Riddhima came back from the washroom and saw Anjie sitting laying down on the bed with a million dollar smile on her face.
Riddhima: what's wrong with you?
Anjie: I don't know……seeing you so happy….made me smile. (getting up) You're happy…..right?
Riddhima: I honestly don't know….how much happier I can be.
Riddhima goes over to her bed, and Anjie jumps on her bed.
Anjie: Ridzi? Sach sach bata…..tu Sid ko….pasand karti hai?
Riddhima's eyes slowly lowered, she gave a shy smile. The thought of her admitting that she likes Sid made her blush.
Anjie: hay Rabba! Tu toh sharma rahi hai! oye? aisa kya jaadu kar diya, ki tu muskuraana bandh nahi kar sakhta?
Riddhima(smiling): pata nahi di. Jabhi main usse dekhti hoon na…..apne aap muskurati hoon, Sid bohot acha insaan hai di. Ek fereshte ki tadha mere zindagi me aayi, jab mujhe ek dost ki zarurat di…..usne mera haath thama, jab main maud ki kuey me gir rahi thi….usne mujhe bachaya, jab main zarurat se zyaada pagal ho rahi thi…..usne mujhe control kiya, jab main zindagi ka matlab bhul jaa rahi thi….usne mujhe zindagi ka matlab sikhaya. Zindagi kitni ajeeb hoti hai na di? Jiss insaan se…..main apni jaan se bhi zyadaa pyaar ki…..usne mujhe beech sarak par chod diya……aur jiss insaan se main….sabse zyadaa nafrat ki thi…..usne mujhe jine ki tamanna di…..usne mera haath thama. Siddhant…..aisa insaan nahi hai…jaisa maine socha tha…..he's a very wise man…..woh Armaan ki tadha bacho jaisi harkat nahi karti hai, uski baate, uski harkate, uski attitude me ek maturity hai. Jyaada muskuraati nahi hai, but the smirk he gives……is enough. Ek ideal husband hai woh. Papa usse bohot trust karti hai….aur who bhi maanti hai papa ko. You know….aaj main yakeen ke saath keh sakhti hoon ki…..Siddhant ho who ladka hai…..jiske saath main apni puri zindagi bita sakhti hoon. Lekin kya main usse pyaar karti hoon? Pata nahi di. All I know is….I've started to like him.
Anjie's mouth became a perfect 'O'. She couldn't believe that Riddhima said all these things. She couldn't help but give a wide smile. Riddhima was in her own world. Not knowing that her sister was astonished by her answer.
Anjie: too much Ridzi!!! Tujhe main itna khoyi hui si nahi dekhi. You look like a teenager who fell in a crush! Acha yeh toh bata….aaj kya hua tha? Kya kar rahi thi tu uske saath?
Riddhima(lost in her own world): (sigh) movie dekhne gaya tha.
Anjie: who….Pune me?
Riddhima: (slowly nodding her head)
Anjie: toh kya Asha thi wahan?
Riddhima: (slowly nodding her head)
Anjie(idea): oh. Agar Asha thi toh…..usse toh zarur maza aayga.
Riddhima(still lost in her own world): kyun?
Anjie: you and I both know that Siddhant is a very handsome and a cute guy. Asha must have…..you know….
Riddhima(slowly looking towards Anjie with wide eyes): No way!!
Anjie: I'm just saying…..might be.
Riddhima: no no no no….well….she did comment about him.
Anjie: what?
Riddhima: that she likes his attitude and he's cute and handsome and I have no right to marry such a cute and hot guy.
Anjie: you see!
Riddhima: oh please!!
Anjie: look at you! You're burning!
Riddhima: What?!
Anjie: Fuming with jealousy!
Riddhima: di agar aap ek aur lafz bhi kaha na….toh main aapko….
She started tickling Anjie, and Anjie was trying to tickle Riddhima back. They laughed hysterically, both Shashank and Padma came rushing in.
Padma: yeh kya bhootni ki tadha tum dono hass rahe ho?
Shashank: koi aisa hasta hai kya? Main toh dar hi gayi thi.
Riddhima: maa dekhiye na?! kitni sataati hai mujhe?
Anjie: agar itna jaloge toh kya haal hoga tumhari?
Riddhima: DII!!!!!!
