She walks in Beauty-Th5, Chap-52, pg-55 - Page 17

Originally posted by: Diksha_1991

wen r updating dearie ???

Originally posted by: pansy123

very soon 😃

Originally posted by: -deepali17-

me too waiting waiting waiting..

hows the writer doing?

Chapter 50

" You will come one day in a waver of love,
Tender as dew, impetuous as rain,
The tan of the sun will be on your skin,
The purr of the breeze in your murmuring speech,
You will pose with a hill-flower grace.

You will come, with your slim, expressive arms,
A poise of the head no sculptor has caught
And nuances spoken with shoulder and neck,
Your face in pass-and-repass of moods
As many as skies in delicate change
Of cloud and blue and flimmering sun. " (Carl Sandburg)

A serene sense of contentment fills Malika's heart, washing away the unknown guilt, guilt she always felt stinging in her heart whenever she thought about Ashutosh and Nidhi's incompatible relation or to say it exactly whenever she predicted the brunt of incompatibility splintering the bond. A solace engulfs her heart feeling she was not the only one who thought about the bound to emerge rift. Ashutosh may have ignored the fissure but the crack is wide and open and it won't take him much to understand and accept the rift now. She avoids Priyanka and Jyotika and with these thoughts returns to her cabin. Now that Ashutosh was not attending Dr. Ahana's party she also decides not to go to her party and gears up for work with a fresh zeal.

Ashutosh was engrossed in reading a patient's X-ray report when Dr. Aditi knocked at his door and asked for his permission, "Sir, can I leave I have checked patients in ICU and Dr. Harsh has taken up the charge" she called him at his behind.

Ashutosh gave her an abstracted look and she fearing a refusal in response, quickly adds, "Sir, I have to go to Dr. Ahana's birthday party"

Her words forced Ashutosh to turn his attention to her and while he conjured up her words and nodded his head hazily to her, the thought that his Nidhi has to go there too came into his mind and he sprang up from his chair. He quickly called Dr. Anand and with quick instructions relating to after care of a patient he left for his home.

Nidhi was having tea, playing chess with Baba when Ashutosh entered his house. His heart swelled with joy seeing his wife sitting comfortably with his father seemingly having given up the idea of going to Ahana's birthday party. He pondered, "She really gave up the idea for my wish" a mumble escaped his lips, " Love you, Nidhi"

He walked his distance to them and both beamed with a smile in response. Baba exclaimed, "Come Ashu, see how well Nidhi plays chess"

His eyes were on her, proudly reflecting her beam, not for the reason she was a chess player, but how easily she has forgotten about the party and was not at all miffed as he expected her to be. Nidhi getting aware of Baba's presence breaks their eye lock, turns her eyes towards Baba and lowers her eyes. Ashutosh too averted his eyes and Baba suppressed his chuckle.

Ashutosh sat there and watched them play, but was not interested a bit in their game. He fiddled with the things around, Nidhi too lost her interest in the game. She abruptly got up and moved to the kitchen saying, "I'll get tea for Ashutosh" and Ashutosh found the chance he was waiting for. He was waiting to have a word with Baba secretively. He talked to Baba, who listened carefully, grinned and gave his nod. They both modulated their expressions as they saw Nidhi emerging from the kitchen. Nidhi frowned to see them behaving unusually but walked ahead and offered tea to Ashutosh.

Baba stood up, "Okay! You guys complete this game, I'm leaving for JS"

"No Baba I can't take on this game. I'm leaving in about half an hour. I've to check a patient in a hospital in the city outskirts and Baba I'll take Nidhi along, she is invited to a friend's birthday party on my way to hospital and I think she can go there and wish her friend till I check on my patient"

Baba exclaims, "That's a good idea, but why she didn't go there, she doesn't need your visit to a hospital on the way to go to her friend's party"

Ashutosh and Nidhi exchange a glance and Baba leaves for JS.

Ashutosh stands up with his cup of tea in his hand, "Nidhi, I'll take a shower quickly. You get ready, we are leaving in half an hour"

He moves into his room and Nidhi follows him, "I don't want to go"

"Why? You were very excited to go"

"But now I'm not"

He places his cup on the table and turns to face her.

