picture edit by - Shivani Rajput
|| PART 25 ||
We brought Virat home that day and the doctor will check on him, two times everyday. Right after coming home, Ma took his phone and computer away and I couldn't be any more happier about that. He was on the bed taking rest, cribbing and whining about how controlling everyone is around him. Finally Virat Vadhera gets a taste of his own bitter medicine!
I got a mini-heart attack on coming into our bedroom after eating my dinner with Ma and everyone else. Ria was sitting on Virat, right below his wound; and with all her focus, she was drawing something on the cast on his hand with sketch pens.
"Ria, climb down. What are you doing?" I yell at her.
He signals that its fine. "Ria is the only one that cares about me. Everybody else is just selfish." He says ignoring me. I cannot stop smiling.
"Aww. Virat is pouting. How cute!" I say and go sit beside them.
"Can I please have my phone back!" He asks me angrily.
"It's your mom who confiscated your gadgets. Ask her." I snap at him.
His voice suddenly becomes all mellow and buttery "Manvi, you are so smart right. You have an answer for everything, why can't you go and get my phone from her. I have very important things to take care of yaar. Why don't you people understand?"
"What are you doing?" Nikki marches in and asks Ria.
"Making a wish for daddy." Ria replies calmly.
"Why do you draw on everything?" He asks her in a disapproving tone.
"I don't draw on everything." She retorts.
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't."
"DO TOO!"
"DO NOT!"
"Quiet you two. Let papa rest. It bed time. Chalo, go to bed."
"I want to sleep with papa." Nikki demands.
"Me too." Ria's face immediately lights up.
"Maybe tomorrow. Papa needs rest. He needs to become healthy right?" I try to convince them.
But who is going to convince my stubborn husband? "I want to stay with my kids. I don't want anybody else." Virat announces, looking angrily at his mom, who just entered the room.
Ma just smiles and kisses his forehead. "Go to bed early. I will give you back your things tomorrow. Ok?"
"Mom, I have been sleeping all day. I am bored." he cribs.
"If you are bored, we will entertain you. Talk to us. We can watch a movie. Your kids are here. I am sure they want to spend some time with you." Ma tries to put some sense into him.
"Ma? No need for that. Virat will sleep. It's late anyways. Right Virat?" I look at him threateningly.
He has the whole house going after him and he is just sulking! After chatting for a bit, Ma leaves and, I get my little brats ready for bed, they are sleeping beside Virat and I was sitting beside them reading a story. They slip into a deep sleep quickly. Virat was unusually quiet thinking about something.
"You okay jaan?" I stroke his head.
"Manvi, I need to talk to my security and Ben."
"What's the hurry jaan? Talk with him tomorrow. And when I ask you if you are okay, I mean, are you okay pain-wise? Jeez, is spending one day at home is killing you?"
"It's not like that baby. I told you what was all going on, I need to be on the top of my game."
"Tomorrow. Abhi so jao, like an achha baccha." ("Sleep now, like a good boy")
"Nai, mujhe need nai aa rahi hai." ("I am not sleepy")
"Story sunao." I chuckle. ("Should I read to you as well?")
He smiles finally. "Just so you know, you are my wife, not my mom. Ek kafi hai mere liye." ("One mom is hard enough to deal with")
~~~
It was quiet and beautiful rainy day, Virat was sitting at the dining table having a warm cup of coffee chatting with his mom as if everything was normal with the world. Accidents are supposed to make a person gloomy and scared but I don't know whats up with my husband, he has been joking and smiling and laughing non-stop since the time he came back home; after he got back his stuff from Mom ofcourse - maybe, it is because of the family reunion, or maybe it is simply because he has been hanging out at home more than usual - there is cloud of happiness inside our house ever since.
Ma wanted to have a puja performed in the house and I had been working to setup the prayer room. It was a long time overdue anyways. Viren and Dad had gone to the school with Blanco to pick up the kids and I was fixing up some snacks for them.
"Momma!!!" Nikki comes running in and hugs my legs.
