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After attending to my looks, I opened the door and entered my living room. Stacy was washing the dishes as expected. The thing that caught my attention sat on my dining table with his back to me. "RK!", I spoke aloud. He turned to me and lowered his coffee cup. Next, he scanned me head to toe and I felt like pulling my crop top to hide my navel. It was embarrassing suddenly. "Did you sleep well!", he turned back to his laptop and asked. "Yes.", I managed to push the word out of my mouth. "Come, have a seat", he said. I felt awkward. "I'll go wear something else.", I murmured. "Why?", he turned to me. I felt ashamed. "You look fine.", he spoke coldly and turned back into his laptop. I sighed and trudged to the seat on the opposite side of the table. "Coffee please Stacy!", I told Stacy. He was busy typing something and sipping his coffee. I yawned and leaned on the table closing my eyes. My eyes were still sleepy but I had to wake up.
"Mam!", Stacy shook me up. I realized I had dozed off on the table. I took the coffee and sipped it going through today's Brisbane Weekly. It was a routine for me to look around in the paper as a reader and find out areas of improvement. Finding some faults, I dialled Adam.
"Morning Baby!", Adam spoke on the other side. He was a tad feminine.
"Morning Adam.", I smiled.
"How is your sightseeing?"
"The plan trashed Adam. Dad had to leave for Mumbai this morning!", I sighed. From the corner of my eyes I realized that he wasn't even bothered to know who I was talking to.
"Ohh, sadness. Why don't you come over to work?"
"I am very sleepy today Adam. Just looked through the newspaper and there's this one glitch."
I explained it to Adam in detail while RK continued his work. Adam was a darling. He jotted down everything I told him on phone.
"Alright, Babe! I'll look into this. Btw, can we meet at the disc today?"
"Disc? Today. Just a second Adam.", I clicked the mute button so Adam wouldn't be able to hear RK's voice.
"Adam is inviting me for Disc tonight?", I told RK. He peered above the screen and said, "I'll drop you to my Disco."
Saying so, he dropped his head down and started typing again.
"Adam! Hey. I have just found out about a new disc, can we meet there? I'll text you the address!"
"Sure Baby. I'll inform Maria and others"
"Aah yeah! That will be awesome!", I gleamed.
"Bye Babe!"
"Bye Sexy!", I remarked and cut the call. His eyes froze for a second after I said "Sexy!". So he was noticing my conversations. He wasn't that ignorant a husband.
"What's for lunch Stacy?", I asked. Stacy looked at me and then motioned to RK. I turned to RK and he was gazing me. "Anything wrong?"
"Maa invited you over.", he told me.
"Not a saree again!", I blurted out suddenly and then popped my eyes in shame.
He raised his brow to me. I hid my face cheekily in my hair. "I'll go get ready RK", I avoided him and rushed into my room. Like it or not, I had to resort for a saree. I took out a simple chiffon saree with om prints and changed into it. It was lighter than the other kanjevarams and silks that I had been wearing post my marriage. Will was there when I returned to the living room. He greeted me and then looked back into the laptop where he was taking down instructions. RK didn't even bother to notice me when I came and sat in front of him. I frowned and took out my phone. It was Ri's message confirming about the disco. RK finished off his works by the time I had a quick chat with her.
"Shall we?", he said. I nodded and followed him out instructing Stacy to take care of any calls or messages.
We drove silently. A soft music played.
"Why did you stay back?", I spoke.
"Because you had fallen asleep. I had to make sure you were ok."
"I was just sleep-deprived. Thanks for staying back. It was relieving to see the house not completely empty after Papa and Maa left."
"You can come and live with me Madhu!", he spoke while his eyes were still ahead.
"RK we already discussed this."
"Yes, but you're my lawfully wedded wife. You have the right to stay with me."
I turned to him in horror. "Lawfully wedded wife" sounded strange and eerie.
