The Other
Chapter Two
"What took so long to open the door" Shail said handing Kripa his briefcase. He started taken off his jacket as a daily routine of his daily life.
"Listen Kripa, I've been thinking for my birthday we should go out for dinner. Just you and me, candle light dinner. What do you say?" He said kissing her cheeks.
"Sorry but I cant" Sahil was confused from Kripa's answer; usually she loved it when he talked about going out and today she was refusing? Something was fishy and he knew it. He looked at her with intended eyes.
"What's wrong" he said starting to looking around, expecting a surprise blow out of blow up in front of his face. As he got closer towards the couch behind which Angad was hiding, Kripa quickly stood in front of Sahil.
"Nothings wrong, just…I…. don't feel like going out" now he knew she was lying when she put of the forced fake smile over her lips.
He gave a grin when he saw Kripa's fake smile fixed on her lips. "You're the worst liar in the world, just to let you know" he took a seat on the same couch behind which Angad was, grabbing Kripa's hand to sit on his lap. He put his lips close to her hear, his breath could be felt tickling her earlobe.
"Tell me darling, what's wrong." He said whispering, threatened to use the arms around her to tickle her any moment." She blushed at her husband's behavior. Today he seemed to be in an extra overdose of happy after all today was his birthday. But her blushing more from knowing that Angad was just behind them being able to hear every thing they spoke of.
From behind the couch Angad couldn't help but smile, he tried his hardest to stop his laughter. As he heard his brother and Kripa together he couldn't help but wish to have someone close to him the same way. Some one to search for in his sheets every morning, the thought made him blush a man that looked so strong and unbreakable to the public eye had such a soft side to his heart for a woman he was waiting for.
He no long wanted to be the guy to wake up in the morning alone; he wanted some one by his bedside. Angad was at the age in his life where he was ready for commitment. All he was missing in his life was the woman that would wake up with him in the morning by his bedside.
As he heard the love between his brother and sister-in-law, he felt empty, he wanted some one with him. He wanted a perfect woman for him. The perfect wife, he wanted what his older brother had. A woman who loved him.
"Nothings wrong Sahil" Kripa said in her awkward smile, turning red from embarrassment knowing her love life was being observed by another.
Shail thought not the push the subject any farther as Kripa always told him her problems eventually and like always she would come to him when needed. "Okay if you don't want to tell me you don't have to, at least tell me what you got me for my birthday humm…" He said with a smile as he started to press his lips to the side of her neck, unfortunately for him she wasn't in that much of a romantic mood as he was as she pulled away again.
"You birthday present is behind the couch," she said burning red in embarrassment.
Kripa was a modern woman with modern thoughts but when it came to public display of affection she always became uncomfortable. And to Kripa, Angad was part of the public eye. She stood up out of Sahil's lap standing up as he turned his head to the back of the couch.
"Oh my…" Shail was speechless as Angad stood up lazily.
"Hey bro" He said looking a Shail who had his mouth hanging open unable to comprehend that Angad. His brother, his little brother was standing in front of him.
Sahil pointed both his fingers at Angad smiling with his mouth wide open. "Kripa do you know who this is!" he said as jumped up putting an arm around Angad's neck.
"It's Angad! A-N-G-A-D" he spelled in out in happiness. He practically jumped on to Angad's back in joy, this really was the best birthday present he got, he couldn't believe his eyes. He was ready for someone to blow a blow horn in his hear so he would wake up from the dream, but it wasn't. It was real. His brother, his blood back home, he just wanted to scream in joy.
"Sahil! Chill out" Angad said as he was being trampled over his older brother.
Sahil's eyes were beginning to water from so much joy; he had never expected Angad to come back home after he had left in such anger years ago. He had really missed him. There hadn't been a day when he went though the day with out thinking of his younger brother. They had grown up more like best friends then just brothers. They had the best of memories together, growing up in the same house and doing the crazy things they had done when in high school together. Both had gone to the same collage and today his brother was back. Sahil just didn't have the words in him to say how much he missed his younger brother.
"You better not be leavening this house again, your staying here for ever!" Angad rolled his eyes at his brother's stupid ness, he didn't want to leave himself but he wouldn't want to live with his brother's family as he was an independent person himself.
