Part 8:
Dutta was locked up in his office with Baji for all of the afternoon. Naku knew what they were discussing -- Anna. And she knew that Dutta would stop at nothing now to destroy his enemy. This very thought displeased her, scared her.
Naku spent most of her afternoon in her family's room with Sethji and Babi. Every so often, her mind would wander to one place...Dutta. Memories flashed before her, Dutta running his hands through her hair, pulling her by her arms to him, kissing her neck and lips. She got up and went outside, but that did not distance her memories of him. His undoing the hooks on her kameez, pushing her down under him, her opening the buttons of his white kurta. Naku smiled shyly, happily. She and Dutta had shared an intimate, emotional moment, and now they were husband and wife in every sense of the word.
Dutta came down for dinner. While he had told AS about his feelings for Naku and his marriage, he had not done so with the family. And again, on this occasion, he used his words sparingly, almost mechanically. He said that he would like them to accept Naku as his wife, as they are starting their married life together. Kala, Leela and the others had heard something to this effect before, but were puzzled by what exactly he meant. They suspected, but were not sure.
Dutta excused himself, going back up to the office, eyeing his family as he left the table for a reaction. But everyone knew how the game was played--smile on their faces, words of agreement on their lips. Dutta asked Baji as he left to send Naku up to him after she had had her dinner. Baji knew why, and gave Dutta a look that said I'll take care of it, quietly.
Dutta was looking out the window, mesmerized by the night sky. The breeze, the glow of the stars, perfect...he thought of his past with Naku. All the bad times--the fury, the violence--and their coming together. He felt happy, alive for the first time in a long time. And he was thankful for having been given this blessing of love. A part of him could scarcely believe that he was married and happy. It had eluded him for so long.
While Dutta was looking outside, Naku quietly walked in, watching him from afar as she usually did. Her eyes could not bring themselves to look at anything else when Dutta was around. He was the vision they would not deprive themselves of. As Dutta turned around, closing the drapes, he saw Naku watching him, and he smiled.
Dutta walked towards her, held her hand, and pulled her to him. He held her in his arms, noting how complete he felt with her there. He motioned to the dresser, where Bapa's murti had once resided. In its place was another murti of Bapa, AND what looked to be a chain. She walked up to it, and saw what it was. Dutta's chain, her mangalsutra. Beside it was the traditional container of sindhoor. Naku turned to look at Dutta, but he was already next to her. She looked at him, her eyes watery, flooding with emotions and love for him. Dutta noticed her reaction, her heart-felt reaction, and he walked over and held the mangalsutra. He opened the clasp and put it around Naku's neck. They looked into the mirror, absorbing this vision, this moment, and each other's faces. Dutta put his arms on Naku's shoulders and turned her around to face him. He put his chin on top of her head, she was so small that it made Dutta even more possessive of her. He reached out to the sindhoor box, opened it, and took a pinch. As Naku watched his red-stained fingers make their way to her maang, she closed her eyes and felt the powder deposit onto her scalp. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Dutta smile at her. "Naku" he began. "Main kuch soch raha tha..." He told her of his desire to wake up to her in the mornings, and to sleep with her next to him at night. He told her that he was happiest when she was next to him. He motioned to the armoire, and walked over to it. He opened the door, and there, where once some of his stuff used to be, were suits, saris and other things. Naku turned to him, her heart filled up with happiness. He looked down, giving her time to gain her composure, to get her arms around the implication. He, Dutta, wanted Naku to share his life and his bed.
Naku reached out to him instinctively, appreciatively.... lovingly. Dutta took her hand and led her out to the balcony, the place he had often wandered alone at night, thinking of his kismat, cursing love and his fate. Now he was bringing his jaan, his love to this very place, changing it forever. they stood quietly for some time, in each other's arms, feeling the breeze run between and around them.
It was at that point that they moved closer to each other, and they felt that warmth again. Naku's eyes twinkled, and she knew from his eyes, what he was thinking. And she wanted it too, to once again lay next to him, to be his wife. Dutta led her back inside.
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This was part 8, the last part in the jungle / aftermath story. I will open up a new FF once things progress a bit more. I hope you really enjoyed it.
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
