CONTINUATION
***************************
The next day, Angad and Kripa were at the Sharma mansion packing for Kripa's trip to London. Angad had made Kripa sit down and relax because she looked really tired and sick, and he was doing the packing for her despite her protests.
"Angad!" she screamed.
"What?" he asked.
"I am not going to wear all these clothes there… come on, it's a business thing, I have to be all dressed up.. I am telling you, it's not your thing…just let me do my own packing!!"
"Fine, be that way!! I was just trying to help" he said finally, throwing the clothes he was holding onto the bed and sitting down on a chair. Kripa happily got up and began to organize her clothes while Angad sat there looking at Kripa. He stared at her for about 10 minutes before Kripa felt his gaze and turned around.
"What?" she asked. "Why are you staring at me?!"
"I am going to miss you!!!!" he said whiningly.
"Ughhhhh" Kripa screamed angrily.
"Fine!! Be that way!"Angad replied, angrily getting up and leaving the room. Kripa sighed in despair. Angad was such a kid at times, she thought to herself. She kicked at her suitcase and ran after Angad. He was downstairs, sitting on the sofa, staring angrily at the coffee table. She looked at his childish anger and smiled to herself. Slowly, she descended the stairs and sneakily went up to him from behind. She put her arms around his shoulders and hugged him from behind.
"I'm sorry" she said cutely.
Angad just angrily looked away and now started staring at the carpet instead. "Come on Angad that's not fair man, are you going to be angry at me before I leave? You know that I won't be able to leave if you are mad at me like this… I said I'm sorry come on!!"
Angad still didn't reply and this made Kripa really frustrated.
"Fine, if that's how you want it, that's how it will be, stay angry at me, I'll just go to London and wont come back and then you can go and find yourself another Kripa who will keep you happy and listen to all your childish requests and bear your anger. " This made Angad turn back and grab Kripa. She was taken aback as he held her by her shoulder and said, "Don't you ever talk about leaving again, ill die without you!!"
This brought tears to Kripa's eyes and she hugged Angad. "Angad!!"
He hugged her back. "Sorry for being so stubborn, I just don't want you to leave again, I can't spend a minute without you, I don't know what I'm going to do these days."
"Aww, honey, you have Neha to keep you company, and its only a matter of a few days, I'll be back in no time, trust me, time will fly… I don't want to leave you either… but you know how important this is… when the deal is finalized I'll come back…" said Kripa.
"Well, Neha has a boyfriend keeping her company…"
"Really?" Kripa asked.
"Yea, some guy she met where she works… according to her they really clicked, she is crazy about him…"
"Hmm…" Kripa replied. "So, are we going on that date you promised me?"
"Yea… get ready…" Angad replied.
"Ok" Kripa replied and got up.
"Hey Kripa?" Angad asked. Kripa turned around.
"Yea?"
"How about if I come with you to London too!!" said Angad.
Kripa rolled her eyes, "Angad!! It's only a matter of a few days!! And… you know that you have that job interview in 2 days, you can't miss that… and then you have to go to that meeting for your dad's business…"
"Gosh, woman, you know my schedule better than me!" Angad exclaimed.
Kripa just shook her head and smiled. She ruffled his hair, and then went up to change. Angad ruffled his hair as well, and smiled, leaning back.
***************************
Thirty minutes later, the couple was seated at a fancy restaurant. Both were sitting across from each other, Kripa dressed up in a nice skirt and dressy shirt, while Angad was wearing a white dressy collared shirt and black jeans. Kripa looked around the fancy place.
"So, Angad, what is the occasion?" Kripa asked.
"Why?" Angad asked with a mysterious smile. "What makes you think that it's an occasion?"
"Well" said Kripa, "You made me dress up, you are quite dressed up yourself, we are at a fancy restaurant, and you have reserved half the place… as far as I know, Valentines day is far... so what is with the red heart shaped balloons, and romantic music?"
