~Ashlok FF: Written in stars: Ch 50 on pg 138 - Page 65

Astha sat in front of dresser and started brushing her wet hairs. Shlok was in wash room taking  shower. Astha blowed dried her hairs letting the black strands cover her face in layers. That done, she waited for shlok to come out so they could go down together. 

Astha saw shlok's mobile lying on bed table. she picked it up. It wasn't password protected. Astha went in, there were 5 emails and 20 msgs. She was about to put the phone away when a new message game. It was from swathi!

Astha opened it. 

''Shlok Plz talk to me''

Astha scrolled up the thread

''shlok just one time!''

''plz reply''

''plz reply''

''I love you so much''

''plz reply''

''plz reply''

'' Missing you''

''plz reply''

''plz reply''

''plz reply''

''Want to sleep in your arms again''

''plz reply''

''plz meet me''

''Your security won't let me come inside your office.''

Astha sat there numb, she was still trying to contact him. did he talk to her? did he ever meet her alone? question arose in her mind.

There was another small blip and new message was there

'' Talk to me for god sake, just once talk to me, its killing me your silence.''

Anger rose inside her along with all the insecurities, this was the women shlok himself had chosen as his life partner, this was a women who lived with him, she knew his touch, she knew his taste, she knew everything which only a wife should know, which only astha should know or may be even more than what astha knew.

her finger slipped on touch screen and astha first time noticed the timings of some of old messages, they were spread through out the day from 5 in morning to as late as 3 a.m. in the morning. Times when he went out of her bed to the balcony and kept staring in dark. A tear rolled down her eyes, the pain unbearable, how could he forget her when she wasn't letting him and why was keeping swathi's messages. Did he missed her.

The thoughts were venomous but just few minutes  earlier she had been in shlok's arms and now jealousy crawled through her, he was her husband .she wanted him to move on from past, be happy and live but swathi was holding him back.

There was a blip and a new message again

''plz talk to me, I love you so much''

Astha typed the reply

''I do not want to talk to you ever again. I am married now, I have a wife and i love her. Don't message or call me again or I will charge you with harassment.''

she send the message, the reply came within seconds

''I will die shlok, without you I can not live.''

Astha typed

''Then die!!!!''

There was no reply after that astha sat there holding the phone, but then she heard the shower close. She panicked, literally! hands shaking astha quickly deleted her replied which she had sent to swathi and put the phone on its previous place. 

Shlok came out of shower dressed in dark brown shirt and blue jeans. He went to dresser and quickly brushed his hairs.

Shlok quickly brushed his hairs looking at time, they were late for dinner.  Everyone ust be waiting for them. He quickly moved toward the door,astha silently fell in steps with him. He glanced at her,she was avoiding looking at him,''what happened''he asked her as they moved down the hallway toward the stairs.

Astha,'' everyone must be waiting for us.'' She nervously moved her hand through her hairs, they were dry, he noted. 

She saw him looking and blabbered,'' I blow dried them, ayi knew I took a shower in noon, it would have been so obvious, I felt embarrassed, I mean baba will be there to and ...'' she broke off, turning totally red, realizing what she was blurting out. Shlok let out an exasperated sigh, she was obviously agitated about something else and saying whatever was coming to her mind.

They reached the bottom of stairs  and moved toward the living area, where whole family was sitting waiting for them. Shlok felt embarrassed too for making them wait. 

They quickly took ayi baba ashward and sat on sofas.

...

After dinner, again everyone sat and talked. Finally at 10 p.m. NA excused himself saying he was going to sleep. Ayi followed him telling everyone to sleep early. But since no one was sleepy, they decided to watch  a movie. Sojal gave the sleeping Kavya in her arms to her nanny and joined them in sitting area. varad put in an old movie ''predator'' in player and they sat down. They had seen the movie before many times but it was still good. Astha was scared of many scenes and since she knew which scenes will make her scare she hided behind shlok losing her eyes and hands in her ears. varad teased her to go up and sleep  but she just showed him tongue and watched. she kept saying to the predator, you just watch he will beat you blue but by the time the last fight scene started ,she was snoring softly in shlok's arms. 

It was almost natural, a rhythm like sleeping, breathing, shlok didn't know but he was automatically pulling her closer and making sure she was sleeping comfortably.

varad who had a sleepy sojal in his arms said,'' god we didn't take them out for late night shows, they would have slept in their chairs. Shlok  nodded. After the movie finished, varad gathered sojal in her arms and got up, shlok felt slightly uncomfortable picking astha is front of Varad. 

He carried astha upto the room through the dark all way and into the room,  and put her on the bed then he covered her with comforter. Then,he stood staring down at her, all these things he had done them so many times in the past, but today it was somehow different, the change in his perspective changed everything, he had noticed how soft her body was, how her long hairs felt when they touched his face. 

Again he felt the loss of something beautiful, the familiar battle which ravaged him from inside out.  His sleep lost, He decided to do some work. He picked up his cell phones and read the emals, quickly typing his replies to Suresh querries. Then, he checked messages out of habit, he felt irritated at seeing new messages from swathi. He needed to get her number blocked, he made a note on his to-do-list, he was tired of her messaging him again and again. he had talked to her when he had moved to delhi because she was insisting so much but what she wanted he couldn't give. Even if astha was not his wife, he would never move back with swathi, that chapter was closed.

...

...

He heard the alarm clock and woke up it was 6 a.m. , he had grabbed only three hours sleep and his head hurt slightly but ignoring it he went to take  a cold shower. Fully awake, he went downstairs closing the door on sleeping astha. 

