Once Upon a Midnight Part II - Page 44

No that can not be the end. Please say it isn't so.

Originally posted by: Nisha0604

I thought the last chapter from yesterday could be a finale to this story...

Please NO.... it can't be the end...

There are many loose ends which you have to tie.

Atleast get them married di.....waiting for some lovely moments between them...

Please don't end it🙏🙏

Oh My God! Its an end. Cant believe

Please atleast get them married and then end it.. don't end it too soon

Originally posted by: Nisha0604

I thought the last chapter from yesterday could be a finale to this story...

NISHA!! NOOOO! 🥺

I dont want you to end this story mam

Pls continue

Originally posted by: Nisha0604

I thought the last chapter from yesterday could be a finale to this story...

Aiyo. Why Nisha? Can you please get them married and wrap up ? 🥰

Are you tired of this one? Are you going to write something else? Or take a break?

Don't be mad at me girls. Nisha said it . Very honestly I thought the day he went and had it with her dad, the way she was courageous enough to detach herself from her parent unit and the last chapter update where they have accepted each other does feel like a good ending . It's conclusive enough to be honest. Thanks a bunch Nisha.

That said, I am completely onboard if Nisha chooses to accept the requests of some of our dear friends here who wants their marriage here 👍

What though is non negotiable 😎😛here is you Will have to come up with another good One that too very soon here and we will continue to read and enjoy. Again thanks Nisha

“Mansions built by Nature’s hand”

He refused to let her sleep alone in her office that night. He brought her home (thankfully Nitin was asleep at his in-laws so no witness to middle of the night drama)

They ate quietly in the kitchen, well as quiet as they could be

Parul was shocked beyond her wits to see a skimpily clad Shubhra chowing down the 5 dal khichri alongside Tapan

"Shaadi bhi ho gayi?" she joked

"Oh no!" Shubhra admitted blushing

"She doesnt get jokes" he laughed

"KAHAN THI TUM?" Parul scolded her

"At my office"

"Ise 3 din se na khaane ka mann na soney ka" Parul was matter of fact

Shubhra looked at Tapan in shock

"Khana to khaya maine" Tapan squirmed

"I am sorry" Shubhra whispered

"I am happy he found you, kahan mili yeh?" she turned to Tapan...

"she was using her office to sleep" Tapan whispered

"OMG.... Ghar do blaocks par hai" Parul was furious

Tapan sighed

"Say something" Shubhra begged

"Nope, all yours now" he nodded

"Shubhra?" Parul accused

"I didnt want to be a bother"

"Isne tumse shaadi karne se mana kar diya kya?:

"OH NO... NO... he told my Dad even"

Parul smiled

"You know?"

"Bataya isne mujhe. Tum isko lekar suspicious ho ya mujhe lekar I dont know, you need to stop"

"I am not" Shubhra denied hotly

"This is such a mess.. Gagan ab ghar aa gaye, lets arrange the wedding quick"

"How about Saturday" Tapan was eager

"Besharam" Parul shook her head

"True"

"I am sorry Parul" Shubhra spoke slowly

Parul hugged her

"I will never ever accuse you of wishing harm on us. My brother is impulsive and tactile and opinionated... he didnt listen to me and only told me about what he did after he did"

"I am not impulsive" Tapan was upset

"Tum ho... you"

"You know what this not about me"

"What if something had happened to her? Tum logey responsibility?" Parul was angry

"I WENT looking for her" Tapan grit his teeth

"Knowing what happened to Gagan agar isko kuch ho jaata"

"She is fine" he grumbled

"He can be so infuriating" Parul was disappointed

"Its not his fault" "The sad events of the last months have opened my eyes to things I refused to see growing up"

Parul squeezed her hand

Tapan ate quietly leaning on the counter, his legs crossed at his ankles

"Amma laayin ji nimboo ka achar, woh doon?" Parul asked Tapan caringly

"I am good" he shrugged

"I am not mad at you" she walked over and hugged him

"I am not leaving even if you are" he shrugged disarmingly

"Would you mind if I return in the morning?" he asked his sister haltingly

She punched him on his arm

Shubhra turned away hiding a smile

"Nitin ke uthne se pehle aa jao please" she whispered

"Oh thats plenty of time" he nodded

"If you are getting married in a week why can't you wait?" Parul hissed

"Seriously? Ive waited over two weeks" he growled

"Shubhra... this is what you have to deal with... soch lo, ab bhi waqt hai" Parul chuckled

Shubhra put her plate in the sink and pretended to rinse it

"She begged me to stay" Tapan said firmly

"tapannn" she refuted the claim hotly "I am not a prude... I mean I missed him" she said quietly turning off the faucet "Its OK if he cant stay... I was just afraid to sleep there" (This was totally not about s--)

"Main mazak kar rahi hoon, but please dono alag alag aana subah" Parul begged with joined hands

"OK" Shubhra nodded

"I am supposed to live this lie until I get married then?" Tapan bristled

"Lecture kisne maari thi? Maine?" Parul countered “He was already childish tumne usko taana maarke aur chot pahunchayi

“I was only protecting you... can you imagine how you would have handled a pregnancy with the Dubeys?”

