Mamaji opened the door to the happy couple returning home. He invited PP in and Meghna rushed inside while PP settled with a happy smile in the hall.
“Pratham Ji, you’re like a son to me; so I won’t beat around the bush. When are you going to speak to your mother about the marriage?”
“What’s the big hurry, Mamaji? I will! Very soon! Let us both enjoy each other’s company till then.” He said guilelessly, pointing in Meghna’s direction.
“Well! In that case, I would suggest that you don’t take her out till such time that your marriage is official.”
“Why? Has Advay said that?” PP was immediately alert and suspicious.
“No, not at all! I am saying it…… with a father’s heart…People spread rumours very fast in this village…..It happened with my Chandni so bad; poor girl could not even step out of the house…. I don’t want people to talk bad about Meghna…..It would not be good for her future…. I hope you understand this perspective.”
“Yes Mamaji! I do. I will take Meghna to visit my mother in this week itself. Rest assured.”
Meghna who had come and stood at the doorway heard him and her joy felt no bounds at all.
The foursome group entered the French restaurant, Au Pied de Cochon. Chandni was overwhelmed as the restaurant was quite ostentatious with its grandiose interior in spite of being just a street side café.
Advay smiled looking at her and held her arm for reassurance, “Chandu, you know what I like best about this place? It never closes. Back in the younger days, myself and DD would come here at the middle of night and still could get good food to eat.”
“CD, it used to be godforsaken hours because both of us slogged our backs to complete our Ph.D. research…....not loitering our time behind Babes!” Darsh winked at Chandni reassuringly.
All four seated down and the two started narrating fun of their Ph.D. days. Advay, Darsh and Pooja chatted happily but Chandni just smiled, listening to them without any active participation……a lost look on her face. All three noticed it.
“Chandni……” Advay hesitated. Wanting desperately to connect with her, he covered her hand on the table. “about that photo-frame…….”
“No Dev! Please don’t say anything! It will be insult of your love for me. It’s not about the frame…….” She looked totally lost…… “It’s more about those sixteen years…… sixteen precious years that we lost from our lives…….time cannot be turned back, certain things cannot be undone.” Unshed tears shimmered in her eyes and Pooja noticed them.
“I’ll just be to the ladies room and be back.” Chandni jerked up.
“I’ll take you, come!” Advay held her arm.
“It’s OK, Dev! I can manage! Please stay seated.”
Chandni tried to keep smiling to ebb the tension. She tried pulling her arm away; but Advay held up, an intense look in his eyes.
“No! I’ll come.”
“It’s ok, Bro! CD can manage.” Darsh teased trying to lighten up the atmosphere, “All your babes did, and she’s smarter! It’s her private space.” Perhaps, Chandni needed a moment alone to gather herself.
Without shifting his eyes from Chandni, Advay replied, “She’s not a babe, she’s my wife and I will stay with her in every inner sanctum of hers.”
So totally confident……overwhelmingly arrogant….. Devastatingly masculine….thought Chandni. The two left.
After a curtailed silence, Darsh spoke, “I was wrong.”
Darkness settled over his features, then disappeared. A shiver ran down Pooja’s spine.
“About a lot of things.”His voice dropped to an intimate pitch.
More than his words, the apology in his voice hit the tender spot of memories buried deep. Pooja’s hand shook as she reached for the menu.
She was so not going there. She was not ready for a chat on the topic and especially not with the man who had maintained silence over so long a time. It would only ruin her appetite. She took a deep breath and briskly closed her menu.
And then she firmly closed the small window he was trying to open. “It’s not about you.” Her voice turned hard,
“As Chandni said correctly, time cannot be turned back.”
Shikha knocked on Veer’s door and peeped in. He was alone.
“Veer, come let’s go for a walk outside, just the two of us.” She urged.
His tiny smile turned into a full-fledged grin. Shikha sucked in her breath at the sight of that slow smile flashing a perfect row of white teeth.
“I thought you were tired when you declined Bhai’s dinner suggestion. Aren’t you?”
"Not really. It’s been such a beautiful day. Let’s end with a quiet walk between us.” She looked dreamy.
He was so very much in love with her. He knew he couldn’t trust himself and was almost sure, she’d lose control too. It wouldn’t remain a quiet walk between them.
“Shikha, I understand. But I am really looking forward to lazing it out now. Shall we do one thing? Let’s rest today and tomorrow, we shall go for a walk…… maybe take Pooja di and Chandni bhabhi also with us.”
Veer stared down at her,eyes dancing with mischief … but there was something else in his expression, a purposefulness!
“I knew it!” Her banked anger shot at him in sparks. His solid loud voice of reason only made him look jaded in the moment.
