Thank you all for the comments. Sorry it took me longer to post this chapter, I've just had a very eventful weekend and no it was not a good eventful lol!
Hope you like this chapter.
Happy Reading!
Anam
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Chapter 6
Bani returned to her depressed funk after her date with Tarun, just laying in her bed and staring at his picture. So much for all of the progress she had been making since her return to Mumbai. Tarun had managed to destroy it with one date…
And he really hadn't intended to. His idea was sweet enough; she just wasn't ready to let the past die…
Ok, poor choice of words.
Mausi, being the ever-worried mother, had finally called in the troops, without Bani's knowledge. In fact, Yukti was now standing at the doorway watching Bani stare at Jais' photo. She sighed. This was just like the Bani that she had nursed back to health the first week after the funeral. The Bani that didn't eat…
Or sleep…
Or get up…
"Knock, knock," Yukti said from the doorway, leaning against the frame as she waited for Bani to acknowledge her presence. Plan A: pretend to be a comic for about fifteen minutes or the first smile appeared. If that failed, well she just hoped it didn't!
Bani looked over at her and offered a weak smile. "Hi, Yuks."
"Well, that's an improvement, at least your talking this time around. I thought I'd have to read your mind for at least an hour first," she stepped inside, nearing the bed. "So what happened this time? Break a nail? Spilled some milk?"
Bani scowled. "Funny."
"I try. Seriously, Bani, Mausi's going to have an aneurysm if you don't get your butt out of bed sometimes this century. She's in there praying …has been for nearly three hours. I think she be going out her mind praying for your sorry ass!"
Bani smirked. "You'll have to buy me a new ass then."
"Oh! Oh ha!" Yukti laughed slightly. "She's joking around! Bani make a joke, alert the media!"
Bani giggled. "I'm supposed to be depressed, Yuks, what are you doing to me?"
"Sorry, Bani, but life sucks sometimes. I should know," she walked over to the bedside and stole the picture of Jai from Bani's hands. "I happened to get this card from Mausi, who found it on your dresser. It had this woman's phone number so I decided to call her and ask her if she'd like to join us for lunch…"
"Yuks!!" Bani groaned.
"Yup, you guessed it. I'm here to drag your ass out of that bed and take you to Sammy's for a nice little lunch with me and your budding friend, Saira. Doesn't that sound exciting?" she feigned excitement.
"Thrilling," Bani replied sarcastically, while pushing herself up. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I care," Yukti replied, pulling some clothing out for Bani. "Someone has to keep you going, Bani, because obviously it won't be you. Now I know you miss him and I can't say I know how that feels but I know you need to keep going for yourself, for that baby and for Jai…"
Bani sighed dramatically. "When did you get to be so smart, Yukti?"
"Don't know, happened sometime between birth and puberty," she smiled. "Now come on. Saira is meeting us at twelve and she promised to bring plenty of pictures of her boys. That's something you'll need to learn, Bani, how to brag. All mothers carry wallets full of pictures."
"Really?"
Yukti nodded. "Now get showered and changed," she left the room.
Bani sighed. She needed to find some friends that weren't so bossy and allowed her to wallow in self-pity. It just wasn't any fun to be depressed anymore. She disappeared into the bathroom to do as told. So much for mourning…
Now she had to make it through lunch…
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Bani looked at Yukti, her eyes shooting an icy stare. She couldn't believe she had honestly gone through with it and invited Saira out for lunch! Originally she had believed her friend was joking and now…
Well now she couldn't believe her friend could be so mean!
"Bani, you can cut it with the ice princess act, I'm not backing down. You needed to get out and this is the best way. Now perk up! Saira should be here any minute," she sipped at her ice tea.
Bani sighed. She missed caffeine. "No fair, couldn't you have ordered a water too? I mean I can't have caffeine, the least you could have done was struggle with me."
"Sorry, no can do. I'm here with two pregnant hormonal women. There is no way in hell I'm going to last through it without caffeine. It may be bitchy, but it's my prerogative!"
