Strings & Purses
She stumbled back suddenly reaching for the wall.
“Are you OK?” he ran to her
“Hmm… I need to get my eyes tested I think, I just feel dizzy” she nodded
“Lets go to bed Vi” he wrapped his arms around her, drawn to her by a imperceptible yarn
“I should just say I don’t feel good and we can stop fighting”
“Shut up” he ordered
He brought her water, helped her lay back with her head up, checked on her multiple times at night
When she attempted to reach out and caress him he held her wrist warningly
“Get some sleep”
“Arey mujhe hua kya hai?”
“Can u take the day off tomorrow?”
“It’s a two day craft show, I haven’t done much for the team Raanav, we sold out today. Kal I hope we have a good day”
“Is that why you have your fingers crossed?” he asked with fondness and amusement, as she quickly untangled her index and middle finger
“NGO work is hard DUDE” she sighed leaning back
“Did u just dude me?” he leaned over
“I did…” she nodded gently feeling his handsome jawline
“I could help”
“Nahi” she said softly
“Oh no, not with a dime… for sure”
“Pa… Dad has given me names and numbers as NY gift remember? If I can find time after crashing my car I might get something done”
“And having lunch with my cousin” he whispered fingering her lower lip
“He is a sweet man”
“I don’t recall you ever using that term for me”
She turned bright pink under his gaze
“Umm.. there is a difference”
“I am sour?”
She smiled
“You want to be something?”
“I would like to”
“You are wicked and handsome and hot”
“None of it sounds sweet”
She laughed
He gathered her in his arms and they slept until 7
She scrambled to get ready, feeling a little dizzy but recovering after breakfast
By the evening it came back full blown
She returned home after a successful close of fair, to just lay in bed with cramps
Raanav returned early around 7 ish when he didn’t hear from her, he had back to back meetings all day, he texted her twice and she said “I am good”
When he called her at 6 there was no response
Smrita was in the atrium dressed up to meet friends for dinner
Parashars went from either inviting people over or going to people’s
Rakshit and Lekha were ready and waiting too, all of them ready for a 8:30 PM dinner…
He wondered who was expected
“Looks like everyone was waiting to greet me I will take it” he hugged his Mum
“U are my most favorite” Smrita hugged him tight
“Um..hhhmm… hh” Rakshit cleared his throat loudly
“Where is Dad,
“getting ready… the Minister for External Affairs” Smrita said proudly
“Oh? I didn’t see Dad today at the office”
“He has been so busy” she claimed
“Where is Viveka”
“I don’t know” “Meri purse mein nahi hai” she laughed in her usual affected manner winking, showing off her bejeweled purse
“thanks I was not worried about her ever being there” he said softly
Smriti got the jab
An hourish later after the family doc visited followed by an OBGYN it was determined the birth control she was on was not at all right
She was asked to go off it
“I am looking at you Smri…. Be a Mom…. Jao bhai go be with her” Satyen ordered
The Minister had not arrived yet, and was running a “bit late” Satyen’s assistant informed him
Smrita did not want to go
But Satyen stood in the atrium challenging her with a fiery glare
She approached her son’s suite
Raanav was in the shower, Viveka was sifting through a stack of journals
“How are you?”
“I am so much better” Viveka giggled embarrassed
“Tumne dara diya bhai sabko” Smrita said pointedly
“WHY?” Viveka was confused
CID
Anupamaa
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