FF LEARNING TO BREATH..updated pg 25 - Page 22

Chapter 23.

"What's wrong?" he asked shocked by finding her like this.

Hastly wiping her face she turned to face him.

'Um n-nothing... I was just um out for a walk."

"Huh...it's cold out here, come inside" He said...he Knew something was wrong and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

Returning to the house , she started to see about the dinner she did not quite start.

"forget it" he said.

"But.." Before she could further protest he grabbed the phone , placing an order for a pizza.

"There dinner is done ok!!' He took her hand leading her to the living room where they sat on the couch.

"Now , tell me what is going on with you?"

"Nothing, I told I was just a little overwhelmed...It's nothing really!" She said he did not believe her

"Sugni ...don't give me that you were fine just not 10 minutes ago and then all of a sudden you are crying your eyes out very upset that dose not just happen ...something is obviously bothering you and I want to know what it is!" He said sternly. She was now staring at her hands looking like she was about to burst into tears again.

"Taking a deep breath, he said

"I'm sorry!, please don't cry...your begging to scare me!"

"Talk to me" he said more softly.
She started mumbling something, so softly he had no idea what she was saying.

"What?"

"i knew this was coming, I thought I could handle it, I am trying but it's not easy...I don;t think i can do this pretend any more...I sorry!" She was crying again

"Do what? Pretend what? What are you talking about?" he did'nt think he had ever been more confused in his life.

'That I am happy you're l-l-leaving! I don't want you to g-g-go" she sobbed.

"Wh..." he was interrupted by the riging o the door bell , Pizza was here. She thought he was leaving??? He was still processing that as he collected the food and placed it in the Kitchen. Why would she think...

Then it hit him...he felt something was off with her and now that he thought about it...it started on that day he said he was going back...her sad smiles, go off by herself sometimes, looking sad and lost at times when she felt he was not looking.

For months now she was obsessing over this apparently until it burst out today. But why? He got his answer as his eye caught the fax lying on the table...the house! She thought he was leaving with out her.

"Hey Bhagwan! "he said as chuckled. Well he needed to fix this and there was only one way to do that. Not the approach he wanted to take, but he really had no other choice now. Joining her back in the living room a few miutes after , she was still sitting as he lfet her., staring at her hands , with that heart broken expression on her face.. Pulling the ottoman infront of her he sat down taking her hands.

" Remember that promise I made to you, that I would not leave you ?" He asked

She nodded

"So how can you think that I would go back on my word now?" She looked at him

"You're going back ...to your world, your family, the restrant is complete now. I know they need you and I am gald that you doing what makes you happy again . I am sorry...I swore I would not do this " she whispered , more to her self than him.

"Yes...back to work...back to heading my business... Sugni you were the one who kept pushing me, encouraging me to go back and now you are saying...? " He said she was staring at him now.

'No' She said shaking her head furiously. "I am not saying that, You need to go and fulfill your responsibilities."

"And I will do that , but not with out you!" He said. "Sugni the only reason that I got the courage or zeal to return was you. You are my world Sugni...and I am not leaving you."

"But that fax...your new home."

"Oh yeah, was supposed to be a surprise, I managed to convinced my mother to move in with us, and well this house is nice and all but I think we would need something a bit bigger., I wanted to wait until I got choices close by befor I said anything to you! " She was watching him with a look of confusion. Sighing he got up and knelt in front of her.

"And this was supposed to be another surprised, I wanted to wait until the opening night ...but..." reaching into his shirt pocket he pulled out a a black velvet Jewelry box, opening it to reveal an elegant looking diamond ring.

"Ms. Sugni Sharma, Will you do me the honor of marrying me ?" He asked staring up at her.

"What? You...how...really I mean what about...?" She started mumbling...building up to one of her whirlwind speeches.

"Sugni, before my knee freezes up, please say yes" he cut her off

"Yes! Yes!" She said laughing, taking the ring out of the box he placed it on her left hand , sealing the deal.

"Thank you!" he said, getting off the floor, kissing her. She hugged him tightly this time her tears were the happy kind.

They celebrated over a few slices of now cold pizza. It was a simple yet extremely happy and satisfying moment for both of them. Just one thing he could not understand.

"So why did'nt you say something? You spent the last five months torturing yourself and never thought to ask me once about it? Why?"

She looked down at her plate,

"I am sorry.it's just that...well I saw how happy you were about going back, and I knew how much it meant to your family for you to.I was not going to stand in the way of that." He stared at her dumbfounded, he was touched by her selfless ness, yet at the sometime wondering how her thought process worked.

"So you thought , what? I was just going to walk away from you, forget everything that happened between us?...wave good bye" He looked at her as though she was crazy...

"I don't know...I mean I knew that I could not leave the restaurant...and well for you to go back you would have to be closer to your family."

"Sugni people travel longer than two hours to get to work, you know that right?" she looked embrassed.

"Next time you think I am about to leave...please ask me...instead of dreaming up scenarios. I don't think I can handle another one of these confusing evenings!. You know I always herd women were complicated...now I see why."

"Hey" she said throwing her napkin at him, trying to look angry...he laughed.

