This part is dedicated to a dear friend Aditi, who helped me out a lot in figuring out a lot of family issues... Thanks Adi :P
Traditional Complications!
Part 1
Maybe, for the first time in the past 1 year of her marriage, Ridhima was BORED… She was sick and hence she was at home resting on Armaan's strict orders but she was bored beyond imagination… She had tried every trick and tactic with Armaan to let her go the hospital in the past 3 days but Armaan didn't budge as her fever kept fluctuating all the time… She usually fell asleep after her medicines as they made her drowsy but during the times she didn't have a temperature, she didn't have anything to do… She flipped the TV channels aimlessly, she listened to her Ipod for a while and she logged into her facebook and orkut account numerous times a day… The only thing which she looked forward during the day was Armaan's calls and the time they spent together once he came back… She called Padma mom and spoke to her long hours and got in touch with a few friends who had moved abroad… But this was certainly a life she detested… Sitting at home and doing nothing all day long but cook food and look after the house… She felt a little suffocated in the house today… She wondered what if she had landed up being a housewife. She probably wouldn't have survived so far… She hadn't stepped out in 3 days and now since she was getting healthier than before, all such thoughts were crossing her mind… She couldn't wait to get back to work now… But Armaan would give her the final signal tonight after checking her which she was sure would be positive and she was more than happy to get back to Sanjeevani the next day…
Armaan returned back home late in the evening…
Armaan-Hi sweetheart… How are you feeling now?
He touched her forehead and her neck to check her temperature…
Armaan-You seem to be fine now… No temperature…
Ridhima-See, I told you in the morning only, that I'm fine and I should return to the hospital but you didn't listen to me…
Armaan-But you had a little temperature in the morning and why are you cribbing if you got an extra holiday… All of us in the hospital are dying for an off and look at you…
Ridhima-You have NO clue how boring it is to sit at home all day long and do nothing… If you would have also taken an off, then it would have been different but it's so difficult to spend the entire day at home alone…
She hugged him tight after saying all this…
Ridhima-I missed you so much today…
Armaan smiled at her cuteness…
Armaan-I missed you too…
They remained like that for a little longer then eternity…
Armaan-Now, can we have dinner… I'm starving…
Ridhima-Sure…
They both settled on the table to eat when Armaan noticed a combination of his and her favourite food made…
Armaan-Wow Ridhima, what's the occasion? Why can I see all the nice food on the table?
Ridhima-Because I made all the nice food today… I was tired of the soup and the boiled veggies and also because I was trying to kill time with cooking as I didn't have anything else to do…
Armaan-So that means if you became a housewife then I get all the good food everyday…
Ridhima-Don't even think about it… I can't stay in the house alone all day… I'm so coming back to the hospital tomorrow whether you say I'm fine or not fine…
Armaan-Since I can see you angry and screaming now, I'm sure you're fine now…
Armaan smiled at her seeing her back to her normal self now… It had pained him to see her in pain and quiet all the time since the past few days due to her sickness…
Ridhima looked at him to find him staring at her…
Ridhima-Why are you staring like that?
Armaan-Just seeing you talking so much after so many days… Feels nice…
She smiled and he smiled back…
They finished dinner and cleaning up while Ridhima was trying to convince Armaan to take her out for desserts…
Armaan-No Ridhima… No desserts… Ice cream aur juices se you will fall ill even more…
Ridhima-Please Armaan, I'm tired of staying home and I want to go out for desserts…
Armaan-No Ridhima
Ridhima-I promise no ice-creams… I'll have a heated warm chocolate-chip brownie, that's it… I promise… We'll go to theobroma in Colaba where there are no ice-creams to tempt me also…
Armaan-Fine… get ready… we'll leave in 10 minutes…
They went out for a long drive and also their desserts…
Ridhima was more than ecstatic about going out after 3 days at home…
While they were returning home,
Ridhima-Armaan, I forgot to tell you… Mom called today…
Armaan-Mumma calls everyday Ridhima…
Ridhima-Armaan, Mumma nahi Mom…
Armaan and Ridhima had decided that they wouldn't identify with each other's mothers as YOUR Mom or MY Mom but just distinguish them with MOM and MUMMA…
That is Armaan's mother was "Mom" and Ridhima's mother was "Mumma"
Armaan-Oh Mom… Why?
