Taming The Wild
Part-44
Know you better now
Recap:- Armaan tries to be Ridhhima's best friend , some misunderstandings clear... Anjali expecting a baby... Armaan promises to bring Vivek back and finds a new name for Ridhhima- Ridimba !
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Ridhhima came into the kitchen feeling light, she felt herself again after days.. No more to run away from someone, no more fights... Well not the bitter ones atleast-she won't admit to him but Ridimba was really funny, her patients would certainly be questioning her sanity when she was laughing to herself thinking about it- She was back to Sanjeevani and there was hope... Hope for future...
The friendship indeed brought some positive changes, little Leo followed her to the kitchen, placing his milk bowl before him she sat on the high chair near the kitchen counter
" Martin "
" yes maam "
" can I have a cup of Martin special coffee please "
" well certainly madam " the butler, polite as ever, got to work
" madam " he presented her a cup of steaming coffee, thanking him she took a sip... then another and another, but something was wrong...
" umm Martin..."
" yes madam " he looked up from where he chopped the vegetables
" Martin have you changed something in the coffee ? "
" no madam, nothing.. It's the same like i make everyday " she was now confused " is anything wrong madam ? "
" no.." bit unsure
" should I add some more sugar ? "
" no, sugar is fine... But.. Umm.. It feels like something's missing, did you change the coffee brand or forgot to put something ? "
" not at all ! " he was shocked at the idea that someone was pointing a short coming in his preparations
" but it feels something is missing, it's not like you make it every morning "
An expression of understanding with a mild surprise spread on his face " but madam, it's not me who makes coffee for you every morning "
" it's not you ?? " he shook his head " then ? "
" it's Armaan sir who makes it " he spoke as if he was giving her the secret of the universe
" Armaan ?! "
" well yes, i thought you knew, that's the only time he is allowed in the kitchen.. for more than two minutes " he said chopping the vegetables with a self important air, then he stopped and looked at her curiously, an amused questioning look in his eyes, she felt terribly stupid now under his gaze.
' what would he think of me now ? What a wonderful wife I am ! Great ! ' she kept wondering to herself and Martin resumed his chopping with a smile on his face
" oh umm, well you see he did mention it passingly but umm.. I didn't took him seriously... You know na how he is, Armaan and kitchen ! Huh ! " she grinned rolling her eyes
" of course madam ,that's why I don't allow him here " he said in a matter-of-fact voice ,she breathed in as she saw that he bought her theory . Somehow she managed to divert him but she felt that he wasn't fully convinced and enjoyed her ignorant state, his small smile gave it all away.... She was ready to beat Armaan black and blue today,it was because of him that she appeared like a fool before Martin, she went back to the room ready to attack him
" Armaan.. Armmaann "
" kya hua ? Kyun chilla rahi ho ? Main behra nahi hun " he didn't look up from his file
" Armaan tumne mujhe bataya kyun nahi ki roz subah coffee tum banate ho " she stood by his side, he froze for a moment but quickly gathered himself
" big deal Ridhhima ,isme itna chillane waali kya baat hai " again busy with his file
She was really irritated now, she wanted to scold him but there he sat with file before his eyes feet up on the reclining couch... Not even bothering to look up at her
" big deal hai... You know i was there aur Martin.. Usne coffee nahi banayi, tumne banayi... Aur wo achhi thi ! Aur " he was confused now as she blabbered on
" Ek minute, ek minute, tumhari problem kya hai Ridim..."
She glared at him with narrowed eyes and he quickly changed " Riidi..maa.. Ridhhima.. Ki coffee tasty hai ya Martin nahi banata main banata hun ya phir ki tumhe pata nahi tha...?? "
" Aisi baat nahi hai... Well, i think the last option " She was at loss of words now and thought what a silly reason she was shouting at him for... " Tum.. Tum mujhe pehle nahi bata sakte the ki roz coffee tum banate ho, i felt so silly before Martin thanking him and all aur wo kya soch raha hoga ki mujhe itna bhi nahi pata ki my husband makes coffee for me every morning..." She paced up and down talking rapidly " yeh sab..." she stopped and saw him smiling softly at her " now what are you smiling at ? Zarur yeh soch kar hansi aa rahi hogi ki what a fool I made of myself..." she crossed her arms
" No... Actually you are right " he sat up closing his file.. Facing her, smiling softly " mujhe bata dena chahiye tha ki I'm making coffee for my wife everyday, guess I'm just a forgetful husband..." Though he didn't stress on the words husband or wife she suddenly felt conscious ,but he seemed to be totally at ease smiling like an angel..
" It's.. It's okay..." suddenly breathless.. The way he looked ! but she looked away unable to meet his gaze and gathered herself " magar tumne mujhe bataya kyun nahi ? "
" actually mujhe laga shayad tumhe achha na lage ki main coffee banata hun... Remember, tum mera laaya hua kuch leti nahi thi " little serious, a sadness crossed his eyes .he looked away
She remembered now " but.. Wo.. Wo baat purani hai... lekin tum to coffee peete nahi phir ? " she asked
He looked up again " haan, magar tum to peeti ho naa, ek coffee hi to hai jo mujhe banani aati hai, peeta nahi to kya hua " he said very innocently, totally Armaan now
" huuh very intelligent, ab tumhe is baat ki punishment milegi " she glared at him
" kya ? Coffee banane ke liye punishment ! "
She rolled her eyes " no silly ! For not telling me ,samjhe "
" oh ok, batao kya karna hai ? " he gulped in anticipation
" tumhari punishment yeh hai ki..." he waited " ki abse tum din main 'do' baar mere liye coffee banaoge " and then she smiled
He gave a wide smile flashing his dimples " haha ,well any time my princess " they both giggled " waise yeh punishment mujhse jyada Martin ke liye hogi " he chuckled thinking something
" Martin ke liye ?! Kyun ? "
" well.. Wo kya hai naa ki he thinks that I'm 'hazardous' to his dear kitchen " he grinned " that area is out of bounds for me "
" i can't blame him ,you 'are' quiet disastrous ! remember jab tumne ek baar mujhe kitchen main help karne ki koshish kari thi " he raised his eyebrows in surprise and then they both burst out laughing remembering that scene before their marriage...
