FF: Love, Cherish me ~~ Epilogue ~~ - Page 31

Note: This chapter was not only written by me, but my bestie who never ever watched TPK wrote parts of it...😛

Lull Before the Storm

Pandey Nivas

12 days later...

Pandey Nivas was a whirlpool of activity today. Vasundhara having gained her health back considerably over the last few days had resumed her place in running the household. She was barking orders at everyone and making the daughter-in-laws of the house run around in fright. It was good to be back, she thought with satisfaction and she felt happy.

Today she wanted everything perfect, everything gleaming and shining...every single corner of the house polished to new. She had arranged a Mata ki Chowki in the house for the peace and prosperity of the house. Too many things had been going wrong, and the gods needed appeasing! She felt content and hopeful that all would be well with the family, once Matarani would shower her blessings on them.

Actually there was another reason behind her happiness. Today her son was coming back from Mumbai after almost two long weeks...and what better welcome would there be for him but to do the puja with Thapki ... to embrace the new life he was going to start with her soon.

But first she needed to ensure Thapki would carry out the puja with Dhruv. She needed to tread carefully about the issue with her because she was well aware of the silly infatuation Thapki was having nowadays... She looked around to find the subject of her thoughts.

And found her walking out of the kitchen with a heavy bucket of water. Oh no... This would not do at all... Thapki may hurt herself before the puja. No... No... "Thapki beta, what are you doing with such a heavy bucket of water? Let Manohar do the heavy work...please come here."

Thapki put the bucket down and waited till Manohar took it away and came and sat next to Vasu. "Today's puja is very important," Vasu took Thapki's hands in her own and explained. "I want this to be an auspicious start to the new life you and Dhruv will start soon. Today's aarti that you perform will have my blessings and matarani's aashirwaad too."

Thapki nodded obediently her mind only on Bihaan. She was only half listening as she contemplated performing the aarti for her and Bihaan's future. She doesn't really care what Ma was planning or wanted. She just hoped Bihaan would come home before the puja begin.

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Pandey Nivas Mandir

That evening...

Everyone but her husband was gathered in front of Matarani dressed at their best. When she called Bihaan about one hour ago he was still at work. She gave him an ultimatum that if he didn't arrive by the time puja commenced he was going to face a locked window from tonight on wards. But he was still not here. Thapki began to decorate her thali with a sinking feeling in her heart. This puja was supposed to be special for both of them but buddhu didn't seem to care. She huffed.

Vasu put a hand on her shoulder. "It's about time beta, let's commence."

Thapki looked over her shoulder one last time, he was still not here.

With a sigh she began. She began to pray with all her heart to Matarani... She prayed for all the problems, misfortunes, difficulties to go away from this house...prayed for everyone in this house to lead a happy and prosperous life... prayed that Ma would accept Bihaan as her son from her heart, prayed she and Bihaan may start a new life with everyone's blessing, prayed Dhruv sir may find someone fitting for himself and find happiness with her and she prayed to Matarani to bless her husband with some good sense so that he could manage his anger better.

She finished her aarti after a long time and turned to find Dhruv sir standing close to her... Ma and her machinations ...she never stops, Thapki rolled her eyes in her mind.

However, what caught her eye was that her husband was there, standing behind everyone, his hair wet and he was wearing his kurta pajamas. He must have come here after freshening up hence his late entrance. Thapki smiled as she moved to give Prasad to Bauji, she moved to Dadima next and then to Ma. Ma waved her hand over the flame and took Prasad with both her hands then urged Thapki towards Dhruv with a discreet nod.

Thapki didn't seem to notice Ma's gesture rather she turned towards her husband instead and offered him her thali. She felt a rush of pleasure, when without taking his intense gaze off her, he waved his hands over the flame and took the blessings to his own forehead. Thapki stared into his eyes spellbound when he cleared his throat to remind her that he was waiting for her to put Prasad in his outstretched palms. Blushing furiously, Thapki fumbled with the laddoo on her thali and put it on his palm, her fingertips brushing against the calloused warm skin.

Every one smiled indulgently at this little scene between the newly professed lovers. No one seemed to noticed that both Dhruv and Vasu flinched at her inherent gesture and Thapki definitely didn't notice because she had eyes for her husband only.

