A/N: I know the expectation with the last chapter seems to be that I'll write a sex scene in this chapter, but I am not going to write it as part of the story, it is something I will write separately and post at a later time (i.e. hopefully within the next few days since I have time off this weekend!). This is partly because I have gotten numerous requests to write ShraMan's first night together and I want to write a more broad one rather than restricting it to a part of this story alone. Rest assured, you can fit that scene into this story if your heart desires or it can be a stand alone piece that can fit into any version of EDKV. This story was always meant to be more about the emotional side of their relationship than the physical and I am going to keep it that way! Shocking, I know. Haha.
Chapter 4 - Opening New Doors
Shravan and Suman Malhotra sat beside each other on the sofa in the Tiwari Villa with Nirmala Malhotra sitting in the sofa to their side. The rest of the house was silent apart from Nirmala's sniffles as she cried. Sumo was holding Shravan's right hand in her left while her right hand rested on Nirmala's knee, providing the reassurance they both needed.
Sumo was conflicted, on one hand she understood Shravan's plight - his mother did choose to leave him and Shravan's anger and pain was justified. But on the other hand, she felt for Nirmala, who was like a mother to her. She had seen her cry for Shravan just like she had seen Shravan cry for her, so all she could do then was be there for both of them and help them work out their issues.
"I know I've made my mistakes and I am sorry, but I still love you Shravan, you're my son." Nirmala got out through her tears, the conversation had started out just fine, with Nirmala recalling her side of the story and trying to justify her decision of leaving but it had taken an emotional turn as the mother-son duo started crying through their words.
"You haven't acted like it." Shravan sighed, the tears streaming down his face made Sumo want to halt the conversation right where it was so she could just hold him and reassure him that everything would be okay. "You came back and left me in shock, you never tried to come back again to tell me your side of the story. I know that my father or I didn't make things easy, but in the past ten years, you didn't even try to reach out to me. You could have done it so easily. I was right here for the past month, right in front of you, but it was so obvious that you didn't really care - you gave up on me all those years ago and you didn't come back because you didn't want to - Sumo had to push you last time and even then you didn't go through with it." Shravan said.
Sumo sighed, in a sense Shravan's words were very true, she had pushed Nirmala to patch up with Shravan when she first returned because Sumo thought it was what Shravan needed. Nirmala hadn't insisted on patching up with Shravan, she had only wanted to see what Shravan looked like. Sumo hadn't understood it then but now she understood why Shravan was so broken over his mother, her own mother hadn't left her willingly - she had died in an accident and it hurt but she knew it would hurt more if she knew that her mother had chosen to leave her all alone.
"I am sorry, I just thought I was doing what was best for you." Nirmala cried causing Sumo to sigh and squeeze her knee reassuringly.
"Everyone just assumes, no one asks me." Shravan scoffed.
"I am sorry Shravan. I really am, I did want to take you with me but I thought your father would be able to provide for you better and I didn't want to drag you in between the two of us. I wanted you to have stability and I thought that going away from you would give you that. I am sorry." Nirmala cried.
"You thought leaving me and making me feel like I didn't matter to you would give me stability?" Shravan asked, the words made no sense to him at the moment but Sumo sighed realizing that there was no right or wrong here. There was a moment of silence in the room when Nirmala didn't respond to the question, they guessed she understood that the argument was invalid.
"Would you have given up on me so easily again after you came back if it was Aditya in my place?" Shravan mumbled and Sumo squeezed his hand reassuringly. She knew that Shravan was hurt by the fact that his mother seemed to have chosen Aditya over him, to him it seemed like she had replaced him and tried to fill the void in her life, but he didn't have the same luxury.
Nirmala Malhotra burst into full out crying at that moment and Sumo didn't quite know what to do. On one hand she wanted to comfort Nirmala but on the other hand she also knew that Shravan was right in what he was saying, so she just sat there patiently and let the two of them talk.
Shravan had a lot to say, and rightly so. But what made Sumo really happy was that he also seemed to understand that it wasn't just Nirmala's fault - it was his father's too. They came around slowly, their eyes sad were bloodshot by the end of it, but they hugged and cried and it made Sumo happy. Things weren't perfect, but they had taken a huge step forward today.
Sumo sighed at the end of the grueling day that the three of them spent together, she was emotionally and physically exhausted at that point. But she was also happy as she cuddled into Shravan's hold later that night. They were staying at the Tiwari Villa for the night, Shravan had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Sumo placed a kiss on his forehead before she cuddled herself closer, burying her face into the crook of his neck and closing her eyes.
X-X-X-X-X
"Where are we going?" Sumo asked for the tenth time looking over at her husband who just shook his head with a smile and looked straight ahead as he drove through the busy Delhi streets, luckily they were heading out of town rather that into town making their journey a bit easier.
