Part 19 (a)
Continued from Jai's bedroom
'You will kill me one of these day, Jai!' muttered Bani, placing on her kurta and rubbing her aching hands and various other parts of the body.
'It’s good for you, sweetheart! I don't see you doing much exercise...this will keep your weight in check!' he countered, getting a cushion hit on his head in response as he laughed riotously at the look on Bani's face.
'Listen...what we are going to tell everyone?' she asked Jai, as he put on his clothes once again, looking young and dashing in his blue jeans and black shirt.
'You want to tell them that we DO IT so frequently and so WELL? Why make people jealous, sweetheart?' he provoked her back!
'JAI! If you refer to this once again, I promise, I won't let you come anywhere near me.' she threatened.
'Ha! Ha! All you can say is...No...Jai...Please Jai...Don't Jai...Ouch Jai...' he mimicked her voice, making her so infuriated and also snigger.
'Jai! Please be serious!' she pleaded, coming near him and making him sit on the edge of the bed, combing his hair, as he circled her waist and rubbed his nose against her tummy.
'Babes...if I wasn't serious, I wouldn't have given you my mother's wedding ring...'
'You know what I am trying to say! What are we going to tell everyone about us?'
Looking up at her, as she combed his hair neatly, he smiled and said, 'what is there to tell? Tomorrow morning, when everyone assembles for Chote's haldi or whatever muck they put on him, we will simply announce that we are getting hitched!'
Bani simply sighed and muttered something under her breath.
'What? What do you want me to do then? Get a drum and stand on top of the water tank and announce to the world?' he questioned, making Bani laugh and then frown at him for always joking about everything.
'They will ask us questions...details...how we met...where we met...and so many other questions...'she trailed off, already panicky to face Jai's Massi and other people.
'They can go and fuck off...oops sorry...I forget that using the F-word and the C-word is not allowed in front of my wife-to-be!' he teased, making her blush with pleasure as he called her 'wife-to-be.'
'What is C-word?' she asked him.
'Chumps!'
'JAI!'
He cackled, pulling her leg ceaselessly and making her impossible to be serious about the discussion she was trying to hold.
Getting up and looking at his watch, mentioning that he was already too late for the party, he said calmly, 'don’t get hassled, sweetie! I don't give explanations to anyone. We will just tell everyone that we are getting married. Bas. Final. And please, I am not having this Band Baaja Baarat type Shaadi, okay? We will get over with this nonsense in a court!'
'Nonsense? You are calling getting married as nonsense?' she questioned him, both her hands on her now shapely hips.
'Believe it or not, I would have stayed loyal and steadfast to you without being married to you too...but I know how your 16th century, One-horse town Mukteshwar mind-set works...so the marriage is to ensure that you don't slip away from my thirsting arms and that you are always available for me to DO IT with!'
'YOU...'
They both burst out laughing and she put her head on his chest, asking him softly, 'you are marrying me happily, isn't it Jai?'
'No...Bacchu Yadav turned out to be your long lost brother and has threatened me to marry you else he will hang me upside down! Don't be idiotic! Of course, I am marrying you happily! I don't do things that don't make me happy, babes! But I don't want this show-shaa wedding...'
She blushed at the mention of wedding and said, 'Even I don't want a big wedding...but not in a court, Jai. Please! Can we get married in a temple?'
Sighing in exasperation, he said, 'Fine! Whatever! We will get married in a temple! In fact, I have a slot free from 2 to 3 day after tomorrow....why don't we get it done with it then?'
Bani stared at him to see if he was joking but then noticing that he was serious, she exclaimed, 'are you crazy? We can't get married anytime, any day like that! And what about informing my family in Bangalore? Pushkar's parents? And Pia? And all your family! And day after tomorrow?'
'I am okay with tomorrow also...infarct, if we are quick, we can check if any temple is open and do it right now and make it in time for the party!'
'Jai! If you joke once more on this issue...you have had it with me!' she shrieked.
'Eeessh....such a nag! Fine...fine. I will speak with Massi...and I will call up that idiot Pushkar's parents and ask them for your hand, formally. Does it make you happy?'
She smiled a bit and said, 'don’t' call Pushkar an idiot...and yes that makes me happy.'
'Good...now can I leave? Does my wife-to-be give me permission?' he asked her provocatively.
She blushed with uninhibited happiness when he called her his wife-to-be and then giving a thought on something, said to him, 'Jai...I think we should wait a little longer!'
'WHAT?' exclaimed Jai and then shouted on her, 'Are you crazy? It takes me bloody 35 years to finally get committed and now you are telling me to wait? NO WAY!'
'JAI! Calm down! I am not talking about our...wedding...'she said, feeling so shy at the very mention of being married to him, though she was perfectly okay in bed with him, and then added, 'I am saying we should wait before telling everyone...at least till Chote's wedding gets over.'
Jai could not help but grin and said, 'Chote? Kya baat hain! Biwi ban ne se pehle, Bhabhi ban gayi!'
She flushed and giggled, hiding her face in his chest, as he ruffled her hair and kissed her affectionately on her forehead, saying, 'you are such a sweetheart, Bani! It takes me ages to accept people and relationships and you do it in a matter of moments...I can't imagine what must have happened to God, the day he decided that we were going to pair up! He might have been drunk that day, is all I can guess!'
'Sshhh...Don’t talk like that about God. And as I was saying...I think we should wait till day after tomorrow...'
'Why on earth?'
Bani smiled and said delicately, 'it’s their special day, Jai...it comes just once in a lifetime...they should have it all to themselves. Everyone's attention should only be on them and no one else.'
Jai could only stare back at her and lifting her chin a bit, he said tenderly, 'You, Bani Dixit, soon to be Mrs. Jai Walia are an angel in disguise. Always thinking about others...'
'Okay...okay...no need to praise me so much and if I hear that you got into any hanky panky with those women in the basement...you have no idea what's coming your way!' she warned, blushing at his compliments and trying to change the topic.
'After doing hanky panky with you...everyone else fades in comparison, sweetie! I promise...I will take my drink and find the corner most seat and only watch them take off their clothes...I swear, I won't do anything! I won’t even drool!'
'You...'she hit him playfully and they both started laughing, as he added, 'Fine...won't tell anything to anyone till the wedding gets over. But what will you do about that Rock in your finger? It is very noticeable! You can take it out and wear it again after we tell everyone.' he suggested.
Looking scandalized, she replied in a shocked voice, 'Take it out? NO! Never! It’s MY engagement ring! I won't take it out till the day I breathe my last!'
'Oh! Lord! Such a drama queen!' mused Jai, chuckling at her and said, 'Okay, then do anything you want to and if people ask you questions and you don't have an answer, then don't come running to me!'
'I will manage somehow...but I am not taking out this ring. Ever!' she announced with passion and emotion.
'Keep wearing it! My mother would be thrilled that her beloved ring has found the perfect finger. Finally. She would have loved you, Bani. You are exactly the type of daughter-in-law she would have wanted!' he added with a smile, instantly making her tear up.
'I will light a diya in front of her picture everyday...I will keep her house so beautiful and so clean...' she announced emotionally, only to be cut short by Jai, who looked thoroughly amused by her overflowing emotions and happiness on the prospect of getting married to him.
'Yes...Yes...you do all that...and you can even sing, Main tulsi tere aangan ki every morning and turn this house into a Dharamshala, for all I care. My mother's picture, this house, this ring and this man...all are yours for life now. Do anything you want to! Now can I go? I have paid a LOT of money for those Russian Chicks who are downstairs and everyone is enjoying the party, while I am having this useless Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi conversation with you!'
Bani laughed heartily on hearing him say such funny things and nodded her head, before smoothening the crease of his shirt and wiping his face of the faint traces of her kajal that was smudged on his cheeks.
He kissed her quickly on both her cheeks and rushed off to the party, while Bani literally danced her way back to her room, not able to peel her eyes off the ring she was wearing.
Bani's Room
Bani tried her best to sleep, tossing here and there on the bed, and wondering if she should actually take a dose of Jai's Donoryml 250 mg and go to sleep. She could not remember the last date when she had a full night's sleep and the excitement and happiness tonight was just too much for her. She kept looking at her finger and admiring the heavy rock that Jai had slipped into her finger. It was the most romantic thing she had even ever heard and it had actually happened with her!
She was engaged to be married. To none other than the man whom she loved with a passion and devotion that were simply out of this world. Bani could not believe her luck. It seemed like just yesterday, when she had seen him getting down from his SUV that was parked in front of the house next door in Mukteshwar...the bowl of kichdi that she had sent, which had started their odd friendship and had now materialized into a marriage proposal.
Despite her near light-headedness and state of exhilaration regarding her marriage to Jai, she realized that he was not as thrilled and overjoyed as she was. And she knew why.
His illness. He was fighting with the guilt of getting married to her, despite knowing that he was duelling with a life-threatening disease.
How Bani wished, she could explain to him that all his remorse and reluctance were completely unwanted and that she knew very well, what she was getting into.
It was both her faith as well as her hope, that Jai would be just fine. Nothing would happen to him. She would not let anything wrong happen to him.
Her mother used to tell her stories about the princess Savitri who had fought against Yamraj, the God of Death, and brought back her husband, Satyavan to life.
She would do the same, if required. She would move heaven and earth to ensure that nothing happened to her husband.
But at this point, all that mattered to Bani, was that she was going to become Jai's wife. And that was just too much happiness to digest in one go and she simply could not wait for morning to come.
Morning After
Even though it was just seven in the morning, the whole house was in a state of activity; today was the D-day after all. Bani came down, looking radiant and glowing in a deep magenta and emerald green short-sleeved anarkali suit, her hair left open and that smile which simply refused to leave her pretty face. She could see that Jigyasa had taken charge of the proceedings outside, where the wedding was going to take place and Massi along with Karuna had taken charge of inside, where the rituals were to take place. When Pooja waved at Bani from downstairs, she smiled back at her and gave a quick look at her left-hand finger, to check if it wasn't very obvious. Not knowing how to hide the ring from everyone's view till the wedding got over, Bani had finally taken clue from her favourite Shah Rukh Khan movie and had wrapped multiple strips of band aid over her ring to give the appearance of her finger being hurt, rather than just simply take off the ring and keep it safely, till Jai announced their engagement to everyone.
'Hey Bani! You took a bath already? My God! I could barely open my eyes in the morning...had to get up, because Jigyasa Mam had told us yesterday night to be up early! By the way, how are you feeling now?' asked Pooja, giving a huge yawn and sipping her coffee, at the same time, shouting out some orders to one of the workers who had arrived early morning to start the work for the function that was to take place in the evening.
'I am fine...I am fine, Poojie...' Bani mumbled, going crimson and wondering how Pooja would react when she came to know that the marks on her back were no allergies, but love-bites. And most scandalizing of all things...the identity of the person who had given those love-bites to her.
'What happened? And what in the name of heaven happened to your finger?' asked Pooja, making Bani close her eyes in frustration at Pooja's powers of observation. The day had barely begun and already her finger was being noticed, how on earth she would hold it back till the wedding got over.
'Er...nothing...nothing...I hurt it yesterday night...it’s okay, actually. By the way, when did you guys come back here? And how was the function? How did Purva's mehendi come out?' asked Bani, taking a cup of coffee from Abdul and trying not to blush like an idiot, every time someone came in view.
'Oh, it was good! Purva kept asking for you...her mehendi came out really well...and wow...so is yours! It’s so dark, Bani!' exclaimed Pooja, adding mischievously, 'your husband is going to love you like crazy!'
This was all that Bani needed, to go red like a tomato and almost choke on her coffee.
She decided that the best way to avoid everyone and risk spilling Jai and her one-day secret, was to get involved in work as soon as possible. She was about to go outside and help out Jigyasa, when Karuna called out to her, 'Bani! You are up? Good...Good...come, help us out with the haldi ceremony rituals. We have to do it around 11 in the morning!'
Bani could barely face Karuna and just stood dumbly, till the older woman came near and spoke in a perplexed manner, 'what happened? Come na! You take this sandalwood and haldi mixture and prepare it. Okay?'
Bani nodded her head and started doing the work she had been given, while Karuna hummed a tune and went about preparing something else for the ceremony.
Massi, who was the only person apart from Bani and Karuna, who had taken an early morning bath, came and looked at Bani preparing the haldi for the ceremony and smiled.
'Your mother has taught you well...nowadays, where do girls know how to do all this.' she complimented, making Bani go all warm in her face. This was just getting to be too much to handle...she felt torn between guilt at hiding such a huge news from everyone and excitement and anxiety at the thought of how they would react on hearing it. Especially, Nachiket, Massi and Karuna, who were the closest to Jai.
Bani just gave a timid smile and sitting hunched on her knees, grind the haldi into a fine paste, having been very used to doing such things back in Mukteshwar.
Bani immersed herself in work for the next hour or so, till she saw people coming down to the hall and her nervousness increased. She assumed that Jai must have been still sleeping, considering he left for the party so late. Bani was taken aback when Abdul announced that Ranveer Sahib and his wife had also come. Bani had finished making the paste and putting it in a silver bowl, she covered it neatly and cleaned her hands, rushing to see little Riya, Ranveer and Sneha's daughter.
Ranveer and Sneha gave a bright smile to Bani as she came rushing towards them and said, 'Ranveerji...Snehaji...what a pleasant surprise! And look who is here? Snehaji...please can I pick her up?'
Both of them laughed warmly and Sneha said, 'Can you pick her up? I beg of you to pick her up! Please! This girl has not let me sleep the entire night...and she is clinging on to me like a creeper! Please look after her for some time, Bani! I just want to have a peaceful breakfast here!'
Bani laughed and took the baby in her arms, who cried for just a couple of seconds, but when Bani started speaking to her and making her tickle, she started gurgling and smiling back, as Bani coddled her lovingly.
Ranveer greeted Karuna and Massi and said, 'We came early...to see if we could help out in any way!'
Karuna grinned and welcomed them warmly, asking Abdul to lay out breakfast for the guests and then added, 'Ranveer, weren't you here for the party yesterday night? You must have left late, right?'
'Oh! Yes! Quite late...it was great fun! Jai sure knows how to throw a party!' laughed Ranveer, waving to Tarun, as he came down, yawning with the after-effects of Jai's Stag Party.
'Good morning Ranveerji...Good morning! Kya party thi, hain na? Chote will never forget this send-off from bachelorhood by his brother!' laughed Tarun.
Bani was still playing with little Riya, when she saw Nachiket, Pushkar and Shashank walking down from their rooms, all of them looking super-drowsy but in high-spirits.
'Kya baat hai! Dulhe Raja is up and early!' observed Ranveer.
'Hi Bhaiyya! Hello Sneha Bhabhi! So nice to see you both! Arre...had to wake up! Sanvika and Varalika came and poured water over me!'
'Yes...that were my instructions, Chote!' laughed Karuna, adding, 'all your party sharty is in one place, but we have to do the rituals today! And now that you are up...I think we should get started on them as soon as possible. There are too many things to be done.'
Everyone assembled around the living area and Bani could feel her increasing anxiety regarding their reaction to Jai and her engagement. She was glad that he was still sleeping; the last thing she wanted was to face him right now. Sneha had finished her much wanted breakfast and since Riya had started crying for her morning feed, she took her from Bani and made her way into one of the many rooms to feed and put Riya for a nap.
Thoroughly impressed with the effortless way in which Bani had prepared the Haldi paste for the ceremony, Massi handed over some other work related to the function to Bani, who wondered if she would get a blasting from Jigyasa for being involved in the in-house work instead of helping with the preparations for which they had been hired by Jai.
But given her deeply traditional mind-set, now that Bani was engaged to Jai, she simply could not get herelf to say no to Massi for any work she was given and was secretly thrilled, that even though unintentional, she had ended up preparing the turmeric paste for Nachiket...which was traditionally prepared by the groom's sister-in-law.
Bani could not help but overhear the conversation at the Breakfast table that was taking place between the men who were assembled.
'What a party! Wasn't it? Nachiket...Jai Sir is the tops in these things! Where on earth did he get those buxom ladies from?' asked Shashank, munching on some Poha, as the other men laughed.
'I have no clue, Shanky! But yes...Dada gave me a party, I will remember for the rest of my life.' Grinned Nachiket.
'That is because you will never get a lap dance from a lovely Russian lady for the rest of your life, Chote!' teased Ranveer, as boisterous laughter spread all around.
'Come on Ranveerji! Snehaji is inside...should I tell her how much you were enjoying the dance yourself?' bantered Tarun, flippantly.
'Arre nahin yaar! Marwaoge kya!' laughed Ranveer.
'And Pushky...what about you? All innocent and sweet looking and the way you were dancing...' teased Nachiket.
'Oooh...Zara Zara Touch me touch me touch me...Oooh...Zara Zara hold me...hold me...'sang Shashank, making everyone literally collapse with laughter.
Pushkar grinned goofily and ruffling his hair said, 'I have never seen anything like this before...seriously! The party was just awesome and Jai Sir is amazing! Did you see that tall blonde...the one who was only wearing...you know…all over him?'
Everyone snickered, even as Bani's face lost colour and she listened harder to the conversation.
'Oooh...she was totally over Jai...and well, he is no less too!' commented Ranveer, doing a hi-five with Tarun and laughing.
'Party mere liye thi, celebration toh Dada ne kari...' commented Nachiket, winking at the other men, as Bani seethed with rage and literally burnt with jealousy, two emotions which were both new to her.
'Well...you can't blame him...that chick was HOT!' interjected Shashank with a sly grin.
'So...did she go with him, finally?' asked Tarun interestedly, in a lower voice, but not unheard from Bani, who was doing some work just a few feet away from the place where all of them were sitting.
'I think so...' muttered Ranveer, grinning and glinting at Nachiket, doing a hi-five.
'Oooh...is that why Sir is still sleeping? Lucky man!' commented Pushkar, gulping his Poha and giggling in a surreptitious voice.
'What if someone sees her going from his room?' asked Tarun.
'Dada doesn't care about such things! He is a free-spirit. I wish I could be like him...but well...' ruminated Nachiket, earning laughter and whoops from everyone present.
Just then Karuna came with some more Poha, and all the men instantly changed the topic of conversation, but Bani had her eyes filled with tears and was trembling from head to toe, not able to believe what she had just heard.
'Here boys...some Samosa's also...and hurry up, for god sake! We have tons of work to do! Where is Potlu by the way? Groom's brother is still sleeping?'
This evoked a lot of hysterical laughter from all the men and Ranveer remarked, 'Karuna...Your Potlu will get up a little late today...I think he is still dealing with the return-gift of yesterday's party!'
'What? Whatever! Let him sleep till late then...anyway, he is going to be very busy today evening...let him rest, poor thing! You guys hurry up!' said Karuna.
'Not sure if he is resting or...'trailed off Pushkar, bursting into laughter along with Tarun, Ranveer, Nachiket and Shashank.
Bani was in waterworks now and she could not take it one more moment...this was the limit! She was going straight to his room and wrenching out that female who was there and then dealing with Jai.
It was one thing putting up with Jai's relentless bullying and over-dominating nature...but there was no way in hell that she was letting him cheat on her. That too in her presence, less than 24 hours after he had asked her to marry him!
Oh! Boy! Was he getting it today from her or not!
Wiping her tears, but fuming with anger, she excused herself and stormed off in the direction of Jai's room.
Just as she had vanished from view, Ranveer commented with a unhurried smile, 'Teer seedha nishane par laga hain!'
'My poor Bhabhi...I think we over-did a bit...'mumbled Nachiket, feeling sorry for Bani yet not able to hide his excitement at what was going to happen to Jai.
'Hey guys...I know this is fun...but please don't let Jai Sir know that I was involved...I am yet in the middle of his last punishment...only 5000 prepositions have been identified...' muttered Pushkar, looking tickled but worried.
'And to think, that I was planning to kiss her! Thank God...I fainted in that party...else Jai Sir would have hung me dry from the Gulmohar Tree in his backyard!' commented Shashank, feeling relieved that he did not do try to mess around with Bani, now that he knew what was going on between her and Jai.
'I wish I could see what drubbing our Vakil Sahib is going to get!' commented Tarun, making everyone burst out with laughter.
Karuna came in with the Samosas and when she saw that Bani was not there, she eagerly said, 'She fell for it?'
'Like a dream!' came back Nachiket, making Karuna laugh and pull his ears and then declare, 'Poor girl! She doesn't deserve this...but that devil does! Let him get an earful from her today!'
Massi too joined them and spoke with barely concealed happiness and emotion, 'So when are we going to see them officially as a couple!'
'Very soon, Massiji. Very soon...I am expecting Jai to come storming down in fury and Bani following him like a lamb in about fifteen to twenty minutes!' said Ranveer with laughter.
Despite what Bani had told him...Jai could not help but declare that he had proposed to Bani when he had come down to the party. It was too big a news to be held back till Nachiket's wedding got over and though he had requested everyone to keep calm, Nachiket had in his excitement went and told Karuna and Massi at night itself, when they had come back from Purva's mehendi function.
Jai's Bedroom
She stood outside Jai's room, tears pouring out of her eyes and her entire body quivering with outrage and humiliation. It was not heartbreak this time, it was pure anger. Till yesterday, even though Bani had been sure of Jai's love and commitment to her, she had still felt that her right on him was limited to a certain extent...but after having slipped that ring on her finger, he had himself given her a free-pass over his life. And come hell or high water, she was not sharing him with any woman, be it Russian or Martian.
Bani was about to knock on Jai's bedroom, when she remembered that he never locked his room, whenever he was in it. Simply because no one dared to come into his room without his permission.
Oh, to hell with his permission. She was going to be his wife; she had no need to go knocking on his bedroom door, which was going to become their bedroom door in some time.
Pushing it open, she charged in, furious and smouldering and looked here and there, expecting the dubious Russian woman to be entwined with Jai in the bed.
'Where is she? Where is that witch? I am not going to spare her! And you also! Jai! Where is she? Tell me?' she shouted, taking charge of the room and going here and there, looking for a full-grown woman, as if she was an errant mouse which had hidden itself somewhere below the furniture.