Ridhima-She was saying that Rachna chachi is coming with her daughter Ishita to stay with us for a month….
Armaan stopped the car with a jerk…
Armaan-What? Why?
Ridhima-They're coming here because Ishita is getting engaged… The guy is from Mumbai…What happened? Something wrong?
Armaan-Basket, Rachna chachi…
Ridhima-What Rachna chachi?
Armaan-Rachna chachi is so irritating… I really don't like her…
Ridhima-Armaan, you can't say that about your elders…
Armaan-I know Ridhima… But Rachna chachi is like that… She is so traditional and orthodox in her way of thinking that it really pisses me off…
Ridhima-Big deal if she is traditional Armaan… There's nothing wrong in being traditional…
Armaan-You don't know her Ridhima… Anyway, what did you tell mom?
Ridhima-I told her it's okay… But I'm sorry I don't remember how she looks…I remember Ishita but I don't remember her… She must have come for our wedding na?
Armaan-It's okay… I' sure you'll see her and recollect… She's not that forgettable…
Ridhima-Mom said that they'll reach here on Friday…
Armaan-That is day after tomorrow… okay…
He sighed…
They retired for the day and Ridhima started with Sanjeevani the day after that…
She couldn't believe the amount of pending work she had as she had to make up for the days she wasn't well… She had all her surgeries pending which had got postponed from the previous days… She was busy and was on her toes all day… She had practically no time to even breathe a sigh of relief… She didn't realize where the day passed in a rush and she completely forgot Rachna chachi…
She returned back home a little later than usual and Armaan answered the door while talking to someone on the phone…
He was taking down some details of something he was being told…
Soon, he hung up and found Ridhima lazily sitting on the couch with her things thrown on the floor…
Armaan went and sat next to her and she immediately lay down and placed her head on his lap…
Armaan-Kya hua meri Superwoman ko?
Ridhima-Kuch nahi… I'm just so tired… Agar itna kaam karna padega toh I'm seriously thinking of becoming a housewife…
Armaan-Oh… then what happened to your entire lecture that you were giving yesterday?
Ridhima-All taken back… It's easier to stay at home…
Armaan-Joke as much as you want… I know my Basket can never pick the easy route…
Ridhima smiled…
She loved the fact that Armaan understood her so well… He knew her in and out… He knew the fact that she was just saying all this in a joking way and she could never be serious about quitting her job.
Armaan-Oh by the way, I was just talking to Rachna Chachi… She said her flight will land at 7.30 in the evening tomorrow…
Ridhima-But Armaan I have a surgery scheduled at 7… How will I go to pick her up?
Armaan-Don't worry… I'll get done by 6 tomorrow… I'll pick her up… You come back directly at home after your surgery…
Ridhima-Are you sure? I mean she won't mind it na?
Armaan-I don't care even if she does… but its okay, your patient is more important than her happiness and I'm going to pick her up na…
Ridhima-Thanks… I love you…
Armaan-Me too…
Ridhima-Did you have dinner?
Armaan-Yeah… I did… I was very hungry when I came back… Did you eat something?
Ridhima-Yeah… I shared some with Di and Muskaan while discussing a case with them…
Armaan-Do you want to eat more?
Ridhima-No… I'm not hungry… But I'm very tired… Can we go to sleep?
Armaan-Yeah sure… but you go and shower first…
Ridhima got up and picked up her bag and lazily walked up to her room while Armaan saw an extra plastic bag which Ridhima forgot to pick…
He started looking inside the bag to see what was in it and was extremely shocked to see a few bottles of soap-water bubbles…
He went into the room to find Ridhima going in for a shower …
Armaan-Basket, why do you have soap-water bubbles bottles with you?
