, known as ASR, for the business world, had everything, money, fame and power. His company, AR designs, was one of the topmost companies of the world and the whole credit goes to Arnav. Losing his parents at a tender age, his Dadi, Mrs. Subadra Singh Raizada, was the biggest support he had to build his career, and the same Dadi was lying lifeless on the hospital bed miles away, waiting for her grandson's arrival. She was suffering from a late stage of gastric cancer which was diagnosed a year back, and unfortunately there was no treatment that could heal her. Arnav contacted the best doctors in the world, only to return back in vain. All had raised their hands and acute attacks like these were always anticipated, like a ticking bomb. But the deal he was about to finalise, was worth 300 crores and his Dadi had insisted him to go to London, not paying any heeds to his denial. She even urged Aman, his best friend cum secretary to accompany him, as she knew that her grandson would be only worried about his Dadi and he would not take care of himself.

He had to agree to her demands grudgingly only when she swore on her and he inturn took promises from her that she would take care of herself till he returns and that she would not deny to any of Radha Kaki's orders. Though he kept his promise, his Dadi could not.

New Delhi, India

After a long flight, Arnav and Aman headed directly to the hospital his Dadi was currently getting treated.

Reaching the VIP room, they found his Dadi, attached to many tubes and lying unconscious.

Radha Kaki approached them and said, 'Arnav beta, the doctors wanted to meet you.'

Arnav could just nod his head and marched towards the doctors' room, to get clarified about the further treatment.

A man, late in his fifties, Dr. Anirudh Chopra, was seated in a chair, looking into patient's files, when Arnav entered.

'Doctor? How is she?' He asked anxiously.

Pausing his actions, the doctor advised ASR to take a seat and continued,

'I wont lie to you ASR. But she is in her very last stages and she might have hardly another 6 months.' The doctor sighed, knowing very well how this news would leave Arnav in stupor.

Composing himself after a few seconds, Arnav asked, 'Is.. is there no way to treat her? I mean any new medication? I can afford for anything doctor.'

Placing his hand over Arnav's that rested on the table, he said, 'Arnav, I know you can afford. But there is no treatment for this. Trust me, I personally looked into all the options, but there is really no hope.' He was feeling sad for the boy before him, as he knew how much his Dadi meant.

Understanding, Arnav nodded and left the room in silence.

The moment he reached his Dadi's room, he found her conscious, chatting away with Radha Kaki and Aman, as if nothing happened and she was absolutely fine. Wish! It was true.

He approached his Dadi with calculative steps, careful to not break down in front of her.

'Dadi', was all he could whisper nearing her.

'Chote! Come here' his Dadi welcomed him to sit beside her.

Holding her hands, Arnav could not keep his emotions at bay and his tears found their way down his cheeks.

'Chote! Please dont cry. I will not leave you in peace so soon.' She chuckled to lighten her grandson's mood.

Arnav kissed her palms and insisted her to rest for a while, when he would get the discharge papers ready and barged out of the room.

Aman, who stood by Dadi, shared a look with her and went behind his best friend to console him.

2 days later, Dadi was discharged from the hospital and she was brought back to her home, Shantivan.

Arnav and Aman helped her to settle while Radha had gone out to prepare the food necessary for Dadi.

'Chote! I need to have a word with you. And I dare, you avoid it,' Dadi ordered.

'Dadi, you need rest. All the other things can wait.' Arnav persisted.

'Chote! Its been 2 days since I am trying to talk with you and you keep ignoring it every single time.' She glowered.

'Dadi, I know what are you going to say. That I should get married. But we have been over this topic a lot of times. Why dont you understand? I dont want to get married, not now not anytime in my life', he declared.

'Chote! Why dont you understand? I still dont get it why you hate marriage so much?' She yelled. Composing herself, she continued in a poised manner, 'It is not easy to live alone all your life, Chote! You will need a partner in the future. I know how much I longed for your grandfather after he passed away. You might want loneliness now, but it wont be the same as you get older. You will need someone to take care of you, to share your thoughts, problems and happiness at some point of time. And that support can be provided only by a wife.'

