The wind was whistling as the nightfall had spread around Ludhiana and a voice from the front of the haunted house called for Prem. Prem and Heer both stood there stunned looking at the figure that was at the door. They weren't able to catch a glimpse of the figure but the voice seemed to be…none other than…Prem's mother, Gayatri. Gayatri came storming in the house and drifted Heer and Prem apart by separating their immensely close bodies with her hands. Her eyes were full of rage, disappointment and anger and it looked as if her blood was boiling. She was angry, definitely angry by the act she had just witnessed…
"My own son, my own son is flirting with a married woman. Prem she is pregnant as well. Don't you understand that it is TOTALLY AGAINST OUR VIRTUES?" Gayatri said as she looked at Prem in disgust "I was always proud to have a son like you and knew you would never be the one to lower our self esteem in society. I CANT BELIEVE YOU, MY PREM, DID THIS… and Heer, you are an Indian woman, how can you let a stranger come into your life like this instead of going back to your paternal home"
"Mamma, aisey baat nahi hai, Heer and I were just….
"Tum chup raho Prem, I know what you guys were doing, I saw it with my own eyes and eyes cannot deceive you. Honestly Prem, I didn't expect this from you. Were leaving for Mumbai tomorrow Prem, and Heer you may join us if you wish, as long as you don't expect your illegitimate relationship with Prem to be accepted by us", Gayatri said as she left the haunted house dragging Prem behind her
Prem tried to release himself from her clutches but was unable to do so as Heer gestured him not to hurt his mother. After all, she was right. Heer had told her she was married and was having a son so obviously Gayatri would name this relationship "illicit".
Heer walked back home and this time she wasn't scared of all that was surrounding the house. A scream passing through an open window of the house at the edge of town rattled the settled sounds of a night tucked in, the filtering whispers of leaves outside in the breeze interrupted, yielded to the call of a helpless exater protected by sound walls; only the nearby creek persisted. Call of crickets resigned under the full moon, and hill-riding wind halted for a moment following her cry. Slowly, the leaves began to whisper again, though slightly muffled, offset by the impression of a scream, but to Heer, none of this matter. All she did walking back home…was cry. Tears vastly surged out of her eyes preventing her from looking up and walking. A light beam appeared swiftly infront of her eyes blinding her and depriving her of sight. She took her arm and closed her eyes and let out a shriek , suddenly, Preet pushed Heer out of the way and took her to a safe corner.
"Pagal ho gayi ho kia?", Preet asked desperately, "the truck was right in front of you, its so big, how could you have missed it. If something had happened to you, what would happen to Prem Bhaiyya…WHY DON'T YOU SAY SOMETHING HEER, WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY ARE YOU ON THE STREET LIKE THIS"
Heer narrated the story sobbingly and asked Preet what she should do.
"One lie Preet, just one lie has ruined my life", cried Heer
"One lie tells a thousand stories Heer. Give mamma some time. She will understand. Right now come with me"
Preet took Heer in his car. She kept sobbing on the way. Preet had already told her he wasn't going to take her home but rather some place where she can feel better. To Heer, it felt as if the moment had stood still, as if nothing was moving, as if the night had 1:00 AM and the time wasn't going to move. She wanted this night to end…
By the time Preet brought Heer to the place which would 'make her feel better', the morning slowly darned and the sun began to beam through the light boxes on the top of the vast mountain area, the streets and houses began to glow. Around the edge of the gardens witnessed from their drive, the golden and red leaves began to whistle in the wind like the sound of a child's toy, whilst the sound of the street workers yelling besieged the sound of the whistling leaves and wind. Heer woke up as the sun shone brightly into her eyes helping her eye lids open up. The beam from the sun symbolized new hopes and aspirations for Heer as last night was a ditch in her life.
"Preet, I am sorry, I was just sitting and I guess…meri aankh lagai (I fell asleep)" she said apologetically, "I didn't mean to. Arent you tired? You have been driving all night"
"First off, its okay that you slept Heer 'bhabhi' and second, yes I am tired but the place is just two minutes away"
"Where are you taking me Preet, I cant wait anymore"
"Don't worry Heer bhabhi, youll know. Today is a new day, and this day will definitely arise many memorable moments"
After a while, he got out of the car and opened the passenger seat door to let Heer out. She came out and witnessed a figure sleeping on the bench outside a cabin. Preet told her to go ahead and he will wait in the car. As she blinked her eyes, she saw him laying there, still sleeping and exploring his deepest thoughts. The brisk morning air nibbled at her nose as the sun, just rising over the mountains, warmed her body. She leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on his lips to wake him. He opened his eyes slowly and looked over at her with a smile. As he stroked the side of her face with his gentle hand, she felt his dusky skin melt over her. After laying there holding each other in perfect silence, they decided to go for a morning hike.
They took off down a path covered softly with moss and tiny pink flowers. Off to the side of the path were endless green trees and pants all nestled together to make one beautiful piece of art. After a while, they reached a sparkling, clear brook. It was about twelve feet deep and nearly three feet deep. The path wound right along side the water. Down the brook a ways, they came to a deep water hole where the fish danced in the swirling current. She turned around and looked at Prem, she said…
"we have to fix this prem, if we want to be together"
He placed his finger on her lips, gently shhshing her. He pointed to the other direction to where a boat stood in water gently moving. He guided her to the boat and they both sat down. He asked Heer to close her eyes and feel the water rush under the boar. When she opened her eyes, she saw Prem clincing a red rose in his mouth at which she shyly smiled. He handed the rose to her and stopped rowing the boat when they arrived at an island…
"Where are we Prem?"
