SR FF Love Happens Part 17 Page 49 - Cmpltd - Page 17

Neeeeet 🤗

heyyyyy Dr. Neet

Sometime later, not knowing what to do, Riddhima headed towards the kitchen. Sunanda and Sue were in the kitchen. Sunanda was cooking and Sue was sitting on the countertop eating something.

Sue : Good morning bhabhi.

Riddhima : Good morning.

Sunanda : Riddhima beta, jaag gayi. Aao chai piyo.

Riddhima walked in and took the cup of tea from Sunanda.

Sunanda : Arey main tho poochna hi bhool gayi. Tum subah chai peethi ho ya coffee? Kya hai na ki yahan Sid ko chodke hum sab hi chai peethe hain. Sirf Sid har waqt ya tho coffee peetha hai ya cappuccino aur wo bhi he has his specifications for his cappuccino.

As Sunanda rambled on, Riddhima did not hear anything else she said. She was bothered by what she'd just heard.

Riddhima : Sid ko chhodke baaki sab chai peethe hain?

Sunanda : Haan, Sid ke papa aur yeh Suvarna tho wo kya kehthe hain..

Suvarna : Herbal tea mom

Sunanda : Haan.. wo hi.. herbal tea peethe hain.. Basically hamari normal chai lekin adrak aur elaichi daalke.. Armaan aur main tho normal chai peethe hain.. Infact hum dono ko hi coffee ka taste bilkul pasand nahi.. Sirf ek Sid hai jisse coffee aur cappuccino pasand hai.

Riddhima felt someone had pulled the floor away from beneath her feet. Armaan hated coffee?? He hated cappuccino?? So all that he wrote in those letters were lies?? Had he been fooling around with her all the time?

Seeing Riddhima's change of expression, Sunanda realized that she had made a mistake mentioning Armaan's name.

Sunanda : Riddhima.. I am sorry beta.. Wo.. Mujhe dhyaan hi nahi raha..

Riddhima (trying hard to keep a hold on herself) : Its.. Its okay aunty.. Main abhi aayi..

She ran upstairs to her room and opened her suitcase. From beneath all her clothes, she took out the bundle of letters. She knew exactly which one she was looking for and where it was. She pulled it out and started to read.

Riddhima,

Kaisi ho? Aur exams kaise chal rahe hain? Kaafi achcha stress buster dhoond nikala hai tumne. Tumhare kehne ke baad kal maine bhi cappuccino try kiya. Main dosthon ke saath bahar gaya tha aur hum coffee shop mein baite the, tho mujhe tumhari baath yaad aayi aur maine cappuccino order kiya.. With 2 tsps milk, 2 tsps sugar and 1 tsp cream. It was perfect Riddhima. Ithna achcha tha ki main kya bathaoon. Ab se cappuccino mera bhi favourite drink hai. Bilkul tumhari tarah.

She stopped reading, folded the letter and put it back. Had he been lying all along? But why would he? Maybe he'd thought he was in love with her and said all of that and when he met her.. Maybe he didn't like her.. But after the initial formal phase, he'd genuinely behaved as if he liked her, as if he had feelings for her. God! What was going on? She covered her face with her hands and was so lost in her thoughts that she did not feel the slight shiver that ran through her.

Sid stood at the door watching Riddhima wallow in despair. He had gone to the kitchen for his morning coffee when Sue had told him what had happened, that Riddhima had gotten upset when his mom had accidentally mentioned Armaan's name and Sunanda had insisted that Sid go check on her.

Sid : Tum theek tho ho na?

Riddhima looked up and turned towards where Sid was standing. Sid came up to her with two hot cups of coffee in his hands and indicated the space next to her on the floor.

Sid : May I?

Riddhima nodded and scooted over so he'd have space to sit. Sid sat down next to Riddhima and handed her her coffee. Riddhima looked at him puzzled.

Sid : Wo mom ne kaha ki tum bina chai piye chali gayi. Iss liye main tumhare liye coffee laya hoon.

Riddhima took the coffee mug from him and in the process, their fingers brushed against each other. They looked at each other as both of them felt the air thicken with tension and the ripples of the slight contact spread through them. Realizing that she was staring at him, Riddhima averted her gaze and pulled at the coffee mug a little too quickly and ended up spilling it onto Sid's hand.

Sid : Aaahh..

Riddhima : I'm.. I'm.. I'm so sorry..

She kept the coffee mug aside and quickly wiped off the coffee from Sid's hand and started blowing on his hand. Sid sat there gazing at Riddhima as she tended to him. When Riddhima raised her eyes to look at him, Sid quickly looked away and took his hand away saying he was all right.