Jai was lying on his bed, with his torso spread like an eagle, front down, since it hurt him if he tried to lie on his back and was apparently in deep sleep. He wasn't wearing anything on top and had covered the lower part of his body clumsily with a duvet.
Bani was taken aback when she saw him sleeping blissfully and there was no Russian woman or for that matter anyone in sight except Jai. Was she in the bathroom? Or was she in the Veranda? Or had she left early morning before anyone could see her?
She sat on the edge of the bed and shook Jai by his shoulder, albeit gently, despite the fact that she was so upset over what she had just heard downstairs.
'Jai! Jai! JAI!' she yelled, shaking him up and forcing him to lift his head from the pillow, where he had buried it.
'WHO THE FUCK...' started off Jai, in his usual expletive filled manner, when he saw that Bani was sitting near him, looking so pretty in her pink dress, her bangles jingling as she shook him and the water from her wet hair dripping on his bare body.
'Oh...are we married already? Have you come to give me tea like all those wives do in Hindi movies?' asked Jai, winking at her and rubbing his eyes, turning his body over and holding her arms.
'Married my foot! Where is she? Tell me right now else...' shouted Bani, tears springing up again from the corner of her eyes.
Jai blinked his eyes and muttered, 'Where is who?'
'That Russian!' yelled Bani and started sobbing, while yanking her hands off Jai's grips and crossing it belligerently across her chest.
'Russian?' repeated Jai, looking totally clueless and then getting up, sat on the bed and said, 'Sweetie...what the hell are you talking about?'
'There is no need to act so innocent, okay? I heard everything. EVERYTHING! You and that Russian...you got her here, didn't you?' she accused, wiping her tears and pushing away Jai, every time he tried to touch her.
'What? Bani? I can't understand anything! What Russian? And who did I get here? And for goodness sake, stop crying and yelling on me!'
She refused to speak to him and getting up announced, 'Is she in the bathroom? I will...' and saying that, paced towards the bathroom and flung open the door, which to her complete surprise was empty. Feeling staggered at the absence of this so-called rival of hers, Bani was at a loss of words and then slowly turned to face Jai, who was now, sitting propped up against the head-board of his bed, his arms crossed against his broad chest and a very particular look in his eyes.
'Did you find her?' he asked in an unruffled voice.
'Er...the bathroom is empty...is she in the Veranda?' asked Bani, cooling down now and slowly realizing that something was missing.
'Why don't you check it out, yourself?' questioned Jai, not taking his eyes off her and changing her anger and hysteria into her usual nervy manner.
Bani slowly walked towards the airy veranda and did not even have to bother to step out...because from the glass door, she could see that it was empty.
'There is no one.' she announced, more to herself.
Jai kept quiet, stretching himself like a Tiger and ruffling his hair, said with a smile, 'Did someone say something to you?'
Looking confused, Bani spoke slowly, 'Ranveerji...and Nachiket...and Tarunji...they were all talking about the party...and that Russian girl...you got her to your room...'
Jai gave a little laugh and shaking his head, said to her simply, 'Come here.'
Obeying his instructions, she came near him and stood beside him, till he caught hold of here hand and pulled her on his lap.
'Silly girl! They were pulling a fast one on you!' laughed Jai, leaning forward and planting a kiss on her cheeks, amused by the way she had been taken for a ride.
'But...But why?' said Bani, appearing thoroughly muddled.
'Why? Because I told them yesterday that we had got engaged...that is why! You obviously did not know that they knew...so this was probably a belated April Fool's prank!'
Looking shocked out of her life, Bani exclaimed, 'You told them?'
Jai nodded his head and said, 'I did. Couldn't wait till Chote's wedding got over...this is too big a news! Besides, our engagement is not going to steal Chote and Purva's thunder...it’s their special day and it will always be!'
Bani gasped and clutched her mouth with her palms and went red in the face, muttering, 'Oh! God! You told them? And there I was...in front of all of them...Oh...JAI...' and saying that, she fell on his chest, burying her face and going cold with anxiety and apprehension.
Jai laughed heartily at her reaction and cradling her in his arms, said lovingly, 'So what? And those idiots! How dare they try to tease MY Bani?' When she looked up at him, he added, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, 'That's just my right, isn't it?'
She kept looking at him and said slowly, 'So there was no Russian woman with you?'
Jai laughed and laughed on her comment and replied, 'Nahin yaar...No Russian or any other lady...I attended the party for just 30 minutes and came back to my room...had some work to wrap off and wanted to catch up on my sleep...'
Deeply embarrassed and also amused, by the trick everyone had played on her, she kept hiding her face in his chest and then suddenly got up, saying, 'why are you sleeping without wearing anything on top? And that too with the AC on full blast? Also...I always notice that your hair is wet whenever you take a bath and come! Jai, you will catch a cold if you don't dry it properly...and why is there an empty glass here? You drank that late at night? Jai...'
He stopped her by planting a long, lingering and sweet kiss on her lips and pulling back himself, said to her, 'Listen...I can't bother about all this. So when we get married...you can take charge of my life and do anything you want, okay? Let me enjoy my freedom till then!'
She blushed and hugged him back, saying, 'I am not going to take your freedom...but yes, I will take care of you and I will not let you become careless about yourself!'
'Aren’t' husbands supposed to take care of their wives?' he asked playfully.
'You always take care of me...' she replied back lovingly, making him smile.
'Okay...enough of drama first thing in the morning. Now stop giving me those sheep-eyed looks…open my cupboard...take out my clothes...blue jeans and white kurta. Then make my bed. And go down and prepare my Tea...I will have it downstairs today. And THEN, we will take care of those Chipmunks!' ordered Jai.
Bani got up, overjoyed at having been asked to do things for him, but she looked worried and said, 'I can't face them, Jai...'
'Why the hell can't you face them? They are all my family, friends and acquaintances...you will have to face them regularly from now! Stop chattering and do what I have asked for.' he snapped, getting up from the bed and going towards the washroom.
Feeling decidedly self-conscious and nervous on realizing that everyone in Jai's family knew about them, Bani set about opening Jai's extensive walk-in wardrobe and saw that everything was in Apple-pie order. Rows after Rows of Shoes were kept neatly at the bottom of the shelf...one side was dedicated to his collection of Ties, the other side had boxes after boxes of cufflinks and tie-pins. And hung in a row, were at least two dozen shirts, all in white colour and below them an equal number of trousers in dark shades. Bani could not imagine how one single person could possibly use so many clothes, especially when to her eyes; they all looked one and the same.
She searched for his casual clothes and opened the other part of the wardrobe and saw that his kurta's, t-shirts, jeans and linen pyjamas were all kept there. She smiled happily as she picked out a white kurta and a pair of jeans, putting them on a chair and then searched for his leather sandals that he normally wore at home. In her mind, she had always seen themselves as a proper couple, but today, when he had asked her to do these mundane jobs, she actually felt like she was his wife.
She went about making his bed and tidied up everything, doing some extra work unnecessarily, mostly because she felt petrified of going downstairs and facing everyone, especially Massi and Karuna...who had seen those marks on her back and had guessed what they were. Bani felt her face burning with mortification at having to face her now. She waited for Jai to come with her...he would handle all of them...all she had to do was hide behind him.
Jai came out after a quick shave and shower, dripping with water and wrapping himself in his favourite black bath towel around his waist below. Bani coloured a bit, but did not react much, instead just murmuring, 'you change...I will wait for you outside. We can go down together.'
Jai grinned and said, 'Coward!'
She instantly retorted, 'I am not a coward!'
'Then? You couldn't go on your own downstairs and face them, isn't it?' he teased her.
She flushed and looked annoyed, repeating, 'I will wait outside...change and come out soon.'
Bani was about to leave the room, when he held her upper arm and pulling her towards him, said, 'why do you need to go out? I can change in front of you! I have no problem!'
She went red behind her ears and said, 'No...No...I will go outside...else, I will just turn the other side and close my eyes...'
Jai gave her a look and added in a wicked undertone, 'Babes, I am not hiding anything that you haven't seen till now...so stop being such a prude!'
She just went from red to purple and hit him on his arms, complaining, 'always talking like this to me! Did you behave like this with all your previous girlfriends?'
Bani had already fetched another towel and forcing Jai to sit on the chair, dried his hair, as he held her waist and buried his face in her stomach.
'No. I used to just do it with them and get over with it. Its only you with whom I bother to talk!' he replied instantly, getting a pinch on his ears for his comment.
'Here...you hair is dried. Now stop arguing and wear your clothes and let us go down...what will everyone think about us? I have been her for the last half an hour now!' Bani whined, feeling very nervous about facing Massi and the others.
'No one will think anything...everyone was very, very happy when I told them about us! Stop fretting so much! And there is a surprise for you...'
'What?' she asked with excited eyes.
Jai smiled and said, 'Mr. Singh and his family are also coming today for the wedding. I had sent over the air-tickets for them through Pushkar.'
'WHAT?' exclaimed Bani, completely taken aback and then added in a dazed voice, 'but when did you...'
'Well...the night we had s**...Oh, sorry...that word offends you...let me see... the day we became two bodies and one soul...I thought...You cook well, you sing & dance well, you look nice, you are sweet-natured and have a good character...and well we pretty much burnt the house down with our act...so what the heck! Might as well marry you!'
Bani stared at him and said, 'you have still not come to the point...'
'The point being, I decided there and then that I will marry you...and I called up Mr. Singh and introduced myself...and told them to come over to Delhi, if he could...so that we could discuss about us!'
Bani could only stare back at Jai and then jumping into his arms, cried out, 'OH! JAI!'
'There we go again...hysteria attack! Where the hell is that Donormyl Bottle gone?'
'Jai!' chided Bani, crying and then giggling at his constant joking and leg-pulling.
'So now I basically want to get over with this asap...your guardians are coming down today...my family is present...and I think we should just get married...maybe in a day or two.'
Bani could barely believe what she heard and muttered, 'In two days?'
'Yes. In two days! Chote is going to leave for the US with Purva...if we postpone our wedding, that idiot will also insist on staying back till it happens...and what is the point in delaying it?'
Bani had no convincing answer to give and she could barely utter a single word out of shock and happiness.
Not wanting to spoil her happiness, but at the same time, wanting to remind her of the impending crisis, Jai said slowly, 'besides, Bani...my treatments start in the next ten days...I...'
She looked up at him...and kept her hand on his mouth and said softly, 'you don't have to give me any more clarifications, Jai. If you want, I am ready to get married to you right here...right now.'
Jai smiled at her and taking her into his arms, kissed her longingly on both her cheeks, saying sadly, 'this is not how I wanted our married life to begin, sweetie. My newly married young bride rushing in and out of hospitals with her sick husband...'
'Jai...' she cried out in protest, tearing up and embracing him.
'You can't deny the facts, Bani...and please don't even try it. You have no idea how difficult it has been for me to take this step...of involving you in a relationship and getting married to you...knowingly pulling you into doom...'
'Don't say that. Please. Nothing will happen to you.' she said, weeping and kissing his hands.
He gave a poignant smile and said, ‘that’s what I am hoping for. Maybe your good luck will rub on me...besides...you don't have to worry...even if something does happen to me...you will be secure for life. I have already made all the arrangements...only some papers are left to be signed...'
Bani did not even let him finish his sentence, pushing him away and then speaking with pain in her eyes, 'Jai...please understand, once and for all. YOU are my security...YOU are my future...and YOU are my life. And if something happens to you...NOTHING would matter anymore.'
They were silent for some time, till Jai spoke up in a jolly way, 'Look at me! We had to go down and teach those idiots a lesson for making my Bani cry and here I did the same! Sorry.'
She kept quiet, not crying, but her eyes full of tears and an expression of deep pain on her face.
'Arre sorry yaar! I won't talk like this ever again! Okay? Now come on! Cheer up! Else, I will everyone downstairs how many times we did it!'
'JAI!' she exclaimed in shock and then burst out laughing, as he pulled her legs relentlessly and they made their way downstairs.
Continued from Jai's bedroom
'You will kill me one of these day, Jai!' muttered Bani, placing on her kurta and rubbing her aching hands and various other parts of the body.
'It’s good for you, sweetheart! I don't see you doing much exercise...this will keep your weight in check!' he countered, getting a cushion hit on his head in response as he laughed riotously at the look on Bani's face.
'Listen...what we are going to tell everyone?' she asked Jai, as he put on his clothes once again, looking young and dashing in his blue jeans and black shirt.
'You want to tell them that we DO IT so frequently and so WELL? Why make people jealous, sweetheart?' he provoked her back!
'JAI! If you refer to this once again, I promise, I won't let you come anywhere near me.' she threatened.
'Ha! Ha! All you can say is...No...Jai...Please Jai...Don't Jai...Ouch Jai...' he mimicked her voice, making her so infuriated and also snigger.
'Jai! Please be serious!' she pleaded, coming near him and making him sit on the edge of the bed, combing his hair, as he circled her waist and rubbed his nose against her tummy.
'Babes...if I wasn't serious, I wouldn't have given you my mother's wedding ring...'
'You know what I am trying to say! What are we going to tell everyone about us?'
Looking up at her, as she combed his hair neatly, he smiled and said, 'what is there to tell? Tomorrow morning, when everyone assembles for Chote's haldi or whatever muck they put on him, we will simply announce that we are getting hitched!'
Bani simply sighed and muttered something under her breath.
'What? What do you want me to do then? Get a drum and stand on top of the water tank and announce to the world?' he questioned, making Bani laugh and then frown at him for always joking about everything.
'They will ask us questions...details...how we met...where we met...and so many other questions...'she trailed off, already panicky to face Jai's Massi and other people.
'They can go and fuck off...oops sorry...I forget that using the F-word and the C-word is not allowed in front of my wife-to-be!' he teased, making her blush with pleasure as he called her 'wife-to-be.'
'What is C-word?' she asked him.
'Chumps!'
'JAI!'
He cackled, pulling her leg ceaselessly and making her impossible to be serious about the discussion she was trying to hold.
Getting up and looking at his watch, mentioning that he was already too late for the party, he said calmly, 'don’t get hassled, sweetie! I don't give explanations to anyone. We will just tell everyone that we are getting married. Bas. Final. And please, I am not having this Band Baaja Baarat type Shaadi, okay? We will get over with this nonsense in a court!'
'Nonsense? You are calling getting married as nonsense?' she questioned him, both her hands on her now shapely hips.
'Believe it or not, I would have stayed loyal and steadfast to you without being married to you too...but I know how your 16th century, One-horse town Mukteshwar mind-set works...so the marriage is to ensure that you don't slip away from my thirsting arms and that you are always available for me to DO IT with!'
'YOU...'
They both burst out laughing and she put her head on his chest, asking him softly, 'you are marrying me happily, isn't it Jai?'
'No...Bacchu Yadav turned out to be your long lost brother and has threatened me to marry you else he will hang me upside down! Don't be idiotic! Of course, I am marrying you happily! I don't do things that don't make me happy, babes! But I don't want this show-shaa wedding...'
She blushed at the mention of wedding and said, 'Even I don't want a big wedding...but not in a court, Jai. Please! Can we get married in a temple?'
Sighing in exasperation, he said, 'Fine! Whatever! We will get married in a temple! In fact, I have a slot free from 2 to 3 day after tomorrow....why don't we get it done with it then?'
Bani stared at him to see if he was joking but then noticing that he was serious, she exclaimed, 'are you crazy? We can't get married anytime, any day like that! And what about informing my family in Bangalore? Pushkar's parents? And Pia? And all your family! And day after tomorrow?'
'I am okay with tomorrow also...infarct, if we are quick, we can check if any temple is open and do it right now and make it in time for the party!'
'Jai! If you joke once more on this issue...you have had it with me!' she shrieked.
'Eeessh....such a nag! Fine...fine. I will speak with Massi...and I will call up that idiot Pushkar's parents and ask them for your hand, formally. Does it make you happy?'
She smiled a bit and said, 'don’t' call Pushkar an idiot...and yes that makes me happy.'
'Good...now can I leave? Does my wife-to-be give me permission?' he asked her provocatively.
She blushed with uninhibited happiness when he called her his wife-to-be and then giving a thought on something, said to him, 'Jai...I think we should wait a little longer!'
'WHAT?' exclaimed Jai and then shouted on her, 'Are you crazy? It takes me bloody 35 years to finally get committed and now you are telling me to wait? NO WAY!'
'JAI! Calm down! I am not talking about our...wedding...'she said, feeling so shy at the very mention of being married to him, though she was perfectly okay in bed with him, and then added, 'I am saying we should wait before telling everyone...at least till Chote's wedding gets over.'
Jai could not help but grin and said, 'Chote? Kya baat hain! Biwi ban ne se pehle, Bhabhi ban gayi!'
She flushed and giggled, hiding her face in his chest, as he ruffled her hair and kissed her affectionately on her forehead, saying, 'you are such a sweetheart, Bani! It takes me ages to accept people and relationships and you do it in a matter of moments...I can't imagine what must have happened to God, the day he decided that we were going to pair up! He might have been drunk that day, is all I can guess!'
'Sshhh...Don’t talk like that about God. And as I was saying...I think we should wait till day after tomorrow...'
'Why on earth?'
Bani smiled and said delicately, 'it’s their special day, Jai...it comes just once in a lifetime...they should have it all to themselves. Everyone's attention should only be on them and no one else.'
Jai could only stare back at her and lifting her chin a bit, he said tenderly, 'You, Bani Dixit, soon to be Mrs. Jai Walia are an angel in disguise. Always thinking about others...'
'Okay...okay...no need to praise me so much and if I hear that you got into any hanky panky with those women in the basement...you have no idea what's coming your way!' she warned, blushing at his compliments and trying to change the topic.
'After doing hanky panky with you...everyone else fades in comparison, sweetie! I promise...I will take my drink and find the corner most seat and only watch them take off their clothes...I swear, I won't do anything! I won’t even drool!'
'You...'she hit him playfully and they both started laughing, as he added, 'Fine...won't tell anything to anyone till the wedding gets over. But what will you do about that Rock in your finger? It is very noticeable! You can take it out and wear it again after we tell everyone.' he suggested.
Looking scandalized, she replied in a shocked voice, 'Take it out? NO! Never! It’s MY engagement ring! I won't take it out till the day I breathe my last!'
'Oh! Lord! Such a drama queen!' mused Jai, chuckling at her and said, 'Okay, then do anything you want to and if people ask you questions and you don't have an answer, then don't come running to me!'
'I will manage somehow...but I am not taking out this ring. Ever!' she announced with passion and emotion.
'Keep wearing it! My mother would be thrilled that her beloved ring has found the perfect finger. Finally. She would have loved you, Bani. You are exactly the type of daughter-in-law she would have wanted!' he added with a smile, instantly making her tear up.
'I will light a diya in front of her picture everyday...I will keep her house so beautiful and so clean...' she announced emotionally, only to be cut short by Jai, who looked thoroughly amused by her overflowing emotions and happiness on the prospect of getting married to him.
'Yes...Yes...you do all that...and you can even sing, Main tulsi tere aangan ki every morning and turn this house into a Dharamshala, for all I care. My mother's picture, this house, this ring and this man...all are yours for life now. Do anything you want to! Now can I go? I have paid a LOT of money for those Russian Chicks who are downstairs and everyone is enjoying the party, while I am having this useless Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi conversation with you!'
Bani laughed heartily on hearing him say such funny things and nodded her head, before smoothening the crease of his shirt and wiping his face of the faint traces of her kajal that was smudged on his cheeks.
He kissed her quickly on both her cheeks and rushed off to the party, while Bani literally danced her way back to her room, not able to peel her eyes off the ring she was wearing.
Bani's Room
Bani tried her best to sleep, tossing here and there on the bed, and wondering if she should actually take a dose of Jai's Donoryml 250 mg and go to sleep. She could not remember the last date when she had a full night's sleep and the excitement and happiness tonight was just too much for her. She kept looking at her finger and admiring the heavy rock that Jai had slipped into her finger. It was the most romantic thing she had even ever heard and it had actually happened with her!
She was engaged to be married. To none other than the man whom she loved with a passion and devotion that were simply out of this world. Bani could not believe her luck. It seemed like just yesterday, when she had seen him getting down from his SUV that was parked in front of the house next door in Mukteshwar...the bowl of kichdi that she had sent, which had started their odd friendship and had now materialized into a marriage proposal.
Despite her near light-headedness and state of exhilaration regarding her marriage to Jai, she realized that he was not as thrilled and overjoyed as she was. And she knew why.
His illness. He was fighting with the guilt of getting married to her, despite knowing that he was duelling with a life-threatening disease.
How Bani wished, she could explain to him that all his remorse and reluctance were completely unwanted and that she knew very well, what she was getting into.
It was both her faith as well as her hope, that Jai would be just fine. Nothing would happen to him. She would not let anything wrong happen to him.
Her mother used to tell her stories about the princess Savitri who had fought against Yamraj, the God of Death, and brought back her husband, Satyavan to life.
She would do the same, if required. She would move heaven and earth to ensure that nothing happened to her husband.
But at this point, all that mattered to Bani, was that she was going to become Jai's wife. And that was just too much happiness to digest in one go and she simply could not wait for morning to come.
Morning After
Even though it was just seven in the morning, the whole house was in a state of activity; today was the D-day after all. Bani came down, looking radiant and glowing in a deep magenta and emerald green short-sleeved anarkali suit, her hair left open and that smile which simply refused to leave her pretty face. She could see that Jigyasa had taken charge of the proceedings outside, where the wedding was going to take place and Massi along with Karuna had taken charge of inside, where the rituals were to take place. When Pooja waved at Bani from downstairs, she smiled back at her and gave a quick look at her left-hand finger, to check if it wasn't very obvious. Not knowing how to hide the ring from everyone's view till the wedding got over, Bani had finally taken clue from her favourite Shah Rukh Khan movie and had wrapped multiple strips of band aid over her ring to give the appearance of her finger being hurt, rather than just simply take off the ring and keep it safely, till Jai announced their engagement to everyone.
