Part 18The next morning, Aarti woke up with a terrible headache as she was tired. When she arrived work and showed Mansi Raul's picture, as expected, Mansi could not recognise him and they spent their time giggling and reminiscing about their college days which made Aarti feel slightly better. But after lunch, Aarti started vomiting and she told her boss that she had to take sick leave. She texted Yash that she was not well and would be heading home early and called back home to inform the same.
"Aarti are you alright?" Vidhi babhi was at the door to welcome her home.
"Yes Vidhi babhi. I think after resting I will be ok. It must be the lack of sleep and possibly I overate yesterday at the wedding. You do not have to mind me. I am sure you are busy."
Aarti changed and took two pills of pain killers and got to bed when Vidhi babhi stepped into her room asking her to take some hot lemon drink. Aarti did not feel up to it as her stomach still felt queasy but since Vidhi babhi had prepared it, she sipped the drink slowly. Vidhi babhi offered to massage her forehead and that made her missed her Mom. Life was so much better when you fall sick as a child! A short while later, Maaji and Buaji stepped into her room. Initially Buaji suspected that she was pregnant but Aarti assured them she was most positively not with a baby. And Maaji started her lecture on how Aarti should have a baby soon. She was only married for over two months for God's sake! Then Maaji and Buaji were dispensing advices on how she should take care of herself and all Aarti could think of was she would get well if they just leave the room and let her sleep! How does one say that without sounding rude? Thankfully, Maaji and Buaji had a show to catch and finally left the room.
Yash was astonished when he opened their bedroom door and saw that both Aarti and Vidhi babhi were in tears. They were seated on the bed, hugging each other and appeared surprise at the sound of the door opening and were staring at him puzzled. His first thought was Aarti must be suffering from something critical that they were crying.
"What is wrong Aarti? What did the doctor say?" Was it something fatal? Please do not let anything happen to her! He walked over to the bed and sat beside her, anxious.
"Yash? You are at home?" Aarti was baffled.
"I will leave you two alone." Vidhi babhi excused herself and closed the door behind her.
"Aarti, why are you crying? What happened? Please do not scare me." Yash asked as he cupped Aarti's face and wiped her tears.
"I am fine Yash. How come you are home at this time?"
"Then why are you crying if you are fine?"
"It is Vidhi babhi..."She wrapped her arms around Yash's neck, leaned in and cried on his shoulder. She did not know was it because she was under the weather and that made her more emotionally unstable but she could not stop her tears from falling.
"Aarti, what's wrong? You are scaring me. Can you please tell me what is happening?" Yash pulled Aarti slightly away from him but kept his arms on her shoulders. "Please tell me what is happening."
"Actually just now Vidhi babhi was teasing me about being pregnant and I teased her back. And she asked me to stop but I didn't and kept telling her to have another baby and then she told me...she said that she cannot have another baby. And she told me about her miscarriage as well and she is very sad. And I feel..." Aarti choked. She leaned on Yash's shoulder and started sobbing.
"It's so unfair. She is a good person. She told me she wanted three children. She was crying and crying just now when she was talking. I feel so bad now that I have made her upset." Aarti continued, still shedding tears. Yash hugged her tight and pressed his lips on her hair.
"I know," He sighed. "We were all excited about the new baby and were devastated when Vidhi babhi lost him. And Maaji and Bauji took it very badly as they were waiting for a grandson. We used to joke around that each of us will have a son and the three of them will run Scindiya & Sons after Pankaj bhaiyya, me and Prateek retire. And you know how Buaji can be sometimes. She kept talking about having a grandson to continue our family business and Maaji and Bauji got influenced and started harping on my marriage."
Aarti lifted her head and faced Yash, her arms still wrapped around his neck and his arms still around her waist.
"Is that why you got married? Only cause..." Yash placed his index finger over Aarti's lips and wiped the tears that stained her face. Yash was relieved that she was no longer crying.
"I had told everyone that I was never settling down after Aprita got married before this incident. But one day Pankaj bhaiyya came to me and told me to reconsider my decision for Maaji and Bauji sake. You know how Prateek is like right so I felt like I have no choice. So I said yes. Honestly I did not care whom I was getting married to as long as she was willing to have children cause that is all I thought this marriage was for."
"So you never even picked me..." Again Yash brought his index finger to her lips.
"Shhh...you really need to stop interrupting me cause I know I won't be able to finish this once you start your questioning. And I really want to finish this," Yash whispered. He did not plan this but something in him just wanted to keep on going.
"It just so happen that the day I agreed to get married, Bauji was meeting your Uncle. And Bauji told him about it and he mentioned you. Honestly, I do not know what happened in between cause I was not interested but it seemed everyone liked you. And the only problem came when we realised you wanted to work. Maaji and Buaji were strongly against it but Bauji left it to me to decide. Pankaj bhaiyya remarked that if Payal grew up and wanted to work at Scindiya & Sons even after marriage, we would want the prospective in-laws to accept it so we have to be understanding about your demands as well. So finally we all agreed to it and all the arrangements were made and we got married."
Aarti opened her mouth to say something but shut it again the moment Yash spoke again. She was dying to ask questions but it seemed like Yash was not done!
"And the day we got married, I was not prepared at all honestly. I thought there is no way this person can ever take Aprita's place in my life and I should let her know. And the only time I had really taken a look at you was when I opened the bathroom door after you banged it like a crazy woman. "
Great! It is still all about Aprita! And Yash already decided that she is crazy the night they got married when he was the cause of all her actions! Then what nonsense was Aprita spewing yesterday night? She should know that cause of her words, Aarti had spent yesterday night going over in her head everything Yash had said and texted since they got married and was so confused! But she had thought about him saying that she was mesmerising and his reaction to her praising Raul and tried convincing herself that maybe Yash likes her. Damn this gullible heart! And even though, right now, she wanted to release her arms from his neck and moved away from him, as always, her body refused to listen to her sensible mind.
