Suvarna's POV.

I rushed out and hugged Nanu. "Nanu! Why didn't you tell me you are coming?"

"Who are you?" Shishir's Dadaji asked and I realised the question was directeD towards me!

Not surprisingly he did not recognise me, just as I had not recognised him to begin with. It has been a long time since we had met. I had still been a school going child when he had last seen me.

Before I could respond "I thought you were Suvarna, but who are you really?"

It took me a moment to register what he was saying and I started to say "I-" the 'am Suvarna' part that I was going to say by way of confirmation never got a chance to be uttered.

"And you two, have you finished gawking at me? When do you plan to let me inside?" This was directed at the still open mouthed gaping grandsons of his.

Both of them seemed to come out of a trance "Yes! Dadaji-" Shishir started saying before he was pushed aside by his grandfather.

"Never mind. You both continue with your gawking I am going in."

"Dadaji! It is so good to see-" Paresh started before he was stopped with "Which room am I staying in?"

"Dadaji, there are four guestrooms in-" Shishir started to say before he was interrupted with "Guestroom? You are going to treat me as a guest? Is that how you treat your own grandfather?"

"No! What I mean is-"

"Are you done staring around or do you plan to stay at the door?" this was directed at my Nanu..

"Just ignore this crazy old man all of you. He gives himself too much importance." Nanu said looking pointedly at his friend and instead said warmly "How are you Shishir and Paresh?"

Both of them smiled and greeted him with a smile and folded hands in 'namaste.'

"Stop misguiding children you silly old man!" Dadaji was quick to retort. "Come here my child." He contined pulling me gently by my hand "You seem the only sensible one here. You still did not tell me who you are though."

I smiled at him. He is just like I remember him. Overbearing and loving! "I am Suvarna Dadadji."

"Then why are you here?" He asked frowning. "You should never be with this brainless grandson of mine. He does not deserve a friend like you!" He said glaring at Shishir.

I gasped in shock and saw Shishir go red faced with embarrassment. "Dadaji, he is my best friend and really cares about me." I muttered softly feeling awkward.

My heart went out for Shishir and wanted to go to him and hug him, which I could not right now.

Shishir  came forward with his head slightly bent in embarrassment "You are right Dadaji. She is too good for me." I started to protest but Shishir continued. "I have been very foolish towards her with my anger and bitterness, but now I hope to make amends." His lips twitched slightly as he went on "Besides, I am too selfish to let go of a true friend like her." The last bit he said softly, looking at me.

I don't know why, all of a sudden I had this sudden urge to cry. I blinked away rapidly as soon as the tears pricked my eyes, not wanting anyone to see them.

"Come here." Dadaji's stern voice sounded as he beckoned Shishir to him. He gave Shishir  a long hard look before his features softened and he opened his arms for a hug. "At last you seem to have come to your senses." He patted Shishir lovingly on his back looking at him fondly.

With his arm still around Shishir he turned to Paresh "You need a special invitation to greet your grandfather after ten years?"

Paresh went forward with a grin and this time I let a few tears shed as I saw the two Mehrotra brothers engulf their grandfather in a loving hug from either sides.

Ten years. Yes now I remember that is how long it has been. After Shishir had left Delhi to come to London he had been furious and had left home to go to his native village.

He had completely isolated himself and refused to meet anyone, not even his family. Nanu was the only person who he had kept in touch with and Nanu used to visit him regularly.

I turned to look at Nanu who was looking fondly at the scene in front. It was easy to see how close these two were as friends.

"Now where are these guestrooms?" Dadaji's voice loomed in making all of us chuckle. Shishir and Paresh carried their luggage in and led them in,

It was now that I noticed that Rahul had not come in at all and had left. Probably he had not wanted to interlude in family bonding time.

I smiled thinking he really is a nice man.

"What are you thinking about?" I jumped hearing Shishir's voice. When did he come back?

"Rahul." I said honestly.

"What?" He gave me a dark scowl. "Why are you thinking about him?"

"Shishir! I was just thinking he is a nice man."

"No he is a nincompoop."

"How did you come back so soon?" I asked trying to hold back my smile.

"I came back for this bag." He said lifting another of the luggage our grandfathers had brought with them. "And you stop daydreaming about other men." He said walking away.

I chuckled at his retreating form.

Shishir's POV.

I was surprised that Dadaji and Suvarna's Nanu insisted on sharing a room. Even when I told him we had more rooms to spare they said they will the same room.

As soon as I and Paresh had placed  their luggage in their room they shooed us away saying they want to rest.

I came out to see Suvi in the kitchen. I was yet to know what Aditya had talked to her about.

"What are you doing?" I asked her.

"Planning dinner."she said with a smile.

"Charles will take care of it." I said pulling her away even as she protestd.

"Shishir ! You cannot pull me around like this now! What if Dadaji or Nanu see us?" Suvi asked just as I closed the study door behind us. Paresh was already in here.

"So? So what if they see us Suvi? Wll that be a bad thing?" I asked looking intently at her face.

