Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part7 Part8 Hi all back with the next update. Getting close to Christmas.
Once again thanks to all the wonderful comments left by all the readers of the ff. This update is for all of you. Hope you enjoy........
Red Sari Under the Mistletoe – Christmas Mehndi Mehndi hai rachnewaali, haathon mein gehri laali
Kahe sakhiyaan, ab kaliyaan
Haathon mein khilnewaali hain
Tere mann ko, jeevan ko
Mehndi hai rachnewaali, haathon mein gehri laali
Kahe sakhiyaan, ab kaliyaan
Haathon mein khilnewaali hain
Tere mann ko, jeevan ko
Nayi khushiyaan milnewaali hai
O hariyali banno
Le jaana tujhko guiyyaan aane waale hai saiyyaan
Thaamenge aake baiyyaan, goonjegi shehnaayi
Angnaayi, angnaayi
Mehndi hai rachnewaali, haathon mein gehri laali
Kahe sakhiyaan, ab kaliyaan
Haathon mein khilnewaali hain
Tere mann ko, jeevan ko
Nayi khushiyaan milnewaali hai(Zubeidaa)
AD's palatial home was decorated like a bride. The flowers, the gauzy sheers, the lights and the mirrored decorations perfectly placed in the colours of red, green and yellow. The ladies sangeet group was belting out the traditional and filmi mehndi and wedding songs. The guests all decked out in their finery mingled and joined in the merriment. The bride-to-be glowed with the happinsess. Pia wore a mustard and green lengha choli, perfectly fitting her petite frame. The jewellery, antique kundan sets from AD's vault enhanced her. Pia now and again flashed him a smile as she had mehndi applied to her hands.
The dulha, standing with his group of friends couldn't keep his eyes off her. He good humouredly took all the teasing from his friends.
At the bar Ranveer nudges Jai who was staring into his drink, "Look mama, mami!"
Jai looked where Ranveer's eyes were fixed and saw Bani coming down the stairs. Dressed in a turquoise and green lengha with simple resham embroidery. Even though the outfit was modest compared to what some of the other women were wearing, the colour and style made Bani look demure yet stylish. Her hair was pulled back in a bun and had jasmine flowers tied around it. There eyes locked and Bani flashed him a warm smile. Anu who had spotted Bani coming down, rushed towards her and dragged her to where the ladies were getting mehndi put on their hands. She sat Bani down and insisted she get mehndi done too. Bani protested that she needed her hands clean to help Pia later on. But Anu insisted that at Pia would not be needing her assistance till much later and Bani could at least keep mehndi on till then.
Jai was disappointed when Bani sat down to have mehndi put on her hands. He turned back and downed his drink in one go. Ranveer laughed silently seeing reaction of his mamaji. After a couple more drinks downed by Jai, Ranveer thought it was time to distract him form getting drunk and so he quietly slipped to the DJ and asked him to play some romantic song for couples to dance to. And so as the strains of "Tujhe dekh dekh sona…" drifted from the speakers, Ranveer went over to Anu and whispered something into her ears. Ranveer went over to where Bani was sitting, "Bani would you like to dance?" he asked. Bani showed him her mehndi covered hands, "I don't think so, thanks for asking."
Ranveer stood her up by holding her arms and said, "I think we can manage one dance without spoiling you mehndi." He carefully rested her arm on his shoulder and held her gently and moved on to the dance floor. Meanwhile Anu wrested Jai to leave his perch and dance with her. Anu carefully maneuvered them close to where Ranveer and Bani were dancing. Then Anu gently pushed Jai towards Bani as Ranveer guided Bani's arm towards Jai. Ranveer and Anu both moved away before Jai could say anything. Bani pouted as Jai stood still for few moments, "Aren't you going to dance with me after the trouble those two went to get us on the floor?"
Bani went close to him and placed her arm so as not to get the mehndi on his sherwani. As she she held her other arm out, Jai pulled her a little closer and whispered in her ear, "You practically ignored me since I have been here." Bani whispered back, "Not my fault, Anu dragged me have the mehndi done. I didn't want to do it. I am hungry too and will have to wait till I can get the mehndi off." Then as an afterthought she asked, "Have you eaten yet?"
Jai shook his head, "No wasn't in a mood to eat."
Bani gave him an intense gaze, "Not in a mood to eat?"
Jai answered petulantly, "Yeah! Someone took my appetite away."
Bani giggled, "I wonder who it was. Now I will have to find a way to get it out of you."
Jai glowered at her, "Don't think of trying anything miss…otherwise I will just resort to some unmentionable ways to stop you."
Bani leaning and pressing a light kiss on his cheeks, "You are spoiling a beautiful song by being grouchy."
Jai clutching her a little tighter murmured, "Well than you had better do something quick to make me happy."
The song came to an end and Bani removing her hands said to Jai, "Let me go and wash the mehndi off and then we can get something to eat."
Jai holding her arm, "No leave it otherwise it will be ruined. Come on I'll help you eat." Both of them walked towards the dining room where the food was being served. They met up with AD and Pia who were filling up their plates with food. Pia smirked at Jai holding only one plate in his hand, "Where is Bani's plate?"
Jai gave her wolfish grin, "We are sharing. I am going to feed Bani so what's a point of taking another plate."
AD grinned at Jai, "Hmm, I should have thought of that instead of filling up two plates."
Pia blew a kiss at AD, "Darling, you know how hungry I am and tomorrow we won't get to eat till late, so I need a whole plate of food for myself."
They sat down together at one table and both of them proceeded to feed their respective girlfriends. Bani felt a somewhat embarrassed to have Jai feeding her in front of AD. Jai noticed her taking peek at AD and he winked at her. After they finished eating AD and Pia wandered away to talk to their guests. Jai walked Bani out on to the patio where there were seats laid out. There was no one there and Jai pulled two chairs close together and sat down. Picking up her hand he looked at the mehndi design, "Is my name somewhere in the design?"
Bani giggled and shook her head, "No! Only the bride gets that privilege."
Jai smiled, "Pity, it would have been fun trying to find my name…I mean it's just three letters so it could have been anywhere in this design."
Bani pulling her hand slightly, "Jai Walia you will have to wait a long time to do play that game. First you have to find a girl to marry."
Jai not letting go of her hand brought his face close to her and looked into the sparkling brown eyes, "I have found a girl to marry, just have to find out if she is ready to tie the know." The rising laughter on Ban's lips was silenced by Jai as he kissed her.
To be continued……………a week to Christmas…………….
Cricket
Anupamaa