Virat is shaking his head, without taking his eyes off his laptop."Why are you shaking your head son?" Dad asks him.
"Coz your potha is a big mummy ka chamcha."
"Tum pe gaya hai phir." Dad teases him. Virat shakes his head again.
Ria walks in slowly and gracefully, and goes "Good evening everyone" with a bright and sunny smile. This was completely opposite to her normal demeanor everyday, which was just jumping around and giving me and Virat a big hug.
Virat raises his eye-brow and looks at her curiously. "Good evening Queen Elizabeth. Have you seen my daughter Ria, by any chance?" He asks her.
"Are you talking to me, father?" she asks him back.
"What's the star for bunny?" I ask giving her a kiss. There was a big golden star that was pinned to her sleeve.
"Ms.Daisy gave her a star coz she was polittte." Nikki sulks, saying the word polite like it was a bad thing.
"Ohhh!" We all go together. Like thaaat?!
He looks at us confused and continues munching away a cookie sitting on the kitchen counter away from everyone. I bring him down and ask him to sit at the table. So, he goes to the table and sits on Virat's lap watching over his laptop.
"Oye, teraaa star kidar hai?" Virat asks him.
"I don't want a stupid star." He replies.
"May I please have that cupcake." Ria goes to Nikki and asks him nicely.
"Nope!!" Nikki cuts her out, takes the cake and puts it in his mouth and taking a big bite.
"But, I asked politely and I said pleaaase." She complains.
"Isko bas politely kana aata hai, hai na? Kandhan ka naak kateyaga. Nalayak!" Virat flicks his head.
"Mommy!" He screams.
"Haan, bas, kuch bhi ho, MOMMMY!! Learn from Ria."
Nikki looks at Ria for a second and then he is back to his cupcake.
"Virat, let him atleast eat! Here eat this baby." I give Ria her snack. She sits on the chair beside Virat, looking at Nikki. I know she wants to sit with her papa. They both have been exceptionally clingy with Virat since the accident.
She gets down from her chair after like 2 minutes and tugs at Virats sleeve. "It's my turn please." She asks pointing to Nikki. But, Nikki doesn't move. She is just adorable but Virat cannot carry both of them because his right side is still a little sore. So, I decide to pull her leg a little.
"But Ria, if you want to be polite, you should sit on the table and eat quietly without any talking." I tell her.
She looks at me thinking about what I just told her. She goes back to her chair and starts eating quietly as Nikki looks at her grinning.
"THIS IS NUTS!!!" Ria mutters folding her hands looking at Nikki pissed.
The next two days passed like this - all in good fun. I have my workaholic husband all to myself, to care and nurse for. He was recovering very well. Today was Sunday and we were getting ready for performing a pooja in the house. Everybody was leaving the next day morning to Viren's place.
The doctor had come to open up Virat's cast. I was standing with the nurse as the doctor was cutting it open. Virat was looking at me and smiling at my expressions. "It doesn't hurt baby." he told me.
The nurse was going to clean and change his dressings. But, I take all of that from her after the doctor leaves.
"Manvi, let her do it. You go get ready for the pooja." Virat tells me.
"No, I have time." I tell the nurse and send her off.
"Kyu, tume nurse se karane main aur maza aata hai?" I glare him angrily after she leaves.
"Haaan! Go, call her back." He teases me.
"Never" I pull his shirt off gently and he is trying hard to stop grinning looking at my pissed off face. I start wiping his body with a soap cloth. Since they had removed his bandages, I could see all the scratches and his skin was pink in color and I could see his bare wounds which were healing pretty well right now but still looked far from normal.
He touches my cheek and wipes off my tears. "That's why I asked you to let her do it. But, I have to confess, it is much sexier to have you do all this for me." he smiles and winks.
"Shut up Virat!!" I wipe my tears and finish up as he keeps monkeying around, leaving no stone unturned to irritate me. I put a fresh dressing around him and help him to get dressed for the pooja. He gets a call from Ben.
