Chapter 40: Saat Rang Pyar Ke...................................
"Why did you refuse your grandfather's offer, Barkha?" , Nakul asked her curiously. It was an hour to midnight and he wished he would drive her to the beach. It was his birthday the next day and he wanted to usher it in with her. But he guessed the day had been a long one for her. She looked drained, physically and emotionally.
" For the same reason you wanted to make me believe that you'd do something like bringing Doshi Inns and Hotels to ruination" she answered simply. The car screeched to a halt as Nakul stepped on the brake hard, stunned. "You knew?" he asked incredulously. "Well......If you know me well enough to guess that I would downright refuse to aid you with calling off the Manthan - KT alliance, shouldn't I know when you're play acting and when you're not?" she demanded. "All right...all right.....We're even on the 'sacrifice' level, is it?". "Nakul......Its not sacrifice. Did you do what you did because you wanted to be canonized? or add your name to the never ending list of Virani martyrs?" "Of course not....All right I get the point."
He drove in silence for a while before she said softly, "What you did for Massi back there was rather nice. Thank you." "I didn't do it to earn your gratitude." he snapped, looking at her. She raised her eyebrows as he continued, "When two people marry, Barkha, tell learn something from each other. What I learned from you is that sometimes right and wrong does not necessarily mean the difference between what your family does and what they don't. There are more moralistic and absolute rights and wrongs too. And.....that's what I would like to teach my kids to.......Not outright tell them what is right and wrong....But to let them decide for themselves, let them question ....their father, their mother, their grandparents.....Not just blind adherence. But to think."
It took Barkha a few minutes to come back to her original color from the beet red she had become during Nakul's reply. "You got the loan for the penalty payment approved?". "Well....There seem to be some issues ..But I'm confident it'll go through." "If it doesn't?" "I'll ask Karan chachu for a loan, taking a paycut against my salary. Chachu was not very pleased about the approach to the Doshi Inns fiasco, but he says I've done a very good job back with the collaboration in New York. I guess we can afford the salary cut, can we not?" he asked her impishly. Barkha smiled, not telling him that Ganga had made sure that the bank would give him the loan he desired. In fact one of the reasons she could reject her grandfather's offer so blatantly was because her aunt, with her businesswoman acumen, had already anticipated and dealt with the situation.
"Nakul, can we go to the beach....?" It was his turn to raise his eyebrows. "You sure? ...You have to report to work at 8:30 a.m. Tomorrow will be your first day as the Head of the caterinfg department. And I don't tolerate unpuntual people." "I'll make it in time if you do husband dear. You forget who drives me to work!!". "Alright....."
"Its my favorite place ...With my favorite things...." he said wistfully, looking at the ocean and wishing he could kiss his wife, who sat besides him. "You....Me and solitude...." he said to himself. The sound of an approaching car made him turn back, annoyed. "Just my luck." The car stopped and a portly man came out of it, holding a box. He walked up to Barkha, who had risen and with a "Here Ma'am...As you ordered .....
A black forest, double fudge, strawberry icing......11:50 p.m." "Thanks.....Here you go..." she said handing him an additional 100 bucks as tips.
"Will you stand up and open up the car please? I told them to get candles too ......But they seemed to have forgotten. I have some in my purse out there." Barkha said sounding impatient now. "You knew about my birthday? How?" " You knew mine....And I didn't act half as surprised. I know dada, dadi and everyone else back there would have a celebration for you tomorrow...But I wanted to be the first one to wish you.......Can you please get up now ....I want you to cut the cake at 12:00 and its already 11:55".
The clock struck 12:00 and after the ritualistic cake cutting and feeding a piece to her, he cut himself a huge slab. "Nakul....Eat in moderation please....I want to distribute some to the family members...." Barkha chided him. " You should have been less miserly about the size...." he said in injured tones. And then he continued gently..."Barkha....Thanks....Thanks for the cake, for the birthday wishes. Thanks for understanding me, caring for me, believing in me....thanks for coming into my life and bringing peace, calm and stability. Thanks for being what you are Barkha........My angel of love....".
Barkha's response was a kiss to her husband. "No Nakul.....Thank you....Thank you for changing for me. Thanks for giving me a loving family. Your mom aside of course." Her voice grew an octave lower as she said, " You brought me a little bit of anger, a little bit of dislike, a little bit of jealousy, a little bit of peace, a little bit of adjustment, a little bit of affection. And lots of love....Shukriya... Nakul.....Mere zindagi ke kore kagaz ko pyar ke saat rang bharne ka............."
Song dedication:
Kya yehi pyar hai......Haan yehi pyar hai....From the movie Rocky 😊
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Ok....I know there are lots of threads remaining but Saat Rang .... was predominatly Nakul and Barkha's journey from dislike to love....And I think its reached its culmination............. 😊
Edited by anut - 18 years ago
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