"You drove me mad with your Aprita interrogation and you always have something smart to reply me and are prone to interpreting things according to your own logic and..."
"I am disagreeable! I like to assume things! I have an over imaginative mind...I have heard it all before. You really need not repeat yourself cause I happen to have an excellent memory," Aarti protested and released her arms from his neck. She looked disheartened.
Yash pressed his forehead against hers and softly said, "I think you want to hear the next part."
Aarti looked into Yash's eyes, her eyes reflecting uncertainty and expectation.
"Despite all that..."
Aarti swallowed. She did not know why but her heart beat accelerated.
"What?" She asked quietly.
"I love you Aarti Yash Scindiya." Did he really say that? He just came home to check how she was doing cause he was so worried when she did not pick up the phone. How did it come to this?
Aarti's stared at Yash in disbelief and wondered if it was all a dream. "Really?"
Yash nodded and kissed her forehead. He had never felt more sure of his feelings.
"You must be thinking that I am silly but I feel like crying again." Why was she such a crybaby today when she rarely cried normally?
Yash smiled and pulled Aarti closer to him. He brought his lips to hers...
"Wait, then what about Aprita?"
Yash sighed. He should have expected this. She has a one track mind!
"I honestly don't know. I think with Aprita it was just I missed her and maybe the fear of losing her made me convinced that I loved her. But I realised that it is not cause I don't know but you drive me crazy! I have never ever felt this way before. You occupy my mind all the time."
"That's the second time you are saying that I am crazy in the last ten minutes! What do you mean that I am crazy? How is it possible that..."
Yash smiled and brought his thumb to her lips and brushed her lower lips ever so slowly. That made Aarti stopped talking and she blinked, surprised. Yash lifted her chin and forced her to look into his eyes and her heart beat quickened. Is this what love feels like?
"Don't you have something else to tell me since you are such a courteous girl?" He asked her in a low voice.
.Aarti felt her cheeks warmed and knew she had turned red. Somehow she understood what Yash was talking about.
"I..." She bit her lower lips.
"love..." She continued.
Their room door flung open and Yash immediately sprung from the bed the moment he heard Maaji's voice.
"Yash beta, what happen to you? Vidhi just told me you came back home. What happened to the two of you that both of you are sick at the same time?" Maaji burst into their room and started smoldering Yash. Buaji trailed after Maaji, equally alarmed. Aarti observed Maaji checking out Yash's temperature and messaging his head while Buaji fussing over him and Yash's uncomfortable look and controlled her laughter.
"Aarti must have passed her illness to you beta, my poor nephew," Buaji lamented.
"Maaji there is nothing wrong with me actually. I came back cause Aarti told me she was sick," Yash finally spoke and tried to move away from their clutches.
"Why you need to come back when she is the one who is sick? You are not a doctor." Buaji asked and Aarti giggled.
Yash stared at his wife and wonder what the joke was but Aarti was definitely being entertained. He should have locked the door! No wonder Prateek is the same, No one respects people privacy in this house!
Aarti raised both her eyebrows at him and stopped giggling when she realised Yash was staring at her. She pretended to sleep.
"There is really nothing Maaji, Buaji. I am fine. Aarti is the one who is sick and needs her rest," Yash continued, wishing that they both would just go away!
Both Maaji and Buaji fussed over him a little while more and when they were both convinced there was nothing "wrong" with him, they took their leave and told Yash to leave Aarti alone to let her rest. Yash saw them to the door and was about to close the door when Payal appeared before him.
"I want to see Aunt Aarti."
What is the need to see Aunt Aarti? But before Yash could say anything, Payal sneaked past him and climbed onto the bed. What must he do to have a private moment in this house?
Yash walked over to Payal who was on the bed beside his wife. She was trying to sleep while payal playing with the teddy bear. Why does she need to be here just to play with a bear? Is there no space in her own room?
"I love this teddy bear." Payal kissed the bear.
"I thought Yash Uncle bought you one that time remember."
Payal nodded. "But it's not the same. I love this bear more!"
"Then take it Payal. You can have the teddy bear. Now you should bring the bear to your room and let it play with the other bear." Yash interjected.
Payal's eyes light up. "Really? Forever?"
"Yes. Just take it and leave honey."
"How can you decide what to do with my things? This is my bear. I always hug it when I sleep at night. Please do not think that you can make..."
"I am asking her to take it cause you are not going to need it Aarti. Why would you need a stupid bear when..."
"How do you know I am not going to need it? My bear is not stupid! What makes you think..."
"Payal, you should really have a chat with your Aunt Aarti whom she should be hugging tonight instead of being so overly concerned about a teddy bear..." Yash said and went to the bathroom. Aarti totally is an expert at making a big deal out of nothing! If only Payal was not there, he could show Aarti why she did not need the bear but now he was better off showering and checking on Vidhi babhi. He hoped she was still not too upset.
Payal stared at Yash in puzzlement. All she wanted was to play with bear! Why are they so confusing?
Aarti felt embarrassed. Yash has a one track mind! She closed her eyes and could not help wondering about tonight!
Thank you all for reading n your comments...
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
Part 14 - page 81
Part 15 - page 93
Part 16 - page 100
Part 17 - page 108
Part 19 - page 123
Edited by akui1984 - 12 years ago
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Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
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