'Hey Bani! You took a bath already? My God! I could barely open my eyes in the morning...had to get up, because Jigyasa Mam had told us yesterday night to be up early! By the way, how are you feeling now?' asked Pooja, giving a huge yawn and sipping her coffee, at the same time, shouting out some orders to one of the workers who had arrived early morning to start the work for the function that was to take place in the evening.
'I am fine...I am fine, Poojie...' Bani mumbled, going crimson and wondering how Pooja would react when she came to know that the marks on her back were no allergies, but love-bites. And most scandalizing of all things...the identity of the person who had given those love-bites to her.
'What happened? And what in the name of heaven happened to your finger?' asked Pooja, making Bani close her eyes in frustration at Pooja's powers of observation. The day had barely begun and already her finger was being noticed, how on earth she would hold it back till the wedding got over.
'Er...nothing...nothing...I hurt it yesterday night...it’s okay, actually. By the way, when did you guys come back here? And how was the function? How did Purva's mehendi come out?' asked Bani, taking a cup of coffee from Abdul and trying not to blush like an idiot, every time someone came in view.
'Oh, it was good! Purva kept asking for you...her mehendi came out really well...and wow...so is yours! It’s so dark, Bani!' exclaimed Pooja, adding mischievously, 'your husband is going to love you like crazy!'
This was all that Bani needed, to go red like a tomato and almost choke on her coffee.
She decided that the best way to avoid everyone and risk spilling Jai and her one-day secret, was to get involved in work as soon as possible. She was about to go outside and help out Jigyasa, when Karuna called out to her, 'Bani! You are up? Good...Good...come, help us out with the haldi ceremony rituals. We have to do it around 11 in the morning!'
Bani could barely face Karuna and just stood dumbly, till the older woman came near and spoke in a perplexed manner, 'what happened? Come na! You take this sandalwood and haldi mixture and prepare it. Okay?'
Bani nodded her head and started doing the work she had been given, while Karuna hummed a tune and went about preparing something else for the ceremony.
Massi, who was the only person apart from Bani and Karuna, who had taken an early morning bath, came and looked at Bani preparing the haldi for the ceremony and smiled.
'Your mother has taught you well...nowadays, where do girls know how to do all this.' she complimented, making Bani go all warm in her face. This was just getting to be too much to handle...she felt torn between guilt at hiding such a huge news from everyone and excitement and anxiety at the thought of how they would react on hearing it. Especially, Nachiket, Massi and Karuna, who were the closest to Jai.
Bani just gave a timid smile and sitting hunched on her knees, grind the haldi into a fine paste, having been very used to doing such things back in Mukteshwar.
Bani immersed herself in work for the next hour or so, till she saw people coming down to the hall and her nervousness increased. She assumed that Jai must have been still sleeping, considering he left for the party so late. Bani was taken aback when Abdul announced that Ranveer Sahib and his wife had also come. Bani had finished making the paste and putting it in a silver bowl, she covered it neatly and cleaned her hands, rushing to see little Riya, Ranveer and Sneha's daughter.
Ranveer and Sneha gave a bright smile to Bani as she came rushing towards them and said, 'Ranveerji...Snehaji...what a pleasant surprise! And look who is here? Snehaji...please can I pick her up?'
Both of them laughed warmly and Sneha said, 'Can you pick her up? I beg of you to pick her up! Please! This girl has not let me sleep the entire night...and she is clinging on to me like a creeper! Please look after her for some time, Bani! I just want to have a peaceful breakfast here!'
Bani laughed and took the baby in her arms, who cried for just a couple of seconds, but when Bani started speaking to her and making her tickle, she started gurgling and smiling back, as Bani coddled her lovingly.
Ranveer greeted Karuna and Massi and said, 'We came early...to see if we could help out in any way!'
Karuna grinned and welcomed them warmly, asking Abdul to lay out breakfast for the guests and then added, 'Ranveer, weren't you here for the party yesterday night? You must have left late, right?'
'Oh! Yes! Quite late...it was great fun! Jai sure knows how to throw a party!' laughed Ranveer, waving to Tarun, as he came down, yawning with the after-effects of Jai's Stag Party.
'Good morning Ranveerji...Good morning! Kya party thi, hain na? Chote will never forget this send-off from bachelorhood by his brother!' laughed Tarun.
Bani was still playing with little Riya, when she saw Nachiket, Pushkar and Shashank walking down from their rooms, all of them looking super-drowsy but in high-spirits.
'Kya baat hai! Dulhe Raja is up and early!' observed Ranveer.
'Hi Bhaiyya! Hello Sneha Bhabhi! So nice to see you both! Arre...had to wake up! Sanvika and Varalika came and poured water over me!'
'Yes...that were my instructions, Chote!' laughed Karuna, adding, 'all your party sharty is in one place, but we have to do the rituals today! And now that you are up...I think we should get started on them as soon as possible. There are too many things to be done.'
Everyone assembled around the living area and Bani could feel her increasing anxiety regarding their reaction to Jai and her engagement. She was glad that he was still sleeping; the last thing she wanted was to face him right now. Sneha had finished her much wanted breakfast and since Riya had started crying for her morning feed, she took her from Bani and made her way into one of the many rooms to feed and put Riya for a nap.
Thoroughly impressed with the effortless way in which Bani had prepared the Haldi paste for the ceremony, Massi handed over some other work related to the function to Bani, who wondered if she would get a blasting from Jigyasa for being involved in the in-house work instead of helping with the preparations for which they had been hired by Jai.
But given her deeply traditional mind-set, now that Bani was engaged to Jai, she simply could not get herelf to say no to Massi for any work she was given and was secretly thrilled, that even though unintentional, she had ended up preparing the turmeric paste for Nachiket...which was traditionally prepared by the groom's sister-in-law.
Bani could not help but overhear the conversation at the Breakfast table that was taking place between the men who were assembled.
'What a party! Wasn't it? Nachiket...Jai Sir is the tops in these things! Where on earth did he get those buxom ladies from?' asked Shashank, munching on some Poha, as the other men laughed.
'I have no clue, Shanky! But yes...Dada gave me a party, I will remember for the rest of my life.' Grinned Nachiket.
'That is because you will never get a lap dance from a lovely Russian lady for the rest of your life, Chote!' teased Ranveer, as boisterous laughter spread all around.
'Come on Ranveerji! Snehaji is inside...should I tell her how much you were enjoying the dance yourself?' bantered Tarun, flippantly.
'Arre nahin yaar! Marwaoge kya!' laughed Ranveer.
'And Pushky...what about you? All innocent and sweet looking and the way you were dancing...' teased Nachiket.
'Oooh...Zara Zara Touch me touch me touch me...Oooh...Zara Zara hold me...hold me...'sang Shashank, making everyone literally collapse with laughter.
Pushkar grinned goofily and ruffling his hair said, 'I have never seen anything like this before...seriously! The party was just awesome and Jai Sir is amazing! Did you see that tall blonde...the one who was only wearing...you know…all over him?'
Everyone snickered, even as Bani's face lost colour and she listened harder to the conversation.
'Oooh...she was totally over Jai...and well, he is no less too!' commented Ranveer, doing a hi-five with Tarun and laughing.
'Party mere liye thi, celebration toh Dada ne kari...' commented Nachiket, winking at the other men, as Bani seethed with rage and literally burnt with jealousy, two emotions which were both new to her.
'Well...you can't blame him...that chick was HOT!' interjected Shashank with a sly grin.
'So...did she go with him, finally?' asked Tarun interestedly, in a lower voice, but not unheard from Bani, who was doing some work just a few feet away from the place where all of them were sitting.
'I think so...' muttered Ranveer, grinning and glinting at Nachiket, doing a hi-five.
'Oooh...is that why Sir is still sleeping? Lucky man!' commented Pushkar, gulping his Poha and giggling in a surreptitious voice.
'What if someone sees her going from his room?' asked Tarun.
'Dada doesn't care about such things! He is a free-spirit. I wish I could be like him...but well...' ruminated Nachiket, earning laughter and whoops from everyone present.
Just then Karuna came with some more Poha, and all the men instantly changed the topic of conversation, but Bani had her eyes filled with tears and was trembling from head to toe, not able to believe what she had just heard.
'Here boys...some Samosa's also...and hurry up, for god sake! We have tons of work to do! Where is Potlu by the way? Groom's brother is still sleeping?'
This evoked a lot of hysterical laughter from all the men and Ranveer remarked, 'Karuna...Your Potlu will get up a little late today...I think he is still dealing with the return-gift of yesterday's party!'
'What? Whatever! Let him sleep till late then...anyway, he is going to be very busy today evening...let him rest, poor thing! You guys hurry up!' said Karuna.
'Not sure if he is resting or...'trailed off Pushkar, bursting into laughter along with Tarun, Ranveer, Nachiket and Shashank.
Bani was in waterworks now and she could not take it one more moment...this was the limit! She was going straight to his room and wrenching out that female who was there and then dealing with Jai.
It was one thing putting up with Jai's relentless bullying and over-dominating nature...but there was no way in hell that she was letting him cheat on her. That too in her presence, less than 24 hours after he had asked her to marry him!
Oh! Boy! Was he getting it today from her or not!
Wiping her tears, but fuming with anger, she excused herself and stormed off in the direction of Jai's room.
Just as she had vanished from view, Ranveer commented with a unhurried smile, 'Teer seedha nishane par laga hain!'
'My poor Bhabhi...I think we over-did a bit...'mumbled Nachiket, feeling sorry for Bani yet not able to hide his excitement at what was going to happen to Jai.
'Hey guys...I know this is fun...but please don't let Jai Sir know that I was involved...I am yet in the middle of his last punishment...only 5000 prepositions have been identified...' muttered Pushkar, looking tickled but worried.
'And to think, that I was planning to kiss her! Thank God...I fainted in that party...else Jai Sir would have hung me dry from the Gulmohar Tree in his backyard!' commented Shashank, feeling relieved that he did not do try to mess around with Bani, now that he knew what was going on between her and Jai.
'I wish I could see what drubbing our Vakil Sahib is going to get!' commented Tarun, making everyone burst out with laughter.
Karuna came in with the Samosas and when she saw that Bani was not there, she eagerly said, 'She fell for it?'
'Like a dream!' came back Nachiket, making Karuna laugh and pull his ears and then declare, 'Poor girl! She doesn't deserve this...but that devil does! Let him get an earful from her today!'
Massi too joined them and spoke with barely concealed happiness and emotion, 'So when are we going to see them officially as a couple!'
'Very soon, Massiji. Very soon...I am expecting Jai to come storming down in fury and Bani following him like a lamb in about fifteen to twenty minutes!' said Ranveer with laughter.
Despite what Bani had told him...Jai could not help but declare that he had proposed to Bani when he had come down to the party. It was too big a news to be held back till Nachiket's wedding got over and though he had requested everyone to keep calm, Nachiket had in his excitement went and told Karuna and Massi at night itself, when they had come back from Purva's mehendi function.
Jai's Bedroom
She stood outside Jai's room, tears pouring out of her eyes and her entire body quivering with outrage and humiliation. It was not heartbreak this time, it was pure anger. Till yesterday, even though Bani had been sure of Jai's love and commitment to her, she had still felt that her right on him was limited to a certain extent...but after having slipped that ring on her finger, he had himself given her a free-pass over his life. And come hell or high water, she was not sharing him with any woman, be it Russian or Martian.
Bani was about to knock on Jai's bedroom, when she remembered that he never locked his room, whenever he was in it. Simply because no one dared to come into his room without his permission.
Oh, to hell with his permission. She was going to be his wife; she had no need to go knocking on his bedroom door, which was going to become their bedroom door in some time.
Pushing it open, she charged in, furious and smouldering and looked here and there, expecting the dubious Russian woman to be entwined with Jai in the bed.
'Where is she? Where is that witch? I am not going to spare her! And you also! Jai! Where is she? Tell me?' she shouted, taking charge of the room and going here and there, looking for a full-grown woman, as if she was an errant mouse which had hidden itself somewhere below the furniture.
Jai was lying on his bed, with his torso spread like an eagle, front down, since it hurt him if he tried to lie on his back and was apparently in deep sleep. He wasn't wearing anything on top and had covered the lower part of his body clumsily with a duvet.
Bani was taken aback when she saw him sleeping blissfully and there was no Russian woman or for that matter anyone in sight except Jai. Was she in the bathroom? Or was she in the Veranda? Or had she left early morning before anyone could see her?
She sat on the edge of the bed and shook Jai by his shoulder, albeit gently, despite the fact that she was so upset over what she had just heard downstairs.
'Jai! Jai! JAI!' she yelled, shaking him up and forcing him to lift his head from the pillow, where he had buried it.
'WHO THE FUCK...' started off Jai, in his usual expletive filled manner, when he saw that Bani was sitting near him, looking so pretty in her pink dress, her bangles jingling as she shook him and the water from her wet hair dripping on his bare body.
'Oh...are we married already? Have you come to give me tea like all those wives do in Hindi movies?' asked Jai, winking at her and rubbing his eyes, turning his body over and holding her arms.
'Married my foot! Where is she? Tell me right now else...' shouted Bani, tears springing up again from the corner of her eyes.
Jai blinked his eyes and muttered, 'Where is who?'
'That Russian!' yelled Bani and started sobbing, while yanking her hands off Jai's grips and crossing it belligerently across her chest.
'Russian?' repeated Jai, looking totally clueless and then getting up, sat on the bed and said, 'Sweetie...what the hell are you talking about?'
'There is no need to act so innocent, okay? I heard everything. EVERYTHING! You and that Russian...you got her here, didn't you?' she accused, wiping her tears and pushing away Jai, every time he tried to touch her.
'What? Bani? I can't understand anything! What Russian? And who did I get here? And for goodness sake, stop crying and yelling on me!'
She refused to speak to him and getting up announced, 'Is she in the bathroom? I will...' and saying that, paced towards the bathroom and flung open the door, which to her complete surprise was empty. Feeling staggered at the absence of this so-called rival of hers, Bani was at a loss of words and then slowly turned to face Jai, who was now, sitting propped up against the head-board of his bed, his arms crossed against his broad chest and a very particular look in his eyes.
'Did you find her?' he asked in an unruffled voice.
'Er...the bathroom is empty...is she in the Veranda?' asked Bani, cooling down now and slowly realizing that something was missing.
'Why don't you check it out, yourself?' questioned Jai, not taking his eyes off her and changing her anger and hysteria into her usual nervy manner.
Bani slowly walked towards the airy veranda and did not even have to bother to step out...because from the glass door, she could see that it was empty.
'There is no one.' she announced, more to herself.
Jai kept quiet, stretching himself like a Tiger and ruffling his hair, said with a smile, 'Did someone say something to you?'
Looking confused, Bani spoke slowly, 'Ranveerji...and Nachiket...and Tarunji...they were all talking about the party...and that Russian girl...you got her to your room...'
Jai gave a little laugh and shaking his head, said to her simply, 'Come here.'
Obeying his instructions, she came near him and stood beside him, till he caught hold of here hand and pulled her on his lap.
'Silly girl! They were pulling a fast one on you!' laughed Jai, leaning forward and planting a kiss on her cheeks, amused by the way she had been taken for a ride.
'But...But why?' said Bani, appearing thoroughly muddled.
'Why? Because I told them yesterday that we had got engaged...that is why! You obviously did not know that they knew...so this was probably a belated April Fool's prank!'
Looking shocked out of her life, Bani exclaimed, 'You told them?'
Jai nodded his head and said, 'I did. Couldn't wait till Chote's wedding got over...this is too big a news! Besides, our engagement is not going to steal Chote and Purva's thunder...it’s their special day and it will always be!'
Bani gasped and clutched her mouth with her palms and went red in the face, muttering, 'Oh! God! You told them? And there I was...in front of all of them...Oh...JAI...' and saying that, she fell on his chest, burying her face and going cold with anxiety and apprehension.
Jai laughed heartily at her reaction and cradling her in his arms, said lovingly, 'So what? And those idiots! How dare they try to tease MY Bani?' When she looked up at him, he added, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, 'That's just my right, isn't it?'
She kept looking at him and said slowly, 'So there was no Russian woman with you?'
Jai laughed and laughed on her comment and replied, 'Nahin yaar...No Russian or any other lady...I attended the party for just 30 minutes and came back to my room...had some work to wrap off and wanted to catch up on my sleep...'
Deeply embarrassed and also amused, by the trick everyone had played on her, she kept hiding her face in his chest and then suddenly got up, saying, 'why are you sleeping without wearing anything on top? And that too with the AC on full blast? Also...I always notice that your hair is wet whenever you take a bath and come! Jai, you will catch a cold if you don't dry it properly...and why is there an empty glass here? You drank that late at night? Jai...'
He stopped her by planting a long, lingering and sweet kiss on her lips and pulling back himself, said to her, 'Listen...I can't bother about all this. So when we get married...you can take charge of my life and do anything you want, okay? Let me enjoy my freedom till then!'
She blushed and hugged him back, saying, 'I am not going to take your freedom...but yes, I will take care of you and I will not let you become careless about yourself!'
'Aren’t' husbands supposed to take care of their wives?' he asked playfully.
'You always take care of me...' she replied back lovingly, making him smile.
'Okay...enough of drama first thing in the morning. Now stop giving me those sheep-eyed looks…open my cupboard...take out my clothes...blue jeans and white kurta. Then make my bed. And go down and prepare my Tea...I will have it downstairs today. And THEN, we will take care of those Chipmunks!' ordered Jai.
Bani got up, overjoyed at having been asked to do things for him, but she looked worried and said, 'I can't face them, Jai...'
'Why the hell can't you face them? They are all my family, friends and acquaintances...you will have to face them regularly from now! Stop chattering and do what I have asked for.' he snapped, getting up from the bed and going towards the washroom.
Feeling decidedly self-conscious and nervous on realizing that everyone in Jai's family knew about them, Bani set about opening Jai's extensive walk-in wardrobe and saw that everything was in Apple-pie order. Rows after Rows of Shoes were kept neatly at the bottom of the shelf...one side was dedicated to his collection of Ties, the other side had boxes after boxes of cufflinks and tie-pins. And hung in a row, were at least two dozen shirts, all in white colour and below them an equal number of trousers in dark shades. Bani could not imagine how one single person could possibly use so many clothes, especially when to her eyes; they all looked one and the same.
She searched for his casual clothes and opened the other part of the wardrobe and saw that his kurta's, t-shirts, jeans and linen pyjamas were all kept there. She smiled happily as she picked out a white kurta and a pair of jeans, putting them on a chair and then searched for his leather sandals that he normally wore at home. In her mind, she had always seen themselves as a proper couple, but today, when he had asked her to do these mundane jobs, she actually felt like she was his wife.
She went about making his bed and tidied up everything, doing some extra work unnecessarily, mostly because she felt petrified of going downstairs and facing everyone, especially Massi and Karuna...who had seen those marks on her back and had guessed what they were. Bani felt her face burning with mortification at having to face her now. She waited for Jai to come with her...he would handle all of them...all she had to do was hide behind him.
Jai came out after a quick shave and shower, dripping with water and wrapping himself in his favourite black bath towel around his waist below. Bani coloured a bit, but did not react much, instead just murmuring, 'you change...I will wait for you outside. We can go down together.'
Jai grinned and said, 'Coward!'
She instantly retorted, 'I am not a coward!'
'Then? You couldn't go on your own downstairs and face them, isn't it?' he teased her.
She flushed and looked annoyed, repeating, 'I will wait outside...change and come out soon.'
Bani was about to leave the room, when he held her upper arm and pulling her towards him, said, 'why do you need to go out? I can change in front of you! I have no problem!'
She went red behind her ears and said, 'No...No...I will go outside...else, I will just turn the other side and close my eyes...'
Jai gave her a look and added in a wicked undertone, 'Babes, I am not hiding anything that you haven't seen till now...so stop being such a prude!'
She just went from red to purple and hit him on his arms, complaining, 'always talking like this to me! Did you behave like this with all your previous girlfriends?'
Bani had already fetched another towel and forcing Jai to sit on the chair, dried his hair, as he held her waist and buried his face in her stomach.
'No. I used to just do it with them and get over with it. Its only you with whom I bother to talk!' he replied instantly, getting a pinch on his ears for his comment.
'Here...you hair is dried. Now stop arguing and wear your clothes and let us go down...what will everyone think about us? I have been her for the last half an hour now!' Bani whined, feeling very nervous about facing Massi and the others.
'No one will think anything...everyone was very, very happy when I told them about us! Stop fretting so much! And there is a surprise for you...'
'What?' she asked with excited eyes.
Jai smiled and said, 'Mr. Singh and his family are also coming today for the wedding. I had sent over the air-tickets for them through Pushkar.'
'WHAT?' exclaimed Bani, completely taken aback and then added in a dazed voice, 'but when did you...'
'Well...the night we had s**...Oh, sorry...that word offends you...let me see... the day we became two bodies and one soul...I thought...You cook well, you sing & dance well, you look nice, you are sweet-natured and have a good character...and well we pretty much burnt the house down with our act...so what the heck! Might as well marry you!'
Bani stared at him and said, 'you have still not come to the point...'
'The point being, I decided there and then that I will marry you...and I called up Mr. Singh and introduced myself...and told them to come over to Delhi, if he could...so that we could discuss about us!'
Bani could only stare back at Jai and then jumping into his arms, cried out, 'OH! JAI!'
'There we go again...hysteria attack! Where the hell is that Donormyl Bottle gone?'
'Jai!' chided Bani, crying and then giggling at his constant joking and leg-pulling.
'So now I basically want to get over with this asap...your guardians are coming down today...my family is present...and I think we should just get married...maybe in a day or two.'
Bani could barely believe what she heard and muttered, 'In two days?'
'Yes. In two days! Chote is going to leave for the US with Purva...if we postpone our wedding, that idiot will also insist on staying back till it happens...and what is the point in delaying it?'
Bani had no convincing answer to give and she could barely utter a single word out of shock and happiness.
