She entered their room which was filled with darkness.
Tanu wondered why the lights are off.

Tanu: Rishi!

She didn't got the reply.

Tanu: Rishi?

She again didn't got any response. Thus, she switched on the light.

When the room went bright, she searched around the room and finally found him sitting in front of the cupboard with some things.

She went towards him and looked at the things placed before him.

Tanu: y..ye toh...meri...

Rishi showed her the locket while sobbing.

Rishi: y..yeh... yeh vo locket hai jo maine..maine tumhe bachpan mein diya tha jo tumne apni aakhri saas tak pehena tha.

Tanu blankly looked at Rishi.

He then showed her a Chunni which was of her past birth.

Rishi: A..aur ye humari shaadi ke baad tumne jo dress pehni thi uski hai.

Tanu: Rishi ye...

Rishi: y...ye sari photos humare saath bitaye vo khubsurat lamhen unki hai a..aur ye...ye

He wasn't able to say further as he finally bursted with the pain he was holding inside and Tanu immediately hugged him utter 'Rishi'

He started crying in his embrace.

Rishi: 20 saal...Tanu 20 saal Mai tumhari inn yaadon ke sahare Zinda raha, iss umeed mein ki kabhi toh tum apni di huee Kasam nibhane aogi , 20 saal tumhare haar ehsaas ko apni sabse kareeb rakha taki jab bhi tum aao tab...tab mai tumhe pehechan ne mein deri na karu aur...aur hum ek ho jaye par jab tum mere samane aaiee mai tumhe pehechan he nahi paya.

Tanu: n..nahi R..Rishi...

Rishi: Maine tumhe kya kuch nahi sunaya Tanu...tumhe sunaya, meri Tanu ko...tum pe itne ilzam lagaye tumhe...tumhe jane kya kya kaha aur tum...tum chup chap sunti gaiee kuch nahi kaha...kyu Tanu? Kyu?

Tanu: k..kyu ki mai tumse pyaar karti hu Rishi, tum mujhse pyaar karte ho...yaad hai jab mai Tanvi bankar tumhe mujhse dur rehene kehti thi toh tum kehete the ki...hum dono ek he hai, hum dono chah kar bhi ek dusre se dur nahi reh sakte.
Toh phir maine ye toh mere liye he kiya na Rishi.

Rishi seperated and looked at her.

Rishi: t..tum...tum aisi kyu ho Tanu? Jab Tanu thi tab bhi sirf dusron ke baremien sochti thi ab jab Tanuja ho toh bhi sirf dusron ke baremien sochti ho. Tumhe apni koi fikar he nahi hai na? Meri koi fikar he nahi hai.

Tanu: R..Rishi...

Rishi: Nahi...kyu Nahi bataya ki tum meri Tanu ho? Agar bata diya hota toh...toh vo sab kabhi hota he nahi jo hua hai. Tumhe kabhi bhi mujhse mu chipa kar shadi na karni padti...mai toh hu tumhara dewaana Tanu main tumse shaadi nahi karta toh kis se karta?
Kyu ye nahi bataya ki tum meri Tanu ho?
Kyu humare beech galatfahmiyan badhne di itni ki...tumhara hak hone bawajood bhi maine mujh par tumhe tumhara hak jatane nahi diya?
Kyu Tanu?

Tanu: Rishi mai...

Rishi showed her the palm.

Rishi: tumhe meri bilkul fikra nahi hai hoti toh tum mujhe pehele he bata deti ki tum meri Tanu ho. Tum jab Tanuja bankar naiee naiee meri zindagi mein aaie thi tab tumne dekha tha na ki meri kya halat ho gaiee hai tumhare bina? Ek Zinda laash tha mai...tumhari yaad mein, kisi bhi ladki apne kareeb nahi ane deiya kyu ki mujh pe tumhara hak hai...tumne dekha tha na?

Tanu: (while sobbing) haa Rishi Maine...maine dekha tha par ...

Rishi: Phir kyu nahi bataya?

Tanu: mujhe..mujhe maaf kardo Rishi...I am sorry!

Rishi didn't reacted and kept looking at the ground with moisturized eyes and frown on his face.

Tanu moved towards him and cupped his face.

Tanu: apni Tanu ko maaf nahi karoge? Please!

Rishi looked at her who was looking at him with equal pain in her eyes. He immediately hugged her and she too tightly reciprocated.