"May I know why you don't want to go now"

She sulks, "you said I can't go and I don't want to go alone"

He brought up his eyebrows, "I didn't say you can't go, I said you can't go alone"

"Why all my friends were going, Anji and Dr. Rangnath were also going"

"I don't and I can't trust them for my life"

She snorted, "You think I'm a kid and can't travel alone"

Holding his tongue in his cheek and holding his desire to smooth his pout in his mouth, he stares at her for a long minute and answers, "No you are not a kid, you are my life and I've every right to protect and care for my life"

She pouts again and he looses his restrain. Smoothing her pout and savouring the feast his heart yearned for the whole day he pecks at her lips and asks, "Do I become a kid when you so authoritatively order me every time to drive slowly and safely?"

She smiles pouting and hugs him tight. He crushes her in his arms, "Now let us hurry, we are getting late"

"No, I don't want to go there, Can I come with you? I'll wait for you in the car till you check that patient"

"What's the need to wait for me in the car? You can go and wish your friend till that time"

She burrows her head in his chest and he smiles saying, "Think about my patient Jaan, you are making difficult for me to move"

Reluctantly, she releases him and he pats her cheek saying, "Get ready, quickly"

"But how long it is going to take you"

"How can I say that Nidhi, I Promise I'll try my best to come soon."

She moves to get ready, but stops when he grabs her arm. Gazing her for a long minute he says, "I missed you too, " she smiles in response understanding he understood her hankering.

Nidhi decked up in a beautiful ivory to grey green ombre sari with velvet appliqu border and gota stripes with a matching sleeveless blouse was looking elegant and beautiful. She was wearing her studs when she felt her husband's arms snaking around her. He kissed her cheek and she turned to straighten his tie. Ashutosh pulled her to him and asked, "Ready?"

She winked and both left.

He was driving his car silently holding her hand when he felt her eyes on him. She was gazing him, unblinking, devouring her husband's handsomeness who was looking awesomely handsome in his light grey colour formal attire. He gently squeezed her hand and asked, "Missed so much?"

Her reverie breaks and she smiles, leaning forward, she places her head on his shoulder and Ashutosh in response pecked at her forehead and continued driving silently. Ashutosh dropped her first at Ahana's farm house and waited for her to go inside and she waited for him to leave. Her soft, tender expressive eyes made him to say, "Go inside Nidhi, I'll come back soon and join you"

The overtone in his words reflected in her eyes that touched his heart and she gleefully asked, "you really are going to come?"

He smiled and answered, "yes Nidhi, I don't like parties, but I attend sometimes only for my love, you forgot Dr. Priyanka's party"

She grinned and replied, "How can I?"

He started the car and she moved inside after waving him bye.

Nidhi's friends were happy to see her. They whooped with joy and hugged her. Dr. Jyotika asked her, "How you came here? We were missing you!"

Dr. Ahana asked sulking," Heart stone allowed you to come"

Nidhi smiled and replied, "He dropped me here, he is coming in sometime"

Dr. Ahana's expression changed from sulk to astonishment and she exclaims "He is also coming!"

She smiles, "yes, he is coming. He didn't tell me he had a patient to check in a hospital not so far from here"

Nidhi really was feeling on cloud nine, her husband even compromised with his likes and dislikes for her and her every cell was beaming with joy. Anji whispered in Nidhi's ear, "I was sure Jiju will get you here"

Nidhi made a face,"Hmm...your Jiju"

After an hour every head turned towards the guest that emerged on the door. Since the guests were mostly doctors and knew the visitor well, they watched him in awe. The moment Dr. Ahana and her father, a retired doctor of KGH, noticed the most awaited guest they sprint towards the door to welcome him and other guests followed the suit. Soon the guest was thronged by people around him, but his eyes were wandering around the whole hall and when his wandering eyes catch the purpose of his seek out, he smiles feeling at ease seeing the enchanted state of his wife-Dr. Nidhi!