Ridhima-Oh that… I just saw this small boy selling it at the signal… I felt bad so I bought them all from him…
Armaan-And what will you do with them?
Ridhima-I don't know Armaan… We can use it sometime…
Armaan-How can we blow bubbles?
Ridhima-Don't worry… I'll surprise you with these someday… Keep waiting…
And she went in to shower…
Armaan laughed at her childish stupidity and placed the packet in a drawer assuming it will never come out from there…
Soon, the two of them retired to bed as they had had a hectic day and were exhausted completely…
The next day dawned and Ridhima got to work like there was no tomorrow…
Armaan and Ridhima didn't even cross each other's paths the entire day in the hospital and soon it was evening…
Armaan just texted Ridhima that he was leaving to receive Rachna chachi and Ishita to the airport and asked to return home soon…
Armaan saw Rachna Chachi dressed in a traditional saree and Ishita wearing a normal jeans and a top…
He greeted them and touched Rachna chachi's feet…
Chachi-Jeete raho…
Armaan-Hey Ish… What's up? Getting engaged and all huh?
Ishita-Stop teasing me Bhai… Maine aapko tease nahi kiya tha when you got engaged so you can't do this…
Armaan-Maine thodi manaa kiya tha… Waise mujhe baaki logon ne bahut tease kiya tha so you know, now I have become a professional in teasing people especially who all are getting married…
Chachi-Accha, ab tum dono ko yahin rehna hai ya ghar bhi jaana hai? Armaan, Ridhima bahu nahi aayi?
Armaan-Nahi Chachi… use hospital main bahut kaam hai… Woh seedha ghar pe hi milegi hume…
Chachi didn't like the fact that Ridhima didn't come to receive her… She immediately made a negative opinion about Ridhima but decided to keep mum at the moment…
Ridhima and Rachna chachi hadn't interacted with each other a lot before as Rachna chachi lived in Delhi and the only time they had met each other was during Armaan and Ridhima's wedding and the other functions and hence the interaction was minimal… And Armaan hadn't mentioned a lot about Rachna chachi also because he kind of disliked her himself…
Armaan was driving home from the airport while Ishita went on with her non-stop commentary about how she always wanted to live in Mumbai and how she loves Mumbai and so on…
However, Rachna Chachi's sly brain and her gossip mind tried to get more information about Ridhima from Armaan…
Chachi-Armaan…
Armaan-Haan chachi…
Chachi-Ridhima bahu shaadi ke baad bhi kaam karti hai?
Armaan-Haan chachi… Ghar pe rehke kya karegi woh? Agar rahegi toh shayad pagal bhi ho jayye…
He recollected the way she was frustrated when she had been at home for 4 days…
Chachi-Toh ghar kaise sambhaalti hai woh?
Armaan-Usme kya badi baat hai? Hum dono milke sambhaal lete hai?
Chachi-Tum bhi ghar pe kaam karte ho?
Armaan-Haan… thoda bahut… Khaana nahi banaa sakta sirf…
Ishita-How cute!!!
Ishita pulled Armaan's cheeks…
Armaan-Ish… Stop it…
Ishita-Why? Why? Jab aap mujhe tease kar rahe the tab?
Armaan-Woh toh main karoonga hi… aur waise bhi mujhe koi farak nahi padta if you tease me par tumhe Ridhima ki shakal dekhni chahiye when someone teases her…
Ishita-Kyu? Bhabhi kya karti hai?
Armaan-Poori laal laal ho jaati hai when she blushes… Oh my God, it's always a pleasure to watch her blush…
Ishita-Wow!! I can't wait to meet Bhabhi now…
Armaan-Forget you… I can't wait to meet her myself… Aaj subah se usko dekha bhi nahi hai…
Chachi observed the interaction between Ishita and Armaan and she was extremely sure about one thing that is Armaan was madly in love with his wife… But she didn't seem to be very positive about Ridhima… Was Ridhima really perfect for Armaan?
