Part XXII-B
Mishti couldn't decide what to wear. She was standing in front of her wardrobe, chewing on her lip when the phone beeped a message. She glanced down on the bed where the phone was. It was Yash.
"What are you doing?"
"Where were you all day?"
"I asked first."
"Where were you?"
"I am warning you, Mishti…you are in big trouble if you don't tell me."
"Where. Were. You?"
"Fine…I was attending meetings."
"Good."
"Mishti?"
"What?"
"MISHTI?"
"Yashji...Did anyone ever tell you that you look adorable when you are angry? Bye…See you…."
Yash shook his head, laughing silently at her cheekiness, as he held the phone and looked at her picture in it. God, life is going to be so unpredictable with her…unpredictable and beautiful. The phone beeped.
"Oh…by the way…I was looking for something to wear for my first official date."
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In the end Mishti chose a black net saree. After much contemplation she opted for black onyx earrings set in sterling silver and a matching bracelet to go with it. She hoped she looked good enough. She realized that for the first time in her life it mattered to her how she looked. She took one last look at the mirror when the phone rang. It was Neema, telling her about the next day's site visit along with some tips for the evening. She came out of the room talking and stood with her back to the landing. After finishing the call, she turned around to find three faces with similar expressions…eyes wide, lips forming different sizes of O's….Her family.
"Wow…mumma…you look sexy."
"Ansh!!!! Where did you learn that word?"Mishti was shocked. Palak giggled and Yash smirked.
"Yashji! Why don't you say something to him?"
"What? What should I say? He is right….you do look sexy."
"That does it…I am going to change."
"No, you are not." He held her wrist as she turned back. Closing in, he whispered in her ear from the back, "You look beautiful. Just one thing is missing. One second…Wait here!"
He turned to the kids, "OK you two, go and sit in the car. Palak, my phone is in the car. Call nanu and tell him you both will be there in ten minutes." As they ran down, Yash turned to Mishti. From his jacket pocket he took out a jewelery box and took out a single-stranded diamond necklace. He turned her around and with one hand gathered her hair and tenderly placed them in front over her shoulder. He then placed the necklace around her neck and clasped it. The necklace felt cold against her skin but his fingers were warm. Mishti fisted her fingers by her side as his caressing touches sent shivers down her spine. As she felt his lips on her neck, she closed her eyes in bliss. She felt him draw a quick breath as he rested his forehead on the back of her shoulder and whispered, "God, you drive me insane Mishti." He trailed his fingers down her arms and pried her fists open; entwining her fingers into his he crossed his arms around her in a tight embrace. He hugged her for a few seconds and then whispered, "Let's go Mishti before I lose my control totally."
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Mishti stood on the deck of the boat as she gazed at the lights of the city far away. They were in the middle of the lake. They had driven to this hotel by the lake from where they took a smaller boat to come to this bigger one. Yash was in the lower deck giving final instructions to the boatman regarding their return. Mishti looked around. There were a couple of lounge chairs, a table, and a long, curving couch along the length of the railing. The other corner of the deck had a small glass cabin….inside which she could see a small round dinner table set for two. All around there was dim lighting. Yet what caused a lump in her throat were the innumerable red roses all over the boat. She reached across the nearest one, touching it softly.
"Someone once told me that red roses express the deepest desires and feelings of heart."
She turned around to see him standing with his hands in his pockets looking at her with such a passion that she had to tear her eyes away….Somehow she knew that she would never be able to keep herself from drowning in those limpid brown eyes. They owned her in this life. Taking a hold of herself, she turned sideways, gesticulating with her hand at the ambiance.
"This is beautiful, Yashji."
"You like it?"
"Hmm….very much. So this was your all-day meetings. You were busy doing this up."
He stepped forward, "Only the best for my Mishti. After all this is our first date."
Yash had stood for a while on the final step to the deck and had watched her. She looked ethereal…How could any woman look so sensuous yet so alluringly innocent at the same time! He had heard that beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes because that's the doorway to her heart. He could so easily laugh at that….His Mishty had shown him her heart even before he saw himself in her eyes. He had felt her beauty as deeply then…when he had no vision…as he cherished beholding her now…when he can see her. Her eyes were her soul. He knew even a lifetime would be short for him to stop gazing at her….He wanted to make up for all the seconds of the years that he was denied her presence as also the intervals between those seconds. He saw her now….her eyes on him…beckoning him, pulling him, loving him…"God Mishti, Why do you love me so much?"
He came closer and cupped her face and bent forward to kiss her glistening eyes, "Happy?"
She nodded as she slipped her arms around him, "Very happy.…..Yashji?"
"Hmm…"
"Why do you love me so much?"
He smiled at her echoing his thoughts, but didn't answer. Asking her to wait a little, he went and put on soft music. Coming back he pulled her close and tucked her into his frame, dropping a kiss into her hair…"Care for a dance, Miss Dubey?"
"Like this Mr Scindia? I can't even move." She mumbled near his ear.
He chuckled, "Let's see you do it…"
"Uhh…is that a challenge I hear in that deep voice?" She smiled.
"If you say so, Miss Dubey."
"And if I win…?"