Anjie: (laughing)
Padma: acha chalo, 11:00 baj chukka hai, so jao. Aur agar phir se tum dono bhootni ki tadha hasna shuru kiya na, toh dekhle na.
Riddhima: mamma, aap bhi na.
Anjie: waise maa, aapne sahi kaha, aapki beti toh waise hi bhootni hai, pata nahi inki pati parmeshwar zyadaa din tik payga ya bhi nahi.
Riddhima(throwing slaps on Anjie): DIII!!!!!!!!
Shashank: sahi kaha tumne. Siddhant ke saath inki pehle hi mulakaat thapar se shuru hui thi na.
Riddhima: Aapko kaise pata chala?!
Shashank: tumhe kya laga? Ki main kuch nahi janti?
Anjie: Riddhima. Tsk.
Padma: sirf ek nahi, teen baar.
Anjie(laughing): tsk, bechara Siddhant.
Riddhima: toh aap logo ko kya lagta hai, ki mujhe khushi ho rahi hai iss baat me?
Anjie: ooohooo!!!!
Shashank: jo hua acha hi hua. Ab chalo so jao.
Riddhima: good night papa, good night mamma.
Anjie: hmm night night papa.
Then both Shashank and Padma go to bed.
Riddhima: kya hua tha? Main tumhe baad me bataugi. Filhaal tum so jao.
Anjie: (sigh) ok.
Riddhima goes to her bed and wraps herself with the blanket. She was about to set the alarm on her mobile when she got a message from Sid.
Sid: I hope maine tumhe jagaya nahi, anyways, maine socha ki kal main tumhe ghumaane le chalu, shopping vagera and stuff, waise bhi…..main kapre selection me zero hoon, tumhari help paregi. (Riddhima smiles) Kal main apni duties khatam kar ke hi tumhe pick up kar lunga, till then…..sweet dreams wifey.
Riddhima snickered at his message. She was excited to go to shopping with him. The first thing that came in her mind that she'll but him loads and loads of white, red and blue shirts. She loved to see him in white.
Riddhima(whispering): wifey.
She laid down upright with her eyes on the ceiling, as she was waiting for sleep to slowly drift her away. Meanwhile Anjie turned to her right and slowly hid the tape recorder under her pillow. Gotcha sis! Now I have to wait for the morning to come…..and mom and dad will get to know what you truly feel for Sid.
It was ten in the morning and everyone was doing their duty. Sid went to finish his duty so that he could spend more time with his wifey. On the other hand Riddhima was sitting idly changing channels with her head resting on the palm of her left hand, feeling all bored. She was so used to working that sitting idly with just watching television made herself seem unusual. Her thoughts weren't into the movie she was watching, she kept thinking where Sid would take her. What would he buy for her, what would she buy for him. The thought erased all the boredom which was showing on her face and exchanged it with a light smile. Padma came to her and saw the movie playing but her thoughts were somewhere else and a light smile playing on her lips. Padma looks at the T.V. and then at Riddhima, then at the T.V. and again at Riddhima.
Padma: Riddhima?
Riddhima: (no answer)
Padma: Riddhima?
Riddhima: (no answer)
Padma(jerking her): Riddhima!
Riddhima: huh? Kya? Oh mamma! Aap yahan?
Padma: kabse tumhe bula rahi hoon? Aaj kal tum humesha khoyi hui si rehti ho, baat kya hai?
Riddhima: nahi who maa…kuch nahi.
Padma: kuch toh baat hai.
Riddhima: nahi maa sachhi, koi baat nahi hai.
Padma: beta, maa hoon main tumhari, sab janti hoon, kya baat hai?
Riddhima: who…..aaj main aur Siddhant…..shopping karne jaa rahe hai.
Padma(giggles): shopping?
Riddhima: haan.
Padma: kab aaraha hai who?
Riddhima: bas duties khatam kar ke hi aa jayga.
Padma: achi baat hai, isi zariye se tum dono ka rishta aur bhi mazboot ho jayga. Acha laga yeh sunkar.
Riddhima: (smiles)
Padma(pressure cooker whistles): oop! Tum yahan betho main kitchen me chali jaati hoon.
Riddhima: maa main aapki madat kar leti hoon.
