OS: Their first Karwa Chauth

Okay, to be honest, this os should have come earlier. I am quite late. But better late than never before this idea gets totally stale, bringing you another Os: Their first Karwa Chauth

Nothing of this sort happened in the show, now will it happen. It's just how I wanted the Karwa Chauth sequence to happen. Which never even came. Here you go!

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"Sonakshi, yahan aao beta." Sonakshi had returned an early evening from her clinic when she was stopped by Ishwari who was sitting on the sofa, probably waiting for her. Sonakshi sat next to her mother in law, waiting what waited for her. Ishwari gave the same forced smile to her and told- "Tumhare maaiyke mein kaisa hota hai, main nahin jaanti. Par Sonakshi, humaare yahan, ye parv (Occasion) Karwa Chauth ka bohot maante hain. Aur main chaahti hoon, ki tum bhi iska sammaan (Respect) karo."

Sonakshi smiled and gave a knowing nod of her head- "Fast karte hain na saara din. Bina kuch khaaye-peeye?"

"Hmmm... Sabhi suhaagan rakhti hain ye vrat, taaki unke pati ki umar badhti rahe aur agar punar janm hota hai toh wo pati har janm mein mile." Ishwari told.

Sonakshi nodded diligently- "Bataaiye na maa, mujhe kya karna hoga?"

Ishwari forwarded a huge platter smilingly on Sonakshi's lap- "Sona, beta, isey sargi kehte hain... Matlab, ek saas ka aashirwaad apni bahu ke liye... Jaise tum log gift dete ho na, waise hi... Ismein suhaag ki cheezein hoti hain, sindoor, choodiyaan, bindi, mangalsutra, wagairah-wagairah... Jisey Solah Shringaar bhi kehte hain... Kal jab tum karwa chauth ki Pooja karogi na, aur apna vrat khologi mere dev ke haath se, tab ye sab pehenna... Theek hai?" Ishwari explained all this to Sonakshi, while Neha stood towards the wall looking wishfully at her mother and sister in law, who had the perfect opportunities and as well were blessed to have the celebration of a well awaited occasion for any married woman... Had she been with her husband, she too would have been getting Sargi... Sonakshi smilingly took the platter of sargi and touched Ishwari's feet in thanks... Ishwari blessed her immediately and smiled.

"Sona, beta tu jaldi se jaake haath mooh dhole, kuch khaa le, mehendi wali ko bulaaya hai maine... Teri mehendi laga degi wo... Abhi lagwaayegi, tabhi toh na kal tak rang chadhega... Shaadi mein toh tumne aalta laga liya tha, par yahan nahi bach paaogi... Mere Dev ke naam ki mehendi achhe se lagwaana... Haan!" Ishwari explained it to her. While Ishwari gave the similar platter to Radha Rani- "Bhabhi, ab aapki saas toh hain nahin, par aapki nanad ke taur par hi sargi de rahi hoon... Aap bhi rakh leejiye... Hmmm..." GKB began fiddling with what all gold items are there in the sargi and was happy about it...

Ishwari looked towards a dejected Neha, and gave a rueful smile. Had her daughter been with her husband, she would have been celebrating her first karwa chauth just like Sona was doing. Just then there was a knock at the door of the hall and Ishwari smiled at Sona- "Lo aa gayi mehendi wali, aur tum abhi tak fresh bhi nahi hui..." Ishwari got up from the sofa to go to the door, when all of them came across Neha's sister in law, Ranveer's Bhabhi standing. They all went to greet them... Neha stood last in the order among the rest of the three ladies. Bhabhi held a platter in her hand and spoke with an absolutely straight face- "Aunty ji, ye Maa ne bheja hai neha ke liye... Sargi hai, aur ye sochke diya hai ki, Neha ne bhale hi Divorce ke papers bhej diye ho, par wo abhi tak Ranveer ki patni hai, isliye unka farz tha usey sargi bhejna. Marzi uski hai, wo vrat rakhna chahti hai ya nahi..."

Ishwari pulled Neha from the back and pushed her to take the platter. Neha took the platter from her Jethani and touched her feet. Her sister in law seeing a platter in Sona's hand, couldn't resist to speak to neha- "Tumhari Sona Bhabhi ki sargi ke expectations ke saath iss Sargi ko mat kholna Neha. Kisi bhi tarah, usmein wo mehengi cheezein nahi hongi jo tumhari Bhabhi ko mili ho. Par mujhe yaqeen hai ki agar Sonakshi Bhabhi ko cheap si bhi sargi de dete toh bhi wo uska maan rakh leti. I hope tum bhi iss sargi ka maan rakh sako." Saying so, Neha's jethani took their leave.

Not uttering any word was an unsaid agreement Ishwari and Sonakshi did, and Ishwari pulled GKB away with her before she spits any venom and instigates Neha. And Neha stood quietly at the same spot, looking at nothing particularly. She has nobody to blame at this moment... She felt so shallow. There's absolutely nothing to look forward to. Even if she keeps a fast, what is the use, Ranveer would anyway not come here to break her fast. Why is her life always so messy? Neha did not know.

