A KNOCK AT YOUR HEART'S GATE
Rishabh entered his cabin in a sour mood. He had fought with his wife yet again. Well, not exactly a fight but they had gotten into an argument regarding their daughter’s school play. Due to an urgent meeting Rishabh failed to make it in time to pick Kukki from her practice the other day. The poor child had been very scared till Prerna reached her school almost an hour later.
She called him careless. She knew very well that the only person that he cared about in this whole world was his daughter. Until she came into his life. He had retorted back to her saying that Kukki was her daughter too, she could have been there at the practice.
‘Mrs Bajaj.. let me remind you that I have a business to handle and main kaam ke wajah se Kukki ko lene nahi ja paya… if you would have accompanied our daughter to the school yeh hota hi nahi… she’s your responsibility too..’
He left the room not before noting the hurtful expressions on Prerna’s face after he spoke these words. As soon as he sat in his car; Rishabh closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his temper. He had done it again. Though it wasn’t Prerna’s fault he had yelled at her.
——
Half a day had passed by and Rishabh could hardly focus on his work. The morning incident kept replaying in his head on a loop. He was angry at himself for behaving unreasonably with Prerna. His guilt doubled when he saw a text from her around noon. She sent him a reminder to have his vitamins along with his lunch as he had forgotten to take them in morning.
‘She’s concerned about me even after I scolded her for no reason…’
Rishabh thought to himself as he started at his phone screen and re-read the message for the umpteenth time. He wanted to send her a reply, but his fingers would freeze every time he tried to type something. What could he say now that would compensate for his behaviour from the morning??
A knock at his door made him look up from his phone. His secretary was holding a small silver basket in her hand. The handle was decorated with some red satin ribbon and bows on the side of it.
‘What the hell is that??!’
‘Erum.. sir this is an invitation by one of our business associates. His company has organised a Valentines Day party and you are invited along with your wife for the same!’
Rishabh rolled his eyes in annoyance as his secretary tentatively placed the basket on his desk. He hated going to such parties. He cringed at the sight of that gaudy basket. But his eyes lightened up when an idea crossed his mind. Maybe he could make his amends with Prerna by taking her to this Valentines Day party.
——-
Prerna was busy setting up her closet when Rishabh walked in the room. She gave him a weak smile and continued her work. Quietly, Rishabh placed the gift bag on the bed and walked out of the room without saying a word. He felt anxious about her reaction to the gift Will she accept it? As much as he wanted to give her the bag himself, for some reason he couldn’t gather the courage to do so. Maybe it was because the first time post their marriage he had bought something for her.
Once Prerna was done with her work, she turned to see the bag lying on the bed. There was small card with her name on it. It was signed in Rishabh’s name. She picked it up and slowly started unwrapping it.
There was a beautiful diamond necklace with a pair of earrings. In a fraction of seconds she experienced several emotions. Ranging from confusion at first, then surprise followed by anger. She walked to the closet and kept the box inside. She almost banged the door shut and stromed out of the room.
——-
Rishabh sat in his room and puffed a cigar while he waited for Prerna to return to their room after putting Kukki to sleep. He was standing behind the door and watching Prerna earlier when she had opened the gift.
‘Kuch toh hai jo Prerna mujh se keh nahi rahi.. kahin yeh gift lakar maine kuch galat toh nahi kar diya? After all vo aaj bhi humare relationship ko sirf ek deal ki tarah manti hain… God.. I hope I have not ruined things further…’
He rubbed the bridge of his nose and tried to clear these negative thoughts from his mind. He looked up as Prerna walked in the room. Putting his smoke off, he walked up to her but before he could speak a word Prerna started speaking
‘Mr Bajaj aapko kya lagta hai? Yeh sab mahenge gifts deke aap Mujhe Kya jatana chahte hain?!’
‘Mrs Bajaj Main…’
‘Main Kya… aapko kya lagta hai.. ki aap subah mujh se bina wajah rudely baat karke gusse main ghar se chale jayenge aur shaam ko mujhe diamond ka necklace lakar de denge toh main bhul jaungi ki subah aapne mere saath kaise behave kiya tha?!’
Rishabh was stunned that she had almost guessed the reason why bought the gift for her, but there was more to it and she didn’t know that
‘Haan but….’
‘Haan? Matlab aapko lagta hai ki aap aage bhi issi tarah se mujhse rudely behave karke, mujhe expensive gifts deke mujhe mana sakte hain na?!’
Prerna fumed in anger at her husband who still had a calm look on his face. Rishabh didn’t know whether to be angry at her for accusing him once again or to be astonished by her ability to misunderstand him every time. He let out a sardonic chuckle.
‘Mrs Bajaj, how do you do this? Har baar aap mujhe sahi samajhne ke baad bhi mere intentions ko itna galat kaise samajh leti hain?!’
‘Matlab?!’
‘Aapne yeh sahi socha ki main yeh gift aapke liye issliye leke aaya because maine aaj subah bina kisi reason ke aapko chila diya. But main yeh gift aapko manane ke liye nahi laya hun. Main issliye laya hun because main aapse mafi manga chahta tha.’
He paused for a minute to note that her expressions were now changing from angry to confused and then a little curious?!
‘From what I know, diamonds are a woman’s best friend, issliye Maine socha ki aapko vo gift karke main aapse mere subah ke behaviour ke liye apologise kar sakun..’
‘Mr Bajaj, aapko kyun laga hai ki agar aapko mujhe sorry bolna hai ya aapko mujhe koi gift dena hai toh vo kuch expensive cheez hi honi chahiye..’
Her words made Rishabh look at her in surprise. She was maybe the first woman to despair expensive gifts. But then, she was different from other women for a reason.
‘Aap ko pata hai main subah aapse argue kyun kar rahi thi? Sirf issliye nahi ki aap Kukki ko school lene time se nahi pohunche. Lekin issliye bhi ki aap sirf aapne kaam ko importance dete hain, apni family ke liye aapke paas time hi nahi hai..’
Her words made Rishabh feel a pang of guilt in his heart. It was true that due to his work load he did avoid his family recently.
‘Mr Bajaj.. agar aap bina gift ke bhi aake mujh se sorry kehte main tab bhi aapko maaf kar dete.. uske liye aapko mujhe yeh necklace dene ki koi zaroorat nahi thi…’
Rishabh gave her a slight nod in response while he tried to build up some courage to tell her that there was another reason why he had got her that gift.
‘Vo actually… main sirf aapse mafi mangne ke liye yeh nahi leke aaya tha..’
Prerna frowned at him but gave him an encouraging nod to continue speaking after he took a pause.
‘Kal.. Valentines Day hai… so .. so I thought…’
‘Ki aap mujhe yeh necklace gift kar de…’
Prerna completed his incomplete sentence. She was shocked when the realisation hit her. Her husband had bought her a gift for Valentines Day!! She looked at him with her wide eyes and her mouth agape.This wasn’t the reaction that Rishabh was expecting but at least she wasn’t mad at him for getting her something for Valentines Day. Hope stirred through his chest to ask her the next question
‘Prerna.. will you accept this gift and be my Valentine?!’
For the second time in last few minutes Rishabh had taken Prerna by shock. She bit on her lower lip nodded her head positively which made Rishabh grin in response. In the moment of joy, he pulled her in his embrace, tentatively, Prerna wrapped her arms around him and returned his embrace
Maybe this Valentines Day would mark a fresh beginning to their relationship.
Bigg Boss 19
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