Nidhi was watching him mesmerising ever since he entered and people noticed the rarely found participant to the party. She was surrounded by many young doctors from other hospitals and KGH. The sighs of covet that resonated around her the moment he stepped in the doorway gave her a mingled feeling of jealousy and pride. She takes a few steps to move towards him and was still in hearing distance when she heard Dr. Priyanka informing all who didn't know about their marriage. "Girls no more ogling at him. He is a married man now"

"Married!!!" Came the expression from many.

When one doctor asked, "who is the lucky girl?"

Before anyone could answer, Priyanka quickly answered, "Wait and watch! He himself is going to come near the girl he can't stay away from her for a long."

And same tittle-tattle was going on Ashutosh's side. His colleagues and many batch mates who were at the party were envying him. He couldn't help smiling when a mumble reached his ears, "He married so late and got such a beautiful young lady"

And a colleague from KGH added, "She is a beauty with brains, very intelligent like him, this is a perfect match having only oddity that is of their ages."

One more added, "Not much difference apparent, he has maintained himself so well, you forgot he was hot favourite and an object of fascination for ladies".

He was retorted, "Not much changed just see how the ladies are ogling him" these words made Ashutosh to turn his eyes towards the other side and he noticed Nidhi walking up to him. He excused himself and moved towards her.

A young man intruded and asked Nidhi for a dance. She looked in mischief at Ashutosh who was behind the young man and Ashutosh understanding her mischievous look quickly intervened and responded to young man's request "Gentleman, I have already asked for the favour and the lady has been generous enough, so may I?"

Young man well aware who he was talking to quite courteously retreated and Ashutosh asked for his wife's hand, "May I?"

She smiled, holding tongue in her cheek and offered the hand and together they walked up to dance floor. Nidhi hanging her arms around his neck asked, "I thought you didn't like dancing"

He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, "I don't like dancing, but I hate when my wife dances with someone else"

Nidhi giggled and he releasing her, twirled her holding her hand. He whirled her twice a full circle and then pulled her back in his arms.

She placed her face on his heart and he tightened arms around her waist and together they danced enjoying each others warmth they missed the whole day, oblivious to the fact how they were being watched and envied by one and all in the party.

Nidhi's friends were feeling happy and at the same time envious, happy for the reason their doubts relating to their relation and his heart stone behaviour were vanishing and envious for the reason that their friend was owning the most coveted person and was being loved by the most loving and desirable husband. Deep love for each other was emanating through their every gesture and in every glance they cast on each other.

They were smiling and talking in mumbles while dancing lost in each other. Dr. Jyotika whispered to Dr. Ahana, "Unbelievable! Is he our Dr. Heart stone boss?"

Ahana who too was watching them spellbinding replies, "Yes unbelievable! But he is not heart stone. He is our friend Nidhi's husband and I'm glad she has got such a loving husband who did unbelievable for her, he came to a party!!!"

Jyotika and Ahana exchanged a contented smile. Anji who was dancing with Dr. Ranganth, was enjoying her friends' state, knowing how bewildered they were seeing Dr. Ashutosh dancing with their friend.

Ashutosh whispered in her ear, "Can we leave now?"

"Feeling bored?"

"Hmm, not bored, but I'm not liking this distance"

He swayed her in his arms and she asks, "Distance! But you are having me in your arms"

"But, not my way"

Hanging her arms around him she asks,"And what's your way?"

He turns his eyes and purses his lips," Can't show you here, you don't know all eyes are on us"

Nidhi holds her tongue in cheek and gazes him mischievously. He narrows his eyes and she forgets everything. Agreeing, she winks in response and they come off the dance floor. Nidhi gestures Anji and waves bye to them and moves to say bye to Ahana. The ladies who didn't know about their marriage and were watching them with awe congratulated Nidhi on their marriage and she takes leave of her friends. Though they wanted her to stay more, but knowing heart stone's nature, they reluctantly bid her goodbye.

The road outside Dr. Ahana's farmhouse was dark and deserted. Nidhi slipped her arm in Ashutosh's arm and asked, " the forest is not far from here"

Ashutosh suppressed his chuckle and returned, "And you were travelling here alone"

"When did I say alone? Anji and Dr. Rangnath were also coming here"

"But you had a plan to leave early?"

She gives him a sheepish look and Ashutosh opens his arm to invite her in. The moment she snuggles with him, he inquires, "Feeling scared?"

