FF : Her First Love 2nd thread, Chapter 20 in pg 53 - Page 6

Recap - Jalal patches up his relationship with his mother and even invited his parents to come to India. He plans to introduce Jodha to them. Jodha on the other hand has a conversation with her cousin, Sukanya which leads to her knowing of Jalal and Jodha's relationship. Sukanya decides to plan a surprise for Jodha when she comes over for her wedding.

Next day, JM Corp.

As Jodha sat down on her desk after luch break, Moti came over asking.

"So, how was your dinner date?"

"It was a flop."

"What?! Why?"

"My family are back, lucky for me they arrived before Jalal did or else God knows what would have happened."

"You didn't know they were coming home yesterday?"

"No, I didn't. Apparently it never occurred to maa that she should inform me about their coming home."

"Then what happened? Did Jalal come up and get caught?"

"No, thankfully Jalal called me before he came up. So I went and meet him downstairs instead. Oh, and you covered for me."

"What?! How?"

"I kind of misused your name."

"In which way?"

"I might have told maa that Jalal was you, and that you were Jalal."

"You did not!? You lied to your mother that I was meeting you instead of Jalal?"

Jodha nodded.

"I can't believe you finally did it!"

"Wait, you're not mad at me?"

"What?! Why should I be mad?"

"I-I used you."

"Yes, to lie to your mother. Was she convinced though, that it was me you were meeting?"

"I think so."

"Wow, you seriously lied straight to aunty's face?! Am I dreaming or is this really happening?"

"Why is it so hard to believe that I lied to maa?"

"Of course it's hard, I mean you never lied to her before until yesterday."

"I-I just... It wouldn't have been good if everyone found out about Jalal yesterday."

"Why?"

"They weren't supposed to be back Moti, and I invited Jalal over. Only the two of us, what do you think they would have thought if they saw me and Jalal together?"

"Oh, right. It would have been very bad for Jalal and you. It's a good thing Jalal called you first before going up."

"Only I know how frantically my heart beat just thinking of what will happen if Jalal knocks on the front door. I even thought it would stop beating eventually though that was exaggerating it."

"Now, now Jodha, nothing happened no one else besides me knows about the two of you right?"

Jodha kept silence and avoided answering Moti which made the latter curious.

"Am I the only who knows Jodha or does someone else know as well?"

"There's someone else who knows."

"Who else knows?"

"I told Sukanya last night."

"You told Sukanya but not your parents? Why?"

"I knew Sukanya would understand which she did but I don't know what to expect from my family."

"Does Jalal know that you told Sukanya?"

"I haven't had the time to tell him yet."

"Well you should tell him fast, he is going to be so thrilled to hear that someone from your family knows about the two of you."

"I'm sure he will, nut tell me since when did Jalal become just Jalal to you?

"Seriously Jodha?! I can't believe you are jealous of me calling him Jalal."

"I am not jealous! I just wanted to know why are you calling him by his name since you always address him by Sir or Mr. Muhammad."

"He asked me to address him with his name if I wanted. Just so you know, I am not taking your Jalal away from you so rest assured."

"I told you I am not jealous! I was merely curious."

"Of course you were." Moti smirked.

Before Jodha could answer back to Moti's teasing, her hand-phone beeped. She checked it to find Jalal's text asking for her presence in his office.

"Sorry Moti, Jalal wants me in his office."

"Go ahead, I will catch up with you later. Oh, and do tell him the happy news."

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Jalal's office

When Jodha entered Jalal's office she saw that he wasn't at his desk.

Where is he? She wondered when she felt two arms embracing her from behind.

"I love you." He whispered into her ears, his lips touching it ever so softly like feathers. She let out a soft hmm' that came out more like a moan due to her biting her lower lips willing herself to not blurt out that she loves him too.

"I have something to tell you." She said as she turned to face him still locked within his embrace bringing her hands to his shoulder.

He looks at her with an ear to ear grin and told her that he too had something to tell her.

"You go first." She offered.

"No, ladies first." He said instead.

"Okay." She takes a deep breath and continues "I-I told Sukanya about us. That we are in a relationship."

To say Jalal was shocked would be an understatement for he felt more than that, he was gobsmacked. Just last night Jodha had shared that she was afraid of what her family's reaction will be like when they found out about their relationship hence the secrecy of it right now she is saying that she told someone in her family albeit a cousin.

He was on top of the world thinking that she too wanted someone in her family to know about him the same way he wanted his family to know about her.

"You told Sukanya?"

"I did." She answered biting her lower lips.

"And? What did she say about me? I mean us?"

"She is happy for the two of us." She smiled.

