Happy Birthday....Mili..

"Well I am coming with you", declared Urmila as she too like her sister Sita was wearing a valkal and was all set to accompany her husband along with her sister and her brother in law into the wilderness. They were still in their bed chamber getting all set for the journey leaving behind their loved ones. Her husband visibly looked flummoxed with the entire development. He couldn't possibly take her with him! He was going with his brother and sister in law as their servant. How on earth would he take his wife along with him!! He shook his head trying to think of a way to let his beloved wife down gently without hurting her. Fourteen years without her would be a torment for Lakshman yet he was ready to undergo that for her sake...

"Mila ...you need to understand that I can't possibly take you with me." Urmila raised her chin almost defiantly and her eyes flashed anger for a millisecond. "And why not? If I may ask? " Lakshman took a deep breath...It was going to be an uphill task, he thought ruefully. He slowly took his wife by her upper arm. He sighed and continued, "Mila...listen to me ... I'm going with my brother as his servant, I'll be looking after him and bhabhi all through the day and night..." Urmila stopped Lakshman mid sentence. "I know swami...and I will do the same for you. You are going to the wilderness leaving behind everybody to be with your brother...to serve him and protect him...I shall do the same." Urmila said with so much confidence that Lakshman kept staring at her stupefied. She was just eighteen yet she exuded such confidence and remarkable equanimity that it astounded him time again. However, he shouldn't allow this madness to happen...how could he? If he took her with him, it would mean that he would have not two but three people to look after. "You don't have to worry about me if that's what's bothering you." said Urmila almost reading his mind. "Mila, you know that's never going to happen. I need you to be here to look after our mothers and father." Urmila had already vowed to herself that she would definitely not bow down to any kind of reasons that her husband might throw at her however convincing they might seem to be. "Even if I go, they will still have Mandavi didi and Shrutakirti right here to look after them. I think I have the right to know if Sita didi can accompany jijashree then why can't I?" Lakshman knew he had to act fast if he wanted to pacify her..Urmila was known to have quicksilver temper even though she was an essentially a very sorted woman of eighteen. In more occasions than one she had shown extreme sagacity. "Because I told you Mila I am going with them as their slave...I don't need an additional distraction if I can avoid it. "

Lakshman knew he was being unnecessarily harsh with her...he understood that she only wanted to be with him. He hated himself every minute for it. Urmila was a remarkably perceptive woman. She couldn't be fooled by such random acts of bitterness from her husband. Apparently, she knew him better than he even knew himself. "Well" she said. "That is a relief at least for you because I do not intend to be a distraction in any way and I'll let you know I can protect myself." Resistance clearly showing in her voice. "Or are you trying to tell me that I am unwelcome there?" suddenly confusion crept in her voice making her sound vulnerable and for the first time a little unsure of herself. She moved away a little hurt. Yet, Lakshman was swifter as he blocked her way so that she couldn't hide herself away in a self made cocoon and sulk all throughout. This was a habit of his beloved wife that he was very accustomed to. Urmila abruptly looked up to meet the eyes of her husband and found a torn man facing her instead. Lakshman slowly cupped her face and said softly, "don't you see Mila I can't seem to stay away from you even for a couple of hours...and we are going to be away for fourteen...Mila for...fourteen damn years. How am I supposed to keep my distance?" Urmila removed his hands from her face and held them together in hers. "But we shall be together...maybe not like this but together...and with you by my side I know I can brave any obstacle that comes my way." Lakshman still looked at her warily, "do you even hear yourself? You and I in the same cottage keeping your distances? That's just impossible." Out of the blue Urmila laughed, "I can stay with Sita didi if you think that's better."

Lakshman looked even more miserable at the thought. "Nooo...that's even worse...knowing that you are there...so near yet so far away...will drive me crazy for sure." Urmila tried to reason with him, "You will have jijashree with you." Urmila tried to suppress the laugh that was bubbling inside of her. "You...You...don't mean that right? Bhaiya and I in a cottage...while you and bhabhi in another? He will surely kick me out of it." he sounded quite vehement about not sharing a cottage with his elder brother under such circumstances. Urmila was quite sure nothing of that sort would ever happen, nevertheless she still thought of prodding Lakshman further, "Why would he?" Suddenly Lakshman looked sheepish and mumbled "because then I would mope around all day and he would tease me relentlessly." Lakshman was totally distressed and Urmila thought of taking pity on him so she asked gently, "jijashree will never tease you..you know that..." "But he will...I know that he will ..because he did it earlier too..." He sounded like a petulant child who was being denied his favourite toy.

Urmila's heart leapt with happiness and insurmountable affection for her husband. She closed the gap between them hugged him, "Don't worry...he won't and cheer up; don't look so crestfallen we WILL romance a little too. He looked at her questioningly and asked, "you promise?" Urmila giggled as she ruffled her husband's the unkempt hair. "I promise...we will..."

Lakshman let out a guffaw...as he kissed his wife's forehead and answered, "So be it...my fair lady...so be it and when have I ever refused to a little romance...I too am always up for it ...may our adventure begin on such promising notes...

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Hope you like it lil sister

love

Rii di