" saab aap dono ko bade saab neeche bula rahe hain " a servant came calling
" theek hai tum chalo hum aa rahe hain.." the servant went away " Chalein Ridimba !! "
" Armaaann main marungi " she threatened but he ran away laughing before she could hit him
" Armaan, Ridhhima aao beta tumhara hi wait kar rahe the ,kya hua Ridhhima beta gusse main kyun ho ? " Virendra asked as he saw angry Ridhhima
" papa yeh Armaan ko samjha lijiye aap, baar baar mujhe Ridimba keh kar chidata rehta hai " she pouted
" what ! Ridimba ?! " she nodded as he put an arm around her shoulder but Rahul laughed out loudly hearing it and hi fived Armaan
" Ridimba ! Hehe, wow Armaan very innovative.. aaow ! Dad ! " he got a slap on his shoulder from BP ,both of them quietened when they saw Virendra ,BP and Ridhhima glaring at them
" chup khotte de puttar ! " BP scolded Rahul " aur tu " pointing at Armaan " khabardar agar meri partner ka mazak udaya to samjha " Armaan just nodded still shaking, he along with Rahul was having hard time controlling their laughter
" sorry BP, sorry Rid.." she glared " Ri-dhi-ma, fine now ? Achha dad aapne kisliye bulaya tha ? "
" haan wo main yeh keh raha tha ki ek charitable function hai jo oswal fabrics ke Mr.Oswal ne organise kiya hai , saari proceedings charity ke liye jayengi "
" well that's very thoughtful dad " Ridhhima was happy to hear it
" haan aur Mr.Clive Baggins hai naa, hamari Australian company ke V.P wo bhi aa rahe hain annual report le kar, to main soch raha tha ki tum dono Manali chale jao "
" Manali ! " they both spoke together
" haan bhai isme itna hairaan hone ki kya baat hai ? Shaadi ke baad tum dono kahin bahar gaye nahi,jab tak tumhara kahin aur ka plan nahi banta tab tak yahin ho aao... Jab dekho dono kaam main hi lage rehte ho... Wahan jao ghumo ek dusre ko thoda time do.. Aur decide karo ki kahan jaoge "
The topic was taking another turn and he knew she will not be comfortable with the idea ,hardly few days have passed and he required more time to build the lost trust
" papa main keh raha tha ki... Teen char din ki to baat hai ,main hi chala jaata hun, main to kaam main busy rahunga Ridhhima akeli bore ho jayegi aur " he stole a glance at her and could see that he was right Ridhhima was indeed thinking in the same lines " aur Ridhhima ka hospital bhi to hai , ya phir aap BP ke sath kyun nahi chale jaate "
" no excuses Armaan, tumne sirf annual report leni hai, discussion yahan hoga board members ke saamne, aur wo couples function hai.. Tumhe kya bhaisaab aur main couple lagte hain ?! " Rahul snorted but went quiet as Virendra glared at him " tum aur Ridhhima jaa rahe ho bas, Shashank se main baat kar lunga okay... Hamesha apna mat socha karo Ridhhima ka bhi thoda dhyaan rakho "
" nahi papa aisi baat nahi hai "
" Ridhhima tumhe iski side lene ki koi zarurat nahi hai, main achhi tarah se jaanta hun ye kaam ke aage sab bhul jaata hai "
They had no choice but to agree... He brought her favourite coffee and placed it before her
" thanks " she looked bit lost
" anytime..umm.. Ridhhima "
" hmm "
" i'm sorry, tumhe jaana pad raha hai... Agar tum nahi jaana chahti to it's okay main papa se keh deta hun... Koi bahana bana dunga "
She exhaled " nahi Armaan it's okay, main isliye pareshan nahi hun "
" to phir.?? "
" it's just... that place..." she trailed off then shugging smiled at him " it's okay Armaan 2-4 din ki toh baat hai "
" will you be fine... With me ? " he asked still bit unsure
" of course.. After all i'm Ridimba, I can tackle a monster like you " he was surprised to hear it from her she giggled " aur phir tum nahi hoge to mujhe coffee kaun bana kar pilayega... I'm quiet addicted to it now " he grinned now eyes brightened
" yes of course..! And don't worry i will take care of you " she smiled at his enthusiasm and soon the day to leave arrived nearer
It was the day before they had to leave, Armaan decided they will go by car he liked driving ,going by the road enjoying the scenery, Ridhhima rushed here and there instructing servants to pack properly Armaan again was busy with his work, when Muski entered
" Ridhhi "
" ji bhabhi "
" packing ho gayi ? "
" bas hone waali hai bhabhi "
" dekh kuch warmers bhi rakh lena wahan thand ho jaati hai especially raat ko.. And don't be careless " she said the last sentence bit loudly, Ridhhima felt strange she was looking at her but as if that was not directed to her,
" haan bhabhi maine Armaan ke liye rakh liye hain bas apne rakh rahi hun wo to main bhul hi gayi thi "
" yeh decide karne main itna time lagta hai kya, agar main yaad nahi dilati to.."
She chuckled at her concern and sweetly hugged her " ohho bhabhi aap ho naa dhyaan rakhne ke liye "
" wo to hai, chotte careless ho to kya hua bado ko to apna farz nibhana padta hai naa " she gave a cursory glance at Armaan's direction and went away, she felt Muski's behaviour bit strange, any other time Armaan and Muskaan would have created a riot and now... He sat on the couch with nose buried in the file, not a single comment about anything... And Muski..well she really behaved strange sometimes, she couldn't point out what was amiss but it felt that as if she wasn't talking to her even when she was...
Finally the packing got over and she decided to go to bed early as they had to leave early in the morning
" Armaan "
" haan " now busy with laptop
" sona nahi hai kya ? Kal jaldi uthna bhi hai " she picked up the alarm clock
" don't bother about that alarm main utha dunga subah "
" pakka "
" yupp "
" okay fine then goodnight "
And as soon as she hit the pillow she was dead to the world, Armaan was as good as his words, he did wake her up on time ,or it will be better if we say his 'sneezes' wake her up on time
" Ohh Armaan tum nahi sudhroge " she woke up with a smile, it didn't irritate her anymore, his sneezes... Though she wondered why he sneezed so much. Soon they were ready. She found him standing by his black BMW SUV waiting for her... She quickly bid goodbye to Muski and Rahul and sat beside him in the car...