“He is not a fool, tum jaante ho protection woh nahi jaanta hoga?”

"Umm.. he was in his friend's house doing it when you arranged the whole thing"

"To? Tab bhi aur ab bhi galat to galat hai" Parul was being fair

"I guess I am eating my plate of crow" he tapped his plate rhythmically with his spoon

Shushh... abhi se jaga dogey sabko?”

Well too late for that.. Nitin was awake he had driven over from his in-laws to grab his laptop, he had stepped out and noticed Shubhra in her skimpy shorts and a spaghetti tee washing her plate at the sink

He had heard Parul admonish Tapan over something

He quietly went back to the Tapan/Nitin third bedroom picked up his laptop and left

With the AC running full blast in all the rooms no one had heard the door unlock or open

The young couple left the apartment a few minutes later after Tapan stopped to look for his phone she thought........and taking the elevator Nitin got out of

When they got off and began walking toward the office block.

It was a remarkably clear night a bit breezy, it was around 32C and muggy as usual.

He looked up at the stars, he spotted a few beneath the clouds..... he nodded to himself... shiny, sparkling close together and far apart, there were billions..

“Not like Chicago?” she asked searching the skies

“Mujhe faraq nahi padta.. Dilli hai” he explained joyously as if the fact that it was where his parents lived made up for mugginess and smog

“Kal raksha bandhan hai... Rakhi Poornima kehti thi Maa” “Its usually a full moon night” he pointed to a naughty shrouded moon, gleamed from beneath a fast moving grey cloud... revealing its silver blue sparkle

Tapan noticed a lone figure walking, as tall as he was, carrying a laptop in his hand... almost sprinting towards the gate where visitor parking was (he had brought his FIL’s car)

He texted Parul “Nitin ka laptop mere kamre mein pada tha...”

“Kya??”

“Did he pick it up?”

“SO rahe hain sab, Vyas bhayya hain wahan”

“Nevermind” he said hanging up........

“Kya hua?” she asked curiously

“Kuch nahi” he said looking away from Nitin

“Was that person an intruder?” she asked pointing to Nitin

“Arey nahi...” he reassured her squeezing her fingers

“Do you really want to get married next week?” she asked stopping

“Us se pehle bhi chalega” he grinned facing her

She lowered her gaze embarrassed

“Do u want a big wedding?”

She began to nod her head in the affirmative and then quickly froze... it was impossible to get one now... it was impossible to get married now... she had no idea what her father was plotting

Or Pawan

“Nahi...” she shrugged

“Jhooth to kam se kam sahi bolo yaar” he ordered

“Umm.. I guess I wanted one when I was 15 I guess” she quickly tried to recover

She had many childish preconceptions of her future like any teen, an idealized version of marriage that was fed by the cheesy romances she had read over the years

“Ah... of course everyone dreams of a wedding at 15” he laughed poking gentle fun

“You didnt?” she asked curiously

“Not until I met you!!” he said abruptly looking into her eyes making her blush again

“Thanks for not selling me out back there” he laughed about her saying she missed him too

“I was not lying” she said tucking a lock of hair behind her ear

“Chalo... yeh bhi maan lete hain” he whispered in her ear

He pulled out what looked like a purple velvet box from his pocket to reveal a blinding, brilliant gem, a Tiffany emerald cut/rectangular solitaire, wrapped in more diamonds set in a platinum ring

Her fingers shook as he held them first... firmly, massaging and warming them, before sliding it down a visibly sweaty finger

“Go down on my knee?” he asked with a big smile

“No... no... not here” she fret, holding him tight

“I dont get a kiss either I assume?”

“No... not here” she whispered through dry chalky lips

“Its a Yes? then?” he asked his eyes glittering like the gems adording her finger

“Its beautiful” she gasped planting her lips on her slender fingers

“thanks”

“Its almost the right size even” she was in awe

“I guess I know my woman’s fingers” he chuckled

“Thanks Tapan” she whispered

“Lets go to bed” he groaned “U can show me”

“Umm” she often found herself at a loss for words when he spoke so directly

“haan ya na” he asked as they began walking again

“Haan”

A guy on a motorcycle outside the gate called Manik

“Sir aapki daughter hai shaayad, mil gayi mujhe jaha unka office hai na us building ke pass chalke ja rahi hain!” he whispered on his hands free microphone... the guard noticed the man peering inside the gate and shooed him away

~~~~~

Title Credit: The Stars are Mansions Built by Nature’s Hand ~ William Wordsworth