I fix the kids breakfast and got them ready, and went to Ma and made sure they had everything, got Virat breakfast, took a shower and was getting ready - Virat was still on the phone!!! I was drying my hair and he comes and stands behind me looking at us in the mirror.
"Such a long call? Is everything alright?" I ask him.
"Hmm..I am getting an idea about why everything happened - I got a timeline."
"What is that?" I try to be as nonchalant as I can. Virat has been communicating very well with me since the last few days. I didn't want my crazy nerves to change that. I have been very anxious about the whole Burns-Cunns story since he had told it to me- it is so scary!
"Burns changes his will, a few days later, that tragic night happens in our lives, then, Burns chopper crashes and he goes into coma. Everything was set for them - you were officially dead, so the next person in line for Burns money, after you is Peter Cunns."
"Why the frame-up with Meredith?"
"My theory is they tried to show me as a dishonest husband, because they wanted Burns to me mad at me and the whole blame of you disappearing or leaving comes to me. Since, Burns considers you like his own daughter, he would have brought down the whip on me. I am taken out of the picture - just in case Burns is alive and would be in his senses, he might have decided to let me have his money."
"And now?"
"And now, their problem started when you showed up again, after three years, the will is still in your name. The only person who can change that is Burns. They are trying two things - 1) get you killed 2) reviving Burns and make him change his will maybe. Why else would he be out of coma, all of a sudden?
Tanya and Karan are helping Cunns. Tanya was here with Karan on that night. Ben just emailed me her and Karan's picture from the camera of an ATM in front of our old house. What do they get out of all this? - I just fail to understand - maybe unilateral control over my whole business. It just beats me.
Anyways, as soon as I am back at work, I am going to take care of Tanya, remove her from all the workings of the company. Good news is our security found Meredith's son. He is in bad shape but he is going to be fine. Maybe Meredith can tell us more about what Tanya wants from all of this.
How can they kidnap a kid and treat him this badly Manvi? It just makes me shudder. I feel like I should have Nikki Ria at home until all this ends but then at the same time, I don't want to live in fear. I have raised their security to the maximum for now."
He hugs me from behind still looking into the mirror and lets out a deep sigh. I turn around and hug him back. "All this will pass jaan."
"Umm..you look so beautiful..." he smiles. I am wearing a nice orange saree for the puja."
"I am trying to impress your mom." I confess.
He is looking at me all smitten and was slowly leaning in to kiss me. I move away. "Virat, I am going to sit in the pooja, so are you. BEHAVE!"
"What? Uss se kya hota hai?" He pulls me closer.
("What does that have anything to do with my kiss?")
"Virat please. Maaa!!!!!!!!"
"Okay chill. Give me a kiss and I will let you go!"
I look at him and smile shyly. "Nai, chodo mujhe."
"Manvi, I have a lot of time on my hands, and nothing to keep me occupied, you better not challenge me."
"I will, after the pooja."
"No! Now!!"
"Viraaat!!!"
"Manvi? I am asking you nicely."
I nod in negative, blushing. He looks at me narrowing his eyebrows and I know he is thinking about all kinds of tactics in his head.
'Just give him the kiss', my conscious warned me. 'No! I am going to pray for god sakes.' He pulls me onto his chest and our lips were like an inch away. I close my eyes and feel his breath on the crook of my neck. I feel him bend over and reach for something on the dresser.
"You will give me a kiss and I won't even ask for it again." He whispers.
I open my eyes and see him put something in his pocket. "What's that?"
He releases me and smiles walking away.
"Viraaat? Virat!" I call after him looking at my stuff on the dresser, everything was still there. I feel my neck and my mangalsutr is missing.
What the hell can he even do with that! He is just exasperating these days!
I get ready and go outside. For the next hour or so, me and Jeevika decorated the prayer room with flowers and rangoli and diyas and it looked so colorful and pretty.
I go into the kitchen and Virat was talking with Ma while she was fixing the prayer thalis.
