Accidental Soulmates (epilogue - Page 14) - Page 3

Part 4:

This is torture, absolute torture, Aarti thought. She was sitting with her mother and future mother-in-law discussing her wedding plans with the man that she was hopelessly in love with and she was marrying someone else. On top of which she was planning a tryst with the same man later today. She looked calm on the outside but inside she was losing her mind. Once again today she kept her eyes away from him and her hands were clutching her knees to prevent that she acts on her compulsion to reach out and touch him. Why the heck was he so calm?

Eventually Yash got up to leave. Mrs. Dubey got up to walk him to the door but he said. "You ladies talk, I'm sure Miss Khuranna won't mind walking me out."

Aarti got up, but her legs had turned to jelly. She lost her footing. He caught her.

"Are you OK Miss Khuranna?"He said.

He was holding her a little too tightly. His hand was under her saree and his fingers lightly caressed the bare skin of her stomach. Is he crazy she thought? They were right in front of her mother and future m-I-l. Thank goodness they didn't notice.

"Aarti, are you ok."said Mrs Dubey.

"Yes aunty", she composed herself and walked out of the living room.

He reached her and grabbed hold of her hand.

Aarti quickly glanced back. Thank goodness there was no one. She tried to free her hand.

"No sweetheart, after today you will be out of my life for good. Don't stop me."

"Did you get the address from Mansi."

"Yes."

"Meet me there at 7. What is your favourite dish? I want to cook for you."

"Butter chicken with Naan. And do I get desert too?"

"Aarti blushed."

"No, I mean I want chocolate and vanilla ice-cream in a cone like you bought for me on the beach. It's my favourite now. Then I will have all my favourites" he looked at her like he wanted to devour her now.

"Yash", she whispered as she felt her knees weaken again.

"Don't worry, baby, I will keep my promise. Nothing will happen. I won't do anything to spoil your honour." With that he left.

They had to involve Mansi as Aarti arranged that they would meet at her flat. Mansi of course loved the whole drama.

"Oh, AK, I would never have thought that you were so naughty. I have arranged to sleep at my neighbour, Paridhi for the night so you and Mr. Wedding planner can have all night. You know... to talk and do other stuff."

"Mansi, it's not like that."

"I like him a whole lot better than that Prashant anyway."

"I am still marrying Prashant, Mansi.

"But you love Yash. Just break the engagement."

"You know my parents are traditionalists. And I respect them too much to do that to them."

"Whatever. So if you don't want Mr. Wedding Planner, can I have him? Mansi said and they laughed.

Mansi collected her after work and they went to the market to get ingredients for dinner.

When they reached Mansi's apartment there was a delivery for Aarti. A dozen red roses and a box with a beautiful baby pink saree with sliver trim. The note said, for my baby, I am counting the minutes, the seconds till I see you again, love YS" Aarti so happy. She also couldn't wait to see him.

He was half an hour early. He just couldn't wait anymore. She was still busy getting dressed. He sat waiting for her like a nervous teenage boy. She came out of the bedroom and he was captivated by her beauty. He knew she would be beautiful in this saree but this surpassed all his expectations.

"Have fun" Mansi said as she left. They didn't even hear her.

He walked to her and took her in is embrace. They just stood like that for a long time.

"I have to tell you something. I am engaged too."

Aarti wept and they just held each other tighter.

When Aarti calmed down, she took his hand and led him to the table where she served him dinner.

He pulled her down next to him. They sat close to each other. Feeding each other. Relishing the food and their moments of happiness. The dessert was divine. He insisted that they share the ice-cream cone. Some times their lips touching, tongues touching. They only had one problem. Eating the ice-cream had the opposite effect of what it was supposed to have. It was making them hot instead of cooling them down.

Yash was the one to stop this love play. He knew how dangerous it was. He led her to the couch. They sat holding each other. Yash finally explained his dilemma to her. She understood, but it didn't make the pain any less.

"I love you Aarti. How am I going to live without you?"

"I love you too. Let's just enjoy this. Tonight is all we have. Let's try not to think about tomorrow."

They talked and talked, about their jobs, their families, everything but their impending nuptials.

"Aarti it's past midnight, I need to go."

"Please just stay a little while longer. "She asked.