An awkward silence filled the room as Sid and Riddhima sat there drinking their coffee. At the doorframe, Shilpa saw the two of them and felt slightly relieved. Shilpa had been cursing herself from the very moment she'd gotten to know that Armaan had left. It was all because of her. She'd felt guilty for snatching away her sister's happiness forever but right now, looking at Sid and Riddhima, she thought maybe all was not lost. There was still hope. She knew Sid loved Riddhima di and maybe, his love could heal Riddhima di. She would return to Riddhima di what she had lost because of her. She swore that she would bring back love and happiness in her sister's life through Sid. She would bring them together no matter what it took or how long it took.

Riddhima saw her first.

Riddhima : Shilpa!!!

Shilpa : Di!!

Shilpa walked into the room as Sid and Riddhima got up and Riddhima rushed to greet her. The sisters hug and both of them start crying.

Shilpa : Di tum kaisi ho?

Riddhima : Main theek hoon, tu batha.. Mujhe miss kiya?

Shilpa : Bilkul nahi..

Riddhima laughs and they hug again. When they pull away finally, Shilpa turns to Sid.

Shilpa : Hi Jeejs!!

Sid : Good morning Shilpa..

Riddhima : Shilpa, tum ithni subah subah yahan kaise?

Shilpa : Wo Di.. Mama ne aap logon ko pag phere ke liye bulaya hai..

The smile vanishes from Riddhima's face and she looks at Sid. Sid notices the change in her expression.

Just then Sunanda and Sue walk in.

Sid : Mom.. Ye pag phere ki rasm?

Sunanda : Yeh rasm shaadi ke baad hothi hai Sid.. Patni apne pati ke liye aur ek khush haal shaadi shuda zindagi ke liye vrath rakhthi hai aur fir maayke mein pag pherne ke baad pati uska vrath thodtha hai.

Sid : Mom, hamari shaadi koi normal shaadi nahi hai.. Aap jaanthi hain na ki yeh shaadi kinn haalathon mein hui hai? Phir yeh sab reethi rivaaz, inn sab ka kya mathlab?

Sunanda : Siddhant, main jaanthi hoon ki tum dono ki shaadi normal circumstances mein nahi hui. Lekin shaadi tho phir bhi shaadi hi hai na? Tum dono ek doosre se saath janamon ke bandhan mein bandh chuke ho. Shaadi koi khel nahi beta ki jab mann kiya khel liya aur jab mann nahi kiya tho nahi khela. Main jaanthi hoon ki tum dono ko waqt ki zaroorath hai, ek doosre ko samajhne ke liye, iss rishthe ko samajhne ke liye lekin.. (She takes Riddhima's and Sid's hand in her hand) tum chahe maano ya na maano shaadi tho ho gayi hai tum dono ki aur ab tum dono ko milke iss rishthe ko nibhana hai aur iss rishthe se judi saari rasmon aur kasmon ko bhi..

Saying that, Sunanda, Shilpa and Sue leave the room and Riddhima and Sid stand there looking at each other. Slowly, both their eyes fall on their hands. Sunanda had placed Riddhima's hands in Sid's and they were still holding it that way.

Evening time. Gupta house.

Siddhant and Riddhima had avoided each other the whole day. Right after the morning incident with Sid's mom, Sid had gone out and hadn't returned till it was time to leave for the pag phera. When Sid had walked into his room, still lost in thoughts, Riddhima had been tying her saree. For a few seconds, Sid just stood there looking at her. Riddhima quickly turned away from him and so did Sid.

Sid : I'm sorry.. Wo main apne kapde lene aaya tha.

He went over to where Riddhima was standing clutching onto her saree and without looking in her direction, took his clothes out from the cupboard and left the room. Riddhima let out the breath that she had been holding once Sid closed the door behind him.

Now, they sat next to each other for the pag phera. When Padma asked them to extend their hands, they did so.

Padma : Dono saath mein..

Sid and Riddhima looked at each other. Riddhima moved her hand towards Sid. Sid gently took her hand placed it in his. He did not hold her hand tightly or lightly. It was a comforting, reassuring grip and inspite of the stress of the past day, Riddhima felt herself relax. It was then that she realized she'd been so wound up. She stole a glance at Sid. He was looking at the idol of Lord Krishna in front of them but he had a faraway look in his eyes. Riddhima couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about.. Or.. Maybe.. Who..

heyyyyyy Dr. Neet

jst luvd siddhima to d core n also shilpu 😃