Madhu waited silently behind the closed operation door.Her hands folded together and her petal lips moving together softly in prayer.

Madhubala's life had to bear some fateful incident.
Like yesterday.Rk was badly wounded while shooting for a stunt in his latest movie.

Her married life had been too blissful for words.
After a year of war with her superstar hubby at last everything seemed worth it after their remarriage.

Nurses rushed in and out of the theatre and five minutes later the doctor walked out.

"Mrs.Rk."He gestured her to follow him into his cabin.

"How is my husband doctor?"Madhu asked anxiously before sitting down.

"He has hurt his head badly.I fear he might have a mild amnesia."
Seeing Madhu's expression he asserts "It's not a who-am-i sort of memory loss.A partial amnesia though it's difficult to say anything until he wakes up but I thought I might as well as tell you!"

Madhu walked out of the cabin digesting this new piece of information.
"Madhu beta what did the doctor say?"Radha asked and Padmini stood behind her with concern.

"Uhh..."

"The patient is awake.You can see him."A nurse interrupted before carrying her medicine tray with her.

RK sat up in bed seeing two women enter.

"Rishu how are you?"Radha asked patting his head.

RK smirked."Never been better."

Madhu stood behind Radha and peeked at him.

"Whatever are you doing Biwi? "RK asked tilting his head.

Madhu sighed in relief.
He remembered her!

"Rishabh here are the tablets.Today is your discharge.I will go sign the discharge summary.Madhu you stay here."

Madhu nodded.

"Biwi I hope you remember what tomorrow is...?"

"Tomorrow?"Madhu asked, thinking.

RK chuckled."You're a good actress."

Madhu thought hard.

What could be tomorrow?

But nothing came to her mind.
 
            %%%%%%%%%%

Madhu stretched her arms as the sunshine caressed her skin.She threw the covers down and was about to make it to the bathroom when she saw a brown package on the bedside.

RK!

What could it be?She curiously opened it.

What a familiar--

Madhu turned pale.

She put the saree down seeing the note.

Dear Biwi,
Or should I say to be Biwi?Today is the day I have been waiting since forever.The day we are going to unite as one and start a new life together leaving everything and everyone behind . I'm waiting for you here.Wear the saree from the package and come to me.

Madhu's eyes flashed back to the familiar red saree...

"And this saree?I didn't even buy it.I borrowed it from a HAIRDRESSER."

No no no no no.
Not this phase.
Not again!

"Maaa!"Madhu hurried into her mother in law's room.

"Madhu?What's it?Had breakfast?"

Madhu took a quick breath before explaining to her mother in law the gravure of the situation.

Radha heard her in confusion and Madhu thrust the letter into her hand after she finished.
Radha read it quickly and the duo exchanged pale glances.
"Madhu....I....don't know what to do.I think it's safe to say that you stay in your mother's place for a while until things clear."

"But he's waiting for me!"Madhu wailed.

"Let him get tired of waiting and come back."

"Won't he think I rejected him?"Madhu asked anxiously.

Radha sighed.

"I can't do that to him.I have to go!"Madhu whispered.

Radha gasped."What?No Madhu how could you?"

"Yes Maa.I have to.For my RK."

"No Madhu!You can't hear him say those nasty things again."

"No Maa.Now I know he loves me.It won't matter."Madhu hugged her before leaving the room.

"Madhu!"Radha called out after her but she was gone.

Madhu wore the saree given by RK and wore the gold pendant she wore back on that fateful day.

She combed her long hair and left it loose over her shoulders.

She looked as beautiful as the moon adorned in the simplest way possible and yet the slightest of frowns creasing her flawless skin as she climbed into an awaiting three-wheeler.

Madhu was nervous and scared.
The same scene again.Was she ready?

Could she possibly bear it?

She took a deep breath as the auto stopped.

She paid him the fee and looked at the decorations and her eyes rested on RK in a sky blue sherwani having a deep neck cut showing off his contoured chest.
He was standing near the pundit when he noticed her.

Madhu tried to smile but her stomach twisted as she noticed a very subtle glimpse of a wicked glint in RK's eyes before it was replaced by a quick lovable smile.

He walked towards her.

Mere haath mein....Tera haath ho
 
Madhu walk!
Madhu placed a shaky foot before her.

