Summer Affairs: Pg.40 Ch.15(last) - Page 33

"What do we do now?" Kripa asked stirring her drink, sitting in front of Sana. "After last week's sudden fire he hugged me and hasn't touched me since. He hasn't once just sat and talked to me, and I feel like I'm back where I was the first day I got here."

"Can you cook?" Sana asked as Trish walked into the room.

"Yes I can. But what does that have to do with anything? Thank you Trish."

"Trish." Sana stopped her. "You're going on a vacation for a few weeks, which is fully paid."

"Sana but Angad will be upset." The old lady said.

"Not when we tell him your daughter fell sick."

"You will lie to your father?" Trish asked. "Moreover why do I have to go?"

"Because I want Kripa to take over the house for the next week or so. Please Trish. You haven't taken a vacation for a long time now."

"Alright. At least I know I'm still getting paid." With a sigh she left.

"Sana?" Kripa looked at her. "What's in your mind?"

"Since Trish is leaving now, we have to get Dad to get used to you."

"Ah!" She smiled. "And then ignore him."

"Exactly. When Dad gets back today nothing will be cooked. Since he's learned how to cook he will be in charge for tonight, you will help him. Tomorrow however when he gets home everything will be done, and it will be for the next few days. Until he gets back one day and we lie to him that we've told Grandma everything and you guys are ready for the divorce."

"No." She shook her head and stood up. "He loves me and I know that for a fact. I can't tell him that because he will shatter."

Sana frowned now, but at herself. Maybe if she didn't made a big deal about Kripa earlier things would have been different now. She loved him so much. "If he loves you why hasn't he told you yet?"

Kripa turned around and smiled. "Because he still thinks that I still want to get out of this marriage."

"Then why don't you tell him that you love him?"

She rolled her eyes, "because I want him to tell me first."

"Hmmmm. Hey, you're birthday is in two days."

"Yes, two days is actually tomorrow. I'm only going to be a year older." She sighed and the phone rang. Kripa picked it up. "Hello."

"Hi Kripa." It was Angad's voice. "What's up?"

"The ceiling, unless you're planning to get that taken out. Why did you call Angad?" Sana turned the speaker on.

He frowned, "I need help."

"That you do. But how can I help you right now?"

"I hate you Kripa."

Sana rolled her eyes and turned the speaker off, walking away.

"That's nothing new. Why don't you tell me what you need?" She picked up her glass and walked into the kitchen.

"Can you just tell me if you…"

"If I?" She looked out the window. "Angad?"

"Yes. I wanted to know if you can pick-up Sia from her classes today."

Kripa rolled her eyes and hit her hand against her forehead. "Angad, sweetheart, you're an idiot. Yes, I can pick up Sia. And, by the way you're going to have to come home and cook today, Trish is on vacation."

"Suddenly? And, why Mrs. Khanna, can't you cook?"

"First of all, her daughter is sick that's why she left urgently. Secondly, I'm not Mrs. Khanna. And, lastly, I can't cook because I don't want to. I've never cooked a full meal before and I would hate to mess-up. But I can help you when I get home. But since I know you're not going to get home until ten like almost everyday for the past week I'll cook. I don't want Sia and Sana to die of hunger."

"What if I come home right now?" He asked.

"I'll give you anything you want, but I know you'll never get done with your work this early."

"What if I do?"

"I'll give you anything you want, Angad. Come home first. You have an hour from now."

"Ok." He grinned.

"Bye Angad." When she shut the phone she smiled, biting the top of it.

"If you're really that hungry I'm sure I can find you something else." He whispered taking the phone from her.

"Angad?" She turned around and pushed him away. "You idiot. I almost died."

"You asked me if I could get home, so I'm here."

She nodded her head in annoyance. "Whatever."
"Why are you annoyed?" He asked starting to walk behind her, trying to unknot his tie.

"You haven't even talked to me properly for the past week."

He stopped fiddling with his tie and caught her hand, she turned around and looked at him. He pulled her against him. "Does it matter if I talk to you or not?"

"Maybe it does." She hid her hands behind her back and looked at him.

"Do you have anything you need to tell me Kripa?" He tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Can I ask you the same question?" She noticed his tie was loosened, so she picked up her hands to unknot it.

"I have to tell you that you need to help me cook."

She rolled her eyes and pulled the tie away from her collar. "I hate you Angad Khanna. I really do."