"I'm not here to live forever, I just came here to get married" when he said this Kripa perked up her head. He had never mentioned this to her over the phone. All he had told her was he was coming to London to stay for sometime and he needed hers and his brother's help with something.
"Married? You never mentioned any thing about marriage over the phone" Sahil turned his head to look at Kripa
"You knew he was coming! You knew Angad was coming and you didn't tell me" he made a fake sad face trying to make it look as if he was angry with her.
"It was supposed to be a surprise hone," she said kissing his cheek, which brought a smile back on to his face.
Hello, back to me please" Sahil and Kripa turned their attention back to Angad.
"Sorry, so tell, who's the lucky girl that stole my brother's heart away" he asked punching Angad in the stomach teasingly. He was truly excited to know his brother came all the way back to London to get married.
Angad started to get annoyed as he wasn't getting his chance to say the whole side of his story and his brother out of excitement was just jumping to conclusions over and over. "Will you let me talk first" Angad said out of frustration.
"That's why I am in London in the first place! I want to get married and I don't have a woman. I thought maybe you and Kripa could help me find the perfect woman."
Sahil laughed at Angad's theory. He was twenty-seven and he couldn't find a bride for himself. "Angad, this is the twenty first century, you're a billionaire and you can't find a bride for your self"
"No, I know I can find a bride for my self but I want the perfect bride. Not someone out for my money and not some one stuck up on looks. Just some one simple and modern at the same time. I really need help with this. I'm clueless on what type of woman would make a good wife, I know what will make a good date, but there is a big difference between date and wife."
Shail smiled at his brother, he had really grown up the five years he was away and he was really talking as if he was truly ready for commitment.
"Okay, I'm here for you, but I got work at the office. I don't know how I will be able to help you with my time frame but I will be more then happy going bride hunting with you when I get the time."
Kripa jumped up at the opportunity she had a chance to get out of the house and have fun, she could take this hunt as a job for herself. After all she was getting pretty tired sitting around at home but looked for a bride for Angad didn't seem that bad of an idea.
"How about I help you, I don't really have much to do around the house, maybe I can get you together with some on my friends." This was perfect for Kripa, Angad could be busy flirting around with women and she would get a chance to meet up with old friends that she didn't get to keep in contact with very often.
As Angad thought about the idea it seem repulsive to be dating any of Kripa's friends as in his mind the first thing that clicked was women in their thirties. Then he remembered that Kripa wasn't thirty, she was only twenty-five, two years younger then him. More then likely her friends were going to be about the same age maybe even in their twenty-six or sevens at most.
"Seem good to me" Angad said agreeing with Kripa.
To Angad, Kripa seemed like a perfect wife, some one fun and down to earth, more then likely she probably attracted friends that were fun and down to earth also. He liked the idea of spending time with women that would be like her. He wanted some one strong and independent like Kripa but along with his long list of perfect ness, someone easy to talk to with.
*****
A week had past and things were starting to get back to a normal schedule, Angad had now completely settled in and also worked on his stock marketing from his computer at home. Tonight Kripa had set up a friend type of date at a bar and his stomach did turns inside of his as he started to button up his shirt.
He had requested Kripa not to tell any of her friends that he was coming with her so she could set him up but he was just there as a friend. He did not want to be with a woman that was forced on to him, he wanted the night to be casual something were all the women would be normal around him not to feel awkward or obligated to be nice to him.
He had worn a red buttoned up shirt. Angad decided to wear jeans instead of dress pants not wanting to look to formal and a black jacket over as it usually became chilly at night in London even in the summer.
He heard a slight knock at his opened bedroom door. "Wow you are looking handsome tonight" he turned to look at Kripa leaning at the side of the door ledge. He noticed her wearing something simple, tightly fitted dark blue jeans and white top sleeveless that had a few embroidery around the middle of the top. She looked stunning in Angad's eyes
Angad motioned Kripa to come in the room. "You don't look so bad your self," he said with a grin. "God I am so nervous, what if none of them like me" Kripa rolled her eyes at his comment. "Your funny nice and charming, you will do fine. Besides, they don't even know your looking for a woman. As far my friends are concerned they think your just a friend of mine that is visiting, so relax." She said putting her hand on top of Angad's shoulder trying to comfort him.
