This is the last chapter in the story, a Christmas gift to everyone. It is a little long, sorry, but bear with me.
Hope you all had fun with my first fan fiction. Thanks for all your support.
PART 22 (Last Chapter)
Adi stretched his hand to introduce himself to Kalpana, just when she was about to place her hand in his, he retracted his hand, and smoothed his hair.
"I am sorry madam, but domestic help is not allowed to shake hands with house guests." Adi declared gleefully.
Kalpana had the grace to look ashamed. Stammering, she apologized to him.
Dadi and Maasi came along with Anu bantering jovially about who is going to sing and dance in the sangeeth.
Adi suddenly remembered the most important thing, sh**t, he completely forgot about the stag party. Two bridegrooms, he had to make the arrangements for the dancers to come, the drinks, where the heck is Ranveer when he is needed?
He excused himself hurriedly and left the ladies.
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The whole gang was there, Nachiketh, Tarun, Ranveer, Adi, Jai, Sameer, Mohan, Taoji and a surprise guest, Pushkar. Pushkar came with his son Amit at the invitation of Adi. Pushkar informed them about his divorce with Pia and her move to USA, he had the full custody of his son, last he heard, Pia was working as an Airhostess and trying to find a rich husband.
Drinks were flowing freely, People were drinking, guffawing loudly and pulling the legs of the bridegrooms about the suhag night. Adi hired some go-go dancers to perform – they started performing, titillating dances that would land the men into trouble if they were found out.
Adi made sure that they were holed up in the left wing of the house far away from the womenfolk who were in the Sangeet party. Little did he know that Kalpana madam hired some guys dressed up in cops clothes who barged in and promptly arrested Bani and Rano in handcuffs. Then they started doing a slow striptease around the shocked brides.
Jai and Sameer couldn't concentrate on the go-go dancers, all they could think was the big day tomorrow, dreaming about the minute they would make their perspective brides their wives.
On a cue, they both stood up and sneaked out from the party. I think it was time to crash the sangeet and stare at their beautiful brides.
They slipped past Adi, Tarun and the gang, moved stealthily to the right wing.
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They opened the door and stepped in, they saw Dadi and Maasi stuffing money into the underpants of the fake cops, dadi was twirling her dupatta around the neck of one of the dancers and dancing around him.
Bani and Rano were sitting on the couch with their hands cuffed and looked like they were enjoying the enfolding scene in front of them.
Jai and Sameer were steaming, jealousy searing them instantly. They both stepped into the room and strode to their women and blocked their view of the dance. Bani and Rano looked up to see who was blocking their view. Their eyes traveling the length until they met the fuming eyes of their fiancs.
Jai and Sameer reached to grasp their respective brides' hands. They lifted them bodily and carried them outside into their rooms.
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Jai looked at Bani long minutes after depositing her on the bed roughly.
"The only man you will be looking at, Madam, is this man, in front of you, if I ever see you looking at any other man, I won't be responsible for my actions," Bani looked at him through her lashes, she was thinking of responding but decided against it, the mood he was in, she didn't trust him. But an irrepressible smile hovered over her face. She couldn't resist taunting him a little.
"How much do you charge for dressing up in a cop uniform? I like the fireman's uniform as well…"
Jai stared at her in astonishment as her words sank in. He was glad that he was marrying her tomorrow. Is this the same woman who he thought was goody two shoes and who looked so innocent and nave?
Then he flung his head back and laughed heartily, "Any time, sweetheart – you only have to ask."
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Sameer stared at Rano, making her squirm uncomfortably. She dared to look up into his face, immediately her eyes dropped again.
"So you like to be hand cuffed?" Sameer asked blandly, "it's been my dream to have by wife hand cuffed to the bed, I don't mind it if you don't", he sat next to her looking at her suggestively.
Rano's cheeks flamed in a becoming color and she tried to scramble out of the bed. He gently pushed her back on to the pillow and rubbed his finger along her jaw line.
Then he issued the threat smilingly, "I will lock you up with me inside and throw the key away for a month, if I ever see you eyeing a semi-naked man."
What a Neanderthal man, she thought, but inside she was kicked to see his jealous reaction.
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The rain stopped some time during the night, the day dawned clear and bright. The walia mansion was looking like the wedding venue after all, cars were parked outside, a music band was waiting outside to bring the baraat.
Tarun, Pushkar, Ranveer, Adi were dressed in cream, gold and maroon color brocaded kurtas and churidars. They had gold pagdis (headdresses) wrapped around their heads, and a long, maroon stoles adorned their necks. They looked handsome, men in their prime.
