Part 15

Part 15

Alka was surprised to see Sai in the morning. "What happened aaj subah subah yaha?" Alka asked.

"Why? Do I need any reason to come here?"  Sai questioned as she sat down on breakfast table where her baba was having her favourite breakfast methi parathas. Sai squealed with delight as she took a plate for herself and took two parathas.

"No my daughter doesn't need any reason. I was just wondering its morning time and you must be busy with preparing Virat's breakfast and helping him getting ready." Alka said as she herself took a seat near Kamal.

"I don't think unhe kuch fark padta hai mere hone na hone se." Sai said as she became sad remembering yesterday's events. Kamal and Alka shared a worried look. Then Kamal gestured Alka to talk to Sai as he left mother and daughter alone.

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Virat was having his breakfast. He looked everywhere but couldn't see Sai. He couldn't believe he was missing her. He was so used to have her dancing around him everywhere since morning, running to do his bidding. Right from making his coffee, selecting his clothes, keeping his watch and wallet ready, sometimes herself cooking breakfast for him then eating with him and at last saying him goodbye as she ran behind him to the door and watched him sitting in the car with his baba. He didn't have his coffee in the morning due to which he already had a bad start for a day and now the fact that he didn't see Sai since morning was adding fuel to the fire.

"What is taking her so long? Aisi bhi kya jaruri baat karni thi usko apni aai se...mere jane tak ka intezar kar leti." Virat couldn't stop himself from getting angry as he pushed the plate of half eaten breakfast away and stood up to leave. Ninad and Ashwini looked at each other confused as to what happened to their son suddenly.

"Sit down Virat, complete your breakfast. Its your favorite....cheese omlette and toast." Ashwini asked calmly.

"Its not good enough." Virat replied as he picked up his files from the table.

"Baba I am leaving for the office." Virat said again and left.

"What happened to him? Why he is being so cranky?" asked Ninad as he took one more toast.

"I guess he is missing Sai. He hadn't seen her since morning. He has not received the special  treatment he has become habituated to now so he is throwing tantrums like a stubborn child." Ashwini laughed at his condition.

"But why he is behaving like this?" Ninad was still confused.

"Oh, you both father son duo are stupid. Cant you see he is falling in love with Sai." Ashwini explained.

"Really? Our Sai is like that only, he couldn't have stopped himself from falling in love but I am surprised it happened too soon." Ninad said amused from the revelation his wife made.

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"Sai, tell me honestly beta, is everything fine between you and Virat?" Alka asked worriedly.

"Yes aai" Sai replied averting her eyes.

"Sai, I am your mother. I know when you lie to me." Alka said as she made Sai look into her eyes.

"Aai, he doesn't love me...I knew he will need some time to move on but...he surprised me when he...he...." Sai trailed off not knowing how to tell everything to her mother. Somethings are just meant to be between husband and wife, it can't be shared.

"You can tell me anything. Ever since you have grown up, more than a aai, I have treated you as a friend....right?" Alka encouraged her to open up.

"We....we...came....very close to each other ...on some occasions but... then afterwards he always avoided me. I think...he is regretting what all happened or maybe he didn't like me....I fear he will never accept me." Sai completed with difficulty indulging in as little detail as possible and started crying as she hugged her mother.

Alka consoled her. She called Ashwini to her house as she felt she should also know about this. She being Virat's aai may be know more about Virat's behavior or maybe she can help Sai to win over his heart.

Ashwini came there and Alka shared her worries but Ashwini shared her views and what she had observed since morning about Virat. Now both were confused what is right? Virat started falling for Sai or Sai's fears are true.

"Alka, I know you are Sai's mother and you are worried for her but trust me on this. As far as I know my son I think he is confused. Like us, may be he is also surprised that he moved on so quickly and Sai already made her place in his life so maybe he is running away from his feelings and doesn't want to accept it too soon." Ashwini explained her point of view.

"I think you are right Ashwini. We should give him some space to come out of his inner turmoil." Alka finally agreed and she made Sai understand this also.

"Sai you should not lose hope." Alka said as she caressed him lovingly.

Just then Sai's cousin Karishma came to their house. "Hello aunty. How are you?" Karishma greeted.

"Hello Karishma. Aaj yaha kaise?" Alka asked.

"Actually I went to Chavan mansion to meet Sai but I found out she is here so I came to invite her." said Karishma as looked at Sai.

"Invitation? For what?" Sai inquired.

"Today a really cool pub is opening in our Nagpur and our brother Sunny has got special passes for it. I am so excited to go there. It'll be fun." Karishma talked animatedly as her excitement shone in her eyes.

" Karishma, you know I don't like such places. So I am not interested." Sai said no to her invitation.

"Offo Sai come na...all our friends will be there." Karishma requested. Sai again opened her mouth to say no but Ashwini interrupted her.

"Sai will come with you Karishma. But I don't think she have the perfect dress for such night. I mean all of you must be wearing western dresses for tonight...right? Why don't you take her to shopping?" Ashwini expressed her views. Alka gave her questioning looks but she gestured her to stay quiet for now.

"Aai, I don't want to go and I don't wear those western dresses you know na?" Sai tried to make excuse.

"I don't want to listen anything. You are going that's final. Come on you need to relax...and whats better than a fun night with friends?" Ashwini convinced Sai to go to pub and shopping for new dress and also asked  her to take lunch for Ninad and Virat in their office on her way back.

As she went from there Alka couldn't hold her curiosity, "whats cooking in your mind?"

"Virat has started liking Sai. If she makes few moves in right direction than he would definitely fall for her." Ashwini shared her views.

"What do you mean?" Alka asked and also Karishma who was now interested in their plan.

