Chapter 30: Jeet

“This is really beautiful!” Aakash exclaimed as he softly ran his hands over Janya’a painting.

“It is, isn’t it?” Aanya beamed at him.

The couple was in Aanya’s study. Aakash had just changed into a comfortable and more importantly, into a dry T-shirt when Aanya had called him inside.

“What can I say…it’s just woahhh…uahhhh” Aakash couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he gazed at the frozen antics of the children on paper but his words trailed mid-sentence into a yawn.

Aanya stepped behind him laughing and tousled his jet-black hair. Aakash caught her hand and twisted around.

“Don’t think I don’t know why you just did that.” He smiled, holding up the painting for her to see. He led her hand to the area in the artwork where a young Aanya was messing up his younger counterpart’s hair.

“I already did it once today.” She gently took the picture from him and laid it onto the table proceeding to cover it up.

“We should hang it in our bedroom.” Aakash suggested even as he stretched his tired body, “You know…above the TV. That’d be a nice place.”

“But…Janya gifted this to me.” Aanya put the painting in the drawer and turned around to give him an impish grin, “I am going to keep it in my study. You can put up one in the bedroom if and when she gifts you something.”

Aakash let out a fond, exasperated sigh.

“Why are you acting like a petulant teenager?” He flicked her forehead before putting his weight slightly on the desk.

“What about you? Having a water fight isn’t considered childish now?” She jabbed Aakash slightly in the ribs.

“Well…” He let his head fall on Aanya’s shoulder. “I’m spent now. I want to rest.”

Barely resisting the reflexive jerk at the sudden weight on her shoulder, Aanya gently tapped Aakash on his cheek.

“Go to bed then. Don’t make my shoulder your pillow, old man. I’ve still got some files to go over before tomorrow’s board meeting.”

“You are old!” Aakash snorted back. He yawned and stretched his arms and legs. “I forgot… I have some papers to look at too…man…I’m so tired…”

“Do it tomorrow, then.” Aanya punched him lightly on the shoulder. “You don’t have any classes tomorrow plus you’ll be going out in the evening. So, just pore over them in the morning. Go sleep now. You look positively worn out.”

“An evening with Cabir and Harshil has that effect.” He flashed his wife a tired grin who bit her lips in amusement.

Giving her an awkward hug, he mumbled a “Goodnight” before stumbling towards the door. Each second was making it more difficult for him to keep his eyes open.

Aanya wished him back with a giggle before collapsing onto her chair. Taking a moment to rest, she then switched on her laptop to read her documents.

*****

“You are early.” Aakash turned around feeling a familiar hand on his shoulder.

“The meeting finished early.” Aanya shrugged.

“Wanna come along?” Aakash asked.

“No. I’m too tired.” Aanya rubbed her eyes. “Plus, who’s going to let Aarav in if I leave too? We’re the only ones with the keys.”

“We can just leave a set with Mr. Singh and inform Aarav.” Aakash pointed at the house adjacent their own.

“True…” Aanya pursed her lips and then laughed. “No, I’m still not going. Harshil is going to be muttering about a ‘spoilt Boys Day Out’ if I tag along. I’m too tired to listen to his blabbering.”

“Fine,” Aakash chuckled.

“Well, don’t forget to set up a date when we can all meet, okay?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Later then.” With that, she gave him a swift kiss on the cheek and pushed open the door. As Aakash replied with a “Bye” and a wave, she too tiredly waved before closing the door.

*****

“Wow…he threatened me not to be late but he’s late himself.” Harshil harrumphed.

“It was technically just intimidation.” Aakash shrugged.

The two had met up at the parking lot and were waiting for the final member of their trio.

“Oh, of course, you’ll take his side.” Harshil glared. Changing his tone in a split-second, he bemoaned, “Gone are the days when you supported me and not him.”

“Even when he and I were always at odds…you were our common enemy. When did I ever take your side, you freeloader!”

“Calling me a freeloader just because I borrowed your food a few times?” Harshil went teary, “I’m hurt!”

“You literally leeched off us for years! You call that a few times?!” Aakash looked at him aghast.

“Friends should be ready to give their lives for their friends! What’s food in comparison?”

Even as Aakash rolled his eyes, his phone rang.

“Hey, Cabir. Running late?”

“What do you mean running late? I’ve been waiting at the players’ entrance for fifteen minutes! Where are you?”

“Huh, players’ entrance? We’re at the parking lot. Harshil is bad-mouthing you and-”

“Harshil is the one who told me we’d meet up at the players’ entrance!” Cabir snapped.

“He told me that we’d meet at the parking lot!” Aakash responded irritably. “That idiot! Wait up, we’ll be right there.”

“Yeah. See ya.”

Even as Aakash put his phone back, Harshil asked, “Why are you calling me an idiot? He’s the one who’s late.”

“So late that he’s been waiting at the players’ for fifteen minutes while we’ve been trudging here for ten minutes?” Aakash responded sarcastically.

“…Oh, shucks…I forgot…” Harshil chuckled nervously.

Not bothering to waste his breath on his friend anymore, the black-haired professor unceremoniously grabbed Harshil’s shirt and started dragging him towards the nearby players’ entrance.

*****

“Sorry, sorry! It just slipped my mind!” Even as Harshil pleaded with the twin sets of eyes glaring at him, his eyes spotted a tall lanky form sporting light-blonde hair emerging from the nearby passage.

“Well, look who it is!” He pointed at the figure.

The two other men turned towards the direction he was pointing even as Harshil cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “Heyyyyyyyyyy!”

Aakash face-palmed as Cabir sighed in annoyance.

“Can’t you just act normally in public?! We could just walk over to him, you know?!” Cabir snapped.

“What’s the need? See?” Harshil gestured in the same direction again.

As the two boys turned again, they saw the tall man’s face breaking into a smile. He raised a hand in greeting. Conversing with his teammates for a minute, he bumped fists with the nearest one before turning in their direction again.

He walked towards the trio with quick strides, a wide grin upon his face and arm waving furiously.

Their old friend.

Jeet.