Tears escaped both their eyes.
They remained in eachother's embrace for a while and then seperated.

Rishi whipped her tears and held her hand in a protective but possesive way as if he was feared of loosing her again.

He made her sit on the bed and layed on the bed keeping his head on his lap.

Tanu smiled and Ruffled his hairs with her another hand while her other hand was still in his hand.

He looked up found her smiling as if remembering something.

Rishi: kya hua?

Tanu noded.

Tanu: kuch nahi kuch yaad aa gaya.

Rishi: kya?

Tanu:(smiling) yaad hai jab humne Bhaag ke shaadi ki thi uske baad tum aise he 2 ghanton tak meri god mein sar rakh kar lete rahe aur humne kitni sari bate ki thi.

Rishi smiled.

Rishi: aur uske baad yaad hai humne Mandir ke paas ke vo chole kulche khaye the aur vo kya tha? Butter Bun...makkhan maar ke.

Tanu giggled and also giggled Rishi.

They talked remembering their past times and laughed alot and that laughter was echoing in the entire house.

All the members who were seated down at the hall smiled listening their laughs.

Biji: aakhir Rishi aur Tanu ek ho he gaye.

Mallika fisted her palm with the anger.

Raj: Haa Biji aakhir Rishi ko uski Tanu wapas mil he gaiee.

Manpreet: aj Bhai ka 20 saal ka intezar khatam hua.

Aahan: aur mujhe bhi meri di wapas mil gaiee.

All became emotional yet they smiled.

After a while they saw Tanu with Rishi coming down.
All looked at them and they wondered why all were looking at them like this.

Rishi: kya hua ap sab hume aise kyu dekh rahe hai.

Manpreet and Yuvraj went towards Rishi and immediately hugged him.

After a while both seperated and Yuvraj cupped his face.

Yuvraj: Tujhe itne saalo baad phir se dilse khush dekh ke bohot accha lag raha hai.

Manpreet looked at Tanu.

Manpreet: aur ye sab sirf Tanu bhabhi ke wajah se. Thank you Tanu, Thank you ki tum phir se bhi ki zindagi mein aa gaiee.

Tanu smiled and emotionally looked at Rishi who was already looking at her with adoring eyes.

Tanu: Bau ji...Rano aunty mujhe apse kuch baat karni hai.

All sensed the seriousness in her and became a bit worried.

Tanu: vo Smilee...

Everyone became a bit sad.

Tanu: m..mai janti hu uss se galti huee hai par...par hum usse iswaqt akela bhi nahi chhod sakte na, mera matalab hai ki...

Rishi: Papa ji Tanu Sahi keh rahi hai...Smilee ko humari zarurat hai. Vo pregnant hai hum usse kisi tarah ki Takleef nahi poochhne de sakte...vo already dedh (1/2) mahine se iss pregnancy ko chupa ke dar dar ke apni zindagi kat rahi hai.

Tanu: Aahana...tu maa hai uski, hum sab se zyada usse Teri zarurat hai.

Manpreet: I think Tanu is right Aahana.
She needs us.

Rano: mere khayal se hume uss ladke ke ghar walon se bhi baat karni chahiye.

Raj: hmm... Manpreet puttar, Smilee se baat kar ke kal he uss ladke aur uske pariwar walon ko ghar bula le.

Manpreet: jee papa ji.

Raj started to leave but stopped on the way infront of Tanu.

He emotionally looked at her and kept his hand on her.

Raj: puttar tere chale Jane ke baad ek bojh tha dil pe, mere yaar , mere Veeru ki beti ka mai khayal nahi rakh paya. Par ab jab tu wapas aa gaiee hai, dil ka sara bojh halka ho gaya puttar.

All smiled but one person was not happy and that was none other than Mallika.
She looked at Tanu with rage.

Mallika:(pov) aaj iss Tanuja ke karan mera sara plan chaupat ho gaya. Meri shaadi Rishi se tab tak nahi ho payegi jab tak ye Tanu naam ka kata mere raste se nahi hat jata. Mai iss Tanu ko zayada din Rishi ki zindagi mein tumne nahi dugi chahe mujhe kuch bhi kyu na karna pade.

...

So here this chapter ends
Hope you liked it.
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Thank you.

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Precap: Mallika Plots against Tanu
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