"Shravannn." She tried again but he didn't respond. He enjoyed teasing her like this, Sumo was patient only when she was in a kitchen cooking, put her in any other situation and she had the patience of a kindergartner - a fact that Shravan found quite endearing.
"Where are we going?" She asked again as she looked out the window trying to figure out where they were heading, but she couldn't pinpoint a distinct destination. Shravan obviously didn't respond, he had just told her to be ready and that they were going somewhere. He usually wasn't so secretive about where they were going so her interest was piqued.
"Mr. Malhotraaa." Sumo sang but he just chuckled and shook his head at his wife's antics. "Aye Chasmish!" She tried with a giggle, she had recently found Shravan's old glasses and the nickname had come back, albeit it was now used in a more endearing tone than it ever was before.
"You are always going to be impatient, aren't you?" Shravan chuckled glancing towards her with what she had dubbed his fond look.
"Some things never change." She smiled back at him.
"And some do." He murmured intertwining his hand with hers, leaving one hand on the steering wheel and the other between their seats.
"Your love for speed is never going to change though." She murmured as he whizzed in between the cars, his driving scared her just a bit, but she had to admit that despite his speed issues he wasn't a bad driver.
"My love for efficiency." He corrected changing lanes yet again.
"I am driving next time." Sumo murmured as he squeezed into a space between two cars that didn't seem natural to squeeze into.
"Your driving is horrid Sumo."
"It is not!" She defended with a gasp.
"You don't even know how to reverse park properly." He pointed out.
"At least I am not a danger to everyone on the road Mr. Malhotra!" She yelled.
"Your love for yelling at me is never going to change either, is it, Mrs. Malhotra?"
"You can't call me Mrs. Malhotra when I am mad at you."
"You're mad at me?" He chuckled. "That's new." He said, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. He knew she wasn't really mad though, her hand was still intertwined with his and she was talking to him. When she was really angry she stopped speaking to him after blowing up - but she didn't get that angry with him, not anymore, even though he felt like he deserved it after all he had done. Her anger these days was usually over really small things and resulted in her pouting and trying to shrug off his touch. He would follow her around with a pout and apologize and she would melt like ice-cream on a hot day most of the times.
"You're so annoying!" She groaned.
"Yet you love me Mrs. Malhotra." He grinned.
"Stop with the Mrs. Malhotra. You can't be cute like that when I am mad, that is how marriages work Shravan."
"When did you become the -"
"Nu-uh! You can't argue with me either! The first rule of marriage is that the wife is always right." She teased causing him to roll his eyes with a fond smile as he pulled up on a small road, a bit outside of Delhi. Sumo's eyes widened as she realized where they were going.
He pulled up onto the narrow driveway, shutting the car off and turning towards her with a smile. "Lets go Suman Madam." He said tilting his head towards the house but Sumo did not move, Shravan smiled at the shocked look on her face and got out of the car before walking over to her door and propping it open. She still didn't get out though, she just looked up at him with a confused expression.
Shravan held his hand out to her and she took it before slowly getting out of the car, minding her dupatta. "What are we doing here?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Shravan smiled down at his wife before closing the car door and wrapping his arms around her from behind. His hands rested on her stomach which clenched under his touch and his chin rested on top of her head. "We're here to see your new house Suman Malhotra." He mumbled looking at the house they had explored together months ago - her childhood home.
"But Shravan-" She knew she wanted to say a lot but nothing came out of her mouth as her mind tried to process what was happening.
Shravan took the keys out of his pocket and held them in front of her. "All yours."
"But Khosla - how?" She asked confused, she knew Khosla would never willingly sell the house to Shravan of all people.
"I offered him a deal he couldn't refuse." Shravan grinned repeating the words she had said to his, now their, family all those months ago after the court case.
"But Shravan-"
"Sumo, I am cold, can we go inside and talk?" He whined pushing her body along with his towards the front door of the house.
Sumo was hit with nostalgia again as Shravan unlocked the front door and led them into her old house. Nothing had changed yet again, the furniture, the paint, the marks on the walls, the layout - everything was the same. "Shravan, what is this?" She asked him yet again, his arms just wrapped around her tighter and he bent to move his chin to rest on her shoulder rather than the top of her head.
"This is our new house Mrs. Malhotra." He said, his cheek stubbly cheek against her soft one.
"But we can't just leave the house-."
"We're not." Shravan reassured her knowing that she would never agree to leaving the Malhotra mansion all together. "This house is far enough from the city to be a seasonal home, somewhere we could come to get away from everything."
