Heyaaa peeeps!

Long time no see. I know I am updating it so late and am sorry for that. I was lacking up with the ideas and above that I am a big procastinator.

I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that you all like it because I myself don't know what have I written.

Happy reading!!

Words: 3000
Date: 10.01.21

***

"Oh-fo Rohit. Tell me na where are you taking me."

"Shush. Just be seated."

"Ok! But at least remove the cloth from my eyes."

Ignored.

I knew it that he wouldn't listen. Obstinate! I don't know where the hell is he taking me in such a freezing chilly night.

I know he has planned something special for me afterall it's such a special day today. Just a year back on this particular day, he and I tied the knot and I officially became Mrs. Sippy from Ms. Rastogi. After that day, my status no longer remained single. After that day we no longer had to hide our love from the outside world. After that day we truly became each other's.

Just a year back on this day I took a step forward in my new life. I clearly remember, I had a tingling feeling inside me. I was happy and sad both. Happy because finally 'He' and 'I' will become 'we' and will be together for forever but sad because I had to leave my old life behind. I had to my leave my Mumma, Pari and Pulkit all behind.

The same case was with them even. They were happy that finally I was getting married which is a dream of every parent but then they won't get to see me everyday.

We had decided that none of us will cry at the time of bidding goodbye as it sounds so ironical. On one side we keep a whole grand party to celebrate the wedding and on the other side we are crying.

But when the time actually came, none of us could stop the flowing tears from our eyes. We all got emotional. Rohit was there to soothe me and to assure my family but it's not that easy.

In all this fight I actually forgot that it's our anniversary today. I am feeling so guilty. How could I forget?

Thank god I had a backup otherwise I wouldn't have had anything to gift to Rohit. But where is he taking me?

I know he also forgot about our marriage anniversary so where is he taking me now getting me all dressed up?

The car stopped at some distance. I don't have any clue where are we because of this stupid cloth he has tied on my eyes.

I like surprises but not waiting for those surprises. I am such an impatient person.

"At least now remove this." I pleaded hoping that this time he would listen.

But he is the obstinate Rohit. He do what he feels like.

He opened the door of the car for me and took me out. We started walking somewhere. I was holding his hand for the support.

We again stopped and he asked me to count till five. What a stupidity but then it's cute even.

I started counting.

"Five."

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

And

"One."

The cloth slid away from my eyes.

I looked around myself. It was some known place. Beneath my feet there was lush green grass. Around me were dark thick trees. There was no one there except the two of us.

The place was decorated beautifully with the golden fairy light. There were so many golden balloons, my favourite colour. The golden fairy lights were illuminating the whole place. There was a fountain in between. The light was getting refracted by the water from the fountain and was kind of forming a moon bow.

The sky was covered with the twinkling elements.

I recognised the place. It was Roadwalk garden. It's the same place where I always come when I am extremely sad or happy.

In between of the garden there was a bonfire set-up. Are we going to do bonfire? Wow. I enjoy doing bonfires a lot and the last time I did was when I was on my school trip.

A hand came towards me holding a pink rose. I looked up in the hazel brown eyes of the man I loved. My man.

A smile crept across the corner of my lips. "Happy Anniversary Wifey." He spoke in his husky sweet voice.

"Welcome." This was only I could speak and then slapped my forehead.

I wasn't supposed to say welcome. "Sorry, Thankyou."

He chuckled and spoke "Are you going to say all the golden words today only?"

My cheeks turned beetroot pink due to embarrassment and happiness and shyness.

"How? I mean when did you do all this?" I stil can't understand when did he got the time to plan this. I mean we patched up just a few hours ago.

"While you were getting ready. As soon as I remembered that it's our Anniversary in just an hour I made this plan. I asked you to get ready and I know you ladies take A Lot of time in that so in that time I arranged all of this. It didn't take much time."

I hate this. Why do women have to do so many things. Hairstyle, selecting an outfit and many more things. But again Thank god I have my backup.

"I'll have to agree. I am very smart."

"What? You? How? I planned all this up." He spoke.

"I am smart tbhi toh I chose you and choices of smart people is smart only." I said boastingly and he laughed.

After a pause he again spoke "Ok. There's one more surprise for you."

"One more surprise? What?"

"First close your eyes." Uggh I hate it. Everytime 'close your eyes, close your eyes'. Am I a kid? Still I closed it because he is the obstinate Rohit.

I felt his body touching my back which was enough to send shrills down my spine. He asided my hairs to the right. I felt my breath hitching with his proximity. A cold object came around my neck.

I swiftly opened my eyes and looked at my neck region. There was a beautiful platinum pendant in which two heart were connected. On one heart it was written 'Sonakshi' and on the other it was written 'Rohit. It depicted both of our hearts are connected. It was shining beautifully as the moonlight was falling on it.