" No, why should I? You are here with me"

He pecks her forehead and explains driving slowly, "this is the reason I was wishing to accompany you, the road is not safe"

"You needn't explain, I know I come first and my safety and security is more important than my desires"

"No, Love they are equally important, just my lack of time may turn constraint otherwise"

She shushes him, "Shh... No need, let me inform you I'm the most lucky and happy person on this earth"

"Really!"

"Hmm, " she smacked his cheek and he presses her to him. Silently, he keeps on driving and after a half an hour's drive he turns to right and Nidhi exclaims," where are we going?"

"Why? You don't want to have dinner?"

"We are going to have dinner here.. She notices the road and exclaims raising her head from his chest... Hey, this is the road to your old house"

He gives her a look raising his one eyebrow and she sheepishly mutters, "Our house"

He chuckles after giving her a sidelong glance and she hides herself back in his chest.

The moment she stepped into the doorway of 'Mathur Niwas' she was stopped by the caretaker and welcomed like a new bride. Ashutosh was all smiles, "what is this Kaka?"

"Doctor Sahab's instructions, beta"

Nidhi exclaimed, "Baba! You told him?"

"Yes told him, I'm kidnapping his daughter-in-law"

She gives him a sidelong glance and Kaka welcomes them in, "The dinner is ready, you relax here I'll serve dinner to you"

Ashutosh stops him, "No Kaka, thanks we'll manage"

Kaka smiles and leaves. Nidhi was looking around when Ashutosh back hugged her and smelled her deeply. She asked, "So you need to kidnap your wife"

"Yes, I do, to have a few moments with my wife without any disturbance and distraction"

"Are we staying here tonight?"

Nuzzling her neck, "Yes, Tonight and tomorrow as well"

Nidhi turns excitedly, "What? Really! I love you" and hugs him.

He rocks her in his arms and nestles her in. After enjoying each others warmth for some time Nidhi pulls herself out and asks, "why didn't you tell me we are staying here? What am I going to wear now?"

He cups her face in his hands and brushing his lips to her, he asks in a groovy voice, "You are not going to need clothes"

She pushes him away and runs into the kitchen and he follows her and grabs her again.

"Leave me, don't you want to have dinner"

He nuzzles her neck "you know how hungry I'm? Don't you? Hmm"

She turns and hugs him tight, "Yes, I know, " she looks at him, passion was brimming his eyes and hers were fully akin, she softly pecks his eyes and asks, " Let us have dinner first"

He trails her lips with his thumb and leans forward to quench his thirst. After many minutes feeling slaked when they come apart, he gives her a sate hug and helps her in laying the table. When she comes to sit next to him, he pulls her in his lap and feeding each other they ate their dinner.

Ashutosh after helping her to clear the table, picks her up in his arms and carries her to his room. While climbing stairs Nidhi remembers their engagement day. "You remember on our engagement I stayed in this room... he frowned... how about sleeping there tonight?"

"That's not your room now"

"But then it was"

"Not even then, it was just there were some social bindings"

She smiled, turning her tongue to her cheek and he added, "You don't remember where we spent that night"

Before she could respond, Ashutosh opens the door of his room and she gets lost seeing the room decorated with candles and roses, and soft music playing on the music player adding to its ambience. He slowly grounds her and watches her amused expression. After taking a long minute when she looks at him in a bewildered and questioning look he answers:

"This is the room I spent my entire life in, before moving to that small house. This room has many memories associated with my childhood and my youth. This is my home, my childhood home, if I omit those scary roads I spent my first years of childhood, this is the room that comes to my mind and completes my definition for home. I wanted to welcome you here most felicitously. This is my private den Nidhi. You will find Ashutosh everywhere and in everything around here."

Nidhi moves near to him and he cups her face in his hands and looking straight into her eyes as he speaks again, " I want to spend my life here with you, in this very room. This room has provided shelter to desolate and forlorn Ashutosh, these walls are witness to the struggles and fights your Ashutosh fought with his loneliness, these walls have given him company in many wakeful and lonely nights. This is the room and these are the walls who waited for you with your Ashutosh. This is the place Nidhi, I imagined and saw you in many forms filling my emptiness and completing my life. Give me the chance to relive my dreams and help me to fill the emptiness in this room as well, as you filled in my life. Be with me while I turn all my dreams into reality"

He opens his arms and she leaps to him, completing him and filling some more unfilled voids.