Sumo's feelings were conflicted, on one hand she wanted to throw herself at him and thank him for this. But on the other hand she was afraid this was just a way to get away from dealing with the issues he had with his parents. She was touched by the gesture though, he knew how much this house meant to her and she realized that getting it probably wasn't easy either.
"You know married couples don't take big decisions like this without consulting each other first Mr. Malhotra." She murmured as she looked around at her house.
"Did you get a manual at the mandap that I missed?" He teased noticing that she was warming up to the idea.
"Ha! There was no mand-." She started but then stopped short when she felt him tense, their wedding was still a touchy subject, his arms seemed to loosen from around her and she sighed before turning herself in his arms so she could look up at him. She placed her hands on his chest, one resting over his heart and the other at the opposite shoulder as his hands fell to her lower back.
"We can get married again, I've asked numerous times." He said, his face forlorn. And he had, he kept suggesting that they get remarried like he had posed the first morning after he had found out the truth. She always smiled and told him that it wasn't the right time yet, and reminded him that he said they would marry after they sorted everything out - and he was still far from having sorted everything out with his parents.
"Yeah, lets get married again when you're still not on good terms with your father, when you are still trying to figure things out with your mother-"
"You are more important to me than they are Sumo." He said interrupting her, and it was true, he was just tired of his parents, it hadn't taken him long to realize that the only person that loved him selflessly was the woman that was in his arms at that moment. And he had slowly realized that all he really needed was her, because for the first time in a long time he felt happy despite all the problems.
"Shravan, I don't want to be more important than them, they are your parents."
"They haven't acted like it." He laughed dryly.
"They made mistakes, but we both know they were only trying to do what they thought was best for you." She said cupping his face and forcing him to look at her, his eyes pierced her heart, as they always did - they were so expressive and pained that it made her heart stutter for him.
"How did you forgive him so easily?" Shravan said, his eyes filling with tears. Shravan could barely talk to his father apart from the formal pleasantries they engaged in but Sumo and his father seemed to get along just fine. It bothered him because he felt that Sumo should have hated his father; he was the reason for a lot of her unhappiness but she didn't. And his father seemed to even like Sumo and had accepted her wholeheartedly which was also odd to him. He figured it was probably due to the fact that he would have left the Malhotra mansion as soon as he found out about his father's lies if Sumo wasn't there to stop him.
"He's your father, he means a lot to you." Sumo sighed. "And you're not going to be happy even if we did move away. We need to work through this Shravan."
"It's just hard - every time I start warming up to him something just reminds me about how close I came to losing you, partly because of him and I can't-." He trailed off sadly, the thought of losing her broke him.
"I am not going anywhere Shravan, I am here, right beside you, always will be." She said pulling his face down towards her lightly and pecking his lips before burying her face into the crook of his neck and just hugging him. Shravan sighed and his arms tightened around her as he rested his chin on the top of her head again. He wondered why she stayed with him, after all he had done and said, but she forgave him so easily - he had wanted her to be angry but she wasn't.
His guilt still ate at him despite her constant reassurance that she had forgiven him. She was happy with what they had but he wanted to give her so much more, he wanted her to be as happy as she could be, for them to be as happy as they could be. Their talks had revealed that the ten years they had spent apart had been far from happy, and their families, although present, weren't ever really there for them. It was a humbling experience for both of them to realize that all they had was each other.
"So basically, we can get married again once I am on good terms with my parents?" Shravan asked after a while of just standing there wrapped up in each other.
"This selective hearing thing needs to stop." She mumbled against his neck before moving back and looking up at him. "Why are you so intent on marrying me again?" She asked with a smile.
"You deserve the wedding of your dreams. I took that away from you and I-."
"It doesn't matter Shravan." She interrupted. "All that matters is that I am your wife at the end of the day." She smiled.
"It does matter Sumo, you always wanted a big wedding and with the way everything happened -" He took a deep breath recollecting himself. "You deserve the world Sumo, I am just trying to give you what I can." He said kissing her nose lightly as her eyes watered.
"Like this house." She whispered.
"It means so much to you, it's your childhood." He shrugged, he knew he wanted to buy the house for her when they started talking about her childhood, she missed her parents so much - it was something he hadn't picked up on until she talked about it. But after she talked to him about it, it just made sense to him that she would want to have this house, she never said anything about it but he just knew that having the house would make her feel closer to her parents.
She looked up at him with a fond smile, she never thought that someone would love her like this, someone that would know what her heart desired without her even mentioning it once. It had always been a dream of hers, a distant dream, to own this house one day - a dream that she didn't think was possible. If he had done this a few months ago she would have never accepted the house from him, from anyone. But he was her husband now and he loved her, so she had no qualms about accepting the house - they had also discussed her reluctance to take things from people and had come to the conclusion that taking things from each other shouldn't be a problem.