Not wanting to spoil her happiness, but at the same time, wanting to remind her of the impending crisis, Jai said slowly, 'besides, Bani...my treatments start in the next ten days...I...'
She looked up at him...and kept her hand on his mouth and said softly, 'you don't have to give me any more clarifications, Jai. If you want, I am ready to get married to you right here...right now.'
Jai smiled at her and taking her into his arms, kissed her longingly on both her cheeks, saying sadly, 'this is not how I wanted our married life to begin, sweetie. My newly married young bride rushing in and out of hospitals with her sick husband...'
'Jai...' she cried out in protest, tearing up and embracing him.
'You can't deny the facts, Bani...and please don't even try it. You have no idea how difficult it has been for me to take this step...of involving you in a relationship and getting married to you...knowingly pulling you into doom...'
'Don't say that. Please. Nothing will happen to you.' she said, weeping and kissing his hands.
He gave a poignant smile and said, ‘that’s what I am hoping for. Maybe your good luck will rub on me...besides...you don't have to worry...even if something does happen to me...you will be secure for life. I have already made all the arrangements...only some papers are left to be signed...'
Bani did not even let him finish his sentence, pushing him away and then speaking with pain in her eyes, 'Jai...please understand, once and for all. YOU are my security...YOU are my future...and YOU are my life. And if something happens to you...NOTHING would matter anymore.'
They were silent for some time, till Jai spoke up in a jolly way, 'Look at me! We had to go down and teach those idiots a lesson for making my Bani cry and here I did the same! Sorry.'
She kept quiet, not crying, but her eyes full of tears and an expression of deep pain on her face.
'Arre sorry yaar! I won't talk like this ever again! Okay? Now come on! Cheer up! Else, I will everyone downstairs how many times we did it!'
'JAI!' she exclaimed in shock and then burst out laughing, as he pulled her legs relentlessly and they made their way downstairs.
Downstairs
Bani hid behind Jai's broad profile and hoped that she would be invisible to everyone, feeling both jittery and excited about facing everyone, now that the cat was out of the bag.
'Abhi abhi toh aayi ho....bahaar ban ke chaayi ho...' began Karuna, singing in a very teasing manner and then burst out sniggering, when she saw Jai's expression.
'Very funny, Karuna. Very funny.' he remarked drily.
'Dada...tell me one thing! When you had already decided on marrying her, then why on earth did you get so upset with me and Pushkar on what we did?' questioned Nachiket, trying to peek behind Jai and look at Bani, who had held on to his kurta and kept darting her head, so that she wouldn't have to face anyone.
'Shut up, Chote!' answered Jai, giving a look at anyone else who wanted to tease him and Bani.
'Sneha...isn't it ironical? Mr. Walia ends up marrying the girl whom he had once described as the most irritating girl on the planet?' asked Ranveer, grinning at his friend, reminding him of the conversation they had in Mukteshwar five years back, when Ranveer had first met Bani.
'Ha! Ha! Ha!' was Jai's unfriendly response.
'I always knew it...' muttered Pushkar, not able to finish his sentence, when Jai glared back at him and said, 'one more word and I promise you will be stuck in my basement for the rest of your life, picking out prepositions and adjectives from my millions of documents!'
'Anyone else?' asked Jai, crossing his arms and giving a look at everyone, as they all giggled and snickered and looked thoroughly amused.
'Can I see my bahu properly now? If she is done hiding behind you?' asked Massi and Jai could only smile at this and turning his head slightly, whispered to Bani, 'Babes, if you think that you can hide behind me forever...you are wrong...come out for goodness sake and stop being so shy!'
Bani stood where she was, till Jai held her hand and forced her to come around and face everyone. She was as pink as the colour of her dress and when Karuna came to hug her, she all but burst out crying.
'Hai! What happened? Why are you crying, Bani?' asked Karuna and then whispered into her ears, 'Don't worry...that allergy secret remains between us!'
Scandalized, she looked up and went red in the face, as Karuna burst out laughing, pulling Bani's cheeks and said warmly to both of them, 'Many, many congratulations! Maine toh pehle hi guess kar liya tha...that something was wrong...or rather right between the two of you! God bless...Potlu...what did I tell you? Even you had gone out with the Sun as a lamp, you couldn't have found anyone better than her! Good decision!'
Jai simply smiled, feeling a bit uncomfortable with all the attention but also relieved that everyone knew about Bani and him.
Ranveer and Sneha too came and hugged Bani, 'Congratulations Bani! I hope you know what you are getting into! The last thing this ego-maniacal narassict wants is a wife who would worship him from dawn to dusk!' teased Ranveer, getting a friendly punch from Jai, as they both hugged each other.
Nachiket came and ignoring Jai, tightly embraced Bani and said, 'when I first looked at your picture in Dada's phone..I decided that if anyone will become my Bhabhi...it is this girl with a million dollar smile! And you both have given me and Purva the best wedding gift ever!'
Turning to look at Jai, he spoke emotionally, 'Thanks Dada...today I can actually feel the guilt lift off my chest...'
'I thought we won't talk about it again, Chote...and for god sake, it’s your wedding day...don't weep like a girl now...I have enough trouble handling this one as it is...' remarked Jai, pointing towards Bani, who was weeping without much reason, making Nachiket burst into laughter, just as he was about to cry.
Massi came with a box and standing near Jai and Bani, said emotionally, 'here are Jai's mother's jewels...she had entrusted them to me...saying that I am to give this to both her future daughter-in-laws...Purva's share has already gone...and this is yours...'
Bani was all tears and emotions now and sobbingly, bent down and touched Massi's feet, getting a warm, maternal hug from her.
'Jai!' Bani chided him in a furtive whisper, as he made a face and quickly bent down to touch her feet.
Massi smiled at Bani and spoke in her authoritative but loving manner, 'Bahu! I expect you to put him in line, okay? He and his Videshi lifestyle! Now take this...'
'What is this...'mumbled Bani, opening her mouth for the first time since she had come down.
They were a pair of exquisite gold and kundan bangles, set with precious stones and carved beautifully. Massi handed them over to Jai and said, 'now make her wear them, silly! What are you staring at me for?'
Jai laughed and taking Bani's arm, made her wear it. Everyone clapped, making Bani even more awkward and edgy than before, as she again started hiding behind Jai.
'Arre yaar...here we were hoping that Jai would become a Joru Ka Ghulam...yahan toh Joru hi apne Pati ki Ghulam hai!' teased Ranveer, as everyone laughed merrily and teased them both.
The giggling pair of Lakshmi and Anu came forward and hugged Bani warmly, congratulating the couple, ‘Many, many congratulations Bhabhi and Dada…you both look so nice together! Like Sun and Moon!’
Bani blushed and hugged them back, while Jai commented, ‘I hope I am the Sun and she is the Moon who basks in my reflected glory?’
Lakshmi and Anu could not really get the joke, but everyone else, including Bani laughed on his comment.
A good amount of time was spending by the ladies admiring Bani’s exquisite ring and any amount of teasing by them with reference to Jai, making Bani blush non-stop.
A While Later
Bani was in the kitchen, making some Tea for Jai, feeling stroppy and also dizzy with happiness, trying to deal with everything in one go. In just a span of 24 hours, Jai had not only proposed marriage to her, but also told everyone in his family and now he was talking about getting married in the next two days. It felt surreal to Bani that only a fortnight back, she had no clue about Jai and now she was on the verge of becoming his wife. Bani had taken off that band aid, and kissed the ring, closing her eyes and opening it again to see if all this was a dream or was it real and actually happening to her. She could not remember feeling so happy ever before in her life...especially after her mother's death. And now, it looked like the heaven's had opened its floodgates and happiness was pouring in from all quarters.
Karuna came in and when she saw Bani blushing pink, she could help but start humming in a tongue-in-cheek voice, 'abhi abhi toh aayi ho...bahaar ban ke chaayi ho...'
'Didi!' exclaimed Bani, burying her face in the palm of her hand, as Karuna burst out laughing with delight and holding Bani, kissed her on the forehead!
'Arre...why are you being so shy about? And there is no need to be so scared and hide behind Potlu all the time! We are not going to eat you up!' teased Karuna.
Bani could not help but giggle when Karuna referred to Jai by his pet name...there could nothing be more incongruous than calling someone like Jai as Potlu!
Pouring some milk into the tea, Bani turned to look at Karuna, who was arranging a Thali for the Haldi Ceremony and asked her hesitatingly, 'Didi...how...how did you come to know about...' and trailed off, feeling too shy to refer to her relationship with Jai.
Karuna laughed and replied back, 'No rocket science, my dear! It was pretty easy guessing by the constantly flushed look on your face that something was going on with you! Though I admit that your murderer boyfriend is far more inscrutable!'
'Then?'
Karuna laughed some more and said, 'remember the day I had arrived? When he opened the study door...I saw that you were hiding behind it!'
Looking shocked out of her wits, Bani asked, 'How did you see me?'
'There is a mirror right on the wall right in front of the door...I could see your reflection in it! Looking like an over-ripe tomato and scared out of your life...main toh tabhi samajh gayi thi...ki kuch gadbad hain! But then, to be honest, I assumed that Potlu was just having...you know...one of his flings...he is pretty notorious for them...but then over the days...I saw the change in him...and also realized that you were not the type of girl he usually goes out with...so I knew, daal mein kuch toh seriously kaala hain...'
Bani smiled and dropped her eyelids and Karuna said affectionately to her, 'I am really happy for both of you! Jai couldn't have found anyone better than you, Bani...he is a really, really lucky man.'
She answered back simply, 'I am the luckier one.'
'Not sure about that! Once you see how he blows his top in anger and gets irritated over the smallest of things...you will realize what you have gotten yourself into!' provoked Karuna, just as Jai entered the kitchen.
'Accha! We are not even married yet and you are already turning my wife against me?' countered Jai, pulling his cousin's ears.
Bani flushed with joy and instantly looked the other side, as Karuna giggled relentlessly and started humming, 'abhi abhi toh aayi ho...bahaar ban ke chaayi ho...Hai Potlu...who could imagine YOU of all the people to be so romantic!'
'Shut up, Dimpy!' remarked Jai, feeling quite embarrassed, even though Karuna kept pulling their legs, teasing them on their clandestine affair.
Bani handed the cup of tea to Jai, not even looking up at him, and going warm all over her body, when Karuna said impishly, 'I can see that our Vakil Sahib and his prisoner of love have some romantic moments to share! Why don't I go and get Chote ready for the Haldi ceremony, while you two can...'
'No Didi...'exclaimed Bani, blushing like crazy, while Jai gave a look at Karuna and said, 'Ha! Ha! Very funny, Dimpy!'
When Karuna left, Bani looked up at him and he remarked, 'Bani, if you keep getting so flustered, I fear your Blood Pressure will shoot up! Just look at your face...it is a darker shade of pink than your dress!'
She mopped a bit and looking up at him, said hesitatingly, 'you shouldn't have told everyone so soon...see, how everyone is teasing us?'
'They are teasing you, not me! And secondly, I had a very good reason to tell everyone about us!'
'What?' she asked him, handing over a Nan-khatai biscuit to Jai, as he slipped his arm around her waist and brought her closer to him.
'The whole world and its aunt will be coming to the wedding tonight...what better time than introduce my lovely wife-to-be to everyone? Besides, since our wedding will be a very private affair, I just wanted this opportunity to let everyone know how lucky I am by showing you off!'
Bani was all tears and smiles, hugging him and said weepingly, 'you are so sweet, Jai!'
'Not really...wait till our wedding night...I will show you what a scoundrel I really am!' he countered.
'Jai!' she protested giggling and wiping her tears at the same time and then added in a doubtful voice, 'what shall I tell Jigyasa Mam and Pooja, Saurabh and the others? They are all outside...they have no idea...'
Finishing the delicious ginger and tulsi tea, Jai looked at Bani and said, 'firstly, stop calling Jiggy as Mam! She is not your boss now...she is your husband's friend. So call her Jiggy or Jigyasa.'
'NO!' exclaimed Bani, looking scandalized at the prospect of taking her boss's name.
'I am not putting up with you calling my friends as Mam and Sir, okay?' he warned, making her wilt a bit and reply back in a compromising voice, 'I...I won't call her anything then...I will just speak to her without referring to her in person.'
'Always the pacifist!' teased Jai, planting a kiss on her pert nose and then said, 'what is there to look so flustered about? Everyone who was supposed to know about us knows...just go out, call your colleagues and tell them!'
'I...how easily you can say it, Jai! What will Pooja and Saurabh think?'
'They will think that you have hit the matrimonial jackpot by finding a hot, happening husband like me!' said Jai, appearing very pleased with himself and making Bani chuckle non-stop.
Bani then added unthinkingly, 'Poor Poojie...she has such a terrific crush on you...'
Jai looked amused and said, 'Yes...I know that! Very apparent, actually! Tell her, not to worry...after all saali is also aadhi-gharwaali! I won't let her hopes dash to ground!'
'JAI!' exclaimed Bani, pulling his ears and laughing along with him, as he planted a kiss on her cheeks and told her that he was going out and telling Jigyasa himself, while she should also tell at least Pooja and Saurabh on her own.
As soon as Jai left, Bani cleared the tea cups and was about to leave, when Abdul entered, busy and humming a song and when he saw her, gave a warm smile, making her feel a bit uncomfortable and embarrassed.
'Humko toh pehle hi maloom ho gaya tha, Madamji...'
Bani looked at him in silence and he added with a toothy grin, 'Woh din jab aap ghar pe akeli thi na...Bade Sahib ne bahaar jaane se pehle, humse kaha ki aapka khayaal rakhein...tabhi samajh gaye the..'
Blushing furiously, Bani did not know what to say, till Abdul added in a humble, affectionate voice, 'Upar waala aap dono ki jodi salaamat rakhe...hum bahut kush hai, Madamji...Sahib bahut kismatwaale hain...jinko aapka saath mila.'
Overcome with tears, Bani could only mumble in a broken voice, 'Thank you, Abdul Chacha.'
Abdul too wiped his tears and grinned back, 'Ab toh, you only will make tea for Bade Sahibji and take it for him...thank God...I won't be screamed upon every morning!'
Bani burst out laughing, feeling very shy and overcome with so many emotions.
Jai's Study
'OH! MY! GOD! Jai! You....You...You...'
'What you, you?' questioned, Jai as he finished telling a thoroughly shocked Jigyasa about Bani and himself.
Jigaysa could hardly say anything more and then finally uttered in an exhausted voice, 'Of all my employees...you had to take away my best one, isn't it?'
Jai gave a grin and said, 'In my defence, I knew her before you employed her...'
'But when...how...and...seriously, you and Bani?' repeated Jigyasa, still looking too shocked.
'Why? Isn't she good enough for me?' questioned Jai, anger rising in his eyes and automatically assuming that Jigyasa was referring to Bani being not good enough for Jai's stature.
Giving a sardonic look at Jai, Jigyasa said smoothly, 'on the contrary, my dear Jai. On the contrary. I am afraid that she is too good for you, actually!'
'What? Hey? She adores me!' protested Jai, making Jigyasa laugh and hug him warmly.
'I can bet she adores you, Jai! She seems to be the kind who can devote her entire life to one man and you seem to be exactly the kind of man who needs this kind of devotion and love! I am really happy for you...shocked out of my senses...but happy nevertheless!'
Jai smiled slowly and said, 'Well...thanks...she was very nervous...so I thought, let me get the cat out of the bag!' and then added, in an apologetic tone, 'Jiggy...I am sorry...she won't be going back to Bangalore with you guys...and I know that she has professional commitments...'
Jigyasa stopped Jai midway and said, 'it’s alright, Jai. Even though we always shared a very strict mentor and mentee relationship...I have not been blind to the sadness in her eyes...she was obviously missing something in her life...missing it badly...I assumed that it was because she had lost her family...but as I know now, that is not the case....'
Holding his hands, Jigyasa spoke with warmth, 'Get married both of you and have a great life together! I can always find another employee...maybe not as good as she was...but still someone to take her place. But you both are unique to each other...so go on!'
Jai gave a wide smile back and said, 'you are best, Jiggy! And I can't imagine why that idiotic husband of yours ever let you go in the first place!'
Jigyasa laughed and replied, 'He didn't. I did! Anyway, am I getting the wedding contract for this one also? I should...considering you are my friend and she is my employee!'
Jai laughed and said, 'We are just having a very simple ceremony...Massi is taking out a date...probably day after tomorrow...'
'No party even?' asked Jigyasa, sounding shocked that a party animal like Jai would ever have such a simple affair on his own wedding.
Jai was quiet for a moment, he hand’s talked about his impending treatment and surgery to anyone and he simply said, 'No...Nothing except the ceremony...maybe sometime else, we can have a party. And I promise, whenever it will happen...your will be the official organizer!'
Outside
Pooja all but fainted on hearing what Bani had to say and fell into Saurabh's arms, who looked like his eyes would pop out anytime.
'What? Like WHAT? Seriously....WHAT?' repeated Pooja and then looking at Saurabh, spoke breathlessly, 'Sau...please could you lend me your Asthalin Inhaler....I desperately need it...I think I am out of breathe here...'
This comment caused both Bani and Saurabh to burst out laughing.
'Really Bani? I can hardly believe my ears! You and Mr. W? OMG! That is like the BIGGEST news I have heard...' said Saurabh, shaking his head and looking totally zapped.
Bani coloured and looked elsewhere, feeling really shy and awkward at having to admit about her relationship with Jai to her colleagues.
'So how did this all start? And when? Oh! My God! Is that why you kept going to his study...is that how your affair begun?' said Pooja, her eyes widening comically.
Bani looked very embarrassed and said hurriedly, 'No...No...Poojie, please. We...we knew each other for a very long time...nearly five years!'
'WHAT? And you never said one word! Oh! Bani! And come to think of it...all that I used to say about Mr. W in front of you...'moaned Pooja.
Bani smiled warmly and pulling Pooja's cheeks with affection, said, 'I swear, I never said one word of it to him...'
'Oh! God! I cannot believe this...one of my best friends is getting married to none other than the man of my dreams!' declared Pooja, pretending to faint and fall over Bani.
Bani and Saurabh laughed with delight at Pooja's antics, when Jai also walked in, instantly silencing the three of them.
'Hi Guys...heard the news?' asked Jai, smiling at Pooja and Saurab and placing his arms across Bani’s shoulders, making her bloom with pleasure on his display of affection.
'We did, Sir. Many, many congratulations!' said Saurabh, giving a wide grin.
'And you, Pooja? Aren't you going to congratulate your friend and me?' teased Jai.
Pooja flushed and giggled and generally acted in the most ludicrous way ever and muttered, 'Oooh...Sir...so nice...Congrats...I am sooooooooo happy for both of you...'
Giving a wink at Bani, he leaned forward and whispered in a conspiratorial manner into Pooja's ears, 'Don't worry, Pooja...aakhir saali bhi aadhi gharwaali hoti hain...I will remember that in the future.'
Bani and Saurabh gushed out chuckling helplessly, while Pooja all but swooned and had to be supported by Saurabh before she could have fallen right on the ground out of sheer excitement.
A while later
Bani had gone inside when Massi had asked her to change into a Sari for the Haldi Ceremony, since now she was officially the groom’s sister-in-law, she was supposed to take charge of the affair and start the rituals.
Pushkar bumped into her and grinned, while she felt extremely embarrassed and lowered her eyes, not knowing what to say.
‘Congrats, Bani! I am so, so, so happy for you! When you had braved that torrential downpour to attend Jai Sir’s lecture, never had I imagined, that one day, you would end up marrying him some day.’
Bani blushed and replied back ardently, ‘Thanks for everything, Pushkar. I know how much you and Nachiket tried to get me and Jai together…’
‘It didn’t really work. Nachiket ended up with a bad stomach and I ended up with soot on my face, which still refuses to go!’ Came back Pushkar with a droll smile, making Bani laugh.
‘The thought matters…the action doesn’t. But thank you so much…if it wasn’t for you and Rano and Chachaji and Chachiji…this would never have been possible.’ Said Bani in a grateful voice.
‘Which reminds me that Rano is hopping mad at you!’ commented Pushkar with a wry grin.
Bani’s face lost a bit of colour and she said, ‘Oh…I know…just imagine…she had no idea when I left for Delhi…and now she is coming down to attend my wedding. And I feel so guilty facing Chachaji and Chachiji…what would they think about me? After all they did for me…’
‘Now come on! Don’t look so weepy! They are thrilled for you! I spoke to them…’assured Pushkar.
‘Really?’
‘Of course. Only Rano is upset that you did not share your ‘secret’ with her! She so deserves it!’ said Pushkar, making Bani give him a little punch for always teasing his sister.
‘Once she meets Jai, all her anger will abate!’ said Bani with a besotted look on her face.
Jai had just bellowed on Pushkar to come and do some work he had given, and before leaving he could not but help comment impertinently, ‘Bani…don’t mind, but just because you are in love with that Dracula Ka Baap who is shouting on me, does not mean that every girl in the world has to love him!’
‘PUSHKAR’ shouted Bani in shock and annoyance, as he laughed vigorously and mumbled with a worried expression, ‘Don’t tell him I said that, okay? Aakhir mere pyaare hone waale jeejaji hain…why take unnecessary panga with him!’
Saying that he scooted off towards Jai’s study, leaving Bani laughing and filled with joyfulness and happiness.
Her dreams were coming true with a disquieting rapidity and it seemed that nothing and no one in the world could stop her from being the happiest person alive on the planet.
Bani hid behind Jai's broad profile and hoped that she would be invisible to everyone, feeling both jittery and excited about facing everyone, now that the cat was out of the bag.
'Abhi abhi toh aayi ho....bahaar ban ke chaayi ho...' began Karuna, singing in a very teasing manner and then burst out sniggering, when she saw Jai's expression.
'Very funny, Karuna. Very funny.' he remarked drily.
'Dada...tell me one thing! When you had already decided on marrying her, then why on earth did you get so upset with me and Pushkar on what we did?' questioned Nachiket, trying to peek behind Jai and look at Bani, who had held on to his kurta and kept darting her head, so that she wouldn't have to face anyone.
