Finally!!!
HUFFFFF! SOOORRRYYY for the extremely late update Guys. I thought and thought. And finally, here it is. Enjoy the update.
Ekansh:
I lost my sanity and stood up, my eyes glaring at Ruhi, "Chahe puri duniya bhi humare khilaaf chali jaye, hum apko divorce nahi denge, Ruhi Ekansh Razdan!" I declared. (Even if the whole world will go against me, I will never divorce you, Ruhi Ekansh Razdan.)
"And what about your mistake, Ekansh?" Maa interjected.
I huffed, "I am guilty, Maa. But ask your daughter-in-law didn't I try hard to renumerate my mistakes?"
"Yes, you did. But now I don't want to stay with you, don't you get that!" Ruhi responded with aggression. She stood up from her seat and soon I approached her and grabbed her hand.
"Even if you drag me to the Supreme Court, I will not divorce you," I declared.
"And I don't have any problem going even there. Now leave me."
"Never!" I asserted.
"Don't worry Ruhi beta, I know how to make him agree," Papaji added. "If I abandon him from the property, he will leave you alone."
I chuckled. "You can have your money and property, papaji. They are nothing in front of my wife."
She stared at me with shock because of my statement.
"Leave me!" She demanded.
"Actually, we should go back to our home, Ruhi!"
"And I already left your home, for your kind information," She reminded me.
"Sindoor aur mangalsutra app humare naam ka hi pehen rahi hai, Ruhi. Iska yehi matlab hua ki humara haq hai aap par. Ap nahi bhi maani toh hum zabardasti uta kar le jaynge apko."Â Instantly I lifted her in my arms and started walking away. (You still wear a nuptial chain and Sindoor of my name, Ruhi. Which means I have my right as your husband. Even if you disagree with me, I will forcibly take you with me."
"What the hell is wrong with you?" She screamed. I didn't care about anyone and kept walking.
"Ekansh!" Maa called.
"Ekansh!" Papaji called.
"EKANSH!" The moment I heard Dadji's voice, I stopped. "Drop her down!" He demanded. I didn't leave her, even though. "Ekansh!" having no option I let her stand on her feet. "Bahu!" he called to my mother. "Take Ruhi, inside."
Maa approached Ruhi and took her away from me. "And Ekansh come to my room. We need to speak."
After he left, papaji scolded me. "Next time don't pull such an act in front of Dadji."
"If you all try to separate me from my wife, I will have no option but to kidnap her," I acknowledged him with seriousness.
After he and Ruhi's younger siblings walked away, Akriti Di approached me and smacked me on the back of my head. "What was that Stupid? Don't forget that she is pregnant."
"I was careful, di!"
She exhaled, "Your case is so complicated, Ekansh! Now go and meet Kirpal Dadji."
I strolled down the hallway towards his room. Once I reached to my destined door, I knocked on it.
"Ekansh! Come!" I stepped inside, approached him and knelt in front of him. "What was that?"
I took his hand and spoke, "What should I do then, dadji? Yes, I have committed a few mistakes in the past and I am sorry for everything. But divorce..." I shook my head. "... I am nothing without her. Please help me dadaji."
He sighed. "I can't. I promised her dadu that, I would take care of her happiness. And I am just being on my promise."
"But. This divorce is not her happiness. Something is going on in her head, dadaji."
"I get it. But now she wants it..."
"Dadaji, please. Please speak with her and try to find out. Neither of us can live without each other," I acknowledged him.
"Fine. I will speak with her. But if she disagrees..." he inhaled deeply, "I can't help you."
I pressed my lips and nodded. "Thank you."
I know she is upset with me but divorce... Is she planning to destroy me.
Ruhi:
I was ambling to and fro in my room, burning red hot because of his attempts. I waited for him the whole evening but he didn't come. Nor did he come to the room in the night. And when I woke up the next morning, the other side of the bed was untouched.
I was in the middle of my wondering when a maid stepped inside my room with a message.
"Kirpal dadaji wants to meet you. He said that he would take you on the walk."
Then she stepped out of the room.
I took a bath and put on a cream Patiala suit.
Kirpal Dadaji was waiting for me in the garden. I went to take his blessings. He strictly warned me not to bend since I was carrying a baby.
"Where are we going, dada ji?"
"To meet Sajjan. Is that okay?" He confirmed.
I nodded my head. We buried Dadu behind the Haveli after walking a few hundred meters. As we walked, I felt as if someone was following us. When I stopped and was about to turn, Dadaji objected, "What happened?"
"I feel like someone is following us," I replied.
He chuckled, "No one is following us, beta ji!" He would laugh at me if I told him I felt his grandson's presence around me.
We reached the monument of my Dadu.