As they crossed Delhi she became more silent, not that she was talking much earlier but now it was too quiet ,she looked busy with her thoughts, sometimes she looked pleased and smiled to herself sometimes a flash of pain crossed her face... He kept asking her if she needed anything or she was fine to which she replied politely ,he decided not to push her and give her own time... He would ask her when they reach Manali... The journey was twelve hour long by road they could have gone easily by air but he preferred a road journey driving all by himself...
After a while she looked into the CD rack and found one to her liking, the soft music filled the silent atmosphere of the car , it was warm and cozy and the faint light from dials in the dash board was the only source of light inside but even through this faint light she could see the smile on his face, he was... happy, but for what ? She shook her head smiling , it was really hard to understand him sometimes...
' thank you god for this lovely morning kitne mahino baad yeh mauka aaya hai, Ridhhima aur main akele yess !! I must utilize this time to the fullest, don't forget the plan Armaan , but main aur Ridhhima eksath.. Akele... Ek hotel mein...waaooo..." his smile broadened as his heart summersaulted with this thought...
" Armaan kya hua ? Itna muskura kyun rahe ho ? " he was caught off guard
" huh wo, main... Wo... Ummm... Kuch nahi... Mausam achha hai naa aaj " he fumbled
" Armaan abhi subah ke 4 baj rahe hain, suraj bhi nahi nikla hai aur tum mausam ki baat kar rahe ho ?! " she raised her eyebrows " sach sach batao kya soch rahe the ? "
" umm...' kuch soch Armaan kuch soch' " um tum gussa to nahi hogi ?? "
" nahi ,bolo " she waited, turning a little to face him
" nahi tum gussa ho jaogi " now he was enjoying teasing her
" nahi Armaan main naraaz nahi houngi ,batao "
" nahii.. Tum gussa ho jaogi " he laughed inwardly as he saw his plan working, she was getting irritated... And bang ! He was right coz she burst out next moment
" Armaaann agar tumne mujhe bataya nahi to... Too "
" to "
" to main papa ko phone karke tumhari shikayat kar dungi aur wapas chali jaungi "
A flash of fear passed through his face, but he controlled himself quickly " ohho dhamki ! " he laughed out " achha baba batata hun ,wo actually ek khayal aa gaya tha "
" khayal ? Kaisa khayal ?? "
" yahi ki agar doctors movie banate to uska naam kya rakhte "
" aur tumhare hisaab se wo kya rakhte ? " she looked at him suspiciously
" well how about ' hum dawai de chuke sanam' " she raised her eyebrow " kyun pasand nahi aaya , koi baat nahi aur bhi hain how about ' kyun hota hai bukhaar ' " he looked at him but could not decide as it was dark " yeh bhi nahi !! achha how about ' kabhi khansi kabhi jukaam ' and ' kal patient ho naa ho ' " now she burst out laughing
" Armaan... Ohhh... " she laughed loudly " tumhare dimaag main aise khayal aate kahan se hain ?? "
" totally original ideas hain madam " and he continued with his silly ideas and jokes all the way... Now that the awkward moment had passed, the journey was even more fun...
He kept stealing glances at her as she slept, as the air became cold she shivered a little ,he quickly turned on the car heat and stopped at the roadside... Wrapping her in the shawl he admired his sleeping beauty with eyes full of love . Colour rose to her cheeks as the warmth filled the car, she smiled a little in her sleep, a strand of hair fell on her face which he ,hesitatingly first then, very carefully, pulled back... He could have sat there admiring her for eternity.. If that stupid truck hadn't passed them blaring it's horn and breaking his beautiful thoughts... Idiot !
Atlast they reached the hotel, it was not until they had reached the hotel that the thought struck her..
' they were going to share a room !! '
Till now they had stayed seperately even after being in one room but here... Everybody knew him... The grand welcome they had at the reception hall and manager who thought of him no less than a king ! Oh god what is she going to do !'
She was wondering when he came to her smiling
" chalein " she just nodded, trying to put a brave smile on her scared face , but where was he going...? They were going 'out' of the hotel !
" Armaan hum kahan jaa rahe hain ? Hum to us hotel main rukne waale the naa ?! "
" haan magar I changed my mind, i wanted some peace and privacy " he winked at her and her heart sank ' what is it all about ? I thought we were friends and is he going to... No no... That can't be ! '
A war went on in her mind and she kept walking along his side rather he pulled her.. her hand was already fastened in his... They followed the bell boy who took them to a cottage...
This one...
It was beautiful, right next to an apple garden and behind it she could see the huge beautiful mountains... They went inside which was equally beautiful blend of modernism and countryside... She could see the beautiful view from the sitting area as well... If her mind hadn't been troubled she would have appriciated it more but right now sirens were blaring and red 'Danger' sign glowed whenever she looked at him... Especially when smiling....
" so, did you like it..? " all she could manage was a nod " good ! Chalo tumhe 'bedroom' dikhata hun " he winked and pulled her by her hand, her heart stopped then and there... He took her to a room
This one- Ridhhima's room
Armaan's room
" to kaisa laga tumhe tumhara room ? Mere waale se to jyada achha hai " she jerked her head to face him, he stood leaning by the door arms folded across his chest... Though his tone was complaining yet there was a smile on his face
" tumhare waale se ?! "
" haan" he came in " actually pehle hotel main hi rukna tha magar you see wahan do seperate rooms nahi le sakte the.. People would have doubted , isliye maine cottage book karwa diya tha " the colour came back to her face and it was quiet noticable , her sigh of relief confirmed his doubts " ek minute.. If i'm not wrong ,tumhe laga ki... Main aur tum... Waise I don't mind ,agar tum chaho toooo " she could see the naughty glint in his eyes
" Armaaannn , no thanks and go away.." she pushed him out smiling now
" hey hey... Sham ko tayar ho jaana party hai okay "
" okay, now go ,i'm tired " and she closed the door smiling, mocking irritation ,he giggled and went to his room
At night....