"Ok." He pushed her slightly. "When you're done hating me will you go pick up Sia?"

"No. She's your daughter you can go pick her up and you can come home and cook by yourself as well." She turned around.

"Kripa."

"What?"

"Um." She turned around and looked at him. "Come here." She took a step closer with her arms still folded. "Are you sure you don't have to tell me anything?"

She smiled, "Angad before I throw you out of this house and not let you come back in until tomorrow morning can you get out of my sight yourself?"

He took her hand again and pulled her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "And by the way I was starting to think Sia was our daughter, along with Sana and Sanjana. You turned everything upside down."

"Oh! Well I'm sorry about that. I was still under the impression our marriage was temporary."

"Well it is. But still…"

"Angad will you leave me before I erupt?"

"Okay." He left her and she stood up straight again. "What's for dinner?"

"Me!" She threw her hands up and turned around, walking out the door.

Angad laughed as Sana walked into the room. "Dad?" He looked at her. "Why are you bugging her?"

"I'm not. Would you like to go to pick up Sia with me. It'll give you your driving practice."

She nodded. "Would you like to tell Kripa were leaving?"

"No, I don't think she wants to see me right now." He sighed. "Go get the keys." Sana left and Angad sighed. "The game you started Kripa will come to an end when I want it to."

Kripa was standing when Angad got back with Sana and Sia. She was facing he kitchen washing salad. He smirked and walked up behind her. He stood behind her and realized she was lost in her thoughts. "Kripa." He yelled in her ear. She jumped and turned with her hands on her chest. "Oops, I didn't mean to scare you. Sorry."

She looked at him, dropping her hands to her sides. She closed the tap and walked away without a word.

On her way to her room the phone rang, since she knew Angad wasn't going to she went and picked it up. "Hello."

"Hi Kripa, it's Sanju." She was loud and happy.

"Hey Sanju, what's up?" She leaned against the wall with a smile.

"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that since the weather is really bad here we're coming back in an hour. Just let Dad know."

"Okay. We'll see you in an hour."

"Bye."

"Bye." Kripa put the phone down and watched Sia and Sana walk down the stairs. "Hi Sia." Sia looked at her and smiled. "How was dance today?"

"It was fun. The teacher said we are going to try on our outfits for the final performance next week." She left Sana hand and ran to her. "Will you come?"

"Of course I will." She bent down and kissed her cheek. "What do you guys want for dinner? Sana."

"How about order Chinese food?" She suggested as her father walked out.

"No." Kripa nodded her head. "Sanjana just called she'll be back home in an hour and she doesn't like Chinese food. We need to cook something everyone likes."

"Well, we can eat Chinese and Sanju can eat something else."

"No." Kripa said standing up, strictly. "We aren't going to go through all that trouble, and everyone is going to eat the same thing."

"But Kripa-"

"No!" She said again. "I'm sure there is something you all like and will eat."

"Pizza!" Sia yelled running to Angad, who picked her up instantly. "Can we eat pizza today?"

"No." Sana nodded again. "In n' Out."

"No!" Sia made a grossed-out face. "I hate those things."

"Sia, you should eat them you'll like it."

"No!" She nodded her head and placed her arms around Angad's neck. "Please Daddy, Pizza."

He sighed. "I'll eat anything. You guys can decide."

Sia looked at Sana with a 'please' look. "We'll eat what you want next time."

"Fine." Sana frowned. "But then we get to go out to eat ice-cream where I want."

"Ok." Sia smiled.

"I never said ok." Angad said looked at Sia and then Sana. "Do I not have a say in anything?"

"Of course not." Sana said with a grin. "We're planning to change your role to our driver instead of our father."

He faked a laughed. "Well I rather be that than dealing with you girls. Now you guys enjoy dinner. I have to get back to the office." He put Sia down and looked at a shocked Kripa.

"Daddy?!" Sana said with wide eyes. "I hope you're kidding."

"Does it look like it?" He said with a serious look. "I really don't think I can handle you guys anymore." He sighed. "Ok I'm kidding." He said when he saw Kripa's shocked look and Sana's disappointment. "I'm done with the deal which means I don't have to be at the office for a few weeks now."

"That means we can go for a vacation before school starts next month." Sia said excited when the bell rang.