"Yes...I do", I didn't know what to say. "I just want to give this relationship some more time." I admitted.
"Do you feel guilty?"
"Guilty? Why? No!", I spoke together almost yelling.
"I mean, you're different. I feel I am suppressing your spirit."
"That is not true."
"Are you sure? You don't like wearing sarees and all these lunches. I can feel that", he assumed. I was horrified and furious for being so judgemental.
"You're being judgemental RK!", I closed my eyes and swallowed my anger.
"You cannot judge a person based on his likings. I am a far more mature person that I look like. In fact I admit I don't look mature to people but I have been through a lot in my life. I have seen my shares of struggles and accidents..."
"...If you think that my decision to marry you was just a emotional decision then I am sorry Mr RK. You really need to brush up your skills of judging a person. You cannot just think what you want to.", I couldn't control my anger.
"You are making me feel as if I am the stupidest person on this planet to have agreed to marry you.", I continued.
"...I know that the decision to marry you was very quick, but I trust my parents. They know the best. And if they thought you're good for me, I blindly know that you're good.", I finished.
"Even I thought that because Maa thinks Anjali is good for me, she would actually be", he muttered and then stopped. I was spellbound. He had so much hidden inside him that was trying to come out. I could feel the efforts he was putting in keeping all those things inside.
"RK!", I clicked my tongue and held his hand tightly. "Move on!", I pleaded. He looked at me, emotionlessly and then removed his hand below mine. I sighed and turned my face away.
We reached his huge mansion. Maa was waiting with traditional Arti-thali and Grihapravesh stuff. My first steps into the house as RK's wife. I covered my head with my saree while Maa did the Arti. I pushed the kalash with my toes and entered the house with red-footprints. Virat Bhaiyya was waiting with a woman by his side. He introduced her as his wife, Sukanya. She couldn't manage to attend the wedding because she couldn't get tickets on time. That's when I came to know that Sukanya Bhabhi worked in a different company and not with the Kundras. She looked pleasing and genuine. RK and I touched her feet and then Virat Bhai's. She hugged me as if she was genuinely happy to see RK's life finally moving on. Virat Bhai and RK indulged into technical talks while the ladies gathered in the massive Kundra Kitchen and chatted. "Bhabhi. I cannot make anything!", I admitted. Sukanya laughed, "Same pinch Madhu! I cannot make anything as well. Working ladies are always the same!", she and I shared a high 5. Radha Maa watched us and smiled. We helped her serve the food into various bowls and the servants laid the table for us. Everyone sat for Lunch and I realized that Radha Maa was a brilliant cook and her fingers had magic. Everything was so delicious.
After lunch, Virat Bhai and Sukanya moved to their room while Radha Maa decided to rest. It was just him and me.
"Come. I'll show you my room"
I nodded and followed him as we went 3 floors up via the elevator. It was a huge room but hardly decorated. There was a huge bed on one side behind which was a full glass panel wall. Right on the opposite side was a piano and an LED. I moved around his room and realized that one could play football in it. His washroom was larger than my room. I sighed. He must feel so stuffed in my tiny 3 BHK apartment. I carefully sat on one of the bean bags while a few servants laid down drinks in front of us. I refused to drink while he took vodka.
"Your room is beautiful", I peered through the glass panel wall. The view was beautiful.
"Hmm...", he replied. I turned to check what he was doing. He was sitting on his piano stool and gazing at me. I smiled. "There's enough space for both of us.", he said. I sighed and smiled weakly. "We have discussed that... RK!", I wandered in his room. "I am hoping you'd change your mind.", he muttered.
"Why are you hoping so?"
"Because I feel protective of you. Having you under my family's protection and watch will be so much relieving."
"Hmm...but I really want to-"
"Yes I have heard that already.", he finished my sentence.
I bit my lip softly.
We stayed there till the sunset and then we reached back to my apartment. I changed into a silver tube-dress and pulling on my coat, we left for RK's disc.
Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
