Always And Forever

Gifts

Swamini came downstairs and everyone praised her looks and she received a lot of compliments. Yet she was unhappy because they didn't come from the person she wanted. She saw that Sumedh was silent and lost in his thoughts.

"Sumedh.. I hope tum Swamini vahini ke liye gift laaye ho.. Maine yaad dilaya tha tumhe" Ridhi said.

Sumedh nodded "Laaya hoo"

"Aarti ki thali ban gayi hai" Aaradhya said "Swamini aur Sumedh bhauji se chalu karte hai"

"Hames kyu?" Swamini asked "Aap badi hai"

Main reason was that Swamini didn't know anything about rituals. What if she did something wrong?

"Tum dono ka pehla padwa hai" Aaradhya said "Isliye"

Swamini was tensed. Sumedh sensed that.

"Nahi.. Pehle Amit aur Purvi vahini" Sumedh insisted "Please"

"Fine" Amit was ready "Purvi hum dono pehle"

Purvi happily agreed. She took thali from Aaradhya's hand. Amit sat down. Purvi stood in front of him and smiled. She applied tilak on his forehead. Then there was a golden ring which she picked up and moved it in circle around his head. Swamini was noticing everything. Purvi then placed some rice grains on Amit's head and did aarti.

Amit smiled back and gave her a box wrapped in gift paper.

"yayy" Purvi said in a excitement "Mera gift"

"Ab Swamini vahini" Ridhi said.

Now Swamini knew what she was supposed to do. She stood in front of Sumedh and smiled. Sumedh didn't smile back and concentrated on diya which was there in thali.

Swamini felt bad. She was now a little angry! Why was he avoiding her? He was behaving exactly like he used in initial days of their marriage.

Swamini placed tilak on his forehead. Did everything that Purvi had done. Sumedh was just waiting for it to end.

"Gift kya laye ho?" Prithviraj asked.

"Main janta hoo" Amit said and giggled.

"Isko kyu pata hai?" Ridhi asked.

"Meri dukan se kharida hai" Amit replied "Sumedh ne bhi aur bhaiyya saheb ne bhi, Daaji ne bhi Aur maine bhi"

"Wahh" Ridhi said "Bas gehne de do toh biwiya khush ho jati hai na" She taunted "Kuch thoughtful gift dena hota hi nahi hai"

"Kitni sari aurate hongi jinko gehne kam padte honge" Amit said " Tum log shukar manao tumhare pati tumhe aise gifts dete hai"

"Kaale dhan se kharida hua pila sona" Aaradhya taunted.

Purvi laughed.

"Aaradhya" Prithviraj said "Tumko nahi chhaiye toh main wapis kar deta hoo"

"Maine toh aisa nahi kaha ki mujhe nahi chahiye" Aaradhya said with innocent face.

Everyone laughed. Swamini waited till Ridhi and Aaradhya completed their rituals and then they sat around to open gifts.

Purvi was the first one to open her gift. She saw a beautiful gold necklace and gasped.

"Kitna sundar hai" She said "I mean obviously sundar hai kyu ki maine hi design kiya hai.. Thank you Amit"

"You're welcome honey" Amit said.

"Amit note the sarcasm" Ruturaj said.

"Note kar liya maine" Amit said "Yeh toh unofficial gift hai.. Kyu ki sabke samne dena padta hai.. Real gift alag hai.. Usko milega"