Later that day, Kripa dug through her suitcase, unable to decide what to wear before going down for dinner. Dressed in a bathrobe, she looked up when she heard a knock on the door from Angad's room.
"It's Angad."
"Come in." She said and continued looking for something.
"What's up?" he asked and leaned against the dresser to watch her. "Troubles?"
"I can't figure out what I'm going to wear."
Her wet hair were falling lazily over her cheeks and came in her eyes, as she impatiently pushed them back. The bathrobe she was wearing, was like a short dress that fell to her mid-thighs, full sleeved. She looked wonderful, he thought and crossed the room, towards her. He held her shoulders, and turned her around. Then, he laid his mouth on hers to kiss her. He hadn't kissed her like this for a few days now. And, God, she'd missed it so much. She made a sound and wrapped her own arms around him.
"I couldn't stop myself." He mumbled and kissed her again.
Her heart and stomach spun, stopped, and swelled. There was so much he could do to her with a kiss and his hands stroking. He just kept adding to the what-Angad-did-for-me list, and Kripa kept wondering how she was going to tell him what her reality was.
"Angad." She lifted one hand to his cheek and opened her eyes with his mouth moved just a heartbeat away to let her speak. But even then, he kissed her around her face, her jaw, her neck. "We really need to sit down and talk."
"Really soon, we will. I promise." He kissed the corner of her mouth and then brought his lips back to hers. "I can't seem to stop thinking about you."
She was having trouble breathing, she was having trouble thinking, and she had to be down stairs in a few minutes. She still had to meet his father.
"That's good." She looked at him and managed a smile. "But if you don't stop we're going to get in trouble."
"From who?"
"Your mother, of course." She rubbed her thumb on his cheek. "Come on, I need to get dressed."
"And, I want to get you undressed."
Color rushed to her cheeks and she pushed him away when she saw the naught grin on his face. "You're a shameless pig, Angad Khanna. Now let me get dressed." She turned back to her suitcase and he only wrapped his arms around her again.
"There's so much I've got to tell you myself, Kripa. And, I'm only waiting for the right moment." He pressed his lips to the side of her neck and felt her pulse throbbing there, and kept his lips there until it was calm.
Still turned to her suitcase, she placed a hand on his cheek. "We will, very soon. Now go."
He groaned and buried his face in his neck. She laughed. "Ok, you can stay if you pick out something to wear for me. I'm terrible confused."
"Okay." But he stayed there for just a moment long, kissed her cheek just once more and then helped her pick out her outfit.
Kripa walked into the kitchen nearly thirty minutes later, her hair still damp from the shower, right to Angad's mother.
"Do you need help?" she asked idly.
She turned and smiled at her. "No. I'm fine." She turned the stove off and turned to Kripa with her coffee. "Tell me something." Kripa smiled at her and waited. "Are you in love with Angad?"
She could have just denied it but knew better when she lifted an eyebrow looking at her. She groaned, as if she'd known her for years and nodded. "Completely in love with him."
Good, she thought. Finally someone! "And, he?"
She smiled. "Yes." Then she realized she shouldn't have said that. What if he wasn't in love with her? No, that couldn't be right. He'd made love with her twice. The first time it could have been an accident, an impulse. But, the second time, it couldn't have been an accident or impulse.
Excellent! That was his mothers thought at the moment. This had to be the best moment of her life. "It's so good to hear that. Where is he anyways?"
"I forced him for another shower before dinner. He looked like he was going to fall asleep eating dinner."
His mother laughed. "Seems like we have someone who can handle him. Tell me about your family."
She didn't know what to say and could have wept in joy when Angad walked in.
"Dinner?" he asked looking at Kripa's tensed face.
"Fifteen minutes. Your father will be late."
God, I love you, Angad! She thought and told him so without speaking when he looked at her again.
"Okay." He ran a hand through his damp hair, he needed to know what was wrong. "So, can Kripa and I go for a walk then?"
"You shouldn't have to ask me, Angad." His mother pointed out to him and then smiled. "But since you have, yes you can go. Make sure wear a warm jacket, both of you.
"We'll be back in ten." He kissed his mother and grabbed Kripa's hands and dragged her out of the kitchen.
"So." He said when they were outside, hand in hand. "What was the matter?"
"Your mother was just asking me something."
"Like?"
"My family. I just couldn't figure out what I should say."
