Part Eighteen
Before they knew it was time to return to Mumbai. They both felt this inner peace as they locked up the cottage and walked to the car together. For Shantanu his mind was no longer racing with how to keep himself and Khanak safe or what was the next step in the mission. He could live his life peacefully with her now. They no longer had to run from anything. They could get to know each other better now.
Khanak was satisfied with the end results. She could now say Shantanu was ready to do his part in their marriage and she was always ready to be by his side. There were no arguments or crude remarks during the journey back. Both of them were glad to still have one another.
Their hands brushed one another's but no words were exchanged. Khanak put a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked out the window. Shantanu looked straight ahead at the road.
Both recalled their time in Goa.
They had fought on the way here. She had fallen asleep, he carried her inside despite how difficult she had been earlier. She had wandered off to the market, he found her there and pulled her behind a stall. They had gone on the beach and walked together. They drank coconut water. He had told her to leave if he got back after eight am. She had lost track of the time and had stayed. She told him she could shoot a gun. They went to the market. Shots rang out. They ran here and there. She saw his indication and shot down a chandelier that ended up killing Munna Bhai. He was no longer in the CID. They shared some intimate moments in the cottage. They went parasailing. She had been scared but soon she was doing fine.
Shantanu realized he needed to start getting ready to join law school. Khanak wondered if Shantanu would be able to enjoy life and lose his old ways of thinking and living. Would the past ever leave him?
They arrived in Mumbai with renewed hope that things would remain peaceful and things would only get better between them.
Sunil , Madhavi, Dadi, Khushboo greeted them when they returned. Akshay had gone out of town and would return later that evening.
"Akshay should learn from you Shaan. Even when you have work you make time for Khanak. Akshay should plan such trips so I can go along too,"Khushboo stated.
Khanak exchanged glances with Shantanu.
Khushboo Bhabhi would have not liked to go through what they had on this trip. Shantanu assured Khushboo that he would try to talk Akshay into taking her along more.
They gave everyone their gifts, Dadi took Khanak aside.
" Did my grandson take you to see the sights or were you bored most of the week?," she inquired.
Khanak glanced at Shantanu before replying.
"Trust me Dadi this trip was anything but boring," she said.
Khushboo decided to take her shopping and to the spa before Gopi's wedding celebrations started.
"Shantanu I don't really go to spas. What if I just end up wasting their time?," she inquired.
Her husband looked at her surprised. His mother and Bhabhi made several trips to the spa a month. Khanak was worried about wasting time there.
"You are the first woman and probably the only one I know who would be concerned like this while going to a spa. You should feel relaxed during and after the spa. Just go and enjoy it! In the mean time I'll be hitting the books. You have been working hard this week anyways. You deserve some pampering," he insisted.
"Theek hai. I'll go. Finish your things while I am out. When I come back you need to help me decide what to wear for each event," she said with a smile.
Shantanu simply smiled to himself and went back to his books.
Khusbhoo excitedly showed her different outfits. She kept teasing her about Shantanu and his reactions to seeing her later on trying the outfits. Khanak blushed and simply tried to keep her attention on a different rack of clothes. They went to the spa. Khanak was a bit apprehensive but in the end felt refreshed. She decided she would bring Urmila Bhabhi here for her birthday or any other function that landed before then.
Khanak arrived back to the house with Khushboo with several bags each in tow. Shantanu's eyes widened when his wife came up to their room with the bags.
" Don't tell me that is all for you?," he exclaimed.
She gasped as she dropped the bags on the couch.
" Don't worry a few things are for Gopi and you. I had to buy her a gift from our side too," she stated.
Shantanu looked at her puzzled.
" I thought we were going to give her a check?," he inquired.
"That's for the reception. For the lady sangeet I chose a pendant for her. She used to always admire it whenever we saw it anywhere," Khanak said with a bright smile.
" She'll be so happy!,"Khanak added before she started going through the bags.
Shantanu sighed as he sat down to wait for her to return and show him her outfits.
She came out first with a teal colored lengha. It had doris in the back, one in the back was not tied. She looked in the mirror and their eyes met. She blushed when his intense glare showed through the mirror. He got up and came over and tied the dori. He wrapped his arms around her.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you, that it is wrong to look better than the bride?," he quipped.
She nudged him.
"I don't even have make up or jewelry on. I am just trying out the outfits," she said nonchantly.
He chuckled.
"This one you should wear at the sangeet. All eyes will be on you rather than Gopi," Shantanu declared.
"You are crazy, who will look at me? It's Gopi's wedding. I can't believe you haven't met her to be husband. He is really funny. He came to meet Gopi yesterday when we were leaving the office," Khanak said.
Her husband was in deep thought.
"Kya hua Shantanu?," she inquired.
He drummed his fingers on her shoulder.
"Maybe I should stop by your workplace every now and then," he said.
Khanak smiled.
She turned towards him and said," I wouldn't get any work done if you came to meet me often. Also the other girls would go fida over you and I would be just too jealou."
Shantanu smiled.
" We should do lunch sometime darling. Everyone would say how sweet that was," he retorted.
She flipped her head around and said," We shall see about it Mr. Khandlewal," she stated firmly.
He pulled her close.
" You won't have a choice. It will be up to me whenever I decide to surprise you!"
She pulled free a moment later as she decided she needed to show him the rest of the outfits.
Edited by adventure_gurl - 14 years ago
Ufff Yeh Love Hai Mushkil
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