After a few seconds of silent prayer, I heard Dadaji probing me, "Ruhi beta, aapki khushi mein humari khushi hai. Lekin hum yeh nahi jaante ki aapki khushi kisme hai?" (Ruhi, our happiness lies in you, but I am quite confused about your happiness?)
My jaw dropped for an instant. I chewed my inner cheek.
When I stood there silently, he pried again, "Ruhi, you will speak the truth today." I sighed and stared at my Dadu's tomb. "I know," he said, "loneliness doesn't bring happiness. But you are choosing it. You decided to give your baby's custody to Ekansh. That's not an easy decision for a mother to make, and it means that you trust him." I lowered my head. He placed his hand on my shoulder and continued, "I promised Sajjan that I would always consider your happiness. But I can see that you are not happy, beta ji." A tear escaped from my eye. I lifted my head and stared at him, but his image turned blurry... I knelt in front of him.
"I..." my voice shivered, "I... want Ekansh to live long, Dadaji. But if I am in his life, that wouldn't be possible. I don't want to risk my baby's life by staying near him."
"Kya matlab hai aapke baaton ka?" (What do your words mean?)
I wiped my tears, "I am a cursed child, Dadaji. My life is cursed too."
He placed his hand under my chin and tilted my face toward him. A bright smile appeared on his face, "Itni miti si aur pyari si hai aap, Ladoo!" (Such a sweet and cute soul you are, Ladoo!)
Hearing that one word, my eyes filled with tears, and I missed my Dadu so much.
"Yeh khayal kisne dala aapke andar?" (Who put this thought in your head?)
"No one. But first, I lost my parents. And now Dadu. I don't want to harm Ekansh andâ" touching my lower belly, "my baby."
"Acha. Your parents' death was an accident. You didn't kill them. And Sajjan's death happened when he was 85. He lived his life to the fullest. He lived all these years because of you. And in the case of Ekansh, you do know that you are his better half, and a wife is the strongest and best guard of a husband."
I sniffled, wiping my eyes. "Ekansh se kuch narazgi hai?" he inquired. (Are you upset with Ekansh?)
"Hai toh bahut lekin aise nahi ki unko divorce dedun," I confessed, eventually. (Yes, a lot. But I don't want to divorce him.)
"Aap pyar karti ho us nalayak ladke se?" he questioned. (Do you love that stupid?)
I closed my eyes and nodded, "Ji, Dadaji."
I heard the sound of dry leaves crunching from behind, but I didn't turn.
Dadaji's gaze drifted to someone behind me, and Ekansh appeared. He then knelt beside me.
"Aap ke pyar ne is buddu ko hi badla diya. Then how are you calling yourself a cursed child?" He placed his hand on our heads. "Aur jo khushi aap ne hum sab ko di, jab sab dukhi the, aap jaanti nahi hum sabko jaise ki sari duniya ki khushi mil gayi." (Your love has changed this moron. And the happiness you gave to all of us during our sad days made us feel as if we got the happiness of the world.)
I stayed silent. Lowering my head, I sobbed silently, "But I am angry with him. He hurt me so much." I whispered in a childish voice.
"Toh sath rehkar badla nikalo is nalayak se." He said and smacked Ekansh's shoulder. "Now that I cleared your misunderstandings, Ruhi. I want to leave you both alone. Speak and resolve things." (Then make him realize his mistakes)
Then he walked away leaving us alone.
I stared at Ekansh and soon my gaze turned to glare and I slapped on his right cheek. He placed his palm on his right cheek and stared confused at me, "Phicha kar rahe the Humara?" I asked and then slapped on his left cheek. He palmed even that side and stared with innocent eyes at me, "Sharam nahi athi chup chup se dusron ki baat sunne." (You were following us? Don't you feel ashamed to eavesdrop on others.)
I raised my palm again, "Bas bhi kardo Ruhi. Bache ki jaan logi kya?" (Enough Ruhi. Are you in the plan to kill me?)
Unconcerned I slapped on his cheek. "Aap ne kaha dadaji ku Hume manane ke liye?" (Did you ask for dadji to convince me?)
"Haan tum jaisi ziddi ko wahi teek karsakthe hai?" I slapped on his other cheek and instantly he grabbed my wrist and twisted it on my back. He even grabbed my other hand and twisted it on my back. He grabbed my hands in one hand and used his free hand to grab my chin.
"Chodo." He shook his head and kissed my lips. "Besharam," I muttered.
"Jaan hai aap humari, Ruhi!" (You are my soul, Ruhi!)
"Jhute hai app Ekansh, jaan toh bas yuhi kehthe hai app... aap ke dil me aaj bhi wo hai." (You are a liar, Ekansh. I am not your soul... you still have her in your heart.)