I was completely shocked. Now from where did this come? I am pretty sure that such pendants are especially made on orders and no one can't get it in such a short time then how did he?

"Don't think much. I had ordered it very long back because I knew such customized things take time to come. It came a month ago only and was kept in my car. I got this for this day only."

I gave him a bone crushing hug not because he gave me a gift but he thought so much about me. Hardly we find people in our lives who genuinely care about us and love us and luckily I had found such a person in my life."

"I am so lucky to find you. I can't even tell yo-"

"It's me who is lucky. You filled life inside me. You changed me for good and I promise I won't hurt you ever. I won't cause you any pain and we will fight with everything together and I am heartily sorry for what all I did."

"I also have a surprise for you. So now it's your turn to close eyes."

"But-"

"No buts and ifs. You irritated me a lot by saying 'close your eyes close your eyes'. Now my turn. Close your eyes." He like an obedient child closed his eyes at an instant.

I went towards the car and got the gift I made for him. I made it very long back because it takes time.

I brought it in front of him and asked him to open his eyes. He quickly opened them and took my gift in his hand. It was a glas jar which had many chits inside that I made for him. On it there was a brown tag which said 'Reasons I Love you'

I couldn't think of any other thing and I like hand-made gifts more than anything so thought to made it. I am not sure if he liked it or not. I looked at him with doubtful eyes.

"You wrote it all?" He asked and I mouthed a 'yes'. "Why? Didn't you like it?"

"No. I loved it. It's far better than what I gave you. I just bought this pendant but you made it. I would read one chit each day."

"I am glad you liked it." The atmosphere was so calm. I said "Rohit let's go for the bonfire." He nodded with a smile.

We went towards the place where the bonfire was set. I forwarded my hands towards the fire to gets it warmth. The red glow was there on Rohit's face due to it.

"20 questions?" I asked and he nodded.

"I'll ask first." I signalled him to go ahead. "Have you really forgiven me?"

I stopped for a second and then spoke "I was never upset with you." His brows raised up in confusion. "I was upset with the person you had become. I remember you weren't like that before. You changed. You became those typical men and I never loved your that typical men's side. I always loved what you are today and were before our marriage. Now I am feeling like I have literally got the old Rohit back. Stay like this forever na. If again you get changed I won't come back to you ever and that's a promise."

He chuckled "People keep promises to stay forever and you are promising me that you won't come back again."

Promises are tough to keep and we should promise only those things which we feel we can fulfill. I know that if the history repeats itself then he would lose me for forever and consider it as a threat or anything but it was the truth. "Because I know I would surely keep this promise and so don't ever let me go."

"Your turn."

"Did you never miss me when I left you?

"I did. A Lot."

"Then why after a month you came back to me? Why not just the next day. Maybe we wouldn't have suffered these many days but would have sorted everything before only?" I asked the question which was there in my mind since so long.

"This is your second question by the way when I have just asked one." Shit! I forgot we are playing 20 questions and this was his chance.

"It's ok. You ask me two questions in a go. First answer mine."

"You know what? When we stay together we don't realise things. We don't consider each other's importance in our lives but when distances come and moments turns into memory, then we realise things.

I also didn't know I was doing something wrong. I just knew one things that you betrayed me and left me because you don't love m-"

"Seriously Rohit? You thought that I-"

"Wait. And by the way you have used your third question." I slammed my forehead. " You only said a moments ago that I was not the same Rohit at that time whom you loved. So that Devil Rohit thought that you don't love him and that's why you left. It took time to understand that he was wrong but when he understood, he didn't wait and just came to you. Sadly, it took him so much time to understand."

Thinking why am I talking about all this right now? Because this is the new beginning of 'Us' amd without talking about the old things, new beginnings can't be done, right?

"How many ice creams did you had behind me." He asked because he knew that I just loved ice cream. I can have it anytime. Morning, noon, evening, night, summer, winters, anytime. He and I used to have at least ten ice creams a week.

"Zero."

"Seriously?" I nodded. "Even I had zero ice creams. Quite a good amount of ice cream na!" We chuckled.

"How did you hurt your hands? Now tell me the truth?" I took the advantage of the time. I wasn't liking looking at his wounds and moreover I didn't even know the reason of it.

"Good shot. I told you that I punched the tree."

"Hahaha." I faked a laugh "And you think that I am a kid and I would believe it? Why would you punch the tree?"

"Because life was going out of control. I mean when Netra Ji told me that-" and he stopped.

"That? What did she told you? When did you guys talked?"

"Relax. Nothing."

"No tell me. Aisa kya bola that you hurt yourself."

.
.
.

After a pregnant silence I spoke "How could she say like that? I mean she just told you the truth but then that was needed. Why did she had to talk to you and say all of that. I will talk to Netra Ji."

"No. She did right. If she wouldn't have told me those things then I feel I would have never got to know how much pain I caused and it was important for me to know that. She just said all those because she's your friend and couldn't see you like that. She was absolutely right and you won't say anything to her."