"Kuch nahi kaho Heer, You are with me and I am with you and that's all that matters"
Suddenly he got down to his knees and took a sterling silver diamond ring. He took the ring out of the box and held Heer's left hand, he placed a kiss on her hand and…
"Today I begin to understand what love must be, if it exists. When we are parted, we each feel the lack of the other half of ourselves. We are incomplete like a book in two volumes of which the first has been lost. That is what I imagine love to be: incompleteness in absence. Heer you are the only one I can spend the rest of my life with, you are the only one I love deeply, madly truly. Just as the moon is incomplete without its starts and the eyes are incomplete without tears, sorrow or happy, I am incomplete without you. I love you Heer, I love you so much, Will you marry me?"
Shocked, Stunned, Happy, Surprised, joyous, faint, frustrated, Heer was experiencing all these emotions at the same time. She was glad Prem had proposed but sad at the denial from Gayatri…
"Nahi Prem, I cant marry you", replied Heer as a tear rolled down her tender cheek, "Gayatri aunty supported me in everyway, I am not going to take her son away from her. I will not marry you until your mom accepts me as her bahu"
Heer started to walk the other way when suddenly a hand grabbed her wrist from the back
"Prem choro mujhe, I already told you…"
She turned around to see that it was none other than Gayatri holding her hand. Behind Gayatri, The Maans', Junejas' and Daljeet stood as they all gave a playful smile to Heer. Prem also had the same smile on his face. Heer wondered what in the world was going on…
"Why are you all looking at me like that" exclaimed Heer
"Kyunki, you are running away from the best proposal of your life. You are leaving Prem which is your opportunity knocking" said Gayatri
"But weren't you opposed to this relationship?"
"Let me explain, remember when I first told you your mother had called? We did discuss you. Obviously she is your mother so she told me everything…the reason she sent you here, how you were here to look for a job, and how you aren't married. To this I was quite shocked as someone told me that you were pregnant. The day you Preet and Prem left for the Mandir, Lalit ji saw yours and Prems affection towards one another and came to tell me, that was another shock. When I saw Prem and Preet at your house, I knew something was definitely up, so I discussed it with your mom"
"When Gayatri told me you were pregnant and married, I was shocked. I knew you had been lying. After all, you are Meher's sister", Said Teji
"So yes didi, me, Daljeet aunty, Prem bhaiyya, and Gayatri aunty came with a plan to get you to tell the truth. And so that night, he called you to a haunted house where were to scare you and bring Preet in front of you. Preet was to be covered to 'pretend' he was your husband and that he was the father of your child, but you got so scared and started to cry. Prem jiju was not able to control himself and came to save you instead of following along with the plan. Our plan was messed and so gayatri mom had to step in." Said meher
"How do you think I came at the right moment to save you from an accident Heer?" asked Preet " I was right there waiting for a signal for me to come in when I saw you walking down. I knew something was up and so I followed and was able to save you."
"What accident?" Prem asked with a concern
Preet told him the story and Teji came rushing to Heer and hugged her. Prem's eyes moistened and everyone got scared as they knew that if they hadn't made the plan, Heer's life might not have been in danger.
After the explanation of their whole story, Prem again asked Heer if she will marry him… Heer willingly said… "Yes, Prem, I will marry you"
The celebrations were at full swing in Teji's house as the preparations for Heer and Prem's engagement were being dealt with. The house was being decorated in white flowers, the mitaii shoppes were being called, the caterers were being called, the men were deciding what to wear, the women were making lists of the guests and the house was being re decorated to find more space so that the guests could come. In all this chaos, everyone forgot about Heer and Prem…
Heer was in her room thinking about the moments that had been spent with Prem.
"mere bare mein soch rahi ho?" called a voice from the back
She turned around and her eyes widened at the sight of Prem. She tried to say no but her eyes said it all, how she missed him, how she wanted to stay with him, how much she wanted to be with him. He took his finger and brought her chin up with it so that he could make eye contact. Heer was unable to do so as she knew his eyes would make her melt…
"Oh so you are thinking about that kiss last night?" Prem laughed as he teased
Heer turned her head in the other direction and said…
"Prem its inauspicious to see you wife before the marriage, so please go downstairs"
"Oh so no you are bossing me around too?" Prem said as he played with the strands of her hair
"No its just…"
"No Heer, I want to relive that moment that occurred between us yesterday"
Heer blushed and shyly turned her back towards him and tried to leave the room. He pulled on her veil from the back preventing her to leave the room. The veil slipped off her lean neck and landed in Prem's hands. She couldn't turn around as she as veil less. She kept her hands on her neck and when she realized the veil was not there, she stood there astonished, still her back facing Prem. He came towards her and she could feel him coming. With each step he took, he pulse raced and her heart beat stopped. There was a blood rush in her body. He kept both of his hands on each of her shoulders and clutched it tightly leaving Heer feeling a chill up her spine. She was still veil less, and still breathing deeply. He caressed her hair away from neck and shoulders and pecked it. Once, twice, maybe thrice or more…He tried to turn her towards him but she was too afraid to turn. He put her veil back on from over her head and finally turned her around. Her head was tilted and her eyes were closed. He came close to her lips, close, closer. She could feel his minty fresh breath but he restrained himself and left a heavy breathing Heer in the room again. He did not kiss, but every moment Heer and Prem spent together was like their first kiss… just as romantic…just as passionate…
Shiv Shakti
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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