Ayi and baba were doing puja. Varad and Sojal were standing behind listening. he went and stood there too. Then, when they were done, ayi gave them blessing and parsad. The servant put the break fast on table and everyone ate the break fast while discussing the current politics. 

NA was supporter of one party while varad supposted another.It was a lively debate with Anjali and Shlok putting in a few points as well. Sojal didn't say anything, she wasn't interested in politics.

when there was a break in conversation, anjali told them that ataya ji was coming today. Sojal felt her mood go off, she excused herself by saying that she was going to go see if kavya woke or not. varad and anjali exchanged glances.

Ataya ji was elder sister of NA and belonged ot old school of thoughts. She blamed sojal for not having more kids. Varad naturally supported Sojal and felt very protective over her. Anjali didn't say much but she supported sojal too. Since ataya ji was NAs sister ,they could not stop her form coming here but all the time she was here, Anjali remained worried that she will do or say something which will hurt sojal's feelings.

NA and shlok talked on oblivious to all this. Varad excused himself and went after sojal and anjali went to kitchen to tell cook to make special dishes of ataya ji and sojal's likeness. 

NA watched shlok closely, observing him. NA knew astha was happy with htis marriage but shlok needed more time but seeing them together coming for dinner had made him happy. both were settling into therir lives.

''baba?'' Shlok asked  NA who was looking at floor smiling.

NA,'' I was thinking that astha has settled nicely in delhi.''

Shlok,''its just been a few days, she will adjust eventually.''

NA,'' i am not worried with you there, I have no worries at all. I feel like Some burden has been lifted off my shoulders.You know shlok how important astha is to me and I know I can trust you with her.''

Suddenly shlok could not look NA in the eyes. Praise from NA was rare. he never said anything which he didn't mean. NA smiled and gave him a quick pat on shoulder.'' Now I need to be going I have a chess match with joshi. ''

Shlok nodded,'' say my hi to him.''

NA nodded and went upstairs. Shlok just sat there thinking, what if dad knewabout everything, whose side will he take, he questioned himself disturbed.

Someone called his name, he looked up varad was standing there,'' I am going to myclub ,want to come with me?''

Shlok nodded and went with him knowing he had no answers and probably he will never have them.

...

Astha woke up at 11:30 a.m and went downstairs, she kept thing about swathi's messages. She was surprised to see ataya ji sitting talking with anjali, she bent to take blessings but ataya ji stopped her and hugged astha. this surprised astha,even though she liked ataya ji but she was not close with the, in fact astha usually remained quiet around her. 

Astha sat down and asked after her health.She asked astha about delhi, astha replied it was nice. She invited ataya ji to come there too. Ataya ji beamed at her happily but declined saying journey was too much. Since, she had a fear for aeroplanes, the distance was indeed nuch but astha also didn't insist much.

The maid brought break fast for astha, astha ate it while anjali ji chatted about some puja. Astha went to put the tray herself so she could escape ataya ji. Sojal was already in kitchen sitting on a shelf reading a magzine. Sojal didn't like ataya ji too. Astha thought to join in sojal in hiding but Sojal sent her out saying ataya ji came for some special puja just for her and shlok.

Ataya ji was talking with anjali on something in hushed tones, both ladies became quiet on seeing astha. Astha sat down on sofa again. 

Ataya,'' Astha you should eat a bit more, you are all bones.''

Astha nodded in affirmative.

Ataya ji to anjali,'' See proper upbringing is so important, she was a wild child but she has grown graceful and mature with time. You are lucky for such a nice bahu.''

Anjai laughed and gave astha one arm hug,'' she is our astha, but true I am blessed with both my bahus.''

Ataya ji kept smiling but her eyes narrowed a bit,she change dthe topic,''where is shlok?''

Anjali,'' He went out with varad, he will be back before mahurat time.'' Shlok walked in with varad at that time, ataya ji smiled at her nephews.

...

After puja was done, astha wanted to go up back to her room as she had to change into traditional sarees and ataya ji had given her heavy gold necklaces and bangles and she had to wear them all to make her happy. But ataya insisted to take astha to some old person she knew. So, astha had to go with her and anjali to some religious baba ji. Surprisingly the guy's house was normal B size belonging to certain government officials. They entered and he was sititng with few friends on floor on a mat. He himself was so different, a man in his late forties, with weather worn face and a mouth that smiled a lot. he was clean shaved wearing black faded trousers and black shirt. The clothes looked old.

The people parted and they went to him, he didn't look up to them just listening to what ataya ji said, then he asked for kundalis and went through them. after that he asked astha to show her hand, she showed him, he kept studying the lines a frown on his face. 

Ataya ji asked,''I want to bring them here before marriage but you were on your yatra. Everything is fine, right?''

The guy (whose name no one mentioned to her) let go of her hand and said,'' No problem in marriage. They will remain married, there will some problem after 3 years but if handled, they will remain married.''

Anjali smiled with happiness, astha sent back her a quick smile too, not that she believed in all this but if it made ayi happy then she could bear listening to it.

Ataya eagerly asked,'' and children?''

Astha stiffened slightly.

The guy remaind quiet and then said,'' the time is important, not everyone is blessed, God blessings should not be ignored, first four years,''he said finally looking at astha, his gaze felt piercing,''if not, then never, remember time doesn't stand for anyone.''

witht hose words he looked away. Ataya ji tried to put some money near his feet but his friends stopped her. 

All three of them moved out astha  trying not to think about what the guy had said. It was so true, no children for them ever. 

...