Neither wanted to be separated. He made himself comfortable on the couch and she was lying in his embrace. It was heaven. They didn't talk they just took pleasure in each other's company, knowing that the separation would come too soon. And Yash kept his promise. Nothing happened, not that she would have been able to resist being loved by her love. But for now this was enough. It was enough for her to be in his arms. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes.

"Aarti, Aarti! Wake up. Wake up Aarti. You mother is on her way."

It was Mansi.

By the time Aarti and Yash were awake and could focus on what Mansi said, her mother was standing in the doorway of Mansi's flat with a look of shock and horror on her face. With her was Prashant's father. He looked at her with disgust. She was sitting up but still half in Yash's arms.

"I have been trying to call you the whole night. Your father is in hospital. Come with us now." Her mother said coldly. Aarti got herself together and jumped up and left with her mother. She didn't even look at Yash.

Yash wanted to run after her and protect her from the wrath that he knew she would have to face. But that it would not be wise right now. He made a decision, he was not going to be the reason for her pain again.

"How could you Yash! I thought you were responsible. I thought I could trust you to run this business. How could you sleep with one the brides? Did you even think of our reputation? I have built this company out of nothing. Do you want to see it destroyed? What about Ishita. Have you thought how she would feel because by now this story has spread like wild fire. You will never see that floozy again!" Suraj Scindiya was livid.

Yash had gone home directly to tell his father what had happened before he heard it from someone else. But by the time he had gotten home, his father had already found out and so did his future-in-laws.

"Bauji, she is not a floozy. Nothing happened bauji. I know this will be difficult for anybody to believe but we literally slept. Nothing else."

"Do you think that would matter to Ishita's family, or for a prospective client? You can be lucky that she has agreed not to break the engagement. We will get you married next week to stop the wagging tongues"

"I can't marry Ishita bauji. I love Aarti. And as you said, people are going to assume the worst and her reputation is now ruined. And it is because of me bauji. I can't abandon her now."

"Wat are you saying, Yash?"

"I am going to marry Aarti."

"Yash, if you marry that woman, I will disown you."

"Bauji, you have always taught me to do the honourable thing. Now that I want to do it, you want to disown me."

"Yash, I am not changing my mind on this. You will marry Ishita.

"Sorry bauji. I can't." He got up to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to apologise to Ishita and her family and then I am going to apologise to Aart's family and ask for hand and marriage."

"If you do that Yash, then don't bother to come back home or to work."

"I'm sorry bauji. I have to do this. And he left."

Yash knocked on the door at the Khuranna's. Aarti's dad came to the door. He wanted to slam it again but Yash was stronger. Please Mr. Khuranna, I came to apologise."

"You have ruined my daughter and you think that an apology will do."

"No sir. I came to ask you to marry her."

"Well she isn't here. We sent her abroad, away from the shame you brought on her."

The wind went totally out of Yash's sails.

"Please tell me where she is sir. I love her."

"I don't want you in my daughter's life. Now leave."

This time, he did slam the door. Yash was utterly and completely shattered.

She had done everything her parents had told her to do because she was the cause of their shame. She did not contact Yash or Mansi and she left India. Her heart was broken. She lost her family, her home, her best friend and her love. She lost everything.

Part 5

Aarti had been back in India for about 6 months now. She had spent 2 years living with her uncle in the USA. She had been very successful as an interior designer at the company she worked for. Now she was working as a freelance interior designer and because of an excellent recommendation by her previous employer she had a few projects going at the moment.

She felt at home here even though she was not staying in her parents' home but in a guesthouse. They were in the USA at the moment visiting her uncle. She did not want to be pestered by their nosey neighbours. Her relationship with her parents had not improved during her exile. They still have not forgiven her. They barely spoke. They only went to the USA after she left and that spoke volumes. She had learnt to live with that now, just as she had learnt to live with the fact that she would always be in love with a man that would never be hers. She still clung to the memories of that night that they had together and had often wished that Yash had not kept his promise. She even wished that he left his seed inside of her, just so she has a little piece of him with her always. It wouldn't have mattered one way or the other, as people believed that that's what they had done anyway. She had made a life for herself, she had a successful career but she would have given all of that up to be Mrs Aarti Yash Scindiya. She still dreamed of him, of a life with him although she knew it was not possible.