"No Shishir." She said softly. "It will not be a bad thing. But it would be best if we tell our families about us, instead of them finding out." Her features clouded . "But before that I will need to tell my family about that night."

I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. She sat down and I sat beside her. I looked at Paresh and her. "What did Aditya want?"

Suvi frowned "You know I seriously don't understand how someone can be so brainless or blind? Even after so much he called me to tell that he is being framed by you and that you are trying to malign his name!"

"He said that?" I asked shaking my head at his foolishness.

"That is what he implied! He spoke to us casually as is all was well and it was matter of time that he would be proved non guilty." Paresh said looking thoughtful.

"He is delusional." I said distastefully.

"I actually got disgusted when he started to talk ill about Ricky and that he was a bad man with criminal mind." Suvi said looking disgusted. "When I told him I had met him he looked surprised. I just walked out from there not wanting to stay and hear any more of his crap."

I nodded in understanding and glanced at Paresh who was looking serious and was not speaking too much.

"Suvarna!" We heard her Nanu's voice and Suvi went out to see what he wanted.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked Paresh as soon as Suvi stepped out.

"He likes her." He said and I cringed at his words. "He never pretended about that you know. That was one emotion he has been honest about. When Suvi stormed out he looked devastated."

Before I could respond the door to my study opened and I heard Dadaji's voice "Why should I knock before entering my own grandson's library?"

"It's his study." Suvi said smiling.

"Fancy names! That is all you youngsters can give. There are so many books here and he reads them so it is a library." Dadaji insisted.

"You are becoming a terror, you grumpy old man." Nanu said sarcastically.

"What do you know silly Willy?" Dadaji said andI looked at him stupified

"I am not silly, you killer Shark!" Nanu said.

"Sexy Shark" Dadaji said. I saw Suvi and Paresh's expression mirrored that of mine- utter shock.

Suddenly they seemed to be aware of what they were talking about. "See? You made us reveal our identity! Dadaji said frowning at Nanu as they sat down.

"Well at least they never guessed who it is." Nanu said with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Not even my this supposedly 'very smart grandson'." Dadaji agreed.

I looked at the two old friends as they sat in front of us looking at me with smug expressions.

"You are Shark?" I asked my Dadaji.

"Sexy Shark." He said "And he is Silly Willy."

"I am not silly!" Suvarna's Nana said angrily. He turned to me "You remember the movie 'Free Willy?"

I nodded stunned.

"That movie is one of my favourite movies. I love the whale in it."

"And Billy?" asked an equally stunned sounding Paresh.

"The blundering goat of our family! My son who loves to make chaos of beautiful relationships!" Dadaji said his lips twitching in distaste.

"He is his father!" Nanu protested.

"He is my son so I can call him whatever I want to! And he has done nothing to earn a better name." Dadai said sounding furious.

I realised he was really angry with Papa. Somehow I was beginning to understand his anger. I myself have not been able to speak to him normally ever since I found out about the letters. I have rarely answered his phone calls and even if I did, I would hang up almost immediately using work as excuse.

"Instead of mending their relationship my son and daughter in law let their ego come in between. And to top it all my son decided he has to keep his son away from his mother and packed him off to London." Dadaji's voice was dripping with fury

"Suvarna  he used you as his tool my child. I am sorry for his actions." Dadaji's features softened as he looked at Suvi

I looked at Suvi's downcast head and felt my temper flare. "What exactly did my father tell you Suvi?" I asked determined to find out today what had made her agree to trick me into coming London.

Suvi looked away not answering. Nanu got up and went and stood beside her and stroked her head tenderly. He turned to look at me. "He told her you had an ailment that needed to be treated here in London. That if you do not get treated right away it could be fatal for you."

I felt like a bucket of cold water had been splashed on my face. My father lied to Suvi saying I was critically ill?

From her letters I knew she was expecting me back for the vacations. He used her to get me here and then ensured I don't receive her letters or even contact her.

"Raghunath knew if you contact her you would insist to come back home or even find a way to return." Dadaji said as though reading my thoughts.

"All this just to ensure I don't go with Ma?" I said barely able to speak.

"He is stubborn and was hell bent he will keep you away, out of her reach." Dadaji said and turned to Suvi again. "I had no idea about your letters till recently or I would have ensured Shishir would have got them."

He looked at me. "Ben had been indebted to our family because we had helped him in the past. Raghunath used that as a favour and asked him to keep away the letters. Ben did not want to do it. I will not go into details of why he was forced to listen."

"Over the years Raghunath forgot about the letters but Ben never neglected. He not only stored them carefully, he kept them in order." Dadaji stopped talking and I sat trying to digest all of this.

"Few days back when Ben asked him again if he could give the letters to you Raghunath got worried. He knew he would lose his place in your eyes so he did something even more cowardice." Dadaji stopped and looked at Nanu.

Nanu looked at me. "He asked Ben to destroy the letters."

&&&
Updated 5th February 2017

Slightly serious chapter guys. There is more on this. All details in the next that is the 50th chapter!

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