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"Maa, main aur Riya didi bhi mehendi lagwa lein? I mean, we are not fasting. Par phir bhi... It looks cool you know!" Nikki asked her mother who sat on a sofa looking at Sonakshi and Radha Rani getting their mehendi done. Neha sat with her palms sprawled, because her mehendi was already done. Sonakshi had made Neha get her henna done, before herself to cheer her up somehow. And now finally she was getting her henna done. She wondered, if the henna artist has been told by her mother-in-law to fulfil the quota of the mehendi that she had missed putting at her wedding? Her entire palm and arms were minutely filled with intricate designs. Sonakshi strained her eyes to see if she can even see the skin of her palm or not. The mehendi artist asked if Sona wanted her husband's name to be written on her palm. And Riya and Nikki prodded her to write "DevAkshi" on their bhabhi's palm because their bhaiyya and Bhabhi are inseparable. Everyone laughed around, and the names were embossed in her henna. After which Nikki and Riya too got intricate designs done on their palms.

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"Chiii" Dev scrunched his nose in displease as soon as he entered in the hall after returning from the office. Ishwari got up to him and inquired, as he spoke- "Ye badboo kahan se aa rahi hai... Mehendi jaisi?"

Nikki and Riya showed their palms to their brother, while GKB admonished him for calling the smell of henna as bad... Neha roughly told about the karwa chauth next day, and his eyes shot to Sonakshi who was standing behind the ladies and smiling. She came to him, and showed her palms to him, that were quite near to his nose. He pulled his face away immediately- "Ye sab lagaake mere paas mat sona... I hate this smell..." Dev told.

"Achha Dev beta, Sona Bahu kya hall mein soyegi agar tere paas nahi soyegi toh?" GKB reprimanded him...

"Nahi, Nikki-Riya ke room mein so jaayegi... Kya badi baat hai..."

"Humare room mein jagah nahi hai." Nikki and Riya told hotly.

"Aur main apna room kisi ke saath share nahi karti." Neha told.

Ishwari laughed off and pulled her son's cheek- "Teri patni ko tere siva kisi ke room mein jagah nahi milegi... Jaise itna badal gaya hai, apni patni ke liye ye bhi she le... Bechaari kal teri lambi umar ke liye vrat rakh rahi hai... Itna tu kar hi sakta hai na?"

Dev looked at his wife, surprised. It hadn't registered to him till now that Sona would also be fasting. He didn't give any reaction, though he wanted to... And Neha yet again stood in the crowd seeing the family rejoice, while her husband stayed far away from her.

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"Iss mehendi mein mera naam likhwaaya?" Dev asked Sona, while he sat cross legged on the bed and Sona in front of him, opening her dark orange coloured palms... Sona nodded in affirmation, and asked him to find it. Dev gave her a naughty look as his nose nuzzled in her neck as he asked- "Agar dhoondh liya, toh mujhe kya milega?"

Sonakshi craned her neck, as she tried to pull her neck away from his tickling nose tip- "Kuch nahi milega... Mujhe 3.30 par uthna hai... Suraj ke ugne se pehle mujhe kuch khaana hoga. Uske baad phir main chaand dikhne tak kuch bhi nahi khaaungi- peeyungi..."

Dev took his nuzzling nose away as he straightened himself, holding her palms, his fingers crossing and settling between the spaces of her fingers. and asked her seriously- "Kyu Sonakshi? Kyu rakh rahi ho ye vrat and all... Tum jaanti ho na, main inn sab mein nahi maanta?"

"Par main toh maanti hoon na Dev!" Sonakshi was serious... She had put her head on his shoulder as she continued- "Dev, ye sirf aapki maa ya mera belief nahi hai... Meri request bhi hai Bhagwaan se... Aapse door rehke jo maine dard saha hai, wo main ab kabhi bhi dubara nahi sehna chaahti... Abhin ahi, kabhi nahi... And agar uske liye mujhe ek din bhooka pyaasa bhi rehna padey, toh what's the big deal? Traditions maane ya na maane, dil ka rishta toh zaroor maanna chaahiye... Chaliye, ab sote hain... Mujhe jaldi uthna hai..." Sonakshi had set an alarm for 3 am, as they settled into the bed for some sleep...

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Sonakshi wrapped herself in one of her Benarasi sarees after having a bath at 3, and got herself ready to go downstairs. She smiled seeing Neha up as well... She was trying to follow those traditions was a good feeling for Sonakshi. Neha has not atleast given up on her marriage is a good thought.

Ishwari had herself prepared the meal for the occasion, and when the ladies settled down to eat did they hear footsteps coming down the stair case. Dev looked bathed and fresh, along with Maamaji as they sat down at the table. Siting, they are here to morally support the ladies because the smell of good food wasn't helping them continue sleeping... With laughter, around, all of them began eating.

