Ekansh:
Ruhi is everything. Natkhat. Chulbuli. Badmash.
Sometimes too mature and sometimes too childish.
Sometimes, she is too adorable and sometimes too sexy.
I watched her constantly when our car was pulled inside the mansion's gates. Her eyes wandered to every car parked in the garage. After our car halted, the colour drained from her face.
I grabbed her hand and asked, "Kya hua, Meri Jaan. Apke chehre ka rang kyun utar Gaya?"
"What happened, my love?" Why did your mood turn off?"
"Dadu didn't come." She muttered staring at our hands.
I don't think, I can ever replace her Dadaji's place in her life.
"Maybe he has some important task to fulfil!" I guessed.
She glared at me, "Nothing should be important to him, other than me."
I was startled by her response. I never saw such possessiveness in her tone. We both walked inside the mansion. Maa approached us with a broad smile on her face. Immediately, she pulled Ruhi in a hug. "Bhut pyari lag Rahi ho..." she complimented. (You look so pretty, Ruhi)
"Aur moti bhi..."
"And healthy too..." I teased from beside to divert her brain. But nothing affected her mood.
"Ekansh!" Maa glared at me. "You both go and take some rest."
After she moved aside, Ruhi muttered, "Tonight no kiss!" Blackmailing me. I chuckled.
But suddenly she spun, her eyes directed towards the guest hall. Then she raced in that direction. I was surprised by her sudden move, so, I ran behind her, "Ruhi!" calling her.
She stopped in front of the door and cried out, "DADU!!!"
"Ladoo!" He stood up and she went running into his arms.
She hugged him for a long moment. I exchanged a glance with my Dadaji and went to take his blessings.
But how did she feel her Dadaji's presence?
She pulled away and I saw her eyes filled with tears and they were red too. "Ekansh, aren't you taking proper care of my Ruhi?" My dada ji asked with fake anger on his face.
"No Dadaji. He is torturing me to wake up early to make him breakfast and every night I am making dinner too." In an instant, her mood changed. She looked happier than she was all these days.
"Haa! Jhuti Ruhi. I never told you to do anything."
Both Dadaji's laughed at us. Then her Dadu put his hands on our heads and gave blessings to us. "I wish you both happiness of life long with as many as kids you both want to have," I observed the crimson red colour creeping on Ruhi's cheeks. So, she wants babies.
"But I hear from Gurpreet that Ruhi makes dinner every day," Maa shared as she walked into the resting room with a few maids who were carrying juice glasses and snacks.
When the maid offered me a glass of juice, I shook my head, denying the offer. "Don't you feel hungry Ekansh?" Maa inquired.
"Actually I had a few snacks in flight," I lied. Ruhi bought it too as she slept throughout our journey in the small resting room of the private plane.
"Fine. You both go take some rest, then Ekansh you can join others for lunch," Maa informed.
I exchanged a glance with Ruhi. Her eyes said that she wanted to spend some time with her Dadu. So, I walked alone to my room, leaving her with her Dadu.
At 2 she came to the room when I was taking a rest on my bed. I thought this would go easy but observing fasts is not the cup of the tea. I dunno how Ruhi is managing.
I felt the depression of the bed behind me. Then she moved near me and hugged me from behind. I whirled and pulled her towards my chest. She rested her head on my chest and hugged me tight. I cherished her head.
"Did you have lunch, Ekansh?" She sounded exhausted.
"Hmm..." I just hummed. "How do you feel now?" I asked apprehending her condition.
She laughed surprising me, "I feel good that I spent some time with Dadu but my stomach... Oh god, I feel a little bit hungry already. But you know everyone has arrived. My di, and my two bhabhi. Seems like this Karwa Chauth is gonna be a big celebration."
"Hmm..."
She raised her head and stared annoyed at me. "Humara fast hai par aap aise act kar rahe ho jaise ki apka hai."
"It seems like you are observing a fast but me."
I chuckled, "I feel tired."
"Oh!" She exclaimed and climbed down the bed.
"Where are you going?" She ignored me and moved to the dressing table. She took the oil bottle and came back to the bed. Then placing my head on her lap she put some oil on the top of my head and started massaging my hair.
"Hmm..." I hummed and moaned. "Ruhi Jaan. There is magic in your hands..." I expressed, "See, slowly my exhaustion is fading away".
She giggled and asked, "Do you want me to massage your shoulders too?"
"No. You are fasting, I can't be that insensitive and make you work which will exhaust you."
She hummed, "Now sleep for a few minutes and then get ready for the evening celebration." She said and climbed down. I nodded my head almost drifting into a deep sleep.
Ruhi:
Maa said that she bought me a saree for Karwa Chauth and even the matching jewellery. So, I wore a simple Patiala suit after taking a bath and stepped out.
It was four and my hunger just surged after I took a bath. The sounds of borborgymi erupted out of my stomach and intestines.
I received a knock on the door and went to pull open it. I saw Maa and a maid and let them inside the room.
Maa saw Ekansh sleeping recklessly on the bed and laughed, "he slept as if he is observing the fast but you."
