Love Finds a Way !!!

Chapter 7

Aarav walked into the living room of his house to find Chitra arranging the flowers. She loved flowers and she was the one who took care of the gardens around the house herself. Which was one reason why they had fresh flowers blooming all year round. He smiled. She was a warm hearted lady. And a very beautiful one too. Even at her age she was one of the most graceful and beautiful women he had seen, after his mother of course. Actually she wasn't all that old. She was just forty nine. Generous to a fault. He watched her arrange the lilies to her satisfaction before he called out to her.

"They look beautiful Choti ma," he said.

Chitra turned at Aarav's voice. And smiled. He was the only one who called her that while both Dhruv and Sagarika called her aunt. But then she shared a special bond with Aarav. When Rohini bhabhi, his mother had been helping with the business after Singhania family had faced the blow of losing two sons in one go, she had taken care of Aarav as if he was her own son. She had never differentiated between him and Tanish. And Aarav reciprocated the feeling. After his mother he gave her the utmost respect and love. Since the day he took reigns of their family business in his hands he had gotten busier and it had been a while since she had seen him. Though every time he needed to unwind he ran to her. She smiled broadly now.

"You are early," she said as she watched him walk up to her and hug her.

"Yes," he replied as he straightened, "had some urgent work and had to step out of the office then I decided to come home instead of heading back," he told her.

"Good," Chitra said happily, "it has become so difficult to see you these days either you are stuck in that office or you are cooped up in the study," she complained even as she smiled, "I think next I will have to take an appointment to see my favorite son," she said as she joked.

"Ah," Aarav groaned as he heard his aunt, "sorry, I will come see you often but with so much work," he said.

"I know, I know," Chitra said lightly, "you are a busy man. What will you have?" she asked. "Tea or coffee?"

"Tea," Aarav said in anticipation, "but only if you are making it. If it is Kumar I don't want it," he said as he made a face.

Chitra smiled indulgently. She loved doing things for the family. That is who she was. She didn't have any business acumen so she had stayed home taking care of everything else. It had given her the freedom to be her own person and the family members had always trusted her to do things the right way. She was a great homemaker and she was proud of that. It was her specialty and she had never thought herself to be less than anybody else in the house. Nor had the others ever made her feel inferior.

"You do know how to keep me happy," she said and then asking him to sit down she left the room to go towards the kitchen.

Aarav loosened the buttons of his jacket, then his tie and sat down on the plush soft leather sofa. He closed his eyes for a moment. It felt good to just be able to do that sometimes. And it felt good to be able to be yourself sometimes too. With choti ma he could always be himself. He didn't have to be all business and no nonsense. He could unwind and talk to her about anything. He could do that with his mom too but she wasn't here and she was a disciplinarian. So she could tolerate only certain things. Choti ma was very soft, gentle and kind. Something Tanish wasn't. He was an exact opposite of his mother. Shrewd, to the point and rude. If people thought Aarav was rude they should probably meet Tanish in person. He was bitchy to the point where he could be very cynical. Sometimes Aarav felt he was so much like him. He opened his eyes as he heard Chitra's soft footfalls in the hallway.

"Tired," she said as she walked in with a tray in her hand.

"Sorry choti ma," Aarav said tiredly, "I shouldn't have bothered you with tea," he said as he took the expensive bone china cup she extended to him.

"How long has it been since you got a slap from me?" Chitra said in mock anger. "Drink your tea and don't talk rubbish," she admonished.

Aarav smiled as he sipped the tea made by his aunt. It always had the power to refresh him. And he had no idea what she put in it.

"Choti ma," he said, "I wonder what your secret is to great tea," he said appreciating the quality she could draw from regular tea leaves.

"Well, I will tell your wife," she said lightly, "so she could make this for you every day," she told him and Aarav rolled his eyes.

"That isn't happening anytime soon," he told her.

"Okay, I am not going away any time soon either," Chitra said as she sipped her tea, "I may have a twenty seven year old son but I am still very young," she said and winked and Aarav smiled.

"Coming to your twenty seven year old son," Aarav said as he placed his cup on the coffee table, "where is he?" he asked carefully.

"He told me he was meeting a friend for some venture he was planning," Chitra said and shrugged, "he will be late tonight," she told him, "is there something you wish to speak to him about?" she asked.

"There is a problem we are facing at our Kolhapur plant," he said as he furrowed his brows, "I could send Dhruv but he is running a little busy right now," he said slowly, "I could go but I am tied up with something important here and I can't be at two places at the same time. I was wondering if Tanish could go and get this sorted out," he said and looked at his aunt.

"So talk to him," Chitra said pleasantly, "I am sure he would help," she said.

"Choti ma," Aarav said quietly, "you are aware of how he flips even at the slightest mention of me," he said and looked at his aunt who had grown serious too and he sighed. It was a reality every member of the household was aware of. "I would appreciate it if you could talk," he said, "but if you can't then I will. Coming from you he would agree even though grudgingly, coming from me...I am not sure if he would," he told her.

Chitra kept her cup down and thought about what Aarav had just said. She knew what he was talking about. She herself was at a loss to understand why Tanish did what he did. In nature and temperament Tanish was very similar to Aarav. The difference was that Tanish was a bit more impatient and had little control over his temper than Aarav. And for the life of her she couldn't fathom why he was always in competition with Aarav. She took in a deep breath.

"I will talk to him," she said assuring Aarav.

"Thanks choti ma," he said gratefully, "I really appreciate it. And I am sorry I always end up putting you in such a position but I am out of options right now," he explained, "Tanish has the genius to get negotiations finalized. I don't know how he does it but he has a knack for it. If I could send someone else I would," he told her.

"Aarav, you know I don't understand business," Chitra said with a sweet smile, "if I had, I would have helped bhabhi or even Virendra bhaisaab but I don't. So if you tell me it is serious then it is. And I appreciate that despite Tanish's attitude towards you, you have always been aware of his good qualities and you have tried to channelize it for constructive purposes. Don't worry I will talk to him, he wouldn't say no to me," she said and placed her hand on Aarav's arm reassuringly.

"Thanks choti ma," was all he said and she nodded.

One problem down. One to go. Aarav sighed. He hoped Kanak would be able to find Palak soon. If word got out there would be pandemonium. And he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep his grandfather out of the family affairs then.

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