Tu hi Meri Zindagi last part pg 45 - Page 14

Part Eleven

Khanak went up to the bedroom to get ready. She placed the package on the bed and started walking towards the cupboard. However curiosity got the better of her. She went back towards the package.

" Khushboo Bhabhi ne kaha tha ki ghar jake kholna hai. Abhi toh main ghar pe he hoon. Abhi khol deti hoon," she said to herself. ( Khushboo Bhabhi told me to open it after getting home. Now I am at home. I will open it now.)

Khanak opened it to find a red ghara choli. She was surprised but realization dawned on her that perhaps Shantanu had chosen it but Khushboo Bhabhi had picked it up so she would not suspect it.

She smiled and decided to wear it.

Moment later she was almost dressed. She had one dhori left to tie. She heard some noise near the balcony. She started walking towards it. She approached the area carefully afraid it was a thief.

Then she peered over to see Shantanu trying to climb up.

" Shantanu aap yahaan kaise'" she trailed off.

" I wanted to surprise you but instead I shocked you," he stammered as he finally got up the ledge and started to swing over.

" Aap theek toh ho?," she inquired.

He straightened up his clothes and then smiled.

" Ab sub theek hai meri jaaneman!," he declared as he wrapped his arms around her.

Khanak blushed.

" Shantanu sub neeche humara intezar kare honge," she said shyly( Shantanu everyone is probably waiting for us downstairs)

" It's our wedding anniversary Khanak. We can do some romance first," he stated.

He led her to the dresser.

" Tumari dhori khuli hai. Main band kar deta hoon," he stated.

He tied it and then ran his finger tips across her upper back and over to her neck. He kissed her on the cheek and then made her face the mirror.

" Tum bauth sundar lagri ho aaj. Red really suits you my beautiful wife!," he declared.

Khanak blushed and said softly," Happy Anniversary Shantanu!"

Khanak and Shantanu were about to go downstairs when Shantanu stopped her.

" Ek second," he said.

Khanak looked at him puzzled.

Then he got the sindoor box and filled her mang.

She smiled feeling loved and blessed to have Shantanu as her husband.

" Ab hum chal sakte hain," he said offering her his arm.

She gladly took it and then they descended the stairs together.

Akshay noticed them coming and announced their entry to the guests. A cake was there for them to cut. After cutting the cake they all took blessing from the elders. In the middle of meeting everyone and thanking them for the nice surprise party, Khanak noticed Shantanu missing.

Then the music started.

She recognized the song and brightened up.

Shantanu emerged with his guitar and started to sing Maan Bawra. The rest of the song played through on the stero system as he came towards Khanak and started to spin her around. Soon everyone else joined them and they all danced together on the song.

Khanak could feel how much love he had for her as he had truly expressed his feelings as they danced and he never took his eyes off of her.

Akshay put the song on repeat and everyone else stopped and admired the lovely couple.

Later on they all sat down and ate dinner together. There was some nok-jok about how Shantanu and Khanak had not yet gone on a honeymoon yet. Khanak blushed and Shantanu chuckled.

After all the guests left, Khushboo and Akshay helped Shantanu and Khanak with the gifts.

Khanak took blessings from Dadi before returning to the room for the night.

She sighed as she started to take off her jewelry. She had college tomorrow and needed to be going to bed soon.

She got up to put away her things when Shantanu came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He showed her a card.

It read: To My Lovely Wife on our Wedding Anniversary

She opened it to find plane tickets to Switzerland.

" Hum Switzerland jayenge?," she exclaimed.

Shanatanu smiled.

" This is for your wish and our honeymoon," he whispered huskily in her ear.

She blushed and said ," Dhatt!"

He repeated it after her.

" But this trip is for around your birthday. You have classes to finish this term," he said firmly.

She pouted a bit.

" Don't worry my darling. Tutions will be given by myself Mr. Shantanu Khandlewal," he declared as he straightened up his collar.

She smiled.

" What is your price for tutions?," she inquired.

He covered her head and face with her dupatta.

" Raat ho thoda romance," he whispered.

He sat her down on the bed.

" Now since we didn't do this at all this past year, you have to act like a new dulhan and let me lift your veil," he stated firmly.

She peeked out and stuck her tongue out at him.

" Khanak!"

" SHH! Everyone will wake up if you keep yelling like that," she hissed back.

Shantanu rolled his eyes.

" Don't you ever want to be romantic?," he inquired.

" Not when we both have to be up early. I am going to sleep. Good neend Shantanu," she called out before getting settled for bed.

Shantanu groaned.

The next morning Khanak was awake before Shantanu. He had just come out after his shower, when she arrived with morning tea.

" Khanak good morning. Tumara schedule kaisa hai aaj?"

She smiled.

" Today I should be done by 4pm. Aap ka kaisa hai?"

He sat down and she handed him a cup of tea.

" I will be very busy today. I will tell Dharam to pick you up," he stated firmly.

She looked at him firmly.

" Aap naraz ho? I am sorry Shantanu. I had to get up early. Mujhe pooja bhi karni thi. Ye lo parsad," she said placing it in his hand.

She went to her side drawer.

" This is for you. I was not able to sleep more than a few hours so I wrote you a letter and I promise I will do my best to always make you proud. I love you," she stated sincerely.

She held her ears and kneeled in front of him.

He indicated for her to remove her hands from her ears and indicated for her to come closer.

" Give me a morning kiss, then I will think about forgiving you," he stated.

