Another Parud FF - Clear blue skies I(upto Chapter 50) - Page 18

While Rudra was planning on surprising his wife, his cousin had plans for his little family too. He had to pick up new ghagras for both his girls. His daughter wanted to dress up just like her mother. Only her Paro Maasi was capable of convincing her otherwise. Her grandmother however found it charming and claimed that Sunheri did the same thing during her childhood. This resulted in her ordering extra material for Maithili ghagras so that matching frocks for her girl. Dilsher had even got tiny jhumkhas for the child like her mother's, much to his chagrin. His baby was too young for anything but small studs. Sumer was the worst of all during his weekend trips. He spends the entire day in the market with the girl buying her everything she asked for. As if the presents from Jaipur weren't enough. Sunheri was the best one of all, she was content just to play dress her up with his baby doll. "Sorry! Are you alright?" he asked as he bumped into someone as he entered the shop. The other man said he was fine and proceeded to pick his scattered bags. "Bapusa!" said Samrat shocked as the man straightened up. "What are you doing here?" he asked his father and reached the bags from him. Danveer shook his head refusing his son's aid. "It's a saree shop what do you think I'm doing," he asked annoyed. His son felt stupid instantly. "That's not what I meant. Maasa sent me here to pick up ghagras. If I had known you needed something as well I would have done it. You needn't have troubled yourself," he explained. Danveer gave him an odd smile and said, "I was just crossing this shop on my way home. Thought of buying some sarees for your mother. But don't tell her. I'm going to go home now. Shanti will be waiting for me." Samrat helped his father the scooter and returned to the shop. One of the salesmen brought out a couple of bags. He checked the items and asked for the bill. "Is that your father, bhaisa?" asked the man eagerly. Samrat nodded and told him that he had come to buy sarees for his mother. "Do you want to look at sarees for her too?" he offered. Samrat shook his head. His mother doesn't wear sarees on a frequent basis. She has no need for them. "But your father just picked up five. Maybe he wants to see her in sarees on a frequent basis," the salesmen told knowingly. Samrat just asked for his order. Another man was dispatched to get it the bags. "Look at this emerald green saree with Zardosi work? Maybe your wife will like this?" the salesman pressed. Green. Maithili's favorite color. Maybe he should buy it, he thought to himself taking a good look. No, he shook his head. She would like it more if he brought her shopping here. He quietly took his bags which just arrived and left the shop promising to bring his wife later this week.

Danveer hurried along an unfamiliar road hoping no one sees him. He parked his scooter under a tree and walked towards the cottage. Mala opened the door before he knocked. She had seen him approach the house. "I brought some clothes for you as all of your belongings are still with the BSD" he said handing over the bags. She smiled gratefully as she took it from him. She was tired of wearing the same cotton saree for days. "Can I ask you something? Whose idea was it to hide the drugs in the ghagras?" he wanted to know whom to blame for his office being flooded with the Thakurain's ghagras. "Mine. We had to get them across for safe passage across the border. We didn't have any money being on the run. One man agreed to help us if we help him smuggle the drugs. Nobody will look closely at the ghagras. So I suggested it be used to hide them," she confessed. Danveer was disappointed, the general was right in suspecting her role in this case. She wasn't as guilty as he thought. He needed to find out about the guns too. She saw the thoughtful look on his face and asked if something was bothering him. He just told her it had been a long day and he was just tired. She brought him some tea and a small box. He was the grateful for the tea. He opened the box as he sipped it. "These silk sarees must have cost a lot. You can pawn these earrings and keep the money," she offered. He shook his head. His father-in-law won't appreciate him taking money from her. But he agreed to pawn the jewellery as she would need money in hand to run the house. "If you had jewellery, why didn't you just pawn it? Why smuggle drugs?" he asked on his way out. She replied that her Thakursa didn't want to take what few pieces she had left on her person. She was his queen. Her Thakursa. His queen. She still didn't ask about his brother whom she deserted. "Danveer bhaisa! Can you bring my Rudra along next time you visit? Or is he still upset with him?" she asked stopping him in his tracks. Her son hated him. Upset was too small for the hatred he felt and the anger he unleashed when her name comes up. "He won't come," he told her plainly. "What about Jeeja? Does she ask for me?" she asked thinking of sister. Mohini will scold him for his tardiness especially if Samrat mentions running into him at the shop. She didn't know that he is in contact with Mala. She will be furious as will his brother and nephew. "She will be waiting for me. I should go now," he answered and rushed to his parked scooter.

