Chapter 30
"What kind of a Diwali is this'.the whole house is so silent'.last two years it was problems of my life that ruined this day for me'and this year it's problems of my family'.hey bhagwaanji koi ek saal achi diwali manane ko milega" Ramona muttered, looking up at the roof towards the end.
She was shuffling through her saree collection when a blue and golden one caught her eye. It was georgette one with hangings at its pallu's edge.
"Yeh kaha se aayi'mera tho nahin hain'.I guess I must have misplaced it" she said pulling it out "Badi bhabhi ki hogi shayad, unhe lauta dethi hun" she turned around and bumped into Krishna who had come in just then.
"Sorry" Ramona muttered rubbing her head "Didn't see you come in"
"It's okay'.aisi chothi batho ke liye sorry math kahon" Krishna said with a smile while rubbing his head. His eyes fell on the saree in her hand and his smile turned a little nervous.
"How is it?" he asked looking at Ramona.
"How is what?" she asked back frowning. Her eyes traced the movement of his eyes and that's when it dawned on her.
"Oh" she exclaimed "Yeh thumne shelf mein rakha tha"
"Didn't you like it? I know I am not good at selection'.Maan bhai was busy so I couldn't get him to help me aur Jeh na jaane kaha gayab hain'Sid bhai se tho mein baath hi nahin karna chahtha'is liye meine yeh select kiya. The shopkeeper told it was a very special piece, a designer one and your favourite colour is blue na and mine is golden so I thought it will be good to have this, but if you don't like this then we can return it, you don't have to wear it you know, I won't feel bad or" Krishna's ramblings were stopped by a delicate finger on his lips.
"Break maaron Mr. Khuranna, did I say that I didn't like it." Ramona asked with a smile. Krishna gazed at the finger on his lips and Ramona removed it with a blush.
She turned her look back to the saree. The material was soft and designs gorgeous. More than all that what mattered to her was this was Krishna's first ever gift. Off course he had bought her things before. But all that had been under pressure from his family. This one was genuine. A sign of their on mend relation. From the point that they both had started on the new relation their feelings for each other were also changing. Friendship was for sure the start but now they both knew that they felt something different for each other. Though they hadn't admitted the fact to each other through words.
"It's beautiful" she said softly looking back at him "Thank you"
"You don't have to thank me" Krishna replied back. He had been observing her face all the while she was watching the saree. Her expressions spoke for her. When she looked back at him he knew that she loved it.
They stood there glued to each others eyes until Sur's call from downstairs broke their eye lock.
Main Hall''.
Sur was straightening the folds of her saree when Krishna and Ramona came down. Ramona was wearing her gift while Krishna was dressed in a light cream coloured shervani.
"Arrey wah! Bhagwaan karein tum dhono ki jodi aise hi salamth rahen" Sur said, breaking her knuckles on her temples.
"Thank you bhabhi" Ramona said with a flush " Aapki saree superb hain'.Maan bhai ki selection hain na?" she smiled . Sur was dressed in a pink saree with thread work on it.
"Obviously'.pink tho unka favourite hain'.aap ke liye" Krishna added with a smile. Sur and Ramona laughed lightly
"Kya baath ho raha hain bhai" Maan asked coming out dressed in a grey shervani.
He had a small smile on his face and Sur was relieved to see this. She had tried to keep the atmosphere of the house as normal as possible. It was not entirely normal yet. Mummyji was severly aggrieved on knowing about and BD was all but heartbroken.
The brothers were avoiding Sid like rash who seemed to be seriously hurt for once. But they still couldn't trust him. Maan was the most hurt among them. He had raised all three of his younger brothers with strong principles. Sid had broken almost all of them. Only concern for his mother and family name was stopping him from practically throwing Sid out of the house. Maan had no clue on how to explain all this to his Dad when he returned.
Jeh entered with Nidha into the house. Sur smiled and winked at Jeh at having succeeded in getting his wife dressed in his gift. He himself was dressed in dark red shervani.
"Chothi" Ramona nearly screamed running to her. She gave Nidha a bone crushing hug before letting her go. The others smiled at this gesture.
"Fiza bhabhi kaha hain" Ramona asked looking around.
"Who nahin ayegi chothi bhabhi'.aap jaanthe hon na kyun" Nidha said with a crestfallen look "Aur mein bhi yaha sirf aap logon ke liye aayi hun" looks pointedly at Ramona and Sur.
"Pooja shuru karein" BD asked coming towards them.
"Sid nahin aaye na?" she asked sternly. She didn't want him to attend this pooja putting a damper to everyone's mood.
"BD humein unhe bhi bhoolana chahiye na" Sur asked timidly.
"No need Sur, it's better he doesn't show his face here today" BD replied harshly moving towards the temple.
BD started the pooja and it was taken on by the rest of the family members. Shikha and Ayush were also present .
"I will be back soon" Krishna said to Ramona.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"You will know soon" he said with a smile rushing away.
All the family members were busy talking in the hall. Ramona was looking around for Krishna but couldn't find him anywhere.
"Kya hua Ramona?" Maan asked, seeing her disturbed.
"Kuch nahin Maan bhai, who Krishna kahin nahin dikha raha" Ramona said.
"Yahi kahin hoga Ramona, ithna math gabrao" Sur said in a teasing tone.
Just then her phone rang. Krishna name flashed on it.
"Krishna kaha hon tum'.sab yaha hain aur tum gayab ho" Ramona said as soon as she attended the call.
"Chill maar Ramona, terrace pe aao" Krishna said smiling slightly at her worry.
"Terrace?" Ramona asked slightly fearfully.
"Trust me Ramona, I will not let anything happen to you" Krishna said. He knew very well that she was afraid of heights. But today was not the day for fears.
"Okay" Ramona said. She cut the call and took a deep breath walking towards the stairs.
"Krishna" Ramona called out looking around.
She walked forward slowly. She saw light at the left end of the terrace and walked towards it.
"Krishna" Ramona called again "Where are you?"
Suddenly she tripped on something and landed near to the railing almost tripping over. An arm lashed around her slender waist pulling her back into a strong chest.
Ramona was breathing heavily.
"If you trip like this at any moment of the rest of our life and I am nearby then I promise you that I will save you'.because you matter to me'.you have given me happiness and given me back my smile'.you showed me how strong a woman can be and how far she can sacrifice'.you bared me for more than a year'.when you had no reason to do that'you gave my family all the happiness when you yourself where sad'.you didn't even hate me as much as I did hate you Ramona'.it was clear from the way you defended me in front of Shefali that day''from all this and from the way your presence have come to mean to me I know that I want to spent the rest of my life with you'.being with you, seeing you smile, seeing you laugh makes me feel happy, feel content'.I am being me the most when I am with you dear'..if this love then I love you Ramona Oberoi" Krishna whispered into his wifes ear.
Ramona's breath had slowed down. Now it was nearly non-existent. She felt happiness slowly spread through. Her eyes watered up. She turned around sharply and hugged her husband tightly.
"I love you too" she said without second thoughts . The last one and half years of pain was worth this moment. She had thought that she could never love Krishna, but had always hoped to make this relation work. Seeing his love for Shefali had always shown her that he was capable of deep love. A love that can shake very foundations of life. Though it had shattered her, it had also shown her the extent to which love can take a man. Then all that had changed with the truth coming out from Shefali. Her friendship with Krishna started and some point it flourished into something else without her even knowing it. Now when she said those three words, she was sure she was speaking the truth.
Krishna slowly raised her head and looked lovingly into her hazel eyes. His eyes roamed all over her face taking in all the beautiful features.
"I have never told you I guess, but you are beautiful" he whispered softly.
"I always think you were more handsome than me" Ramona replied back with a smile.
"So tho hain" Krishna replied with a wink. Ramona placed a small punch on his chest. Krishna laughed lightly.
Her eyes moved to behind him where she saw a table decorated with flowers and lights around it.
Krishna slowly led her to it. On the table was her favourite white forest cake with an icing of I love you on it.
"Wow! Ek dhin mein ithne saare surprises pati dev" Ramona exclaimed happily. But then her face fell.
"Kya hua" Krishna asked concerned
"I didn't buy anything for you'tumne mujhe ithna sab kuch diyan" she said in a small voice.
Krishna laughed out.
"My dearest jhalli, it's husbands right and duty to pamper his wife and all this are surprises, how would you know about it huh" he asked softly cupping her face.
Slowly he inched closer to her face and placed a kiss on her forehead, followed by her eyes, cheeks and finally a small kiss on the lips. He drew back expecting her to recoil. Ramona had her eyes closed, her face showing that she had enjoyed it. This was cue enough for husband to once more claim her soft lips, this time in a passionate deep kiss.
They broke apart after a while to breath.
"We will go shopping tomorrow and I will buy something, no many things for you" Ramona said, resting her head on his shoulder while Krishna rested his face on her soft hair.
Bay Pride Mall'.
Next Day'..
"Not good try this one" Ramona said handing a flustered yet smiling Krishna another shirt.
He came out wearing a dark maroon shirt and Ramona smiled with satisfaction.
"Now you look like the smart, sexy and hot Krishna Khuranna, I have seen in college" she said appreciatively.
"Acha" Krishna asked pulling her closer by the waist "How about a kiss the wifey" he asked seductively, making Ramona's heart flutter.
"We are in the midst of a shop hubby jaan'.bedroom thak tho pahoonchne dho" she teased him.
Krishna sniggered and left her. They got out of the hall talking and laughing. The sound of a camera clicking alerted them.
"Picture perfect" Ryan said with a smile "Deedhs, jeej you rock"
"Saale sahib, how are you" Krishna said hugging his brother-in-law "How was Diwali at home?"
"Superb Jeej and just now it became all the more superb" Ryan replied with a bright smile.
"Tum yaha kya kar rahein hon?" Ramona asked
"On my mission" Ryan replied shortly.
Krishna and Ramona frowned at him.
"Mission Sid, bhool gaye kya" Ryan said.
"Uss mission ka ab kuch nahin ho saktha Ryan" Ramona said dejectedly.
"Nahin deedhs ho saktha hain'.see that woman over there" Ryan pointed to a tall beauty standing a little far from them "That is Sid's so called ex- Maithili"
"She was in Caf Coffee Day an hour ago Deedhs, at first Sid had come to meet her, she was threatening him about the having slept with her issue, demanding for more money'.but soon after Sid left another guy came in and now listen to this" Ryan palyed a video on his phone
Maithili came into view
"That Khuranna is a complete fool Risabh'.he thinks he slept with me when he actually never did'.he was too drunk that night to notice anything'.we didn't do anything more than snuggling up'the fool (laughs viciously)'..poor darling is now worried about getting his wife back'.well I will make sure I get as much money from him as possible"
Krishna fists balled up after listening to this and Ramona wanted to rip off the b****** head just then.
"Chillax both of you'.I have a better plan" Ryan said.
2 hours later'..
Fiza and was sitting on the park bench when Ramona and Krishna approached her.
"It's really nice to see you both" she said hugging Ramona and patting Krishna on the hand.
"Bhabhi it will be even more nice to see you at home all day and today I am going to make that come true" Krishna said determined.
He took Fiza's hand and led her behind a few trees. Ramona followed them.
In front of them Maithili was waiting impatiently.
Sid approached her from the left.
"Hello Maithili" he said with a smirk. Fiza looked away disgusted. She didn't want to see this but Krishna held her tightly.
"So how much do you want? A lakh, a crore?" Sid asked with a mocking edge.
"What the heck Sid! Are you taking my threat lightly'you know you slept with me right'.you lost your wife already'do you want to loose your name in the society too" Maithili retorted.
"Forget about my name Maithili'.and as for my wife she will be back as soon as she sees this" Sid brought out Ryan's phone and played the video.
All of them watched the change of expression on Maithili's face. Fiza sensed something wrong. She couldn't see the video but knew that something was up. Anger flare in her thinking that Sid was torturing another woman. She stalked forward and took the phone from him glaring at him.
"Before you burst up please watch the video" Sid said to her.
"Yes bhabhi please" Krishna said from behind. Ramona too nodded at her. Fiza gave them all a look and then played on the video from start. By the end her mouth hung open.
She looked once at Sid and then looked back at Maithili.
Landing a stinging slap on her cheek Fiza said in a dangerous voice
"Don't you dare to come near my husband or my family again"
Maithili's eyes flared up with anger and she raised her hand to hit back. Ramona caught her hand and threw it back.
"No one messes with - absolutely none- messes with a Khuranna lady, get it" Ramona said threateningly.
She smiled at Fiza who returned it back while Ryan wolf-whistled and their husbands watched with pride.
Edited by RDKFF - 12 years ago
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