Bani and Rano stayed in Adi's house that night just a block away from the Walia mansion.
Jai and Sameer stayed in Mohan's house that night.
Jai and Sameer were dressed in white brocaded, long Nehru kurtas with churidars. The expensive cloth hugged their bodies to perfection, long red stoles wrapped around their necks. They had the headdresses in red, gold pagdis, decorated with pearls and brooches.
Their shoes were the kind that Maharajahs wore, jhoothis that curled in the front.
JK was dressed identical to the grooms, squirming uncomfortably in his clothes. He looked like a prince.
Jai sat straight on the horse, holding JK in the front tightly. His stomach was in knots, he felt nervous bridegroom marrying for the first time.
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Sameer was sharing the same emotions on the other horse, except he was also nervous about the skittish horse. He would exchange this horse to a Harley Davidson Pillion any time. He was eager to get off the horse and go into the mandap as quickly as possible. He couldn't wait to make Rano his.
The procession seemed long, interspersed by the band and the gang of four (Adi, Pushkar, Ranveer, Tarun) dancing in gleeful abandon in front.
Finally the baraat reached the wedding house and the bridegrooms descended from the horses and holding their long swords (traditional wedding swords), they walked to their respective mandaps and waited for their brides to arrive.
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Two Palanquins were decorated with flowers and draped with purdahs to conceal the brides inside.
Bani was dressed in a red sari, completely laden with golden zari(silk thread), a thin, transparent, gold veil covered her face, her face barely concealed. That was one request Jai made in half jest, he said that he wanted to see the bride he was getting married to. Her blouse was tied in the back with doris (all the way). Krissy was dressed in a pretty red and gold ghagra, her midriff was bare, a small blouse covering her small body. She looked adorable. She sat in the palanquin with Bani.
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Rano was wearing a red and gold legenga with a choli that was tied with doris as well. She had the same veil as that of Bani's. She sat in the other palanquin.
Tarun and Pushkar carried Bani and Krissy, while Adi and Ranveer carried Rano.
As they were helped from their palanquins, Jai and Sameer could not stop staring at their respective brides. Krissy ran to where JK was sitting in the mandap right behind his dad and joined him on the floor. They both sat together holding the rice and the flowers.
Bani slowly stepped into the mandap on accompanied by Adi, her eyes caught Jai's as they both lost themselves in each other. (A public Jiya Dhadak moment)
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Rano emerged from the palanquin and waited for Adi to come back for her. Sameer was impatient with the tardiness. He stood up to go and get Rano, only to be stopped short by his mom Dr. Saroja Devi, the famous Gynecologist and iron fisted ruler of the Bhavsar household. Finally Adi brought Rano to the mandap as well. As Rano came into the mandap, Sameer reached out and tugged her inside, holding her hand tightly.
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When Adi was stepping into perform Kanyadan, the pundits stopped him saying that only couples should do the Kanyadan. Adi was disappointed and turned to leave, then his eyes spotted Kalpana on the side of the Mandap. He dragged her in, took the sindoor from pundit and placed it in her maang, whispering to her ears, just think of this as a marriage of convenience. Kalpana Singhania, CEO of singhania media works, a sworn spinster thus became Kalpana Bali.
Adi came to be known as the lightening fast worker from that day forward.
Adi and Kalpana gave away Bani and Rano.
Then the pundits tied the corner of the bridegrooms stole to the bride's dupatta. The pundits started chatting in unison the mantras, the holy hymns were translated into English and changed the meaning slightly to suit the times as the couples did the saat pheres.
The walk around the fire consisted of seven steps, the bridegroom saying to the bride: "Take thou one step for the acquirement of force; take thou two steps for strength; take thou three steps for the increase of wealth; take thou four steps for well being; take thou fifth step for offspring; take thou sixth step for the seasons; take thou seventh step as a friend; be faithfully devoted to me; may they attain to a good old age."
As Jai filled the maang of Bani with Sindoor, JK and Krissy threw the rice and flowers on their parents, giggling and clapping.
Sameer did the same with Rano and quickly planted a kiss on her forehead receiving a whacking from his mother on the side of his head as a reward for his impatience.
The couples came forward to receive the blessing from Adi and Kalpana, Dadi and Maasi, Sameer's mother Dr. Saroja Devi. Tarun, Pushkar, Ranveer, Mohan thumped Jai and Sameer on their backs for a well done job and hugged them heartily.
