PUNARVIVAAH - ARRANGED TO LOVE (L&M #3)

SHOT 23

 Third person's pov!

"Care to explain what that was, Abhay?" Anjana asked and Abhay let out an exasperated sigh.

He was in no mood for this now.

"Nothing, Maa." He said and began to walk again.

"Answer me, Abhay. Kriti was crying for Vaiga and Vaiga didn't make a move at all until you asked her to take her. What happened today that Vaiga had to get your permission first to take Kriti into her arms?" Anjana asked as she came and stood in front of him.

"Okay! I told her to stay away from Kriti, because they are having an unhealthy attachment to each other and that is not good for either of them." Abhay said and everyone went silent for a moment.

"How could you do that, Abhay? You won't love your daughter. And you have a problem when someone else does?" Niranjan asked angrily and Abhay shot a furious look at him.

"Don't ever say that I don't love my daughter. It is because I love her that I am worried about her. What would happen when one day Vaiga leaves? Have you wondered about that even once? Just take today's case as an example. Vaiga has been here only a few days and Kriti is overly attached to her. She didn't see Vaiga for a few hours and she cried hard enough to get a fever. What will be her condition when Vaiga leaves for good?" Abhay asked, leaving everyone speechless.

"I had no other choice, that's why I asked her to take Kriti. But I still believe it would be better to have control over Kriti's attachment to Vaiga." Abhay said and climbed the stairs, without looking at anybody.

"Uncle, I think Abhay has a point. It will be difficult when she leaves." Shravan said softly.

"And uncle, what you said today was wrong. Everyone knows how much he loves Kriti. We all know why he stays away from her as misguided it might be. But you shouldn't have hurt him by saying that. We will go and check on him." Mithran said.

Mithran and Shravan went after Abhay, leaving the others in thought.

"I didn't think about what would happen in the long run. Kriti makes Vaiga happy and Vaiga makes Kriti happy. That was all I saw." Anjana said softly.

"She doesn't have to leave, Maa." Siddhu said and everyone looked at him curiously.

"We cannot force her to stay here forever, Siddhu. She has a life of her own." Chaahat said.

"What if we make her life here only?" Drishti, who can very well read her best friend's thoughts, said with a mischievous smile.

"What do you mean?" Chaahat asked in confusion.

Anjana also understood what her son meant. He had mentioned it once before.

"We can get Abhi bhai and Vaiga married. As it is, Vaiga adores Kriti. She looks after Kriti as her own. We cannot let Abhi bhai wallow in guilt forever. He will have to move on, one day. Why not with Vaiga? She is very beautiful, she gets along well with the family unlike.." Drishti trailed off, stopping herself from mentioning her name.

"It is not easy as you say, Drishti. Do you think Abhay will agree to it if you go and ask him to marry Vaiga? Will Vaiga agree?" Chaahat asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

Drishti is childish and she lives in a bubble. Even when life threw a boulder at her in the form of an accidental marriage with Shravan, destiny made sure that her bubble didn't break.

"Of course I know it wouldn't be easy. Maybe Anjana aunty can emotionally blackmail Abhi bhai into marrying Vaiga. And I think Vaiga would agree if it means she could have Kriti all to herself. That girl adores Kriti like crazy." Drishti said.

"Exactly. Maa, it was yours and Vidya aunty's wish too. To get Vaiga married to bhai, wasn't it?" Siddhu asked, looking at his mother expectantly.

Anjana was torn. The picture Siddhu and Drishti just painted is beautiful. Abhay, Vaiga and baby Kriti. But how can they make it happen?

"I don't agree with this. Abhay has been pretty badly hurt during his marital life. We should give him time to heal before getting him married again. And Vaiga too. Her wounds are pretty fresh, from what I understood. Give them both time to heal. Else, they will be stepping into a toxic relationship and it wouldn't be good for anyone." Chaahat said, making Siddhu and Drishti pout.

They were all set to begin their matchmaking.

"Chaahat is right. We can't force them into a marriage when their wounds are still fresh. There is time. Anyways, we have no plans of letting Vaiga leave anytime soon. We are planning to get her post graduation admission here. As it is, Laya, my brother's daughter, will be joining PG here. We will take admission for both of them together. That gives us two years. After that, we can think of an alliance between Abhay and Vaiga." Niranjan said and Anjana nodded.

"Okay.." Drishti and Siddhu said in unison, their disappointment evident in their tone. It made the other three chuckle.

****

Vaiga laid beside Kriti, wrapping her arms around the drowsy baby.

"Gaga.." The baby murmured drowsily, as her chubby little hand fisted around the neckline of Vaiga's anarkali suit for assurance. It was evident that a fear had struck the little baby's mind that Vaiga would leave. The baby was trying to stay awake, but she was too drowsy.

"Oh baby! It's okay. Gaga is here." Vaiga whispered softly, as she dropped a kiss on top of the baby's head.

She gently patted on the baby's chest and softly sung a lullaby.

"Chanda Hai Tu, Mera Suraj Hai Tu,

O Meri Aankhon Ka Tara Hai Tu

Jiti Hu Main Bas Tujhe Dekhakar, Iss Tute Dil Ka Sahara Hai Tu

Chanda Hai Tu, Mera Suraj Hai Tu"

As the last notes faded into the air, a contented sigh escaped her lips, and she snuggled closer to Vaiga, her chubby fists never leaving Vaiga's dress.

"I love you Kriti. More than anything in this world. I am never going away from you. I am not going anywhere. Never. I will be by your side until you want me. I don't care what your papa thinks. You are my daughter. I will never leave you."

A/N

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SF❤️