OS- Two blessed souls! -last part on pg 6! - Page 4

"She knew, Nidhi. She knew how much I needed you. She sensed it even before I did. What do you think all of what she did was about? It was her fighting against my fundamental need for you, a fight that she knew she was doomed to lose!"

"When Mallika first proposed to me, my initial feeling was guilt. I could not feel for her what she claimed to feel for me. I, an unwanted scum, was finally considered worthy of love but was ungrateful enough to reject it. Mallika never said this in so many words but she never let me forget that I had rejected her either. We were great friends on the surface but beneath it, there was a lot of resentment too. She resented me for not loving her and I resented myself for the same. We were bonded as much by our friendship as by this resentment. Neither of us could let go and move on. And when Baba left me, she became my sole anchor. The only one who refused to abandon me despite my rejection! I, an unworthy scum, had dared to reject her and yet she stayed on in support. Can you imagine the burden of debt this placed on me?"

And there was also the principled part of me, my only source of self-worth, which kicked in and said I had to prove myself non-partisan. And so, I let you go. I knew you were a brave and a smart girl. You had it in you to fight the world and survive. So, I let you go that night, hoping that you would get away from my destructive influence. I had neither been a good friend nor a good husband. I had already destroyed Mallika's life and now I stood by and watched you destroy yours. So, I sent you away! And then, you came back! When you apologized, while the judge in me rejoiced at being proved right, the husband and lover was gratefulthat my destructive influence had not put you beyond redemption. How we revel in our glorious vanities! And yet, I was not vain, Nidhi! My belief in my destructive influence was only furthered by all of this"

Not that I did not know but we women do like being reassured once in a way!"

👏 😊 Awesome writing Sujathaji!!! Loved Ashu's of POV the most among all 3 and found it totally rational too. You have narrated Ashu's take very beautifully -- particularly, his support for Mallika was always inexplicable to me but, how you have given Ashu's perspective on the kind of relationship he shares with Mallika, has made everything clear now 👏 And, I wanted Ashu to regret his decision of marrying Nidhi in her favor. Thank you for putting it that way only. 😊

For me, the text highlighted in RED above: Can't agree more on all these. Mallika always and that too deliberately made Ashu feel guilty of not accepting her feelings for him.

Text highlighted in BLUE: I could presume Ashu's complex mindset is due to his orphanhood, but, sincerely speaking, had never thought of it this deeply. The burden of being unwanted in parents' life, the pain of having been abandoned by life-givers and burden of being indebted to someone who is in your support -- you have brought out this feeling of helplessness and at times of self-pity/self-hatred in Ashu so constructively. Now, my heart goes out to him when I read this honest confession: When you apologized, while the judge in me rejoiced at being proved right, the husband and lover was gratefulthat my destructive influence had not put you beyond redemption.

Text highlighted in PURPLE: Honestly, whatever thoughts Ashu might have for driving Nidhi out of his house at midnight, I could never rationalize this injustice to my angel. Your way of looking from Ashu's eyes here, is very convincing though

Text highlighted in PINK: 100% and that too more with verbally expressed 😊😉

Hope KPji rather than cribbing on not being given due credits, read your posts and incorporate these views in actual KTLK. Everyone here recognizes the desperate need of Ashu's heart-to-heart talk with Nidhi on certain facts. Thank you for doing it here at least. 👍🏼 Superlike!!!

@ttrocks

Am flattered that you have gone into sucn an indepth analysis 😊

What we have is a beautiful story and beautiful characters...they compel you to try and understand them and write about them...

On Nidhi's midnight exit, Ashutosh's actions are indefensible...he himself is well aware of it...like he said on the show, even if he apologized every day of his life, it would not be enough...

He is just trying to tell her what he was thinking...although it was all wrong...

I can see a new understanding in her eyes. But I still wonder if I am worthy of it. Am I still making excuses for my inadequacies?

I truely wish this should be of this week's story line. Even then conflict still remains in Ashni in other ways.

Originally posted by: Sujatha.rao

@ttrocks

Am flattered that you have gone into sucn an indepth analysis 😊

What we have is a beautiful story and beautiful characters...they compel you to try and understand them and write about them...

On Nidhi's midnight, Ashutosh's actions are indefensible...he himself is well aware of it...like he said on the show, even if he apologized every day of his life, it would not be enough...

He is just trying to tell her what he was thinking...although it was all wrong...

I can see a new understanding in her eyes. But I still wonder if I am worthy of it. Am I still making excuses for my inadequacies?

Thank you so much Ma'am 😊 Yup, this is really a beautiful story and actors are doing full justice to characters. It might not be a TRP burst, but, I feel, to do full justice with KTLK, one needs a heart full of emotions - for everyone and everything he/she comes across. The story and actors indeed compel me to know about the show little more and that's how I joined this forum. And I am really glad I joined our forum. Thru discussions on KTLK moments, I get to learn and share the views on every facets of relationships. Hovering over posts is like going on a treasure hunt... for food for thought articles. 😊

For text in turquoise, whats more to say? what's new to add that hasn't been said already? Plz. keep coming with such deep insightful posts, for reading them amazingly helps in understanding human tendency better.

Thank you Swatimanjula

Thank you Tupu...am really touched!