"Your wish will be my command….
"Right…remember that," saying she flicked off her sandals behind and climbed on his toes. "Let's dance Mr Scindia."
"That's cheating Mishti!! (grinning into her laughing face) You are incorrigible."
They danced for a while in complete bliss. After that Yash walked her to the railing where he turned around and asked her, "So what's your wish?"
"Forget it Yashji…you won't be able to fulfill it." Mishti turned to looking at the water with a naughty smile.
He took her hands and said earnestly, "Just say it, Mishti…I promise I'll do it."
"OK!...(turning to him, trying hard to hold her smile) Here it is….From now on till we get married you cannot kiss me."
"What? What kind of wish is that?" He couldn't believe she had said that. He held her by the shoulders and saw she was serious, as she refused to look at him. He backed off, pacing up and down, muttering "This is not done, Mishti…just not done. Finally we cross all hurdles, and now when I can and all I want is to hold you close to me all the time, you come out with this….this…this brainwave. What are you thinking, dammit? And why are you laughing?"
Mishti was holding her stomach and doubling up, and as always he stood enthralled at hearing the rippling melody and her childlike mirth…"Yashji!...Uffo!...You are so cutely adorable. You should have seen yourself…it's as if a child's favorite toy has been taken from him."
In a trance he saw her walk toward him. She snaked her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair, as his arms went around her automatically. Looking into his eyes, she whispered, "I said you cannot kiss me…I never said I cannot kiss you." His eyes widened as she proceeded to put her lips on his and kiss him, teasing, nibbling, till with a groan he gathered her tight and deepened the kiss. She let him kiss her fervently, opening her mouth for him to explore deeper, as she herself drowned in his passion.
Much later they sat on the lounge deck chair, Mishti's back on his chest and his arms around her
"Yashji…you never answered my question. Why do you love me so much?"
"There's no answer to that, my love. All I know is that my soul lives in you. I was a dead man walking for six years, Mishti. Knowing you were not there yet keeping you with me, waiting for the moment in eternity when I would meet you again. And then I saw you…my heart pulled me to you but my mind questioned. That car journey to the farm house was the hardest of my life. There were so many emotions running through me. I hated myself for getting attracted to someone else…I thought I was betraying you."
"When did you know?"
"I think almost as soon as I met you…That silent phone call had reawakened my senses to you. Like I said, my mind battled with my heart….I was sure beyond doubt when I heard your voice over the phone while talking to Palak."
"I am sorry, Yashji…I put you through hell. I hate myself for doing so."
"No Mishti…it was not your fault. You didn't know I was unmarried. This separation was preordained. But we'll make up for it. We were always and we shall always be for this life and beyond each other's strength and hope…..
They sat in companionable silence for awhile, looking at the night waters of the lake.
"Mishti, tell me what happened after you reached Indore?"
"We stayed in buaji's house……."
They caught up with the missing years, talking through the night, taking a break for dinner and then continuing….holding each other…just being content to be together….together forever and never apart.
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One month later…
The marriage was a resounding success…the talk of the town for years to come…just as Suraj Pratap Scindia wanted. Neema had refused to let Mishti do any running around for the arrangements. She and Maansi, who had come over one day to the VM offices to meet Mishti, and had hit it off with the former, took the entire show in their hands. The final two weeks had Vinny flying down and camping in Bhopal, taking Mishti for shopping and making sure she buys all that was required for the bride befitting a Scindia. The kids' dresses were personally overseen by Mishti. She refused to let anyone touch her children's clothes. Mishti was happy to see dadi and the family from the village come and take part in the festivities. She had requested Gayatri to help her out in pacifying dadi. Both of them had gone and stayed in the village house for three days. It was only a matter of time before dadi realized that her perceptions about Mishti were nothing but preconceived bias.
Babuji and Guptaji together did the kanyaadan for Mishti. Palak and Ansh refused to budge from their parents' sides during the entire ceremony, even though they were falling asleep on their feet due to exhaustion. When Neema went to take them for dinner, Ansh declined saying, "Neema Aunty, can't you see we are all getting married…Papa, mumma, Palak, and I? We are one family…right Palak?" And Palak nodded vigorously with grave face.
Prateek and Pari stayed back in the Scindia Mansion for their wedding night, but Yash took Mishti to her room on the tower after all the post-wedding rituals were over. The kids stayed back with Deepa and Gayatri.
Yash picked up his bride in his arms and stepped into the lift.
"Mishti, close your eyes." She did so, her heart hammering against her breast. He put her down when the door opened. Holding her hand he walked her into the room. He stepped aside a little, and the very next moment she was showered with red rose petals as she opened her eyes in wonder. She spun around on her toes as she looked wondrously at the now-familiar night sky, but the room took her breath away. Every inch of the flooring was covered in a carpet of rose petals with faint lights twinkling through them. Yash came and hugged her from behind as she encircled her arms around his.
"Welcome to your paradise, Mrs Scindia."
"Our paradise, Mr Scindia."
He extended his right hand; she kept hers on his.
"Forever?"
"Forever."
**********************************The End**********************************
****Note: Epilogue will be up this weekend.
Cricket
Anupamaa
