Varun wished he could be anywhere but here in his living room witnessing the tearful reunion of his ex-girlfriend and his mother. It was embarrassing to see his mother gush and trip over words in her joy of meeting her 'favorite girl in the world'. Leaning against the doorjamb of the kitchen, where Naina was currently setting up the picnic basket with Ria and Vansh, he felt nauseated. His mother had insisted Yashvi come along for the picnic. He was furious that he had to give in when even Naina extended an invitation.

His wife was an enigma. He could see the hurt in her eyes but couldn't for the life of him, understand why she had to pretend as if it was okay. He had tried to reach out, get her alone to talk to her, but she had brushed him aside to prepare for the picnic. Suddenly, he didn't want to go anymore. He had been looking forward to spending a fun day with just his family. It looked impossible now.

Fishing his phone out of his pocket, he messaged Shiv. He needed a reprieve and his friend was it, even though he loathed having to call him for a favor.

Get your ass out here. Now! – V

He was about to pocket the phone when it buzzed with an incoming message.

Where is here? – S

Varun's fingers hovered over the keypad. Taking a deep breath, he typed.

Home – V

He clutched the phone tight and stared at the screen. After eight years, he had just broken his vow to never let his friend enter his home. He didn't trust him around his Naina; he wondered if he ever would. Shiv had been more than his best buddy and while he missed the bond he would never have with anyone, he couldn't just forget the past. He couldn't forgive that his best friend had almost stolen Naina from him.

After what seemed like ages, he received a reply.

What's wrong? – S

Varun chuckled humorlessly.

Yashvi is here. With ma. – V

Be there in ten - S

And that was the bond he missed. He didn't have to say much to Shiv. His friend had an uncanny ability to read his mind, assess the situation, and do what was required. Then how had Shiv not read the fact that Naina had been important to him, that he had needed his wife too much to let her go.

Pocketing his phone, he entered the kitchen.

Vansh whispered something into Naina's ears that made his wife laugh heartily. She then pulled Vansh into her arms and kissed his cheek. The boy blushed and slowly extricated himself from the hug. He shyly pointed to the large picnic basket on the floor.

"I'll keep it in the car?" he asked and Ria jumped excitedly.

"Mamma, I'll help Vansh. It is heavy, Vansh. We can carry it together. You hold this...I'll..." Ria's chatter faded as the kids left the kitchen and Naina's eyes met his.

He wanted to scream when she quickly averted hers.

"That's it! I'm going to ask them to leave." He whirled around when Naina's voice stopped him.

"Raj...don't be silly. You can't do that."

"Why not? This is my home. Our home. We decide who's welcome and who isn't. Yashvi and her son aren't welcome. Period."

Naina folded her arms across her chest and glared at her fuming husband.

"You're acting like a child."

"Oh! And you're not!" He was seething because he hated it when Naina wouldn't look at him. She didn't have to hide anything from him, damn it. Not her feelings. It made him feel like a lowlife when she did that.

Naina pursed her lips into a thin line and glowered at him.

Great! Now he had gotten her angry. He threw up his hands and gave an exasperated look.

"Talk to me, damn it! You are not okay with her in this house. So, why don't you just admit it instead of acting all saintly and inviting her to spend the entire day with us. God, Naina. You might as well invite her to live with us." Varun dragged his hands down his face and squeezed his eyes shut praying for strength.

"You know what. I think I'll do that."

He snapped his eyes open and stared at his wife who clearly had gone mad in the span of an hour.

"Now that the rooms are renovated, we have enough space. Ma seems to love her, anyways." Naina moved past him, and Varun grabbed her wrist and swung her around.

"Are you frigging mad? I wasn't..."

"I'm being mature, Varun. That's what you want, right. For me to stop acting like a child."

"That's not what I...." He ground his teeth and tightened his hold on Naina. She wriggled out of his grip and turned to leave. Varun reached the door before her and locked it.

"Now, who's being a child?" Naina stood glaring at him, her hands bunching up the colorful fabric of her flowing skirt.

"We are not leaving this room till you tell me what's exactly going on in that pretty head of yours," he declared calmly though a storm was raging within him.

She averted her big beautiful eyes again, and it pierced his heart.

Oh, Naina!

"You should have told me, Raj." Her eyes held so much hurt, he almost cried with the guilt that he had caused it.

"Naina...she is not important..."

"How can you say that? I thought she was someone you met in college and fell in love with. You should have told me it was more than that."

"It's not!" he protested.

Naina looked at him in utter disbelief. "You've practically grown up with the girl, Raj.  It's not as simple as you make it sound."

"Damn it, Naina. You are the one who is making it out to be something it's not. Yes, we practically grew up together. We fell in love." He snorted at that. "Got engaged. She broke it off and disappeared. End of story. Now, she is back and I have nothing to do with it...we have...what!" Naina's hard stare discomfited him enough to shut him up.

"You were engaged...to be married," her voice sounded odd, and he frowned.

"Yes, but..."

"And you didn't think it important to mention it...mention her in all these years."

Her statement stumped him. He shook his head. "Naina...she isn't..."

"Don't you dare say she isn't important, Varun," she lashed out keeping her voice even. "You have pined for this woman for two years after our marriage...the woman you have known all your life...had your first kiss with?" Naina gasped for breath.

"Sweetheart, don't torture yourself for something that doesn't mean a thing." Varun wanted to grab her and wrap her up in his love till she forgot everything but him and his love for her. But, he held back knowing how much she needed to vent.

He fisted his hands, pressing them against his thighs to keep from reaching out to her physically. Emotionally, he knew he was too far away right then.

"How can you write off your best friends as not important, Varun? The friends you have grown up with? Just like that. I don't believe Shiv ever stopped being important to you. And Yashvi? You keep telling me to be honest with you about how I feel? Are you honest with me about how you feel?"

Varun stiffened. "What does that mean? How much more honest do you want to me to get, Naina. I'm fucking laying my heart out in front of you every single day. I have been since that night I refused to let you walk away with Shiv. My life is about you and has been for a long time. Even those two years, believe it or not, it had been about you and not her. And that's the honest to God truth you are going to get out of me."

He laid his heart on the cold kitchen floor at her bare feet and stormed out.

**************

Yaayy! I managed to update two days in a row. I fell pretty good about it :-) Though my domestic chores have piled up.

I hope you like this chapter. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. And please do vote on every chapter. It just helps in pushing the story up in the rankings which in turns means more people get to read it :)

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Neeru <3