"Thank you Shravan." She whispered leaning up and pecking his lips again with a smile.
"You like it?" He asked, his eyes grew wide and hopeful and Sumo's felt a fuzzy feeling taking over her.
"Is your Oxford Law Degree fake chashmish? How could I not love this?" She teased.
"I am glad." He said choosing not to answer the first question.
"It needs to be renovated though." Sumo smiled up at him. "So it can be our house, and not my parent's house."
"Valid point." He said turning her around in his arms again so her back was flush against the front his body. "Your wish is my command Mrs. Malhotra." He said placing his chin on her shoulder again. She put her own arms along his which were wrapped around her, her hands resting on top of his over her stomach.
"I think the layout should be about the same...but everything needs to be newer, kind of like our room." She said. "And maybe we can make the kitchen bigger, Maa always complained that it was too small."
"Hmmm, done, so you can cook me my favourite foods." He teased with a smile.
"Bhukkad."
"That is never going to change."
"Obviously." She laughed. "We need to make the doorways bigger so you don't have to bend to get into the rooms or walk into the doorway when you're half asleep." She giggled.
"You parents must have been really short too." He speculated trying to shift the attention away from his tendency to walk into doors at the Tiwari Villa when they spent nights there - in his defence it was hard enough to navigate through her room in the dark when he needed to use the bathroom, having to factor in doorway heights into the navigation was almost impossible when you were half asleep.
"Hey! I am two inches taller than the average female." Sumo defended causing Shravan to let out a chuckle as he moved his head, the chin of which was resting on her shoulder, and kissed her cheek.
"You're the perfect height." He reassured her.
"What do you think should be changed?" She asked looking around the space trying to take it all in.
"The stairs need to be redone, so they are not floating and they need railings so our kids don't go falling everywhere." He murmured, her mind automatically went back to how Shravan was with Daboo and her heart stuttered in her chest.
"Kids?" She mumbled, they hadn't really talked about it - they talked a lot but they had yet to discuss kids in detail, more than that they had yet to take the next step in their relationship - and she realized at that moment that they needed to talk about kids before they took that step, for obvious reasons.
"Yeah, you know when a man and a woman love each other-" Shravan started but Sumo whacked his arm cutting him short as she flushed red.
"You're sooo funny." She said, the sarcasm dripping from her voice, but there was a small smile on her face at his antics. She was glad that he was back to the Shravan who loved to tease her and play around, she had missed him.
"Anyways, like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, we need to close up the stairs so little Sumo doesn't fall off and hurt herself."
"Little Sumo?"
"Yes, a little princess to spoil. And then obviously a little guy to spoil as well."
"I can see that." Sumo smiled, her heart melted at the thought of him carrying around their babies, she knew that he would make a great father.
"So two kids?" He murmured.
"Hm, maybe three. A big happy family." She whispered, it was something she had always craved but never really had, the Tiwari clan was her family but she felt like a burden more than a family member sometimes.
"One thing though, they can't be as stubborn as their mother." Shravan teased.
"You're just as stubborn as me Shravan!" Sumo defended.
"I am not."
"Yes you are."
"Fine, as long as they're not as stubborn as the average stubbornness of the two of us."
"You're such a nerd."
"That's never going to change either."
"Hm, good, I like my nerdy chasmish."
"Like, not love?"
"Still debating it." She teased. "I feel like I am going to be the discipliner and you're going to be the fun parent." Sumo sighed.
"Obviously." Shravan sighed. "But you're going to be a great mother." He smiled.
"Obviously." Sumo laughed. "And I have to keep you in line so you don't spoil our kids rotten."
"You're going to be just as bad in spoiling them, don't lie." He laughed pulling her closer. "I think we're both going to try to make up for our own childhoods." He said with a sigh, there was a sadness in his voice that pierced her heart.
"You're not your parents Shravan." She reassured him.
"I hope."
"I know." She smiled. "Shravan?"
"Hmmm." He responded.
"When do you want to have kids?" She asked.
"Eager to get started?" He teased.
"Shravan, be serious!" She groaned as she flushed again.
"Whenever you want them I guess, it is your body after all."
"I think we should wait a bit." She said.
"Because of our current situation?" He asked.
"Partly. I like where we are right now, just the two of us." She murmured as his arms tightened around her further as he nodded.
X-X-X-X-X
"Do we have to go?" Shravan whined as Sumo buttoned the top button of his white dress shirt before pushing up the collars so they were standing. They were standing in middle of the closet in their room, the room was filled with smells of their perfumes and body wash.