"And come, you didn't had the ice cream right? We'll have it now. "

We went to a nearby ice cream shop. It's Mumbai and the ice cream shop here is 24/7 open. As usual he took the butterscotch and I took the Pista ice cream. We both were enjoying it and were giggling. It felt like after so many days something good was happening.

Just then Rohit's phone rang. He took out the phone from his shirt's pocket. Mom was calling him but why at this time? He picked up the call and put the phone on speaker.

"Rohit please come fast. We all need you. Please Beta." I could sense panic in her voice. What would have happen? "Mom tell us what happened." But before this the phone got disconnected.

Rohit and I sat in the car quickly and he drove towards the Sippy Mansion. Soon we reached there. I was dying thinking what would have happened. Till now everything was going good and now suddenly..

The door was already opened. We entered inside. It was all dark there. Where had everyone gone? What's happening?

Suddenly a light fall over us. Actually a spotlight. We looked ahead and there was a projector and a screen. Rohit and my pictures were being displayed on the screen. Our marriage photos, our dates, our random selfies, our firsts, our fighting pictures, our families, our everything was being displayed which brought all of us down the memory lane. The sweet memories. Tears were brimming in both of our eyes. At the side there was a circular golden stand with artificial green leaves hanging which had so many pictures of us dangling.

Just then all the lights turned on and we heard a shout "Happy Anniversary".

Our whole family was there. Mumma, Pulkit, Pari, Mom-Dad, Pooja, Ajit and even Netra Ji. It was all their plan. We were surprised was an understatement. We both were utterly shocked. There were so many questions surrounding us.

"Mom-Dad all this is so amazing." I exclaimed. "But how did you guys get to know that we have patched up?"

Netra Ji came forward and spoke up "I saw both of them coning out of the hospital happily. I was passing through there because I had to meet someone. I even called you but you both were so engrossed in each other. I told this to Suman and then she told everyone and they all planned this."

I am so lucky to get these peoppe in my life. I felt like I would have surely done something good in my past birth that now in this birth I am getting the fruit of it. Mom came and spoke "Hn we all were very happy after knowing it and it was your Anniversary also, so celebration toh bnta hi h. We decided to give you both a surprise at this time because a year back you both got married at 2:00 a.m. only."

Rohit and I hugged Mom and said "You are the best."

Dad spoke next "And what about us? We also helped in it."

We smiled amd called everyone for a group hug. It feels so good to be among your whole family after long.

"Mom Dad, I had to apologize to you both. I talked so rudely to you when you came at home. I am so sorry about that."

Dad kept a hand on my head and said "It's a new start. Let's forget the old things and have a new beginning."

Netra Ji came and spoke to Rohit "I am sorry Rohit about the things that I said to you yesterday. I don't know what had happened to me and I am so sorry."

"Didn't you hear what dad just said? Let's forget the old things and have a new beginning."

"Yes Netra Ji. It's fine. I know how much you care about me and I totally understand. No need of apologizing."

Pooja took the mic in her hand and spoke "Mic testing 1..2..3.."We chuckled at her antics.

"Ab sabka ho gya ho toh let's have some fun. Bhai and Bhabhi will dance now. Yoohoo." With this the others also hooted.

What? All the colour faded away from my face but before we could speak anything the lights turned off except the spotlight that was on us and the music played.

A soft tune filled over the room.

Mere dil ke lifafe me
Tera khat h jaaniya
(Tera khat h jaaniya)

We held each other's hand and looked straight into the eyes. There was a smile lingering on our face.

Naacheez ne kaise paali
Jannat ye jaaniya ve

We were just lost in each other. We moved our footsteps according to the lyrics.

Tu nazm nazm sa mere
Hontho pe theher jaa
Main khwaab sa tei aankhon
Aanknon me jaagu re

He twirled me round for three times. I went a little away from him and then he suddenly pulled my hand making me fall but he caught me at the right time in his arms, the safest place for me. I could feel his breath fanning over me.

Everyone started clapping and the lights turned on but for us the moment has frozed and I wish it to be like this for forever.

*

**

T H E E N D

Finalllly it got conpleted!!! I would miss writing it as I enjoyed writing it's every bit and I hope you enjoyed reading it.

The gifts are there up in the media. Also the song is there in the media. You can listen to it.

I would just write the epilogue now and would update it soon. Any ideas for the epilogue? I am currently going blank right now.

How much would you rate this chapter on the scale of 1-10?

I hope it was upto your expectations. Writing this chapter took my whole day.

Please ignore the mistakes. As it's complete now so I would edit the whole book.

Any prominent plothole you found? Do tell me if yes and I would edit it.

And I have to share one good news. This book came 3rd in the magical awards. Thankyou to the judges and to my reader as well.

Vote+Comment

Just an epilogue to go!!!