"Now lets go, we don't want to keep the women of London waiting" She said with a smile as she left the room having Angad tag along behind her.
In the car on the way to the bar Angad couldn't help but look at how Kripa was so simple but classy at the same time. She didn't show off the luxury she lived with what she wore. They way she talked it was like she had troubles like every other person paying the bills and waking up for work but Kripa didn't have any troubles of that matter.
"Kripa, how did you and my brother meet?" Angad asked as he continued to flip though the radio stations over and over trying to find some thing good to listen to. He liked the way Kripa drove the car so smoothly, his driving skill was a wreck compared to hers. Every time she took a turn on the road he barely felt a shift but if he were driving every thing would turn up side down in just a simple of a turn.
"Your brother and I only knew each other for a week when we had gotten married" Angad looked at her in surprise. He always thought his brother and kept Kripa a hidden book from him for years and married her with out telling him anything about her but in reality he had only known her for a week!
"A week, but…" Kripa cut in on Angad's words to explain her self.
"I had run away from home at the time and was in London, I had ran into your brother at a bus station. That was at the time when he was expanding your father's company and didn't have all that much money either." When Kripa said this Angad remembered when he was twenty-two how tight on money he and his brother were at taking up side jobs along with the family business.
"We had become quick friends. On just one quick bus ride to work, just the next day your brother and I met for coffee. We were only friends at the time. We only knew each other for three days when my family reported me missing, in the newspapers and TV. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to go back to a place where I didn't belong. Don't get me wrong when I said I didn't belong, I loved my parents but the environment just wasn't for me. They were just to strict on me never letting me be independent my own person." Angad nodded his head in agreement understand what it felt like wanting to be your own person.
"Well on the forth day I met up with your brother and told him of my troubles, he gave me a place to stay in you father's office until the news die down. And in the three days I was hiding in your brother's office we just fell in love and got married thinking my parents wont have a choice but to except me independent from them if I was married but instead they kick me out completely from their lives" Angad felt bad for Kripa as she told him of her story. He had no idea how much she had gone though in just a week. He had no idea that love also could spark in such a stressful time of someone's life.
"Do you ever regret it?" That was a stupid question of him to ask, of course she didn't regret marrying his brother if she was so happy with him.
"Regret what?" unsure of what Angad was asking her
"Marrying my brother in such a hurry at such a young age" Kripa took a deep breath and sighed, she wasn't sure if she should tell him the truth or not after all he was Sahil's brother, deciding he could be trusted she thought it would be better to tell the truth.
"Angad don't get me wrong when I say this, I love your brother, but some times I feel I did make a mistake. There are times I miss my parents and wish I could go back, but I cant. I can't go forward a million steps and expect to be in the same place I started by just taking a step back. Sometimes I did feel I rushed in to marriage, you know him being thirty and I being only twenty-five. Its just are age is felt between us when with friends. Do you follow what I'm saying" Angad understood perfectly what Kripa meant.
"But you better not tell your brother about this or I will kill you" She said in a warning tone
"Don't worry I wont tell a sole. You love my brother and that's all that matters. I think you guys are perfect for each other." putting an arm around her as she parked the car to the front of bar.
"But just one more question before we go in, okay" he said as they both took their seat belts off looking at each other.
"Suppose you hadn't ran away and weren't in this big hurry to get away from your parents, and you met Sahil and fell in love. Naturally you guys would date a few years, tell me would you have married him if you had more time to think about it." He asked seriously.
"what kind of stupid question is that?"
"A logical one, you're the one who said you wish he hadn't rushed it to things, well just suppose you hadn't" he again asked seriously.
"Of course I would have married Sahil even if I had more time to think about it." She said and quickly getting out of the car.
"Now come on and lets go inside" By say that she slammed the door of the car and headed inside leaving Angad inside the car.
"Sahil was right when he said you're the worst liar in the world" Angad said to himself in a whisper alone in the car and also got out running after Kripa at the door of the bar.
Inside the bar, Kripa leaded Angad to a table with a group of about three girls. He had to admit to him self that just as beautiful Kripa was her friends were just as striking. Only one of the girls other then Kripa was Indian, Angad noticed. Most likely the woman Kripa wanted to set him up with. The other two were British.