Padma: nahi rehne do…..tumhe aisa….khoyi hui dekhna….mujhe acha lagta hai.
Riddhima: (blushes)
Padma soon trots away to the kitchen.
Riddhima: hosh me toh reh Riddhima. Pata nahi kya ho jaata hai mujhe.
Meanwhile Sid was at the hospital doing his duty, he couldn't give any attention to his work, his mind always wandered off to Riddhima. Riddhima ke bina, hospital me bohot ajeeb lag raha hai. aisa kyun lag raha hai mujhe? Just then two nurses walked by Sid.
Nurse 1: bohot acha hua ki Dr. Riddhima chutti par chali gayi, warna pure hospital ko ulta karke rakh legi.
Nurse 2: haan. Sahi kaha hai tumne, who Hitler naa aane se hi behtar hoga.
Hearing that Sid gave a light smile and concentrated working on his paperwork so that he can finish his duties. Koi vishwaas nahi karega. Agar main kahoon, ki kal raat humne ek saath movie dekh ke dance bhi kar rahi thi, koi vishwaas nahi karega. Suddenly his mobile rang up. It was Riddhima. He went to the terrace to talk to her.
Sid: Hey you!
Riddhima: Hey yourself! Kya kar rahe ho aap?
Sid: bas terrace pe hoon ek ladki se milne.
Riddhima(shocked): What!!!
Sid: tumse baat karne aaya hoon yahan, agar hospital me baat karunga toh log mujhe chedenge.
Riddhima(calmed down): oh.
Sid: waise tum kya kar rahe ho?
Riddhima: who movie dekhte dekhte bore ho gaya tha, mamma ko kitchen me help kar rahi thi, waise aap kab aaoge?
Sid: bas duties khatam ho gayi hai, ab bas paperwork karna baaki hai, who khatam karke hi tumse milne aajaunga.
Riddhima(unknowingly blurts it out): jaldi aaye ga.
Sid(with a little smirk on his lips): kyun?
Riddhima(realizing): haan..ww..woh…shopping karna hai na…..aapke liye bohot saare shopping karni hai.
Sid: oh really.
Riddhima: really. (slowly patting on her head)
Sid: theek hai….toh main…jaldi hi aajungi.
Riddhima(nervous): huh?
Sid: main bhi toh dekhun…..ki mera wifey mere liye kya shopping karna chahti hai.
Riddhima(nervously laughing): haan….(blushing)
Sid: theek hai toh milta hoon…..tayyar rehna.
Riddhima: haan.
Sid: bye.
Riddhima: bye.
Sid disconnects the call and just looks at his mobile. How cute is that? I love to see her so nervous. So innocent. Thinking that he quickly goes away to finish his paperwork. Riddhima on the other hand looks at her mobile. 'main bhi toh dekhun…..ki mera wifey mere liye kya shopping karna chahti hai. Thinking that she blushes and pats on her head. Wifey…..i like it. She sits on the sofa, reading the Cosmopolitan magazine and waiting for her hubby to come. Half an hour passed and she hears the car screeching outside their door. She threw away the magazine and ran to the door to greet Sid. Sid looked at her with a smirk on his lips.
Riddhima(catching her breath): Hey you.
Sid(smirking): Hey yourself.
Riddhima(realizing): why in the world are you smirking?
Sid: oh nothing. Mammi papa kahan hai?
Riddhima: papa bahar gaye hue hai, mamma kitchen me hai.
Sid: ssshh….
Sid slowly sneaks to the kitchen and sees Padma stirring a curry on a pan. Sid slowly sneaks up behind her.
Sid(suddenly grabbing her shoulders): Hey mom!!!!
Padma(loud gasp): Siddhant! (exhaling loudly, giving him a bear hug and then giving him a hard pat on his chests) buddhu! Yeh koi tarika hai kisiko pukarne me? Dara diya na mujhe?
Sid(giggling): sorry. Aapko itna kaam karte hue dekhna acha nahi lagta.
Padma: acha? Agar nahi karungi, toh tumhari sasur ji ka mood kharap ho jayga.
Sid: hmmm……yeh toh sahi baat hai. waise aaj mera world greatest sasu maa….
Padma: please mere saath nahi, sasu maa ki profile mujh par suit nahi karti please.
