"We'll get back to that, Mrs. Malhotra", he whispered straight into her ears, "soon". She couldn't choose whether that "soon" sounded melodious or husky but it surely did manage to get her goosebumps as if it had some deeper meaning attached. Shravan left her waist only to hold by her hand.
"Wow! Sumo this beetroot color really suits your cheeks. Shravan Bhaiya Effect effective on Sumo too! ", Pushkar grinned ear to ear.
"Oye Pushkar ho gayi teri bakwas khatam toh hum neeche chale?", Sumo said recovering her usual Sumo-self.
The living room was buzzing with joyous conversations. To Shravan it never felt so homely in so many years.
"Look, their smiles tell that they've finally reconciled their friendship", exclaimed Vandy in her high pitched voice. "U know Varun.. I really wished both of them to have a love story to share with me and look they had one together!! How adorable!"
For the first time Ramnath noticed how Suman completed Shravan like on other. His son had at last found peace, his mere smile could send him shivers of relief.
Preity looked for Sumo's eyes and winked at her. Suman smiled back.
Nirmala had tears in her eyes. How had she failed to notice these two were perfect for each other ever since their childhoods!
Kamini was happy too.
They looked at the couple descending down in awe.
"Shravan everyone's staring at us. Why does this feel to be so embarrassing?" He gazed at them once and then looked down, "I've no idea."
"Ab toh khaayega na ladoo tu?" exclaimed Lalaji. "Ek apni ma ke taraf se ek Suman ke haath se. Waise bhi ek ladoo se tera mann kabhi barta bhi nhi." Shravan nodded in glee.
Nirmala wordlessly fed him the ladoo in happy tears followed by Sumo.
The newly wedded sat in the middle. Sumo had Nirmala beside her and Shravan had Ramnath.
"Why do want to leave Ma? Haven't u forgiven me yet?"
"Beta main tumse gussa hin kab thi. It was our faults due to which u had to suffer through so much."
"Then why are you leaving?"
"Beta I am and was always your mother but it's too late for me to stay here as a bahu of this house. But that will never lessen my love for you. I'll keep in touch and you along with Suman are supposed to pay me a visit in Mumbai as well."
"But Aunty what's the need to leave today itself?" Suman asked taking her hand in hers.
"Haan bhabhi kuch din toh ruk ke jaaeye, we have missed you." said Lalaji.
"Haan Nirmala Shravan ko bhi achha lagega, I insist", Ramnath didn't want his son's gaiety to fade a bit.
"Theek hai aap sab keh rhe hai toh.. "
Suman hugged her dearly.
_________________________
"The guest room is ready, Badi Mumma", informed Preity. "Thank you Beta and congratulations, Suman told me you are expecting! So many good happenings in a day!" Preity lowered her gaze and blushed, "I'll just come from the kitchen." Nirmala nodded.
"Suman tu aa mere sath."
"Anuty but where? Shravan asked me to meet him in a while. He said he had some important work."
Nirmala swayed her head laughingly, "I'm sure his work can wait. I have something more important. Come."
She made Suman sit on the bed before opening her purse and taking out a pair of bangles, lustrous gold bangles of heirloom-quality.
"Anuty how can I accept these!"
"Dare you Anuty me again", Nirmala in amused anger.
"You've always been like a daughter to me aur ab toh legally bhi tu meri beti hui na. Aaj se Anuty nhi tu bhi mujhe Ma kahegi. Samjhi? And these bangles belong to my daughter-in-law."
Suman nodded with fresh tears forming on her eyes and Nirmala immediately took her in her embrace. "I know beta how much the word Ma means to you. I'll make sure you get every bit of motherly love that you've always craved for and I had promised Tiwariji the same."
"Chalo now give me your hands", she said wiping her tears. "I never knew I'll get back my life due to these bangles", Nirmala said while making her wear those bangles. "Yes. I didn't come here to mend relations with my family in the first place. I had left that hope long back. I came here to handover these to you as I came to know about your marriage yesterday itself sadly via TV, that too not on a very happy note. I then wished to talk to Shravan about this. Glad that's settled now. I'm very happy for both of you. Take care of my son. Keep loving him"
"I intend to."
Suman reassured by a squeeze on Nirmala's.
Shravan, who standing at the door for a while, came in. "Ma you've always done this. Whenever I call Sumo you always hold her back with you." Suman and Nirmala grinned looking at one other.
"Waise Ma there's one last thing I want to know. "
"Haan?", she said caressing his head as he sat down beside them.
"Do you love Aditya more than me?"
"No dear. I do not love anyone more than you in this world. The reason I was able to fill the gap of a mother figure in Aadi's life was only that he reminded me of you since you both were of almost same age and I couldn't come to you I believed if I took care of him somebody might take care of my own son somewhere. I'm sorry beta I missed ten years of your life."
This what Shravan had always needed- an assurance that both the women he loved, loved him with equal passion. He settled his head in her laps and Suman rested her head on her shoulder. Nirmala patted both of them tenderly.
To Be Continued..
The next update will take long but it'll have some light-hearted ShraMan moments.
I'll be a bit busy with studies for coming days.
Have to take a major exam in April Ist week and an entire syllabus is left to be covered and revised.
Please pray that I am able to study with full focus.
Will be back soon probably when physics and chemistry bore me to death!
Thank you for reading
Love,
Swarnima
Edited by theGoldenGirl - 8 years ago
Udne Ki Aasha