"Hey every one, this is my friend Angad, and Angad this is Elizabeth, Faith and Pooja."
"Hi, its very nice to meet you" Elizabeth jumped to the chance. She was the spark of the group of friends. She always had been the more out going of the bunch.
Angad shook her hand that she let out taking a seat between her and Kripa. He noticed her to be thin and blond the type of girl that most movies would show as queen bee but in reality are one of the nicest of people.
"Wow, Kripa you didn't say your friend was going to be this handsome" she laughed "I would have worn a shorter skirt if I had known" Faith was the kind of girl who made the dirtiest of jokes that would make a new comer uncomfortable but the people that knew her knew she was only joking. Faith was the one with the dirtiest of minds that told her point of view no matter what but a person with a clean heart. Her talked her heart out but knew when to keep her dirty jokes quite or alive.
Every one laughed at Faith's comment, as they understood her, even Angad found her jokes amusing. Last was Pooja she was the shy quite girl that was never able to speak up. Five minutes at the bar with drinks in each persons hand Angad knew Pooja wasn't the woman for him. She was just to quite for his liking.
Kripa only had a light vine, as she was to be driving home. Faith and Elizabeth had come in a cab and did not have to worry about there drinking excess, Pooja didn't drink at all and Angad drank half a glass of vodka mixed with red vine that seemed very unheard of to most but Angad loved the taste of it.
"So Angad, why are you visiting London?" Elizabeth said showing off her perfectly strait teeth.
"I'm here searching for a bride" Angad knew Pooja wasn't going to be the girl for him and neither were the other two, so he didn't see the harm in letting the girls know of his search.
"I wouldn't mind being your bride" Faith butted in to Angad's statement laughing.
Faith was half out of her senses at the moment but still was in her joking stage, as every one knew when she was serious she never laughed but when joking all she did was laugh.
Elizabeth wasn't as drunk as Faith was, as she wasn't all that wild and crazy as Faith was either. "Why London? You could find any suitable woman with just your looks" she said leaning back in her chair, taking a sip strong vine from her glass.
"Well I don't want just any bride, I want the perfect bride," He said full of pride. Angad was an expert at drinking as he could hold up drinks better then women from his lager and stronger body.
Kripa looked at Angad with a smile, she couldn't help but noticed how well he fit in with her friends, if Sahil would be with her. He would never be able to make conversations the way Angad did. Most of her friends found Sahil sometimes to oriented to work at times or to old to understand there troubles they face as he has already faced most of the challenges that they haven't.
With Sahil there always seemed to be a generation gap within her friend circle but with Angad it seemed perfectly fit. He seemed to understand the problems instead of thinking of it to little of a worry.
After three or four more drinks all of them decided to call it a night and headed out after paying the bill.
"So tell me what did you think of Pooja" Kripa asked after being safely in the car away from any voices.
Angad made a frowning face that clearly said no all over "she way to shy for my liking" he rested his head at the back of the seat, from just one some what non date he was already tired of bride hunting, but he didn't want to give up so quickly.
"Tell me darling Kripa, when is my next date" Angad said with his eyes closed trying to picture of his perfect wife, he had pictured her many times before in his dreams, daily life, he was being picky he knew it but he just couldn't help himself. He wanted the best for himself. Angad couldn't help but be jealous of his brother. Why did he get the perfect bride with out even trying and here he was looking for someone at every corner of the world unable to find the perfect woman. What would he have to do? He had a feeling she was somewhere close by he just kept missing her.
"Tomorrow, same time as today. I'm sure your going to like the next girl, she is not shy or anything of the sort. She will be the perfect one" she said with a smile looking at Angad's exhausted face.
"I hope so"
"I know so, she will be perfect, she just got back from France yesterday and she had called me saying she had something important to say, you can meet her then. On top of it all she is my absolute best friend. Trust me Angad you and her will connect in moments." By saying that Kripa put the car keys in the agnation and started to head for home.
