Chapter 102

Epilogue:

Five months later

"Don't make any sudden movements, Naomi,"Rajeev is looking over this way."

Naomi giggled from the confines of thefold up chair she sat in.  "As if Icould, Ra... I feel practically wedged in this seat." She looked over at herfriend who looked equally ungainly in her chair. "I think the fact that wearen't on the blanket is the only thing that is saving us from being describedas beached whales."

Rachna held her stomach and laughed."Stop it; if I go into early labor I'm going to tell Kabir that it's entirely yourfault."

"Great, so not only will I be in troublewith my own husband, but with yours too...that's nice." She glanced at her watch."Shouldn't he be here now anyway?"

Rachna turned and smiled. "Speak of thedevil," she said waving at her husband and their daughter at a distance. Withhim were their houseguests who he had just collected from the airport. Besideher, Naomi sighed in disgust.

"Well I guess I know what caused that."

"And you would be right; I have the mostidiotic Devar ever born. He had the perfect woman in his sights and then hechanges his mind...an absolute idiot."

Daadi who sat near Rachna smiled at hertwo Betis, "I have every faith that my Vihaan will come to his senses. He isnot a stupid man."

Rachna nodded, and hoped that Daadi wasright. She suspected that Sareena was pretty hurt when inexplicably Vihaan hadbacked off from their budding friendship, but Rachna was hesitant to share thiswith her best friend. Naomi had already vocalized to Rajeev's brother what anabsolute fool he was, and this news would surely send her hormonally chargedfriend off the rails.

"Well if someone else comes along, itwill be his loss," Naomi said. "But at least things are looking up for Jack."

Rachna nodded, recalling how the bodyguardgetting injured had cleared up Arpita's confusion over how she felt about theman, and whether she wanted to chance a relationship with him. Long-distancefor now, this would be their first meeting after he and Sareena had leftBanaras in the days after they had returned from Goa. Arpita had braved herparents' ire and let them know of her feelings and her intentions, and for nowthey had no objections. In all probability it was because nothing hadprogressed from their skype calls and messages, but still Arpita was a bravegirl. And if it was meant to be it would.

"Did I tell you that Arpita's parentswanted her to leave her position due to the scandal?"

Naomi shook her head, Rachna hadn't, butshe wasn't surprised at their stance - it was a hairy period for all of them,but thankfully one that they all were moving on from. That Rachna's assistantwas still with Banaras Beauty meant that Arpita had never been swayed to herparents' way of thinking. Neither did most public opinion go against any ofthem, well not too much of it anyway. To some Naomi would still be seen as theforeign femme fatale who started all of this despite all evidences of Abhi'simmoral character and wrong doings coming out, but she knew she had the supportof everyone that mattered and that was enough for her... Well that and the factthe Abhi had been sentenced to a long stretch of prison time. Turning againsther partner had offered Sonal a much lighter sentence, and they expected thatthe woman would be deported back to the US on her release in a few months.

It had brought the necessary closure forall of them

 Forher part, Naomi had even managed to turn everything that had been published intheir favor. In a cathartic moment she had amassed all of the publishedreports, both factual and embellished, and produced an expose of such note thatshe had submitted anonymously to her father-in-law's publication. Not only hadit touched on the crimes, but also the reasons for such, in a completelyunbiased fashion offered a commentary on society as a whole. Naturally due tothe subject matter as well as the nature of the topic, the presentation wasfirst shown to Shaliesh Agarwal before they accepted the mysteriousfreelancer's work. Until that point the newspaper had shied away fromeverything but most succinct reports of the crime and subsequent proceedings.The other directors had thought it a masterful piece and were ready to run withit, and in fact we ready to offer the creator more work based on it alone.Shailish Agarwal had asked for twenty four hours to make his decision, and thenimmediately went to visit his son and daughter-in-law. He had been aware of hisbahu's talents, but had never expected anything like this.

Naomi smiled to herself; it had beenwonderful having the best of both worlds with the opportunity to work at ascheduled agreeable to her family life, from home no less.  She blinked realizing that the group hadalmost reached them.

"Wait, does Arpita know that he hascome?"

"Nay, but I've called her to let her knowthat I absolutely need a particular fabric sample now."

Naomi laughed. "Now: in the park,Rachna?"

"Hey I'm game for whatever works, Pretty Eyes,"Jack stated, obviously hearing the women's conversation. He leaned down andsmacked a kiss on Naomi's cheek. "Good Lord Pretty Eyes, you've doubled insize...and don't you still have a couple of months yet?"

Naomi's welcoming smile fell. "Need Iremind you I have a whole bunch of friends armed with hockey sticks not faraway, Jack?"

"And you look absolutely beautiful," Jackadded to save himself. He turned to Rachna. "As do you, Rachna," he said,greeting her in the same fashion as he had Naomi. "Namaste Daadi; so has thegame started," he asked plopping down on the blanket.