"Yes." Sumo said with a smile, kissing his chin because she was too lazy to reach up at the moment. "You smell like me." She murmured when she caught a whiff of her own peaches and cream body wash.
"You should have changed the body wash or do I distract you too much?" Shravan teased causing her eyes to narrow.
"Next time you're showering alone." She said hitting him the tie she was holding.
"But we have to conserve time, save the environment and all." He said with a smile.
"We're not doing any of that." She said, they took longer in the shower hence wasted more water.
"Okay, but it's fun." He said waggling his eyebrows.
"Stop!" She said whacking him again as her face turned red. Shravan chuckled at his wife, he didn't think she would be the shy type - and she wasn't - but whenever he brought up their recently changed relationship her face would turn red. They had been hesitant taking the next step due to the unusual progression of their relationship and their individual inexperience. But they had soon realized that learning together was more a blessing than curse, yes, their first time had been a little awkward, there had been a lot of fumbling and giggling but the feeling of erasing that last boundary between them had been enjoyable - and it seemed to get better and better everyday. Shravan had concluded that practice makes perfect in all realms, to which Sumo had rolled her eyes but the flush in her cheeks told him she was just as affected as he was.
"We could have our own party at home." Shravan grinned wrapping his arms around her bare waist under the pallu of her red and black saree. Shravan watched happily as she blushed, she had taken to doing that a lot.
"Later." She mumbled wrapping the red tie, that matched perfectly with her saree, around his collar.
"I am going to hold you to that Mrs. Malhotra." He grinned.
"Stay still." She murmured as she knotted the tie.
"How did you learn this?" Shravan asked intrigued, he hadn't bothered asking before but the thought just struck him.
"I am a woman of many talents Mr. Malhotra." She teased.
"You cooked for talent shows...that's it." He reminded her causing her to whack him.
"At least I had a talent, you have none." She snapped back as she finished the Windsor knot on his tie and settled it into place.
"I have talents, I can show you." He waggled his eyebrows again.
"Shravannn!" She said whacking him again as she flushed.
"Your face matches the colour of your saree." He teased.
"Are you going to bother me all night?" She asked pouting at him.
"It's what I always do." He smiled. "Just because I am your husband now doesn't mean I am going to stop being Shravan the annoying best friend." He said pulling her closer and pecking her lips.
"I would have punched Shravan the annoying best friend in the stomach if he kissed me like this." She mumbled against his lips.
"I know, but I am also Shravan the wonderful sexy husband."
"Wonderful? Sexy?" She asked arching her eyebrow at him.
"Are you denying that I am wonderful and sexy?" He asked pretending to be shocked.
"Qutub Minar ke cousin lagte ho." She teased.
"You should have married Jeevan then." He teased remembering the last time she had said the same words to him. He chuckled when he saw the disgusted look on her face. "He was sexy."
"Shut up!" Sumo said whacking him.
"What were you trying to do that day?" He laughed remembering how she had all but locked him into a room and proceeded to pace only to tell him she liked Jeevan from the photographs for her rishta.
"I saw your mom outside and I didn't want you to see her." She mumbled.
"Ohhh. Why did you continue to harp about Jeevan after though?" He asked remembering how she would act shy while she was on the phone.
"To get a reaction out of you, you idiot. Who sits and picks guys for the girl he is in love with?" She asked whacking him.
"I was in denial!" He said. "We went through this, you never listen."
"I do listen!"
"That's why you were so angry those days." He chuckled.
"I was trying to make you jealous and there was no reaction, whatsoever. You were out to get me married to some other guy." She said glaring at him.
"I would have probably come around by the time the wedding rolled around, to be honest." Shravan smiled. "But then again, Jeevan wasn't someone to be jealous of...he was a cartoon. Your choice is pretty bad Sumo." Shravan chuckled.
"Oh hello, don't forget that you are my first choice." She snapped.
Shravan got a devious look on his face at that. "So you should have just admitted that you have a wonderful and sexy husband since I am your first choice and you believe your choice to be impeccable."
"Fine okay, you're wonderful and sexy. Can we go now?" She said rolling her eyes.
"We can." He beamed letting go of her waist. She glared at him before she walked out of the closet and towards the door, Shravan laughed while grabbing the jacket of his tux. She was cute when she was mad. "Hey Sumo?" He asked as she tapped her foot impatiently by the door. She arched her eyebrow at him in question. "You look beautiful and sexy." He smiled looking at her saree clad figure yet again.
"You said that before." She said trying to stifle the smile that threatened to erupt on her face.
"See, I am not stingy with compliments unlike some other people." He said leaning down and pecking her lips quickly, taking her by surprise. "I know you really want to kiss me right now because I am wonderful and sexy but we can't ruin your lipstick." He teased reminding her of the excuse she always put up when he tried to kiss her before they went anywhere.