'Shut up, Chote!' answered Jai, giving a look at anyone else who wanted to tease him and Bani.
'Sneha...isn't it ironical? Mr. Walia ends up marrying the girl whom he had once described as the most irritating girl on the planet?' asked Ranveer, grinning at his friend, reminding him of the conversation they had in Mukteshwar five years back, when Ranveer had first met Bani.
'Ha! Ha! Ha!' was Jai's unfriendly response.
'I always knew it...' muttered Pushkar, not able to finish his sentence, when Jai glared back at him and said, 'one more word and I promise you will be stuck in my basement for the rest of your life, picking out prepositions and adjectives from my millions of documents!'
'Anyone else?' asked Jai, crossing his arms and giving a look at everyone, as they all giggled and snickered and looked thoroughly amused.
'Can I see my bahu properly now? If she is done hiding behind you?' asked Massi and Jai could only smile at this and turning his head slightly, whispered to Bani, 'Babes, if you think that you can hide behind me forever...you are wrong...come out for goodness sake and stop being so shy!'
Bani stood where she was, till Jai held her hand and forced her to come around and face everyone. She was as pink as the colour of her dress and when Karuna came to hug her, she all but burst out crying.
'Hai! What happened? Why are you crying, Bani?' asked Karuna and then whispered into her ears, 'Don't worry...that allergy secret remains between us!'
Scandalized, she looked up and went red in the face, as Karuna burst out laughing, pulling Bani's cheeks and said warmly to both of them, 'Many, many congratulations! Maine toh pehle hi guess kar liya tha...that something was wrong...or rather right between the two of you! God bless...Potlu...what did I tell you? Even you had gone out with the Sun as a lamp, you couldn't have found anyone better than her! Good decision!'
Jai simply smiled, feeling a bit uncomfortable with all the attention but also relieved that everyone knew about Bani and him.
Ranveer and Sneha too came and hugged Bani, 'Congratulations Bani! I hope you know what you are getting into! The last thing this ego-maniacal narassict wants is a wife who would worship him from dawn to dusk!' teased Ranveer, getting a friendly punch from Jai, as they both hugged each other.
Nachiket came and ignoring Jai, tightly embraced Bani and said, 'when I first looked at your picture in Dada's phone..I decided that if anyone will become my Bhabhi...it is this girl with a million dollar smile! And you both have given me and Purva the best wedding gift ever!'
Turning to look at Jai, he spoke emotionally, 'Thanks Dada...today I can actually feel the guilt lift off my chest...'
'I thought we won't talk about it again, Chote...and for god sake, it’s your wedding day...don't weep like a girl now...I have enough trouble handling this one as it is...' remarked Jai, pointing towards Bani, who was weeping without much reason, making Nachiket burst into laughter, just as he was about to cry.
Massi came with a box and standing near Jai and Bani, said emotionally, 'here are Jai's mother's jewels...she had entrusted them to me...saying that I am to give this to both her future daughter-in-laws...Purva's share has already gone...and this is yours...'
Bani was all tears and emotions now and sobbingly, bent down and touched Massi's feet, getting a warm, maternal hug from her.
'Jai!' Bani chided him in a furtive whisper, as he made a face and quickly bent down to touch her feet.
Massi smiled at Bani and spoke in her authoritative but loving manner, 'Bahu! I expect you to put him in line, okay? He and his Videshi lifestyle! Now take this...'
'What is this...'mumbled Bani, opening her mouth for the first time since she had come down.
They were a pair of exquisite gold and kundan bangles, set with precious stones and carved beautifully. Massi handed them over to Jai and said, 'now make her wear them, silly! What are you staring at me for?'
Jai laughed and taking Bani's arm, made her wear it. Everyone clapped, making Bani even more awkward and edgy than before, as she again started hiding behind Jai.
'Arre yaar...here we were hoping that Jai would become a Joru Ka Ghulam...yahan toh Joru hi apne Pati ki Ghulam hai!' teased Ranveer, as everyone laughed merrily and teased them both.
The giggling pair of Lakshmi and Anu came forward and hugged Bani warmly, congratulating the couple, ‘Many, many congratulations Bhabhi and Dada…you both look so nice together! Like Sun and Moon!’
Bani blushed and hugged them back, while Jai commented, ‘I hope I am the Sun and she is the Moon who basks in my reflected glory?’
Lakshmi and Anu could not really get the joke, but everyone else, including Bani laughed on his comment.
A good amount of time was spending by the ladies admiring Bani’s exquisite ring and any amount of teasing by them with reference to Jai, making Bani blush non-stop.
A While Later
Bani was in the kitchen, making some Tea for Jai, feeling stroppy and also dizzy with happiness, trying to deal with everything in one go. In just a span of 24 hours, Jai had not only proposed marriage to her, but also told everyone in his family and now he was talking about getting married in the next two days. It felt surreal to Bani that only a fortnight back, she had no clue about Jai and now she was on the verge of becoming his wife. Bani had taken off that band aid, and kissed the ring, closing her eyes and opening it again to see if all this was a dream or was it real and actually happening to her. She could not remember feeling so happy ever before in her life...especially after her mother's death. And now, it looked like the heaven's had opened its floodgates and happiness was pouring in from all quarters.
Karuna came in and when she saw Bani blushing pink, she could help but start humming in a tongue-in-cheek voice, 'abhi abhi toh aayi ho...bahaar ban ke chaayi ho...'
'Didi!' exclaimed Bani, burying her face in the palm of her hand, as Karuna burst out laughing with delight and holding Bani, kissed her on the forehead!
'Arre...why are you being so shy about? And there is no need to be so scared and hide behind Potlu all the time! We are not going to eat you up!' teased Karuna.
Bani could not help but giggle when Karuna referred to Jai by his pet name...there could nothing be more incongruous than calling someone like Jai as Potlu!
Pouring some milk into the tea, Bani turned to look at Karuna, who was arranging a Thali for the Haldi Ceremony and asked her hesitatingly, 'Didi...how...how did you come to know about...' and trailed off, feeling too shy to refer to her relationship with Jai.
Karuna laughed and replied back, 'No rocket science, my dear! It was pretty easy guessing by the constantly flushed look on your face that something was going on with you! Though I admit that your murderer boyfriend is far more inscrutable!'
'Then?'
Karuna laughed some more and said, 'remember the day I had arrived? When he opened the study door...I saw that you were hiding behind it!'
Looking shocked out of her wits, Bani asked, 'How did you see me?'
'There is a mirror right on the wall right in front of the door...I could see your reflection in it! Looking like an over-ripe tomato and scared out of your life...main toh tabhi samajh gayi thi...ki kuch gadbad hain! But then, to be honest, I assumed that Potlu was just having...you know...one of his flings...he is pretty notorious for them...but then over the days...I saw the change in him...and also realized that you were not the type of girl he usually goes out with...so I knew, daal mein kuch toh seriously kaala hain...'
Bani smiled and dropped her eyelids and Karuna said affectionately to her, 'I am really happy for both of you! Jai couldn't have found anyone better than you, Bani...he is a really, really lucky man.'
She answered back simply, 'I am the luckier one.'
'Not sure about that! Once you see how he blows his top in anger and gets irritated over the smallest of things...you will realize what you have gotten yourself into!' provoked Karuna, just as Jai entered the kitchen.
'Accha! We are not even married yet and you are already turning my wife against me?' countered Jai, pulling his cousin's ears.
Bani flushed with joy and instantly looked the other side, as Karuna giggled relentlessly and started humming, 'abhi abhi toh aayi ho...bahaar ban ke chaayi ho...Hai Potlu...who could imagine YOU of all the people to be so romantic!'
'Shut up, Dimpy!' remarked Jai, feeling quite embarrassed, even though Karuna kept pulling their legs, teasing them on their clandestine affair.
Bani handed the cup of tea to Jai, not even looking up at him, and going warm all over her body, when Karuna said impishly, 'I can see that our Vakil Sahib and his prisoner of love have some romantic moments to share! Why don't I go and get Chote ready for the Haldi ceremony, while you two can...'
'No Didi...'exclaimed Bani, blushing like crazy, while Jai gave a look at Karuna and said, 'Ha! Ha! Very funny, Dimpy!'
When Karuna left, Bani looked up at him and he remarked, 'Bani, if you keep getting so flustered, I fear your Blood Pressure will shoot up! Just look at your face...it is a darker shade of pink than your dress!'
She mopped a bit and looking up at him, said hesitatingly, 'you shouldn't have told everyone so soon...see, how everyone is teasing us?'
'They are teasing you, not me! And secondly, I had a very good reason to tell everyone about us!'
'What?' she asked him, handing over a Nan-khatai biscuit to Jai, as he slipped his arm around her waist and brought her closer to him.
'The whole world and its aunt will be coming to the wedding tonight...what better time than introduce my lovely wife-to-be to everyone? Besides, since our wedding will be a very private affair, I just wanted this opportunity to let everyone know how lucky I am by showing you off!'
Bani was all tears and smiles, hugging him and said weepingly, 'you are so sweet, Jai!'
'Not really...wait till our wedding night...I will show you what a scoundrel I really am!' he countered.
'Jai!' she protested giggling and wiping her tears at the same time and then added in a doubtful voice, 'what shall I tell Jigyasa Mam and Pooja, Saurabh and the others? They are all outside...they have no idea...'
Finishing the delicious ginger and tulsi tea, Jai looked at Bani and said, 'firstly, stop calling Jiggy as Mam! She is not your boss now...she is your husband's friend. So call her Jiggy or Jigyasa.'
'NO!' exclaimed Bani, looking scandalized at the prospect of taking her boss's name.
'I am not putting up with you calling my friends as Mam and Sir, okay?' he warned, making her wilt a bit and reply back in a compromising voice, 'I...I won't call her anything then...I will just speak to her without referring to her in person.'
'Always the pacifist!' teased Jai, planting a kiss on her pert nose and then said, 'what is there to look so flustered about? Everyone who was supposed to know about us knows...just go out, call your colleagues and tell them!'
'I...how easily you can say it, Jai! What will Pooja and Saurabh think?'
'They will think that you have hit the matrimonial jackpot by finding a hot, happening husband like me!' said Jai, appearing very pleased with himself and making Bani chuckle non-stop.
Bani then added unthinkingly, 'Poor Poojie...she has such a terrific crush on you...'
Jai looked amused and said, 'Yes...I know that! Very apparent, actually! Tell her, not to worry...after all saali is also aadhi-gharwaali! I won't let her hopes dash to ground!'
'JAI!' exclaimed Bani, pulling his ears and laughing along with him, as he planted a kiss on her cheeks and told her that he was going out and telling Jigyasa himself, while she should also tell at least Pooja and Saurabh on her own.
As soon as Jai left, Bani cleared the tea cups and was about to leave, when Abdul entered, busy and humming a song and when he saw her, gave a warm smile, making her feel a bit uncomfortable and embarrassed.
'Humko toh pehle hi maloom ho gaya tha, Madamji...'
Bani looked at him in silence and he added with a toothy grin, 'Woh din jab aap ghar pe akeli thi na...Bade Sahib ne bahaar jaane se pehle, humse kaha ki aapka khayaal rakhein...tabhi samajh gaye the..'
Blushing furiously, Bani did not know what to say, till Abdul added in a humble, affectionate voice, 'Upar waala aap dono ki jodi salaamat rakhe...hum bahut kush hai, Madamji...Sahib bahut kismatwaale hain...jinko aapka saath mila.'
Overcome with tears, Bani could only mumble in a broken voice, 'Thank you, Abdul Chacha.'
Abdul too wiped his tears and grinned back, 'Ab toh, you only will make tea for Bade Sahibji and take it for him...thank God...I won't be screamed upon every morning!'
Bani burst out laughing, feeling very shy and overcome with so many emotions.
Jai's Study
'OH! MY! GOD! Jai! You....You...You...'
'What you, you?' questioned, Jai as he finished telling a thoroughly shocked Jigyasa about Bani and himself.
Jigaysa could hardly say anything more and then finally uttered in an exhausted voice, 'Of all my employees...you had to take away my best one, isn't it?'
Jai gave a grin and said, 'In my defence, I knew her before you employed her...'
'But when...how...and...seriously, you and Bani?' repeated Jigyasa, still looking too shocked.
'Why? Isn't she good enough for me?' questioned Jai, anger rising in his eyes and automatically assuming that Jigyasa was referring to Bani being not good enough for Jai's stature.
Giving a sardonic look at Jai, Jigyasa said smoothly, 'on the contrary, my dear Jai. On the contrary. I am afraid that she is too good for you, actually!'
'What? Hey? She adores me!' protested Jai, making Jigyasa laugh and hug him warmly.
'I can bet she adores you, Jai! She seems to be the kind who can devote her entire life to one man and you seem to be exactly the kind of man who needs this kind of devotion and love! I am really happy for you...shocked out of my senses...but happy nevertheless!'
Jai smiled slowly and said, 'Well...thanks...she was very nervous...so I thought, let me get the cat out of the bag!' and then added, in an apologetic tone, 'Jiggy...I am sorry...she won't be going back to Bangalore with you guys...and I know that she has professional commitments...'
Jigyasa stopped Jai midway and said, 'it’s alright, Jai. Even though we always shared a very strict mentor and mentee relationship...I have not been blind to the sadness in her eyes...she was obviously missing something in her life...missing it badly...I assumed that it was because she had lost her family...but as I know now, that is not the case....'
Holding his hands, Jigyasa spoke with warmth, 'Get married both of you and have a great life together! I can always find another employee...maybe not as good as she was...but still someone to take her place. But you both are unique to each other...so go on!'
Jai gave a wide smile back and said, 'you are best, Jiggy! And I can't imagine why that idiotic husband of yours ever let you go in the first place!'
Jigyasa laughed and replied, 'He didn't. I did! Anyway, am I getting the wedding contract for this one also? I should...considering you are my friend and she is my employee!'
Jai laughed and said, 'We are just having a very simple ceremony...Massi is taking out a date...probably day after tomorrow...'
'No party even?' asked Jigyasa, sounding shocked that a party animal like Jai would ever have such a simple affair on his own wedding.
Jai was quiet for a moment, he hand’s talked about his impending treatment and surgery to anyone and he simply said, 'No...Nothing except the ceremony...maybe sometime else, we can have a party. And I promise, whenever it will happen...your will be the official organizer!'
Outside
Pooja all but fainted on hearing what Bani had to say and fell into Saurabh's arms, who looked like his eyes would pop out anytime.
'What? Like WHAT? Seriously....WHAT?' repeated Pooja and then looking at Saurabh, spoke breathlessly, 'Sau...please could you lend me your Asthalin Inhaler....I desperately need it...I think I am out of breathe here...'
This comment caused both Bani and Saurabh to burst out laughing.
'Really Bani? I can hardly believe my ears! You and Mr. W? OMG! That is like the BIGGEST news I have heard...' said Saurabh, shaking his head and looking totally zapped.
Bani coloured and looked elsewhere, feeling really shy and awkward at having to admit about her relationship with Jai to her colleagues.
'So how did this all start? And when? Oh! My God! Is that why you kept going to his study...is that how your affair begun?' said Pooja, her eyes widening comically.
Bani looked very embarrassed and said hurriedly, 'No...No...Poojie, please. We...we knew each other for a very long time...nearly five years!'
'WHAT? And you never said one word! Oh! Bani! And come to think of it...all that I used to say about Mr. W in front of you...'moaned Pooja.
Bani smiled warmly and pulling Pooja's cheeks with affection, said, 'I swear, I never said one word of it to him...'
'Oh! God! I cannot believe this...one of my best friends is getting married to none other than the man of my dreams!' declared Pooja, pretending to faint and fall over Bani.
Bani and Saurabh laughed with delight at Pooja's antics, when Jai also walked in, instantly silencing the three of them.
'Hi Guys...heard the news?' asked Jai, smiling at Pooja and Saurab and placing his arms across Bani’s shoulders, making her bloom with pleasure on his display of affection.
'We did, Sir. Many, many congratulations!' said Saurabh, giving a wide grin.
'And you, Pooja? Aren't you going to congratulate your friend and me?' teased Jai.
Pooja flushed and giggled and generally acted in the most ludicrous way ever and muttered, 'Oooh...Sir...so nice...Congrats...I am sooooooooo happy for both of you...'
Giving a wink at Bani, he leaned forward and whispered in a conspiratorial manner into Pooja's ears, 'Don't worry, Pooja...aakhir saali bhi aadhi gharwaali hoti hain...I will remember that in the future.'
Bani and Saurabh gushed out chuckling helplessly, while Pooja all but swooned and had to be supported by Saurabh before she could have fallen right on the ground out of sheer excitement.
A while later
Bani had gone inside when Massi had asked her to change into a Sari for the Haldi Ceremony, since now she was officially the groom’s sister-in-law, she was supposed to take charge of the affair and start the rituals.
Pushkar bumped into her and grinned, while she felt extremely embarrassed and lowered her eyes, not knowing what to say.
‘Congrats, Bani! I am so, so, so happy for you! When you had braved that torrential downpour to attend Jai Sir’s lecture, never had I imagined, that one day, you would end up marrying him some day.’
Bani blushed and replied back ardently, ‘Thanks for everything, Pushkar. I know how much you and Nachiket tried to get me and Jai together…’
‘It didn’t really work. Nachiket ended up with a bad stomach and I ended up with soot on my face, which still refuses to go!’ Came back Pushkar with a droll smile, making Bani laugh.
‘The thought matters…the action doesn’t. But thank you so much…if it wasn’t for you and Rano and Chachaji and Chachiji…this would never have been possible.’ Said Bani in a grateful voice.
‘Which reminds me that Rano is hopping mad at you!’ commented Pushkar with a wry grin.
Bani’s face lost a bit of colour and she said, ‘Oh…I know…just imagine…she had no idea when I left for Delhi…and now she is coming down to attend my wedding. And I feel so guilty facing Chachaji and Chachiji…what would they think about me? After all they did for me…’
‘Now come on! Don’t look so weepy! They are thrilled for you! I spoke to them…’assured Pushkar.
‘Really?’
‘Of course. Only Rano is upset that you did not share your ‘secret’ with her! She so deserves it!’ said Pushkar, making Bani give him a little punch for always teasing his sister.
‘Once she meets Jai, all her anger will abate!’ said Bani with a besotted look on her face.
Jai had just bellowed on Pushkar to come and do some work he had given, and before leaving he could not but help comment impertinently, ‘Bani…don’t mind, but just because you are in love with that Dracula Ka Baap who is shouting on me, does not mean that every girl in the world has to love him!’
‘PUSHKAR’ shouted Bani in shock and annoyance, as he laughed vigorously and mumbled with a worried expression, ‘Don’t tell him I said that, okay? Aakhir mere pyaare hone waale jeejaji hain…why take unnecessary panga with him!’
Saying that he scooted off towards Jai’s study, leaving Bani laughing and filled with joyfulness and happiness.
Her dreams were coming true with a disquieting rapidity and it seemed that nothing and no one in the world could stop her from being the happiest person alive on the planet.
A man reserves his
true and deepest love not for the species of woman in whose company he finds
himself electrified and enkindled, but for that one in whose company he may
feel tenderly drowsy ~ George Jean Nathan
Part 19(b)
Haldi Ceremony
'Come on...what are you staring at? Start the ritual! For god sake, it’s your right!' said Karuna, placing the huge silver bowl of haldi and sandalwood paste in Bani's hands and telling her to be the first one to apply it on Nachiket.
'Aur kya? Bhabhi ho aakhir! Pehla haq toh tumhara hi banta hai, bahu!' encouraged Massi, as Bani bit her lips and smiled shyly, looking in Jai's direction, who was holding a handy-cam in his hands and focusing on her.
Bani had changed into another set of clothes, appropriate to what the sister-in-law of the groom was supposed to wear. A beautiful mustard and maroon coloured sari in mysore silk with short sleeve blouse, her waist length hair left open, just the way Jai always liked it and both her slim, shapely hands filled with dozens of glass bangles, along with the two heavy kada's that Jai had presented to her, post their engagement.
'Er...Dada...we all know how besotted you are with Bhabhi...but can you please focus that handy-cam on me? It’s my wedding actually and I would like that when in ten years’ time, my kids watch this video, they don't keep asking me why is there only one pretty lady in the entire video and how come their parents and everyone else is missing?'
There was much laughter and hooting on this comment by Nachiket and Jai giving a look at his brother, spoke humorously, 'Saale...teri shaadi nahin hoti na...I would have taught you a lesson for mocking my poor Bani.'
'MY POOR BANI? Haiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii' sang together Ranveer, Sneha, Tarun, Karuna, Nachiket, Lakshmi, Anu and even Pushkar, making Bani blush like a carrot and Jai laugh.
'Shut up, okay! And start this nonsense! We are already running late!' ordered Jai.
Pooja and Saurabh kept winking at Bani and joshing her from the background, to her acute embarrassment and exertion to appear decorous and dignified, as any daughter-in-law should. She dipped the blades of Durva grass in the paste of turmeric and sandalwood and sat on the ground on her knees in front of Nachiket, as he gave her a heartfelt smile.
'I cannot tell you how happy I am today...thanks, Bhabhi. Thank you for selecting my brother and thank you for becoming part of our family.' said Nachiket.
Tears filled her eyes and before Bani could react, Jai hewed in, 'Chote please...if Miss. Dixit’s waterworks start, the wedding might get delayed...so leave all this sentimental gloop for later and just get on with it!'
Bani flushed and turned to scowl at Jai for spoiling her Bhabhi-Devar moment with Nachiket, but by then, everyone had started laughing, pulling Bani's legs again.
She smeared some of the paste that was on the grass on Nachiket's cheeks, forehead, on both his hands and feet. Everyone clapped enthusiastically, while Jai as always commented, 'Did I tell you that I added some permanent yellow coloured hair dye to the thing? Chote...you will walk around looking like a jaundice patient for the rest of your life!'
'WHAT?' screeched Nachiket, looking horrified and then instantly realizing that his brother had pulled a fast one on him.