She smiled mischievously. She quickly leaned forward and kissed his cheek before running off with the tray.

Part Twelve

Khanak knew she would get it from Shantanu that evening. However for now she needed to get ready to go to college.

Madhvi stopped her as she was about to run upstairs to get one of her books from the paatshalla.

"Khanak yeh lo kagan. Make sure you keep it safely in your room," she stated.

Khanak smiled. She was glad Madhvi had accepted her as her bahu now more than before.

" Theek hai Mummyji. I'll just keep it and then I must leave," she stated.

" Dhan se jaana beta," Madhvi said.

Khanak smiled brightly as she placed the kagan in her jewelry box. She headed over to the paatshalla to pick up her books. She came down the stairs and met Daadi.

" I heard you are going to college. I hope you do well Khanak," she said proudly.

Khanak took blessings and headed out towards the door.

She didn't see Dharam and his car around. Suddenly she heard a honk. She nearly dropped her things. She turned to see Shantanu in his car smirking widely at her.

She frowned at him as she tried to shift her books in her arms. She walked over to him.

He lowered the passenger side window.

" You didn't leave yet?," she inquired.

" Nahin toh. How could I let you go in a rikshaw?," he quipped.

She rolled her eyes.

" Dharam kahan hai?"

" Dad needed him for something earlier so he is out right now. However I can give you a ride," he said with a sweet smile.

She stiffened.

" You just like to have an excuse to bunk office," she hissed.

" Nahin Khanak I swear. I am mature now. I do not think of bunking office anymore," he insisted.

" Soch na padega," she said teaslingly.

" Besides I have something for you!," he said.

" Hmm, phir theek hai," she said and settled down beside him.

" Kya hai?"

He reached in the back and pulled out a messenger bag.

" You can keep some of your things here," he said.

"Thank-you!," she said with glee. She quickly put everything inside.

Shantanu started driving.

The arrived at her college in no time and she flashed him a bright smile.

"Khanak ek second."

She turned to see what he wanted to tell her.

" Main tuhme pick up karne ke liye aahun ga," he stated ( I will come pick you up)

Khanak smiled brightly.

" Theek hai. Dhan se aur theek se kam karna," she stated.

" Tum bhi dhan se padri karna," he said before driving off.

She slung her bag over her shoulder and started walking towards her first class.

Khanak was surpised to find some of the other girls around her suddenly stopping to stare at something. She was confused.

" In sub ko kya hogaya?," she thought to herself.

She shifted past them with some difficulty. Then was surprised to see that they were googling her husband. She pouted and wanted to give them all dirty looks. Instead she had a better plan.

Shantanu was drumming his fingertips on the rim of the car. He turned to smile in her direction.

He realized there was a crowd of girls basically drooling while looking at him. He turned to look at Khanak. She had a tight smile and had her hands clenched on her messenger bag strap.

" Kaisa tha aap ka din?," she asked sweetly.

Shantanu stiffened and stood up straighter.

" Theek tha Khanak, chalein?" ( It was ok Khanak, let's go?)

She turned to see the girls had now stopped drooling and seemed ready to cry in disappointment. She leaned over towards Shantanu whispered something in his ear.

" Yeh sab aap ko dekri hain Jaldi chalo yahaan se," she hissed.

Shantanu stepped back.

" Of course Khanak. We also need time for tutions before dinner," he stated as he got into the driver's side.

Khanak waved with a smile at the girls and hopped into the passenger side.

As Shantanu drove he tried not to burst out laughing.

" Badi hassi arri hai," she hissed. ( You feel like laughing a lot)

Shantanu could not stay quiet any longer.

" You were so jealous Khanak!," he declared.

" So what? It shows that I love you a lot. I am sure you would be upset if I was not possessive of you," she replied.

Shantanu stayed quiet on that point.

" What happened, you have no answer for that?," Khanak asked.

" We will discuss this later," Shantanu stated.

" Oh yeah you are not very good at multi-tasking. Did you read my letter?," she inquired.

Shantanu nodded.

" I read it during lunch today. I will tell you later if I forgive you or not," he replied.

She rolled her eyes.

They got home and he parked the car. He was able to get out first while Khanak grabbed her things. He waited for her to get out.

She was about to walk inside when he grabbed her wrist.

She turned to face him.

"Kya hua Shantanu?," she asked.

" I do like it when you get jealous," he said.

She smiled and squeezed his hand.

" Let's go inside. You need to freshen up and then I need to start my tutions," she said.

Shantanu smiled.

" It will be very interesting, my lovely student," he said.

She shook her head at him before they walked inside together.

Khanak was in the paatshalla before Shantanu. She had started to open her books and take notes.

Shantanu paced around while she looked through the day's lessons to see what terms she needed to go over.

She looked up to see him and he sat beside her as she pointed out the terms she was confused about. He would search for the Hindi term and if he could not think of it, he would try to demonstrate it.

Then she said she had an assignment for art class.

" I have to do a life still painting. Do you have any ideas what I should do? I cannot go to Dhulwadi otherwise I could find something natural and living to paint. Here in the city everything is always moving," she stated.

Shantanu thought for a moment before saying," I'll get my laptop one second," he said.

He came back and googled life still paintings.

" Here just pick one and we can make it bigger so you can see it better," he said.

" That's cheating Shantanu. But this one gives me an idea. I will set up my canvas after dinner," she stated.

" I wonder what she will paint?," Shantanu wondered.