FF: Samjhauta - Ch 7 - pg 9 (25/9/14) - Page 7

Chapter 7

Rashi watched Divya sitting with Gopi. The two of them were quietly talking. Gopi was nothing like Rashi had expected. In her mind she'd expected a tall, waif like woman who would be at home gracing the catwalks and social pages, what she'd got was a woman who exuded calmness and serenity. The young girl had obviously honed into the nurturing quality that exuded out of the other woman. Rashi saw Divya reach out and put her hand on top of Gopi's protruding belly, they both laughed and Divya's eyes were open wide. She turned and saw Rashi watching them.

"Di!! Did you see? Gopi bhabhi's belly moved, she said the baby kicked. You come and feel too."

"No Divya it's ok I- i." Rashi broke off as the two men entered the room. Both tall, dark and handsome, their bearing speaking volumes. Here were two who were confident of their place in the world. Ahem broke away from Jigar and walked up to his wife, his eyes glued to her. Gopi smiled up at him as he sat down and put his arm around her. The silent communication between husband and wife brought a pang to Rashi's heart. She blinked away and found Jigar had moved to stand beside her. He watched her curiously as he sat beside her whispering into her ear, "Did you miss me sweetheart?" he asked with a wicked light in his eyes.

Conscious of the people around them she just smiled back at him, her nails digging into his palm as he tucked her hand into his.

He chuckled as he leaned closer. How are you finding my family? Divya seems to be enjoying herself."

"Everyone is very nice."

"Weren't expecting it were you?" He got up and walked towards his brother and sister in law.

"Devarji come and sit. Congratulations."

"Thankyou bhabhi. How are you? I hope my little nice or nephew isn't hassling you too much." He looked at his brother. "Ahem bhai you better be looking after my lovely bhabhi."

Ahem smiled and held onto Gopi a little tighter.

"Ahem beta are you staying for dinner?"

"No kaki today your bahu is in the mood for going out." Ahem teased his wife. Gopi blushed as Ahem knew she would and decided to get her own back.

"That doesn't matter kaki we can stay for dinner if you want. We don't need to go out do we Ahemji?" Ahem widened his eyes and looked to Jigar for help.

"Bhabhi I think you should go out for dinner today, who knows when you'll next have the opportunity. When the baby comes you and bhai are going to be too busy to even think of romantic meals out."

"Why? Isn't the baby's kaka going to babysit ever?"

"Bhai babysitting isn't really my cup of tea."

"You say that now but when the time comes I'll be calling on you to fulfil your duties." Ahem manoeuvred his wife to the door while talking to his brother and walked her out the door so she couldn't cancel their romantic night out.

How different he was with his family Rashi thought. There was no sarcasm and no cynicism in his interaction with them. He actually seemed human. She'd seen it in the way he was with Divya but a part of her had thought he was just trying to impress Divya and herself. However it seemed there was more to Jigar Modi than met the eye or that the media portrayed. Well whatever the reality Rashi just wished there had been some other way to solve this issue rather than making a mockery of an institution she held in such esteem and respect. Rashi sighed and looked up to see Hetal aunty no not aunty mummyji stupid she reminded herself, she saw mummyji whispering something into Jigar's ear and did she just see her elbow him?

Jigar walked to Rashi rubbing his arm where his mother had elbowed him in order to make him make a move. Not that he wouldn't have done it anyway. He'd done a lot for his mother and this would be just another thing to keep her happy. She deserved all the happiness she could get after the barren life she'd been leading with his father. He reached Rashi and took her gently by the arm and led her away from his mother and sister.

"What are you doing?" Rashi asked with a perplexed look on her face.

"Just come with me to the side."

"Yeah well you don't have to drag me. You could simply try asking me to come with you."

Jigar looked pointedly towards her arm and the light hold he had upon her. "Fine you're not exactly dragging me but still a little Please can you come with me Rashi?' wouldn't go amiss."

"Fine." Jigar let go of her arm. "Rashi if it wouldn't trouble you too much could I please have a moment of your time and ask you to come with me?"

"Of course I'll come with you." Rashi replied. "Where are we going?" she asked as they reached halfway up the stairs.

"You ask too many questions Rashi. We're going to our room."

"Our room?!" Rashi stopped right where she was.

"Yes Rashi I can't wait any longer, I need to have my wicked way with you. In fact why wait til we get to the room let's just go at it right now!" Rashi turned to go back down and was grabbed by Jigar. "Women! Your minds are always in the gutter. All you can think is that men are trying to get you into bed. Now come on I need to talk to you and our room is about the most private place we can get."

Well it's not like his reputation doesn't precede him Rashi justified to herself. Any girl would be suspicious.

They entered the room and Jigar walked to the table, picking something up in his hands.

"Ma mentioned something to me earlier that I hadn't thought about, but it occurs to me now that you may have differing opinions on this to my mother."

"Opinions on what?"

"Marriage and what it means. Ma thinks all Indian women treat marriage as a very sacred bond and as a married woman you would have had some dreams and expectations. So bearing that in mind what are your opinions on the manglasutra?"

"Pardon?"

"Manglasutra? You want one or not? And sindoor?"

Rashi just stared at him as he let the manglasutra hang from his hand.

"I'd love one. Are you offering that to me?"

Jigar rolled his eyes. "No I just hang around with a manglasutra in my hand on the off chance that it might come in handy to someone."

"There's no need to be sarcastic. Pass it here."

Jigar was about to hand it over when he stopped himself. Rashi was so easy to fluster and this was one opportunity he was not going to lose. He walked towards Rashi and stood behind her.

"There's a certain ceremony to these things you know. And what kind of a husband would I be if I wasn't the one to put it on you the first time." He moved her hair out of the way as he spoke and let his gently trail along her nape, smiling as he was rewarded by a delicate tremor from Rashi.

The cool beads touched Rashi's heated skin and she could feel Jigar's warm breath on the back of her neck. Her eyes closed. What on earth is happening to me? Why am I reacting like this? She remembered the words Jigar had said the night before. He hadn't been in the mood for seduction then but would he tonight?

Rashi was brought out of her thoughts as she felt Jigar touch her hair. As her eyes opened she realised he wasn't touching her hair but was applying sindoor. She hadn't even realised that Jigar had moved so he was stood in front of her. Moving her hand up to her parting she felt the evidence of her status as a married woman and stared up at the man who was her husband. Her eyes locked with his and widened at the desire she saw smouldering there.