MHRW FF - Strawberries and Whiskey, RaghVi's Story - Page 25

Very cute update ❤️

Can't wait for the shaadi

47.

“Raghav, come downstairs, stop staring at Pallavi like she’s a plate of biriyani.” Amma pushed him out of the room, “Pallavi beta, your Aai will come get you in a little bit.”

Downstairs, Saanki Baap was pacing, Raghav could tell that this Rambo jerk was trying to figure out some way to stop Pallavi from going through with this wedding. Raghav wouldn’t be surprised if he already had divorce papers ready for Raghav and Pallavi to sign. But the best part was, Raghav knew that Pallavi wouldn’t leave him, at least this was the one thing he had prayed for every day since he had realized how much he loved her.

Amma sat him down in a chair as Mansi’s and Rahul’s ceremony was just about to start, but all Raghav really cared about was when Pallavi was coming down the stairs. Seeing her in that sari had floored him, he never thought that someone would do something so thoughtful for him. Yes he had hoped his wife would one day wear that sari that he had chosen way back when he was a naive kid, but he never thought that Pallavi would give up so much of her Maratha background, every woman’s dream of being a beautiful bride in a beautiful luxurious lehnga to wear such a simple sari just because his mother had saved it for all these years.

Then he saw her, Aai was bringing her down the stairs.

Pallavi may have been a perfect bahu for all these years in the Deshmukh house, but she had never felt freer than being a daughter-in-law in the Rao family. So instead of keeping her eyes down like a good girl; her eyes were looking straight ahead, and then they looked for Raghav. She dared a wink, and Raghav grinned.

God, what had he done to deserve such a woman in his life, and how could he make sure to never stop doing it so that God wouldn’t take her away from him, Raghav thought.

As Sharda sat Pallavi down directly across from him, he heard a loud whisper from somewhere near him, it was that Bindi Waali Kaku.

“I know that Pallavi is nothing more than a keep for Raghav Rao, but she could have at least convinced him to let her wear something presentable at my own daughter’s wedding, forget the fact that it’s her second wedding. If this is what a famous jeweler makes his wife wear then I am glad I stopped Amruta from pursuing him.” Sulochana was whispering to Asha Aunty and a few of her vampy looking friends. Asha Aunty smirked and nodded, “Pallavi looks like a beggar compared to our Mansi. Pallavi’s jewelry is so outdated”

Raghav tried to calm his anger but he couldn’t, she weren’t just insulting his mother *and* father, but also his wife.

He stood up, and walked behind Sulochana and the other women, some guests turned to figure out what was going on, but neither Amma nor Keerthi were able to stop him, as they heard the ‘whisper’ from Sulochana too.

Raghav sat down right behind them and said, in an equally loud whisper, “First of all, that sari was one of the last gifts my now dead father gave to my mother. Second, as I’ve told to you before, asli khoobsurati ko dholat ya gaehne ke zaroorat nahi hai, *my* Pallavi would look like a queen coming down those stairs even if she were wearing nothing but rags. Third of all, since this is *your* daughter’s wedding, you and your new samdhan should focus on her. If you remember clearly, Mansi, unlike Pallavi, threw a fit like a three year old for a new designer lehenga, which you and your husband could not afford, Sulochana. And then like the spoiled brat she was she continued to insist on jewelry and gifts from Rahul as if she were some queen from a bygone era expecting a dowry, Asha Aunty. And Asha Aunty, a fourth point, you know very well what it’s like to keep up with a ‘materialistic’ woman, so I suggest you worry about keeping your own house in order. Instead ruining everyone’s mood, why don’t the two of you shut your pretty little mouths and let these weddings commence,” the next words out of his mouth were an actual whisper, so that no one could here except the two women, “or I can decide to reveal *everyone’s* truths right here. It wouldn’t make a difference to me, or Pallavi, but poor spoiled Mansi might not feel that good after.”

The two women looked like they had been slapped across the face.

