New FF - Heart Will Go On | Chap 18 : Page 35 - Page 21

Chapter 17

In the next couple of weeks, Yash and Aarti started to exchange a few emails with one another. The emails were formal and short, finding out how one was and what they did on a daily basis and the usual inquiry about Yash's family and how they were doing.

As the days passed by, emails got a bit longer and more casual. Yash also used this as a channel to try and find out more about Aarti. In his emails, he asked her about her education and her plans. She wrote back to him telling him that she was passionate about Digital design and media and that she was pursuing a degree at Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida.

When he wrote to her asking about her friends, she told him (in email) about Aman, Aakash and Mansi. Yash was surprised when he found that from Aarti that Aakash worked at his company. Aarti then told Yash that she has not yet told anyone about their wedding. He assured Aarti he won't approach Aakash or Mansi until they work things out between themselves.

Late one night, Aarti was working on one of her projects when she got Yash's email.

Hey Aarti,

I am online too, do you want to chat instead?

-Yash

Aarti smiled at his note...and could almost imagine his face asking the question. The email quickly followed with a chat request window popping up on her screen.

Yash was waiting patiently for Aarti to accept his chat request. Aarti decided to tease Yash a bit and did not accept the request immediately.

Here Yash was at work, and he had a meeting starting in the next 30mins, he started to get impatient and wondered why she was not accepted his chat request...he wrote another email:

Aarti, are you busy? Did you see my email about chat request?

Finally, Aarti accepted his request...

yash: "Hi!"

aarti: "hello"

yash: "are you busy? can we chat a little bit?"

aarti: "I was working on my assignment"

yash: "so can you chat or no?"

aarti: "ok baba, I can chat for a little bit"

yash: "how are you?"

aarti: "good, how are you?"

They went from emailing to chatting once in a while, if they happened to be online at the same time. Yash tried to chat via video with Aarti, but unfortunately she couldnt as she always only used a computer or laptop from the university lab or library. Video chats were not allowed from there and they were blocked.

Yash wished he could see Aarti's sweet face, her lovely smile and her big beautiful eyes. He remembered the times they bumped into each other before they were unexpectantly married to each other.

Aarti had developed a feeling of trust and respect towards Yash. Neither of them openly every wrote about the wedding or their relationship anytime. They were taking time to get to know each other a little more.

Aarti was waiting in her university lobby for Aman. He was driving down to meet her for the weekend. She was nervous as she was going to talk to him about Yash and the wedding. It was the first time Aarti was going to confide in someone about what happened before she left India.

Yash, Prateek took the kids out to the park as it was Pankaj and Vidhi's anniversary. The brothers had sent the couple away on a romantic day out for themselves.

"Yash bhaiyya...can I ask you something?" ...

Yash knew what his brother was going to ask him..."Its ok Prateek, I know what you want to ask...about me and Aarti, right?" He looked at Prateek with a smile..

"Bhaiyya...Ma and Bauji are worried for you. You dont discuss anything with them. No one knows what is going on. You can talk to me Bhaiyya...please...are you ok?"

Seeing the concern on Prateek's face made Yash feel guilty about not talking to his family about this topic. He wanted to go home and apologize to his family.

"I am sorry Prateek, I did not realize that...lets go home..I'll talk to Ma and Bauji also..I am fine.."

Prateek was glad but in a way he was bummed as he did not get to the details before anyone else. But in the end he was happy his brother was fine.

They reached home and after they managed to send Payal and Palak inside..Yash brought up the subject himself.

"Ma..Bauji...Please sit down, I want to talk to you..."

Gayathri and Suraj Pratap looked at each other and knew what this was about.

"Ma, I know its been about 2 months. Bauji...I know this is not what you expect...but please try to understand..Aarti and I are in touch. We write to each other and also chat sometimes...I know, I know...its not much...but..."

"Yash..." interrupted Suraj Pratap..."beta...I completely understand...we, as parents are worried about you...and a lot of our relatives and friends have asked when they can come home to meet the new daughter in law...beta, we are all in a fix...I just want to know...what are your feeling towards each other...and what is the future for this relationship...?"

Yash knew one day or the other Aarti and he have to face this and ask themselves that question...

..."Oh my god, Aarti!...so much happened and you are telling me now???" asked Aman...

"What was the nonsense drama your aunt did...? huh? this is illegal...no one can force anyone to go through a marriage like that...what do you want to do? do you want me to talk to lawyers in India?"