They reached home and as soon as they entered the main gate of the building…
Chachi-Arrey Beta… Ye kahaan aa gaye hum?
Armaan-Chachi… humaare ghar... Ridhima aur maine yahaan shift kar liya…
Chachi-Accha? Kab?
Armaan-Haan… ab kuch hi mahine huye hai… Ridhima ke birthday pe hi yeh ghar liya tha…
Armaan parked the car and carried the luggage while Ishita helped him out…
They took the elevator and reached home…
Ridhima answered the doorbell to find Armaan standing with Ishita and Rachna Chachi…
As a habit, she couldn't greet him with a hug and a kiss…
She took some luggage from Armaan to and placed it down for the time being…
She welcomed Ishita and chachi warmly and on an instace touched chachi's feet who blessed her…
She gave a tight hug to Ishita…
Ridhima-I have heard a lot about you from Armaan…
Ishita-And so have I… I was dying to meet you…
Ridhima-Mee too…
Ishita-And you've become even prettier than what I saw you last…
Ridhima-Thank you but no over-exagerating please…
Ishita-I swear… no over-exageration…
Ridhima-Anyways, ye sab chodo… Come in and sit at least… Chachi, aaiye na…
Everyone settled down whle Ridhima went in to get some water for everyone…
Armaan made an excuse and went to the kitchen and hugged her from behind…
Armaan-Hey jaan… I missed you so much today…Itni busy thi kya?
Ridhima-Haan… Sanjeevani was very hectic today… Anyways, ab chodo mujhe… Chachi aur Ishita bahar hai…
Armaan-Toh kya hua?
Ridhima-Armaan, accha nai lagta… Please…
Armaan-Nahi…
Ridhima-Armaan, not now and not here… What do we have a bedroom for?
Armaan-Fine, I'll see you at night…
With that he kissed her cheek and went back to the living room to join Chachi and Ishita…
Ridhima came out and served them water along with some refreshments and Armaan showed them their rooms thereafter…
Ishita had specially called Armaan to tell him to keep a different room for her and not with her mother as she would get the freedom to do what she wants and can talk to her fianc at all the odd hours of the day without any interference and disturbance…
Armaan, Ishita and Chachi all retired to freshen up before dinner while Ridhima was finishing cooking dinner…
Ridhima had started being extremely busy at the hospital lately and hence Armaan and Ridhima had hired a cook to cook their meals…
Hence, the cook and Ridhima were cooking together today as a lot of traditional Indian food had to be cooked keeping Rachna Chachi in mind…
Rachna Chachi came to the kitchen looking for Ridhima…
Chachi-Ridhima, ghar toh bahut sunder sajaaya hai tumne…
Ridhima-Thank you chachi…
Chachi-Par tum toh itni busy rehti ho… Ghar par rehne ka waqt bhi nahi hoga tumhare paas…
Ridhima was a little confused at this comment from chachi… Was she talking generally or was she taunting her? She shrugged it off thinking she was over-reading it…
Ridhima-Aisi koi baat nahi hai… Hume holidays milte rehte hai…
Chachi-Aur itna bada ghar tum sambhalti kaise ho? Mera matlab sirf tum dono hi toh rehte ho is ghar mein… Isse behtar toh who puraana ghar tha… itna bada toh nahi tha…
Ridhima-Chachi, main aur Armaan manage kar lete hai… Aur itna bhi mushkil nahi hai…
Chachi-Par Ridhima, tumhe nahi lagta tumhe ab kaam chod dena chahiye? Mera matlab hai ki shaadi ke baad kaam karna accha nai lagta…
Ridhima was really astonished to see this woman so orthodox and traditional… She couldn't believe Armaan and his parents belonged to the same family at all…
Ridhima-Main ek doctor hu aur main apni padhaai waste nahi karna chahti… Aur ghar par mere paas koi kaam bhi nahi hai… Aur Armaan ne mujhe kabhi nahi roka kaam karne se…
Chachi-Armaan toh kabhi tumhe rokega bhi nahi… Uss buddhu ko toh kuch pata bhi nahi hai… Bachpan se apni hi mann maani karta aaya hai… Par tumhe toh samajhna chahiye? Tum uski patni ho…
Ridhima-Chachi, ab aisa koi nahi sochta… Ab sab ladkiyaan shaadi ke baad bhi kaam karti hai…
Chachi-Jo sab kare, hume wohi karna zaroori nahi hai… Aur waise bhi hume koi bhi financial problem nahi hai toh tumhe kaam karne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai…
Ridhima tried to protest but Chachi stopped her…
Chachi-Mujhe jo kehna tha maine keh diya… Aage tumhari marzi…
With that, she left the kitchen and went out…
Ridhima was completely irritated with Chachi's thoughts and her way of talking to her…
She wasn't polite in any possible way…
She finally finished cooking dinner and started laying the table…
She saw Chachi reading a newspaper seated on a couch with her eyes on the table like she was waiting for the food to be served for her…
Ishita came out of her room and offered to help Ridhima…
Ishita-Bhabhi let me help you a little… Tell me what to do?
