Part 9
'Not so fast Dharamji"
Dharam raised his eyebrows. She was the one hurrying to get to the room , so what did she want now? Meera took his hands and led him to the balcony. The full moon created a magical aura, Meera's hair was shimmering in it,
" I want to tell you something"
" what's it Meera"?
Meera looked into his eyes and started talking" All my life I have felt abandoned and unwanted, you know I was separated from my family and by the time I found my mum, she went to jail. I always felt that I wasn't important, I wasn't loved. All that changed when I met you. I know we started off by hating each other and fighting a lot but even then I know you cared for me. I have done so many things to hurt you but your love for me never wavered. I want you to know that I am so sorry for all that lost time, time spent fighting with each other, away from you..But I never ever stopped loving you, even when I thought I hated you and I'd rather die..."
Dharam covered Meera's mouth. " Don't Meera. It's our anniversary today and I don't want you to say anything like that. And no more apologies. I know you, better than you know yourself. And I will never doubt your love for me"
He held her close and moved with her to the room. He took a remote and pressed the button. Slow English music filled the room. ' unchained melody' . Meera was surprised. Dharam had always teased her when she tried to listen to English songs asking why she wanted to listen to useless noise. This was her favourite romantic song and he had paid attention to it. They danced together to the music. Dharam really didn't know what he was doing, but he was happy to follow Meera's lead. Meera took his face in her hands and kissed him passionately. By the end of that kiss she had removed his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt.
Dharam's hand found the zip of her dress and he slowly pulled it down. Meera let the dress fall around her ankles and stepped out. This time when Dharam led her to the bed she didn't stop him. He lay her down and got on top of her. Meera closed her eyes and smiled. Their love making was like everything else about them. Passionate.
Afterwards as Meera lay in his arms and watched her husband sleep, she knew this was what she wanted most in her life. To sleep in his arms and wake up in his arms.
.
While Meera was getting cozy with Dharam, her mother in law from hell was not so happy. For starters , she was starving. She hadn't eaten properly since escaping from jail .
" Hey Ambe Maa , look at my fate. Three daughters in law and not one is of any use to me now. One has run away with my son, the other one is in jail and the third one is trying to kill me by feeding me rocks." The rocks in question was some out of date pasta that Durga had found in the kitchen in the farmhouse after Gaura had arranged for her to come over and cook for her. All Durga could find were these wierd looking tubes that she had seen Meera cook but she didn't know how to cook them. So she fried some onions, put the pasta in, added chilli and salt and Gharam masala and fried them all together for a couple of minutes and served them to gaura with a silent prayer. Gaura took a spoonful of the uncooked pasta , bit on it, screamed in pain and spit them on Durga. " arre oh, manhoos, are you trying to kill me ? What are these, stones! Looks like my tooth has come off, oh Maa"
Now her tummy was rumbling , her tooth ached and she wished she was back in jail . Atleast they fed her three times a day there.
She remembered how she had met Bhavani in jail. She had been transferred to Rajkot central jail for health reasons and the first time she met Bhavani there was with her face inside the toilet bowl. Someone had tripped her while she was cleaning them and she had fallen face first in there. When the warden pulled her out She didn't look great but smelled even worse. Bhavani had told her later how she ended up in jail, leaving out the bits where she had tried to blow up all the Suryavanshis, because she might be evil but not completely stupid. She knew Gaura would not forgive her that. Together they had come up with a plan for Gaura's escape. Now she wished she could talk to Bhavani.
The next morning, after breakfast Dharam called his secretary and spoke to him. He looked worried
" Meera, He has got our passports but he can't come here,he thinks he is being followed. He has taken a room in a hotel nearby , I need to go there"
" I am coming with you and don't try to talk me out of it"
They were just about to cross the lobby when Dharam pulled her behind a pillar.
"I know that man standing by reception. He is Karans dad"
Meera peered around the pillar. He was right. It was the senior Mr Shah and the last time they had met in court at Karans hearing he had promised to destroy them. Oh boy, it was like all their enemies were out together to get them. Meera wouldn't have been surprised to see Nayya and Bhavani walk in hand in hand. She looked around and spotted people going into a room. . The board outside said it was a conference of some kind. They could hide there for a little while but looked like they needed invitations to get in.
" Dharamji, put on your sunglasses"
" Meera, people will laugh at me if I wear them indoors"
" just wear them and follow me, oh and pretend you are slightly drunk"
Meera approached the young guy issuing passes and smiled at him. She pretended to look in her bag for the invitation and looked at the guy with a wide eyed look. She started twirling her hair and leaned forward slightly and said in a husky voice" oops, looks like we left the invitation in the room and my boss has a head ache. You see, we were at a party last night and it finished quite late" she giggled. Dhram was swaying slightly on his feet. The young man took Meera's hands in his and said" don't worry, I know how these things happen"
Dharam glowered at him from behind his glasses. He leaned in and extended his hand " pleasure to meet you" he slurred. When the Romeo extended his hand he felt it being caught in a tight grip, and it kept getting tighter, he thought his fingers were being crushed. Dharam grinned watching the other guy's face turn red and then slightly purple. He also managed to tip over a glass of water on his trousers and amidst the confusion that followed, Meera swiped to passes and dragged Dharam to the conference room. Just as they sat down, in walked Mr shah.
Meera quickly turned to Dharam and started Necking him . he slid his hands under her skirt and started caressing her thigh. Mr Shah turned to his partner and said
" lucky bas***d, bet he has a dutiful wife waiting at home and here he is banging his secretary."
Meera hiding her face retorted" move on uncle, there is nothing to see here". Mr Shah walked away quickly while Dheera ran out of the room. Dharam called Vidhya, she told him that she couldn't leave today as poor Shravan was sick after crying all night for his mum. Meera was upset. She was missing her babies terribly. And now she will gave to wait another day.
They had just stepped out of the hotel when their eyes fell on someone getting out of a car. They froze in surprise