"Now why would she be asking about that?"
"Just small talk, I guess."
"What were you doing in the kitchen?" he asked.
She rolled her eyes then, annoyed. "Why are you asking me so many questions."
"Oh, just to see when you'd get annoyed. We haven't really ever had a fight, so I'm trying to brew one up."
"I'm going to hit you, Angad."
"Sure you are. Ow!" He screamed when she gave his cheek a friendly swat. "That sure hurt."
"I'm sure it did." They turned back around to walk back to the house. "Is Adi planning to come back?"
"In a few days. Aaisha has a few tests she needs to get done in New York before her surgery next month. They should be here next week."
"This is all so wired," she said and sighed.
"No it's not. Mom knows everything about it." He told her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Aaisha and Suraj need someone."
"I guess. But where will they stay? I fee bad enough taking Adi's room. The poor boy."
"You can move in with me." He said and she gave him a look. "Ok. Adi's worked it out. I'm going to clean the outhouse a little. Adi wants to get married to Aaisha and expand it soon."
"That's cool." But she frowned. What about us? She wanted to ask.
"So." He said again. "You are going to leave me, right?" Her head snapped up to look at him. He kept the grin to himself, just the reaction he wanted to see. "The job I mean."
"I hate you!" she said and stomped away, leaving Angad behind, all smiles.
Adi came back the night before Angad's birthday and four days before thanksgiving. He'd settled into the outhouse with Aaisha and Suraj, and they'd all talked Angad's parents about their marriage. The only thing left to tell them was, that Kripa and Aaisha were sisters.
Kripa had plans for the night to wish Angad before anyone else could. She wanted to make it special. But things had turned upside down the morning for a few reasons. So after dinner that night, Angad sat on his desk in his room, reviewing proposals that needed his attention right away.
"Can I get a cup of coffee?" he asked Kripa.
She looked up from her book and watched him rub a hand over the back of his neck. "I'll get it. Sugar and cream?"
"Both, please. Thanks."
Downstairs, Nisha and Angad's mother, were doing some last minute things when she walked into the kitchen.
"Hey." Nisha said. "You guys still up?
"Yes. I need to make Angad a cup of coffee." She found a skillet and poured water into it, and placed it on the stove.
"That's a bad sign." His mother said. "Is he working?"
"Yes. A few things needed his urgent attention. He'll be up for at least a few more hours tonight. He works to hard." She said to herself frowning.
Nisha and her mother smiled as they exchanged looks.
"He'll be fine," Nisha assured her.
"I'm going to bed, then."
"Good night, Mom." Nisha kissed her and watched her leave the house. "He's going to like it really strong." She told Kripa.
"I know." While the coffee brewed, Kripa turned to Nisha.
"How did you guys meet?" she asked. This was the first time they were alone, without anyone else around.
Kripa smiled as she remembered. "He ran me over his car."
"Ouch!"
"No, no." Kripa shook her head all smiles, no regrets. "It was good fun having him all worried, not that I think about it."
"Hmmm. So, what are your plans to get married?"
"One day." She said simply. "It's your turn right now."
"And, I'm excited. He's lovely." Her phone rang then and she began to glow.
"Good night, Nisha." Kripa said as she ran out saying it back to her.
Kripa walked upstairs with his coffee and biscuits for him. She placed the small plate and cup on his desk. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gave them a rub. "Do you need to do this?"
"Hmmm." He finished that particular file and closed it. And then looked up at her.
She tugged his glasses off and kissed his forehead. Then while he rested his head back, his lips. "Can I help."
"No. You should go to bed. You've had a long day with Suraj and Aaisha."
She frowned and swirled his chair around. "That's not fair. I'm sure I can do something."
He pulled her into his lap and rested his head on her shoulder. "Stay here for a few minutes."
"For as long as you want, Angad." But then she pulled his head away and made him look at her. "I love you, Angad." She had tears in her eyes as she said it. "I love you so much, I can't keep it to myself. I was going to wait until tomorrow…" she wiped her tears away and stopped since he hadn't said anything. "I'm sorry-"
"No." He pressed his finger to her lips. "No, don't say you're sorry."
"Well say something back then!" she yelled at him, frustrated. "Because there's more I need to tell you."
"Why don't you tell me, first, baby."
She took a deep breath. "I was in love with you when you made love with me that night and even before that. I didn't want to fall in love with you-"
"I'm that bad?"
