Bonds For Life

Mishti

"No bhaiya, it's not that. Bhabhi got to know about Gunni and ...." He tried to pacify him. 

"It's okay, it's okay," and folded his arms and gave a hurt expression, he further added,  "I know now Mishti bhabhi is super important and I'm a nobody."

"No no bhaiya," he looked at him in worry, "I wanted to tell you, but you were so busy with the NGO, Ketki and then Ben Baa.." Jugnu folded his handed and explained, "I'm so sorry bhaiya, I thought you have more important things," his eyes were filled with tears and I didn't understand if Abir was acting or if he really was hurt. "I am sorry."

"Oh god, I was just kidding Jugnu," he hugged him, "stop whimpering, look at me," lifted his chin and wiped his tears, "I was just kidding. But you should have told me about it, at least in this whole time, this preparation for a date would have made me happy. After all, Mishti bhabhi and my first date was so romantic, do you remember Angry Chorni?  He said sarcastically.  "So what's the plan?" he winked at him,  "time for the real deal?"

"Abir, this is their first date!" I rolled my eyes, "Jugnu bhaiya, Gunni will get free, right?"

He nodded, removing the small pieces of Methi muthias  "Yes, she has told Nidhi Mami.  I'll be going there for Nanu so I'll take her along with me."

"Where are you going on your first date?" Abir asked while eating a piece. 

"To the mela, we'll go there and spend the evening. Then I'll drop her to Rajvansh Sadan and come here," he joyfully announced. 

He looked at me with anticipation, "We should also go ..."

Shaking my head, "Abir! No, give them some privacy," then turning my attention to the cute expression bhaiya had made, "Jugnu bhaiya, you have the keys to the scooty, and now you know..."

"But I'm not ready..." he gave the excuse.

"Yes, you are! Jugnu, I spent the last one month teaching you how to ride a scooty, you know it now, you just need the confidence! Come on now, scooty is it!" Abir announced, putting a hand around my shoulder and bending to my ear, "Privacy time for us too?" I feel the blush coming to my cheeks, "Shut up Abir."

He looked at his hands nervously, "No, Abir bhaiya, I don't want to give her an image that I can afford...." 

Abir stepped forward, "Jugnu, we are a family! And I mean it to the core. That scooty is yours, from today," turning to look at me, "you know Mishti and I prefer the bus roofs more than our car."

Our drive back home from the exhibition, we listened to Abir and my favorite songs,  "Mishti, do remember the first one you helped me with?"

How could I forget my first job's first assignment, "I do Abir, and then we had a fire in the whole building..."

"And you had gone to retrieve my blue-malmal painting," he looked at me, taking my hand and entwining his fingers around it,  "You risked your life to save that painting." 

How could I forget that day, "That painting was so important for you, you claimed to have a strong connection with it, I had to save it from the fire." 

Abir smiled, his warm hand between my hands, "You know Mishti, it was that moment. You were stuck in the fire, your dupatta was around my painting, and you said, Abir, ab toh phone lelo, and you fainted in my arms.  I  realized what I felt for you was," turning to look at me, "love." I placed a soft kiss on his hand. We drove past the temple where we first had exchanged our real feelings for one another. He stopped the car, "Mishti, love is a beautiful feeling and everyone should feel it once in their lifetime. Some people get to spend their lives with the person they love and I am very lucky that I have you in mine. Promise me, you won't ever leave me"

"I promise," he kissed my hands gently. 

He looked ahead, "Do you want to go on a road trip?"

"Now?" I asked him curiously, "Where to?" 

"Yup,  now," he got out of the car while I followed him out, "We don't need a destination, I want you to live your life Mishti to the fullest, who knows what will happen in the next moment." 

I laughed, "You want to relive that life before you met me? Life of a Banjara?" 

He laughed while shaking his head, "I want us to not forget that life is beautiful and we should make new memories. In the last six months, we have only worried about the future, about Big Ben, we have had so many hurdles to reach where we are today,  but we are not free. I want us to fly, to be free from everything and everyone that pulls us down." He squeezed my hands, "I know the future we had once imagined isn't how we have it today, but we have our happy home, Mishti. And I want to live this phase of my life with you, just you." I understood what he said, life doesn't go as we plan it to be. In our worry, we forget to pause and feel the air, to admire the flower which is blossoming, to look up at the sky and count the stars, and we forget to thank the higher being for blessing us with the life and family we have. "So I want us to do things you and I both love!"

"Alright Ajeeb Rajvansh, but don't forget Bro's night tomorrow, and I don't want to upset Nanu." 

"Of course not, we'll return back before that, " he beamed, "do you want to get a backpack or should we go like this only?" 

"A backpack!" 

"Get in the car then," we hopped back into the car and drove towards Mishbir House, "Oh and I forgot to tell you, Badi Maa and Bade Papa are moving in with us from next month. Get ready to watch them love me more." He teased while I crossed my arms and looked out of the window, "I promise I'll love you more Mishti!" 

 I turned to face to him, "It's Mrs. Rajvansh for you and,"  he looked so happy  and I couldn't stop myself from saying it, "I love you, Abir." I leaned towards him and kiss his cheeks when he turned to me and lips briefly touched, scolding him to doing so, "Look at the road, Ajeeb Rajvansh!' 

"Angry and also Chorni, I wanted to kiss too, you stole my moment to kiss," he complained childishly.  

"Ajeeb Rajvansh," I muttered and then our favorite song played on the radio as we drove through the main entrance of our home. Deere Deere se meri zindagi maine aana, we looked at each other, Dheere dheere se mere dil ko churana, there were tears in his eyes,  Tumse pyaar hume hai kitna jaane  jaana, he kissed the palms of my handsTumse mil kar tumko hai batana and then pulled me for a hug.  Remnants of the aftershave and his fragrance filled my nostrils, while he pulled me closer, he whispered, "Thank you for everything Wifey."

A knock on my window, and we immediately parted apart. Turning to see who had come to visit, my heart was in my mouth.  His warm hand squeezed mine for comfort as he opened the door to face Meenakshi Rajvansh, her arms crossed and her lips tightly shut. Her arrival meant something new is coming our way.    

PART ONE ENDED