"Why are you extra annoying today?" She asked.
"Because I love you wifey."
X-X-X-X-X
"Not like anyone in this house listens to me anyways." Kamini murmured as she stood in the kitchen, she was loud enough that Sumo could hear her over the sounds of cooking but just barely. Sumo sighed and rolled her eyes, since Kamini had realized that Shravan was not leaving the house and was mending his relationship with both his father and mother she had taken to whining about the problem again. She was unhappy that Shravan was handling the firm, and she had even gone as far as trying to instigate Preeti against Suman by telling her that she would always have the upper hand if Shravan got everything - Preeti didn't care.
Sumo had witnessed first hand that even the rest of the family, including Pushkar, did not seem to care about what was happening, no one cared but Kamini. Suman understood where Kamini was coming from, she didn't agree with her, but she knew Shravan wouldn't want her to pick a fight over it. He had told her to calm down numerous times in the past few weeks alone.
"Sumannn, can you heat up some pakodas for me too?!" Vandy Bhabhi beamed at Sumo who nodded with a smile.
"Pushkar does so much but he doesn't get anything, no, everything is for Shravan. And Pushkar doesn't even care, he's going to grow up and have nothing when Shravan kicks him out." Kamini murmured under her breath as she walked towards Suman.
Vandy's eyes widened at Kamini's words and her eyes flashed to Suman. Vandy looked back at Kamini and motioned towards Suman, indicating that she could hear but Kamini just rolled her eyes and continued to blabber the same thing.
There was only so much Sumo could take and she took in a deep breath before she spoke, she tried to keep her voice calm but she knew the anger was shining through in her brusque speech. "Kamini chachi, I can assure that Shravan doesn't want everything, he is more than happy to give it all to Pushkar." She said turning towards Kamini, Suman's face was devoid of the small smile that was usually present. "And you know just as well as I do that Shravan was doing just that when he was leaving for London."
"He's not leaving though, is he? He's getting everything, it's easy to say this but -"
"Shravan didn't say he wanted everything, everyone, including Pushkar, agreed that he was more fit to handle the firm. I haven't said anything before this, but this is getting out of hand now, Shravan is an amazing lawyer, the best one in Delhi, maybe in all of India too. So, please stop going on about how he doesn't deserve it, he was gone for years, I agree, but he was learning and making a name for himself - he didn't want to handle this firm. Coming to Pushkar, why are you blaming Shravan for something that won't ever happen? Shravan is also a Malhotra chachi, he has the right to live here and work alongside his family. You're just going to drive a wedge between Shravan and Pushkar - because we both know that Shravan will leave everything for Pushkar but Pushkar will never take it and it'll just force him away from you. You have an example of what that kind of relationship is going to be like right in front of you."
Kamini's mouth opened and closed, she hadn't expected Suman to respond, and she didn't quite know what to say as her words sank in. Kamini's feelings were a mix of anger and embarrassment because she knew that somewhere Suman's words wrung true, and she had seen the strain in Ramnath and Shravan's relationship first hand, she didn't want to have that kind of relationship with her own son.
"Shravan works just as hard as Pushkar, they both deserve everything equally. And Shravan will never take what belongs Pushkar and Pushkar won't let him give anything up. Just let the two of them be, please." Suman said, her voice a bit quieter and not as terse as it was before but she was sure the point got across considering the look on Kamini's face. She hoped that this was the end of this conversation.
Suman heard footsteps going up the stairs and figured that her husband was back from work and had probably heard the whole conversation. She sighed and turned off the stove and plated the pakodas leaving them on the counter where everyone could grab some. She washed her hands and made her way up the stairs to her room.
"I just don't understand why she does this!" Sumo said snappishly as she shut the bedroom door behind her with a bang. Shravan's eyes widened when he saw that his wife's face was red with anger and her mouth was set in a straight line. Shravan was standing by the bed loosening his tie, the black coat he had worn to court lay on the bed leaving him in a stark white shirt and his black slacks. "She just doesn't seem to get that you work just as hard as Pushkar and you deserve just as much as him. How can she even think that you'd try to take everything? Does she not realize how much you love Pushkar?!" She said, talking really fast as she walked towards Shravan, she grabbed a hold of his tie and loosened it before throwing it onto the bed.
"You already have enough problems in your life and she's just- what?" She asked stopping short when she noticed the slight smile on Shravan's face. Shravan wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. "Breathe." He whispered to her, he smiled when he felt her tense body relax into his as she placed her cheek against his chest over his heart.
"She's right in where she is coming from too Sumo, just let her be." Shravan said rubbing his hands up and down her back to calm her down.