Meanwhile in Delhi, Rudra found his lovely wife arranging the gift baskets to be taken to the bride. She was wearing the same mint green ghagra she had worn for their wedding. She looked beautiful. She looked happy. Happier than she was the last time she wore it. It brought back memories of how she stood in the balcony and smiled at his dancing cousins. Rab ne bana di jodi was playing and he wondered then if this was destiny planned for them. He didn't know if they will have have moments like Samrat and Maithili had that day. His hand reached for a red rose from the vase near the table where he was standing. He paused and smiled remembering it was her favourite flower. It represented him to her. The softness of its petals akin to his heart and the sharp barbs his tongue. He was just glad she loved hom inspite of his caustic words. She always had a vase with a red rose by her bed. It had become a habit for him to pick a new bud from her rose garden after his jog. He had to make sure to pick only one, lest their niece gets disappointed when she makes a trip to the garden to pick flowers for the morning puja. He checked for thorns before aiming it at her lap. She looked around, inhaling the sweet fragrance of the bud. She smiled as soon as her eyes found him. He called her over. She pointed to her friends and his face became stern. Luckily, they all got up at the same time. He came closer, "Why didn't you come? I have to tell you something important." She gently caressed the motiwork design on his grey sherwani and laid her head on his chest. "It looks perfect. Better than I imagined. Did you like this sherwani, that I made for you?" she asked him softly. This was a pleasant surprise. "Why didn't you tell me I would have saved it for a special ocassion?" he scolded. She smiled as he brought his arms around her. She loved it when he did that. It made her feel cherished. She told him that her brother's Sangeet was a special ocassion to her. He kissed her forehead smiling to himself at how special he planned to make it. She promised to make something for every special ocassion they share together as his eyes sparkled. It made his heart purr with gladness at how precious she made him feel. "When did you get time to make this? I never saw you working on this", he asked following her fingers play with the design. She told him that she stiches while he was at work. "Kakisa and Jeeja never let me help around the house saying I was a new bride and deserved a little spoiling. So I had a lot of time to dream of all the beautiful things I wanted to make for the people I cared about," she confided. He was glad that Kakisa wasn't bossing her around like she used to. But he didn't realise that his wife was so talented with the needle nor that she wanted to her spend her spare time like this. "You like to stich a lot don't you?" he asked. She nodded. It brought back memories of happier times when she could sit with her Mamisa and Nandu jeeja. "That's why Maasiji asked me to join the NGO. So that I can teach the other artisans there," she told him proudly. He asked her if she would like to go there everyday once they return home. She didn't have to answer as he could read her wish in her sparkling hazel eyes. He had to arrange for a trustworthy constable and a car to escort her then like the general had.

Aman coughed from behind the pillar and Rudra remembered his purpose for meeting Paro. He looked around the trays arranged and picked the gift. "That is for Kavya Bhabhisa," she stopped him. He informed that Aman wanted to give it himself, pointing to the man behind the pillar. She relented seeing her brother's face. He immediately hid noticing Geethanjali and the others approach the couple. "Rudra, what are you doing here?" she asked the young man. He replied that he needed Paro for a minute. "Yes, now we need Paro for an hour. Then she is all yours till the Sangeet starts," Deepa promised. Rudra groaned as he noticed Shatabdi within hearing distance. "Who would have thought the independent Major Rudra Pratap Ranavat can't stay away from a woman even for a minute," she teased. "No..nothing like that," Paro started to defend her husband. Rudra suppressed a smile, finding it very cute that she gets ready to battle anyone who might offend him. She barely remembers how well they challenged each other when they were adversaries. "Who would have thought that you would become a hen-pecked husband eventually," her friends teased enjoying the reaction from the young wife. "Shatabdi! Enough" she warned in retaliation. Rudra went to her mother, "Mrs. Sisodia, I think your daughter doesn't like men who hangs around their wives at functions. Maybe you should look for a Mamma's boy for her. You know the kind who are stick to their mother's side all the time." This got a rise out of the woman in question as the rest of their company laughed. Paro realised it is time for her husband to leave. She reminded him that Aman will be waiting for him. As he left Mrs. Sisodia called out, "Rudra beta, if you know some boy for Shatabdi let me know."