Ridhima-No, its okay Ishita… I'll do it… You must be tired after the journey… Just wait for 2 minutes… The food is ready…
And she went into the kitchen to get back some food and Ishita followed her…
In the meanwhile, Armaan also came out of the room and as a routine; he was helping Ridhima out with the plates, glasses, water and so on…
Chachi saw this and she didn't like it…
Chachi-Armaan, ye tu kya kar raha hai?
Armaan-Kuch nahi chachi, bass table set kar raha hu…
Chachi-Tu kabse ye saare kaam karne laga… Ye sab tera kaam nahi hai…
Armaan-Chachi, main aur Ridhima humesha milke sab kaam karte hai… Hospital mein Ridhima bhi thak jaati hai toh main sirf uski ghar pe thodi help karta hu…
Chachi-Ridhima ko hospital jaane ke liye kissine force nahi kiya hai… Agar woh hospital ki wajah se ghar ko nahi sambhaal sakti toh she can leave the hospital… Wasie bhi, she shouldn't be working after marriage… I thought ki tumhari mom ne Ridhima ko ye sab samjhaa diya hoga but aisa nahi hua…
Armaan was getting angry by every word chachi was uttering… He wanted to retort back but that very moment Ishita and Ridhima came out of the kitchen announcing Dinner is ready…
He planned to ignore the topic as he didn't want to spoil his mood…
They all settled on the dinner table and Ridhima passed on the food to Ishita and Chachi…
Chachi-Ridhima, Haven't you learnt that pehle tumhe baaki sab ko serve karna chahiye and then when everybody finishes, you have to help yourself… Kya tumne itna bhi nahi seekha?
Ridhima felt extremely bad with that comment… She was a part of the family, she deserved to eat with everyone and not be treated like a servant or something…
While Armaan was getting extremely angry on the other hand… He had always hated his chachi for such behaviour only… She had done this to his mother numerous times before…
Ridhima knew that if she had felt bad with Chachi's comment, then Armaan would be furious by now…
She turned to see Armaan's expression and she knew Armaan is going to answer back…
She didn't want a scene there so she just held Armaan's hand under the table which made him look at her…
She nodded a slight "no" to him to ask him to stop from back-answering Chachi… She then gave a tight squeeze to his hand assuring him that it's okay…
Ridhima got up and served dinner to everyone… Armaan was too angry to eat, but Ridhima served him food anyway knowing how hungry he must be… She knew he wouldn't have had lunch as they couldn't meet in the lunch break today whereas it was the same case with Ridhima as well… They both looked into each others eyes… Armaan's showing anger while Ridhima asking him to eat…
Inspite of his anger, he obeyed and ate a little so that Chachi doesn't create more fuss and blame Ridhima for it…
Soon, Chachi finished dinner and retired to her room… Ishita decided to give company to Ridhima while she has dinner but soon, her fianc called and she left talking to him…
Ridhima was in no mood to eat after this scene… She was emotionally hurt… No one had ever treated her like that… Especially after she got married to Armaan, she was always treated like a princess be it Armaan or her mother-in-law or her father-in-law…
Her hunger died as she thought about what Chachi told her and the tone she spoke to her in…
She started winding up and cleaning up the table…
Armaan was busy on a phone call from Sanjeevani since dinner…
Ridhima put all the remaining food in the refrigerator and sat down on the couch tired with the entire days activities-physically and mentally…
She put on the television to try and distract herself from whatever just happened but didn't succeed… She just kept flipping channels aimlessly…
She soon found a plate of food kept in front of her on the centre table…
She looked at it confused and then found Armaan next to her picking her up slightly and settling her on his lap…
Ridhima was a little irritated…
Ridhima-Armaan………..