"I don't like it when she says things about you." Sumo murmured against his chest. "I know you said that I should ignore her but today was just too much, she's been trying to get a reaction from me since I came back from work. I tried to ignore her but ughhh. How much did you hear?" She asked.
"Enough to realize that my wifey is really sexy when she defends me like that." He said.
"I am being serious here Shravan." She said pulling away a bit and craning her neck upwards so she could see him.
"I am being serious too. I love how your claws just come out like a lioness when someone even says the slightest thing against me, it's very sexy and it makes me feel very loved." He said leaning down and pecking her lips.
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"To the left Shravan!" Sumo groaned as Shravan tried to level the painting on the wall. "How did Oxford give you a degree?! Left!"
"I am going to the left!"
"Your left, not the painting's left!" She groaned.
"Well then you should have said that!" Shravan said as he moved the painting to the other side.
"I thought it was common sense."
"Well apparently not." He said. "Is it straight?" He asked moving back a little on the ladder to see if the painting was crooked.
"Yes, you can come down now." She said rolling her eyes. "Maybe we should have had the wall decorations picked out earlier so the workers could have handled it." She murmured looking around at the living room of her childhood, it looked different for sure - it was like a mix of both their tastes, Shravan loved clean lines and modern finishes and she liked the more traditional finishes, but the end product was perfect.
"Are you calling me useless?" Shravan gasped in offense as he climbed down the ladder.
"Of course not, you're just not very good at hanging things...or fixing clutches." She said as he reached the bottom.
"Hey! Your car is way beyond its age, that wasn't my fault." He said turning towards her.
"Sureee." Sumo said as he came to stand in front of her with a smile.
"Where is my fees?" Shravan said putting his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.
"Halwa?" She teased raising her eyebrow at him.
He just gave her his infamous are you for real look before he leaned down for a kiss. "Nu-uhhh." She said pushing him away. "All the things need to go up first." She said pointing to the mess on the dining room table.
"But I am tired." He whined.
"This tires him but other things don't." She mumbled turning around and handing him the next thing to hang on the wall.
"Other things are enjoyable, I can demonstrate." He said waggling his eyebrows.
"I want you to demonstrate how to hang that first." She said pointing to the picture frame he was holding.
"This is torture." He pouted.
"You get a kiss for every item you hang up." She negotiated.
"On the lips."
"A peck." She bargained.
"A proper kiss." He retorted.
"Then nothing is going to get hung up Malhtora." She pointed out.
"Take it or leave it, you can go hire people to hang this stuff then." He shrugged with a grin.
"You're such a...lawyer!" She groaned in frustration.
"I know." He beamed climbing back up the ladder, knowing that his terms had been met.
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"Sumooo." He whined.
"Stop!" She giggled.
"Listen to me." He pleaded.
"We've had this conversation a hundred times." She pointed out.
"But it's different this time." He argued.
"How so?"
"I am on good terms with my parents, aren't I?" He asked.
"Okay terms."
"I am only human." He groaned.
"Fine, continue."
"And look how much thought I put into this, this is the Sumo approved perfect date right?" He asked.
Sumo looked around the terrace of her childhood home which was now their home. There were big lanterns and fairy lights hanging off the trees that were in the lawn, the terrace itself was lit up and decorated beautifully with lights and tulips. Amidst it all was the table they were sitting at, he had arranged to get all her favourite foods - albeit in her dreams he usually cooked for her, but that was a dream after all. He was decked out in a black tux, looking devilishly handsome, so handsome that she had been tempted to make him forget about his surprise and take the tux right off when she saw him. He had even gotten her the emerald green and silver she was currently wearing - which was now the most beautiful set of clothing she owned.
"You can agree any moment now." Shravan murmured when she didn't reply.
"Yes, it's perfect." Sumo agreed with a smile, her smile only grew at the way his face lit up at her words.
"So can I finally ask?" He asked.
"You're already asking a question." She teased.
"SUMOOO!" He groaned exasperated causing her to laugh.
"Okay, okay, ask." She beamed at him, her heart was already beating way too fast, and she felt the happiness bubble inside her.
Shravan's smile grew ten fold as he reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "Suman Malhotra-"
"If you're proposing I can't technically be a Malhotra already." She interrupted and giggled when he groaned yet again.
"This is difficult enough already without you making it worse." He said.
"But you know I am going to say yes, we're already married..." She laughed.
"Can you shut up and let me give you the proposal you deserve?!" He deadpanned. "No more words out of you." He said and then rolled his eyes when her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Except to answer my question." He added knowing exactly what she was thinking.
Sumo smiled and nodded indicating that he could continue, she didn't think Shravan Malhotra could be cute, but he was so adorable sometimes that she just wanted to wrap him up in a hug and not let go.