Malika was leaving the hospital when she thought to ask Ashutosh for a lift. She went to his cabin and found the cabin empty, even his secretary was not there. She inquired from receptionist and came to know he has left hospital in the evening. She remained so engaged in her work, with all her tensions kept at bay, that she didn't even know that the night has set in long before. She thought to take a cab and was moving out of the hospital when she heard the receptionist calling her and gesturing towards the other side. She turned and found Dr. Jagan coming from the far end of the corridor. He waved her and gestured her to stop. After their first interaction in her cabin, they were meeting first time. Dr. Jagan's words resounded in her ears again and she turned her eyes away, wishing to evade him but that was not possible. He reached near her and wished her, She only bowed her head slightly and asked, "You here? When did you come back? And what are you doing here at this hour?"

He smiled, "So many questions? Sorry to tread in your territory"

She smiles and moves ahead and he follows her saying, "Well, I came back today early morning. I've offered to help with my services here and Dr. Ashutosh has been kind enough to accept my offer. Till I'm here in India I would like to be of some help to my people."

Malika hearing his last statement, gives an expression as if she had to gulp down a hard to digest piece of information and he smiles ruefully, "Hope this is not the reason you hated me"

She turns over a startled face," When did I say I hated you?"

He walks slowly towards his car and opens door for her. She thinks for a moment and responds, "I think I can take a cab there"

"Come on Malika, you can consider a ride at least to give company to me at this late hour"

She chuckles and says, "Thank you for the lift, " and boards his car. He takes the driver's seat and starts his car. After many minutes when he was driving his car on the main road, she heard him say, "Thank you for saying you didn't hate me"

She shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Why would I?"

"Money was never the reason I stayed out of my country and served in an alien land"

Malika changed the subject, "You came KGH to meet Ashutosh"

"No, the KGH called me to check on a patient, I told you I'm serving here for a few months"

She turned her head and looked out through the window. After a while Jagan asked, "Can we dine somewhere?

Without turning her head, she replied, "I don't feel like"

"Come on Malika, you can give me company, please"

Though she wanted to avoid, but she couldn't say No. Jagan took her silence as assent and turned his car towards a nearby restaurant. After taking a table and ordering dinner Jagan asked:

"So how's life going on?"

She smiled and replied, "Nice, very nice"

"Ashutosh has settled down. How about his wife? I haven't met her yet. Must be really beautiful and intelligent to have taken heart of our heart stone"

Malika was finding this question grating and Jagan was trying to read her expressions. He was wanting to broach on the subject to help her to speak her heart out and waited for her answer, but she questioned instead, "Why you didn't go to meet and congratulate them?"

"No, I didn't go. Ashutosh invited me for a dinner, but I declined as I had already planned to leave for Mumbai. Will surely go and meet her and Baba as well"

"He has moved to new house"

"Oh! Has he? He didn't tell me that. Okay! Let us go and visit them tomorrow. I'll call him in the morning"

"I haven't been there. But I know the address we'll find out"

Jagan surprised to hear that asks, "You haven't seen Ashutosh's new house yet? Not possible"

"There are many things that possibly become impossible"

He stares her for a moment with tenderness in his eyes, which Malika didn't fail to notice, he turns his eyes and replies looking far away, "Nobody knows how things will turn out, we give it our all and sometimes amazing things happen, but it's hardly ever what we expect."

She breathes deeply and huffs out, "Whatever happens good or bad, we can always give it a meaning and transform it into something of merit, after all every cloud has a silver lining"

Jagan smiles and keeps looking at her intently reciting lyrically:

"Was I deceiv'd, or did a sable cloud
Turn forth her silver lining on the night?"

Malika understands the undertone and keeps mum.

Originally posted by: -deepali17-

me too waiting waiting waiting..

hows the writer doing?

Originally posted by: Diksha_1991

Me First

Thank you so much dearie 🤗