Hey guys! I keep trying to update the ff soon but something or the other keeps poping up. Really sorry for the delay, it gets boring to read ff's with long breaks in them but please bear with me. 😃 Anyway updating a long part hope you'll enjoy it and do please comment on what you'll think..Thanx
Cheers!! 😃
Ivana Chapter 3
"Hey! Im going to the city market, did you want anything?" Nupur stuck her head into Mayank's office on her way out.
"I did need something picked up, but for the life of me I cant remember what..let me walk you to the car maybe it'll come to me." Ever since that night three days ago, she was awfully quiet for Nupur. He hadn't asked her directly what was the situation with Dhruv was, he was waiting for her to come to him but she clearly wasn't and he was getting impatient and worried for her at the same time.
"Ahm..is everything okay with you and Dhruv?"
"Kind off, but.." She hesitated and continued "but I don't think its going to work out. Im thinking of calling the wedding off."
"Huh..I guess that's why he hasn't been around."
"No. That's not it, he's making a big deal about not coming here so that he doesn't have to meet you. He's turned out to be a real Neanderthal and its driving me crazy. I would never be happy with him." She smiled and added "By God Sharma. Your right once again! I hate it!."
"I hate it too." Mayank said still concerned "But I guess it was better to find out about it now."
"Argh!! What a mess I have made by trying to convince myself that I would be happy with him. What am I going to tell everyone at home?! Daadi would be so upset. Gunjan, ma, Suhani, By god! Everyone! They have all started shopping already…spent so much money. What are they going to do with all that?" Nupur closed her eyes as if praying for a solution.
"It'll all get sorted out squirt, its just saari's they can wear them anytime."
"Its not just that. They are going to be heartbroken." Her face reflecting the pain going through her heart. He couldn't see her in that condition and pulled her into a comforting hug. "I feel sadistic telling daadi im getting married, making her so happy and then turning around and saying oops sorry for that! I keep trying to come up with a solution to sort this mess out. Im even thinking of asking Dhruv if he would consider marrying me as an agreement that we will stay married till Daadi passed away and then get a divorce. But he wouldn't do it." She finished.
"Nupur! That's the most crazy thing you have come up with. I wish I could do something" He said still holding her. Nupur Leaned into him, feeling safe and comforted for the first time in 3 days. Neither of them seemed to care or notice that they were standing in the middle of the sidewalk.
"No really Mayank. What I need is a temporary husband. Plus it wont be so bad for the guy, im an excellent cook."
"Not a bad deal at all. I almost feel like offering you myself." He said teasingly and Nupur looked up at him and smiled.
"Hi beautiful people!" rang a sugary fake voice behind them. They turned to see the city gossip Sheena Sinha.
"Hey." Both Mayanka and Nupur replied together breaking apart.
"Lovely weather to be outside right? So Nupur how is Dhruv?" she asked as if to remind Nupur that she was not standing in the middle of the street hugging someone other than the man she was marrying.
"Fine absolutely. Thank you for asking." Nupur said tightly. Then added sweetly "So how is Rahul, oops sorry he's no longer in the picture is he? Who's the new guy? Rohit right? "
Mayank almost laughed at Sheena's expression. When she came she looked like the cat who had swallowed a canary and now she looked like that canary had given her food poisoning.
"Ah. Sheena I think that's your car right." Mayank broke it up before the situation would escalate.
"Yes. That's my car. Well see you'll around." She said and hurried off.
"By God! She is so annoying! Look at her own track record of countless marriages, but im sure she'll be telling wild tales to everyone we know in an hours time that we were romancing in the street." Mayank burst out laughing at her statement and continued their earlier joke.
"So it wouldn't be so bad. It'll help your situation. It'll almost make it seem that you had to break things off with Dhruv because we were head over heals in love with each other." But as Mayank had expected she didn't join him in laughing at the ridiculous statement he had just made. Instead she looked at him with questioning eyes.
"You wouldn't really consider faking marriage with me, would you Mayank?"
"No. Because your not either."