"I'll get it." Sana ran from the stairs and opened the door and found a smiling Sanjana standing there. "Hey!" They both hugged each other and Sana took her bags. "We missed you."

"Me too." She hugged Kripa and then Sia and then stood holding Angad for almost a minutes. "I missed you Daddy."

"I did too." He kissed her. "You still had another week at the camp, what happened?"

"Nothing big. Just bad weather." She sighed. "But I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. What did you cook?"

"We were ordering pizza." Angad said with a shrug.

"Cool. I'm going to go take a shower."

"Alright."

At dinner while Sana, Sia, Sanjana, and Angad started discussing about their plans for the next few weeks Kripa suddenly felt left out. When she was finished with his first pizza she stood up to leave but Angad caught her hand.

"How about we finish dinner and then discuss this." Angad announced so the girls could quite down. "It sounds like a fish market right now."

Sia giggled. "I've never been to one, Daddy. But why do you say so?"

"Because." Under the table he laced his fingers with Kripa's, leaving her confused and shocked. "You guys are all talking at once and loud that I can't understand what anyone is saying."

"Oh!" Sia pushed her plate back. "I'm done."

"Me too." Sanjana said wiping her hands on her napkin.

"Me three." Sana said copying Sanjana, teasingly.

"Me four." Angad said grinning at her girls. "Now you all can run up and change until we clean this up. Sana help Sia. Sanjana you should go to bed early since you just got back."

"And our ice-cream?" Sana asked with a frown.

"Tomorrow, it's almost ten. Please Sana don't be stubborn."

"Who said I was? As it is I'm gaining weight."

"No you're not." Kripa said looking annoyed. "You girls and weight gain."

"Ok." Sana said slowly, noticing her annoyance. "Lets go guys."

When they were all gone Angad stood up leaving Kripa's hand. "Do you need help?"

"No." She said softly. "I'll manage."

"You sure?"

"Yes Angad. I will."

"I'll help you anyways." He picked up the plates and went towards the kitchen. While he did the dishes Kripa cleaned the table.

When they were done they walked up to Sia's room, who was waiting to tuck her in. After her, they went to see Sanjana who was already sleeping. They went to Sana who was reading when they got there.

"Hi." She took her glasses off. "I need to talk to Dad, Kripa don't mind."

"Of course not." She smiled and walked away. "I'll be in the garden if you need me Angad." She walked to Sana and kissed her cheek and whispered at the same time. "Don't do this Sana."

"Good night Kripa." She smiled at her and waited until she was gone to looked at Angad. "Dad what have you thought about your marriage?"

"I'll do what Kripa wants." He sat down beside her and wrapped her in his arms. "I know she loves me Sana. Sia spilled the beans."

"Oh!" She hugged him back. "Do you love her Dad?"

"I do." He whispered looking at the ring in his hand.

"Then tell her. She's been really upset." She looked back up at him, holding her hands together. "It's her birthday tomorrow."

"I know that and I promise I'll tell her."

"Good." She changed the tone of her voice now. "Why have you been bugging her all day?"

He smiled. "Because it's fun." He kissed her forehead. "Good night."

"Good night Dad." She laid down and watched him leave the room.

He held the cup of coffee before her and when she took it he sat down on the swing beside her.

"What are you doing?" He placed his cup on the grass and looked at the side of her face. "You look upset everything okay?"

"Yeah. Everything is fine. I was just missing Mom." And she was. Because she was remember her words. She's told her once to wish for whatever it was carefully, because sometimes wishes do come true. She placed her down cup down and picked up her feet, folding them and then looking at Angad. "Before she passed away she told me that love without thinking." She looked down at her hands biting her lip. "When I fell in love without thinking I realized that if you fall in love without thinking, sometimes you don't get the love back. I didn't want coffee Angad."

"You can spill it later on, Kripa. Stand-up." She looked at him confused, watched him stand. "Stand-up," he repeated. When she didn't he took her hand and made her stand.

The grass was cool and damp under her feet, when she looked down she noticed that he wasn't wearing slippers either. She looked back at him. "What did Sana tell you, Angad?"

"She wanted to discuss about her mother, Kripa." He couldn't let her know only because he didn't want her to think he was feeling bad for her.

"Oh. Why did you ask me to stand up?" She stepped closer, and then pressed her feet on his. Holding his shirt to keep herself close to him.