Saari jannatein mere saath ho

Rk came towards Madhu slowly with a smile.

Tu jo paas ho...Phir kya yeh jahan..

Madhu gulped convulsively seeing RK reach her.

Tere pyaar mey ho jaun fanaa...

RK took Madhu's hand slowly with his eyes fixed on her.

"Shall we?"

Madhu stood her head in no and RK's eyebrows creased.

Noticing his expression Madhu nodded her head.

RK was leading her to the mandap!

No!

"Um..."

"What Madhu?"RK asked curiously.

Madhu burst into a fake laugh."Just fooling you.Ha ha.Come let's go."

Madhu sat beside RK as the rituals began.

Madhu's mind reeled back to their REAL marriage when RK told Madhu that she only could break his heart and he allowed it.
They took the pheres and Madhu was lost in her dream world of her happy married life.

"Now the bride must go before the bridegroom."

Madhu was just standing when RK tapped her shoulder.

"Um...Madhu?Where are you lost?Did you hear him?"

"Oh sorry."Madhu immediately went before RK.
RK took his whisky bottle out of his pocket when Madhu absent mindedly just kept walking before him thinking back to their sexy marriage night.

The knot between her saree and his cloth loosened and Madhu was circling the hawan alone.

The pundit and RK exchanged glances.

RK put his whiskey bottle back in his pocket and sighed.So much for special effects.

He strolled to Madhu.

Madhu turned to him with a big smile on her face.

"What is with you today Madhu?"He asked.

Madhu blushed."Nothing..."

RK was confused by her shyness and even more confused by her absent mindedness.

He studied her eyes becoming grim.

At Last.

He fished out his whiskey bottle keeping his eyes on her.

Madhu only gulped when  he poured it into the fire.

He looked at her.

"I....wanna piss."Madhu said holding out her pinky finger.

"You WHAT?"Did you..Did you see what I did?"RK asked, frowning.

"You poured alcohol in the havan."Madhu answered shrugging.

"Doesn't that matter to you?"

"Well.Not when I wanna piss."

Fuck you Madhubala!"He said surprising Madhu."I DON'T EVEN WANT TO MARRY YOU!"

"Okay."Madhu sighed.

They were already married.If he only knew that.

Then looking at his confused expression Madhu tried her acting skills.

"Why?What happened?"She asked trying to mask her casual tone with shock and Sadness and whatever .

"What?Say that again?"RK asked shocked by her nonchalance.

"Um...How could you do this RK.This is bad."

"Bad?"

"I mean very very..."

Madhu fell into thought.A deep word.

"Depressing."She said at last with a big smile on her face.

Her smile evaporated seeing RK'S confused expression.

Sadness.

Must be sad.

Madhu kept a sad face while she  gingerly waved her hands over her eyes trying to tear up.

"What the f--"

She wasn't reacting.

Fuck, she didn't even care and she was acting like a B Grade artist trying to convince him she was.

What was happening?

Didn't she love him?

Ever?

Why didn't it matter to her?

Was someone else in her life?

NO.That can't happen.

His revenge was replaced by furiousness at an unresponsive Madhubala who was still waving her hands over her eyes.

He gripped her arms furiously .
"What happened to you?DON'T YOU LOVE ME?"

Before M could reply:
"IF YOU DARE LOVE SOMEONE ELSE I WILL KILL THAT MAN!YOU LOVE ME DAMMIT!YOU'RE MINE!YOU BELONG TO ME AND YOU HAVE TO LOVE ME."

"But--"

"COME LET'S GO HOME."

RK dragged a confused Madhubala to the car.

"Aren't you going to drop me in the chawl? "Madhu asked fighting a smile.

"NO!"RK roared.

Suits me. Madhu thought leaning back in her seat.

Radha was agitatedly pacing her house when she saw RK dragging Madhu into the house.

"What happened?"Radha asked looking concerned at Madhu who winked secretly at her.

"SHE DOESN'T LOVE ME!"RK informed his mother furiously.
"What?"Radha asked confused and Deepali and Pabo exchanged looks.

"She will stay with me hereafter."RK said giving Madhu an angry glare.

Radha looked relieved and confused as RK hauled Madhu into his arms and took her upstairs.

Madhu waved a bye to Radha with a grin.

Waiting waiting....♡
Tranquil_Moonlight