@ all - Thanks so much for your likes, comments and reading this story.
Aarti was in her old bedroom wishing she could bring along with her the warmth and love of this place. So many memories are attached to this room. And when her mom stepped into her bedroom to ask her to hurry up, she hugged her mom tight and wished so badly that things were back to one week ago when she was still staying here and talking on the phone with Mansi about how she was giddy with excitement and apprehension about getting married.
"Aarti, Yash is waiting for you outside. Have you taken the things that you need?" Mrs Dubey asked as she broke the hug.
She shook her head and closed her eyes, willing the tears that threatened to pour out to stop.
"Aarti, you can always come visit us anytime you want. You have a new life now. You must start looking forward to it instead of wishing for things to be the same," Mrs Dubey advised her daughter. She wondered if everything was really fine between Yash and Aarti. Aarti appeared upset and it seemed she was not even aware that Yash was coming over.
" Aarti, are things really ok with you at the Scindia's? Please try to be a good wife and listen to your husband and your in-laws," Mrs Dubey could not help but worry.
"Yes, Mom. I told you na, everything is fine!" Aarti answered, exasperated. She decided she wanted to bring along some of her books and her favourite teddy bear. Initially she decided against bringing the teddy bear along since Yash may find her childish and she had other ideas whom she would be hugging in bed. Since things are different now, she would love the companion of her favourite teddy bear like old times.
Meanwhile in the living room, Mr Dubey was talking to Yash about the Oceanic Project.
"Ya, there are quite a few hiccups with the Project. There are some delays and but these are all under control," Yash explained to Mr Dubey.
"Hmmm...Yash, I hope you can take care of Aarti as a good husband should and treat her well. She is our only daughter and she is pampered and used to having things her way. So if sometimes she is a little childish, I hope you can forgive her and make her understand. She is not unreasonable," Mr Dubey suddenly said as he was overwhelmed with fear that his precious daughter may not be treated right at the Scindias. He was puzzled as Aarti did not even know Yash was coming over. Do they communicate with each other?
Yash did not know how to react to that so he just said, "We are both new to this marriage and are still getting to know each other."
Thankfully, Aarti and Mrs Dubey were out of the room. The conversation with Mr Dubey was getting awkward for Yash.
Yash wondered if the important thing is a teddy bear as he saw her carry a teddy bear the size of Payal!
They bade Mr and Mrs Dubey goodbye and Yash could see Aarti was holding back tears. It dawned on him that it was definitely a scary thought to leave the comforts of your family behind and join a completely new family full of strangers. And to assimilate into the family as though you have known them for days is no easy feat. He had newfound respect to all the ladies who entered into their in-laws' households and managed to adapt to their new lifestyles in no time.
Aarti could not help herself and ask Yash why he came the moment they stepped into the car.
"Pankaj bhaiyya insisted that I picked you up," Yash answered honestly.
Aarti did not know why she felt disappointed with Yash's answer when she already knew that Yash does not care about her. She was not even expecting Yash to pick her up yet the knowledge that he did it cause his brother insisted made her feel dejected. Her emotions have been in a turmoil since she got married.
After driving for a while, Yash suddenly stopped the car at the side of a small road.
"Listen Aarti, shall we have dinner outside? I am very hungry."
"Of course we will have dinner whenever you want. We would not want you to starve and complain about it when you reached home. Then Mummyji and Buaji would tell me how I should perhaps have brought along packed food whenever we go out so that you would not have to go hungry ever."
Yash chuckled. He should have seen this one coming. She was clearly still upset about the morning incident.
"Where do you want to eat?" Yash asked, ignoring her sarcasm.
"Hmmm...Anywhere." Food is the last thing on Aarti's mind!
"Shall we go to Sapprino's restaurant? They serve pretty good Italian food. Are you ok with Italian food?"
"Ok." Aarti was not fond of Italian food but she if fine with eating pasta. She wondered if Aprita likes Italian food.
Yash called back home to inform the family that they would be eating out. They spent the rest of the journey to Sapprino's Restaurant in silence.
"What would you like to have?" Yash asked Aarti after they were seated at the restaurant and have looked through the menu.
"Hmmm...I guess seafood marinara." The only Italian food Aarti had eaten was spaghetti and pizza and she was not in the mood to try anything different.
"The rissotto is good. You can try the cheese ravioli with marinara sauce if you are into cheese," Yash suggested.
"I am fine with seafood marinara." The food Yash suggested sounded so foreign to Aarti. Does Aprita eat those exotic stuffs? Why does she drive herself crazy thinking about Aprita?
Yash did not think Aarti likes Italian food that much. Perhaps he should have given her some options to choose from instead of just suggesting Italian food. They sat waiting for their food engaged in their own little activity. Aarti was busy playing angry birds on her phone while Yash was replying Prateek's text messages. His brother is one curious cat! When the food arrived, they both enjoyed their food in solitude. The only conversation was exchanged when Yash asked her how the pasta was and she said alright. She was no food critique. She wanted to ask him how his food was but she could not even make out what he ordered.
After their main course, Aarti declined Yash's suggestion for desserts and they decided to head back home.
"Hmmm, you know Aarti, can we start over?" Yash said while they were walking to their car.
"Start over?"
"I mean you know this marriage is just not working... you throwing Aprita's name at me everytime...this morning incident...I think we do not understand each other."
"How did you think this marriage was going to prosper after you threw Aprita's name at me on our wedding night?"
Yash sighed, "Aarti for the last time, there is nothing going on between me and Aprita. She is happily married to someone else."
"But you love her! You said so yourself. So how do you expect me to believe you when you said there is nothing going on. She is working with you."
"Aarti, we are professionals. To her, I am just a friend and her boss at work."
"But to you, she is more than a friend. And..."
"Honestly Aarti, if I knew you were going to react like this, I would not have said anything. You have a one track mind! I just do not want you to expect me to fall in love with you which was why I told you about Aprita. I just thought I should be honest with you."
"Really Yash? How should I have reacted? If you had wanted to be honest, you should have told me before we got married. What makes you think that I do not want my husband to fall in love with me? Why did you get married anyway?"
"And you expected us to fall in love like the movies? Why didn't you tell me that you wanted a husband that was going to fall in love with you before we got married?"
"And what kind of selfish person are you that you decide to marry someone and then tell her on the wedding night that you are in love with someone else. What do you think marriage is all about Yash Scindia?"
" I dunno. Damn it. But you obviously know what marriage is all about since you have acted like the most perfect understanding wife since the night we got married."
"Yeah! How can I not be the perfect wife when my husband is so freaking perfect! Perfect begets perfect doesn't it?"
"OH MY GOD!" Aarti suddenly shouted and made a mad dash to the car which was about 200 metres away. Yash was puzzled by Aarti's action and started running after her.
"Yash, open the car door now! NOW! NOW!" She screamed.
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
Vanshaj
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Udne Ki Aasha