'Its better to live alone than to face betrayal from your partner Dadi', he muttered gritting his teeth.

'Chote, it was the past. Till when will you live in your past? Come out of it and move on. Not every person will be the same.' She put forth.

'Its not easy Dadi.' He whispered.

Subhadra held Arnav close, cupping his face and said, 'You have to move on Chote! I wont be alive for long. My last wish is to see you getting married and live a happy life.'

'Dadi, please. We can talk later about this.' Arnav ignored her and stood up to get out of the room.

Dadi held his hand stopping him and said in a stern voice, 'We have to end this topic today Arnav. I swear if you leave from here, I would die the next moment.'

Arnav could not walk further, seeing his Dadi swearing upon herself.

'Chote, I know I dont have much time left. Please Chote. You have fulfilled all my wishes without even me asking. But this is my last wish and the one I am insisting at. Please, dont deny this time.'

Arnav had myriad of emotions running through his mind and heart. He never considered marriage to be a part of his life, but his Dadi was hell bent on binding him in one.

His Dadi, his support through the tough times he had in building the entire AR empire. She was the guiding light to him and to see her bed ridden, infact close to death, was something he never wished to happen. As the fate wants, he was about to lose her too very soon. And he could not afford to disappoint her any time. He had fulfilled every wish of hers but this was tough for him. He just could not take this step. He knew he wont give his hundred percent to the relationship. But his Dadi's pleading eyes, her begging tone, only broke his resolve more. Keeping her physical state in mind, he needed to decide. She was weak physically and he dis mot wish to give her more mental trauma. He knew his Dadi. She would spend the rest of her days worrying about him, which he did not want. He wanted her to enjoy the rest of the days she was left with in this world.

Though he badly wanted to say NO, he could utter only a faint YES in a hoarse whisper that Dadi alone could hear.

'Really Chote! You will get married?'

The glow on Dadi's face was something he never wished to wipe off. If his simple yes could bring such a smile on his Dadi's face, then he was ready to face anything for it.

Nodding slowly to her question, he took a promise from her.

'I dont want you to stress over this topic Dadi. Make sure it is a simple wedding.' He said.

'Arre, aise kaise! No way! It is the marriage of AR's owner, grandson of Subhadra Singh Raizada, and you want it to be simple?' She exclaimed.

'Dadi I dont want you to stress thats all.' He explained.

'I promise, I wont take too much stress. But I need a grand wedding, and Aman will take care of that. Haina Aman?' She enthusiastically turned towards Aman, who was till now a silent spectator in the room.

Aman gave a weak smile to her and nodded yes.

Arnav was about to leave the room, when his Dadi stopped him asking, 'Dont you want to know who the girl is?'

'She is your choice Dadi. I have no say in this. After all I am doing this for you.' With that Arnav Singh Raizada, marched towards his room to settle his thoughts that had created a ruckus in his mind.

Dadi turned towards Aman with a glint on her face. 'It was easy, wasn't it? How did he agree so easily?' She wondered.

Aman sat beside her and said, 'I dont know Dadi. I mean, he did not even give a second thought. Its a big decision and it will involve a girl's life. He is still not ready for this and he has accepted to get married only of you. I dont want a girl's life to be ruined because of a decision taken in haste.'

Dadi knew that whatever Aman said was true, but she also knew that the girl she has selected will change Arnav into a better person.

'Trust me Aman. We will see a different Arnav within few days of his marriage. I have complete trust on this girl to do that magic on him.' She replied already dreaming about a changed Arnav.

'I hope so Dadi. I will have to talk to him anyways. You get some rest. And by the way, you said you have selected a girl too? Aap toh bade fast nikle!' He exclaimed. (You are too fast!)

'Who is the girl?' He curiously asked.

Dadi took out a photo from the drawer in her side table and handed it to Aman.

'Khushi, Dr. Khushi Gupta'

Hello people! A new story! Plot unrelated to IPKKND. This plot has been on my mind since a long time, and I could not help but pen it down.

Please do comment on how the chapter was and about the plot too!

Love,

Shwetha