"Of course not. But if I had to do it, it rather be you. I mean it would be fun having you as a roommate for a while. I mean we get along great. We would give each other space. But your right the idea was ridiculous and I could never ask you to do me such a huge favour." Not really having the same nonchalant tone she had at the beginning of the conversation. "anyway. So did you remember what you wanted me to get for you?"
"No. Cant remember, I'll give you a call if I do."
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Mayank was extremely shaken up after their conversation. She wouldn't really consider marrying Dhruv just as an agreement, would she? No way! There was no way he'd let her do that. If that was the only solution then he'd marry her himself. It wasn't that ridiculous an idea. Why not? He wasn't seeing anyone nor could he even imagine seeing someone. Plus if she was hell bent on that as a solution then he couldn't let her risk marrying someone else. What if they tried to take advantage of her? It was too dangerous. He could easily do this much for her.
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Nupur felt much better having spoken to Mayank. He was right things would work out eventually. But her mind kept going back to her crazy idea of marrying him. Could she probably convince him to marry her for a short time? No. she couldn't ask something so big from him. Plus this would mean deceiving everyone she loved and God himself. But did it count as deception if she did solely for Daadi's happiness? Anyway this struggle between morality and solution was a moot point as she could never put Mayank in such a sticky situation and she couldn't think of doing this with any other guy. Not even Dhruv. It was funny how easily she could see her self living with Mayank but not Dhruv. Her train of thought was brought to halt by Mayank's call.
"Hey! I was wondering if your free tonight? Or are you going out with Dhruv?"
"Nope. Boys night out. Whats up?'
"Ahm..nothing feel like coming to dinner with me?"
"sounds good."
"Cool…then I'll pick you up at 8. See you later squirt." And he hung up just as abruptly as he called. Leaving Nupur wondering what brought on this sudden plan.
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When she was dressing up she remembered being a teenager and jealous of Mayank's girlfriends and even later Ria his wife. If she had still been a teenager she would be picturing this dinner as a date with Mayank. But this wasn't a date and she wasn't a teenager anymore. She knew he just wasn't attracted to her as a woman. He probably still saw her as a kid, along the years she had accepted this and was happy with their current relationship as best friends. But what if things changed and he did get interested in her? Nupur brushed away that thought and went back to her makeup.
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Mayank arrived a little early, but Nupur was already waiting outside for him. As she sat in the car she noticed that he was out of his normal work clothes and had changed into a pair of jeans and a crisp striped shirt rolled up at the elbows. He looked clean-cut and handsome. She realized that his looks appealed to her a lot more than Dhruv's ever had. This made her feel guilty, that she had agreed to marry Dhruv just because he was willing and available. It wasn't fair to him. She should have never convinced herself when she wasn't in love with him in the first place.
"Hey! Looking good! Ma said hi by-the-way. She called just when I was leaving to get here."
"Oh I haven't talked to Shilpa Aunty in so long. I've been meaning to call her. How are they enjoying the change?" After that they chatted about Mayank's parents till they got to the restaurant. She missed his mom, they had come to be very close over the years, their relationship hadn't changed even when Mayank had moved out of town for his studies.
"Maybe I should have made a reservation." Noticing the full parking lot as they reached the restaurant. They managed to get a table and met quite a few of their friends on the way to their table.
"By god is that Sheena. Just my luck she would be here tonight." Nupur grumbled as she sat down.
"Whats the big deal if shes here?" He asked confused.
"By god Mayank! sometimes you act so dumb..like you don't know how she is with gossip. Plus she hates me because she fancies you and she knows i cant stand her and will never let you go out with her." Nupur answered frustrated with him. "What are you thinking? I know that look and its only ever gotten me in trouble." She asked him when she saw a twinkle in his eye and a naughty grin spread on his face.
"But as I recall we have faced that trouble together right? So how about we give her something to gossip about?" She was so happy to see this expression of playfulness on Mayank's face, which hadn't made an appearance since his return home as a widower, that she didn't even think twice before agreeing.