Sid: theek hai toh…..pushpa?
Padma(giving him another hard pat on his chests): Pushpa?!
Sid: kyun? Aap toh ho hi mere pushpa.
Padma: (giving a poke on his belly, blushing) Chup! Pagal.
Sid: no seriously….kya bana rahe ho aap?
Padma: chicken curry, daal, thoda sabziyan aur roti.
Sid: mmm…..nice!
Looking at the mother-in-law and son-in-law relationship, Riddhima thought life can never be so perfect. Armaan never shared such relation with her mother like Sid did. Riddhima looked at them and saw how happy they were, she couldn't help but smile widely looking at how her mother was blushing when he called her pushpa.
Sid: acha mamma, agar aapki ijazat ho, toh kya main aapki beti ko leke thodi ghumaane le chalu?
Padma: are?! Tumhari patni hai, tumhari mann me jo aaye uske saath kar sakhte ho.
Sid: theek hai, hum shopping ke liye jaa rahe hai, raat ko Riddhima ko ghar drop kar dungi main.
Padma: aaj humare saath dinner kar lo.
Sid: nahi mamma, phir kabhi.
Padma: theek hai, dekhlo, jiss din aaoge, itna khilaunga itna khilaunga, ki moti ho jaoge.
Sid: don't worry, high metabolism you see.
Padma: (chuckling) dhyan se chalna beta.
Sid: yes mumsy.
Sid comes out of the kitchen and saw Riddhima smiling at him.
Sid: what?
Riddhima: well that was cute.
Sid: she's my mother-in-law, I love her.
Riddhima: I know.
Sid: ok now let's go.
Sid and Riddhima go to the car and drive out of the Gupta house. They go to a shopping mall, and they park the car.
Riddhima: let's go!
Sid: uh oh.
They entered the mall. Sid got confused as to which shop to enter. Then he concluded that he wants to pick some clothes for her.
Sid: let's go to this shop.
Riddhima: umm ok.
They entered the shop, he looked everywhere with his eyebrows completely twitched.
Sid: ohhh why don't you go pick your favorites and I'll look over here?
Riddhima: ok.
They both split up, Riddhima's eyes were filled with beauty of the colors and designs of saari's while Sid looked at each garment with utter confusion. Then his eyes fell on a beautiful saari. The saari had a rosy red color with black embroidery work on it, and on that embroidery had a touch of golden glitter which sprakled his eyes when the glitters reflected on the light, the garment of the aanchal was very light and transparent so that it can show the work of the saari through the aanchal. He imagined Riddhima wearing it. The saari clinging on her beautiful feminine figure, her hair opened, wearing high heels. He just took it and kept it on the cashiers table, before Riddhima came this way.
Sid: bhai sahib, yeh jaldi se pack kar dijiye.
Cashier: are wah! Aaj tak kisi ne yeh saari nahi kharida, aap hi pehle ho.
Sid: shayad yeh mere kismet me hi tha.
Cashier: that'll be Rs. 7000.
Sid: wow.
Cashier: yeah, aaj tak ise kisine nahi kharida kyunki yeh bohot expensive hai.
Sid: janti hoon, iska embroidery work hi kitna fantastic hai.
Sid brought out his credit card and the cashier swapped the card on the machine. He quickly folded the saari with care and packed it for him. Sid took the bag. Just then Riddhima came to him to show a white colored saari with red workings on it.
Riddhima: dekho Siddhant, kitna sundar hai na?
Sid: yeah it's beautiful, if you like it, buy it.
Riddhima: I don't know…..it's too expensive.
Sid: so what? Buy it.
Riddhima: ok.
Sid: bhai sahib yeh saari pack kar dijiye.
Cashier: that'll be 5000.
Sid: (nervously chuckles)
Riddhima: told you it was expensive.
Sid: so what? Bhaiyya pack kar dijiye.
Cashier: ok.
Sid took the bag and they both went out of the shop. Riddhima noticed another bag on his hand.
Riddhima: what's that?
Sid(tensed): oh it's nothing.
Riddhima: come on let me see it.
Sid: no. no allowance in this bag.
Riddhima: please?
Sid: no.
Riddhima: hmph!
Sid: (quietly snickers)
Then they both go to another store where a lot of beautiful selwaar kameez were showing up. Sid picked her a crimson color suit.