She was a little sad that she was nearly done with her Bhopal project. She had really loved decorating this home. The people that would be so lucky to be lving in this beautiful home. The renovations that had been done was exactly what she would have chosen to do. She only had to hang these paintings and the home would be complete. The new owners would be back in a few days. She unlocked the door and went to the living room, where she was about to hang the painting. She was surprised to hear voices in the back garden. She walked towards the garden and then she saw it. She would never have believed it if she had not seen it with her own eyes.

He was standing with a baby in his arms. She was sitting down, looking up at him as they were talking and laughing. The looked happy. Mansi and Yash. She was rooted to her spot. Finally her turned and looked her way.

"Aarti?" he said when he finally recognised her.

She sprang into motion and ran.

She heard him calling her name as she sped off with her rental car.

Yash raced after her but to no avail. She was already gone. He went to her parents' but found out from their neighbours that they were out of the country and that Aarti had not been there. He drove around for hours trying to find her with no luck and finally went back home.

"Did you find her Yash. Where is she? I tried to call you but you left your phone here. Please say you found her." Mansi was a wreck.

"No, I drove around for hours and she was not at her parents place.

"Yash, she is the interior designer. Look, there. Those are new paintings that were not there when we arrived."

"How can that be? I have met with the interior designer."

"Phone them Yash. Now please."

Yash called the company and asked for the interior designer that he had met. He was told the he had left the company. Then he enquired who the designer was that completed the job. He was informed that it was a freelance designer but the receptionist did not know who the person was. The boss was away for a week so no one could help him.

Mansi was distraught. "Yash you need to find her. I need to talk to her. I need to explain to her.

Yash took her in his arms. Once again they were grieving together for the loss of Aarti. When she left they were the only 2 that understood what the other was going through, and could console one another. That was the start of their relationship. He looked at the little beauty sleeping in the crib and thought had it not been for Aarti leaving he would never have had her in his life. Still, he never stopped loving her. Wanting her. But right now he was angry with her. It seemed that he was always chasing after her, begging her to be with him. He wished he could just forget about her and move on with his life. But more than that he wished he could hold her, touch her again. No matter how his life had changed now, Aarti Khuranna still remained his one and only true love. He had to find her. For him, for Mansi. He could not see her so distraught. She already does not have the love of a husband, at least he could help her get back her best friend.

It helped that he knew she was back in India. He wished he had time to start looking for her right away but he only had a few days with Mansi and Palak and then he had to leave. He especially came a little earlier than planned so that they could have more time together. This was the biggest event that he was planning since he established his own company and could put him on the international map. He could not afford for anything to go wrong.

Two years ago when he discovered that Aarti left, he still refused to marry Ishita, thinking that he would still find Aarti and marry her. Thus his father was true to his word and disowned him. Yash had some savings and took a bank loan to set up his events company. He focussed more on corporate events as he did want to be in direct competition with his father. Despite the incident, Yash's reputation as an events organiser was well renowned and he did not struggle to find clients, nationwide. He was very successful in a short space of time.

The fact that he had bought the home in Bhopal was no coincidence. When he was with Mansi in Bhopal to visit her parents, she had pointed out that this was Aarti's favourite house growing up. She told him that Aarti always said that she wanted to live there when she was grown up. She had all these plans on how to redesign and decorate it. Yash immediately decided to buy the house once he could afford it. Mansi knew the couple that lived there and was instrumental in them making the decision to sell the house to him. Now he wished Aarti was here to share it with him. Once this function is done Miss Khuranna, I am coming for you, he thought.

Aarti was sitting in her rental car, shaking like a leaf after she had pulled into the garage of the guest house she was staying at. Yash and Mansi. How did that happen? She couldn't believe it. She tried to console herself by thinking that the two people that she loved most in the world found each other and were happy together. She should be happy for them. But she wasn't. She wanted him to be hers. She wanted to be the mother of his children. How many times in this lifetime does she still have to lose him? She hit her hands against the steering wheel sobbing. She wanted to get out of this place, out of Bhopal.

Once she calmed down she called the airlines to change her booking to Calcutta. She wanted a flight out as soon as possible. She had to complete a job that she had started at an international hotel that wanted to refresh their image. She has gotten the contract when she was still in USA and had been working on it ever since. She has taken other work in between but that was the big one. She had ordered some new furniture and linen and that should arrive within a day or two and then job would be done. They needed all the work to be completed as they were planning a big re-launch of the hotel and she had to make sure everything was perfect by then. So she decided that that's what she was going to focus on, her job, her career. It was all she had.