"Wow Manvi, you look so pretty, hai na mom..." Virat asks his mom, standing behind her with his chin on her shoulder.
Ma looks at me and smiles "Meri bahu hai hi itni soni. You look very beautiful beta." Ma puts her hand on my head and blesses me. ("my daughter-in-law is so beautiful")
OK, what are you upto Virat?
"But you know what, these days she has become very careless. Look at her, I was just in such a big accident and she is not even wearing her mangalsutr. Manvi, wear it atleast now yaar. Kuch toh care karo apne husband ka. Bolo na Ma.."
"Haan Manvi, That's not right. Why are not wearing it beta? Do you even know how important wearing mangalsutr is to a woman. It is a symbol of her protection and prayers to keep her husband safe. Go, wear it and come."
"Ma. This Virat is just messing with me. He has it in his pocket. Check it yourself."
"What!!! Why will I have in my pocket yaar. See, kuch hai? Hadh karti ho!" He empties his pocket. Ma looks at me and Virat is suppressing his laughter behind Ma.
I glare at him. Ma is looking at me pissed. I just lower my head and walk into my room. "Come soon Manvi." Ma tells me.
Ria is lying on the bed drawing something. "Bunny, go call daddy here."
She looks up at me. "You didn't say please!"
"Bunny, sweetheart, will you please go and call daddy here."
"I am sorry mother, but I am busy right now." she replies going back to her drawings.
"RIA! How about I let you use my water colors?"
"Really?" her face lights up instantly.
"Yes. Please go."
She immediately runs out and in two minutes she is dragging Virat inside holding his hand.
"Haan ji. How can I help you today?" Virat comes and stands in front of me with a chuckle.
"Virat. Tum na. How can do this? You are so much better when you go for work. All you do while staying at home is bug me. Give me back my chain right now."
He smirks at me "Kaunsa chain?"
"Virat! I am getting late!!!!!!!!! What will Ma think about me?"
"Desperate, are we? You know what to do."
I look at Ria.
"Ria, go to the prayer room." Virat tells her.
"But you didn't say..."
"PLEASE!!!" me and Virat yell together.
She looks at us curiously and finally gets off the bed. "Thank you!" Virat mutters after her.
"You are not welcome!" she yells back at us from outside.
Virat is smiling looking at her antics. I give him a quick kiss on his lips and he closes his eyes. "Please.." I extend my palm.
"That doesn't count!!!!!!!!" he says with outrage.
"VIRAT!!"
"Tick-tock, tick-tock..." he points to his watch.
"doh bacche ka baap ho, behave aaise kar rahe ho jaise college main girlfriend ke saath flirt kar rahe ho." ("You are the father of two kids and you are flirting like a teenager!")
"Alright, I am leaving." He moves acting pissed.
I hold his hand and stop him. He raises his eye-brows, I go to him - cupping his face in my hands, I tip-toe up and shyly meet his gaze with mine. He smiles teasingly and as I lean in a little, he closes his eyes. I had seen the clasp on my mangalsutr in his kurta pocket, I gently pull it out and walk out as fast as I can.
"MANVI!!!" I hear him scream.
But, I didn't bother, we were going to be in puja for the next few hours. I will have to deal with his anger later. But, it is now prayer time - to pray and thank god for returning to me and my family our life and soul - my Virat!
~~~
To Faria, "Jio and jeene doh!!" - thanks for reminding me of that! 😊
To Shivani - I know you said you dont like lime light and no credit business, But I absolutely, truely, madly, deeply, love both your edits and that you thought of doing something for this story of mine, means sooo much for me!!!! thanku and its my duty to acknowledge, so dont mind. I dont know the abc's of pic editing so seeing these really made my day - you made it all seem so passionate and lovely - thanks a ton hon 😊
P.S:
Sorry for the delay and I wrote this in a hurry, sorry for the typos. Hope you guys like it. Like, love, comment and enjoy!! Love ~ Anu❤️
Edited by bluebolt - 12 years ago
Writers Corner: Books, Stories & Poems
Anupamaa