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In all the excitement, no body noticed Raashi holding her stomach tightly, her water broke five minutes ago. Missing his wife on his side, Ranveer searched for her and spotted her in one corner clutching her stomach uncomfortably. He ran quickly to her concern etched all over him.
Then he was running all over, like a chicken who had his head cut off, Dr. Saroja Devi summed up the situation, asked every one to step aside, took Raashi to the back of the stage, laid on her fresh clothes and after fifteen minutes, delivered a beautiful baby boy. Ranveer saw all the blood and fainted promptly, Dr. Devi brought the little boy wrapped in a blanket outside to the proud grandfather Adi, who slumped at the sight of blood just the same way as his son did. Kalpana gave him a scornful look and supported him in standing upright.
Jai and Sameer looked equally squeamish but ventured to hold the cute baby in their arms. Bani and Rano cried copiously at seeing the miracle who was born on the Christmas day. The good doctor took the baby back to the mother as Ranveer was stirring from his unconscious state. He took the baby in his arms and stared in awe at the bundle in his hands and placed him on his mother's chest. He slowly bent down to kiss Rashi on her forehead and thanked her for the most beautiful gift he could ever have on Christmas day.
Suhag raat
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The bedroom was decorated beautifully, the white curtains were moving slightly with the wind, the bed was covered in white cotton sheets, sprinkled with rose petals. The entire room was lit up with candles of various sizes and shapes. The bedside table had a tray with "Dom Perignon" champage, a basket filled with strawberries and a box of chocolate truffles.
Bani was sitting on the bed, still in her bride's apparel. Jai walked into the room and stopped short, his breathing became constricted when he saw her.
He slowly lifted her ghungat and desire burning in his eyes, Bani's eyes dropped shyly, he looked so handsome, she wanted to throw herself into his arms and hide her face in his chest. He removed her jewelery one at a time, each ornament he removed, he replaced it with a burning kiss. By the time, he was finished, she thought that she would go up in flames. She was trembling violently as he turned her slowly and started untying the doris on her blouse with his teeth. Each dori he removed, he stamped the spot with a kiss until he finally reached the small of her back.
"Please!!" Bani pleaded with him to stop.
"Bani, I have something for you!!" Bani didn't want anything right now except his mouth on her lips. He reluctantly pushed her away and gave her two boxes wrapped beautifully. The first had a beautiful platinum bracelet, JB written in diamonds in the middle. The second box had a jar, she pulled it from the box curiously – she swallowed hard when she saw the jar of honey. This time, she thought she will die of embarrassment and just hid her face in his chest. Bani the tigress turned to a nervous little kitten.
Jai discovered that at least, in bed, he was the boss.
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Sameer walked into the room, the first thing he spotted was a tall glass of milk on the bedside, he made a face, Rano was sitting on the bed with her chin on her knees – he thought that he saw a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She slowly took out the bottle of ovaltine from behind and placed it next to the milk. Then she put a box containing his Tag Heuer watch, his gold chain, his cufflinks and his ring on the bedside.
"Oh! My god, no way! You are not going to ask me to drink milk, are you" he made a sad, pleading face begging her to have mercy on him.
Then he came close to her and sat on the bed, he held his nose and picked up the glass and downed the entire glass in one long gulp.
Rano felt like a heel, she was just trying to teasing him, she knew his aversion to milk.
"Sameer!" She started apologizing, he stopped her with a finger on her lips, "Darling, anything for you, if you give me poison, I will drink it willingly! You mean everything to me." She started crying, "I am sorry about the fish sauce in your pad thai, you could have died that day."
He slowly wiped the tears off of her face. "I will forgive you if you tell me you love me. I didn't hear you say that in the last two days." He complained.
She obediently told him that she loved him. He took some thing from his pocket and placed it on the bed. The first box had the same bracelet as the one Jai gave to Bani, except this one had the letters SR in diamonds. The second box had a deck of cards.
Then he placed a bet of several thousand rupees on the bed. When she looked at him questioningly, he whispered to her, in her ears –
"Its your turn baby, you have to take out all your jewelry one at a time, and after that each piece of your clothing each time you lose. If I lose, I will pay you in cash." However, this time he had a plan and the determination to win, a set of high cards in his sleeve, under the pillow and in other strategic locations assured him of his win.
The blush started in her cheeks and stretched all the way to her ears.
A grin spread in his face, finally he got the better of the invincible Rano, this marriage is going to be a whole lot of fun and adventure.
"THE END"