The present

Unknown number: I was thinking...

Unknown number: Sorry, I forgot to mention. This is Aarush here.

Unknown number: So, I was thinking...

Maahi: Iyer.

Maahi: It's 7 in the morning.

Maahi: Why are you awake? Why are you texting? Why are you texting me of all people? And where did you get this number?

Aarush: Lol, I'm guessing you're not a morning person?

Maahi: Ugh.

Aarush: 😂

Aarush: Why are you awake then?

Maahi: Work.

Aarush: Lies. I'm an integral part of this wedding and I was not invited to any occasion this early in the morning.

Maahi: I have more than one project, Iyer.

Aarush: Right, that makes sense.

Aarush: Anyway, you didn't ask me what I was thinking.

Maahi: ...

Aarush: Our backyard!

Maahi: Iyer, it's too early in the morning for such cryptic messages. Just text in whole sentences.

Aarush: Lol, I meant we should get our first picture taken there. After all, we share joint custody. And it's so pretty! Perfect backdrop.

Maahi: ...

Aarush: Is that a yes?

Maahi: Do you have an iron?

Aarush: What?

Maahi: Do you?

Aarush: Yeah...I'm afraid to ask why you want to know though.

Maahi: 😂

Maahi: I need to borrow it to iron a kurta. I forgot mine and the resort doesn't have one in the cabin. You're safe, don't worry.

Aarush: Oh.

Maahi: Is that a no?

Aarush: No, no. Come over.

Maahi: I'll come closer to the reception time. Late afternoon-ish. After work. Is that alright?

Aarush: Yeah, I'll be picture-ready then.

Maahi: *rolls eyes*

Maahi shook her head and kept her phone aside, a smile unknowingly appearing on her face. She picked up her laptop and continued to work. But she didn't realize how sleepy she was because she fell asleep with her laptop on her lap. When she awoke, she didn't know where she was. She shut her mouth and blearily peered at her phone, switching it on. The screen opened up her chat with Aarush. She then looked up at the clock and saw that it was 4 already. She smacked her forehead and rushed to take a shower.

As soon as she got out, she pulled out her kurta from her bag. It was as crumpled as she predicted it would be. She then remembered her barter deal with Aarush. She wore a t-shirt and pyjamas and marched up to his door.

There was loud music playing from the other side of the door. Yeesh, how on earth did he get anything done with music this loud? She shook her head and knocked. No response. She tried again. Again, no response. She pulled out her phone from her pocket and called him. No response again. So, she gave up and raised her voice while banging on his door, "IYER! OPEN THE DOOR, WILL YOU?"

The door swung open while she was still shouting. Aarush stood on the other side with wide eyes. Maahi started to say something when she noticed that in a hurry to open the door, he hadn't buttoned his shirt.

She looked up and silently asked the universe if it was having fun. She wanted to know if it had planned on giving her long-lost college crush a well-defined chest that looked just as beautiful as that face of his, in an open crisp white shirt, and black pants.

She eventually looked back at him and said rather dryly, "Button up, Iyer. You have company."

He looked down at his chest and then looked back up, the movement making his currently unset hair, fall into his eyes. Maahi had a sudden urge to push it back. He probably heard her unsaid wish and pushed it back himself. He smiled and said, "Sorry, I couldn't hear you knock. So, when I did, I rushed over, afraid you'd been knocking for a while."

She resolutely looked behind him inside his cabin. Anywhere except that chest.

"Obviously. Is there a reason you're playing music that loudly? I can almost hear it all the way over in my cabin."

He lowered the volume on his phone and set it aside. He started buttoning his shirt and said, "Sorry, I didn't think. It helps with the anxiety sometimes."

She suddenly remembered him hunched over in college, looking a little dazed and felt bad. She automatically looked at him again and said, "Oh. I'm sorry. You can play it up again."

He waved a hand and said, "No, no, that's okay. You're here now. Come in."

How her presence made a difference, she didn't know and she refused to ask.

He then remembered the reason and said, "Oh, you came for the iron! What a coincidence. I was actually using it myself when you came over."

She looked away from him and pointed at the shirt to say, "For that one?"

He nodded.

"Okay. I'm going to go. You finish it and call me back and I'll come then. Okay?"

He stopped her and said, "Aye, no Mehra. I was done. Take it." He walked over to the bed where the iron was and unplugged it. He hovered his hand a little over it to feel the heat.

"Hmm, it's still hot. Give it a few minutes."

Speaking of things that were still hot...would a few minutes be enough? She rolled her eyes at her stupid joke and tried not to smile.

"Mehra?"

"Yeah?"

He sat down on the chair and gestured for her to sit too.

"I asked about your break? You said you took up this wedding last minute?"

She slowly sat down on the chair opposite him and nodded. She said, "It was supposed to be a break."

"Supposed to be?"

She shrugged and said, "Well, this wedding actually came smack dab in the middle of that break. So, I cancelled it. I opened up the dates again and got a couple of other projects. Smaller stuff though."

He sighed and said, "Mehra..."

"What?"

He shook his head and kept on looking at her. He then rubbed the back of his neck and said, "You should take breaks. Breaks are good."

"Speaking from experience?"

He looked up and grinned. But she could spot the exhaustion hidden in that grin. He then said, "Yeah. I came back from a tour actually. This is break-time for me. Which is good."

She nodded.

He then continued, "You didn't ask me what it's good for."

She asked, "Do I want to know?"

He laughed and said, "All the more time to bug you, of course. I haven't forgotten the rules, Mehra."

She asked suspiciously, "What rules?"

"Your rules. Show up. Be there for them. Feed them. I'm going to ace them all."

He pointed at himself first and then her and said, "Well, check, check and..."

He looked around, found a bag of chips, picked it up and walked over to her. He held it under her nose and smiled.

She looked up and saw him. She closed her eyes because this image of him seemed to sear too brightly in her head. She could still see him even in her mind. So, she took a few moments. When she opened her eyes, he had lowered himself to her eye level and was looking at her with concern.

"You alright, Mehra?"

She nodded and took the packet from his hand to keep it aside. She then took the iron from where it lay on the bed and said, "I'm fine. I should get back."

He kept looking at her until he was convinced that she was okay. He then nodded slowly and backed away, getting up. He then said, "Okay. But come back after. We need to take that picture. I'm not letting you get away this time."