"You're perfect!" She cried. "But, I was scared to be rejected after…" she waived her hands in the hair then let them rest on his shoulders again. "I'd never known anyone who kissed my forehead after kissing me with so much passion. I never knew someone who didn't try to drag me into bed after kissing me. You were, you are, just to perfect for me. And, that's the problem." The tears in her eyes confused him, frightened him even.
"Why are you crying, sweetheart?"
"Because I'm pregnant!" she yelled. When she watched him go stiff and white. She hurried on. "I didn't plan it or anything. It's my fault that I am. But, I swear I didn't plan it."
"Get-up, Kripa."
"What?"
"Get-up." He said again and she did. "Now stay here."
"I will not!" She said frustrated. "Just tell me if you don't love me. Just tell me if you don't want me, Angad. But…" She sat down on the big leather chair feeling miserable and rejected, weeping, when he just walked away from her.
She was still crying when he came back, a glass of water and a napkins in his hands. He set them both down on the floor as he crouched down.
"Drink it." He said softly, holding the glass. But, when she didn't he simply held the glass to her lips and forced her to.
"Angad, I swear I didn't…"
"Of course you didn't." He gave her a napkin and, when she didn't take it, he simply wiped his tears himself. "Now go back and tell me everything, without crying."
"Are you stupid or something?" she asked him furious.
"No. Of course not. But come on, tell me what you did again."
She blew an angry breath and set her jaw. "I love you, Angad, and I'm very pregnant."
"Nicely, like you said it last time."
She scowled at him now. Then, she smiled, fluttered her eyelashes and in the sweetest of voices said repeated the words. "Angad, I love you, and I'm pregnant."
"Better." He said. "Now I've news for you. I love you too."
She could have wept again, but didn't. "Oh, I feel so ashamed."
"No." He took her hand, kissed it. "I didn't know how to respond, a minute ago." He placed a hand on her stomach. "When did you find out?"
"Just this morning, I had my doubts when we got here a week ago."
"Why didn't you tell me then?"
"I tried a few times." His hand was still resting on her stomach. "But you put it off. And, then I got really scared because I had no idea if you even wanted to have children. Tell me you love me again, Angad."
"I love you."
"Again." She said and kissed his lips lightly.
"I love you, Kripa."
She was about to throw her arms around him when he stopped her.
"I was going to do this some other way, but I couldn't have found another way. You know I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you lying in the hospital bed, all bandaged-up. How about you?"
"I don't know. But I realized the night you had fever and I was freaking out."
"I don't know if the words, 'I love you' even mean anything, Kripa. I've said them a countless number of times to so many people, I can't even remember."
"Well, you apparently forget the most important one."
"Not the point." He said and kissed her nose.
"Don't you have to get back to work? And, your coffee's cold by now."
"I don't care. Will you just listen to me?" He said nearly snapping in impatience.
"Fine." She replied just as stubborn.
"Okay. So. I love you." He saw the light in her eyes then and took both her hands again, getting on one knee. "First, you're not going to cry while I do this." She nodded. "Okay, then. I'm nervous, never proposed to anyone before. I don't know if I'm going to ever remember to tell you, that I love you, again and again. Nor am I very good with words, so I'm going to do this quickly. I can't live without you. Having you sleep beside me and wake-up beside me everyday is important to me. More important than breathing. So, will you marry me, Kripa?"
He waited for an answer but got nothing.
"Say something?" he demanded.
"You told me to shut-up."
He groaned, and she laughed. "Tell me, Kripa, will you marry me?"
"Only if you have a ring to go with this proposal."
"I do actually." He reached into his pocket and took out a velvet box, opened it. In it lay a small white gold ring, with a big, princess cut diamond in the center. He took her hand and spilled the ring into his finger. Looking at her, he brought her hand to his lips, to seal the deal.
Downstairs, the grandfather clock sounded at twelve and Kripa looked at Angad, smiled. "Happy birthday, soon to be daddy." She leaned over and kissed his lips.
"Thank-you." In an expert move, he swept her into his arms and carried her to their bed.
Hey guys
I'm so sorry i coujldn't cont yesterday... i had the part written but my computer was giving me problems! I hope you guys enjoyed this part. I'll see you guys later this week. I'm not sure when i'll cont next.... so check every other day.. i might be able to cont before the week ends!
Love u loads,
Neha😛
41