"Sumo, I have loved you before I even knew what love was, even at the age of sixteen I knew that I wanted to marry you one day and grow old with you. You were my best friend, you are my best friend and I always want you to be my best friend, but I want just a bit more. I want you to be my wife, I want to wake up with you in my arms and complain about how chirpy you are in the morning, I want to kiss you when you're being cute, I want to hug you when you're sad, I want to be with you every single day until the day we both die, I want it all - I want a big happy family, I want you to nag me about spoiling our kids, I want - a life with you, forever. Will you give me that? Will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?" He said, both of them were in tears, but had huge smiles on their faces by the time Shravan pulled out the ring.
Sumo's smile grew even larger when he slid on the ring onto her ring finger, she never really knew what she wanted her engagement ring to be like, but she knew that the one she was wearing was the perfect ring for her. It was delicate and elegant, there was an oval emerald encircled by a double row of bead-set white diamonds.
"How long did it take you to come up with that?" She asked with tears still streaming down her face.
"About 10 years and 7 months." He whispered causing her to let out a mix of a chuckle and a sob.
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The Tiwaris and Malhotras, including Nirmala, sat in the Malhotra living room, the curiousity was evident on all of their faces as they awaited the big announcement. Shravan and Sumo had told the family to gather indicating that they had something important to discuss.
"Sumo & I want to get married." Shravan announced causing everyone eyes to widen in shock which caused Shravan and Sumo to roll their eyes.
"To each other, again." Sumo added to clarify, the family nodded, small smiles growing on their faces.
"Our...wedding, if you can call it that, didn't happen in the most conventional way or in the best situation the first time around. And it took me a lot of time and effort, but I have finally convinced Sumo to marry me again." Shravan beamed.
"Oh hello! Why are you making me sound like the bad guy? You are the one who dragged me to court in the first place." Suman snapped hitting his arm.
"I thought I just said that our wedding didn't happen in the best situation..." Shravan murmured.
"Yeah, but you made it sound like it was my fault."
"When did I say that?!" Shravan groaned.
"That's what you implied." She argued.
"Bhaiyaa. Bhabhi." Pushkar yelled causing the two of them to look towards him again. "This is starting to seem like the last time all over again, so can you two just...relax?" He asked.
"Anyways, before I was so rudely interrupted - OW SUMO!" Shravan yelled when she whacked him again.
"Suman, don't hit your husband!" Manju reprimanded.
"We want to get married again, with all the functions." Suman said, choosing to deflect Manju.
"In a grand way that we all originally wanted this wedding to be." Shravan beamed. "And we want papa and maa to handle the wedding arrangements." Shravan added causing Suman to beam.
A smile grew on both Nirmala and Ramnath's face as they both nodded happily realizing that this was Shravan's way of forgiving the two of them.
"This could only happen with Bhaiyaa and Sumo." Pushkar laughed.
"Bhabhi." Kamini said whacking Pushkar.
"Mumma, she has been reverted back to Sumo until the wedding happens." Pushkar beamed.
"This is a good idea." Naanu smiled noticing the happiness on his grand-daughter's face.
"Suman, pack your bags, you're moving back home until the wedding!" Maasi beamed.
"WHAT?!" Both Shravan and Sumo said at the same time, in shock.
"Well if you're getting married again, you have to go back to your own houses and the bidaai needs to happen properly." Rachna maasi said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"No! There is no need for that, we can just stay here." Shravan said, his eyes wide and Sumo nodded.
"But you just said you wanted to have a proper wedding." Kamini pointed out with a laugh. "And now you're scared of spending a little time apart." She teased.
"But we're already married - we already live together." Shravan argued, Suman just nodded, she didn't really know what to say, she knew she would just turn red as a tomato so she let Shravan talk.
"Since you're getting re-married, you have to pretend you're not married." Manju Mami said with a smirk of her own.
"Maaa." Shravan whined turning to Nirmala who was laughing at her son's plight.
"This was your idea, and I agree with Manju ji, we're going to need to bring Suman back into the house with all the rituals." Nirmala beamed.
"Yeah, but you can take her on the morning of the wedding and she can come back later." Shravan argued as Sumo nodded like a bobble-head.
"That's not how it works Shravan." Kamini teased.
"Fine, take her when the functions start, we still need to plan." Shravan bargained.
"It's not going to work like that, she needs to move back now." Naanu piped up with finality.
Shravan turned to face Sumo who sighed sadly and glared at Shravan. "This is all your fault." She murmured. "Now sleep alone."
"Oh this is going to be fun." Pushkar laughed causing the rest of the Tiwari and Malhtoras to chuckle, the only fallen faces belonged to Shravan and Suman.
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