Raghav smiled sweetly, thinking back to how Mansi had behaved over these past two weeks. Sure she eventually agreed to this surprise double wedding, but that was only after Rahul and Nikhil heard the idea and were elated at the thought. Mansi may act like Pallavi’s sister today, but Raghav could tell that Mansi not only had Milind’s naiveté inside her but also Sulochana’s darkness and cruelty. It seemed that everyone in the Deshmukh family was out to ruin his wife’s existence, then he looked to Aai and Nikhil, whose worried faces after these whispers reminded him that they were the exceptions to this rule.

Pallavi had heard most of what was said, even though the pandit had started his mantras right in between, and tried to catch Raghav’s eye to silently tell him to cut it out and not make a scene. His anger, though attractive at times, mostly brought trouble.

Unfortunately, Baba also heard most of what Raghav had said, and as Raghav got back up to take his previous seat in between Amma and Keerthi, Baba took hold of his collar.

Baba did not whisper, “so yet again, you decide to insult my family, Raghav Rao.”

Raghav anger bubbled up again, oh how he wished to punch this idiot until he was blue in the face, but then he saw Pallavi gasp and almost get up.

Raghav slowly took Baba’s hands off his collar, and calmly replied, “Saan— Baba, I was just making clear to these wonderful ladies here that what’s actually important is not the bride’s clothes or jewelry, but their *asli* khoobsurathi, by which I mean the thoughts and values they bring into their marriage. And as you well know…Baba, Mansi and Pallavi have been raised as exceptional and independent women, with integrity, so this bekaar talk of my wife’s clothes and jewelry bothered me. Because, it seemed that our pyaari Kaku and Asha Aunty didn’t realize the true meaning of Pallavi’s sari. That’s all.”

And without another word, Raghav turned away from Baba and took his seat again.

Vijay looked like Sulochana and Asha Aunty, as if Raghav Rao had given him a tight slap across his face.

When Raghav sat down, he gave Pallavi a wink, and gestured to the pandit to begin his mantra’s again.

Pallavi was irked…but also slightly happy. She smiled inwardly at the thought of Raghav defending her like that in front of Sulochana and Asha, and even though she felt for Baba because of the confusion he must be feeling at all this, she knew that Baba was in the wrong as well. She looked down at her sari and her smile widened remembering Amma’s sweet story about how she got it, and why she had saved it all these years.

She looked back to Raghav, and gave him a slight smile.

48.

After Mansi’s and Rahul’s ceremony was complete, the pandit took a short break to redo the arrangements, and everyone else started showering their congratulations to the newly wedded couple. As Mansi hugged Pallavi, Raghav couldn’t help but notice a tinge of annoyance on Mansi’s face. Then when Raghav came to congratulate Rahul and Mansi, Mansi avoided his hug, but not gracefully enough so that almost everyone in the room noticed. She tried to make up for it by hugging Raghav again, and this time Raghav was ready.

“I can tell that instead of enjoying your wedding, or thinking about the joyous life ahead with your new husband, you’re more interested in venting out some childish anger at me and Pallavi. Well let me enlighten you on a little fact: while my Amma loves Pallavi like a daughter, your new precious Saasuma only agreed to let this wedding happen after I offered her a small coupon to Jayathi Jewels. So while everyone in this room knows that Pallavi’s worth is incalculable, because of everything she has done for this family, your new family can be bought with a silly IOU. I’m only telling you all this to remind you that Pallavi loves you, and hurting her again is not a mistake you want to make.”

Raghav broke off the hug and loudly congratulated Rahul and Mansi again, Mansi like most of the Deshmukh family looked shellshocked.

Now it was time for the real primetime event, at least in the eyes of Keerthi, Amma, Farhad, and so many others that had come here mainly to see who was Raghav Rao’s new wife. Raghav had invited almost anyone who had shopped at his store in the past few years, not because he wanted to show off his new wife, he knew better than to treat her like some trophy. But because he thought that all these women might eventually link Pallavi with her sari showroom. It was a stunt that was so self-interested, just the kind of tactic that Pallavi disapproved of, but Raghav didn’t care. He wanted to do anything and everything to make his wife happy.

Pallavi noticed these guests almost immediately as she walked down the stairs. Raghav had clearly called some of the richest and most influential Hyderabaadi families to this wedding, and she thought it was probably some business decision on his part. But then as she walked to the mandap, she realized that Raghav had paid little attention to these guests when he was congratulating Mansi or Rahul, nor had he been in a hurry to meet them when he was upstairs with her. As they sat down next to each other, Raghav apologized.