Armaan-Meri princess aise bilkul acchi nahi lagti…
Ridhima-Armaan please… I'm very tired… Don't irritate me more…
Armaan-Arrey, where am I irritating you? I'm just here to give you some energy… You still have to research Karan's case, remember?
Karan was a little boy in the hospital who was Ridhima's patient suffering from cancer… Ridhima had got very attached to him recently and was trying her best researching for him if she could save him…
Armaan picked the plate and started feeding Ridhima… Ridhima was too hungry to deny and she immediately started gobbling down the food Armaan was offering…
In between her meal, she didn't know why but two fat tears made their way down her cheeks…
Armaan placed the plate aside and wiped her tears and kissed her cheeks…
Armaan-Your tears are way more precious than that chachi, okay? Always remember that… I was just respecting her if I wasn't rebelling… You were, you are and you ONLY will be the most important person in my life… You know that, right?
Ridhima barely managed a nod…
Armaan smiled and made her finish her dinner…
Once she was done, she got up and put her plate back into the kitchen while Armaan got busy with the daily news on the television…
She decided to go up and get changed till Armaan finished his daily 10 minute news update…
She entered her room to find her black night gown lying on the bed with a note next to it reading "For Tonight"
She smiled as she read this…
She didn't know from where Armaan got such ideas…
He had recently started taking out her clothes for her, occasionally-especially her night gowns…
She would obviously wear what he chose but she wondered why he did this as they didn't always make love when he picked clothes for her… But she found this gesture of his extremely adorable…
She went in for a shower and soon came out wearing her bath-robe…
She found Armaan putting on the laptop in the meanwhile…
She got into her black gown and settled between Armaan's legs placing the laptop on the balnket on her lap… They had been researching together like this since quite a few nights for Karan but they weren't reaching great conclusions in that…
This was the only time in the day they got time together to spend with each other…
Their sleeping times varied and were highly irregular due to their busy schedules and their adjustments in trying to spend time with each other…
Ridhima wasn't in a mood to research today… She was just randomnly opening and closing pages and not even reading them properly…
Armaan tightened his hold on her waist and kissed her shoulder to get her attention…
Armaan-Are you still upset about whatever happened at the dinner table?
Ridhima-No no… I'm just tired today…
Armaan-Liar…
Ridhima gave up… It was no use trying to hide something from Armaan… He would always guess it…
Ridhima-I'm sorry Armaan…
Armaan-Sorry? Sorry for what?
Ridhima-Because I'm not good enough for your chachi to like me…
Armaan-Ridhima… You have got to be kidding me… You know, actually, you are right… you are not just good enough, you're the best… And I love you and that's what matters…
Ridhima-Armaan… I'm serious…
Armaan picked up the laptop from her lap and placed it aside…
He made her turn sideways so he could get a better look at her expressions…
She in turn snuggled closer to him and supported herself on his chest with her hands around his neck…
Armaan knew she is cold due to her revealing night gown; put the blanket on top of them upto her neck…
Armaan-Ridhima, why do you think you're not good enough?
