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Before leaving for work, Yash decided to apologise to Aarti for his blunder earlier. He saw Aarti alone in the kitchen washing the dishes and approached her.
"Listen Aarti, I am sorry. I did not know that Mom had asked you to wait up for me to serve me food. If I had known, I would not have said anything about dinner."
"Why are you sorry? You said the truth. You were hungry cause you did not have dinner," Aarti replied. Although she was pleasantly surprised that Yash came to apologise, she was still upset about getting scolding when it was not her fault!
"I should not have mentioned that I did not have dinner. It is not your fault actually. It was unfair of Mummyji and Buaji to nag at you about being a good wife," Yash continued. He could sense that Aarti was still agitated.
"Then why couldn't you have said so just now?"
Yash cocked his eyebrow. She sure does not make it easy for him.
"Well..I almost did but..."
Just then Vidhi babhi stepped into the kitchen to tell him that Pankaj bhaiyya and Bauji were waiting for him in the car. He did not want to keep them waiting and he did not want to continue this conversation in front of an audience so he bade them goodbye.
"Almost does not count!" Aarti screamed after him. Yash smiled to himself.
After preparing lunch, Aarti told Gayathri Ma that she wanted to visit her home as she had left some stuffs behind. Initially Gayathri Ma was reluctant to let her go and Buaji started nagging at her about how she could not visit her parents house everytime she had her mistakes pointed out. Fortunately, Vidhi babhi persuaded Gayathri Ma and even made up the list of important items that she left back home. Vidhi babhi knows that she was still upset about the morning incident.
When she reached home, her mom greeted her with a hug and her favourite dish - Gobi paratha. She was elated to be in the comforts of her own home. She wanted to complain about how miserable she was at the Scindias but she knows her mom would start worrying. She can only complain to her dad as he would take everything she said and turn them into a joke to lighten up her mood while her mom would overanalyse anything she said and worry about them. Her mother was already constantly asking if everything was alright the moment she stepped into the house as though she was afraid the Scindia's have returned Aarti like a rejected good!
The day went well for Yash as they finally finalised the budget. He was about to leave office with Pankaj bhaiyya and Prateek when Pankaj bhaiyya asked him if he was going to pick Aarti up.
"What you mean pick Aarti up? From where?" Yash asked feeling completely clueless.
"Vidhi was telling me that Aarti went to her parents' place today. She did not tell you about it?"
"Hmm..No, she did not mention anything," Yash was not surprised Pankaj bhaiyya is so well-informed about the happenings at home despite being in office. Vidhi babhi and Pankaj bhaiyya would talk on the phone constantly whenever they are apart!
"Oh! Oh! Did someone's wife run away from home?" Prateek asked as he slapped Yash's back.
"Prateek please!" Yash was in no mood for Prateek's teasing. Why did Aarti not tell him she was going to her parents' place? Wives would normally update their husbands right if they are going somewhere?
"Vidhi was saying that Aarti is still at her parent's place. She needed to collect some important things. She will wait for Mr Dubey to return from work before heading back home. Why don't you go and pick her up Yash?"
"Yes! Go apologise to your runaway wife for blabbering about not having dinner. What kind of grown up man complains to his mother that his wife did not serve him dinner?" Prateek teased.
"Prateek please!" Both Yash and Pankaj said in unison.
"Yash, why don't you go and pick Aarti up? Her house is along the way anyway," Pankaj bhaiyya insisted.
"Yes bhaiyya, I will. Let Maaji know that I went to pick Aarti up from her parents' place," Yash said as he stepped into the car and drove off to Aarti's place. It was then he realised that he could not remember where she stayed even though he had been there once for the engagement. He called up Pankaj bhaiyya for the address and could hear Prateek's voice in the background asking what kind of husband does not remember where his wife stays!
Yash could see the surprise on Mrs Dubey's face as she saw him standing at the doorway when she answered the doorbell.
"Yash beta. We are not expecting you. Aarti did not mention anything about you coming to pick her up," Mrs Dubey greeted him.
"Oh, I was on my way back and thought of picking Aarti up along the way," Yash replied. He wondered if Vidhi babhi had informed Aarti that he was coming over.
"Please come in. Come in. Aarti is just talking to her dad in the kitchen. Welcome to our house. "
Yash could hear Aarti's voice as he approached the kitchen.
"And I cannot even watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S at night anymore! I cannot switch on the TV when my husband is sleeping cause he needs his rest! But when he wants to work, I must sleep with the lights on! And when he comes home late..." Aarti was complaining to her dad about how her life has changed after marriage. Aarti has always been closed with her dad and knows her dad would understand her childish laments.
"Erm..Aarti, Yash is here to pick you up," Mrs Dubey's voice stopped Aarti from continuing further.
"Yash? Yash?" she uttered in confusion. She spun around and was shocked to see Yash had materialised out of nowhere and was standing in her kitchen! What is he doing here?
"Yash beta, nice to see you here," Mr Dubey welcomed him.
Yash walked over to get his father-in-law's blessing. Yash could see Aarti was watching his every action like a hawk and her mouth formed an "O" shaped. He guessed Vidhi babhi never got around to tell Aarti that he was coming over.
"Yes, I was going home and since it is along the way, I thought of just dropping by to get Aarti."
"Yash beta, unfortunately I did not cook anything special for dinner. But just give me a while and I can whip up some dishes," Mrs Dubey offered.
"No, it is ok. I am here just to pick Aarti up. We have dinner at home actually. Everyone is expecting us at home," Yash explained.
"Oh, are you sure you do not want to stay for dinner? I can cook up something quite fast. What drinks do you want? Coffee or tea? We also have coke and let me see..." Mrs Dubey asked.
Yash declined any offer for a drink and insisted that they had to make their way home since everyone was waiting for them for dinner. He could see that Mrs Dubey was quite flustered with his unexpected presence. He did not want to trouble them any further.
"Aarti, then you better leave soon," Mr Dubey nudged Aarti who was standing beside him. Aarti was still transfixed by Yash's presence in her kitchen.
"Aarti, are you ready to leave?" Yash asked when Aarti did not react to Mr Dubey's nudging.
"Hmmm...yeah, yeah. Mom and Dad, I will come back some other time," Aarti said as they all made their way to the living room.
"What about the things you need?"
"Huh? What things?" Aarti asked, confused.
"I thought Vidhi babhi said you needed to collect some things?"
"Oh...Oh...Ya, ya..Let me go and collect them..." When did Yash talk to Vidhi babhi? And why is Yash here?
Part 2 - page 3
Part 3 - page 10
Part 4 - page 16
Part 5 - page 20
Part 6 - page 22
Part 7 - page 26
Part 8 - page 30
Part 9 - page 35
Part 10 - page 42
Part 11 - page 54
Part 12 - page 62
Edited by akui1984 - 12 years ago
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Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
