Chapter 45

EPISODE – 59

 

 

His eyes were fixed at the beautiful couple sitting in the mandap. She was one of the most beautiful brides he had ever seen. He was busy adoring them when someone's shoulder brushed his' hardly. He turned back furiously but calmed down instatntly at the sight of a very beautiful girl gazing at him apologetically.

 

"Sorry." It was the most innocent apology he had ever heard.

 

A smile ran on his face. He looked at her from head to toe. She was wearing a light pink heavily embellished saree with a noodle strapped blouse. Her matching heavy jewellery looked heavenly on her innocent cute face. She was short in height and her crimped hair extended a little below her shoulder. Her beautiful black eyes were alluring enough to encapture him to a state of trance.

 

He didn't realize that even she was staring back at him unblinkably.Her eyes had lit up and a cute little smile on her lips made her all the more charming.

 

"Ouch!" She cried, out of the blue.

 

It shook them both out of their daze. Some other girl had hit her at her arm. She could not miss the lost state of her friend and the goodlooking stranger.

 

"Chalein?" She asked her teasingly.

 

The two girls left but she did turn back to see him again and again till he went out of her sight.

 

Later during the pheras, he saw her again. She was standing at a little distance showering rose petals on the couple. He could not miss the tray of rose petals that she was holding since the others had marigold.

 

He shifted his focus back to the wedding couple but suddenly he felt something very soft on his cheeks, his hair and found a few rose petals on his arm. He immediately turned to find the girl turning her back to him. Her body language told him that she had turned around in haste, on purpose, only to avoid him. He smiled again and started looking other side.

 

"Pagal ho gayi hai kya?" She scolded her friend.

"Kyun kya ho gaya?"

"Tu kar kya rahi thi... Ab use lagega ki maine uspe phool daala hai."

"To achchga hi hai na... Aur waise bhi jaise tu baar baar uski taraf aur woh teri taraf dekh raha hai....."

"Shut up! Aisa kuch nahin hai." She cut her in between.

"Nahin ho to mere liye to achcha hi hai."

"Kya matlab?"

"He is soo cuuuute!"

"You...." She slapped on her arm.

 

Alekh saw the two girls whispering and stealing glances at him but could not comprehend what they were saying. But he was the topic of their discussion... that he knew for sure.

 

It was time for the bidaai for the bride. The whole atmosphere was sentimental and even Naina was in tears. He stood at a distance quietly when he was again brushed by someone. He turned around to find the same girl.

 

"Sorry!" It was more innocent than before.

He smiled and shook his head.

"Tell me something... Aaj aap sabke saath aise hi takra rahi hain ya I am the only lucky one."

 

She blushed,

"Woh actually... Aaj pehli paar saree pehni hai so...."

He chuckled.

"I understand.... It's o...."

"Are you married?" She asked him aloud.

"Nahin.... Kyun?"

"Oh! Nothing... Woh aapne kaha na ki you understand... So I thought.... May be you are....."

He laughed in a suppressed laughter.

 

She felt a little embarresed at her reaction. She looked around everywhere to avoid his eyes but didn't leave. She was holding a rose stick in her hand clutching it tightly. His lips twitched at its end. He took out the rose from her hand. She looked at him finally.

 

"Thank you!" He said playfully.

 

She was at loss of words. She could not tell him that it wasn't for him but didn't mind him taking it either. She could not react. He smiled at her confused looks. He planted a peck on her cheeks.

 

Her eyes widened in surprise. He could not comprehend her reaction. She looked a little surprised or may be shocked, a little happy, a little lost, a little embarrassed, a little confused and was blushing hard. He took a step closer. She retreated.

 

"Mera naam..."

"I got to go... I am running late." She said hastily without letting him complete.

"What?" He was taken aback by that sudden withdrawl on her part.

 

She ran away. He kept staring at her and after a while shifted his gaze down wards on the ground... On his shoes. He stepped back. There was a stone studded dangler beneath them. He had purposely stepped over it. It belonged to her. He picked it up. It was almost as pink as her cheeks had been just a few seconds back.

 

********

 

He was smiling as he saw those earrings. It brought back the memory of the beautiful stranger who had set his heartbeats racing.

 

"Ahem – Ahem!"

 

He heard a coughing sound. He looked up. Naina was standing there. He quickly hid the earring and smiled back.

"Hi!"

"To yeh earring tumhare paas hai aur wahan Maina meri jaan kha gayi ki hamari shaadi mein uski favorite earring kho gayi. Ab batao zara... Yahan kisi bechare ka dil kho gaya hai aur use apne silly se earring ki padi hai." Naina said it one breath sarcastically.

"Maina... kafi ajeeb sa naam hai na?"

"Matlab ki I was right... I knew it... Khair ab agar naam nahin pasand to theek hai..."

"Nahin... It's quite cute!"

"It's quite cute ya she is quite cute."

 

He glared back at her.

"Shut up!"

"Okay! If you insist to main shut up ho jaati hoon but agar main shut up ho gayi to tumhein uski details kaun bataega. Soch lo!"

"Waise tumhein kaise pata ki Maina....."

"Dekha tha maine... Aankhon hi aankhon mein jo chal raha tha na tum dono ke beech mein. Khoye khoye se the tum dono!"

"Dono?" He leaned forward at the table visibly getting excited.

"Control your emotions Alekh... Waise Maina hum log use pyaar se bulate hain... Uska naam Saanjh hai."

"Saanjh!" He repeated softly.

"You didn't let me complete Alekh." Her face bore her trademark mischievous smile.

"Matlab?"

"Saanjh... Saanjh Shekhawat!"

"Hell! Mujhe is surname se bilkul achchi si feeling nahin aa rahi hai."

"Aye! Surname ke baare mein kuch nahin bolna... Samjhe!"

"Alright Mrs. Shekhawat... Waise bhi shaadi ke baad to ladkiyon ka surname badal hi jata hai na."

"Oops! Shaadi... Not bad!"

"Hmmmm.... I want to move on."

 

The smile on Naina's face faded. He tried to immediately shift the topic as he realized that they were going back to square one.

"Waise yeh Miss. Sanjh ke aapke dearest husband se kya connection hain... Which I am sure there is!"

"Of course! Saanjh Shekhawat... Captain Shekhawat ki kehne ko to first cousin hai but bilkul mere aur Bhaiyya jaisa case hai. They are too close. Upar se saal mein mushkil se do-teen baar milte hain to saara pyaar dono ka ek baari mein hi bahar aata hai."

"Is she not from Delhi?"

"Mumbai... Interior decorator hai. But you are lucky enough! Madam next week hi Delhi move kar rahi hain... Permanently."

"Aur tum Delhi se baahar jaa rahi ho so no help possible from you!"

"Sorry!"

"Never mind... bas all I hope is ki ab Raj ke ander ka Bhai na jag jaaye."

"Kya?" She didn't get him.

"Kuch nahin... Tum nahin samjhogi!"

"Hmmmm... To shaadi kab kar rahe ho?"

"Bas tum honeymoon se laut kar aao main card chapwa kar rakhta hoon."

"Aur tum use miloge kab aur kaise?"

 

A big grin replaced his smile.

"Tumhein nahin lagta ki mere cabin ko thode se renovations ki zaroorat hai."

"Aur agar nahin hai to ho jaayegi." She chuckled and winked at him.