"Lets." Smiling cheekily. He grinned and leaned over across the table and picked up Nupur's hand and gave her a kiss on the knuckles. The jolt of electricity was so prominent that she felt her blood rush to her feet as she felt his lips touch her skin. She pulled herself together as he asked.
"Did she see?"
"Ahm…gawking is more the word." She fumbled, as she had long forgotten the reason for the act.
"Cool!" seeming pleased with the outcome he placed Nupur's hand back on the table and opened and studied his menu. They ordered their food and chatted like old times. Neither of them brought up Dhruv or Sheena till their coffee arrived.
"So have you decided to break it off with Dhruv?"
"Yes. I almost told him last night, but we didn't meet and I didn't want to call it off over the phone."
"Nupur don't procrastinate. The sooner you put a stop to this the better it will be for every one."
"Your right." She agreed quickly but Mayank frowned.
"Ahh..i was thinking of our afternoon conversation. Ahh..Nupur if your going to marry someone just so that Daadi can attend the wedding.." he paused took a deep breath and continued "id rather it be me." Nupur was so shocked that she spat out her coffee, and starred at him tounge tied. "Shocker right? Not that I agree with this crazy charade, and of course it wouldn't be a real marriage." He said reaching over the table and wiping some of the coffee from Nupurs chin with his thumb and held it. "But I rather you don't do this with someone you don't trust. And you do trust me right?" Nupur was so touched and embarrassed at the same time.
"you know I trust you more than anyone else in the world. But in the afternoon I wasn't proposing to you. I swear, I was just venting, I could never ask that big a favour from you."
"I know you didn't propose, and my suggestion is purely voluntary. But if you are afraid to break it off with Dhruv just because of the family, then consider this as a back-up plan."
"Oh so this is what it is about, you think I don't have the guts to call it off?" feeling slightly offened.
"Ofcourse not! It's a lot of pressure and I just don't want you making a mistake. We have always bailed each other out of trouble. Why does it have to change now?" reaching over and giving her hand a squeeze. She felt a tingle go up her arm. She always felt good and relaxed when Mayank touched her but this tingling sensation was new to her.
"Mayank. Its too huge I couldn't let you go through something like this for me. This is something that would change your life."
"I have a routine, not a life." He said it so matter of factly that Nupur realized how lonely he must be feeling after Ria had passed.
"Mayank. Why haven't you started dating? I have seen so many women coming on to you and asking you out but you just blow them off. Its been three years you cannot live alone forever."
"Don't make me sound like a hermit. Between work, you and friends I have enough to keep me occupied, thank you very much. And how did this get to me, we were talking about you! Anyway besides the point please stop delaying it further and promise me you'll end it with Dhruv tomorrow."
"Yes I swear, ill tell Dhruv tomorrow over dinner at home and then the really hard part f telling ma and Daadi." She sighed and continued. "Maybe I'll just leave them a note and go on a vacation till it blows over. What do you think?"
"Tell them I told you to break it off, don't worry I'll handle them."
"you spoil me you know."
As they left she realized that he would stand by his suggestion if she took him up on it. She couldnt and wouldn't ever do that to him but it comforted her to know that he cared enough to offer.
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The scene with Dhruv turned into quite a disaster. She never even got to give him her rehearsed speech. When he arrived at her place he was boiling mad, throwing accusations of fooling around with Mayank behind his back. She barely managed to get in a word or two but realized that Sheena had managed to get a few words in. By the end of the Chinese wispers it was summarized that she and Mayank were making out infront of the shop in the afternoon as well as at dinner, after which Mayank had stayed at her house.
"Ive had it!! The wedding is off!!" Shouted Dhruv.
"Im sorry it had to come to this." Nupur said calmly, thanking her stars she wasn't going to marry a guy who actually believed all these rumors about her.
"So its ok with you that im calling the wedding off?" he shouted again, while Nupur nodded, it felt like too much of a hassle to confront him. It wasn't worth it.
"Im really am sorry Dhruv, and I don't blame you for being angry."
