Scene II
Prithvi still could not believe that Sameer would go to this extent ' he looked at Avni again and felt a lump forming in his throat. Tears threatened his eyes. He placed a hand on Avni's head, gave her an assuring 'everything will be alright' nod and quickly left the room. Once outside, he took a deep breath and composed himself. He shuddered to think if something had happened to Avni.
Wish things could be different. Wish he was back in Manali ' happy and content.
'Mere teeno beton ki shaadi ek hi mandap me hogi' he recollected ma's words.
Sameer would always retort back 'I don't know abt Prithvi Bhaiya, but I would be the first one to get married'. To which ma would roll her eyes.
Back home he would always think ' I will get Sameer and Varun married before settling down.
Atleast one of these turned out to be true. Sameer was the first to tie the knot.
Engrossed in these thoughts he found himself standing at the door of his room. He had wanted to go to the stud farm, but did not realize he walked back to his room instead. Their room, he thought.
He pushed the door open slightly, to check whether Damnee was still there. He found Damnee standing on a tall stool trying to get something from the loft overhead. She was trying her best but could hardly reach.
'Why couldn't I be taller ? Look at Prithvi, he is so tall .' She heard herself say.
This was interesting thought Prithvi, he stepped into the room and closed the door gently and leaned against it to watch the fun. A bemused smile played along his lips as he watched her. Standing on her toes she tried to reach one of the boxes on the loft, and finally managed to get hold of it.
'Hah' he heard her say.
She tugged at the box and found herself losing her balance and along with the box a few others from the loft came tumbling down.
She closed her eyes shut and before she realised what was happening - found herself in the safe haven of two strong arms and a solid chest.
Prithvi saw it coming and moved quickly, in time to save her from falling. He looked down at her scared face and shut eyes and smiled. He was enjoying this. She refused to open her eyes and he held her not speaking a word.
After a while, Damnee squinted and opened one eye to stare into a pair of large blue eyes, eyes that had always fascinated her. Everything about Prithvi fascinated her, she thought, his hard handsome face, the thick eyelashes, slightly cynical mouth to his tall muscled build.
Prithvi's 'Here you go again look' brought her back to senses and she shut her eyes again.
'Please let him not start the ladkiyon wala kaam again' Oh God.
The last of the boxes perched on the edge of the loft fell suddenly hitting Prithvi's shoulders, knocking them down. 'What the hell ?' yelled Prithvi as he landed thump on the floor with Damnee next to him. She leaned up against him clutching his shirt and felt his hands tighten around her holding her safe. Damnee suddenly chuckled under her breath, still refusing to open her eyes.
Amused, Prithvi raised himself on his elbows to look at her. He studied the face of the woman, his wife, next to him. She was so different. Soft and gentle, with an iron will she always managed to take his breath away, he thought. He slowly brushed the strands of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He ran his hand through the strands thinking how silky it felt. His hands lingered on her ear.
Damnee was scared to move. An overwhelming warmth enveloped her, so tightly that she was finding it hard to breathe. She lay still reluctant to release the moment. She could hear her heart pounding loud and clear.
'It felt so good, so right to be so close' she heard telling herself.
The phone rang and he sat up with a jolt. He fumbled to retrieve the phone from his pocket. It was Sameer calling. He got up and extended a hand to help her. 'Let me take this call' was all he could say before walking out of the room. The sudden intense brooding expression on his face made her shrink inwardly.
She watched him as he walked away, swallowing hard to ignore the empty sensation that washed over her. Wasn't he behaving a little weird, she thought. It must be hard on him, the events of the previous day, shifting to Gujral mansion ' probably he needs more time she hastened to assure herself.
I need to do everything to make him comfortable here.
Groaning, she walked to clear the junk that fell from the loft.
Edited by achumen - 15 years ago
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