FF (Shiv-Gauri): The Oldest Story... -pg. 140, 142 - Page 92

Originally posted by: sridevi27

Aright my lovelies,

I had told myself that I couldn't update until I finished my work. And i am just finishing up, which means I can write my next post... so bear with me... ;)

Chapter 41: Bin Bulaye Mehmaan

Only in his family would a "small" get-together have fifty or sixty people! Thank God Gauri was used to his family; their sheer size was enough to overwhelm those who were not prepared, and when you added the personalities… well… they were an animated bunch, and that was putting it kindly…

He wondered where she was as he looked up and down the foyer. His mother had disappeared with her as soon as they had walked into Sarala aunty's home and he hadn't seen her in over an hour. He was tired as hell and there were a million of his cousins around to demand his attention. He needed a bit more energy than he had right at this moment to deal with all of it… he caught a flash of blue upstairs and looked up; he thought he saw her, but then he couldn't be sure…

Just then, someone smacked him on the back and he elbowed back without looking.

"Damn Shiv! What the hell?" It was Dhruv, of course…

"Like for like, mate. What the hell is this, Dhruv? I thought this was supposed to be a "small" get-together! I think I am going to have to remind Sarala aunty what the definition of small is."

"I know! Where's Gauri?" he asked and Shiv turned to him in surprise.

"Why?"

"Just checking. Lord, what is with you? Are you sure you hate her? Because you sure don't act like it!"

"I am just curious, Dhruv, because you are more interested in my wife than me nowadays!"

"Can I tell you that you are an absolute killjoy when you are jealous!"

"Okay, asshole, I am not jealous. I told you, I am merely curious."

"Well, then indulge my curiosity too, where is she? I heard she ruffled Fiona's feathers at her birthday party. Man, I would have paid to see that! I came late and missed it all…"

Shiv smiled as he remembered and nodded now. "It was quite the show. Although I have to say, it was not really a fair fight. Fiona is just catty, while Gauri is… well, let's just put it this way, it was like watching a cheetah being picked on by a cat. No comparison!"

"So, Gauri is a cheetah now?"

"Gauri has always been a cheetah, not just now." Just then he thought he caught sight of her sari again and looked up. And this time she was there indeed… she was leaning her palms against the railing, her gaze scanning the first floor without trying to make it obvious that she was…. She almost passed him over in her surreptitious perusal, but then he saw her eyes swing back to him. She didn't smile or frown or make any discernible changes in her expression aside from staring at him intently for a few seconds… And he felt it… her gaze… he felt it all over inside him, while he forced himself to stand still and not rush up the stairs towards her.

Someone called her just then and she looked back to see who called… before she walked away though, she turned back around to give him one last look, just like she had done in their room earlier that evening…

"Holy shit! You guys did it, didn't you?"

He was startled out of his reverie by Dhruv's sudden declaration.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked as he started walking away, knowing that Dhruv would follow.

He did. "Oh come on! It's so obvious! Who are you trying to kid here? I have known you since you were peeing in pampers!" Shiv looked back at Dhruv, his brows shooting up. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"I am just saying! This is an important milestone!"

"What is?"

"You just had sex with the girl who has been your arch-enemy for 23 years! You sold out, Shiv!"

"I am not discussing this with you! What the hell!"

"So you did? You are not denying it!"

Shiv turned back at this point to face Dhruv fully. "Dhruv, if you replay that entire conversation in your head, you will see that my end of the exchange has largely been what the hell and gigantic exclamation marks. I hear no affirmation or denial nor a willingness to discuss what happens between my wife and I in our bedroom! And given your excessive interest in my love life, I think it's time for you to get laid!"

"Goddamn! It's like that?? Hell Shiv! I never thought I would see the day!"

Shiv knew he really shouldn't encourage this line of questioning, but against his better judgment he did. "What day?"

"The day a girl brought you to heel! That day!"

He sighed deeply as he prayed for patience. "Dhruv, why would I need to be brought to heel?"

"Oh come on Shiv! You always have it easy with women! It's time someone led you on a merry chase for a change."

"I don't lead anyone on a merry chase. Maybe that's the reason why I have it "easy" with women. Because there is no bullshit!"

"Yea, okay, then explain why the hell you dated Fiona."

He got him there. "Everyone is allowed mistakes, man! Jeez! And why am I under the Spanish Inquisition today?"

"Chill! I just haven't seen you in a while, that's all." Dhruv said and Shiv turned around, feeling calmer now.

"I have been out of town for a week." Shiv mentioned just as he saw a change in Dhruv's expression.

He didn't say anything but followed Dhruv's gaze and found that it was centered on… Neela.

"You know, you have it bad…" he remarked casually.

"What? What do I have bad?" Dhruv looked at him then, pretending that nothing was amiss.

"For her… How long are you going to play this silent admirer thing? It's a bit freshman year, don't you think?"

"Shut the hell up, Shiv! I am neither silent nor admiring!"

Shiv laughed. "Well, I agree that you are not silent… as for the other, well… you should see yourself when you look at her…"

"I am sure it's not as bad as how you are when you look at Gauri…"

"Alright mate, now you see how it feels to discuss women? It makes us look a bit juvenile. So, let's leave it…" Shiv said and started to glance away, but then turned back, his attention suddenly caught by someone standing next Neela. "Wait, he looks familiar, who is that next to Neela?"

"That's Aarya. Neela's brother."

"Oh… hmm... I have seen him somewhere I think… can't remember where though…"

It was more along the same lines of nothing-in-particular-male-bonding-and-occasional-pointless-ribbing for a while after that. Gauri remained cloistered up in the women's sanctum somewhere on the second floor and he wondered what they could possibly be discussing at length there…

Finally, once everyone started congregating by the kitchen and the dining room when dinner was announced, he snuck upstairs. Even though there had been an exodus of women from the 2^nd floor to the first, he had not seen Gauri in that mix. He walked along the corridor of the second floor; most of the rooms were open, although some of them were closed as well. She was nowhere… he finally rounded the corner and walked along the corridor to the back of the house where there was not a soul in sight… he was just about to turn around when he heard hushed noises from the room at the end of the hallway. For a second, he was met with the strangest feeling to walk away and not go see what was going on… but then he pushed the sentiment aside and walked towards the room at the very end. The door was almost closed, but not quite. The whispers were louder now, but he still couldn't make out the words.

He pushed the door open.

Gauri turned a startled gaze towards him. Shiv saw that someone was holding onto her hand. He leaned over slightly to see who stood behind her. It was Shashank...

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Oh.good.grief. You're killing me! Really?!?!?! You think we've been hounding you before, just you wait!!!!

Originally posted by: chubzy

Oh my lord! I didnt expect complications so early in their love life.