“Shikha….listen!” His laughing voice chased behind Shikha as she stomped away.
Chandni relaxed over her evening bath before going to bed. It had turned out to be a quite enjoyable dinner. Darsh coaxing her to try specialities like onion soup.
She truly liked Darsh…..the temperament of the man, his patience, humour, and inherent decency,was impossible to deny. No wonder, Dev had chosen him to be his best friend.
When Chandni came out, she found Advay in deep thoughts. Chandni immediately sensed the tension around him and wondered if it was because of her earlier comment regarding her frame. Her heart reached out to her husband. She wanted to comfort him, assure him that the frame truly didn’t matter to her. His currently being with her was all that mattered.
She went and sat next to him, slowly pushing his shirt away and resting her arm on his open chest. As he stared down at her, there was a purposefulness and stress in his eyes, which unsettled her profoundly.
It didn’t seem like related to their talk. He would immediately open the topic otherwise, now that they were truly in their private sanctum. This seemed different; but she didn’t want to pry. She knew she could trust him to share with her when he felt right and there was only one way she knew to make him feel right.
Chandni put her recent knowledge to good use, delighting Advay with her body again and again. He, of course, had his special mysterious sacred knowledge that a lover had for his beloved …… The knowledge that deserved a marriage in more than name……..Knowledge that would perhaps be perverted and maligned in any other less holier coupling.
And the way it felt, when he was inside her……..warm and thrilling and assuring and perfect. She would have said that any orgasm was an extra gift in addition to the way she felt when they were conjoined.
He was close, oh, so close. He searched her expression and saw that her eyes reflected love. Every motion of hers was reciprocated by him. Every motion brought both of them pleasure.
As they stared, a great moan erupted from her chest, and then in a twinkling instant she was throwing her head back and calling his name. It was a glorious thing for him to see and hear. His own Miss Badbad spoke a lot but as a lover she had always been silent ...... But today, it was different....... perhaps the beauty in Louvre had enchanted her.... She called his name in their moment. Soon he was falling, groaning aloud as his body tensed and then released, the veins in his forehead and neck straining and relaxing.
“I love you, Dev—” Her last word was interrupted by a low moan, as she fell back and then fell into deep sleep. The night cover grew dark around them.
Advay stood beside the bed, naked, watching her. She slept with a deep peacefulness that made a smile touch his lips. She was curled up in the fetal position, one hand tucked under her cheek. Her glorious hair fanned out over the pillow, and the rippling moonlight made the strands seem like a halo.
He should share with Chandni all his plans.
Advay turned away and walked to the window to gaze out at the dots of light sprinkling the night skyline of Paris. He rubbed his brow at the thought. Chandni was his ardhangini, his better half…..they were supposed to spend the rest of their life together. Chandni followed truth and honesty in their relation……and expected same from him......It was the inner core strength of their marriage…….. He was awed by all that she gave to this marriage, and knew that because he loved her, he must tell her everything. About the plans with Sasha. About the plan with Jimmy Papad king. About PP.
Everything!
It was not something he looked forward to!!
He sighed as he tapped his fingers against the windowsill in thought. He was taking a huge risk with Jimmy, the biggest in his life perhaps and the woman lying in bed was the cause. It was her life that had had an attack. Suddenly, nothing else, not even his own life, was very important.
He looked at his wife sleeping in peace. He’d never been more satisfied with his life. Being with Chandni softened something inside of him, soothed his emotions, made him want to give all of himself to her and receive the same back.
For the first time in his life his love had flourished, and he wasn’t going to screw it up.
She stirred and murmured in her sleep. Advay turned from the window and made his decision. He’d tell her at the right time and in the right mood; he would win her over; she was his Shakti, after all!
He slipped under the covers, pulling her close to his body. She snuggled against him immediately. Advay closed his eyes and let sleep wrap its misty fringes around him, until he was lured into a world of blackness.
The entire family sat in the living room chatting happily. Naani and Maasi had arrived back. Oblivious of his nighttime inner turmoil, Chandni smiled at Advay….He had just woken up and joined the crowd donning a pullover over him…..as casual as he could be…..Yet, he rarely looked anything less than absolutely gorgeous at any time, on any day of his life!……Chandni smiled to herself as she proceeded to kitchen.
Maasi was sharing her old memories rekindled after speaking to friends, “I used to chat with these ladies about Pooja every day. Pooja was growing and her mischief grew, too! I had Ma with me; but for Jiji, these two monkeys- Chiku and Miku……how they troubled her!......and when Advay came to London, his anger, my god!” Maasi shook her head in disdain.” “.....It wasn’t easy managing this lad!”