She loved driving though London in the dark as the streets always seemed peaceful to her, she remembered at one time she hated the noisy city but now she seemed to like knowing that there were people too around at night. Kripa didn't understand how she had changed so much after her marriage, but today Angad had got her thinking again. What if she really did get the chance to really think about marriage from the start, would she have married Sahil? She knew that answer to the question very well but she wanted to deny it. How could she think such a thing? She loves him that's all that should matter, then why did Angad's question bug her so much? Why did it continue to stay in the back of her mind?
As she came to a red light she closed her eyes for a second taking a deep breath. I can't let this bother me, I'm happy with Sahil and I have every thing I want I'm happy that's all that matters. Thinking that Kripa continued to drive as the red light turned green.
The car ride home seem awfully quite as Kripa was busy thinking of her past five years and Angad thinking of his future five years. He could understand why he always wanted to compare all the women he thought of to Kripa? Was he really jealous of his brother that much that he got a perfect wife with out hunting while he was turning desperate to find some one.
Angad remember back in the United State when all his friends were getting married or planning to while he had no intensions of marriage and he did not have any woman around him. What if I really am not ready for marriage? Angad thought to him self, why did he run away from every opportunity he had with a woman. He had many girlfriends in the past but every time they never seemed good enough. He didn't understand why he wanted some one perfect; maybe he was searching for someone to perfect to exist.
"Kripa stop the car" When Angad said that she was confused, why would he ask her to stop the car half way home.
"Why?"
"Just do it okay." She stopped the car to the side of the road unsure of what was on Angad's mind. He stepped out of the car to Kripa's side; he opened her car door and motioned her to get out. As she got out of the car he took the driver seat and she took the passenger. She didn't understand why Angad did what he did?
"Angad…?" she didn't get to complent her words and his shushed her. With a shhh. He had a perfect place he wanted to take Kripa the best place to have peace and quite a place he always used to go when he was stress and boy was he stressed at the moment.
He took the wheel of the car and started to head the opposite direction of home. He didn't know why, just out of nowhere thought of the place he had gone to five years ago. He didn't know why he just asked Kripa to stop the car but he just wanted to be there. Why with Kripa, he didn't know. Why he wanted to show Kripa the place that he never told even his brother of, who knew? All he knew was he wanted to be there and only there. Why with Kripa? Maybe it was just the moment or timing, who knew all he knew was he was going there with her.
Kripa was confused to where Angad was taking her, he wouldn't let her speak a word or ask question all he did was look focused to the road. Turning the car hear and there ruggedly. Kripa noticed he was nothing of a smooth driver. He drove fast and swift making shape turns.
Kripa liked the spontaneous ideal he held in his personality. With out thinking he just took her away. With out caring what was going to happen or how late it was getting to be? Not a care in him, he was focused to leave so he did. She liked the idea of him being a risk taker. She had wanted to be a risk taker and before her own marriage was one also. She missed that part of her. She wanted to be crazy and spontaneous she wanted to act and be twenty-five, her age instead of living a life of a thirty year old. She was, still is twenty-five then why did she have to act like a thirty year old, just because Sahil was thirty?
Before Angad had taken the wheel of the car she never realized how much she missed out on, she never realized how much she wanted to be her own age, how much she wanted to go out to clubs and join her friends in bashing on young single guys. Why and how had marriage tied her down so much? In five years, why hadn't she noticed her self-change so dramatically? She was nothing like her friends, young and hip. She was the only one from them who was married and the only one from them who didn't stay out late or go out to clubs.
As Angad brought the car to a quite halt. Kripa for the first time saw where Angad had taken her. And for the first time she had seem just a beautiful place. She slowing opened the car door along with Angad, looking over London city. All the lights and cars could be perfectly and visibly seen below them but not a sound was heard. None of a car horn, or train car. No yelling, no screaming, no craziness. Just a wonderful sight to see from a quite and peaceful place.
Hey every one. I hope you liked the second part of The Other. I know it wasn't the best of a part but I'm trying to get it wound up to the good stuff. Please do comment as they are very important and I have to say I'm quite surprised to see how many of you all were shocked from the first part of this FanFic as I really didn't expect so many of yawl to be so surprised. Glad to know you guys had like the first part and I hope you all liked the second also.
Cricket
Hindi TV Shows
CID
Kumkum Bhagya
Ishaani
256