Fantastic Sujathaji...no words to describe how you took all the readers and ASHNI fans to another world...so full of realities, heart-wrenching ones, Ashu's life is full of..! there are no words to express how great a writer u are...hope KPji also reads this...he will be stunned as to how well u have come out with the story...a special thanks to you as it will be easy to endure all the painful episodes which are going to follow...thanks a million for this...!

Thanks Arundhathi...am glad if will help to keep your smile intact through Ashutosh and Nidhi's testing times!

Thanx Sujatha

The Aftermath

What a tumultous union that had been! Each one so desperate to assuage the hurt of the other, so desperate to drown the other's sorrows in passion, so desperate to apply themselves as the balm to each other's wounds.

"If this is how we are going to make up after every fight, then let us have more fights, I say!"

Nidhi mock punches Ashutosh on the chest even as she frowns darkly at him.

"I won't survive another fight like this!"

"And I won't survive you!"

She traces her fingers over his well-defined lips.

"I feel like kissing these lips for saying the sweetest of things!"

"So who's stopping you!"

"Just the desire to hear more. If we get started again, there won't be any stopping for a bit!"

"What do you want to hear?"

"How did you know that you were in love with me?"

"You want to know after all these days?"

"Better late than never!"

"Should I be honest?"

"Of course!"

" You see I had been having these rather weird feelings in the pit of my stomach whenever you came within a ten feet vicinity. I felt I had turned into a human radar clued into your proximity. My heart beat became so irregular that I even consulted Dr Bokadia for fear that I may have developed arrhythmia. I had a master check-up done. That is when I had the shock of my life!"

"What happened?"

"Well, I found that all was well with me except my heart!"

"You mean you were diagnosed with arrhythmia?"

""No, from Dr Heart stone, I had become Dr No Heart?"

""What is that supposed to mean?"

"Meaning my heart was missing!"

"Very funny!"

"That is not all. They discovered another female heart in its place. One that kept beating to the rhythm of my name!"

Nidhi kisses his chest, right above his heart.

"Now I know where my heart is. Been looking for it for long now!"

"Why do you need it anyway? You have mine in its place after all!"

::When Ashu would have moved to kiss her over her heart, she pushes him away.

"I want to talk!"

"More?"

"We have a lot of time to make up for!"

"We need to make up for the last few days worth of gifts too!"

He looks at her so passionately that she forgets to breathe for a moment.

"Don't look at me like that?"

"Why not?"

"My brain stops functioning!"

"Do we need fucntioning brains for what we are about to do? Forgotten your anatomy lessons, doc?

"What a one track mind you have!"

Ashutosh suddenly gets serious.

"Yes Nidhi. Just one track and the track leads to nowhere but you!"

They remain in silence for the next few mintues, wrapped in each other's warmth.

Ashutosh's fingers that were playing with her hair suddenly still.

" It must have hurt to see me comb her hair, right?"

She stiffens for a moment before relaxing again.

" Yeah...just a bit...then I told myself that you must have worked as a hairdresser part time back in London!"

"Minx!"

She bites him on the shoulder to show him that she is one!

"Did you really share an overcoat?"

"Would it bother you if I said yes?"

"Not anymore!"

"Even if it would, the answer is no!"

"Why did she say that then?"

"Well, there was one overcoat which we took turns wearing. So techinically, I suppose that would be sharing!"

"Why did you not correct her then?"

"Maybe I wanted to see how much that bothered you!"

She bites him real hard this time.

""Now you know!"

He rubs at his shoulder ruefully.

"I do!"

"And the private music sessions?"

"We were both grad students living in dorms...so even if there were violin concerts, they were never private. And before you ask, yes the pizza part did happen!"

She digests that silently.

"Nidhi, you still wonder about my feelings for her!"

"Nah...you'd have to be a fool to want her over me...and I know you are not a fool!"

"Such confidence...am flattered!"

Ashutosh gets serious again.

"Nidhi, am sorry for not telling you before hand about her pregnancy. Am sorry for not making you understand that I had no choice since there was a child invovled. Am sorry for hurting you. But believe, I hurt as much, if not more, every time I hurt you. And I mean it!"

She hugs him a little tighter.

"No more secrets and no more hurts!"

"Yes Mam!"

Ashutosh turns serious yet again.

"Can I make one more confession before we move on to more important matters?"

"Let me guess! You let her cheat in the exams by sharing your answer paper...or you donated blood to her when she was sick...actually I like that idea...makes you blood siblings..!"

"I might have donated blood to her.. We are the same group actually!"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me before? Would have saved me a lot of angst. So was that the confession?"

"No , this is far more serious!"

""What now?"

"I met another woman!"

""What?"

"She called me a dude, a hunk and said I was hot!"

""IWhere the hell is she? 'll go claw her eyes out right now!"

Ashutosh pulls Nidhi close to him.

"Why don't you start with me first? My back is rather fond of your claws!"

He is about to kiss her when she interjects.

"Who is she?"

"Who?"

"The witch who finds you hot?"

""Mallika's maid!"

""Oh God...Mallika again?"

There is no talk for a very long time after that!

ah...some light hearted scenes...thank you Sujatha...i think this was needed after the previous outburst...