Angad gave her a smile. "You will find out in a minute"
As if on cue, a person approached them with a large cake that said, "Happy Birthday Love"
Kripa looked at the cake, shocked. It's my birthday, she thought. How could I have forgotten? She had been so wrapped up in her London trip and Angad that she had totally forgotten. She smiled, but looked at Angad with a confused look. "Angad, I think there has been a mistake, who is this girl, Love, have you been dating someone else, you forgot my name already?!"
"Kripa!!" Angad said whiningly. Kripa laughed and pecked him on his cheek.
"I can't believe I forgot my own birthday, kinda sad!! But thanks, this is a great surprise!!" she told him, staring at the cake.
Angad presented her with a knife and sang "Happy Birthday" as Kripa cut the cake and fed him some. They both sat down and the cake was sent away to be packed as their food arrived. Both began to eat and talk.
"So, where is my birthday present?" Kripa asked.
"Oh, um, I forgot" said Angad.
"Oh" said Kripa lowly, picking at her food.
Angad smiled and took her hand and kissed it. "Idiot"
Suddenly the lights were dimmed. Surprised, Kripa looked up to see that Angad wasn't in his seat. Instead, he was standing and holding her hand, he pulled her up. She was still confused of what was going on until Angad got down on his knees, taking out something from his pocket.
"Kripa, you are the love of my life, the ice of my cream, the Froot of my Loop.." Kripa was teary upon realization of what he was doing, and now she laughed at his silly speech and hit him. He laughed back and started over.
"Kripa, you are the love of my life, the meaning of my existence, the reason why I smile, the reason why I am alive, the reason I breathe, you are my beloved, precious, like a dream, and I want to be with you every single moment of my life, I want to die with you in my arms, I want to be with you until my last breath. Kripa Sharma, will you marry me? "
"Yes" Kripa whispered.
"I didn't hear you" Angad replied.
"Yes, I will!" she said loudly. "I will!"
Angad, with a huge smile on his face, put the beautiful ring on her finger. The ring had A-K engraved on it, and there was a square shaped glistening diamond on it. Kripa stared at the ring and tears fell from her eyes, as Angad got up and wiped her tears, and gave her a passionate kiss. When they finally finished, Angad framed her face in his hands, and wiped the fresh tears on her face.
"Stop crying, will you! Are you happy?" Angad asked.
"Of course I am happy, it's just that, it seems like it's all a dream" Kripa replied.
"Well, its not, its reality, no once can separate us now. You are the to-be Mrs. Kripa Angad Khanna, I've always liked the beat to that haven't you?" he asked.
She smiled and nodded her head. Mrs. Kripa Khanna. Her new identity. A fresh start.
"Ok, lets go home, they must be wondering where we are" said Angad. Kripa nodded her head, and they both left the place together.
*******************
When they arrived home, it was around 10 pm. Kripa was a bit sad that not only had she forgotten her own birthday, so had Ananya, and her family always would wish her. There was no one to wish her. But she let it pass away, because this was her best birthday to date. Sharma Mansion was quite dark as Angad parked into the driveway.
"Ananya isn't home yet" Kripa said out loud. Angad nodded. "Its so dark… I think we should sell this place, I mean, when Ananya gets married, I will have to live here all alone. Its pointless, I can live in an apartment… "
"What are you talking about?" Angad asked. "When Ananya gets married, she will move into our house, and you will be there too, we might be married by then as well. You can sell this place, but you will not move away, you will be in my house, or, what now is, "our" house.
Kripa nodded her head. This was going to take some time to get used to. She would be Mrs. Angad Khanna.
"Anyways, lets go in" said Angad. He got out and opened Kripa's door for her, and they both entered the house. As soon as they got in, Angad purposely said coughed, and the lights opened brightly. Kripa was ahead of him and she blinked hard against the blinding lights.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!"
She looked to see all the Khanna's, Bose's, Ananya, and some close friends standing in front of her. The whole place had been decorated, in the little time they had been gone. She was awed. She looked at Angad who had a smile on his face. "So, you were part of this plan?" she asked.
