CHAPTER 51
"Uffo! Baisa! We don't
have the time for gossiping. We have to leave quickly. You both can talk on the
way to Jaipur," Maithili scolded her devarinis. Shatabdi frowned. She wanted to
know about yesterday events in the privacy of her room. "Jeeja we can't discuss
all these things with Sumer around. Paro won't be this open," she complained.
Paro turned red at the mere mention of her brother-in-law. See kept looking at
the doorway hoping he won't come in. Maithili pinched the cheeks of her shy sister.
"Okay, you both go in devasa's jeep. Sumer and Shanti's bapusa will drive the
rest of us in the other cars," she suggested. Shatabdi rolled her eyes didn't
want to be stuck in a jeep with Rudra even if it meant Paro was with her and
she definitely didn't want her bossy sasuma who had her eyes always on her
laadla Sumer. Why couldn't her father send a car for them?
"Sumer! Sumer!" they
heard a roar. The two younger women scrambled out of bed as Maithili prayed her
two brothers-in-law weren't fighting. Rudra paused at the doorway and asked
Shatabdi about Sumer. "Sasuma sent him somewhere," she replied. He turned on
his heel and rushed away. Maithili pushed Paro and she raced behind him.
"Wait, Rudra," she
called out. He stopped in his tracks and she crashed into him. He held her
fingers and brought her around. "Are you okay?" he asked placing his hands on
his hips. She nodded slowly. "What was your hurry? You are not co-ordinated
enough to keep running about all the time," he scolded. She wrapped her arm
through his and guided him to their room. "So what if I'm not co-ordinated
enough or careful enough. My rakshak is cautious enough for both of us," she
replied placing her head on his shoulder. He calmed down instantly just like
she knew he would at her touch. The calming water to his roaring fire.
When they reached their
room, she noticed that he held an envelope in his hand. "It's for Sumer. It's
his wedding gift," he said handing it over. She opened it and noticed that it
was air tickets. He smiled proud that his wife had learnt enough to read
without his assistance. "Looks like those English classes were very useful," he
commented. A sad look passed her face. "The other women are appearing for the
exams next month. I don't know enough to appear for it," she confessed. He
looked at her downcast face and felt bad. It wasn't her fault. She had too many
distractions. He held her chin and raised her face, "Paro, you are the smartest
and most hard-working woman in all of Rajasthan. After this reception, you will
have time to concentrate on your studies. And you will matriculate with
honors." She wondered if it was possible to catch up with the others but he
shook his head. She nodded, determined to live up to his expectation. She would
not let him down.
"Okay. I will give this
to Shatabdi," she said eagerly. But before she could take a single step towards
the door, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back. "No, I want to give
this to Sumer," he said. She didn't understand what the difference was. "You
have already given Shatabdi a gift on our behalf. I wanted Sumer to have
something he would enjoy too," he replied. She smiled. This was the third time
today he had answered her questions without her asking.
Sing...Sing..a..Singapore, she read their destination and asked, "Where is
Singapore?" He showed the brochure he had downloaded and Paro loved the sights.
"Sumer is the tourism business, he will be able to travel around the country
anytime he wants. I just want him to have the opportunity to go abroad too," he
explained. It was Shatabdi's favorite holiday destination too. She laughed,
"Not fair, Major saab. You care enough about your friend to mind her likes and
dislikes but can't be nice to her." He stared at her annoyed. "She is just a
friend. Not my wife," he replied. She told that she wouldn't be jealous if he
is nice to family and friends.
Rudra remembered his
last conversation with his father. "Did Ranavat complain about you? Doesn't he
have anything better to discuss with you?" he scolded. She covered his mouth to
stop his angry tirade. "You shouldn't be so rude. I have seen how to talk to
Bapusa. Tomorrow, my son will also become rude watching you," she pouted. His
eyes almost popped out of his head. "S...Son? Are you p...pre...pregnant?" he
stammered out. She shook his head to dispel his confusion. But he didn't
notice. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustraction. He paced about the
room trying to pull himself together.