"Remember that Pakhi? She was so bold and modern in her dressing. Virat has spent lot of time in a big city like Mumbai. He is used to such parties and pub culture. So he probably likes modern girls. I am sure if he will see Sai like that he will surely fall for her." Ashwini explained her plan and asked Karishma to help Sai in shopping and get her a nice western dress for the occasion.

"Samajh gayi aunty. Dekhna Sai ko aise taiyar karungi ki bomb lagegi ekdum....Virat jiju toh kaam se gaye samjho." Karishma said and laughed.

Sai and Karishma were in shopping mall. Karishma picked up one dress and asked to try it on. Sai was appalled by Karishma's choice of clothes. "What is this Karishma. You called this dress? It looks like an inner wear to me."

"Shut up when you don't know anything about western fashion. This dress is perfect for you." Karishma said and brought that dress in spite of Sai's denial.

On her way back home Sai stopped at the office to give lunch boxes to Ninad and Virat. "Sai beta, tum aaj office mein? Aaj phir lunch lekar aayi ho kya?" Ninad asked as she greeted Sai.

"Yes baba, I have brought your lunch." Sai replied.

"Hmm, dekh raha hoon apne Ninad baba ki khub sewa ho rahi hai itni sewa toh meri bhi kabhi nahi hui." Kamal said as he joined them.

"Baba!" Sai pleaded her father not to tease her.

"Arre mere ke liye kaha yaha aane ki mehnat toh Virat ke liye ki gayi hai...hai na?" Ninad also teased her.

"Arre aap bhi shuru ho gaye?" Sai complained.

But as Ninad mentioned Virat, Sai had a strong urge to see him. She realized she has not seen him since morning.

Ninad saw Sai was all lost in her thoughts, "If you are wondering where is Virat? Then he is busy in a meeting so you have to wait for some time." Sai blushed at being caught.

But she couldn't wait as Karishma was also with her and she wanted to reach home early so that she can go to parlour to get ready for tonight. So with heavy heart Sai also came back with her.

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Around 7 pm Karishma and Sunny came to Chavan mansion to take Sai with them. They were not surprised that Sai was not ready. She was least interested in going with them. Karishma, Alka and Ashwini had to literally push her into the room to get ready. Sai came out wearing the dress Karishma had bought for her. Everyone in the room kept staring at her. It was a black strapless bodycon dress which hugged her figure at all the right places. It ended much above her knees. She teamed it with broad golden belt and matching high heel sandals. She left her long hair open.

"Wow! I cant believe my daughter can look like this." Alka exclaimed.

But Sai clearly looked uncomfortable in it as she kept pulling it up and down to desperately cover the exposed area of her chest and thighs as much as possible.

"Stop fidgeting with it. You are looking great. Now go and enjoy."  Ashwini said as she pushed her out of the door.

"Aai I'll come back soon. Aap Virat ko inform kar dena please, I tried but he didn't pick probably he was busy. And call me once he is back home I'll come back immediately." Sai kept blabbering as her aai shoved her into the car.

Ashwini then called Karishma in the corner, "Now keep her busy in the pub. When Virat will come I'll send him to the pub." Ashwini said and Karishma gave her thumbs up.

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Virat came back late around 10 pm that day. He was already frustrated as  the start of his day was not good then again he was busy whole day in office. He came to know Sai had come to office with their lunch and didn't even wait for him to come out of the conference hall. He was missing her and was desperate to see her. He thought she will be waiting for him for dinner as usual but there also he couldn't found her as his mother has informed her that she has gone out with her cousins to some pub. His aai has asked him to go there and bring her back but he refused as he was now angry on her. She used to pamper him and shower all her attention on him everyday and now suddenly she was not there around him and not giving him time and  all this was making him sad and anxious.

At last he couldn't hold it anymore, "Why Sai is not back until now? And who gave per permission to go there? As far as I remember she didn't ask me." Virat asked angrily.

Ashwini gulped down with difficulty looking at him like this. She couldn't understand what made him so angry suddenly and he also refused to go to the pub. Her plan was failing. Karishma was calling again and again asking when Virat will come as it was impossible to stop Sai now. She wanted to come back as soon as possible. Ashwini was thinking how to make him go there when his words caught her attention. He talked about permission. Her son was not at all an orthodox and dominating man who would mind if his wife goes out with her friends then why suddenly he is behaving strange. She had no answers but she wanted to continue the conversation to somehow make him agree to go that pub.

"Excuse me, what did you say....permission? she didn't ask you?.....who the hell are you to give her 'permission'. Don't forget she is our daughter and she asked me about it and I allowed her to go there. Aur itni hi fikar ho rahi hai to khud jakar le aao na usko." Ashwini replied folding her hands in front of her chest in pride.

Virat was speechless for sometime as he realized what did he say. His aai was right. Why he was behaving like a possessive and control freak husband suddenly? But he couldn't digest the fact that first Sai didn't show her face to him since morning then she didn't do any of his work like making his coffee, sorting out his clothes, making his breakfast, didn't even wait for him on lunch and now didn't even present at home to serve and eat dinner with him. She is enjoying with her friends and he didn't even know her whereabouts. He felt like he has become from most important to least important person in her life. And this was upsetting him more than he thought.

"She is my wife. Isn't it her responsibility to at least inform me of her whereabouts." Virat replied with gritted teeth as he felt anger rising in him once again.

"But..." Ashwini tried to say something but Virat didn't let her complete.

"Ok fine! I am going. Where is this pub? I am going to get her back." He inquired.

Finally Ashwini sighed in relief as he agreed to go. She told him the address and as soon as he left she informed Karishma about it. She felt her plan will work now. Virat will saw Sai there and will be floored by her looks.

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to be continued...