RANTARA SS LOVE AFTER MARRIAGE part 20 page 52 - Page 29

Part 18

It was the day of the haldi ceremony. And Antara had become very choosy about what she should wear. Frankly, she wanted to wear a saree. She didn't know why because she actually didn't like wearing nine yards on the first place but that day things felt different to her...She had been thinking of Raghu way too much & also of his likes & dislikes...!

So when Raghu saw her in a yellow saree with her hair tied up in a bun & long silver ear-rings donning her ears, he was left awestruck to the extent that he doubted his capability to breathe! She looked so ethereal like an angel, so delicate like a doll that he felt he could write praises & praises about her...His eyes locked with hers...She was feeling shy...

And to top it, she was so nervous that she just about to trip when Raghu caught her in his arms!

"Uh...if you cannot walk properly in a saree, why did you wear it?" he didn't know what else to say!

"Oh hello! And why are you ever ready to hold me in your arms whenever I fall?!" she mentally smacked herself!

"Excuse me?? I save you for the sake of humanity & nothing else!" he lied!

"Fine!! Then why don't you become a sanyasi!!" she snapped!

They distanced from each other & then realized their conversation was so dumb!

They arrived at the venue which was filled with happiness, pomp & grace! Sid & Lorraine were made to sit separately & preparation for the ceremony was still going on! Seeing Lorry so excited, Antara remembered her own haldi ceremony in which she was least interested! Her family had been so happy for her that time while she had no reasons to be happy or shy...Antara smiled remembering what all sheepish nakhras & excuses she had given to cancel her haldi rasam but she hadn't succeeded!

"Why do I feel like I want Raghu to put haldi on me...!"

On the other hand, Raghu saw Sid finding ways & means to secretly reach Lorry & put haldi on her but unfortunately he was cutely scolded by his mom! Seeing that, Raghu remembered past memories...

FLASHBACK

"Oh Come on Dadima! I don't want my skin color to turn dark yellow after the haldi ceremony so it's better we don't have that rasam at all!" he tried to make reason.

"Shut up Raghu!" she paid no heed!

Raghu's parents, Vikrant & Niharika approached him secretly just before the rasam was about to begin.

"Oh God! I can't believe my son is so unromantic!!" chided Niharika.

Raghu rolled his eyes.

"Now what did I do??"

"That's what! You didn't do anything! Go & quickly apply haldi to Antara before the rasam starts!" said Vikrant

Raghu was shocked as those words came from his own parents.

"Hold on! As far as I know, the to-be bride & the to-be bridegroom aren't supposed to see each other before or during the rasam & I don't want to break these rules!" he said, not interested at all to see Antara on the first place!

"Rules are meant to be broken!"winked Nikarika, "Now go!!"

And mind it! Raghu was literally forced to go to Antara! He sometimes didn't like his parents to be so cool!

And then as usual, he bumped into Antara at a turn & accidently he applied haldi to her cheeks! And how angry she was!

"How dare you come here & put haldi to me???!!"

"Excuse me?? I was forced okay!!! Else why would I take the pain of coming to you, hiding from your parents!!" he shot back!

"Don't act innocent okay!!! I know you purposely came here!!!!!" she snorted.

"If you think you are an angel then come out of this big misunderstanding!!! Infact you must have told my parents to send me here!!!!" he accused!

They both glared at each other! Just then Mr Kaul & Geeta came there which shocked them. Raghu thought Antara's parents wouldn't like him coming there like that! But instead of being displeased with him, Geeta exclaimed,

"Hayyeee! How romantic!!!!!!"

And Mr Kaul agreed! Raghu & Antara sighed! It felt as if their parents were from today's generation while they were from the previous century!

End Of Flashback

His thoughts were halted when the haldi ceremony began. Raghu applied haldi to Sid while Antara to Lorry. And simultaneously Raghu & Antara grew nostalgic of how their own haldi rasam was conducted...!

Antara looked across at Raghu who was talking to his acquaintances.

"Antara! Stop it okay! Why do you want him to put haldi to you?!!!"

She turned her eyes away from him. Then Raghu looked across at her.

"Antara will be angry even if I wish to put haldi to her! So forget it!"

He turned his eyes away from her. This hide & seek of their eyes went on for some more time.