Sid: what do you think about this?
Riddhima: it's kinda nice….kinda not.
Sid: hmm.
Then Sid picked her a bluish ash colored suit which had beautiful but simple workings on it.
Sid: how about this?
Riddhima: hmm this is beautiful.
Sid: why don't you go and try it?
Riddhima: ok.
Riddhima goes to the changing booth and starts trying the suit on. Meanwhile Sid just kept looking here and there with his hands on his waist and his eyebrows completely twitched. He couldn't understand what type of fashion the girls wear in this generation. All his life he has bought things for himself, even when he had girlfriends in high school he had zero knowledge as to what girls like. Sue always helped him out in this area. He looked at a suit closely and slightly shook his head in disbelief thinking how complicatedly women dresses are made. Whenever women wear their saaris, tension and irritation floods over their face. 'What if my saari opens up'? 'Oh my god! Why is it so heavy'? 'The workings on the saari itches me'. 'I need shoes that match with my saari'. 'This saari is so tight, I can't breathe'. 'Why the hell did you pin up my aanchal with my skin you neem ke pakode'?! 'What if my shoe tangles up with my saari and I trip in front of everyone'? But men, all they need is a new ironed shirt and pant, a handsome tie, a Raymond suit, and shiny shoes and just fog themselves up with deodorant. No tensions and problem free life. He thought about the differences about women's wear and men's wear and smirked. Just then Riddhima came out of the booth and stood there, hoping as to what Sid would say. Sid just kept looking here and there, unaware that Riddhima is just behind him.
Riddhima: ahem.
Sid turned back with his hands still on his hips, with his eyebrows completely twitched and his lips pursed in confusion. But the moment he saw her standing there with that beautiful bluish ash colored suit, his eyebrows slowly came back to normal, his pursed lips turned into a smirk and his confusion all out in thin air, all he could do was just watch his lovely wife standing there. He looked at her from top to bottom and the more he looked the more his lips turned into a smile. Riddhima looked down so that he doesn't see her blush, she smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. The way Sid was looking at her sent shivers down her spine, her heart literally began to race. She adorably looked up to meet his eyes. He just simply nodded indicating a yes. But her heart wanted more; she at least wanted to hear him say 'you look beautiful'. But his smile said it all.
Sid(nodding): it looks beautiful on you.
Riddhima: really?
Sid slowly went to her and turned her around to look at the mirror. Her eyes didn't notice the dress she was wearing, her eyes kept wandering at how Sid stood behind her gently grabbing her shoulders, and the smirk which was playing on his lips.
Sid: ab dekho.
At that time Riddhima noticed that the dress was indeed beautiful, and its beauty increased as Sid slowly took her dupatta and placed it over her head.
Sid: ab dekh rahi ho, kitna khubsoorat hai yeh dress?
Riddhima: (astonished by his gesture) haan.
Sid: bohot sundar lag rahi ho.
Riddhima just wished if time could've stopped this instant, she needed to put her mind elsewhere or else they would have to be here all day.
Riddhima: thanks. Ok now we have to hurry, I want to buy you some shirts.
Sid: ok.
Riddhima quickly changed and gave it to the cashier to pack and took the bag. Then they went to buy some clothes for Sid. Sid was excited because this is the only area where he had full knowledge of buying clothes and he wanted to see that his wife wants to buy for him. They went in and saw a whole lot of check shirts, T-shirts, branded shirts. Sid saw a Nautica shirt and went running to it.
Sid: I love Nautica shirts, especially when they are check shirts.
Riddhima(thinking): Sid likes Nautica shirts? Sid has good taste.
Riddhima: I like them too, why don't you……try this?
Riddhima showed him a white shirt but the collar and the sleeve had red checks on it. Sid took the shirt and went into the changing room. Riddhima looked here and there. Sid would look so handsome in all of these shirts. She looked to her left and her eyes got widened. She saw a handsome looking tuxedo showing with a mannequin, the white color shirt, with the black bow tie and the tight tux around the shirt, the golden buttons and silver cuff links with a black stone in it, and a beautiful ironed pant. She just imagined Sid wearing it, the tuxedo clinging onto his masculine body, magnifying his charming beauty, looking all the more handsome, his ruffled jet black hair, his dark blue eyes and his lips playing his usual smirk. She told the cashier to pack this.