'Kya Dada? Shaadi ke din toh spare kar do!' he grumbled.
'Jai...come on! You were the one complaining that we are getting late and now look...Bani...you keep going! Your wonderful husband and his weird sense of humour will always be there.' said Ranveer, making everyone laugh.
After Bani had applied the paste, she did some other ritual as verbalized by Massi and then Karuna came and did the same. Everyone clapped, as the ceremony got over, with both Bani and Karuna pouring tons of water over Nachiket, giving lots of chance for Jai to pass amusing comments, while he taped everything on his Sony Handycam.
Jai stood slightly apart from everyone, watching Bani mingle with his family with such effortless ease and comfort. It came so naturally to her...she got along so well with Karuna's three kids, she had already won over his unyielding aunt's approval, she had made a friend for life in Karuna and found a brother in Nachiket and Ranveer and Sneha simply adored her.
Was it surprising that Jai had fallen in love with Bani? Who wouldn't fall in love with her? She was so cheerful, kind-natured, sweet, loving and affectionate. How he wished, he could see her smiling and laughing like this forever. How he wished he could see her dressed in beautiful clothes, her long slim hands filled with dozens of jingling bangles, her forehead dotted with a bindi, her ears and neck adorned with jewels, her dainty feet clinking with the sound of silver anklets.
All of Jai's previous girlfriends and even the in numerous one-night stands he had had, were all women, whom he had, till he met Bani, considered to be 'his type'. He preferred the more suave, up-to-date, erudite women, who were well-educated, outgoing and projected the kind of confidence that came naturally to him.
None of which matched with Bani's characteristics. She was, despite having gone to bed with him before marriage, a deeply traditional girl, who made no pretences of any sophistication. Her education was limited and even now her mastery over the English language was quite stilted. She was anything but outgoing and confident, especially in front of strangers.
But surprisingly, despite being the more compliant and submissive of the two, it was Bani who had changed the rules of the game, which he had played.
She was the one who had brought about the transformation in Jai. He was the one who had changed after having fallen in love with her...changed as a person, while she had only metamorphosed superficially.
Bani was, in Jai's judgement, very much the girl-next-door, whom he had met five years back.
Unassuming, down-to-earth, compassionate, gentle and affectionate. She just looked lovelier than she had looked before and was more assured of herself. Otherwise, there was no change in her at all.
He was the better person now...more tolerant, kindlier, more thoughtful and warm. Some of her sterling qualities had passed on to him by default, by the mere chance of having fallen in love with her.
His eyes went hazy when he saw how blissful she looked...even though she knew that the man she was marrying was a ticking time-bomb. She was damned if he died...and damned if he lived and turned out to be a paralytic for life. Jai did not even want to entertain that thought. He preferred death to living Life lifelessly. Any day.
The chances of him making through the surgery and leading a normal life seemed very bleak to Jai. And his biggest fear was that Bani had still not understood the intricacy and complexity of his situation and had not in any way prepared herself mentally for life ahead. With or without him. Either ways it was going to be hell.
Ten Days. That is all he had in hand to live life to the fullest.
His first Chemo Session was to start from the 1st of May...exactly ten days from tomorrow...though he knew that the first session won't incapacitate him too much, but as the treatment advanced, his body would start to fall into pieces and so would his mind.
It was a highly unpleasant treatment though also one of the most effective for his type of Cancer and one that gave him the best odds to live. The first time it had been an inferno for Jai...he had not at all been prepared and when the nausea combined with loss of appetite, loss of hair, unimaginable fatigue and depression had set in, Jai hadn't known what to do.
He had always considered himself to be a strong person...inside and out...but his Spinal Cancer had broken his spirits into multi-million pieces and he had found himself helpless and struggling to cope with the physical, emotional and psychosomatic effects of the treatments.
But now he had Bani by his side. Though to be honest, he felt guilty as hell, to think that just in ten days of being married, she would be caught waiting outside hospital corridors waiting for him to finish his radiation therapy and chemo sessions, taking back a husband, who leave aside give her any happiness as a wife, would probably be giving her sleepless night and anxious days, worrying about his health.
Sure, she had made this choice...but was it the correct one? She was so young after all...just 24 and hardly exposed to what in Jai's mind was the real world. Would she be able to take the stress of caring for a critically ill man, while at the same time, keeping her equanimity and living her own life?
Jai looked at Bani, who was now being smeared with the haldi paste by Karuna's daughter's as they played with her and laughter flowed all around.
It was too late anyway. If it was in her fate to suffer all her life with this marriage, then, even with Jai's best efforts, he could not do anything about it.
Ranveer had been correct...she would have suffered without his presence in her life also. If he could give her even a few days of happiness, then even if he died, at least he would be at peace with himself, that he did what he could for the woman he loved more than his life.
Breaking his chain of thoughts, Bani came rushing to him, flushed and smiling, her palms coloured with the auspicious yellow turmeric and looking at his misplaced expression, said, 'A penny for your thoughts!'
Jai gave her a slow smile and quoted Lord Alfred Tennyson, 'I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all.'
Bani blinked her eyes and asked him, 'I don't understand...'
He caught hold of both her palms and spoke in a mock-conspiratorial manner, 'I will tell you the meaning on our wedding night...when I take out the other deadly weapons in my armoury.'
'JAI' she squealed, turning red and then whispering furtively, 'everyone is here! What will they think?'
'They know what a 'tharki' I am...and they would have guessed that I wouldn't have left you in peace for so long...so don't be so worried about what they think!' he joked.
'What? Anyway...look at the time! It’s close to noon...everyone will be coming here anytime now...' she announced, looking really excited for the wedding.
'Hai...Potlu! One thing I don't understand...instead of the baraat going to the girls' house...why are they coming here?' asked Karuna, making everyone laugh.
'It was my idea! I wanted Chote and Purva to be married here...in the Farmhouse! Anyway, Mr. Raheja is bearing all the expenses for it! I am just lending our house for the venue!' said Jai, putting a stop to any complaints that Massi or Karuna had regarding the wedding and asked everyone to get ready before Purva's family came to the Farmhouse. They had been allotted rooms to get ready for the function and ceremony that was to take place in the evening and they were reaching here by noon.
Nachiket had informed Bani that he had told Purva about Jai and her and she had in her utter excitement, told it to everyone in her family. So Bani should be ready for a lot of staring and gaping and inspection when they came over. Bani, even at the best of circumstances, a mousy and nervy girl, looked completely self-conscious and jumpy after hearing this.
Karuna assured her in her sisterly fashion, 'Don't have to look scared out of your wits, Bani! In fact, get used to it. With Jai's social circle, you will have to keep meeting people all the time...he loves to socialize and all his friends and acquaintances are the hi-fi types!'
Bani simply nodded her head, also remembering that in her excitement, she had not told anything to Pia and then decided that she would tell her in the evening, when Pia came along with her husband for the wedding.
Bani was no longer allowed to be involved in the wedding organizing, partly because everything was already ready and mostly because Jai had put a stop on it, saying that she now belonged to his family and was to take part in the wedding as the groom's sister-in-law and not as his wedding planner.
Bani along with Lakshmi and Anu were busy overseeing the last minute arrangements for the wedding, when her mobile beeped.
'I want you to look stunning tonight.'
Smiling coyly at the message, she wrote back promptly;
'Will try my best...but have 2 make do with whatever God has given.'
His message beeped back;
'God has given you 'amply'...no one knows it better than me now...so don't make excuses...and sweep me off my feet today.'
She laughed and wrote back;
'I will try. Anything else?'
He wrote back;
'Yes. I love you.'
Bani shined like a full moon and wrote back;
'I know. But I love you a teeny weeny bit more.'
He simply texted back;
The Singh's
'I am not speaking with you, Bani!' declared Rano, looking away from Bani and taking in the fabulous splendour of the Farmhouse, which looked even more lovelier because of the decoration for the wedding function that was going to take place in the evening.
'Rano...please! Meri baat toh sun!' pleaded Bani, looking very guilt-ridden and on the verge of crying again. She had just spent the last twenty odd minutes, apologizing, giving explanations and generally sobbing to her heart's content with Pushkar and Rano's parent's. They were alright now and actually very happy that Bani was getting married to someone she was in love with, but Rano, though just as happy and excited, did not want to give in so easily.
'NO! How could do you do that? Four years, we lived in the same house...we have been best friends since nursery class...and you hid such a BIG secret from me? I am soooooooooo furious with you! And with that lover-boy of yours also!'
Pushkar who was standing nearby, looking very amused, could not but help chip in, 'Very good Rano! Very good! And when you meet him, make sure to give him an earful! Okay? Totally blast him off!' Bani gave a look at Pushkar, who was sniggering in silence, provoking Rano needlessly to go and shout upon Jai, knowing very well, what sort of a temperament Jai possessed.
'Pushkar! Please! Instead of helping me out, you are provoking her even more!' moaned Bani.
Pushkar could not let go of his golden opportunity and said, 'Don't listen to her, Rano...you go and give that man a blasting! He is as meek a mouse...will be shivering from head to toe when you...' he trailed off with a sheepish expression, when he saw Jai coming down from the study to meet with the Singh's.
Rano did not see Jai making an entry and turning to face Bani said, 'Pushky is right! No point in shouting on you! He is the one who has stolen my friend from me! Let him come...I will...I will...'
'You will?' asked Jai in a tickled voice, making Rano turn to face him. And she went weak in her knees like a wobbly jelly, when she first saw Jai Walia.
Looking dashing in his basic white Fab-India kurta, sleeves rolled three-fourths, combined with Dussault Apparel Thrashed Denims in faded blue, his tennis playing forearms showing off a Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon watch today, which was twice more expensive than the house that the Singh's lived in Bangalore. He was wearing a pair of Leather Norstradm Sandals. His hair was combed in its usual way and he projected a masculinity and effortless style that Rano had only read about in her vast collections of Mills and Boons and was actually seeing in real for the first time.
'I...Er...Um...Wow...Er...Ah...' Rano could not string a sentence properly after having faced Jai, who gave her a twisted smile, totally sealing her mouth and then went ahead to greet the Singh's, introducing them to his family.
'What about the blasting?' whispered Pushkar into Rano's ears, who could barely lift her eyes off Jai's profile.
'What? What blasting?' mumbled Rano, turning all sheep-eyed and feeble at his sight and whispered breathlessly to Bani, 'Oh! Boy! Bani! I now know why you kept him a secret!'
Bani burst out chuckling along with Pushkar, especially when Pooja joined in and said to Rano in an awe-struck voice, 'Isn't he a dream? I think we should both start a fan-club for him. The madly in love sister-in-law's club!'
'Please do count me in, Pooja! I will take a lifelong membership in this club!' murmured Rano, turning all pink and silly, when Jai gave her a smile and asked her to join everyone else for tea and snacks.
Jai charmed the socks of Rano during the tea and by the time, Bani took Rano and the Singh's to the guestroom, Rano could not stop praising Jai and also Bani for having made such a terrific choice in a life-partner!
Guest Room
'There...so much for being upset with you for not having told her about Jai Sir!' mentioned Pushkar, laughing and pulling Rano's legs on having gone for a googly after seeing Jai.
'Well...he is...I mean...seriously, Bani! Where on earth DID you find him?' asked Rano, fanning herself.
'Rano! What do you mean find him? I told you...we met in Mukteshwar!' said Bani, blushing and looking elated with the fact that the Singh's, especially Rano had taken such a shine to her Jai.
'How come I never saw anyone even near him when I was living there?' countered Rano, and Bani was about to tell him regarding the circumstances under which she had met Jai, but kept quiet. If she said anything, everyone would come to know about Jai's illness and at this point, when there was a wedding happening at home and it was teeming full of Jai's relatives, this was the last thing Bani wanted to happen.
She quickly changed the topic and said, 'now you relax here and if you want anything, just let me know! I have lots of work to do...so if you don't mind, we will catch up later...'
Rano grinned at her best friend and said, 'When later? Didn't you hear, my super-hot Jeeju tell Papa that you both were planning to get married in just two days?'
Bani reddened and smiled shyly and Rano hugged her back and announced in a warm, emotional voice, 'I am so happy for you Bani! So, So happy! And not just because he looks like a Greek God…well, that too...but now that I saw you both together...I can see what you both share! So...well, all the best!'
Bani hugged her back and said simply, 'Thanks Rano. Thank you so much...I really needed your approval and your support! And Chachaji and Chachiji's too...I am so glad that all of you came here on such a short notice...'
'Oh! Come on now! Stop being all sentimental! Now go down and do your hostess duties...you are after all the elder daughter-in-law of the family...go...go...'
Just as Bani was about to leave, Rano asked her, 'By the way, since all this was unplanned, what on earth are you going to wear in the evening for the function? Now every eye will be on both the bride and on the bride to be!'
Bani looked dumbfounded and realized with a sharp pang of disappointment, that she had not got any appropriate clothes to wear for the wedding.
'Oh! My God! Rano! I had never even planned...all I have is the Sari that Jigyasa Mam had given to all of us...'
'Identical clothes? Eeew...that too, when you will be standing next to Hottie?' declared Rano, making Bani giggle endlessly!
'Stop calling him Hottie! He is not that hot!' laughed Bani.
'Oh! Come on! Did you see those biceps bulging out of his kurta sleeve? Haii.............can I have an affair with him, Bani? Please! Remember I had once let you borrow my Geometry Box in grade 6th? Now is the time to return the favour!'
Bani kept laughing, pulling Rano's ears and said, 'Dare you compare my Jai to your Geometry Box! And anyway, he is a one-woman man!'
'Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! One-woman man? Kya baat hain!' teased Rano, laughing and chortling with Bani, just like they always did.
'What are the two friends giggling about?' asked Lalita Singh, entering the room and smiling at both the girls.
'Ma...I was just telling Bani, that my super-hot Jeejaji is a treat for sore eyes...and if she would mind, lending him to him for my College farewell...I can so show him off!'
The three of them laughed and noticing Bani's slightly worried expression, Lalita said lovingly to her, 'Bani...we really like Jai ji a lot. Both your Chachaji and I! He is a remarkable man...in every way perfect for you. And we don't mind that you are getting married at such a short notice at all! We are in fact, very happy for both of you!'
Bani spoke gratefully, 'Thank you so much Chachiji...you have no idea how much burden you have lifted off my chest...actually, I was worrying about something else too.'
'What?' asked Lalita with concern.
'Baniji here doesn't have suitable clothes to match her knight-in-shining armour for today's function! Poor lass had no idea that she would end up getting married when she came here as a wedding planner!' badgered Rano.
'Rano! Didn't you give all that stuff to Bani yet? This girl! Always joking and taking everything lightly!' chided Lalita, while opening her luggage and taking out several packets.
Looking thoroughly surprised and getting a wink from a grinning Rano, Bani could only ask in a stumped voice, 'What is all this Chachiji?'
'Your Dahej!' cheeped in Pushkar chuckling, joining in along with his father.
'I don't....' trailed off Bani.
Lalita smiled at her husband and then looking at Bani, spoke emotionally, 'everything happened in such a hurry, that we could just about manage a little...and I do know that what we are giving you does not benefit the stature you are going to have after getting married to Jai ji...but whatever little this is...just accept it as your mother and father's love and affection.'
'And brother and sister too...' added Pushkar, smiling with affection at Bani.
Rano had emptied all the packets and out came a couple of beautiful sari's and with them matching bangles and packets of bindi and a red velvet box which had a simple but elegant necklace and earring set in gold.
'Not much...but whatever little we could afford, we brought for you.' said Lalita, smiling but in tears, getting as emotional as any mother when her daughter is on the verge of getting married and going away.
Bani was already under a great amount of debt for all that the Singh's had done for her till now and today was the ultimate act of love and affection from them. She just broke down weeping, along with Lalita and Rano, while Pushkar and his father, in the best tradition of what men do under such circumstances, simply walked out, trying to hide their own emotions. They all loved Bani dearly and had always considered her as much part of the family as they were...and it was an occasion for both joy and grief that she was getting married to someone she loved, but also leaving their house for good.
'Okay...Okay...enough crying and drama! See, all my mascara has come out! What will hottie...Ooops...Jeeju think?' commented Rano, wiping her tears and making Bani laugh a bit.
'Here...Bani, you wear this for today evening. This colour suits you so well anyway...and you will look like a princess...fit for a King!' teased Rano, as Bani blushed and looked at the gorgeous Carmine red and muted golden sari in georgette with mirror work in the pallu and intricate brocade work all over it.
'Wow...it’s...it’s just stunning...must be so expensive...' she muttered, fingering the beautiful looking saree.
'Yes...very expensive. We had to take a mortgage on our house to buy it for you! Don't be silly! Its a wedding gift! And I have already told Ma that she has to buy me a saree that is at least twice as expensive as this one when I get married! So there it is!' declared Rano jokingly, cheering up Bani and putting it on her to see how it looked.
'It’s lovely, isn't it? We were right...the colour does suit her very much!' exclaimed Lalita, as Bani felt herself blushing like a bride-to-be, letting both Rano and Lalita experiment on her with the clothes and jewels they had got for her.
'But the blouse?' asked Bani, always practical and sensible.
'Arre yaar...I had to issue a couple of threats and beg quite a bit in front of Masterji...' said Rano, referring to their regular tailor in Bangalore from whom both Rano and Bani used to get their salwar kameez stitched.
'But he did it anyway...your blouse for this saree is here...take it and just try it out. If there is any fitting problem, Ma will alter it for you...and here are your other sarees...and the blouses for it...we got some extra one's also...in case hottie's family...Oops...I mean Jeeju's family gives you a sari to wear on the wedding...hopefully, they will give something in a more common colour which should go with any of these blouses we have got for you!'
Bani laughed at Rano calling Jai as 'Hottie' and looking at all the clothes, she could only say in her simple, sincere manner, 'I know that a mere thank you will not suffice...but I don't know what else to say...I am just short of words today...'
'Like I was, when I saw Hottie...Ooops...Jeeju...' commented Rano, pretending to swoon and fall on Bani's lap, making the three of them laugh uproariously.
'Now hurry and go downstairs...you have your duties to fulfil at the daughter-in-law of the house...we can always continue our gossiping...and don't worry, we are more than comfortable here. Jai ji has made such wonderful arrangements...now let Rano and me put all your belongings in order and you can get ready in the evening along with her! Go...God!' said Lalita, smiling fondly at Bani, who felt so happy and thrilled at the way things were moving!
The Raheja's
The Raheja's had come over and had been allocated rooms where Purva and her female cousins, aunts and friends were to get ready. The first thing Purva had done was to ask for Bani and even though Bani had felt ill at ease going to face the Raheja's all on her own, she had gone, knowing that Massi would not like Purva coming out in the open before the wedding.
Poor Massi was already having a cultural shock, with both the would-be daughter-in-law's of the house being present before the marriage. Her case was simply coincidental, but Bani did not want Purva to fall into any trouble with Massi or even Karuna due to any reason.
As soon as Bani timidly entered the room where Purva was putting up, she cried out in excitement, 'BANI! and then rushing to hug her, said playfully, 'or should I say, Bhabhi?'
Bani blushed and lowered her eyes, while Purva lifted her chin and said warmly, 'I cannot tell you how happy I am, Bani! When Nachiket told me...I could...I could hardly believe it! You and Jai Dada? Oh! My! God! You HAVE to tell me your love story…every bit!'
Purva's cousins and other female relatives, including her mother had now surrounded Bani, making her really uneasy, especially when a sour-faced Meera came into view and commented acerbically, 'Wow...Bani! You turned a professional assignment into a personal jackpot! I wouldn't have credited you with that kind of brains!'
Shocked to the core, Bani could hardly react, while Purva angrily pounced on her cousin and yelled, 'That is enough, Meera! How dare you? She is not just my friend now...she is my sister-in-law...my husband's older brother's would be wife. How dare you speak to her like that?'
'Purva...No...' remonstrated Bani, whimpering and trying to calm Purva, terrified that a scene would be created because of her.
'So what if she is going to be your sister-in-law? I am paying her a compliment! Who would have thought a plain Jane like her snaring a man like Jai? And in just a span of a fortnight! I would have been surprised if you had even made it to his bed, Bani...but to actually have him propose you for marriage! Wow! Good job!' said Meera, burning with envy and clapping her hands, as Bani bit her lips, trying to stop her tears at the unforeseen humiliation, that too in front of so many people.
Purva's mother snapped on Meera and tried to make her stop, but she did not pay any attention. Purva couldn't put up with it anymore and declared, 'This is it! There is just one person who can deal with you, Meera...and I am going to involve him now. He will answer all your questions!'
Before a stunned Bani or Purva's mother could stop her, she had stormed out of her room, and straight into the drawing room, where all the male members of the Raheja and Walia Family were assembled. Totally taken aback at seeing the bride in their midst, they could only stare back at her bafflement.
Massi who had been chatting with Purva's uncle, looked outraged and so did Karuna, while Nachiket simply blinked his eyes and wondered what Purva was doing here.
'Dada...do you mind coming to our room for a moment. Please?' said Purva, utterly devoid of any self-consciousness.
Jai looked pretty taken aback and getting up, asked her, 'What happened Purva? Is everything fine?'
'Yes...it is. But I just need you to come to our room for a moment...please.'
'Bahu, what is this...'started Massi, looking very shocked and upset, but Jai held peace and said, 'One minute, Massi. There must be something important; else Purva wouldn't have come out like this. I will come with you, Purva.'
Purva's Guest Room
Jai looked pretty taken aback at the scene, with Bani crying quietly and trying her best to cool down the situation while Meera looking quite unperturbed by what she had done. Looking even more hassled on seeing Jai in their midst, Bani frantically tried to stop Purva from involving him and explain that she did not mind what Meera had said.
Meera looked both surprised and apprehensive on seeing that Purva had actually gone and brought Jai along and repeated the exact words that Meera had said to Bani.
'Dada...I am sorry to involve you in this silly thing...but I just want you to tell my dear cousin that she cannot speak to my sister-in-law in this manner and definitely not in her own house.' Said Purva, throwing daggers in Meera’s direction.