I giggled at her words. Even I got the same thought but I do know the reason for his tiredness, "Actually, Maa, he woke up early today and made khichdi for me."
Her eyes popped out in shock. "He cooked for you?" She inquired once again. I nodded my head, smiling at her.
"Seems like your entry into his life has changed him a lot. Now see he came in just one call to Amritsar, otherwise, I had to make him hundreds of calls."
"When I burned my hand he was awake the whole night taking my care," I shared.
"We were so scared after that, but Ekansh assured us that he will take care of you." We both stared at him. His lips were parted and he was snoring like a toddler. I blushed recalling our romantic moments.
"But wake him up, he has to get ready. And he hadn't had lunch yet, I will send something for him to eat."
He didn't have lunch. Then why did he lie to me that he already had it?
After she left, I went to wake him up. Meanwhile, maa sent some fruits to our room.
"Ekansh..." I whispered in his ears.
"Hmm..."
"Chalo uto. Abh!" He cupped his cheeks. His stubble pricked my hands.
He opened his eyes, and sat up, leaning against the bed's headboard. I brought a spoonful of fruits near his mouth.
He dragged his bumps away with fear. "What? It's just a fruit."
"I... Don't want to eat it." I scrunched my brows and intermittently stared at the fruits and him. "I mean, I don't eat anything before gurgling my mouth... I woke up just now."
"Oh!" I exclaimed. "Go and freshen up,"Â I informed him and put the bowl on the desk beside the bed.
He climbed down the bed and ran into the bathroom.
I combed my hair and tied it in a bun for now.
"Bhabhi!" Ekta showed up in our room with a bright smile. She approached me and sat on our bed. "How's your fast going on?"
"Till now it's going good."
"I hope brother is also doing good..." she trailed off and bit her lip suddenly.
I furrowed my brows and replied, "Of course, he is doing good too."
"Yeah. Yeah. I know," She hesitated. "I heard that you burnt your hand while cooking," she inquired, searching my hands for injury.
I showed her my left hand. "It healed maximum, now."
After Ekansh stepped out of the bathroom she left us alone but only after she informed Ekansh, "Bhai bhabhi needs help with blouse hooks, please help her." Just when I realised she was so naughty.
"So you need my help?" He asked, cocking his brow and took my blouse from the bed. He wore a cream sherwani with a red dupatta around his neck. He looked extremely handsome but appeared too exhausted.
"She lied. I know how to wear a saree, Dr. Ekansh Razdan." I tried to pull my blouse but he took it near his lips and placed a kiss on it. It was so intimating that it almost warmed my cheeks. He handed it to me. "Can you go out, I want to get ready?" Nodding his head, he walked to the door.
But I stopped him, "Ekansh, wait.' I took the fruit bowl tray and gave it to him. "Eat this!'
"Ahh... Okay," he spoke, taking the tray with him and then leaving the room.
I glanced at the blouse. I like his minute romantic gestures. I put on the blouse first after wearing the red bra. It had three strings to tie on the back. Then I wore the saree petticoat and then the saree. After that, IÂ tied my hair in a French braid. I wore the jewellery mom brought with the saree and even Ekansh's gifted anklets.
I thought about us. Ekansh has no idea that if I love someone, it will be unconditional. And Ekansh is already taking the position next to Dadu, which I kept reserved for my life partner.
After I was ready, I stepped out of the room and took the elevator to reach the ground floor.
The whole living room was decorated with flowers, diyas and colourful long clothes.
"You look so beautiful, Ruhi," Ekansh's bhabhi complimented.
She wasn't observing fast because of her pregnancy.
"Thank you bhabhi. And how's your health?" I probed.
"I am good, Ruhi." One after the other, I met with my cousin Bhabhis and Akriti Di too.
Even though I observed fasts for the past two years, I never stayed with my bhabhi and Di while breaking it. I did it in my room after I saw Ekansh's picture in the stainer.
This is my first official Karwa Chauth with Ekansh and I did feel special.
My eyes searched for Ekansh and I was surprised to see him lying down on the couch, his head resting on his big brother's lap. Other than that, his big brother was fanning his face with a pillow.
"When that moon will come, Bhai?" He asked his brother, lazily opening his eyes and staring at him. I found Ekansh's eyes surrounded by dark circles and even sunken in their sockets.
"What's wrong with him?" I asked to Ekansh's bhabhi.
She giggled and informed, surprising me, "Apke pati ne apki lambi Umar ke liye Karwa Chauth ka wrath rakha hua hai."
"Your husband is observing fast for you!"
"What?" I asked feeling shocked too. Then I recalled the incidents one after the other. He had Khichdi with me this morning. Then Maa said that he hadn't had lunch and when I was about to feed him fruits this evening he denied it.
But this little secret of his did bring tears to my eyes. And I wish this is not a dream.
I approached Di and whispered in her ear, "Go and play bole chudiyan song, di."
"Are you gonna dance?" She inquired.
I nodded my head, responding, "One surprise he planned for me, one surprise I will give him." Cause he doesn't know that I am a classical dancer.