“That’s true! It was you alone who could manage that angry young boy then!” agreed Naani, “Everyday, some or other mischief in school!” She smiled indulgently at her Chiku.
Chandni thought of her childhood Dev. As a boy, he had been truly tenderhearted…..taking genuine care of her and also Miku’s…….The man he had now become was simply his destiny! Her heart saddened at the thought of the sixteen years that he suffered equally as her or maybe more!
Darsh sitting next to Advay added his memories. “Remember, how you harassed the girls from primary and that grouchy principal always caught hold of my neck?”
Darsh mimicked the old man, “Being a high school student, why do you come to primary?........”
Darsh had known why Advay was so against young girls and because he understood Advay’s grief, Advay’s anger, he had never ever disclosed the real culprit. Rather the two had become the mirrors that reflected each other’s most private wounds. It was so long past. Darsh did not want to dwell there.
He laughed punching Advay on his shoulder, “Saala, every time….This guy made mischief and I took the bashing!”
A genuine laugh vibrated through Advay.
Chandni watched him from kitchen as he laughed, so open and infectious, the sound immediately coated her skin like the slow slide of creamy caramel on pancakes she was making.
Miku couldn’t stay quietly behind when the topic of discussion was his Bhai. “When Bhai came to Allahabad, the first thing he did was to fight with the village goons; that too, while single-handed holding the gigantic Shiva idol! My bhai is a hero!” Adoringly he looked at Advay, “But even then, I could see him only as angry young man!”
“Hero, he is! While marrying Jiji, the way the goons had hit him….He had fainted, almost half dead…… and yet he rose again and fought back with the goons to finally marry Jiji.” Shikha happily added her memory.
“From your family, all that my Advay has ever got is beating to half death!” Venom spurt out from Maasi’s suddenly roused anger.
There was pin-drop silence. Shikha’s face fell immediately and tears pricked at the back of her eyes, as her lips trembled. Chandni’s hand stilled in the pot she was stirring and her mouth twitched in pain. Advay wanted to speak; but Veer spoke before him, his voice stern yet calm, like a protecting mountain.
“Maasi, we.are.Shikha’s.family!........ She has no connection whatsoever with the troubles given to Bhai; so I request you once again, let us all enjoy good family time without dwelling in the past.”
Shikha wondered at her fiancé, last night he had angered her by pushing her away; but now he was protecting her going against his own relations. What kind of man is this?
Naani smiled, as she gauged exactly the kind of person Miku had turned out to be. Very similar to her late damad, a man of great virtue! She knew Miku would always support the right; he would always stand by the truth!
Advay smiled as he felt proud of his younger brother. Time and again, he had faced the anger of Maasi which even Advay himself feared. This lad could face anybody in the world.
The silence throbbed with tension!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Cascading Stream of Events!
Advay offered Chandni to take her to Louvre because he wanted t share the experience of beauty in Art.
So instead of all girls out in Louvre, it became all Loving pairs in Louvre. The beauty there has affected each couple. All three ladies are gone in a wistful longing mood. While Pooja and Shikha love story is in denial mode; Chandni's wistful longing for her frame will bring some event later on.
Currently, it's that mood which changes the lovemaking experience for the couple and she says his Name in the act.
Outwardly, it looks like Advay is relaxing with his best friend, and he is! The two are "Tera Yaar Hoon Main" kind of friends and have a long history of memories.
But deep underlined, Advay's laugh flourishes due to the night spent with Chandni.
Arnav's laugh was a beautiful creative exploited by IPK1. Some how Advay didn't get the chance in the show; but here in this saga, the same creative is explored in another way.
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Comments (4)
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binc0802 @binc0802
4 years ago
Wow you gave 3 updates in a week. I love all 3 updates Neha. I love how you are connecting dots with all characters in the show with your imagination. I totally connected with Pooja flashback. She is kind soul. l enjoyed total Lovre episode while reading. Because of your pictures, I imagined all characters while reading especially Barun. Advay possessiveness scene was funny. I imagined Barun in that whole scene. This character Advay has so many layers. You showed all of them perfectly in your story. You showed his turmoil very well Neha. I always love how he thinks about everyone. Veer and Seekha relationship also moving forward. I liked the part where Veer rejected going for a walk with Seekha. That clearly defines their characters in the show. Till now I am not able to believe PP changed really or is he acting . Maybe because of portrayal of that character in the show. I thoroughly enjoyed all chapters. Thanks Neha.
AnnDan @AnnDan
4 years ago
AdNi is my unforgettable favorites! Loved the moment when Veer refused to go for a walk with Shikha. It would be a fun scene performed by the actors) Thanks Neha)