Glancing nervously at the man sitting beside her with a frown on his face , fingers gripped on the steering wheel , she gulped.

Where is this going ?

"uhh.. Mr raghuwanshi if you dont mind kya mai aapke personal space me dobara bol sakti hun ---"

He sighed " hmmmm "

"Mujhe lagta hai ke aapko aise nahi jaana chahiye , matlab aap aise kese batman ke dost bankar jaa sakte hain . Aap sochiye uski family ko kese lagega jab unhe pata lagega , Yeh right toh uski moter ka hai na , aapko kya lagta hai uski maa uske liye concerned nahi hongi ? "

She took a deep breath

She cannot give it away , yet .

"Aur aap logically sochiye , school wale aapko alow hi nahi karenge "

He stooped the car .

Closing his eyes . she was right he was being impusive

" Lekin katha mai aise kese hath pe hath rakh ke beth jaaun"

" bethiye mat , kabhi kabhi kisi apne ka bas hona hi kaafi hota hai"

He smiled in understanding

(⁠●●)

Walking the way back home, on a dim lighted street .

Her gaze distant and her mind was where she couldn't figure out.

The tired business man , talking out his time and energy to help someone he calls his friend . How rare was he to take care of little things in life , no matter how chaotic his own life is , makes sure to help others .

Expressing with his own little gestures bringing smile to everyones faces . Enlightening the world around him with positivity.

Beauty

And he has trusted her with his business earlier . For a professional CEO who is particular about details of each of the decisions , from the last 20 years had entrusted her .

How he speaks out all he has in his mind to her , without any filter , how he pours out all his insecurities , deepest fears like she was his comfort person .

Trust

Above all this , the changed man he was . His muscles relaxed , trying to change himself . Trying to pull out the darkness in himself, trying to become a better person .

Redemption

How she herself could trust him with with space , memories and her true self .

(⁠●●)

Few days later

Finally, with time she let go her past , not completly as that was impossible
Aadi was a part of her , a part of who she was today . No one could erase it.
She can never give anyone the place Adi had in her life or heart

And she realised that Viaan didn't want that either. Neither did he try to fill in Aadis place not did he try to become like him . Instead he loved listening to the memories Aadi and she shared, with an open heart , as he knew how special he was for her .

Isn't that love : where you welcome the other with open arms in simply the way they are , without any conditions , expectations and any will to change anything in them .

He needn't be an Aadi for her

He had his own speacial place.

He was loved for being Him

(⁠●●)

He looked at her , confused. She had asked him to be there . It was an unusual place , A Park.

She stood there nervous , not knowing where to start .

" Mr Raghuwanshi , mai aapko kisi se milana chahti hun "

Pursing her lips she looked at him
She had to give it away , today . The secret he deserved to know .

He raised an eyebrow confused.

" Umm.. Aarav se, aap milwna chahte Hain usse ? "

"Oh ofc , why not . Please "

She smiled weakly . He seemed excited now

Asking him to wait she excused herself .

Round in the corner stood Aarav with Dodo munching on a snack he bought earlier .

"Aarav wahan aapka koi wait kar raha hai shayad " She pointed him in the direction from the corner where Viaan stood

" App jaao , mai abhi aayi "

Being the monkey he was, he jumped and ran , like he had already been guessing

Dodo squeezed her hand assuring her , they were in it together .

Peeking from the corner of the wall , hidden they looked at the two seemingly 8 year olds jumping in greating of their reunion .

"Yaar Robin , aap yahan kese ? Aap mujhse milane aaye "

"Han yaar kuch kaam tha , par aap yahan kese ? "

Forgetting about their initial questions they started discussing their own conversations about which only they knew . Catching up like besties who met after a week .

It was a sight to witness. Viaan Ruffling his Batman's hair , teaching him life lessons, cracking jokes and the two rolling in laughter . Each of their eyes shining in happiness

Lost in each other they did not notice Katha approaching ,and now she stood beside them

As though sensing her presence, Viaan looked up . His face beaming with the big smile he had , before he could notice the tears glistening in her eyes , she smiled

"Are Katha aap kahan chali gayi thi , Ye dekhiye - "

" Robin , aap inko jaante hain ? Yeh meri mamma hain "

Realisation hit him after seconds and he frowned in confusion

Katha was to bring Aaarav with him and now Batman is calling him mamma

O MY GOD

Clearing her throat she looked at his place face

"Aarav yeh aapki mamma ke boss hain , aapko yaad hai , jab AAP aik baar mamma ko nai mil rahe they , aur inhone aapke mamma ki help ki thi.. aur aapne inke liye card bhi banaya tha"

Dropping the smile he initiatially had
Aarav looked at the other two absorbing information.

Viaan had been shoked. Did she think his friendship with Batman was because he wanted to be with her .

He sat down on the bench near him . He needed strength . He couldn't face them now.

It was an awkward moment, each of them remained silent, battling their own thoughts

"Aur jis friend ki yeh baat karte hain wo aapki mamma hain "

She broke the silence. She knew she had to do it . Since he was never going to .and now since the truth , he would not , scared to break the friendship and comfort they had shared .

And she had to do it , in order to proceed with their lives .

To take a decision and move on in life. She couldn't stay hanging anymore , wondering if Aarav could accept him as a father or not .

As a mother , Aaravs consent was her first priority. She would be happy with him . But if Aarav wasn't she couldn't be either . She didn't want the 8 year old , who fought with cancer in the last 5 years troubled with issues that cannot be resolved.

And if he did accept , he would finally get a father he always yearned for . And Viaan would be that for him . She had seen him with Neena and also Aarav .

He had his head hung low. They had promised to not reveal their secret identities. And now being a child of a single parent himself , he knew how possesive he must be for his mother

"Araav , dekho yeh aapka decision hoga, aap Jo chaho. Mamma aapke saath hain "

Aarav looked at her like a lost child . Unable to decipher what was going on . He looked at Robin and he raised his head with an apologetic smile

Walking closer to Viaan sitting on the bench

" Aap mere papa banna chahte ho "
tears glistening in eyes

In an instant, without any second thought , he noded ,cupping his face with his larger hands .

"Batman , mujhe honestly nahi pata tha aap, inke bete ho . Par mujhe aapki mamma bohot achi lagti hain .
Aur aap toh mere bestfriend ho , mai chahta hun ke aap mere paas raho hamesha. Mai aapse Roz mil sakun , roz baat kar sakun , Chahe wo jese bhi ho . Agar AAP nahi- "

His rant was interrupted by someone looping arms around his neck .

It was his batman , hugging him as tight he could

" Tha..nk ...you so much Ro..bin " he spoke between his sobs

"I had always wished YOU to be my father , to be with me Forever "

Viaan hugged him back . He closed his eyes . He couldn't remember when. Was he this happy before. Like someone had given him a treasure that couldnt be counted . It was something he couldn't find enough words to express

Kuch Ankahi

Very Close to them stood Katha with tears flowing from her eyes non stop . And Dodo giving her a one arm hug .

It was a moment she thought she didn't want more .