Alek held onto the laughter bubbling inside him long enough for him to shut the door of his CEO cabin securely. Then he just let go and doubled over with hilarity.

Fighting for composure, he was wiping the tears of amusement from his eyes when remembering the latest antic of his little brother and his CFO made him lose the battle with laughter once again!

Watching them interact was always the highlight of his day. No matter how his day had been, these two together always brought the smile and laughter back into his life….they were just so cute together!

Around each other, his usually smart and dignified, game designer brother, spouted words and acted that would make a 2 year old proud.

And his ultra efficient and uber-calm CFO became a blithering angry mess.

All this while, he had been a silent witness to their ‘relationship’. He had been watching the two of them dance around their attraction for each other for the past 3 years and he finally had had enough.

He had felt the world stop for the two of them the moment they had met.

He had practically heard the sound of the cogs of the wheels of their fate and their hearts click together in place.

He had been zapped a million times by the electromagnetic field that surrounded them at all times.

He had blushed more often than was suitable for his age at the crackling chemistry between these two.

He was always accosted by imaginary cherubic cupids, pink hearts, softened lightning, and moody music whenever these two together were anywhere near him.

He didn’t know when these two would wise up to their feelings but since he knew what both of them wanted, he had decided to act the big brother that he was to them both!

He had long since informed his and Nash’s as well as Anahita’s parents about Nash and Anahita, so that at least they would be ready to head out as soon as the to-be groom & the to-be-bride woke up to their feelings for each other!

In the orphanage, Anahita had been like a big brother to him for a few months 20 years ago, before he legally became Nash’s big bro. But now he wanted to be Anahita’s elder brother, and that too officially!

Anahita didn’t think he remembered, but how could he forget the 6 year old who had begun the healing process of an orphan in the darkest pits of despair.

Granted that in the intervening years, her adopted parents had changed her name from Anahita Ayesha to Anahita Verma and that she was no longer the toothy 6 year old but a charming and efficient 25 year old.

But that does not mean that he would not recognize the shy hesitant smile and those innocent warmth-filled eyes that had offered him sanctuary during the worst hours of his young life.

He had known that the Khannas were in the process of adopting him legally when he had walked into the orphanage that day. But that still hadn’t soothed the pain and guilt of a 10 year old whose entire family had been wiped out in a single act of carelessness.

Guilt because if he hadn’t asked his father a question, he wouldn’t have turned to answer him and this tragedy could have been averted!

So yes he was guilty! Guilty for being the reason his family had died and guilty of being the only survivor!

He hadn’t felt deserving of the love, care, and immediate acceptance by the family of a friend he had made in a summer camp.

They had come forward the moment they had found out about the calamity that had befallen him and that he had nowhere else to go to.

They hadn’t even hesitated in making him a part of their family, not even for a second!

He had felt unworthy of their decision to adopt him into their fold. Nobody was blaming him but he could not declare himself as a victim or absolve himself of his crime!

So, he had walked into the orphanage with the decision of sparing everyone his company by joining his family in the afterlife!

But a soiled handkerchief and empathetic eyes had broken through his resolve to die. They had urged him to break free from the quagmire of loss, pain, and guilt and live!

Alek couldn’t believe how giving the little girl was. Even when she had nothing much to offer, she was willing to share what little she had.

At such a young age when she had lost everything and everyone, she hadn’t lost the will to live and that too with a smile.

Her fortitude had given Alek the resolve to live as his parents would have wanted him to, and the courage to accept the name and the security that the Khannas were offering to a boy their own son had befriended during one summer break.

Alek knows that if he hadn’t met Nash in that summer camp, he wouldn’t be the man that he was now!

And if he hadn’t met Anahita in that orphanage that day, he wouldn’t even be alive to become what he is today!

They didn’t know it, but sharing a Past Connection with them made Alek feel responsible for their happiness, somehow!

In their own unknowing way, these two had created the path of happiness for him.

Now that fate had provided him with an opportunity to repay that kindness, how could he sit back and watch these two waste his intentions?

Alek knows that Anahita thinks that he had forgotten her. But how could he forget and not recognize his little angel?

She didn’t know it, but no matter what guise she adopted, he’ll always be able to pick her out of the crowd!

He also knew that she had initially come here to see how he was doing and would have left long back if not for his little brother.

When he had seen his little friend turned brother falling for his guardian angel turned CFO, he had thanked God for this miracle and wished with all his being for their union to be blessed.

He loved seeing Nash get jealous of his and Anahita’s interactions.

He had, several times in fact, actively tried to entice this emotion in Nash to push him to confess, but had only managed to make his little brother act even more kiddishly!

But from what he had witnessed just now, he knew change was in the air. Both their emotions had been teased long enough.

Alek was hoping for a full disclosure and public declaration of intent soon.

He needed that, in fact, he deserved that, considering the wringer these two had put him through for so long!

He was so happy, his little angel would soon officially be a part of his family and that too as Mrs.Anahita Nash Khanna!

The baraatis were ready, now if only the bride & the groom would hurry up!

The End