Bani sipped her water. She really hated Yukti at the moment. But her hate was soon forgotten when she heard Saira's jolly voice from the doorway. "Bani!"
"Saira," Bani stood, hugging her friend. "I can't believe you came," she eyed the woman's swollen stomach. Is that really what she would look like in two more months?
"Oh please! Yukti said that this was important and that you were having a bad time. I couldn't miss it. Besides, I owed you some maternity info," Saira smiled, sliding into a nearby chair.
"Ahem," Yukti muttered. "I'm Yukti, the lunatic that called you at seven am. Sorry it was so early but Mausi, Bani's mother-in-law, made it sound like the world was about to end and I couldn't let that happen."
"No problem," she smiled at Yukti. "This was serious. I couldn't let a friend suffer a minute longer."
"See Bani, people do care," Yukti shot her a look.
Bani stuck out her tongue in reply. "Look, I couldn't help it ok? You two didn't lose your husband!"
"No," Yukti replied. "But I could very well lose my best friend and I refuse to let that happen!"
Bani sighed. "Sorry. It's been a bad week."
"Tell me about it," Yukti grumbled. "Do you know that Tarun thought his date with you was a success?"
"Tarun?" Saira asked, looking at the pair.
"Oh, I'll let Bani fill you in on HIM," Yukti looked the menu over.
Saira's eyes went to Bani.
"He's Jai's childhood best friend and has been a great support system. He's been there for me a lot more than ever before…"
"And has been asking her out for like FOREVER!," Yukti interjected.
Bani shot her a look. "When we were in Goa, Jai and I nearly drowned in a boating accident, but he and I managed to get to shore and find each other in a terrible storm. We ended up…making love," she blushed, "in an alcove."
"Could have left that part out," Yukti replied.
Bani glowered. "Anyway, the storm worsened and we lost each other. Tarun found me the next morning and tried to help me find my husband. When we didn't find him, after everything I've been going there, he has been there for all of us ever since…"
"And he has a crush the size of the Antarctica on Bani," Yukti grumbled.
"Who's telling this story?" Bani whined.
"No one now," Yukti replied with a smile. "It's pretty much over."
"How does this have anything to do with her being depressed this week?" Saira asked confused.
"Bani went out with Tarun," Yukti quickly replied.
"Hey! It's my story!" Bani pouted. "I went out with Tarun…"
"Suddenly theirs an echo," Yukti teased.
"Yukti!" Bani exclaimed. "Behave!"
"Yes mom," she got up. "I'll go order."
"Salad for me," Bani and Saira said at the same time. Yukti laughed and left.
"So," Saira said. "What about this date?"
"It was sweet, but the memories were terrible and I had to have him take me home. I cried myself to sleep and haven't been out of bed until twenty minutes ago. I miss him terribly, Saira. It's hard being a mother without him around."
"I'm sure it is," she patted her friend's hand. "I'd be lost without Suhel."
Bani sighed. "I want to move on, seriously I do, but Jai owns my heart and I don't want to do this without him. I'm scared."
"You seem to have plenty of friends willing to help you, Bani."
"But they aren't my Jai," she looked down and fiddled with a napkin.
"Have a picture of him?"
Bani nodded, digging into her pocket book and removing her wallet. "That's him," she pointed to their wedding picture.
"He's very handsome," Saira looked the very HOT man over. "How did you meet?"
"It was a long story…"
"And we have all the time in the world," Yukti replied joining them. "The three of us are going to have a full girls' day out, courtesy of my little nest egg."
"Sounds like fun," Bani offered a weak smile. "So where do we begin?"
"How about the beginning?" Saira replied.
And so Bani began at the beginning of her adventures with Jai and for hours the trio chatted and covered Bani's entire history with the man she loved. By time she arrived home that night, Bani was tired, satiated and feeling much better than she had in months. Lying in his bed had a new meaning to her that night; her heart had finally mended some. The pain was fading but the love for him was still there.
For the first time in months she slept peacefully, dreaming of the good and not the bad…
Seeing him during their happier times…
And dreaming of their favorite holiday destination…
Mt. Abu.
To be continued…
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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