Cashier: wow, yeh tuxedo aaj tak kisi ne nahi kharida.
Riddhima: kyunki yeh tuxedo ka kismet mere pati ka haath me lika tha.
Cashier: that'll be Rs. 6000.
Riddhima: (gulp)
Cashier: told you it was expensive.
Riddhima took out her credit card and gave it to the cashier, the cashier paced it beautifully and gave it to her.
Sid: Riddhima?
Riddhima turned back. The sight in front of her made her heart race and her eyes twinkle. Sid stood in front of her with that white shirt. Riddhima looked at him from top to bottom, his jet black hair all messed up, his dark blue eyes anxiously waiting for her response, his lips slightly parted for the confusion, the shirt clinging on to his masculine body and slightly showing off his chest, he looked perfect. Riddhima let out an inaudible and a slow sigh.
Sid: so? How is it?
Riddhima: you look perfect.
Sid: really? 'coz I was hoping you would say that I look like a vanilla cake with cherries on top.
Riddhima: (snickers) no silly, you look handsome.
Sid: thanks. Anyways, it's getting late and anyways, I have something to do.
Riddhima: what?
Sid: you'll see.
Sid went to the changing room and changed into his old clothes. And after a moment they drove away from there. Sid was driving the car but Riddhima was anxious to know where he was taking her. It was 4:00 p.m. and Riddhima soon realized that they are very far away from the city.
Riddhima: hum kahan jaa rahe hai Siddhant?
Sid: patience dear.
They were driving on a free road, and it seems to be that they're out of the city and has reached very far away from it. It was windy and it seemed as if it's going to rain. Sid parked the car on the right side of the road safely. He rushed out of the car and helped Riddhima get out as well.
Sid(excited): come on.
Riddhima: what is going on?
Sid and Riddhima was standing in the middle of the road. It was really windy outside.
Sid: ok now put your right foot there.
Riddhima: ok.
Sid: and your left foot here.
Riddhima was standing on a line which was going straight through her legs.
Riddhima(smiling): you're acting like crazy, what's going on?
Sid: ok right now…..you're straddling on a state line.
Riddhima: (confused)
Sid shows the sign board which welcomed to the state.
Sid: you're in two places at once.
Riddhima's mouth slowly dropped. He did it. Something no one, not even her, could even do it. He fulfilled one of her wishes, on her to-do list. He remembered. She never in her wildest dreams would have thought that Sid would do it. All she could see is her husband smiling widely in front of her. She laughed in happiness and just jumped on him for a bear hug. Her stilettos were about to get tossed off the road. Riddhima hugged him so tightly that Sid nearly suffocated, but her happiness and her excitement went beyond borders. Riddhima remembered their conversation at that dhaaba.
Riddhima: hmm…….42.
Sid: 42?
Riddhima: it's like my to-do list. Leave school. Go to college. Study doctorate. Be at two places at once. Get a tattoo…..
Sid: Tattoo?
Riddhima: (slowly nodding her head)
Riddhima came back to the present and just looked at him astonished.
Riddhima: aapko yaad tha?
Sid: (slowly nodding)
Riddhima: you have done something no one ever did for me………thank you.
Sid: you're welcome. I have another thing for you.
Riddhima(excited): really?
Sid: come.
Sid and Riddhima went into the car. Sid slid his right hand in his pockets and brought out three different varieties of tattoos.
Riddhima: oh my god.
Sid: you said you wanted a tattoo so I brought some.
Riddhima(covering her face with her hands, nervously laughing): oh my god.
Sid: Butterfly? Rosebud? or Star?
Riddhima(excited): you choose.
Sid(humming): Rosebud.
Sid looked at her and she slowly raised her eyes to meet his. It started to rain outside and there was no car going through this road. Sid paused for a minute.
Sid: where do you want it?
Riddhima's heart started to beat faster. She looked up to meet the eyes of the man in front of her. She looked at him with awe and affection as he stared back at her with a confused face. Sid today has done things for her which Armaan himself never did it for her, or much less he didn't even remember her wishes. She thought for a second. The man in front of her is her husband, her savior, her source for happiness. She slowly turned back towards him. Sid was now facing her back. She pulled away her dupatta and kept it on her lap. Her heart racing in tension as the seconds which went by became more and more intense. She slowly slid down the right side of her dress to reveal her right shoulder bone. Sid's heart skipped a beat but his face was just normal. Riddhima felt like she was having a hard time to breathe.