"I like you this close Kripa." He kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms around her. "And, if you're unsure if he loves you back, close your eyes and listen to his hear beats. You'll know if he loves you or not. Look into his eyes and you'll know he loves you just as much as you love him."

She looked at him, and searched his eyes. She knew what he was trying to tell her. "I know that he loves me Angad. He loves me a lot and I can feel it right now as he's holding me close to him. But I want him to tell me that he loves me. I see it, I fell it, but I also want to hear it."

"Then wait because he's waiting for the right moment."

"Every moment is right for him to tell me he loves me."

"Understand him because he might be afraid to move on. He might be afraid to love again with the fear of loosing it again."

"Then he needs to tell me because I won't leave him and I won't let him and go even if God asks me that it's time our relationship came to an end."

"Then I'm telling you now Kripa. He needs time."

"I'll give him until I take my last-"

"Don't." He pressed his lips hers, gently. Then embraced her tightly. "He's lost his love once. He'll die if he looses her again."

"Then he better tell me that he loves me quickly. As soon as possible, because I'm tired of waiting."

"He will. I promise he will and very soon."

Kripa was sitting in Angad's bed reading when he walked back into the room. She hid her face behind the book with a wide smile. He grinned and walked to her.

"I didn't know you could read upside down, Kripa." He took her book and turned it for her. "Can I have my pillow?"

"No."

"Why?"

She took hold of his shirt and pulled him forward. "Because I'm tired of sleeping on this huge bed alone. With someone holding close and tight when that's what I deserve."

"You know," he sat down on the bed and looked at her. "I was wondering when you would ask because my back had started to break sleeping on that thing."

"You should have to me earlier in that case." She leaned against the back board leaving his shirt. "I wouldn't have let you sleep there to begin with."

"It's fun bothering you."

"I can see how much you enjoy it." She slid to the other side of the bed and allowed him to lay down beside her. "I'm still waiting for him to tell me he loves me, Angad."

"He's waiting for you to tell him, Kripa." He pulled her into his arms.

"Well he should say it first."

"He feels the same way."

"Really, then he can sit and feel that way while I go to sleep." When she tried to pull away she couldn't. "Angad leave me."

"You're angry at him, he's not angry at you."

"I'm asking you to leave me. Not him."

"Well I won't leave you." He pressed a kiss in her hair. "You can't ditch your husband for him."

"Well because my husband I know for a fact doesn't love me, while he does. He just can't, won't, tell him."

"What if your husband feels the same way?"

"Then they both are looser. Now leave me."

"Ok." He left her and she laid down, facing the other side. "Kripa." She turned and looked at him. "Did you still need someone to hold?"

"Actually I do." She pulled the pillow from his head and hugged it. "Thank you."

"I don't think so." He pulled the pillow from her and threw it on the floor. Then pulled the pillow that rested under her head and placed it in the center of the bed. And rested his head on it.

"And me?" She said pulling herself up on an elbow.

"I'm here." He pulled her down and hugged her. "Good night Kripa."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Good night."

At twelve Sana, Sia, and Sanjana entered Kripa and Angad's room and looked at them sleeping peacefully. Sana smiled, so things finally were working out between them.

"One, two, three- Happy Birthday Kripa!" They all yelled, Kripa startled and awoke.

"What on earth?" Angad asked sitting up beside her.

"Thank you guys," Kripa rubbed her eyes. "But it could have waited until tomorrow morning."

She helped Sia climb up and embraced her. "I though you guys went to sleep."

"We used to wish Mom like this," Sana said sadly, sitting down beside Kripa. "Now that we have her back as you, we though to continue the tradition."

"Yup! I was so shocked when Sana told me you guys got married." Sanjana said as Kripa pulled her to the bed as well.

"Thank you guys." She hugged all three of them tightly. "I couldn't have got anything better this year. I got three wonderful daughters." She kissed all three of them.

"You won't leave us, right?" Sia asked looking up at her.

"Never." She kissed her again.

"I love you… Mom." Her voice was soft and low, yet happy.

Kripa felt something get stuck in her throat when she called her, 'Mom.' An unexpected joy overtook her.

"Ok, now we'll leave." Sana pulled away and one by one they all left. When the door closed she turned to Angad.

He smiled and hugged her. "I love you, Kripa."

"See it was that easy." She pulled away and kissed him. "I love you too."