***Epilougue****

(2 years later)

Vickram ran up the stepts of his home towards the bedroom, cursing himself and business meetings, flight delays and keep backs. A meeting he would have happily cancelled had Sugni not insisted that he go. He should have known something like this would happen in his absence, against his best judgement he went.

Opening the door of his room, he found her, lying on the bed, sound asleep. She looked peaceful, beautiful, dispite the dark cirles under her eyes. He looked around the quite room, forrowing his brows, something was not right; he turned to leave when he felt her hand grab his...

"Hey...you're home!" She said smiling, sitting up and wincing.

"Hold on", he said helping her up placing a pillow behind her back. "How are you?"

"Fine considering...according to the doctors I should be up and running as normal in about 6 weeks, maybe sooner!"

"Sugni I'am so sorry..I tried so..." he bagan

"Shhh...I understand you can't control the wheater, nor the airlines!" Vickram, was trying for four days to get on a flight back home. Due to inclement wheather, he was stuck in Norway, with no choice but to wait for the airport to open. The longest four days of his life. When his mother called him and told him that Sugni was in the hospital, he thought he would go out of his mind. He probably called her once every half and hour that day, until totally fed up she told him stop worrying that everything was fine and unless she had some news she would call him. It was only when she threthen to turn off her cell phone did Vickram stopped calling.

He was still amazed at how close Sugni and his mother seemd to be after they got married two years ago. Having more in common, be it gaurdening, or helping out at the restaurant that she loved. Gulabiya's was a Hit with both crowds, and he was proud of his wife as much as she she was proud of her Resturant. It was a matter of personal pride to Sugni keeping the restaurant debt free and and he had a hard time figuring out which one of them was more happy the day she handed him a check for the amount of money he used to help her get out of debt and on her feet again.

He accepted it graciously, enjoying the look on her face when handed it to him. A look that turned into one of shock when he came home that evening and placed a photo frame of the same check on the wall of their bedroom .

Sugni would not be Sugni if she did not argue her point, and he remembered her saying that was not fair.

"Shhh…listen the deal was you would pay me back, and you did it is not your concern wheather I cash the check or not right?" He laughed when she started saying she should have paid him in cash instead.

"Ohhh dose'nt matter it would have still ended up on that wall!" he said as she stared at him bugged eye. "Just imagine, if they ever robbed this house…some one would have been very very happy"

It took them all of two weeks after their engagement to get married. Vickram had already done the elaborate marriage ceremony once and was not to keen on that again, but was willing to if she had any such desire.

But Sugni said she did not and so they decided to have a small simple ceremony in the court house with the presence of Champa, Twinkle ,and Rattu on her side and his Mother, brother and sister –in – law on his.

She choose the the house he fell in love with and soon they moved into their new home accompanied by his mother who had no problems sharing her time between her two sons homes.

Vickram and his brother were as close to each other . With regular family dinners. His life was truly settled now and except for the little scare he just went through he truly could not be more happier!

He was about to ask why she was alone, when the door to their room swung open and his mother walked in with a huge smile on her face.

"I thought I saw you running in from the window! " She said greeting him.

But Vickram was not hearing her; he could not take hs eyes of the little bundle in her arms, as she made her way over to him.

"I think it's time for you to meet your son!" She said

Making a cradle with his arms, which he realised was trembling slightly he accepted the little baby that was swaddled in a dark blue blanket, apparently sleeping peacefully.

"Thank you" he said looking at Sugni , who was wearing a very proud and contented smile on her face.

"Oh my ...he so tiny! " Vickram whispered, afraid to wake him

"Of course he is , he is only three days old!" His mother replied.

"Wow!" He said welling up with emotion. Holding his son for the first time. The missing peice of his life finally being filled..,

As if on cue the baby started moving...letting out a tiny cry.

"I think some one is hungry" his mother said.

Gingerly handing over the baby to Sugni, who with the help of his mother, prepared to feed the baby.

A while later they were both lying on the bed with the baby in the middle, admiring their little son , whom they named , Vijesh Adi Singh. Vickram still could not believe he missed the birth of his son. When his mother called and told him Sugni went into labour two weeks early and that they had to do an emergency c-section on her, he was worried to death. He Thanked God it all ended up fine and they were both in good health.

"Mother says he looks just like you as a baby!" Sugni said

"Really?" Vickram said inspecting the babies fingers and toes. "hmmm"

"You know this look suite you" she said., running her fingers through his hair.

"What look?" He asked curious

"This, a look of total happiness" She said cressing his face..

Reaching up he took her hand

"If I am it is only because of you." He said. Which was the truth. "You know I spent a long time cursing my fate, for all that went wrong in my life, but you know , now I am greatful to fate...that caused me to walk into that dinner two years ago...that caused me to meet you...that really brought me back to life..."I love you !" he said leaning over to place a kiss on her forhead.

"You are not the only one you know. If you did not walk into my dinier , I would probably have givin into there demands.You know they say some people are just made for each other, I guess thats' what we are." She said, smiling

Vickram returned her smile he coud not agree more!

Vinnie - Finely I finished reading 1st chapter

Originally posted by: JulieD

Brilliant Vinnie!!!!⭐️

But like Mansi, I want to kill you!!!😆 What was the surprise? The suspense is killing me,... please continue ASAP!!!😃

Vinnie