"I don't believe you, you b**ch…" He balled up his fist and for one scary second Nupur thought he might hit her. Whatever it was he caught himself, turned around and stormed out all the while cursing her. After the door was slammed shut behind him Nupur collapsed into a chair, weak with relief. She had just dogged a major bullet, she couldn't imagine being stuck in a marriage with a guy she didn't love who was also abusive. She felt less guilty. She was sure he didn't love her either, because she couldn't think of any man behaving like that with a woman he loved.
Though one thing she knew, she would not tell Mayank what went on in the house tonight. She remembered in college when she had been ragged and harassed by a bunch of boys. She had thought she could handle it but one day the situation had gone out of control when one of the boys tried to get rough with her. She had managed to get out of it and had told Mayank about it.
He had tracked those boys down. She didn't know what he had done or what he had told them, but they had stayed far away from her after that. She was brought out from her thoughts with the ringing of the phone.
"Bacha!" her mom's voice came through the line. Nupur's heart sank, the gossip must have reached her too.
"Hi Ma, kasi ho?" but her question was ignored.
"I want you to come home right now, I want to discuss some pack of lies been flying around lately." Her mom said furiously.
"I'll be right over ma."
"We'll be here, Papa's going to be late." So that meant the we involved Daadi. Her stomach churned from the thought. But she might as well get over with the ordeal. She was going to have to do it like a band-aid. Then it would be quick and painless. But you know the problem with giving yourself a pep talk was that deep down inside you always knew it was bullshit.
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"We are in the kitchen" Ma's voice came as Nupur entered the house.
"That smells yummy"
"Your mothers heating up some food for you, in case you haven't eaten." Even when she was pissed her mom couldn't let her go hungry, that mollified Nupur slightly.
"I haven't eaten." She said going to the pot and taking some of the food on the plate.
"Come sit next to me beta. Eat" Daadi said patting a chair next to her at the breakfast table. While her Ma stood by the counter.
"You want to drink something?" Mrs.Bhushan asked.
"No thanks ma." She said taking a bit of the food.
"So who is spreading all these lies about you and Mayank!" She burst out obviously not being able to control it much longer.
"How did you hear?" Nupur groaned.
"Pooja aunty from next door told me all embarrassed that she heard it at the club in the afternoon. She left and then Rama aunty called saying she heard something at the ladies association meeting. I gave each one of them a piece of my mind when they asked if there was any truth in it. They actually had the gall to ask me if the wedding was still on! Of course I told them it was on."
"Poor Rama, pata hai, she has always been jealous of you, she knows your girls are so much more prettier than hers." Daadi said so seriously that amidst all this drama Nupur spurted a laugh.
"Daadi!"
"Its true! Its pure spite spreading rubbish like this if you ask me." To that Nupur rolled her eyes.
"its not Rama Aunty who started this rumor its Sheena. She was at the restaurant where Mayank and I had gone to have dinner." And to that statement her mother's eyes grew large
"Bacha! You don't go for dinner with other men when you are engaged!"
"Ma! Its Mayank not other men!"
"I know but, ok where is Dhruv, where is he tonight?"
"Last night he had a boys night and tonight he came home, he heard about the gossip too. The difference is he believed it and we had a fight. We broke up." She said it quickly hoping it would not have that major an effect, but she was wrong. Her mother in full Bollywood mode caught her head in her hands and cried out.
"Mumiji! Upne suna? Usne shaadi tod di! There is going to be no wedding!" Her mom wailed to Daadi.
"I heard." Nupur looked on anxiously at her Daadi who seemed weaker than before if possible, she looked over at her mom who had sat down and was now praying.
"Im so sorry, I realized few days ago I couldn't marry Dhruv. I didn't love him. We started having these fights…" she trailed off as her Daadi got up.
"Beta finish eating then come tell me good night, im going to my room."
"But Mumiji, your tv serial is going to come, do you want me to tape it for you?"
"No its ok, ill see it later." Wow Daadi was really upset if she was missing her serial. She didn't miss is for anything. Guilt poured into Nupur.
"Befor you go Daadi, I need to tell you something. But you cant say a word to anyone right now."
She paused when they looked at her anxiously. " Well the gossip is not entirely false."
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