"I don't know what to say except show you." And so he released his hands from her waist and brought them up to her cheeks and kissed her softly on her lips. "Thank you." He says as he looks down at her face radiated with happiness.

"What was it that you wanted to tell me?" Jodha asked.

"I spoke to ammi last night."

"Oh Jalal, you called her?"

"I did, and you were right Jodha, ammi and abbu, they both missed me. We cleared things up, I... It felt great speaking to ammi and knowing that she still loves me." His voice was getting croaky so he cleared his throat and continued "She even promised to come to India with abbu as soon as abbu is free off work."

"Jalal, that's great news. I'm so happy for you."

"That's not all."

"That's not all?"

"No." He took her hands in his and said "I told ammi about you Jodha. And I'm sure she would have told abbu as soon as I hung up. And they want to meet you, when they come to India"

Tears started to well her brown orbs.

"Is it too soon? I'm sorry Jodha, I can ask them to wait until you are ready to meet them if you want." He said.

She shook her head and said as a drop of tears ran down her cheek "No, I would love to meet your parents Jalal."

He brought his right hand up to wipe her tears and caressed her cheek asking "Are you sure? There's no need to hurry Jodha."

"I'm sure Jalal." She replied as she brought her hand over his.

"I've never been so excited, I can't wait for them to be here."

"Me too. But Jalal what do I have to do to make your parents like me?"

"Just be you Jodha."

"What?"

"Just be the person that you are. You made me fall in love with you by being you so just do the same for my parents."

"And they will fall in love with me the same way you did?" She teased.

"No, not the exact same way as me, but I can tell you that they will love you as they would love the woman that I love. If they don't then I will just have to convince them and make them like you."

She laughs as she hugs him saying that she is happy to have met him and he in turn kissed her on her parting saying that he felt the same way too. Both not knowing what the future has in store for them but equally grateful that fate, destiny or whatever you call it brought them together.

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After receiving the news that his so called younger brother is coming to India, Adham knew that Jalal was here because something dire has happened. Jalal would never come to India no matter the number of persuasion ammi had to make for him to come visit stating that his family was there.

Adham and Jalal both share a live so far apart, Jalal was born and raised in the US by both parents whereas Adham was born and raised in India by his single mother. Jalal was brought up no different from a prince, his parents are wealthy enough to but him anything whereas Adham had to learn hardship at a young age.

All his life or rather early childhood, Adham had to suffer with things a young growing boy shouldn't have suffered from. Every night he would see his mother spending the night with different men and some of them treats him nicely but most of them hit him. His mother never bothered about the fact that her so called boyfriends were hitting him.

For all he knows he was a mistake his mother couldn't get rid of. She always tells him how she wished she never fell pregnant or how she would have gotten an abortion if she had realised she was pregnant sooner. Adham always knew his mother never loved him and he learnt better than to ask her about his birth father.

He had asked her once and that ended with her slapping the 10 year old him. Adham wasn't lucky enough to have any friends as their parents don't allow their kids to play with him stating that his mother was a bad influence to their kids. He always wanted someone to play with when he was young, hoping that his mother would give him a younger brother to play with but he knew that could never happen.

Few years into his adulthood, Adham learned of Jalal's existence. He was thrilled to have a little brother like figure for him. He loved Jalal dearly and swore to always protect him but he had failed badly 5 years ago to bring his brother back.

Adham was always grateful that Jalal was raised by such wonderful parents and not someone like his mother. He had even a one point envied Jalal but he loved Jalal too much to give in to his demons. He had never seen his sweet brother so shattered before and he hated his mother for being part of the reason why Jalal became a totally different human being.

He knew that even though he is afraid to see the hatred in Jalal's eyes for him, he had to someday face it. He had avoided work too long and he knew Jalal was waiting for him to turn up. He could only hope that his little brother had at least a little love for him as he mustered his courage before entering the company he works at.

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Ever since Suryabhan and Jodha's rishtha has been fixed, Surya can't seem to forget about his intended. He had fall for Jodha the very moment his parents showed him her photo. Jodha was everything he wanted in his life partner, she was smart, educated, born in a respectable family and the icing on the cake was that she was beautiful.

The other rishthas that came for him before Jodha's was good ones too however those girls weren't as pretty as Jodha. So, when he saw her photo he immediately agreed for fear that someone else might beat him to asking for her hand.

Surya wished he didn't have to leave for this meeting, if it was up to him, he would go meet Jodha that very day than be here attending this boring meeting. He couldn't wait to meet her and know her better, he knows she will like him if she gets to know him and maybe just maybe she will come to love him as much as he loves her.