Ridhima-Because chachi doesn't like me… I'm not the one she would like to see as your wife… Maybe she expected someone better for you…
Armaan-Ridhima, you know there cannot be anyone better than you for me…
Ridhima-Armaan, she expects your wife to be a totally dedicated woman to her house and her husband…
Armaan-So, aren't you dedicated totally to your house and your husband?
Ridhima-Yes, I am but…
Armaan-Then…
Ridhima-But she wants me to be a housewife and give up work and all…
Armaan-Basket, you don't need to listen to everything what she wants you to do… Let her just talk… Ignore such things when she tells you all that…
Ridhima-But then she won't like me at all…
Suddenly, the door of their room opened and Ishita walked in…
She saw Armaan and Ridhima snuggled up closely to each other under the blanket and immediately turned…
Ishita-Kya Bhai… kam se kam door toh lock karo…
Armaan-Tujhe toh kisine knock karna sikhaya hi nahi hai…
Ridhima tried to get out of Armaan's hold and sit properly but Armaan wouldn't let go off her…
Ridhima looked at him and widened her eyes trying to warn him but he didn't budge…
Armaan-Ish, ab tera naatak band kar and turn around... Like I'm even going to get ashamed in front of you…
Ishita turned around and sat down on the bed next to them…
Ishita-But seriously bhai, you should lock the door… Agar mom hoti, toh…
Ridhima's face colour immediately drained at the mention of Rachna chachi…
Armaan-Arrey, we don't have a habit to lock… Ghar pe koi nahi hota hai na… Anyway, tu yahaan kya kar rahi hai? Phone par nahi hai?
Ishita-Woh, nahi… Nikhil so gaya… Usse kal office hai…
Armaan-Oh, toh Nikhil so gaya toh Bhai ki yaad aayi?
Ishita-Bhai… Please… Actually main Bhabhi se baat karne aayi thi… Bhabhi, chalo na terrace pe…
Ridhima-Haan, ek minute…
Ridhima tried to get out of Armaan's hold again which again, he did not oblige with…
He pulled Ridhima back on himself again…
Armaan-No way, tu Basket ko kahin nahi le jaa rahi… This is my time with her…
Ridhima-Armaan… Stop it…
Armaan-What? Ek toh tum subah se mujhe mili nahi and now when we finally get sometime together tab yeh stupid Ish tumhe leke jaegi…
Ishita-Bhai… It's a little serious…
Armaan now felt that maybe she wanted to talk something about her in-laws or her marriage which she couldn't tell Chachi… Suddenly, his brotherly protectiveness started showing…
Armaan-Ish, you're happy with this wedding and all na? I mean, no one is forcing you na?
Ishita-No, no Bhai… I have a long love story… I'll tell you some other time…
Ridhima-Love story? But Mom told me it is an arranged marriage…
Ishita-It's a disguised love marriage…
Armaan-Matlab?
Ishita-Baadme bataungi… but I came to talk about mom…
Armaan-What?
Ishita-Bhabhi, I'm really sorry for whatever happened today… I know ki mom ne aapko aur bhi bahut kuch kaha hoga but I just want to tell you ki don't take her too seriously… Woh Neha Bhabhi ko bhi shuru shuru mein aise hi torture karti thi… Neha Bhabhi gave up on her job also and she did everything what mom expected her to do but mom always found something or the other to taunt her… So it's no use listening to her at all… You should always forget what she says…
Ridhima-But she is elder to us Ishita… How can we ignore what she says? We have to respect her, right?
Ishita-I know what you are saying Bhabhi… But when it comes to mom, all of us do that… I had to lie to her about my own wedding as well…
Armaan-Matlab?
Ishita-Nikhil and I met in college and we were in love since back then… I knew if I told mom about us, she would never have agreed… So I told Aryan Bhai and Neha Bhabhi to help me out so they fixed up mine and Nikhil's marriage in an arranged marriage… So mom thinks mine is an arranged marriage but it's actually a love marriage…
Armaan-Wow Ish, tu kabse itni smart ho gayi?
