~Weekend with ShaNak~ Updated 1-26 on PG 12 - Page 6

She loves to cook. Especially if she has to cook for Shanatanu. No matter what she makes, he always says it's perfect. It can be a simple toast and he still finds it delicious. If she stands in the kitchen for hours and makes everything dirty, he doesn't complain. He rather steps behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. He kisses her cheek softly, so she can feel his stubbles at her ear. He then strokes a strand from her face and turns her slowly around, looking at her with this handsome smile on his lips. Sometimes it's her who kisses him, sometimes it's him. But after their tender kiss he always asks if he could help his 'lovely and amazing wife', although he only can cook about ten different meals.
It's during cooking that she realizes she loves him.

She sits on the couch, her legs close to her body and her fingers are scrapping the label from a water bottle. She tries to look all normal; she tries to pretend nothing happened. She tries to pretend that her status conscious mother-in-law is alright, that she's not judgmental of her simplistic, village based background and that she hasn't called her humiliating names some minutes ago. She tries to pretend that it's not hurting her. Some stupid soap is on TV and she watches it, just to seem normal. But as Shaantanu comes back after some minutes, he sits next to her, his hands hidden behind his back. As she looks at him questioning, he hands her some Gulab Pakh and Ishqiya on BluRay. Because he knows how much she loves Vidya Balan's preference for non-contemporary cinema over glossy, unrealistic Bollywood movies.
And that is when she realizes that he will do anything to make her smile.

She's in Dhulwadi, because Bai wanted her to come over for some days. It's her first day over there, and she misses Shaantanu badly. She just wants to hear his voice, so she calls him. Although it's about 2 AM in Mumbai. He told her he would always be there, he would always answers her calls. But he doesn't pick up. Khanak tries it three times, and then she gives up on it. While she puts her head back onto the hand crafted pillow on her parent's bedstead of woven webbing, known as charpai or palang in hindi, her hands kneets nervously.
She realizes - deep down - that she is terrified of being alone, sleeping alone.

She can't sleep the whole night. Because Shaantanu still didn't call her back, and the thought of him spending time in Duk's caf surrounded by his innumerable female fans grows worse and worse. It's maybe ridiculous and probably not true at all. But she still fears it, because she doesn't know what she did to deserve such a great husband like him. It's about 5 AM-she still didn't sleep a wink- as she hears her phone vibrating. It's him. He explains that he was in Studio with Rahul working on his upcoming Album's promotion formalities and as he came home, it was about 4 AM. He didn't want to call back because he didn't want to wake her up. But without hearing her voice he couldn't sleep either, they only talk to each other on the phone for minutes, then both fall asleep, still with the phones in their hands.
She realizes that neither can sleep without the other.

It's her birthday. She turns twenty-five. He planned a little celebration for her at Mumbai's most posh restaurant, with all their friends. He thought her to slow dance while serenading her with his latest song in front of all the guests. He is never embarrassed of her like Madhavi or Khushboo. But then he grows distant over the next days.
She realizes that he thinks she is won't understand music industry's politics and career complications he is facing.

It's her father-in-law, Sunil Khandelwal's heart surgery. Her husband is nervous and also afraid for his father as he had suffered from severe hypertension and damaged his cardiac health severely. Of course he would never admit it, but she can see it in his eyes. As the doctors take Sunil away to the OR, fear is written all over his face. He tries to explain her how he feels, and reminisces about his childhood and the few moments in which Sunil was there to support him. Nothing can ease his pain. No movie, no water, no food. But as she stands up and comes closer to him, as she kisses him softly and then sits down really close to him on the bench in the hospital's corridor, as she takes his hand in hers and softly caresses his cheek, a sigh of relief leaves his lips and he smiles slightly.
She realizes that he might need her just as much as she needs him.

It's the day of his departure to his very first world tour. Duks, Sam, and Rahul will be accompanying him as well, while she is going to be staying back in Mumbai all by herself for the first time. The whole time long she's restless and emotional, but of course she doesn't show because she has to be strong for Shaantanu and for the sake of his career. She holds his hand till they announce the final call for his flight at the Airport. Watching him walk away, she doesn't move an inch. Till Shantanu turns before walking through the check in gate. She sees him waving to her, smiling at her from distance. She knows he wants her to return the gesture. She tries her best to keep her tears from running down her eyelids. He half walks, half runs back to her, and she feels his strong arms go around her completely, he kisses her hair repeatedly. She feels much better as he whispers "Main tumhay bahut miss karoonga, meri patni ka bahut khayaal rakhna Khanak,…I love you!" She manages a smile for him as he pulls back.
It's during his departure that she realizes that when she looks into the future, all she sees is him.

She just found out that she's pregnant. And to be honest, she's a bit scared and suprised. He had told her that he didn't want to have children so soon; he wanted to make a good career and be settled with everything that had dreamed of having as husband and wife before them. Initially, she had disagreed and wanted to have kids, but later she understood his reasoning and realized even she wasn't ready herself. But now as she tells him, his face starts to shine. He smiles from ear to ear and closes his arms around her.
She realizes that he's the man she wants to have kids with…and lots of them.

It's one of his really important, busy days with the Press during her 4^th month of pregnancy. She can't say anything to make him stay at home for another week. He and the Band have worked extremely hard for their 3rd launch. She's pissed, but since she loves him she kind of respect his decision and let him go after he promised her to be back with New York style cheesecake from Sweet Passions in Chembur that she has been craving for since two days.
As she hands him his cell phone and wallet paired with a good bye peck on his cheek, she realizes that she cares about him a lot.

She didn't hear from him the whole day. She doesn't know if she should be relieved about it, or worried. So she decides to go to venue herself. Since he isn't on the stage with Duks and Sam or in the green room behind the stage, she supposed he's in his trailer. And she's right. As she enters through the door of that read his name she sees him fixing the strings on his guitar. She watches him for some moments because he seems completely occupied with the task at his hand. Just as the door to the trailer shuts with a thud, he looks up and finds her standing there. She smiles, walks over and hugs him, her excuse being "Baby ne toh Good Luck wish he nahi kiya…"
She realizes that she always will find excuses to be with him.

They scream at each other. In the middle of the night they scream at each other. She's angry because he's never around to be there for the twins. She knew something like this would happen, she knew the fame and industry would drive his home life completely insane. He shouldn't make all those public appearances and endorsements his priority. Their argument is getting worse, the girl twin, Aaara's cries become audible from the nursery next to their bedroom. They don't think about what they say anymore, and Shaantanu yells "Main Endorsement Dinner se jaldi uth kar sirf Aaara aur Aryan ke liye ghar aaya tha…So don't get mad at me, don't you dare do that!"
This is the moment she realizes he still doesn't get her point in and their children are suffering because of it, their marriage is suffering because of it.

Tears are streaming down her face. She just explains to him how she felt when he yelled at her. That it broke her heart and made her angry all at one. That it's been too long since that last time he spoiled Aaara and Aryan like crazy, since they had touched each other. She explained that she never felt so lonely in her entire life, that her world broke apart. That her life had no sense anymore and that she has wished to just give up. But he remains silent and stoic.
She realizes that she has grown tired of the war between them.

She makes an ultimatum. If he will continue his tour, she will pack her things along with the Twins. If he will go back to his never ending press meets, she will be gone with Aaara and Aryan. Deep inside, she knows that she and the kids won't survive without him. But she says it anyways. And the world stops as he turns around and leaves. Her body is frozen as she watches him leaving.
She realizes that she's all alone.

She sits in Natasha's apartment and sips on her tea. In the corner of her eye she can see Natasha entertaining Aaara and Aryan with her animated voice. She made her words true and left home with them, without a note where she is. A single tear leaves her eye at the thought of Shaantanu. With cold and trembling hands she wipes it away.
She realizes that she already misses her husband and Aaara and Aryan's father, Shaantanu like hell.

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P.S: You COMMENTS are absolutely COMPULSORY for this Update, since i tried something completely different this weekend! Also details on where i'd be moving by fictions to will come up soon as well. Enjoy your WEEKEND girlies!