"He was the mastermind behind the whole thing, he had been planning it for weeks" said a smiling Naina Khanna as she came to Kripa and hugged her, wishing her. She looked at the ring on Kripa's finger and patted Angad's cheek. "So, you finally proposed to her, huh?"
Angad beamed and nodded, while Kripa blushed.
"Now, ill have four daughters, I've always wanted you as my daughter-in-law Kripa, this is like a dream come true."
Everyone else then came and started wishing Kripa. An enthusiastic and overwhelmed Kripa went on and cut the cake. Everyone noticed the ring on her finger and congratulated her. She just beamed with pride and stood with her arm wrapped around Angad's.
The party went on for awhile, and then after an hour, the guests began to slowly leave, until only a few people were left. Everyone gave Kripa her presents and then finally the Khannas and Bose's left as well leaving, Kripa, Ananya, and Angad. Ananya excused herself and went to her room to give A-K some privacy. Kripa looked at Angad and told him, "Thank you, I love you"
"I love you too sweetheart" he replied and kissed her on her forehead. "Now, you go to your room and get some sleep, ok?"
She shook her head and put her head on his shoulder. "I don't want to" she replied. "I just want to stay here, with you"
"Ok" Angad replied as he caressed her hair. "I still have one more surprise for you"
"What is it?" Kripa said sleepily. "You have given me so many surpriseds already, I am overwhelmed, I don't think I deserve it."
"Yes you do, you deserve way more" he replied.
"What is it?" Kripa asked.
"You will have to come upstairs with me to see it" said Angad.
"I am so tired" she replied, yawning.
"Ok, then" said Angad. "Come on out"
Kripa looked up to see someone coming down the stairs. She blinked and did a double take. He looked so much skinnier and wiry, but he still looked like her handsome brother, she thought as she got up in shock.
Aryan Sharma came down, with a smile on his face and Kripa slowly got up. He came down all the way, and instantly embraced his sister. Kripa cried in his arms, as he held her, crying back. Angad stayed where he was, tears in his eyes as well, silently observing the loving siblings. It was such an emotional moment that he felt out of place, but Kripa stopped him.
"You did this?" she asked, as she finally let go of Aryan and they both sat down.
"Well, no, it was a miracle-" Angad began but Aryan cut him off.
"Yes, it was his doing, he treated me and for the last few days he has been helping with the recuperation, he was successful at getting me out of the coma after another surgery."
"But, surgery, Angad?" said Kripa confusedly.
"Kripa, I have to tell you something" Angad began.
"Yes, go on" said Kripa.
"The last few days, when I have been leaving for meetings and interviews, it was all a lie, because I was planning this surprise, I was studying to become a surgeon and was moved up in my classes. So now, my occupation is that of a surgeon, and I treated Aryan."
Kripa was shocked. She had too many shocks in a day. "Thank you for giving me my brother back" she told him.
"Kripa, he is like my brother too, why are you thanking me, making me feel like an outsider… "
Kripa smiled.
"Ok, now Aryan needs his rest, he still is very weak."
"Yea, just watch, when I get back from London, I am going to make you better, gain some weight, and do NOT even think of going near the car…" said Kripa as she dragged Aryan to his room and tucked him in as if he was a little kid.
When she got out of the room with a smile on her face, Angad was standing there, grinning. "Now, may I leave?" he asked.
"No" Kripa replied. She put her arm around his and dragged him to her room. "I don't want you to leave, I want you to stay with me tonight, please?"
"K" he replied with a wink. "My pleasure"
Both went into Kripa's room and Angad sat on her bed as Kripa went to the bathroom to change. She came out of the bathroom after awhile dressed in her sleeping suit and got under the covers putting her arms around Angad and head on his chest. He had taken off his shoes and was still in his shirt and jeans, but he was too sleepy and lazy to change. He looked down at Kripa to see her fast asleep with a sweet smile on her face. He kissed her forehead and pulled her closer, slowly getting into a deep sleep himself. Life seemed so perfect.
Jhanak
Tum Se Tum Tak
14