Sid: ok.
Sid started to open the wrapping of the tattoo and he placed it over her shoulder bone. Riddhima looked back at him and saw he was printing the tattoo on her shoulder bone with a coin. Sid gave his usual smirk to her and she smiled. Then he slowly peeled off the sticker and saw the rosebud finely printed on her smooth skin. Riddhima saw it and smiled. Sid puffed some air to it so that it dries off, and the moment he puffed Riddhima instantly closed her eyes. The he ran his thumb over the tattoo.
Sid: do you like it?
Riddhima: I love it.
Sid: good.
Riddhima slid back her dress and wore her dupatta, Sid sat back at his seat and started the engine. They drove back to the city. It was 6:00 p.m. and the sun was setting and he knew a great place where they could see the sunset. Sid drove up to a hill and parked the car there. All they could see in front was the sun slowly setting on the horizon. Riddhima slowly went out of the car and stood there. Sid slowly got out of the car and stood beside her. Riddhima looked at him, she could see the reflection of the sun setting in his eyes.
Sid: wow.
Riddhima: it's amazing isn't it?
Sid: hmm.
Riddhima: how can you see places like this? And….have moments like this and not believe?
Sid: you're lucky to be so sure.
Riddhima: hmm.
Riddhima: what do you feel about love Sid? What is love to you?
Sid(looking at the sun setting): What is love to me? To me…..love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful….or conceited. It is never rude….or…selfish. It doesn't offense and is not resentful. (slides his hands in his pockets) Love never takes pleasure in….other people's sins…..but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse……to trust…..to hope……and to endure whatever comes. That's what I feel about love. And you?
Riddhima: To me? Love….is like the wind. I…..can't see it…..but I feel it.
Sid: and what do you feel?
Riddhima(smiling looking at the sunset): I feel….wonder…beauty….joy…warmth….i mean…it's the center of everything.
Sid: hmm.
Sid let a loud sigh. He looked at Riddhima who closed her eyes and felt the last warm rays of the sun touching her beautiful face.
Sid: Riddhima…..the reason for my harshness towards you…..
Riddhima flew open her eyes and immediately turned towards him.
Riddhima: yes….Sid?
Sid: The night of our marriage…..when you were getting ready…..i promised to myself…and you….. that I would keep you happy…..no matter what happens. I thought we could get over this as a friend….supporting you in every way. But when you drank that poison….(looking down)…I thought you were going to die Riddhima. I did whatever I could to keep you…alive. From then on….i understood that I could never keep you happy, this marriage….will be a burden to you. At the time we were taking the pheres, I vowed that whatever I would do, I would do it for your happiness. After our marriage i…came up with a plan.
Riddhima looked at him with her eyebrows completely twitched and her lips slightly parted, trying to understand him.
Sid: I thought….if I become harsh to you….if I abuse you…if I become the bad guy….you could get out of this marriage with an excuse to say it to the society, to your family, without tarnishing your family's reputation and respect. And so that….you could go again…in search for Armaan. Yes…I was angry at you for your attempt of your suicide, but that made my job easier. (chuckling) But I have no idea, why you silently kept bearing my harshness towards you. The harder I try, the more you wouldn't budge. But now I want to say that I'm so….
Before Sid could apologize, Riddhima quickly put a finger on his mouth. Sid was talking with his eyes on the ground and he didn't even realize that while he was talking her eyes were brimming with tears. Riddhima just kept looking at him with her lips still parted, amazed at the man standing in front of her. Ab tak jo bhi kuch kiya…..sab mere liye tha? Mere khushi ke liye tha? Taaki main iss shaadi se chutkara paakar…..Armaan ke paas jaa sakun? Kaise kar lete hai yeh sab Siddhant? Humesha apni baare me na sochkar…..mere baare me socha? Aur maine iss insaan pe kitna shak kiya tha…..kitna chedha maine usse? Itna selfless hai who?