Jai was silent and gave a look at Bani, who looked mortified and could not stop sobbing at what had happened, internally blaming all on her for spoiling such a wonderful day.
She tried to leave the room, but Jai caught hold of her hand and giving a look at Meera, spoke in an unruffled but icy voice, 'Meera...I don't know what problem you have with Bani. And I don't give a damn! But I do know that this has been going on from the very beginning. I didn't care about it before, because frankly, I never paid attention to you...I still don't. But the thing is that this girl standing beside me is not some random girl on the street on whom you can boss and shout and insult with or without a reason...she is going to be my wife.'
There was pin-drop silence in the room, as Jai continued, not letting go of Bani's hands, his voice going dangerously low and ominous, 'And I will invariably assume that anyone insulting her is insulting me...and people who know me even a little bit know what happens when someone tries to cross their lines with me. So I would suggest you to shut your foul-mouth and not say one word against Bani...else, I can assure you...you won't be attending this wedding or staying in OUR house for another moment.'
Meera's face had lost colour and everyone in the room looked terrified with the display of cold temper by Jai.
'Jai...Bani...I am so sorry...' mumbled Purva's mother, looking mortified with guilt that her own niece had gone ahead and insulted their host, that too on the day of the wedding, in their own house.
'No aunty...please...' protested Bani, turning to face her and said, 'It’s alright...these things happen. Please let us not spoilt the occasion...Meera...I am sorry if I have upset you in anyway...'
'Bani! Why are you apologizing to her!' exclaimed Purva, sounding highly indignant and still fuming at Meera.
'Purva...don't! It’s your wedding...please don't be upset...let’s all cheer up...it’s such a happy occasion...come on.' she insisted, trying to lift the pall of gloom and awkwardness that had come in the atmosphere.
Everyone began to cheer up little by little and when Neerja Raheja gave a hard stare at Meera, she mumbled a reluctant apology to Bani, 'Sorry...'
Bani smiled and said genially, 'It’s alright...please don't mention it. Now come, Purva...don't frown like this! What did our Yoga Teacher tell us? Our facial muscles get affected if we frown instead of smile.'
Purva could not help but burst into laughter on hearing it and hugged Bani, telling her mother, 'See Ma...I have got the world's greatest sister-in-law...we can even do Yoga together!'
Bani laughed and cheered up, but only till she saw Jai leaving the room, looking mighty displeased.
After chatting with Purva and her family for some time, Bani excused herself, saying that she had some work to attend and went in search of Jai, to pacify him and plead him not to spoil his mood on the day of his brother's wedding.
Jai's Study
After having been informed by Abdul, that Jai was in his study and in one of his black moods, Bani rushed to see him and calm him down. The likes of Meera truly did not bother Bani...she had grown up with a sister like Pia, who had at every given opportunity taunted and pulled her down...hence, talk of this kind did not hurt Bani in anyway. She simply ignored it.
Knocking warily on Jai's doors, she heard him growl in an angry voice, 'WHO THE HELL IS IT?'
Taken aback by the display of temper, she nevertheless opened the door and stepping inside the room, said timorously, 'Jai...'
He was pulling some papers roughly from one of his many filing cabinets and his face was dark with ill-supressed fury, but when he saw Bani, his expression softened a bit.
'Bani? What happened?' he asked with concern.
She smiled at the way he had changed the tenor of his tone for her and said, 'Nothing...I just came to see why you are here, all alone in your study when you should be downstairs with Purva's family.'
Jai was quiet for some time and then taking a deep breathe, looked at her said, 'Come here.'
She obediently walked towards him, till she came close enough for Jai to hold her by hands and looking into her eyes, spoke very seriously, 'Bani...you have to stand up for yourself! Please!' And then suddenly flaring up like a Volcano, yelled, 'How can that...that roadside tramp...bloody *&%#@* '
'JAI' objected Bani in complete shock and horror as he used a particularly deprecating term for Meera and stopped him right there.
'No. Please. Don't speak like this. She is a woman, Jai.' Said Bani, appalled with Jai on his tactless choice of words.
'A woman who insulted you.' he snapped back, anger raging in his eyes.
'She might have insulted me, but I did not feel insulted. I simply didn't take her words to heart. And why are you getting so upset?' argued Bani.
Looking infuriated, Jai yelled back, 'Why am I getting upset? Because that bloody b***h insulted a woman who is going to be my wife. MY WIFE. Jai Walia's wife.'
Bani kept looking up at him and then with a tiny laugh, said, 'Oh! So that is what is hurting you so much! Not that she said something to me...to Bani...but to Jai Walia's wife.'
'There is no need to be sarcastic, Bani! You and my wife are one and the same thing! And I cannot stand anyone speaking with you in this manner. I don't care, what Nikhil and Neerja think...I am telling that woman to get out of my house right now!' he thundered.
Bani closed her eyes in exasperation. Trying to reason with Jai was like trying to drill an algebra problem into a pre-schooler’s mind.
Taking his hands, she said in her pacifying, comforting voice, 'you really want to create a scene now? If you say something like this, Nikhilji and Neerjaji will have no option but to send Meera away...and they might not say anything to you...but they will be so hurt. She is their family after all.'
Jai was silent and brooding big time, refusing to even look at Bani, making her smile indulgently at the way he threw tantrums and lost his temper on even the smallest of issues.
Reassuring him, she gently turned his face towards her and going on tiptoes, planted a kiss on his lips and said, 'Okay...lets strike a compromise. You forget about whatever happened now and I promise to stand up for myself from this moment onwards.'
Jai kept sulking but only till Bani had circled her arms around his neck, and kept dangling playfully onto him, giving impish looks. He could not help but smile a bit and said, 'Okay...fine...but I am so going to empty an entire bottle of Donormyl 250 mg into that witches’ drink today!'
Bani burst out in peals of laughter as Jai too joined her and took her dotingly into his arms.
'You are so sweet Bani...so serene...so forgiving…so magnanimous...as gentle as a lamb...' said Jai, looking with deep love in his eyes at the love of his life.
She blushed with happiness and then just as he was about to kiss her, held his wrist and looking at his watch, exclaimed in a dramatic manner, 'Oh! Just look at the time, will you? Its 2 already...I have to go and check if Purva or her family needs anything...and I have to also help Karuna didi with something...I have also promised Pooja to oversee the arrangements once...'
'You have promised everyone something or the other! What about this man?' needled Jai, nestling his face against her neck and kissing her on her sweet-smelling neck, trailing his fingers on her back which was exposed due to the blouse she was wearing.
‘There we go again…’ muttered Bani, trying to push him aside and said, ‘Don’t-even-think-about-it. My family is here. Your family is here. Purva’s family is here. Please. Go down and be a good host. And let me be one too.’
‘Too late babe…you shouldn’t have worn this sari today…now my fingers are itching to get them off you…’ he whispered, giving an impassioned look from her neck below.
‘Jai! Whatever I wear…your fingers itch to get them off me. So don’t blame my clothes for your overactive hormones!’ she retorted sharply.
Jai could not help but throw his head back and laugh heartily on her comment.
Ignoring her appeals to let her go, he just continued anyway....... trying to twist her arms around and hold her against the edge of his desk...... nuzzling her hair, neck, and face at the same time.........
‘Jai…enough now. Please. Let me go. We are getting married in two days. Do whatever you wish to then.’ She pleaded. He looked at her and giving a devilish smile said, ‘Whatever I wish? Oh! My! That’s a very dangerous thing to tell a first-rate Kameena like me!’
‘Jai!’ she exclaimed, red-faced and trying to pull herself back, but he did not let her go.
‘Kiss me once, and I will let you go. Else, babes…this sari and this blouse and everything underneath is coming off your delicious body.’ He said, bending forward and nipping at her earlobe sensuously.
She went red and tried to protest, but he made it impossible for her to even move from his iron grip.
‘Okay…just one kiss. Then you will let me go?’ she asked in desperation.
He smiled slightly and said, ‘Yes…but not the kind of kiss that is reserved for elderly relatives…you know the types I prefer…’
Blushing furiously, Bani nevertheless got some courage and went ahead with kissing him, realizing there was no other way he was letting her go out of the room.
She plunged her hands into his shimmering hair, locking her fingers at the back of his skull lest she fell backwards on the desk and opened her mouth on his, making an inarticulate sound in her throat which she thought later of as a protest............ she coaxed and cajoled him with her lips.
Nope. No luck. Jai kept his mouth firmly shut, teasing and ribbing her, knowing how reluctant and shy she was in such matters.
Finally, he decided to end her torment and opend his mouth. Bringing his lips down on hers in a long hard kiss, sliding his fingers through her soft, glistening hair, fingers playing havoc with the bare skin on her back, tilting her face up to his, his tongue plummeting, predatory, plundering, giving. While he let his hands stroke her body, neck down, making her mindlessly beg for more into his mouth.
When he had finally finished, Bani said breathlessly, ‘Can I go now?’
‘Hmmm…’ he murmured, still nuzzling his face against her cheeks, as she flushed and turned warm with his passionate assaults.
‘What hmmmm? Go down and be with the guests! Please! she insisted, smoothening the folds of her sari and then the front of Jai’s kurta.
‘Hey! Why are you being such a nag? You usually give into me far more easily?’ griped Jai, when he tried to slither his errant fingers up Bani’s blouse and she gave a taut thwack on it, bringing it to an abrupt stop.
Rewarding him with a sprightly smile, she replied, before opening the door, ‘I am standing up for myself, Mr. Walia. Just as you wished!’
Jai could only stare back at her for some time, before throwing his head back and laughing heartily in his deep voice, calling out to her, ‘I will get back to you on this, Mrs. Walia…I promise, I will!’
Part 19(b)
Haldi Ceremony
'Come on...what are you staring at? Start the ritual! For god sake, it’s your right!' said Karuna, placing the huge silver bowl of haldi and sandalwood paste in Bani's hands and telling her to be the first one to apply it on Nachiket.
'Aur kya? Bhabhi ho aakhir! Pehla haq toh tumhara hi banta hai, bahu!' encouraged Massi, as Bani bit her lips and smiled shyly, looking in Jai's direction, who was holding a handy-cam in his hands and focusing on her.
Bani had changed into another set of clothes, appropriate to what the sister-in-law of the groom was supposed to wear. A beautiful mustard and maroon coloured sari in mysore silk with short sleeve blouse, her waist length hair left open, just the way Jai always liked it and both her slim, shapely hands filled with dozens of glass bangles, along with the two heavy kada's that Jai had presented to her, post their engagement.
'Er...Dada...we all know how besotted you are with Bhabhi...but can you please focus that handy-cam on me? It’s my wedding actually and I would like that when in ten years’ time, my kids watch this video, they don't keep asking me why is there only one pretty lady in the entire video and how come their parents and everyone else is missing?'
There was much laughter and hooting on this comment by Nachiket and Jai giving a look at his brother, spoke humorously, 'Saale...teri shaadi nahin hoti na...I would have taught you a lesson for mocking my poor Bani.'
'MY POOR BANI? Haiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii' sang together Ranveer, Sneha, Tarun, Karuna, Nachiket, Lakshmi, Anu and even Pushkar, making Bani blush like a carrot and Jai laugh.
'Shut up, okay! And start this nonsense! We are already running late!' ordered Jai.
Pooja and Saurabh kept winking at Bani and joshing her from the background, to her acute embarrassment and exertion to appear decorous and dignified, as any daughter-in-law should. She dipped the blades of Durva grass in the paste of turmeric and sandalwood and sat on the ground on her knees in front of Nachiket, as he gave her a heartfelt smile.
'I cannot tell you how happy I am today...thanks, Bhabhi. Thank you for selecting my brother and thank you for becoming part of our family.' said Nachiket.
Tears filled her eyes and before Bani could react, Jai hewed in, 'Chote please...if Miss. Dixit’s waterworks start, the wedding might get delayed...so leave all this sentimental gloop for later and just get on with it!'
Bani flushed and turned to scowl at Jai for spoiling her Bhabhi-Devar moment with Nachiket, but by then, everyone had started laughing, pulling Bani's legs again.
She smeared some of the paste that was on the grass on Nachiket's cheeks, forehead, on both his hands and feet. Everyone clapped enthusiastically, while Jai as always commented, 'Did I tell you that I added some permanent yellow coloured hair dye to the thing? Chote...you will walk around looking like a jaundice patient for the rest of your life!'
'WHAT?' screeched Nachiket, looking horrified and then instantly realizing that his brother had pulled a fast one on him.
'Kya Dada? Shaadi ke din toh spare kar do!' he grumbled.
'Jai...come on! You were the one complaining that we are getting late and now look...Bani...you keep going! Your wonderful husband and his weird sense of humour will always be there.' said Ranveer, making everyone laugh.
After Bani had applied the paste, she did some other ritual as verbalized by Massi and then Karuna came and did the same. Everyone clapped, as the ceremony got over, with both Bani and Karuna pouring tons of water over Nachiket, giving lots of chance for Jai to pass amusing comments, while he taped everything on his Sony Handycam.
Jai stood slightly apart from everyone, watching Bani mingle with his family with such effortless ease and comfort. It came so naturally to her...she got along so well with Karuna's three kids, she had already won over his unyielding aunt's approval, she had made a friend for life in Karuna and found a brother in Nachiket and Ranveer and Sneha simply adored her.
Was it surprising that Jai had fallen in love with Bani? Who wouldn't fall in love with her? She was so cheerful, kind-natured, sweet, loving and affectionate. How he wished, he could see her smiling and laughing like this forever. How he wished he could see her dressed in beautiful clothes, her long slim hands filled with dozens of jingling bangles, her forehead dotted with a bindi, her ears and neck adorned with jewels, her dainty feet clinking with the sound of silver anklets.
All of Jai's previous girlfriends and even the in numerous one-night stands he had had, were all women, whom he had, till he met Bani, considered to be 'his type'. He preferred the more suave, up-to-date, erudite women, who were well-educated, outgoing and projected the kind of confidence that came naturally to him.
None of which matched with Bani's characteristics. She was, despite having gone to bed with him before marriage, a deeply traditional girl, who made no pretences of any sophistication. Her education was limited and even now her mastery over the English language was quite stilted. She was anything but outgoing and confident, especially in front of strangers.
But surprisingly, despite being the more compliant and submissive of the two, it was Bani who had changed the rules of the game, which he had played.
She was the one who had brought about the transformation in Jai. He was the one who had changed after having fallen in love with her...changed as a person, while she had only metamorphosed superficially.
Bani was, in Jai's judgement, very much the girl-next-door, whom he had met five years back.
Unassuming, down-to-earth, compassionate, gentle and affectionate. She just looked lovelier than she had looked before and was more assured of herself. Otherwise, there was no change in her at all.
He was the better person now...more tolerant, kindlier, more thoughtful and warm. Some of her sterling qualities had passed on to him by default, by the mere chance of having fallen in love with her.
His eyes went hazy when he saw how blissful she looked...even though she knew that the man she was marrying was a ticking time-bomb. She was damned if he died...and damned if he lived and turned out to be a paralytic for life. Jai did not even want to entertain that thought. He preferred death to living Life lifelessly. Any day.
The chances of him making through the surgery and leading a normal life seemed very bleak to Jai. And his biggest fear was that Bani had still not understood the intricacy and complexity of his situation and had not in any way prepared herself mentally for life ahead. With or without him. Either ways it was going to be hell.
Ten Days. That is all he had in hand to live life to the fullest.
His first Chemo Session was to start from the 1st of May...exactly ten days from tomorrow...though he knew that the first session won't incapacitate him too much, but as the treatment advanced, his body would start to fall into pieces and so would his mind.
It was a highly unpleasant treatment though also one of the most effective for his type of Cancer and one that gave him the best odds to live. The first time it had been an inferno for Jai...he had not at all been prepared and when the nausea combined with loss of appetite, loss of hair, unimaginable fatigue and depression had set in, Jai hadn't known what to do.
He had always considered himself to be a strong person...inside and out...but his Spinal Cancer had broken his spirits into multi-million pieces and he had found himself helpless and struggling to cope with the physical, emotional and psychosomatic effects of the treatments.
But now he had Bani by his side. Though to be honest, he felt guilty as hell, to think that just in ten days of being married, she would be caught waiting outside hospital corridors waiting for him to finish his radiation therapy and chemo sessions, taking back a husband, who leave aside give her any happiness as a wife, would probably be giving her sleepless night and anxious days, worrying about his health.
Sure, she had made this choice...but was it the correct one? She was so young after all...just 24 and hardly exposed to what in Jai's mind was the real world. Would she be able to take the stress of caring for a critically ill man, while at the same time, keeping her equanimity and living her own life?
Jai looked at Bani, who was now being smeared with the haldi paste by Karuna's daughter's as they played with her and laughter flowed all around.
It was too late anyway. If it was in her fate to suffer all her life with this marriage, then, even with Jai's best efforts, he could not do anything about it.
Ranveer had been correct...she would have suffered without his presence in her life also. If he could give her even a few days of happiness, then even if he died, at least he would be at peace with himself, that he did what he could for the woman he loved more than his life.
Breaking his chain of thoughts, Bani came rushing to him, flushed and smiling, her palms coloured with the auspicious yellow turmeric and looking at his misplaced expression, said, 'A penny for your thoughts!'
Jai gave her a slow smile and quoted Lord Alfred Tennyson, 'I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all.'
Bani blinked her eyes and asked him, 'I don't understand...'
He caught hold of both her palms and spoke in a mock-conspiratorial manner, 'I will tell you the meaning on our wedding night...when I take out the other deadly weapons in my armoury.'
'JAI' she squealed, turning red and then whispering furtively, 'everyone is here! What will they think?'
'They know what a 'tharki' I am...and they would have guessed that I wouldn't have left you in peace for so long...so don't be so worried about what they think!' he joked.
'What? Anyway...look at the time! It’s close to noon...everyone will be coming here anytime now...' she announced, looking really excited for the wedding.
'Hai...Potlu! One thing I don't understand...instead of the baraat going to the girls' house...why are they coming here?' asked Karuna, making everyone laugh.
'It was my idea! I wanted Chote and Purva to be married here...in the Farmhouse! Anyway, Mr. Raheja is bearing all the expenses for it! I am just lending our house for the venue!' said Jai, putting a stop to any complaints that Massi or Karuna had regarding the wedding and asked everyone to get ready before Purva's family came to the Farmhouse. They had been allotted rooms to get ready for the function and ceremony that was to take place in the evening and they were reaching here by noon.
Nachiket had informed Bani that he had told Purva about Jai and her and she had in her utter excitement, told it to everyone in her family. So Bani should be ready for a lot of staring and gaping and inspection when they came over. Bani, even at the best of circumstances, a mousy and nervy girl, looked completely self-conscious and jumpy after hearing this.
Karuna assured her in her sisterly fashion, 'Don't have to look scared out of your wits, Bani! In fact, get used to it. With Jai's social circle, you will have to keep meeting people all the time...he loves to socialize and all his friends and acquaintances are the hi-fi types!'
Bani simply nodded her head, also remembering that in her excitement, she had not told anything to Pia and then decided that she would tell her in the evening, when Pia came along with her husband for the wedding.
Bani was no longer allowed to be involved in the wedding organizing, partly because everything was already ready and mostly because Jai had put a stop on it, saying that she now belonged to his family and was to take part in the wedding as the groom's sister-in-law and not as his wedding planner.
Bani along with Lakshmi and Anu were busy overseeing the last minute arrangements for the wedding, when her mobile beeped.
'I want you to look stunning tonight.'
Smiling coyly at the message, she wrote back promptly;
'Will try my best...but have 2 make do with whatever God has given.'
His message beeped back;
'God has given you 'amply'...no one knows it better than me now...so don't make excuses...and sweep me off my feet today.'
She laughed and wrote back;
'I will try. Anything else?'
He wrote back;
'Yes. I love you.'
Bani shined like a full moon and wrote back;
'I know. But I love you a teeny weeny bit more.'
He simply texted back;
The Singh's
'I am not speaking with you, Bani!' declared Rano, looking away from Bani and taking in the fabulous splendour of the Farmhouse, which looked even more lovelier because of the decoration for the wedding function that was going to take place in the evening.
'Rano...please! Meri baat toh sun!' pleaded Bani, looking very guilt-ridden and on the verge of crying again. She had just spent the last twenty odd minutes, apologizing, giving explanations and generally sobbing to her heart's content with Pushkar and Rano's parent's. They were alright now and actually very happy that Bani was getting married to someone she was in love with, but Rano, though just as happy and excited, did not want to give in so easily.
'NO! How could do you do that? Four years, we lived in the same house...we have been best friends since nursery class...and you hid such a BIG secret from me? I am soooooooooo furious with you! And with that lover-boy of yours also!'
Pushkar who was standing nearby, looking very amused, could not but help chip in, 'Very good Rano! Very good! And when you meet him, make sure to give him an earful! Okay? Totally blast him off!' Bani gave a look at Pushkar, who was sniggering in silence, provoking Rano needlessly to go and shout upon Jai, knowing very well, what sort of a temperament Jai possessed.
'Pushkar! Please! Instead of helping me out, you are provoking her even more!' moaned Bani.
Pushkar could not let go of his golden opportunity and said, 'Don't listen to her, Rano...you go and give that man a blasting! He is as meek a mouse...will be shivering from head to toe when you...' he trailed off with a sheepish expression, when he saw Jai coming down from the study to meet with the Singh's.
Rano did not see Jai making an entry and turning to face Bani said, 'Pushky is right! No point in shouting on you! He is the one who has stolen my friend from me! Let him come...I will...I will...'
'You will?' asked Jai in a tickled voice, making Rano turn to face him. And she went weak in her knees like a wobbly jelly, when she first saw Jai Walia.
Looking dashing in his basic white Fab-India kurta, sleeves rolled three-fourths, combined with Dussault Apparel Thrashed Denims in faded blue, his tennis playing forearms showing off a Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon watch today, which was twice more expensive than the house that the Singh's lived in Bangalore. He was wearing a pair of Leather Norstradm Sandals. His hair was combed in its usual way and he projected a masculinity and effortless style that Rano had only read about in her vast collections of Mills and Boons and was actually seeing in real for the first time.