"I took a step near her. Mana ki humne unse dillagi karli lekin us ladki ki utni haisiyath nahi thi ki woh us Ruhi ki jagah le, jizze humne usi dan basaliya jisdin humare dadaji ni unhe humari biwi banane ka faisla liya tha. I grabbed her by her waist, tell me didn't I try to speak with you after whenever I visited you?" I stayed silent. "I wanted to be with you, Ruhi but you kept pushing me. And when Anthra faked her suicide just to date me, I felt enthusiastic that there was someone who loved me unconditionally. Those were the days when you treated me like shit. I am not blaming you Ruhi but everyone is thirsty for love. Anthra showed me that, But soon I realized my mistake when we got married. You showed me the love, I never thought would exist in this world."
"You are lying," I argued.
He laughed. "Do you remember the first day of our wedding, when we visited Gurudwar and you went missing?" When I nodded, he continued, "Do you have any idea how crazy I went when you vanished from my eyes? And when that cheapskate shopkeeper tried to catch your hand. And that day when I went to meet Anthra you weren't answering my call. Ruhi, unknowingly you were everywhere in my heart and head. I was already in love with you." He cupped my cheek, "But I am wrong at one place too. When you took everything on yourself, I should have objected. But I stood mute. I was scared. If you want to punish me for that, then I am ready to accept it."
A tear escaped from my eyes. "I wouldn't have let you protest me, even if you did."
His grip loosened on my hands and even my chin. Next, he stood up and offered his hand to me. I placed my hand on his. He helped me to stand up. And it was the first time, Ekansh placed his hand on my belly since I got pregnant. Then he glanced at my dadu's tomb, "I really wish for you to come back as my son, dadaji. Because no one can replace you in your Ladoo Rani's life." he pulled me in a hug and whispered, "Will he forgive me for hurting his only favourite person?"
"He forgave you, Ekansh!" I whispered back. I stared at my dadu's tomb and let the tears pass out.
When he pulled away, I grabbed his collar and warned, "From today you will not touch me, that's the only punishment of yours."
"Ok, Meri Jaan!" He muttered with a clenched jaw.
When we reached Haveli, everyone was having breakfast at the dining table. When everyone's glance fell upon us, they acted as if they hadn't seen anything strange. We both stood rooted to our position and exchanged a glance.
"Actuallyâ" I began but no one paid attention to us. I cleared my throat. Still no response. "WE ARE NOT DIVORCING!" I announced. They just stared at us.
"You know Ruhi," Maa began, "what was your and Ekansh's favourite game during childhood?" I glanced at Ekansh and Ekansh glanced at me. "Hide and seek. Which you both are playing nowadays," Maa added. "Not only now but even in future, we will be prepared to see your nautanki."
"Ekansh and Ruhi!" Papaji called, "The private plane is ready, have breakfast and go back to Delhi. It's time you both continue your studies."
We both nodded then sat silently on the breakfast table and had our breakfast.
"Aur haan, we hadn't asked the lawyer to make the divorce papers, Ruhi," Akriti di piped in. "We know you will change your mind, at the end."
I twisted my lip corner and had my breakfast silently. But I did feel embarrassed.
Though we came with only wallets and mobiles while returning to Delhi, Maa packed at least four bags of delicacies. Seems like they were making their plans. That's why they all supported me with my decision and dosed my ego.
I sat away in a separate row from Ekansh in the plane. Meanwhile, he kept staring now and then at me. I only glared at him by flaring my nares in anger.
"Bas karo, Nakchidi!" He barked with frustration.
I raised my index at him.
He shook his head and voiced, "khud hi ek choti bachi hai patha nahi dusre bache ko kaise sambhal legi!" (You are a kid by yourself, I don't know how will take care of another baby.)
I stuck my tongue out and teased him.
He smiled and went back to stare out of the window.
That's how the life after wedding is, isn't it? That's how people still be together even though they are not to-gether.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Life and relationships are unpredictable. It does not depend on giving 100 per cent or being perfect. It depends on correcting each other mistakes, apologizing for every small mistake, standing for each other rather than against and no matter what, not leaving each other alone.
When I glanced back at Ekansh, his eyes were on my belly. I placed my hand on my lower belly, where a new life was being generated from cell by cell. Ekansh stared back at me. I could see the yearning in his eyes to touch me.
Everyone needs a space, and it's good to have space. But don't space yourself so much that it will loosen the vitality of the bond forever.
And in my case, Ekansh should realize his mistake. Maybe his intentions were genuine but he forgot one thing that he has a wife. Whatever the situation is, he should have phoned me before going to Anthra.
ðª·ðª·ðª·ðª·The ENDðª·ðª·ðª·
And we are done with another cute romantic story. I feel sad that we have to come to an end.
Ruhi was the soul of this book not only Ekansh's. I will miss them and also you all, who supported me.