" Ridhhimaaa.. jaldi karo warna hum sabse late pahunchenge.." He roamed about in the room impatiently, turning the pages of some magazines frowning " kitna time lagati hain yeh ladkiyan tayar hone main "
He wore this

" chalo, i'm ready " she came out of the room adjusting her earring, and stood by his side... All he could manage this time was to keep his jaw from touching the floor... She looked stunning in that golden see through saree , even when she wore minimal of make up she looked absolutely stunning... Her hair were left open and he had to fight his urge to run his fingers through them... Not to forget, to wrap her in his arms forget all about party and kiss those luscious lips to his heartfill...
Ridhhima's dress
He closed his eyes to gain some control over his heart and feelings
" kya hua ? " he opened them when he heard her voice... soft, clear and musical as ringing of the bells
" k..kuch nahi wo.. Bas aankh main kuch gir gaya tha " he lied
" kya gir gaya ? Main dekhun ? "
" nahi... Nahi it's okay ab nikal gaya " he was more controlled now " waise ehem.. Tum ... Tum aaj bahut sundar lag rahi ho " he smiled but was bit unsure if he had said the right thing
To his relief ,she smiled back " thanks , waise tum bhi kuch bure nahi lag rahe " she chuckled
" oh thank you so much madame..to chalein ? " he gave her his arm to hold, she hesitated for a short moment but then took it and they both walked out...
The weather outside was pleasent and the way to dance hall was illuminated with lights which looked like golden fruits on trees ,simply majestic... They moved inside the hall ,the music filled the air... They were heartily welcomed by Mr.Oswal, it seemed all the eyes were on them the lady circle immediately started gossip ,she could see that... But he seemed totally unaffected by the impact he had on others...
They were escorted to their table
" oh my god ! Is this true ?! is this gorgeous hunk Armaan Malik ! " the lady stood up and quickly took Armaan in a rib crushing hug
He grinned at Ridhhima apologetically, embarressed too, the lady who looked reluctant to let go of him totally ignored her...
" Pam.. Pammm.. " he tried to loosen her grip around his neck, and Ridhhima felt pity for him, being gorgeous can have it's own disadvantages, she hid her mouth to cover her grin... " Parminder !! "
That worked like magic " Armaan don't call me that ! Not in public please " she looked around to check if anyone has heard that name
" oh cmmon 'Parminder' is a nice name " Ridhhima could see that he was in revenge mode now for almost strangling him... Before pam could speak again he spoke up with the same lopsided dimpled smile " well did you meet my wife.. Ridhhima Malik " Pam's smile faltered seeing her, the hint of pride in his voice was quiet noticable, Ridhhima could see the fake smile she put on while reluctantly shaking her hand
" so this is the lucky girl, the theif.." Armaan raised an eyebrow " who stole you from us " she smiled broadly now completing her sentence, Ridhhima returned her smile.. She could smell something burning... badly... Now when she looked at her she recognised her ,she was one of the models she had seen on banners, magazines and T.V... She could make out that she wasn't happy seeing her and was aware of her head to toe scrutenizing ,as if trying to rate her according to her standards.. After a while she gave a smug smile and Ridhhima knew that she found her not at all... 'according to her standard' . She grinned inwardly not the least bothered Pam wasn't according to her standards either... The only thing that bothered her was that she had to sit next to her for the whole evening knowing she would be cursing her every minute... And Armaan ! How cleverly he had made an escape from her making her sit in between him and Pam... The only consolation was that other guests on the table were very nice people and she decided to ignore Pam...
Armaan found an excuse when he saw Mr.Baggin's and left to meet him .The drinks arrived and Pam quickly picked up two glasses of champagne offering one to her
" here Ridhhima have a drink "
" oh, thank you but i don't drink. I will prefer something non alcoholic "
" oh cmmon Ridhhima it's not an alcoholic drink "
" no thanks, but really i don't drink " she again denied politely
Pam ,it seemed was hell bent on making her drink and Ridhhima was losing her patience " Ridhhima darling aisi parties main to yeh aam baat hai "
" hoga magar mujhe pasand nahi " she said as politely as she could manage
" but it's fashion ! "
" lekin yeh mere sanskar hain " Pam went quiet with this answer ,she seemed shocked at the idea that someone can deny champagne ! And sanskar ! What the hell was that !
" then how will you give company to someone like Armaan Malik " she looked at Armaan who stood by the bar talking to Mr.Baggins, she didn't miss the sarcasm in her tone
" Armaan mujhe achhi tarah jaante hain, and i'm sure ki wo mujhe aisa kuch bhi karne ke liye nahi kahenge jiske liye mera dil naa maane, itna bharosa hai mujhe un par" she looked directly into her eyes accepting her challenge... Pam kept the glass down ,shrugging her shoulders and within minutes gulped down the contents of both the glasses...
Her answer silenced Pam for the evening ,she seemed to search for the words to counter attack her but probably her mind was too filled with champagne to think straight...
The music changed and many couples started dancing, she sat there admiring them as they roamed gracefully with their loved ones in their arms. She smiled seeing some elderly couple waltzing around, when a hand came before her..
" may I have the pleasure to dance with the lady " she smiled ,it could only be him. She looked up almost giving her hand in his but she stopped midway ,it wasn't him... The man before her smiled politely and repeated his request, her eyes quickly searched the room for 'him' . She must have looked bit reluctant
" cmmon Ridhhima don't tell me ki tum apne husband ke alawa kisi aur ke sath dance nahi karogi.. " Pam chuckled, she could again feel the sarcasm in her laugh.. She knew she was eying Armaan since the time they stepped in the room...
she opened her mouth to say something when another voice stopped her " actually it's the other way round, 'I' don't like to dance with anyone else..." she felt so relieved seeing him that had they not been here then probably she would have hugged him, she was fed up of Pam and her vain efforts to make her feel that she was worthless and not at all suitable for someone like Armaan -especially Armaan, they both smiled broadly at each other, much to the envy of Pam, who by now was all green... With jealousy
Before Pam could say anything else he took her to the dance floor...
" thank god ,tum aa gaye, wo to mujhe aise ghuur ghuur kar dekh rahi thi jaise maine koi paap kar diya ho..." she chuckled " You know hum jabse aaye hain uski aankhein tum parse hati nahi hain " she laughed again
" aur meri tumse... " he whispered
" huh ,kya ? Kuch kaha tumne ? "
" well of course wo tumhe ghuregi after all you have stolen the most handsome ,charming, dashing, awesome man.."
" bass bass.. Kuch jyada nahi ho raha "
" arre i'm telling the truth " he raised his eyebrow ,with a very innocent face and she could not help but laugh at it...
" Ladies and gentlemen " the host came forward " now we will start with a little game of soul- mate" there was a murmer of excitement... " The ladies please make a line here and gentlemen another here..." After two rows of men and women were ready facing each other the host continued... " Now we will see how well you know your partner the ladies have to find out their husband just by touching the face.. And who so ever wins will get a soul-mate prize..." There was an applause from people and excitement flew..
One by one the ladies were called and men were asked to come randomly... noone was sucessful and then it was Ridhhima's turn ,to his surprise she looked confident she smiled at him and he smiled back broadly. She was called and a blindfold was put over her eyes
" so Mrs.Malik ready ? "
" yes " then one by one she went from one man to another.. Rejecting each... Armaan's heart beat rose as she approached him, a wide smile on his face... rejecting five men she came to him... Her hands touched his face and ...his heart almost stopped at her soft touch ,her fingers traced his face trying to explore him, he fought hard with himself ,his feelings...
" this is it, here is my husband " he was startled when she suddenly spoke up... She took off the blindfold and their eyes met... He forgot to blink and stood rooted ,she beamed when she saw that she was indeed right... And all others broke into loud applause
" indeed ! Wonderful Mrs.Malik... You have found your soulmate, ladies and gentlemen a perfect couple " he announced and presented her a gift, he smiled at her clapping with others, still savouring her touch on his face... He was really disappointed when she moved her hands away ,he wanted to keep them there, hold them forever...
The party got over, thankfully the rest of the time passed nicely as Pam left early... they walked back to their cottage side by side, he relived the moments of the party again and again in his mind... It was when she shuddered ,he found that she was shivering a little, the night got cold moreover she forgot to bring any wrap, he quickly took off his jacket and she was surprised when a warm jacket engulfed her
" Armaan ? "
" it's okay Ridhhima, doctors bhi insaan hote hain, aur main nahi chahta ki ghar jaake mujhe daant pade ki maine tumhara khayal nahi rakha " he grinned
" thanks "
" no problem... Umm Ridhhima ek baat puchun ? "
" haan, bolo naa "
" tumne mujhe pehchana kaise ? Baaki to koi bhi nahi pehchaan paaya "
" well ,actually wo kya hai naa ki maine thodi si cheating kari" she grinned sheepishly
" cheating ?! Tumne ? Kaise ? " he was highly surprised
" well use cheating bhi nahi keh sakte, it 'was' you... well pehle mujhe bhi nahi pata tha ki main kaise pehchanungi ,sab fail ho rahe the, phir jab tumne smile kiya naa to ek dumse mere dimaag main idea aaya "
" kya ?? Bolo naa " he asked impatiently
" well wahan jitne bhi log the maine sabko gaur se dekha... Aur un sab main se sirf ek tum hi the jiske dimples hain " she grinned " phir jab main tumhare paas aayi to maine tumhare gaal chhuye aur mujhe pata chal gaya ki tum ho baaki sabke gaal to flat the " she said with a touch of disapproval then grinned again
He looked at her for a moment with disbelief and then burst out laughing " ohhh Ridhhima , tum.. You are very clever , a perfect observer, pati par nazar rakhne waali perfect wife "
" well, thank you " she upheld her chin and joined in his laughter, the word wife was not so disturbing now, probably she was getting used to of it...
The night went by and they decided to go to an apple garden nearby the next day, it was a beautiful place... they sat down under a beautiful apple tree chatting...
This one

Ridhhima was quiet for a while... Lost somewhere, but not exactly sad..
" Ridhhima "
" haan "
" kya soch rahi ho ? "
" kuch nahi bas aise hi "
" oh cmmon i know tum kuch to soch rahi ho ,i can tell from your face "
" huhh..well actually kuch purani baatein yaad aa gayi thi "
" kaun si baatein ? "
" main yahaan aa chuki hun ek baar ,well isi tarah ek garden main.. Main aur Vivek... Hum sab... Hum Sanjeevani se ek trip ke liye aaye the... " she trailed off
" Ridhhima, tumne kabhi Vivek ke baare main bataya nahi.. Tumhari usse mulakat kahan hui, kaise usne tumhe... Tumhe.. You know "
" Propose kiya " she completed it for him, as he had difficulty saying it
" haan wahi.. "
She smiled a little " Vivek se meri mulakat Sanjeevani main hi hui thi... hamne saath saath hi join kiya tha, magar shuru shuru main mujhe wo theek nahi lagta tha.. You know thoda arrogant sa.. matlabi.." She chuckled " magar dheere dheere usne sabke saath mix hona shuru kiya.. Aur wo bhi pata hai kiske kehne par.." He shook his head " papa ke kehne par.. Wo to aate hi unka favourite ban gaya tha... Kaam main hi laga rehta tha... Phir hum dost bane... Actually pehle hum logon ne bhi uski taraf jyada dhyaan nahi diya tha Anjy di Atul aur main hamara to pehle se hi group tha Sapna aur Chiraag bhi isme mil gaye magar wo hi thoda alag rehta tha... lekin phir dheere dheere hamne jaana ki wo dil ka bura nahi hai... Aur wo hamara dost ban gaya "
" Phir to zabardast change aaya usme koi kaam ho koi pareshaani ho to sab Vivek ke paas hi jaate the he was our modern guru ji..."
" Phir usne tumhe... propose.. kab kiya ? "
She chuckled again... " Uski bhi alag hi kahaani hai actually usne propose karne main ek saal lagaa diya.." He looked surprised " haan sach.. actually pehle jab nayee nayee the tab in baaton ki taraf dhyaan nahi diya mujhe infact hum sabko lagta tha ki wo aur Sapna.." she laughed lightly " magar jab usne announce kiya ki she is already in love tab ham samjhe ki baat kya hai actually Sapna ke parents thode conservative hain naa to wo uski help kar raha tha unko milwane main uske mom dad ko lagta tha ki wo Amit ka cousin hai aur wo usse kafi impress the isliye.. Sweet naa..." Armaan didn't said anything " phir ek mauka tab bhi aaya jab mujhe lagaa ki wo Anjy di ki taraf divert ho raha hai yeh feeling sabko thi magar asli surprise to mujhe tab hua jab usne mujhe propose kiya.. Wo bhi pata hai kahan ?? Fire escape main..." She laughed again looking at his surprised expression... " Haan... Sach... Main rounds ke liye jaa rahi thi aur achanak usne mujhe fire escape main kheench liya... Main pehle bahut hairaan thi ki kya hua magar yeh to kuch bhi nahi tha jo usne mujhse baad main kahaa.."
" And you said.. yes..."
" Well... Maine kabhi is baare main socha nahi tha magar sab use itna pasand karte the... Sanjeevani ka best intern ,papa aur saare patients ka favourite... He was a wonderful friend too... To bass..."
He looked at her for a moment... " Bas yahi wajah thi.? "
She was bit confused.. " Haan aur kya ?? Kya kuch aur bhi hona chahiye tha...?? "
He smiled a little " nahi I think yeh kaafi hai... Isse jyada kuch hona bhi nahi chahiye tha..."
She was puzzled " matlab ?? "
He got up dusting his pants... " Matlab ki ab daer ho rahi hai hamein andar chalna chahiye..." He gave her his hand to get up ... And she... Still bit confused held it and stood up...
After walking for a while in silence she spoke up " Armaan tum kabhi kabhi bahut ajeeb baatein karte ho.."
" Oh finally you knew it earthling... You know actually i'm from planet Armaania " He made a V sign seperating two fingers on each side " but don't leak out my secret okay otherwise i'll have to kidnap and take you away " she burst out laughing, he joined in
" ohh Armaan tum bhi naa... Tum bas hamesha hasaate rahaa karo..."
" Yes i will..." He became little serious " i like your smile and your laughter..." she again was left speechless... He smiled his usual warming way... She kept looking at him for a moment, he always said something which left her confused whether he is joking or serious or is there any other meaning to his words " Ehem.. I know i'm very handsome magar aise mat dekho mujhe.. Mujhe sharam aati hai.." He hid his face in his palms then again looked at her through his fingers... she burst out laughing again...
" Armaan tum bhi naa "
"I know ,i'm great.."
" yes... In a way you are.." this time she meant it , he grinned and both smiling laughing, chatting, arguing pulling legs moved into the hotel...
The time flew by and then it was time to return, she was glad that she came here,it was really rejuvnating... And not at all like what she had worried about... He had made everything so easy and simple,there was nothing to worry about anything infact she enjoyed his company... Somewhere in her heart she wanted to stay here more.. But... Maybe they will come again...
Sitting by his side she looked at the sweet little cottage once again for the last time and smiled... There was nothing to regret ,she was rather leaving with a happy mood and light mind...
They drove along, it was a chilly day, it had rained during night making weather quite cold but it was beautiful, he kept stealing glances at her her rosy cheeks adding to her beauty, everytime he looked at her it almost knocked off his breath... He had to struggle hard to control his feelings to touch her to wrap his arms around her and never let her go... It became even harder since that day she had touched his face... One of the fondest memories of this trip...
He was lost in his thoughts smiling inwardly when they were stopped by a policeman before them...
" kya hua officer ?? "
" ji baarish ki wajah se aage land slide ho gaya hai isliye raaste band hain.."
" kitna time lagega ? "
" dekhiye cranes neeche se bulayi hain kam se kam 12 ghante to lag hi jaayenge.."
" 12 ghante ! " she exclaimed
" ji wo bhi pakka nahi hai behtar yahi hoga ki aap kahin aaj raat ruk jaayein pahadi raasta hai raat ko jaana theek nahi hoga " saying so the officer went away
" ab kya karein ? " she asked
" i think he's right, koi hotel dekh kar stay kar lete hain kal subah chal lenge "
They scearched for a hotel, but it seemed that many others were doing the same, nearly all the hotel rooms were occupied and it became unbearably cold... She sat in the car wrapping the shawl tightly around her waiting for him to return going back to a three hour journey to their cottage didn't seem like a good idea then and now they didn't had time...
she was just wondering when he came in running...
" chalo jaldi got a room " he took her inside the room... Compared to the cozyness of the cottage it was nothing, not even a fireplace.. But still warmer than staying outside
She breathed in " huh.. Thank god ! Tumhara room kaun sa hai ? "
" well actually Ridhhima ek hi room mil paaya, rest all are taken " she stiffened a little, till today they haven't shared such a close space as a room... Her face must have given away her doubts as he spoke quickly
" it's okay Ridhhima tum aaram karo ,main bahar car main wait kar lunga " he turned to go out
She hesitated for a moment trying to make a quick decision " Armaan ruko.." he stopped " paagal ho gaye ho kya ! Baahar ka mausam dekha hai do minute main tumhari kulfi jam jaayegi... Tum yahin ruk jao okay... "
" but Ridhhima " he was unsure if she really meant it ,both of them- in a room- whole night !
" it's okay Armaan... ek raat ki to baat hai " though she wasn't really sure herself but to send him out to wait in the car in such a cold would be just... cruel !
He agreed " Fine.. Main tumhare liye kuch chai coffee aur extra blankets le aata hun, tab tak tum rest kar lo " he moved out
As he moved out she saw that they will have to share a bed ! there were no couches and no extra beddings ! reluctantly she sat on the bed ,her heart pounding this was the first time they were truly 'alone', she wondered if she did the right thing making him stay here...
Armaan came back after a while with a coffee mug ,glass of milk and a blanket... She sat on the bed with a blanket already around her but still she shivered...
" feeling cold ? " she nodded rubbing her hands, he took another blanket on the bed and wrapped it around her... " tum yeh dono le lo i'll be fine with one " she worried a bit as he came closer but he went back quickly she sighed with relief still bit unsure, again an awkward silence engulfed them as they sipped the coffee and milk, each lost in their own thoughts... The two blankets brought her some relief and soon her eyes got heavy ,unable to keep them open she fell asleep...
She woke up with a red glow coming from a creek in the curtains, she got up streaching herself ,yawning... It was then her eyes fell on him...
He sat in the farthest corner of the bed opposite her ,trying to keep himself as far from her as possible even in sleep , arms around his chest sniffing in between, it was then she noticed that he was sleeping without any blanket !! She looked around and found that she was wrapped with three ! Blankets... He gave away his own too ,even when he was not comfertable her heart melted at this realisation. She felt a surge of great gratitute and respect for him ,for she now knew that she has nothing to fear from him now as he would never ever cross his limits... He was truly trying to emend himself...
She quietly got up and put the blankets over him his frown slowly subsided as some of her warmth reached him ,she felt relieved and bad both, it was because of her that he had to stay uncomfortable whole night ' yeh Armaan bhi naa ' but then she smiled and went to freshen up
She was about to come out when she heard a loud sneeze, and that was the signal that he was awake now . Smiling to herself she came out but by then he had already sneezed ten times
" good morning Mr. Superman " she smiled
" huh ! *aanchhiin* " he sneezed and looked around as if checking if she was addressing him " tumne mujhse kuch kaha ? "
" of course Armaan ! kya yahaan hamare alawa koi aur hai ? Aur kya zarurat thi raat ko blanket mujhe dene ki ? Ab haal dekha hai apna thand lag gayi to ? "
" it's okay Ridhhima *sneeze*, kal raat ko tumhe *sneeze* kaafi thand lag rahi thi isliye.. Aur yeh to meri normal sneezes hain... You know..*sneeze*... Naa *sniff sniff* "
" haan haan dikh raha hai, ab jaldi se fresh ho jao main tab tak kuch chai coffee laati hun "
Fortunately the way was cleared by now and they set off... She could see that his sneezees did not subside as usual ,his nose was red and he shivered even in the cozyness of the car... It was getting difficult for him to drive, nose red, eyes watery he definitely had caught cold
" Armaan " he looked at her sniffing " zara wahan us hotel par rokna " she pointed to a road side hotel cum dhaba
" wahan ? Kyun ?! Aanchhi !! "
" ohho roko naa "
" magar kyun ?? "
" kyunki mujhe bhuuk lag rahi hai ! " annoyed and exasperated ' ek kaam kaha nahi ki interrogation shuru '
" magar.. Aaannchhii !! Sorry.. Sniff*sniff.. Magar it doesn't even look proper, koi aur dhang ka hotel dekh lete hain "
" Armaan maine kaha naa roko.. Mujhe yahin khana hai "
He protested seeing the hotel it wasn't so bad actually but it wasn't a place either where he would ever like to step in. He tried to persude her to look for another place but his pleas drowned in his sneezes and her stern glare...
She was actually left with no choice ,at the rate by which he was sneezing she worried that he will end up having pneumonia.. She kept a watch for a decent place to stop at.. But it was still too early for any hotel to start their business, then she found this hotel which seemed ready to welcome customers. She asked him to stop but no ! Mr.Armaan-the-high-nose-Malik refused to go there, she had no other choice but to threaten him and that got her the desired results. Scowling, sneezing , sniffing, mumbling complaints, he reluctantly followed her... Rather she dragged him by arm...
The manager or the owner couldn't have asked for a better start of the day ,his smile reached ear to ear as he saw the size of their car and knew immediately that the customer is the one with bottomless purse...
" welcome sir ji, madam ji.. " he ran to them calling the waiter, a young boy clad an a wollen cap and about three sweaters ,all in technicolour ,came running... Armaan made a face looking around and the waiter and the over excited owner, recuctant to touch anything " kya sewa kar sakta hun aapki ? "
The boy promptly 'cleaned' the table with a almost black cloth " Armaan baitho " he shook his head vigoursly ,just like a stubborn kid " Arrrmaannn " she pushed him to a couch nearby forcefully " hilna mat yahaan se ! " she ordered ,much to his dislike , then she turned to the owner who had a stupid grin on his face, he looked a intimidated.. Probably thinking that she was short temepered the way she ordered Armaan !!
" aapke paas heater hai ? " he nodded " use yahan lagayiye " she ordered, Armaan was simply amazed to see her authoratative mode, he had never imagined that his mild and sweet Ridhhima can be so intimidating, he really pitied the man ,but what could he do even he didn't dare to go against her !
A blower was instantly brought and switched on.. The warmth brought him much needed relief from shivering seeing him comfortable enough she turned to the manager again
" aapki kitchen kahan hai ? " the man promptly pointed to a door at the far end " Armaan main abhi aayi okay "
" magar tum ja kaha rahi ho ? Leaving me here ! "
She rolled her eyes, he was just impossible sometimes " bas abhi aa rahi hun tum bas yahaan baitho aur hilna mat okay " like he had any choice ! He nodded ,nose covered with hankercheif " aap aayiye mere saath " ordering the man who followed her meekly.. Now who in his right mind would dare go against Ridimba !!
He sat there much comfortable he rested his head at the backrest closing his eyes, it was now he realised that he was hungry too
' but eat here ! Made by this filthy people ! No way !! '
It was a while since she had gone and he began wondering where she was when the kitchen door opened and she came there with the same boy waiter following her with a tray in his hand , obviously carrying food and something to drink, probably coffee for her... Directing the boy to keep everything on the table she sat opposite him and quickly put the hot steaming parantha and potato curry with his favourite pickle before him
" Ridhhima tum kahan gayi thi ? Aur yeh kya hai ? Main kuch nahi kahunga yahan se " he said stubborny ,he sat there defiantly crossing his arms across his chest, refusing to eat anything...
" Huh ! What a baby he is ! ,but she knew to make him agree for something forcefully was just impossible, she knew him that much from past days... She need to adopt another measure.. She smiled softly at him
" Armaan pleeasse, kha lo naa ,dekho maine khud apne haath se tumhare liye banaya hai... And don't worry about anything, everything is new.. Sach "
He looked at her with narrowed eyes, questioningly " tumne yeh khud banaya hai ? " She nodded smiling broadly now " sach ? "
" kasam se " she placed the plate before him with a hot paratha and pickle smilingly
He was amazed " tumne yeh khud banaya ? Mere liye ?? " she nodded smiling broadly now " kyun ?? " still surprised... happily
" wo isliye Mr.Malik kyunki jis tarah aap apni naak chadha rahe the yahan ghusne ke liye, to us bechare cook ke hath ka khana to tum sunghte bhi nahi " she chuckled
" haan wo to hai... Magar phir bhi yeh kitna... Kitna... Tacky hai "
" stop being such a snob Armaan aur isse pehle ki yeh thanda ho jaaye you better eat it fast "
He took a bite and knew instantly that it was indeed made by her, he could recognise the taste anywhere... He smiled now both happy and surprised to know that she did all this for him... But then again stopped after a bite
" ab kya hua ?? " exasperated
" yeh bahut garam hai ,mujhse itna garam nahi khaya jayega " he made a cutest face ever ! Now who can get angry on that !!
" huuhh tum bhi naa ! Lao idhar do " she took his plate and cut the parantha into few peices so that it gets cool enough for him to eat " ab theek hai ?! " he shook his head and began eating again happily, she kept an eye on him to see he eats properly and poured him a cup of tea
" yeh kya hai ? "
" doodh "
" to yeh brown kyun hai ? " he demanded
" ohho yeh doodh hi hai bas isme thodi si chai patti milayi hai "
" Ridhhima tumhe pata hai naa main chai coffee nahi peeta , main nahi piyunga "
" Armaan ! Yeh chai nahi hai sirf chai patti milayi hai doodh main "
" by the way use hi chai kehte hain "
now she'd had enough for a day she spoke in a stern voice " Mr. Armaan Malik you better drink it I don't care whether you like it or not maine kaha naa peena hai to peena hai and eat something before you fall sick... And no excuses okay " he dare not to say anything else and followed her orders meekly... As if it was magical his sneezes subsided immediately and he felt lot better...
Paying the owner generously they started again. The rest of the journey was fun... She made him rest on the way and drove herself as he was uncomfortable the whole night- after again a small fight, she directed the blower in his direction and smiled seeing him sleep peacefully
here's 3 month old Angira
Finally they reached home happy rejuvnated. They found Maria walking Angel around ,as soon as she saw them she spread her arms towards Armaan...
" Hey my princess.. How are you ? Ohh i missed you shhoo much " she kissed her lovingly " Armaan she wants to come to you.." Ridhhima smiled playing with her, taking her in her arms, He hesitated for a moment
" Ridhhima are you sure.. I mean wo cold.."
" it's okay Armaan ab to nahi hai naa "
He still delibrated then deciding something he extended his hands towards her... just as he was about to take her Muskaan came there..
" Hey Ridhhi tum log aa gaye..?? " She hugged Ridhhima lovingly.. " Hey Armaan " somewhat dryly
" Hey Muski..."
" Angel ko main le leti hun.. Waise bhi uske doodh ka time ho gaya hai... Royegi to it will get on your nerves..." Throwing a glance she took Angel from Maria... Ridhhima was totally taken by surprise by the touch of harshness in Muski's voice... And Armaan, he withdrew immediately and just stood there like a criminal
" Yeah It's okay..." he walked back to the room...
" Ridhhi tu jaa aur fresh ho jaa aur thoda aaraam kar le ,thak gayi hogi.." she ignored him
" Ji bhabhi..." Was all she could manage this was the first time she felt that there was something wrong with Armaan and Muskaan.. ' But what ? Maybe i should ask Armaan... Zarur dono main phir kisi baat ko le kar jhagda hua hoga... Yeh dono pata nahi kab bade honge ' wondering about it she went to the room
The next day being the Sunday, she sat on the couch busy with a case file when a loud yell distracted her
" Ridhhiimaa " she frowned, she was sitting so comfertably, he yelled again getting no response from her " Ridddimmbaaa "
" huh ! " she snapped the file shut but still didn't got up " bahut ho gaya ! Armaan kya hai kyun chilla rahe ho ? Main busy hun aur agar tumne ek baar aur mujhe us naam se bulaya na to main tumhara bhurta bana dungi samjhe ! "
" ohoh, don't take chances Armaan, magar iska kya karu ? " he looked at something that was kept on his bed, he cleared his throat and called again " Ridhhima tumhara kuch samaan yahan pada hai use le jao... Please "
" Armaan don't disturb me , aur mera koi samaan wahaan nahi hai ,I took all my things away " irritated she went back to her file
" nahi, abhi bhi hai "
" nahi hai "
" hai "
" maine kaha naa nahi-hai "
" aur maine kaha naa ki hai "
" Aagghhh ! Tum kaise keh sakte ho ki wo mera hai..." totally irritated now
" kyunki wo.. Wo.. I can't... No I 'don't' wear that..." he widened his eyes ,she snapped her file shut and walked towards him with angry steps
" What ?? " she stood before him with hands on sides
" That Lacy lacy thing "
" Armaannn " she glared, he huffed
" theek hai main hi laata hun fir baad main mat kehna ki maine kaha nahi tha..." he went inside and within seconds returned holding out that thing which widened her eyes, he held it at an arms distance... It was her BRA !!
She opened her mouth ,rather wished to sink in the earth ,terribly embarressed... Mortified ,quickly snatching it she hid it and ran away from there, not even having the courage to look at him...
" you're welcome " he shouted behind her ' idiot ' was the only thing he could hear
Grinning he came back to his bed and fell down on his face on the bed groaning " ohh Armaan mannn ,control yaar ,control ! "
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Kaan pakad kar sorry for the delay hope you like the part kuch jyada to nahi hua but you see it was necessary ,their bond is streanthning hai naa... Next update... Next year... Merry Christmas and a very happy new year... Love u all 😃 😃
Edited by mansibharti - 15 years ago