'I...Er...Um...Wow...Er...Ah...' Rano could not string a sentence properly after having faced Jai, who gave her a twisted smile, totally sealing her mouth and then went ahead to greet the Singh's, introducing them to his family.
'What about the blasting?' whispered Pushkar into Rano's ears, who could barely lift her eyes off Jai's profile.
'What? What blasting?' mumbled Rano, turning all sheep-eyed and feeble at his sight and whispered breathlessly to Bani, 'Oh! Boy! Bani! I now know why you kept him a secret!'
Bani burst out chuckling along with Pushkar, especially when Pooja joined in and said to Rano in an awe-struck voice, 'Isn't he a dream? I think we should both start a fan-club for him. The madly in love sister-in-law's club!'
'Please do count me in, Pooja! I will take a lifelong membership in this club!' murmured Rano, turning all pink and silly, when Jai gave her a smile and asked her to join everyone else for tea and snacks.
Jai charmed the socks of Rano during the tea and by the time, Bani took Rano and the Singh's to the guestroom, Rano could not stop praising Jai and also Bani for having made such a terrific choice in a life-partner!
Guest Room
'There...so much for being upset with you for not having told her about Jai Sir!' mentioned Pushkar, laughing and pulling Rano's legs on having gone for a googly after seeing Jai.
'Well...he is...I mean...seriously, Bani! Where on earth DID you find him?' asked Rano, fanning herself.
'Rano! What do you mean find him? I told you...we met in Mukteshwar!' said Bani, blushing and looking elated with the fact that the Singh's, especially Rano had taken such a shine to her Jai.
'How come I never saw anyone even near him when I was living there?' countered Rano, and Bani was about to tell him regarding the circumstances under which she had met Jai, but kept quiet. If she said anything, everyone would come to know about Jai's illness and at this point, when there was a wedding happening at home and it was teeming full of Jai's relatives, this was the last thing Bani wanted to happen.
She quickly changed the topic and said, 'now you relax here and if you want anything, just let me know! I have lots of work to do...so if you don't mind, we will catch up later...'
Rano grinned at her best friend and said, 'When later? Didn't you hear, my super-hot Jeeju tell Papa that you both were planning to get married in just two days?'
Bani reddened and smiled shyly and Rano hugged her back and announced in a warm, emotional voice, 'I am so happy for you Bani! So, So happy! And not just because he looks like a Greek God…well, that too...but now that I saw you both together...I can see what you both share! So...well, all the best!'
Bani hugged her back and said simply, 'Thanks Rano. Thank you so much...I really needed your approval and your support! And Chachaji and Chachiji's too...I am so glad that all of you came here on such a short notice...'
'Oh! Come on now! Stop being all sentimental! Now go down and do your hostess duties...you are after all the elder daughter-in-law of the family...go...go...'
Just as Bani was about to leave, Rano asked her, 'By the way, since all this was unplanned, what on earth are you going to wear in the evening for the function? Now every eye will be on both the bride and on the bride to be!'
Bani looked dumbfounded and realized with a sharp pang of disappointment, that she had not got any appropriate clothes to wear for the wedding.
'Oh! My God! Rano! I had never even planned...all I have is the Sari that Jigyasa Mam had given to all of us...'
'Identical clothes? Eeew...that too, when you will be standing next to Hottie?' declared Rano, making Bani giggle endlessly!
'Stop calling him Hottie! He is not that hot!' laughed Bani.
'Oh! Come on! Did you see those biceps bulging out of his kurta sleeve? Haii.............can I have an affair with him, Bani? Please! Remember I had once let you borrow my Geometry Box in grade 6th? Now is the time to return the favour!'
Bani kept laughing, pulling Rano's ears and said, 'Dare you compare my Jai to your Geometry Box! And anyway, he is a one-woman man!'
'Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! One-woman man? Kya baat hain!' teased Rano, laughing and chortling with Bani, just like they always did.
'What are the two friends giggling about?' asked Lalita Singh, entering the room and smiling at both the girls.
'Ma...I was just telling Bani, that my super-hot Jeejaji is a treat for sore eyes...and if she would mind, lending him to him for my College farewell...I can so show him off!'
The three of them laughed and noticing Bani's slightly worried expression, Lalita said lovingly to her, 'Bani...we really like Jai ji a lot. Both your Chachaji and I! He is a remarkable man...in every way perfect for you. And we don't mind that you are getting married at such a short notice at all! We are in fact, very happy for both of you!'
Bani spoke gratefully, 'Thank you so much Chachiji...you have no idea how much burden you have lifted off my chest...actually, I was worrying about something else too.'
'What?' asked Lalita with concern.
'Baniji here doesn't have suitable clothes to match her knight-in-shining armour for today's function! Poor lass had no idea that she would end up getting married when she came here as a wedding planner!' badgered Rano.
'Rano! Didn't you give all that stuff to Bani yet? This girl! Always joking and taking everything lightly!' chided Lalita, while opening her luggage and taking out several packets.
Looking thoroughly surprised and getting a wink from a grinning Rano, Bani could only ask in a stumped voice, 'What is all this Chachiji?'
'Your Dahej!' cheeped in Pushkar chuckling, joining in along with his father.
'I don't....' trailed off Bani.
Lalita smiled at her husband and then looking at Bani, spoke emotionally, 'everything happened in such a hurry, that we could just about manage a little...and I do know that what we are giving you does not benefit the stature you are going to have after getting married to Jai ji...but whatever little this is...just accept it as your mother and father's love and affection.'
'And brother and sister too...' added Pushkar, smiling with affection at Bani.
Rano had emptied all the packets and out came a couple of beautiful sari's and with them matching bangles and packets of bindi and a red velvet box which had a simple but elegant necklace and earring set in gold.
'Not much...but whatever little we could afford, we brought for you.' said Lalita, smiling but in tears, getting as emotional as any mother when her daughter is on the verge of getting married and going away.
Bani was already under a great amount of debt for all that the Singh's had done for her till now and today was the ultimate act of love and affection from them. She just broke down weeping, along with Lalita and Rano, while Pushkar and his father, in the best tradition of what men do under such circumstances, simply walked out, trying to hide their own emotions. They all loved Bani dearly and had always considered her as much part of the family as they were...and it was an occasion for both joy and grief that she was getting married to someone she loved, but also leaving their house for good.
'Okay...Okay...enough crying and drama! See, all my mascara has come out! What will hottie...Ooops...Jeeju think?' commented Rano, wiping her tears and making Bani laugh a bit.
'Here...Bani, you wear this for today evening. This colour suits you so well anyway...and you will look like a princess...fit for a King!' teased Rano, as Bani blushed and looked at the gorgeous Carmine red and muted golden sari in georgette with mirror work in the pallu and intricate brocade work all over it.
'Wow...it’s...it’s just stunning...must be so expensive...' she muttered, fingering the beautiful looking saree.
'Yes...very expensive. We had to take a mortgage on our house to buy it for you! Don't be silly! Its a wedding gift! And I have already told Ma that she has to buy me a saree that is at least twice as expensive as this one when I get married! So there it is!' declared Rano jokingly, cheering up Bani and putting it on her to see how it looked.
'It’s lovely, isn't it? We were right...the colour does suit her very much!' exclaimed Lalita, as Bani felt herself blushing like a bride-to-be, letting both Rano and Lalita experiment on her with the clothes and jewels they had got for her.
'But the blouse?' asked Bani, always practical and sensible.
'Arre yaar...I had to issue a couple of threats and beg quite a bit in front of Masterji...' said Rano, referring to their regular tailor in Bangalore from whom both Rano and Bani used to get their salwar kameez stitched.
'But he did it anyway...your blouse for this saree is here...take it and just try it out. If there is any fitting problem, Ma will alter it for you...and here are your other sarees...and the blouses for it...we got some extra one's also...in case hottie's family...Oops...I mean Jeeju's family gives you a sari to wear on the wedding...hopefully, they will give something in a more common colour which should go with any of these blouses we have got for you!'
Bani laughed at Rano calling Jai as 'Hottie' and looking at all the clothes, she could only say in her simple, sincere manner, 'I know that a mere thank you will not suffice...but I don't know what else to say...I am just short of words today...'
'Like I was, when I saw Hottie...Ooops...Jeeju...' commented Rano, pretending to swoon and fall on Bani's lap, making the three of them laugh uproariously.
'Now hurry and go downstairs...you have your duties to fulfil at the daughter-in-law of the house...we can always continue our gossiping...and don't worry, we are more than comfortable here. Jai ji has made such wonderful arrangements...now let Rano and me put all your belongings in order and you can get ready in the evening along with her! Go...God!' said Lalita, smiling fondly at Bani, who felt so happy and thrilled at the way things were moving!
The Raheja's
The Raheja's had come over and had been allocated rooms where Purva and her female cousins, aunts and friends were to get ready. The first thing Purva had done was to ask for Bani and even though Bani had felt ill at ease going to face the Raheja's all on her own, she had gone, knowing that Massi would not like Purva coming out in the open before the wedding.
Poor Massi was already having a cultural shock, with both the would-be daughter-in-law's of the house being present before the marriage. Her case was simply coincidental, but Bani did not want Purva to fall into any trouble with Massi or even Karuna due to any reason.
As soon as Bani timidly entered the room where Purva was putting up, she cried out in excitement, 'BANI! and then rushing to hug her, said playfully, 'or should I say, Bhabhi?'
Bani blushed and lowered her eyes, while Purva lifted her chin and said warmly, 'I cannot tell you how happy I am, Bani! When Nachiket told me...I could...I could hardly believe it! You and Jai Dada? Oh! My! God! You HAVE to tell me your love story…every bit!'
Purva's cousins and other female relatives, including her mother had now surrounded Bani, making her really uneasy, especially when a sour-faced Meera came into view and commented acerbically, 'Wow...Bani! You turned a professional assignment into a personal jackpot! I wouldn't have credited you with that kind of brains!'
Shocked to the core, Bani could hardly react, while Purva angrily pounced on her cousin and yelled, 'That is enough, Meera! How dare you? She is not just my friend now...she is my sister-in-law...my husband's older brother's would be wife. How dare you speak to her like that?'
'Purva...No...' remonstrated Bani, whimpering and trying to calm Purva, terrified that a scene would be created because of her.
'So what if she is going to be your sister-in-law? I am paying her a compliment! Who would have thought a plain Jane like her snaring a man like Jai? And in just a span of a fortnight! I would have been surprised if you had even made it to his bed, Bani...but to actually have him propose you for marriage! Wow! Good job!' said Meera, burning with envy and clapping her hands, as Bani bit her lips, trying to stop her tears at the unforeseen humiliation, that too in front of so many people.
Purva's mother snapped on Meera and tried to make her stop, but she did not pay any attention. Purva couldn't put up with it anymore and declared, 'This is it! There is just one person who can deal with you, Meera...and I am going to involve him now. He will answer all your questions!'
Before a stunned Bani or Purva's mother could stop her, she had stormed out of her room, and straight into the drawing room, where all the male members of the Raheja and Walia Family were assembled. Totally taken aback at seeing the bride in their midst, they could only stare back at her bafflement.
Massi who had been chatting with Purva's uncle, looked outraged and so did Karuna, while Nachiket simply blinked his eyes and wondered what Purva was doing here.
'Dada...do you mind coming to our room for a moment. Please?' said Purva, utterly devoid of any self-consciousness.
Jai looked pretty taken aback and getting up, asked her, 'What happened Purva? Is everything fine?'
'Yes...it is. But I just need you to come to our room for a moment...please.'
'Bahu, what is this...'started Massi, looking very shocked and upset, but Jai held peace and said, 'One minute, Massi. There must be something important; else Purva wouldn't have come out like this. I will come with you, Purva.'
Purva's Guest Room
Jai looked pretty taken aback at the scene, with Bani crying quietly and trying her best to cool down the situation while Meera looking quite unperturbed by what she had done. Looking even more hassled on seeing Jai in their midst, Bani frantically tried to stop Purva from involving him and explain that she did not mind what Meera had said.
Meera looked both surprised and apprehensive on seeing that Purva had actually gone and brought Jai along and repeated the exact words that Meera had said to Bani.
'Dada...I am sorry to involve you in this silly thing...but I just want you to tell my dear cousin that she cannot speak to my sister-in-law in this manner and definitely not in her own house.' Said Purva, throwing daggers in Meera’s direction.
Jai was silent and gave a look at Bani, who looked mortified and could not stop sobbing at what had happened, internally blaming all on her for spoiling such a wonderful day.
She tried to leave the room, but Jai caught hold of her hand and giving a look at Meera, spoke in an unruffled but icy voice, 'Meera...I don't know what problem you have with Bani. And I don't give a damn! But I do know that this has been going on from the very beginning. I didn't care about it before, because frankly, I never paid attention to you...I still don't. But the thing is that this girl standing beside me is not some random girl on the street on whom you can boss and shout and insult with or without a reason...she is going to be my wife.'
There was pin-drop silence in the room, as Jai continued, not letting go of Bani's hands, his voice going dangerously low and ominous, 'And I will invariably assume that anyone insulting her is insulting me...and people who know me even a little bit know what happens when someone tries to cross their lines with me. So I would suggest you to shut your foul-mouth and not say one word against Bani...else, I can assure you...you won't be attending this wedding or staying in OUR house for another moment.'
Meera's face had lost colour and everyone in the room looked terrified with the display of cold temper by Jai.
'Jai...Bani...I am so sorry...' mumbled Purva's mother, looking mortified with guilt that her own niece had gone ahead and insulted their host, that too on the day of the wedding, in their own house.
'No aunty...please...' protested Bani, turning to face her and said, 'It’s alright...these things happen. Please let us not spoilt the occasion...Meera...I am sorry if I have upset you in anyway...'
'Bani! Why are you apologizing to her!' exclaimed Purva, sounding highly indignant and still fuming at Meera.
'Purva...don't! It’s your wedding...please don't be upset...let’s all cheer up...it’s such a happy occasion...come on.' she insisted, trying to lift the pall of gloom and awkwardness that had come in the atmosphere.
Everyone began to cheer up little by little and when Neerja Raheja gave a hard stare at Meera, she mumbled a reluctant apology to Bani, 'Sorry...'
Bani smiled and said genially, 'It’s alright...please don't mention it. Now come, Purva...don't frown like this! What did our Yoga Teacher tell us? Our facial muscles get affected if we frown instead of smile.'
Purva could not help but burst into laughter on hearing it and hugged Bani, telling her mother, 'See Ma...I have got the world's greatest sister-in-law...we can even do Yoga together!'
Bani laughed and cheered up, but only till she saw Jai leaving the room, looking mighty displeased.
After chatting with Purva and her family for some time, Bani excused herself, saying that she had some work to attend and went in search of Jai, to pacify him and plead him not to spoil his mood on the day of his brother's wedding.
Jai's Study
After having been informed by Abdul, that Jai was in his study and in one of his black moods, Bani rushed to see him and calm him down. The likes of Meera truly did not bother Bani...she had grown up with a sister like Pia, who had at every given opportunity taunted and pulled her down...hence, talk of this kind did not hurt Bani in anyway. She simply ignored it.
Knocking warily on Jai's doors, she heard him growl in an angry voice, 'WHO THE HELL IS IT?'
Taken aback by the display of temper, she nevertheless opened the door and stepping inside the room, said timorously, 'Jai...'
He was pulling some papers roughly from one of his many filing cabinets and his face was dark with ill-supressed fury, but when he saw Bani, his expression softened a bit.
'Bani? What happened?' he asked with concern.
She smiled at the way he had changed the tenor of his tone for her and said, 'Nothing...I just came to see why you are here, all alone in your study when you should be downstairs with Purva's family.'
Jai was quiet for some time and then taking a deep breathe, looked at her said, 'Come here.'
She obediently walked towards him, till she came close enough for Jai to hold her by hands and looking into her eyes, spoke very seriously, 'Bani...you have to stand up for yourself! Please!' And then suddenly flaring up like a Volcano, yelled, 'How can that...that roadside tramp...bloody *&%#@* '
'JAI' objected Bani in complete shock and horror as he used a particularly deprecating term for Meera and stopped him right there.
'No. Please. Don't speak like this. She is a woman, Jai.' Said Bani, appalled with Jai on his tactless choice of words.
'A woman who insulted you.' he snapped back, anger raging in his eyes.
'She might have insulted me, but I did not feel insulted. I simply didn't take her words to heart. And why are you getting so upset?' argued Bani.
Looking infuriated, Jai yelled back, 'Why am I getting upset? Because that bloody b***h insulted a woman who is going to be my wife. MY WIFE. Jai Walia's wife.'
Bani kept looking up at him and then with a tiny laugh, said, 'Oh! So that is what is hurting you so much! Not that she said something to me...to Bani...but to Jai Walia's wife.'
'There is no need to be sarcastic, Bani! You and my wife are one and the same thing! And I cannot stand anyone speaking with you in this manner. I don't care, what Nikhil and Neerja think...I am telling that woman to get out of my house right now!' he thundered.
Bani closed her eyes in exasperation. Trying to reason with Jai was like trying to drill an algebra problem into a pre-schooler’s mind.
Taking his hands, she said in her pacifying, comforting voice, 'you really want to create a scene now? If you say something like this, Nikhilji and Neerjaji will have no option but to send Meera away...and they might not say anything to you...but they will be so hurt. She is their family after all.'
Jai was silent and brooding big time, refusing to even look at Bani, making her smile indulgently at the way he threw tantrums and lost his temper on even the smallest of issues.
Reassuring him, she gently turned his face towards her and going on tiptoes, planted a kiss on his lips and said, 'Okay...lets strike a compromise. You forget about whatever happened now and I promise to stand up for myself from this moment onwards.'
Jai kept sulking but only till Bani had circled her arms around his neck, and kept dangling playfully onto him, giving impish looks. He could not help but smile a bit and said, 'Okay...fine...but I am so going to empty an entire bottle of Donormyl 250 mg into that witches’ drink today!'
Bani burst out in peals of laughter as Jai too joined her and took her dotingly into his arms.
'You are so sweet Bani...so serene...so forgiving…so magnanimous...as gentle as a lamb...' said Jai, looking with deep love in his eyes at the love of his life.
She blushed with happiness and then just as he was about to kiss her, held his wrist and looking at his watch, exclaimed in a dramatic manner, 'Oh! Just look at the time, will you? Its 2 already...I have to go and check if Purva or her family needs anything...and I have to also help Karuna didi with something...I have also promised Pooja to oversee the arrangements once...'
'You have promised everyone something or the other! What about this man?' needled Jai, nestling his face against her neck and kissing her on her sweet-smelling neck, trailing his fingers on her back which was exposed due to the blouse she was wearing.
‘There we go again…’ muttered Bani, trying to push him aside and said, ‘Don’t-even-think-about-it. My family is here. Your family is here. Purva’s family is here. Please. Go down and be a good host. And let me be one too.’
‘Too late babe…you shouldn’t have worn this sari today…now my fingers are itching to get them off you…’ he whispered, giving an impassioned look from her neck below.
‘Jai! Whatever I wear…your fingers itch to get them off me. So don’t blame my clothes for your overactive hormones!’ she retorted sharply.
Jai could not help but throw his head back and laugh heartily on her comment.
Ignoring her appeals to let her go, he just continued anyway....... trying to twist her arms around and hold her against the edge of his desk...... nuzzling her hair, neck, and face at the same time.........
‘Jai…enough now. Please. Let me go. We are getting married in two days. Do whatever you wish to then.’ She pleaded. He looked at her and giving a devilish smile said, ‘Whatever I wish? Oh! My! That’s a very dangerous thing to tell a first-rate Kameena like me!’
‘Jai!’ she exclaimed, red-faced and trying to pull herself back, but he did not let her go.
‘Kiss me once, and I will let you go. Else, babes…this sari and this blouse and everything underneath is coming off your delicious body.’ He said, bending forward and nipping at her earlobe sensuously.
She went red and tried to protest, but he made it impossible for her to even move from his iron grip.
‘Okay…just one kiss. Then you will let me go?’ she asked in desperation.
He smiled slightly and said, ‘Yes…but not the kind of kiss that is reserved for elderly relatives…you know the types I prefer…’
Blushing furiously, Bani nevertheless got some courage and went ahead with kissing him, realizing there was no other way he was letting her go out of the room.
She plunged her hands into his shimmering hair, locking her fingers at the back of his skull lest she fell backwards on the desk and opened her mouth on his, making an inarticulate sound in her throat which she thought later of as a protest............ she coaxed and cajoled him with her lips.
Nope. No luck. Jai kept his mouth firmly shut, teasing and ribbing her, knowing how reluctant and shy she was in such matters.
Finally, he decided to end her torment and opend his mouth. Bringing his lips down on hers in a long hard kiss, sliding his fingers through her soft, glistening hair, fingers playing havoc with the bare skin on her back, tilting her face up to his, his tongue plummeting, predatory, plundering, giving. While he let his hands stroke her body, neck down, making her mindlessly beg for more into his mouth.
When he had finally finished, Bani said breathlessly, ‘Can I go now?’
‘Hmmm…’ he murmured, still nuzzling his face against her cheeks, as she flushed and turned warm with his passionate assaults.
‘What hmmmm? Go down and be with the guests! Please! she insisted, smoothening the folds of her sari and then the front of Jai’s kurta.
‘Hey! Why are you being such a nag? You usually give into me far more easily?’ griped Jai, when he tried to slither his errant fingers up Bani’s blouse and she gave a taut thwack on it, bringing it to an abrupt stop.
Rewarding him with a sprightly smile, she replied, before opening the door, ‘I am standing up for myself, Mr. Walia. Just as you wished!’
Jai could only stare back at her for some time, before throwing his head back and laughing heartily in his deep voice, calling out to her, ‘I will get back to you on this, Mrs. Walia…I promise, I will!’
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