Then Raghu's phone rang & he had to head outside the hall to attend it & that when he bumped into Antara who had come for the same reason!

Their eyes locked. The aura of the haldi ceremony had affected them greatly & even their own feelings & emotions for each other. They didn't know what to do. It was such an awkward moment that they diverted their eyes from each other. Then Raghu saw some of her strands falling on her rosy cheeks. His hands unconsciously moved to her face. She looked at him feeling his touch which made her heart to let go of a beat. Their eyes locked once again & the haldi which was still in Raghu's fingers got applied on her cheeks & she felt that...! Antara felt tremendous joy within like the moment she was unconsciously yearning for finally came true!

"I am...I am sorry..." he glanced sideways.

"Why are you saying sorry? Did I object?" she blurted out & then realized what she said, "I-I mean wash your hands with Cinthol soap!" she bit her tongue.

He raised his brows & looked at her.

"Why are you glowing like a new bride when this is Lorraine's wedding?!"

"A-Are you trying to say that I am a flashbulb???"

"Excuse me???"

"N-Nothing!"

Antara left hurriedly leaving Raghu to wonder why she was behaving so weird!

Antara was all in shy smiles & she smacked her head to stop that. Throughout the rest of the ceremony, they didn't interact but kept on stealing glances at each other...

Indeed, things had changed between them. The seed of love was sown in their hearts for each other & they were unknowingly nurturing it. It was not that they didn't stop their fights. They fought like always but they began to enjoy their fights & at the end of it when they would be alone, they would laugh out loud realizing that their fights after their marriage & till date had been so childish & foolish!

Every moment they spent with each other suddenly was turning out to be precious than their own life!

Antara had recollected that during her own mehendi ceremony, she was said that her mehendi was very dark & that she was very lucky to have a hubby like Raghu. And even during her haldi ceremony, she was said she was glowing. Back then, these rasam didn't hold any significance in her life but now she unconsciously began to wish that the wheels of time could take her back to her own pre-marital ceremonies...!

The same was with Raghu. He never even imagined the girl whom he had so many dozen fights & arguments with could be the one who would capture his thoughts & imaginations in this manner that he began dreaming about her always! Also, he unknowingly began regretting the fact that he was so ignorant & least bothered during his own marriage rasams.

They didn't know when they began living as husband-wife in true sense of words. Antara began waiting for his phone calls from office while Raghu looked forward to having dinner with her. Their fights continued...& do did their undiscovered love...

It was that evening when Antara was on her way back home after Sid-Lorry's ring ceremony. Raghu had to go to office for an immediate meeting with one of the suppliers.

"By the time he returns, I will cook dinner!" thought Antara, cheerfully.

She reached home. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside. She was just about to go to her room to freshen up when she noticed a large brown envelop kept on the table.

"Seems like it's a courier! But kisne bheja hoga?" Antara wondered curiously.

She cut open the seal & took out the papers in it & when she saw the contents...she was frozen in shock...

Her entire body became cold & numb when she read the divorce papers...She sat on the sofa with a thud as her legs gave away...Her face was pale & she looked paralyzed...Her heart beats ran slow & it was as if time had stopped...Seconds passed & it was very difficult for her to recover...Her hands turned ice still holding the divorce papers in front of her eyes...

It was only after her mind started functioning a bit, she remembered Vikrant's words,

"All four of us have decided that if at the end of six months, both of you feel the need to part ways then inform us. We will send the divorce papers to Singapore."

It then struck to Antara that six months had already passed...how did it pass...when did it pass...she had no clue...but it was the stark reality...

"But...But I didn't tell them to send the divorce papers...so does that mean...does that mean Raghu has sent for the divorce papers...toh iska matlab..."

She didn't have the strength to complete her thoughts. She wasn't able to understand why was it affecting her so much when she was quite aware of the agreement which they had...She kept the papers back on the tabe & walked to her room with numb feet...

A little later, Raghu too arrived & he too was aghast seeing the divorce papers...He too remembered Vikrant's words...Raghu was frustrated & angry.

"But I didn't tell them to send the divorce papers!!!!!!So does that mean Antara has sent for the divorce papers because she wants to separate from me?"

They both misunderstood each other...

Precap: "I love you Raghu...love you so much..."