Riddhima(crying): Aur aaj tak maine yeh socha ki... itna kuch kar dala mere liye….aur ek baar bhi apne baare me nahi socha? Ek baar bhi nahi socha….ki agar main yeh shaadi ko chod ke chali jaati….toh aap par kya hoga? Log aapko kya kehte? Aur yeh sab jaanke bhi….apne mere khushi ke liye yeh sab kiya? Siddhant….aap…itna ache kyun ho?
All Sid could do was just give his signature smirk at her. Riddhima slowly went ahead at him and hugged him tightly. Letting the tears flow down her cheeks and wetting his shirt. Sid hugged her back as well.
Riddhima: aapko koi haq nahi banta….ki aap iss baare me mujhse sorry kahenge. Balki sorry toh mujhe kehna chahye…..ki maine aapko kitna taqleef di.
Sid: jo hua so hua. You know what? Maine soch liya hai. Aaj se…tum mujhe 'tum' kehke hi bulao. Yeh 'aap' mere basske baat nahi hai.
Riddhima: (chuckling in his arms) you sure?
Sid: yup.
Riddhima: well alright then.
Sid: we better go. It's getting late.
Riddhima: yes.
Then they both get into the car and drive back home. Sid was driving the car, where Riddhima sat at her seat with her eyes closed, not believing the recent events that took place. Sid fulfilling two of her wishes. She blushed thinking about how she let him give the tattoo. But he's her husband. There's no need to feel uncomfortable. But that weird, butterflies roaming inside her tummy sensation still lingered in her. A sweet tender smile kept playing on her lips. Her journey with Sid started bitterly, and at times it went out of hand, but she never in her wildest dreams thought she would marry him, and he would keep her so happy. Maybe God has a plan for all of us. Maybe He has a better plan for me, than I had for myself. Thank you, for sending Sid into my life. Thank you God.
Sid: Riddhima, we're home.
Riddhima flew open her eyes. She was so indulged in her own dreamland that she didn't even realize that he parked the car in front of their doorway. Riddhima got out of the car and so did Sid. Riddhima rang the doorbell, Padma quickly came and opened the door for them.
Padma: wow you're quick.
Sid: mamma, it's 7:00 p.m. how late do you want us to be?
Padma: hmm.
Sid: oh shoot! I'm late! Otherwise mom will worry. Let me take the bags.
Sid and Riddhima both went to her room. Sid kept the bags on her bed. He kept searching for the bag which had the saari he specially bought for her. And so did Riddhima, she kept searching for the bag which had his tux. Finally both found their bags and quickly snatched it. Both gave each other a tensed smile. Sid was looking here and there, and Riddhima kept looking at the floor, fidgeting with the end of her dupatta.
Riddhima: I need to go to the hospital tomorrow. Can you give me a ride?
Sid: sure! Of course!
Riddhima: thanks.
Sid: anyways I gotta bounce. See you tomorrow. Bye!
Riddhima: Bye!
Then Sid gave her a side hug and a kiss on her forehead. Sid quickly bid his goodbye to Padma and Shashank and went to his car and drove away from there. Riddhima took her usual PJ's and a towel and went straight to the bathroom. As she took off her suit her eyes fell on something. She took a few steps back and looks through the mirror. The crimson colored rose with two leaves hanging on the stem which got printed finely on her right shoulder bone. It suited her. A wide smile spread across her lips as she kept watching it. She remembered how Sid ran his index finger on the tattoo and how she closed her eyes to feel it. And how he puffed air to it so that it could dry off. Her cheeks turned rosy red. God has a plan for her, but she didn't know that God had a different plan for her, as tomorrow; everything around her……..will change.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
Precap: As Riddhima stepped out of the shop with the photocopied papers in her hand, her eyes fell on something which instantly made her glued to that spot. The sight in front of her made her eyebrows twitch, her jaw line tighten, her breathing faster, her left hand turned into a fist as her knuckles popped out of her hand and her nails digging in her palm, her right hand clasping the papers tightly, forming wrinkles on the finely copied papers, her eyes widened, burning with fury. As she saw a lady in the arms of her husband.
heyyy Fahmi🤗
i jst luv ur longgg updates😉
ur updates r really worth d wait😃
jst luvd siddhima shopping, tattoo, sunset, everything😳
plzzz cont soon
Veena
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