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Dhruv's room

Later that night...

"Dhruv beta, haven't you slept yet?" Vasundhara came in seeing the lights still on.

"No Ma. Just finishing up this report." Dhruv said from behind his laptop.

"You work too hard. It's not good practice to bring work home from office." Vasu chastised. "Waise bhi, you are going to embark on a new life soon, your wife won't like it."

"I hardly think she would notice it to mind," The flippant reply came out before Dhruv could stop it.

"Why are you saying like this Beta? Off course Thapki will notice and she would mind."

Dhruv heaved a heavy sigh.

"Ma, sometimes I just wonder...it is just that...I think..." Dhruv looked at war with himself and couldn't seem to finish his sentence.

"Haan bolo beta, what happened?? What do you think? " Vasu urged him.

"It is just that, Ma, Thapki has changed somehow and I can feel it... she is not how she was before----she is more reserved, more aloof----" Dhruv sighed again, "I feel like she has carried on with her life, whereas, I am still stuck where she left me... still waiting for her..."Dhruv shook his head miserably.

Vasu tried to hide her shock hearing those words... "Of course she has changed beta, its quite natural...she has gone through so much..."

"No Ma it is more than that..." He said remembering the little scene after the puja that evening, "It is as if, she doesn't regard me like she used to before...It is like now she is in love with Bi----"

Ma cut him off before he could finish the sentence.

"NO, No what rubbish..." Vasu tried to hide her panic with a laugh, "Aisa kuch nehi hai...it is just that, Thapki is a very well cultured girl...even if her relationship with Bihaan is only in name...she feels a responsibility towards their relationship...nothing personal...once she gets separated she will be as easy-going like before, just you see..."

Dhruv shook his head, "I thought so too Ma, but...Thapki seems so distant lately...she seems to avoid me even...and she didn't pick up my calls any time I called her from Mumbai"

"Lo ji...is this what it is all about?? She didn't pick up your calls?? Is this why you are having these gloomy thoughts?? Arey beta, she must have been busy...she always keeps busy haven't you noticed??...you are worried for nothing...Thapki loves you...has always loved only you...don't worry at all...go to sleep now. Don't think of bad stuffs."

With an indulgent smile and calm facade Vasundhara turned to leave...while she felt anything such. NO NO NO this can't be happening, her mind was screaming...she had to make this stop... her son couldn't have his heart broken again...she had to do something drastic to make Thapki get over her silly infatuation and she had to do it fast.

For starters she would send Thapki and Dhruv on a long drive tomorrow...if the kids spend time together, they would remember old times and fall in love again...She already started to feel better.

Meanwhile, Dhruv was lost in his own torrents of thoughts...whatever Ma said, Dhruv still felt sceptical. He would talk to Thapki about it tomorrow he decided. With that decision he turned off his laptop and got up to get ready to sleep.

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Next day...mid morning...

Was it only him or everyone in this house kept sneaking looks at him?? He even asked Ashwin Bhaiya when he was doing exactly that but Ashwin Bhaiya vehemently denied not meeting his eyes. Something was going on he was sure...but he doesn't have time for it now... first he needed to find Thapki...As usual she had vanished somewhere, Dhruv thought exasperatingly.

At breakfast, Ma had asked him to go to their village and distribute alms and charity to poor people over there and asked Thapki to accompany him...Thapki as usual greeted the news with her stony expression...an expression which she seemed to sport quite often nowadays especially when he was near her...

They needed to start for the village soon but Thapki was nowhere to be seen...where was she??he had looked everywhere in the house...but she was no where...

Only one place he hadn't looked yet, the terrace...she might be there. With that thought he started for the terrace. When he was half way through the stairs, he heard it...Thapki was screaming...Yes it was definitely her voice...she was in fact shrieking...Dhruv's heart seemed to stop for a second...then he began to run...

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PS: Have I said thank you to you guys lately??? I know I haven't...So today, I want to thank each and everyone of you who is reading this ridiculous ff of mine once again...thank you for your patience and thank you for the love you guys are bestowing on me...I have a feeling that is going to change soon...you will be feeling something else instead...well...I don't know...I am just happy you guys don't know where I live. 😃