Suddenly, he stormed
back and grabbed her arms, "How can you get pregnant?" She looked at him
pointedly. How did he think she could get pregnant? "I know that part. But Paro
you should warn me about all this," he ranted. This was about a baby not a bomb
blast she replied calmly. "It's the same. Both have the potential to change
your life forever," he pointed out. IT was moments like this when she felt
Bapusa was right. Her husband loved to throw tanturms like a spoilt brat.
She led him to their
bed and made him sit down. He cupped his face in her dainty hands, "Rudra, when
I get pregnant, you will be the first to know. And then you will 9 months to
prepare for the baby." He pushed her hands away and wrapped his hands over her
waist. She careesed the head that was pressed against her stomach tenderly. It
relaxed him a little. But the doubt that constantly plagued him since the first
time he was inimate with his wife remained. Was he cut out for being a father?
"You will be a great
father someday Rudra. You have inherited Bapusa's unwavering courage, Mamaji's
unyielding strength and Kakosa's undying love. Our son will be very lucky," Paro
whispered thoughtfully. She felt his lips curve into a smile as she listed out
the best in the three men who shaped his life. He pulled her down to his lap.
"He will have you as his mother. No child can expect more," he uttered softly. She
leaned on his shoulders with a glow on her face. They were ready for the next
stage in their lives. She sat dreaming of how beautiful her world will become
when they have a baby. She had seen it in both Maithili Jeeja and Nandu Jeeja's
lives.
A few minutes later,
there was a knock on their door. Paro jumped out of her husband's arms. "Rudra,
Shatabdi told me that you were looking for me," Sumer sauntered in as if he
never noticed anything. Rudra gave him the envelope and told him to be ready to
leave in half an hour. Both Paro and Sumer were confused. "Sisodia Sir wanted
to send a BSD jeep for you and Shatabdi. I told him, I would drive you both to
their home," he explained. Paro smiled that she could travel with her friend.
And Sumer smiled that he could travel with his wife leaving his mother in the
other car. "If you finished posing for pictures, move the luggage to the jeep.
I will be driving off to Jaipur in 29 minutes with or without you lot," he
ordered and went to out. Sumer turned to crib but changed his mind. 29 minutes
was too short for Shatabdi get ready. And he didn't want to miss his own
reception.
The golden sand of the
desert along the highway reminded her of her first jeep ride with Rudra. She
was supposed to be a child of the desert, ever changing. He was right. She had
come far from that terrified girl who was utterly lost. That girl no longer
existed. She had been reborn to fit the life Bholenath planned for her not
Thakursa. She had a beautiful home, a loving family and a husband who had the
name she dreamed off. Bholenath had been so kind to her. Inspite of all the ups
and downs in her life, she didn't regret anything. All those moments brought
her to where she was. To her Rudra. Shh!
She heard her friend and now sister hush her husband. She prayed with all her
heart that Bholenath makes their dreams come true too.
The blazing heat of the
sun had a memory for him too. He remembered his journey from Jaipur to
Chandangard. He had hated leaving the city that had provided him and his father
refuge. He had cursed the Fate that drove him to the home he fled. He didn't
expect that, he would meet his soulmate that day. He could no longer be the
aloof soldier without a care in the world. He would do anything and everything
for his special witness. She changed everything for him. The house had become a
home. His relatives had become his family. And by the biggest stroke of luck
the girl he threatened to marry chose to wed him out of love. He heard a
muffled giggle from the backseat and looked at the rearview mirror. Sumer was
whispereing into Shatabdi's ear. He wished that their life is filled with of
love and laughter always.
Paro realised that
Rudra had noticed the commotion in the back and placed her hand on his arm.
Rudra got the message. Ignore the
newlyweds. He knew they wanted their space ever since his cousin pulled
Shatabdi to the rear. He laughed thinking how Shanti tried to come with them
and was discouraged. "When you are older, I'll let you go in Kakosa's jeep,"
Maithili had said. But the look on Sumer's face was priceless. He would never
be able to choose between his favourite girls, Shatabdi and Shanti. And Kakisa
had happily pushed the child to distract her uncle.
Suddenly the jeep screeched to a halt. Rudra's
face turned ashen. Shatabdi gasped in recognition. "What happened?" Paro asked concerned.
In the car that followed, Dilsher held his heart lest it leap out in protest.
He hated this place more than his ex-wife. Why did Rudra have to stop here?
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