“What are you apologizing for this time?” Pallavi retorted quietly

“For humiliating Sulochana and Asha, and almost…your Baba.” Raghav looked down guiltily, “But I couldn’t let them insult the memory of this sari…or the beautiful woman wearing it.”

Pallavi smiled a little, “I’ve already forgive you for that, but what about all these guests here that are clearly not your family members or close friends. Were you planning to leave me alone on our suhag raath to conduct business?”

Raghav’s heart leaped at her words. Was she thinking about tonight too? Should he continue with his surprise for tonight or did her mentioning it indicate that she was more nervous than excited?

“No, they’re not here for me, but your right, in my haste to make this night perfect for you, I invited these families here to maybe drop the name of my beautiful wife’s sari showroom to them.” Raghav responded, worried that she might show her anger to everyone.

Taken aback, Pallavi wasn’t able to form words quickly.

“I— you—, you didn’t need to do that, that’s” Pallavi tried to figure out what she was feeling.

“I’m sorry, I know you don’t like business shortcuts, but I’ve been watching you these past weeks and all the work you’re doing to take your store national, and I just…I just wanted to lighten your load.”

“I’m not mad, I’m overwhelmed, Raghav…thank you.” And like the bold and daring daughter-in-law she was now, she looked straight into her husband’s eyes and smiled.

As the pandit began his mantras for a second time, and the smoke from the puja fire seemed to envelop the whole room, all Raghav could think about was how Pallavi wasn’t angry at him. She had understood his attempt to help. She had barely even cared about the scene he made with Sulochana and Baba. Who was this woman, and god-willing he never made the stupid mistake of ever making her cry, because if he did, he would never forgive himself.

Pallavi’s mind was rushing with thoughts too, this morning as she was getting ready she was worried that getting married in Deshmukh house would bring back sad memories of Mandaar. But somehow, she had managed to keep him out of her mind all day, and even now all she could think about was the handsome, if sometimes frustrating, man sitting beside her. This man, despite after what seemed like godly intervention to bring them apart, had decided to marry her. Of his own free will. He loved her, but as the pandit told her to place her hand in Raghav’s for a rasam before they stood for their seven turns around the fire, Pallavi knew that she would have stayed in this marriage even if he didn’t love her. He made her feel safe. He supported her, he understood her ambition, her pain, her everything, and he understood all this before he loved her.

Raghav and Pallavi prayed for the same thing as they walked around the fire. They both prayed to Bappa, to Shiv, to Parvati, to any deity that was listening, that they be given the strength to keep their love with them forever, well after the next seven lifetimes. They prayed for the ability to always support, love, and treasure their spouse. They prayed that nothing would ever come in between them.

Continued...

babies🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 superb kitnr pyare hai yr ye

Originally posted by: ImHemangi

babies🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 superb kitnr pyare hai yr ye

I had so much fun writing this, i took inspiration from JalebiJane's writing style, but i'm no where as good as they are at prose

Originally posted by: varshaoforange

I had so much fun writing this, i took inspiration from JalebiJane's writing style, but i'm no where as good as they are at prose

no no no you both are superb fantastic at your FFs bcz though both of you portraying somewhat similar track but no both have diff crafting style n both are at their best🥰🥰🥰🥰

you both are shining gems of FF

Varsha you have done a fab job and importantly tried to tell story the wayit appears to you it's come out so well. As it is i feel MHRW is Mills and Boons story. You are giving it apt treatement.

Fabulous... I love this Raghav and Pallavi

Raghav put Mansi in her place 👏👏👏

Great update, lovely story ❤️❤️❤️

Originally posted by: virmantaarey

Fabulous... I love this Raghav and Pallavi

Raghav put Mansi in her place 👏👏👏

Great update, lovely story ❤️❤️❤️

i decided to run with Mansi's horrible outburst today and added it to her character. she is truly sulochana's daughter.

can't keep up with your updates, most pleased that you are so quick.

loved it, his behaviour is