"It is just about to, you haven't missedanything," The older woman said placing her hand on his head. She them beamedat the young woman who had kept pace with her grandson.

"Sareena, beti, welcome home."

Rachna followed Daadi in greeting theyoung doctor. "Welcome home, Sareena; you arrived just in time," Rachna said. "Come,look how handsome Sanjay looks in his team uniform."

"And that is going to aid him howexactly, Rachna," Kabir asked his wife.

"I'm just stating facts, watch when hestarts playing; it will be clear which parent he gets his skills from..."

Sareena laughed at the pair, more assuredthat the best decision had been made for Sanjay.

"He grown so much," The young doctor saidstifling a yawn. It felt that she had worked a hundred double shifts to amasssufficient time off to come and visit, but since she had already missed her nephew'sbirthday, there was no way she would miss Sanjay's first hockey game. She wouldsleep later.

She looked over and at the couple whowere attentively playing with their daughter in the last minutes before theirson would take the field. She smiled as Kabir leaned over and kissed Rachna onthe forehead, marveling at the couple's acceptance of first Sanjay and now her.Bhai would be thrilled with the outcome.

In the end, Sanjay made it through thematch, after an imperfectly perfect performance, but thankfully unscathed as hehad played with boys older than him. Suffice to say he was slightly overwhelmedby his vociferous cheering section, but thankfully they waited until only heand Rajeev Uncle were left before they began acting really silly, as if he hadwon the match for his team. They needed pictures lots of them they said, and heand Rajeev Uncle were made to join them while Uncle Jack and Arpita Aunty tookturns taking pictures of him and Papa and Aryia and Daadi of course of AuntyReena.

Sanjay didn't know how they were goingmanage for one big picture and get both his Mama's and Pari's tummies in thepicture, and he thought he was it lots of trouble when he asked this out loud.But soon everyone was laughing aloud because like Papa says that how family was.No matter what nobody would stay mad at their family forever.

*********

Kabir came from the nursery to findRachna reviewing the photos taken earlier. She turned the tablet around so hecould view one in particular. "Sanjay was right to ask," Rachna said, as hersand Naomi's girth seemed to overwhelm the image. She looked at her husband in concernwhen he frowned. "Sareena looks thinner."

Rachna agreed; she had noticed itimmediately. "Well she has been working some long hours of late, but we havefive days to fatten her up, so consider that before you go into fulloverbearing bhaiyaa mode ok Kabir?" Her husband nodded, but Rachna suspectedthat poor Sareena was in for a time of it.

Rachna then laughed to herself at oneparticularly goofy photo. "What a motley crew we are," she scoffed. Kabir camebeside her and viewed the image, concurring, but frowning at his wife. "What anabsolutely indelicate way to describe all of us..."

"Well, Mr. Tripathi, how would..." she pausedwhen Kabir leaned and kissed her.

"An ensemble...a cast...a family"

Rachna was flushed from the kisses herhusband had punctuated each word with. "You are going to get yourself introuble Kabir Tripathi if you don't stop...it's far too late for such attentions,and I still have a couple of weeks yet, " she said rubbing her swollen abdomen.Thankfully he listened and came up to where they view they could view theremaining photos together. "Mind you, I do like your words better"

"Don't scare me Rachna by admitting youare wrong, I'm already worried about you."

"Thik hai, I guess I will have to do youone better...I look at us and I see love. How is that Kabir?"

He smushed his face, "Nay, I like my own,actually..."

Rachna looked at him as he took his phoneand sent off a message. She raised one brow.

"I've just sent Naomi what should be thetopic of her next special report." He turned his mobile over to his wife so shecould see the potential title - Family:A Cast of Characters, and giggled when the message pinged.

Godconcept, but stick to your day job KT, not feeling the title: something likeWhen Love Creates a Family is not so chintzy if you get my meaning, butthanks anyway. Love you Bhai

"And this round has gone to girls,"Rachna taunted before her husband threatened her with another kiss. When wouldthe silly man remember that he should be careful what he asks for, she thoughthappily as she met him half-way.

End.

Andthus ends A Cast of Characters

. I hope everyone enjoyed reading as muchas I have enjoyed writing this story. Thanks to all of you who have followed,albeit very quietly LOL, but especially to you Sharlene. Thanks for the headsup when they closed the SSLK forum when I wasn't even aware of it and forfaithfully commenting on just about every chapter. And as I promised this isn'tthe end.  While not everyone will be inthe next story; you can expect some of my favorites to pop up. , so now I invite you all to look for my next RaBir FF: 

  Recasting the Princess

Or as an alternative, maybe you would like to see what happens with Vihaan in the future. If so please look for this spinoff from A Cast of Characters:

Mistaken....Vihaan's Story

Thanks for Reading

Kelly

[NOCOPY]

crtkelly2016-09-25 13:55:14