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"Sona, bhook toh nahi lag rahi?" Ishwari asked Sona as the night was nearing. Sona shook her head negatively... "Chaand bas nikalne hi wala hai beta... Jaa, tu jaake tayyar ho jaa... Main dekhti hoon ye Dev kab tak aayega."Ishwari told.

Sonakshi smiled and nodded her head... She was rather quiet today. She didn't want to waste her energy talking a lot. She left to her room to finally get ready. In her room, she touched her saree, that Ishwari had asked her, since in their house on the first Karwa chauth they preferred wearing the wedding dress... Sonakshi touched it... But then went to her cupboard and took out the lehenga that her mother in law had with so much love brought for her wedding, and she couldn't wear the blessed dress. Today was a lovely occasion. She should wear this... Sonakshi neared the mirror. And looked at herself ... She opened her palms to see such a dark shade of her mehendi... She needn't any proofs of Dev's true love for her. She knew it... She wore bangles, anklets, rings, earrings, necklace, ect. ... Her eyes shifted to the door that clicked open- Dev stood there, taking in the ethereal beauty. Before he could compliment her, she ushered him inside, to freshen up quickly and get ready. The moon may be up soon... While Dev quickly went for getting fresh, Sonakshi continued dressing up. Surprisingly, he was ready in five minutes, while she was finishing with her Shringaar... She asked him how she looked, and he wordlessly tied a new mangalsutra around her neck along with the older one too there, put up a pinch of sindoor in her parting, and then opened up a paper pack from his kurta pocket, that held gajra, and he put in her hair... Many memories from the past were having a visit in that moment... And both smiled at each other.

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Sonakshi did Dev's aarti, and looked at the moon through the sieve, and had the first sip of water from Dev's hand, when Ishwari came to him and complained- "Dev, Kichu keh raha hai ki tu tiffin ka dabba aisa ka aisa le aaya... Tuney din bhar se kuch bhi nahi khaaya? Tuney vrat rakha? Par tu toh inn sab mein nahi maanta na?"

"Haan maa, main nahi maanta inn sab mein... Par Sonakshi ke pyaar mein toh maanta hoon na... Agar uske mann mein mujhe paane ke liye, aur kabhi na khone ke liye vrat rakhna maayne rakhti hai, toh mujhe ye vrat rakhne mein koi problem nahi thi... Maine kisi se kuch isliye nahi kaha, shayad koi samajhta nahi... Par maa, jo waqt maine aur Sonakshi ne alag rehke guzaara hai, wo ab phir se kabhi nahi guzaarna chaahte..." Dev explained what was in his heart, while the rest of the family looked at them.

Sonakshi came forward, and from her very glass made him drink water and break his fast. Touched to the core, she bent down to touch his feet, as a part of the last step of this ritual. Dev pulled her up, and hugged her to him in an arm hug, as a silent tear escaped Sonakshi's eye... Trying to get over a chocking feeling she said- "Dev, main aapke saath ke siwa aur kuch nahi chaahti. Ye ghar ho na ho, aap ameer ho ya na ho, I don't care. Jab tak aap saath hain... Mere liye har saal ye karwa chauth maayne rakhega..."

While Ishwari and Maamaji were touched, Nikki and Riya did their favourite- "Aww" effect. And Neha who stood there alone turned around to leave the place in a hurry. Worried about what has made Neha sad, they moved quickly to her room, to find her wiping her fervent tears, as she was packing her bags. Dev and Ishwari tried stopping her when she told- "Maa, mujhe bohot bhook lagi hai... Mujhe mere ghar jaana hai. Mere pati mera wait kar rahe honge..."

She went to Sonakshi and hugged her- "I am so sorry Bhabhi... Main humesha aap pe gussa hoti rehti thi... Har baar ye lagta tha ki aap mujhe khush nahi dekhna chaahti... Par asal mein mujhe aapse bohot jalan hoti thi... Main sirf isliye jealous nahi hoti thi ke bhai ke paas ranveer se zyada paisa hai, ya aap mujhse zyada aish-o-aaraam mein rehti hain, but isliye bhi, ki aap mujhse kahin zyada achhi patni aur bahu hain... Mujhse aap jaisa banna nahi hota tha, isliye gussa karke hi apna mann halka kar leti thi... Par aaj jab aapko aur bhai ko dekha toh aisa laga Jaise baaki sab kuch kitna khokhla hai... Jo main dhoondhne chali hoon, wo toh registaan mein paani dhoondhne jaisa hai... Par aap aur bhai har achhi aur buri cheezo mein saath hote hain, ye dekhke aaj aisa laga ki agar maine apni zindagi ko nahi sambhaala, toh shayad phir zindagi mujhe kabhi na sambhaal paaye. Thank You Bhabhi..." Neha hugged her sister in law tightly... And Sona held her firmly. She was happy, if Neha would balance her drowning ship of marriage.

Their first Karwa Chauth albeit late, but bought back the smiles to their families. What more could they ask for. Problems may come and go, life should be strong enough to endure. And they would continue doing so...

~~**THANKS FOR READING**~~

PS: Sorry for typos! Didn't proof read.😛😆