Ishita-I was always smart… It's just that you never realized…
Ridhima-But Ish, this is wrong… She is your mother… Tum unse jhoot kaise bol sakti ho?
Armaan-Baby, every mom is not Padma mom…
Ishita-Haan Bhabhi, she is extremely against love marriages… I would have been grounded till she would have found some guy to get me married to and I didn't want to get married without her consent, so I had to do this… I promise main shaadi ke baad unhe sab bata dungi… And I think the major reason she doesn't like you is because yours is a love marriage… Unhone Annanya Chachi aur Billy Chachu ko bhi bahut sunaaya tha during your wedding saying that its not right and she's sure the marriage wont work out and all but Chachi and Chachu didn't listen to her…
If all of us weren't used to ignoring her advices, then you both wouldn't have been married today…
Armaan-See basket, I told you na… You don't need to obey to everything what she says…
Just ignore a few things…
Ridhima-I'll try…
Armaan-Now, can I see a smile? Kab se I'm seeing such a cranky Ridhima…
Ridhima smiled meekly…
Armaan-Yuck basket… You don't even know how to smile…
He started tickling her and she laughed whole-heartedly…
Armaan-This is how you smile…
He kissed her cheek…
Armaan-Keep smiling…
Ridhima-You too…
She kissed him back…
Ishita-Uhhh… Is this an indication that I should return to my room?
Armaan-Thank you for being so understanding…
Ridhima-Armaan… No Ishita, you can stay here for as long as you like…
Armaan-I don't know about you girls, but I have work tomorrow… Ridhima, what time do you have to report tomorrow?
Ridhima-11… You?
Armaan-I have to report at 9… so you two chit-chat, I'm off to sleep…
Ishita-Okay… come bhabhi, we'll go to the living room or the terrace… Let this dumbo sleep…
Ridhima-Uhhh… Ishita… tum jao… I'll just come in 5 minutes…
Ishita-Okay…come soon…
Ishita left closing the door behind her…
Ridhima picked the laptop lying aside and switched it off while Armaan stretched on the bed…
Ridhima lay down next to him…
Armaan-Arrey, you're not going?
Ridhima-Mere bina neend toh aati nahi hai tumhe… Stupid…
Armaan-I know…
He hugged her tight and kissed her lips once…
Armaan-Don't worry, okay… I'm always there for you…
Ridhima-I know…
She kissed him back and hugged him and within a few minutes Armaan fell asleep…
She got out of the bed carefully, not disturbing him…
She couldn't find her robe in the darkness and she knew Armaan would wake up if she put the light on…
She assumed it would be okay if she went out like that as it was only Ishita and her… Chachi would be asleep by now and hence she got out of the room quietly shutting the door carefully behind her…
Ishita and Ridhima gelled like two best friends within no time…
No one could point out that they had met each other properly and personally just a few hours back…
They spoke about anything and everything…
Ridhima told her how her life used to be before Armaan and how drastically it changed once Armaan stepped into it… They discussed Armaan's childhood and also a few of his most embarrassing moments and she was shocked to know that his cousins called him "Pinocchio" when he was young as he had a long and a pointed nose and was a pro at lying to his mother and cousins…
He was also the biggest prankster-this Ridhima was sure due to personal experience…
Ishita described her love story to her and how they had managed to fool chachi and so on…
A few hours passed in a flurry…
Chachi heard noises coming out from the living room and she got up to check out of curiosity… She opened her bedroom door which gave her a view of Ishita and Ridhima talking away and laughing to glory…
She happened to observe Ridhima and was kind of stunned to see her in her almost relieving night gown… One more negative opinion about her formed in her mind but she decided to save it for later and she went back to bed leaving them to talk…
Ridhima and Ishita retired to their rooms pretty late in the night…
As soon as Ridhima lay down on the bed next to Armaan, his hands made their way to her waist and pulled her closer… She nuzzled her nose with his and kissed it lightly…
Ridhima-Pinnochio… She wisphered and fell asleep in his arms…
Edited by Anokhee - 14 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount