Abhigya Stories Collection

Dreaming of You

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story.

One important thing, my last story, My Adorable Darling, I kinda forgot to wrap up the watch track, so I had edited the story and just added two lines regarding Abhi ordering the watch online for her. it kind of slipped my mind, sorry about that.

Months ago, I was watching Malayalam movie Shubhayathra on TV and I kinda got the idea for this story. This story has no connection to that movie, just that the idea came to me when I was watching that.

Title is from a book by Lisa Kleypas

"You heard Nani." Radha gently tells Abhi.

Abhi nods sadly.

"We know it is your life... but..." Mohan says hesitantly.

"Why me? why not Disha?" Abhi asks feeling helpless.

Radha keeps her hand on his shoulder. "You're her favorite grandchild, and her eldest grandchild."

"What does my marriage have to do with her agreeing for her operation?"

"She feels that she might not get to see you married."

Abhi helplessly looks at her. "But this is not right."

"We know." Mohan sadly agrees.

"Abhi, we don't have much time." Radha gently reminds him.

"Fine, do whatever you have to." Abhi gives in and walks away upset.

**********

That evening, Abhi walks into his house and finds his parents. They gesture him to join them and he walks towards them. He slows down seeing the photos with them.

"Will you take a look at all these photos? And if you liked any of them, we could go and see the girl." Radha requests him.

Abhi sits on the couch as he took the photos from her and started looking through the photos without any interest.

"You didn't like any?" Radha asks sadly, realizing what they were doing to him. it was not right to force him into marriage but like her husband and son, she was helpless.

Abhi shrugs disinterestedly.

"Maybe if you could tell me what type of a girl you want, then I would look for that." Radha asks him.

Abhi thoughtfully starts chewing on his inner cheek as he wondered what to tell them.

"You would have some expectations from your partner."

"Someone like Pragya." Abhi hesitantly whispers.

"Pragya? Disha's friend?" Radha asks curiously.

"Yes."

"Why like Pragya? Why not Pragya?" Mohan asks confused. "We'll take the proposal for Pragya."

"She has an elder sister. She is not married." Abhi tells him shaking his head.

"Hmmmm."

Hearing his father, Abhi looks up and sees his parents studying him silently. Having enough, he quickly gets up and offers the photos to his mother, "You decide. It doesn't matter who it is. You both decide." Then without waiting for further discussion, he walks off.

**********

The next day, Abhi was walking out when he notices Disha and Pragya walking in. He slows his pace as he slyly looked at Pragya. Pragya smiles seeing him.

"Hi." Pragya says with a smile.

"Hi." Abhi smiles at her.

Abhi was about to stop to talk to her when she nods at him and continues to walk off with his sister. Abhi sighs as he walked on then stops noticing his mother sitting nearby and curiously watching him. He hurries off without saying anything.

**********

"Who was that?" Raghuveer asks Sarala as she joined him at the breakfast table, hanging up the phone.

"It was Radha Mehra." Sarala informs him. "They wanted Pragya to marry their son."

"Abhishek?" Pragya asks shocked looking up from her plate.

Sarala nods.

"But for me?"

"Yeah, Radha Mehra's mother is not well, and she wants to see Abhishek married."

"But me?" Pragya asks shocked though her heart was beating fast in excitement.

"Yeah!" Sarala replies in surprised exasperation. "I told her that till Preeta is married we are not even thinking of your marriage."

"Why did you say that?" Raghuveer asks her shocked.

"What do you mean by that?" Sarala asks him shocked.

"We should have talked about this before you said no."

"What is there to talk?"

Raghuveer turns to Pragya and asks her, "Have you talked to Abhishek?"

"Not much." Pragya replies confused at the question.

"I've heard good things about him." Raghuveer informs her. "What do you think about him?"

"He is nice."

"What are you talking about?" Sarala asks him shocked.

Raghuveer turns to Sarala and replies calmly, "Pragya got such a good proposal and why did you say no?"

"Should I have said yes then?"

"After talking to Pragya, yes."

"What are you saying? Have you gone crazy?" Sarala asks him exasperated.

"You are the crazy one. Pragya got such a good proposal. Maybe one of the best. Such a good, well to do family. And an equally good boy. And Pragya also likes Abhishek, so what right do we have to say no? what reason do we have?"

"Reason? Right? Preeta is not married!"

"So? Just because Preeta is not married, we will refuse Pragya her good fortune?"

"They said they can't wait for Preeta's marriage. They were talking about marriage in a week."

Pragya who was gaping at her parents, felt sad hearing that. She wondered why she was reacting like that. She never thought of Abhishek like that. He was always Disha's big brother... then why was she feeling all these new feelings?

"Think about it, Sarala... how many stories we know about girls suffering after marrying into the wrong family? Nowadays, to get a good life partner and a family is nothing short of a miracle. And this is one of the best proposal we could get for Pragya, and they had come asking for Pragya. We know the family and Abhishek, Pragya knows them... we should think about this."

"NO! What about Preeta?"

"There is no rule that children should be married in the order they were born. Just because Preeta is not married, we shouldn't refuse Pragya a good life. And what guarantee is there that we would get such good proposal for Pragya later?"

"Such things are not done!" Sarala says furiously then turning to Pragya she asks her, "Do you want to marry now?"

"Don't scream at her." Raghuveer tells her sternly, then turning to Pragya, asks her gently, "What do you think, Pragya?"

"If I get married now then Didi might not get good proposal, so, no."

"HAPPY?" Sarala asks him.

Raghuveer sighs as he looked at Sarala in irritation, she had heard what Pragya said, she didn't hear what Pragya didn't say.

Raghuveer was about to talk to Pragya when his mobile starts ringing. "It's Mohan Mehra." Raghuveer informs them and without waiting for a reply he gets up from the table.

"Now, don't give him any word!" Sarala calls out to him.

Raghuveer turns to her and tells her, "You're her mother, Sarala. I wouldn't even dream of taking a decision concerning our daughter, without consulting you and Pragya first."

Sarala was too dense to recognize the stab in his words.

Pragya nervously sat as she picked on her food. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. She never saw Abhishek like that, he was always Disha's brother. But now, it felt as if she was going to lose something precious. And she knew her father's words on never getting a proposal as good as Abhishek's would be true, because from now on, every guy would be judged against the handsome, soft spoken, gentleman and ever smiling Abhishek.

"What did you tell him?"

Hearing her mother, Pragya quickly looks up to see her father walk back.

"He is saying, they are ready for a secret wedding."

"Secret wedding?"

"Yes, just theirs and our immediate family. Pragya would continue to stay here till Preeta gets married."

"What kind of none sense is this? I have never heard of anything so preposterous."

"I told him we will think about it."

"Not before didi's marriage, Papa." Pragya quickly tells him, not wanting to start another fight between her parents.

**********

Pragya was in her room when she hears her mobile beeping. She checks her mobile to see a message from her sister.

LMAO. Papa called.

Pragya sighs and replies, What did he say?

I guess the same thing that he told you.

Hmmm.

How is this guy?

He is nice.

Then stopping being stupid and get married, you idiot!

What are you saying?

Then what? I am not planning to get married for another year. Why should you wait for me to get married? Just get married, Pragya. And whether you're married or not, I'll get the guy that is best suited for me, I've that faith in myself.

Secret wedding?

LOL drama! I tell you.

Ma is very angry.

Gonna call her.

What are you going to tell her?

There was no reply.

**********

An hour later, Sarala and Raghuveer come to Pragya's room.

"Pragya, we're thinking of asking Abhishek's family to come tomorrow. What do you think?" Raghuveer asks her.

"What do you think, Ma?" Pragya asks her worriedly.

"Preeta and Raghu convinced me to go ahead."

"Hmmm."

"But Pragya, you've to be careful, not a soul should know about your marriage till Preeta gets married."

Pragya nods in reply as her heart slammed against her chest.

**********

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The next day, Abhishek and his family had come to meet her family. They were left alone to talk for a few minutes. She was too nervous and all he had asked her was whether she was happy about the relation and she had simply nodded in yes. And that was that. Then all too quickly she was sitting in a mandap in her house with Abhishek Prem Mehra and their marriage was taking place. Nervous, she turns to look at him, and noticing that, he turns to look at her, then he lovingly smiles at her, and for the first time, looking at his face, she blushed.

After the wedding, Pragya leaves with Abhishek and his family to his house.

Abhishek and Pragya were in his car alone. Abhi turns to look at his wife and sees her lost in thoughts.

"Are you upset about the simple wedding?"

Pragya shakes her head in negative.

"I promise we'll have a grand remarriage."

Pragya smiles at him hearing that.

"You're happy, right?"

Pragya nods. "And you?"

Abhi smiles at her, "Yes."

Pragya was welcomed into her sasural with all the rituals. After all the rituals were done, Pragya sat with his family talking to them while Abhi sat opposite to her.

"Should I start calling you Bhabhi from now on?" Disha asks her.

"No. Pragya as usual." Pragya tells her smiling.

"Never even for jest call her Bhabhi, Disha." Radha tells her. "people could get suspicious."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that."

Nani takes Pragya's hand and says happily. "I was worried that I would never see my Abhi's wife. You don't know how happy I am today."

Pragya smiles hearing that.

"Why is that you wanted to see his wife and not my husband?" Disha asks offended.

"Do you want to get married?" Nani asks her excitedly.

"No."

"Then why did you say that?"

"Ma, you should rest now." Radha tells her mother, seeing her starting to look tired after all the excitements of that day.

"How can I rest when my new bahu is here?" Nani asks stubbornly.

Radha turns to Abhi and tells him hesitantly, "Maybe Abhi, it is time to take Pragya home."

Hearing that, Pragya felt her heart break for the first time. She quickly looks at her husband and sees him looking at her. "Let's go?"

Pragya nods and stands up. Soon, she was biding bye to her new family and within minutes, she was back in the car with Abhi driving her back home.

**********

Pragya and Abhi walk back into her house.

"You guys are back so soon?" Preeta asks them surprised.

Pragya looks at Abhi and sees him silent as he gently smiled at Preeta.

"Ma, they are here!" Preeta calls out to her parents.

"Ah! Finally, I was thinking why it was taking you so long." Sarala says as she joined them.

Abhi stayed with them for a few minutes chatting with Preeta, Raghuveer and Sarala while Pragya remained silent. "I think I should leave." Abhi says getting up. "Tomorrow, we are admitting Nani in the hospital."

"Have they given an operation date?" Raghuveer asks him.

"No... they will tell us tomorrow."

"Okay."

"I'll see you all later." Abhi says as he looked at everyone, his gaze ending on Pragya.

Pragya also looks at him a little sadly.

Seeing the way, they were looking at each other, Preeta tells her parents, "We should go in."

"I'll call you later." Abhi tells her as he moved closer to her.

Pragya nods. God, she wanted to cry, and she wasn't even sure why.

Abhi gently caress her cheek. "I should go."

"Okay."

Abhi turns to go then he stops. Abhi hesitantly steps closer to her and asks her, "Can I hug you?"

Pragya looks at him nervous, scared and a little bit excited. Seeing him watching her intently, she nods her head in yes. Abhi wraps his hands around her. Pragya hesitantly wraps her hand around him. he hugs her tight and Pragya snuggles into his arms.

"Before your mother catches us, I should go." Abhi whispers to her.

Pragya couldn't help giggle hearing that, looks like he had noticed how her mother is. She steps back.

Abhi smiles at her. "I'll call you later."

"Okay." Pragya says smiling.

**********

Hearing her mobile ring, Pragya answers the call closing her bedroom door.

"Hello?" Pragya answers the phone feeling excited.

"Hi." Abhishek replies as he smiled a little.

"How are you?" Pragya asks him.

"I don't know." Abhi says honestly.

"why? What happened?"

"It all feels so strange. Feels like a dream. We are married."

"It happened so fast." Pragya agrees.

"Then you are there. I am here."

Pragya blushes hearing that. Today was supposed to be their suhaag raat.

Abhi sighs loudly. "Anyway, here everything is a little gloomy. Everyone is worried about Nani."

"When are you going to the hospital?"

"tomorrow morning. They need to conduct some tests on her, once the results are in, they will tell us when we can go in for the surgery."

"Okay."

Pragya hears someone trying to open the door and followed by Preeta calling out to her. "Didi is here."

"Okay... I will talk to you tomorrow then. I have to take care of somethings now as we will leave to the hospital in the morning." Abhi tells her.

"Okay. good night."

"Good night."

Hanging up Pragya walks to the door to open the door.

**********

Two days later, Abhishek informs Pragya that his Nani's surgery was scheduled for the next day. On the day of the surgery, Pragya and her parents went to the hospital. They spent time with and spoke to Nani before she was taken in for her surgery. Pragya eagerly kept looking for Abhi but he was nowhere to be seen. He had gone to take care of the bill, some formalities and other works with Mohan.

"We should leave now. I've to drop them home before I go to the office." Raghuveer says as he got up and gestured Sarala and Pragya to go.

Just as she stood up, the door opens and Abhishek and Mohan walks in.

"Hello." Mohan says smiling surprised. "I didn't know you had come."

Abhi walks to Raghu and Sarala, bending down he touches their feet. Then turning to look at Pragya he says smiling, "When you said morning, I didn't think you would come this early."

"Papa has office... so." Pragya tells him with a shy smile. Then noticing Mohan smiling at her she walks to him and starts to touch his feet when he stops her.

"How are you, Pragya?"

"Fine, Mohan Uncle." Pragya tells him smiling.

"You can call me Dad." He tells her smiling.

Pragya happily smiles at him.

"But not in front of others." Sarala interjects. Making both Raghu and Mohan to roll their eyes while Pragya nodded.

"We were about to leave." Raghu informs them.

Abhi turns to look at Pragya in shock. Seeing him look at her, silently asking you are also going? Pragya nods.

Hearing the phone ring, Abhi goes to answer it. "Hello? Yes.... Okay... thank you." then turning to his family, he informs them, "It's the nurse. Surgery started."

The family nods, and almost everyone immediately closes their eyes to say a silent prayer.

Pragya watches Abhi as he kept his hand on his chest and eyes closed, prayed. Her heart went out to him.

"Let's go?" Raghu asks his wife and daughter.

"Papa... I will come later." Pragya tells her father. "I'll come after Nani is out of surgery and back in the room."

"But Pragya..." Sarala starts to say when Disha cuts her off.

"Aunty, our friends said they would come. So, Pragya will have to come back here again, so it is better she stays back. And I'll have some company."

Sarala looks at her husband for guidance.

He nods, "Okay. Anyway, she has no college today. Let her stay."

"Okay."

Pragya turns to look at Abhi and sees him smiling at her. she smiles back at him. Once her parents left, Pragya walks to Disha and sits next to her.

"I didn't know everyone was coming. No one told me anything. There was nothing in the group chat also." Pragya softly whispers to her.

"Why would they come here?" Disha asks her cheekily. "Enjoy, bhabhi."

Pragya's mouth drops open hearing her. then blushing she tells her, "Idiot your nani is in surgery."

"I know... I need to take my mind of it. You are here for that."

Saying that both Pragya and Disha giggles.

Few minutes later, Mohan decided to go to office as there was no use in simply sitting there. Abhi had walked out with Mohan.

Pragya and Disha spoke in whispers as Radha sat in the single seater next to them lost in thoughts.

"Mom, are you okay?" Pragya softly asks her.

"Yeah, I am fine." Radha says smiling lovingly.

"Mom, we had no choice other than to go in for this surgery." Disha tells her as she held her hand.

"I know." Radha replies sighing.

"The growth is really dangerous."

"Yes. But the surgery is also risky."

"But we have to remove it, right?"

Radha nods.

Hearing the door open, they all look up and sees Abhi walk in talking on the phone.

"Yeah, I'll give it to her." Abhi says on the phone as he walked to Radha. "Mom, Karan." Abhi informs her as he passed her the phone.

Radha takes the phone and starts talking to him. Abhi sits on the end of the couch next to Radha.

"Is he coming?" Disha asks Abhi curiously.

"No. He'll reach only next week." Abhi informs her. "But he is not sure if he will be able to come here."

"He is in US now." Disha tells Pragya. "That is why he couldn't come for the wedding."

Pragya nods and then looking up, she sees Abhi watching her. she softly smiles at him.

Noticing them looking at each other, Disha stands up and tells Abhi, "Bhaiyya, sit in the middle."

"What?" Abhi asks shocked.

"I want to sit next to Mom. You sit in the middle."

Abhi moves to the middle and Disha sits at the end, and lovingly holds Radha's hand as she spoke to Karan. Abhi looks at Pragya and she blushes slightly as she looked down.

They remained silent as Radha spoke to Karan, then Disha took the phone to talk to Karan.

Pragya watches Abhishek looking at his sister as she spoke to Karan. She could see that he was really worried. her heart went out to him and she wanted to console him, she had no idea how to console him. She just wanted to hold him and tell him everything would be fine, but with Disha and their mother there, she couldn't do it. Finally, unable to fight her temptation, Pragya keeps her hand on his knee and squeezes it softly. Surprised Abhi looks up at her but she was looking down. Abhi turns to look at his mother and sister and sees that they were busy. He takes Pragya's hand off his knee and holding her hand, he keeps his hand on the couch, his leg hiding their hands. He interlinks their fingers and holds her hand tightly. They sat like that for a while, not speaking.

They decided to order lunch to the room, and after lunch Disha had took the seat next to Pragya, so Abhi had moved to sit next to his mother. He got busy on his mobile as he started replying to official mails.

Hearing the phone ring, Abhi answers it.

"Hello? Yes... okay... thank you." sighing in relief, Abhi turns to his family and informs them, "Surgery went well. After she gains conscious, they will bring her to the room."

"Thank God." Radha says in relief and quickly takes her mobile to inform Mohan.

"I am going to get coffee. Anybody wants?" Abhi asks no one in particular.

"We can order here." Radha tells him.

"I just want to take a walk. I'll go to the cafeteria downstairs. So, anybody wants?"

"We'll order." Radha tells him.

"You go with him, Pragya." Disha tells her.

"What? Me?" Pragya asks shocked as she looked at Disha and Abhi.

Abhi also looks at Disha in surprise.

"Yeah, Pragya. You go. You have been scooped up here, all day. You'll feel fresh. Take a walk and come." Radha tells her.

Pragya nods and looks away, as she couldn't control her blush, not only her, even Disha and Mom had been sitting in the room whole day, they were surely giving them some alone moments.

Pragya gets up and walks to Abhi. He holds the door open for her and follows her out.

**********

As they waited at the lift, Abhi smiles at her.

"Thank you for staying back." Abhi tells her.

Pragya smiles at him and asks "You were so worried in the morning. Are you fine now?"

"Yes. This surgery had been scaring all of us. I am so relieved everything went fine."

Pragya smiles. Then she asks a little worriedly, "Now that Nani is fine, do you regret marrying so fast?"

Abhi looks at her and seeing how worried she looked he tells her, "Only thing I am sad about is that I can't tell anyone that you are my wife."

Pragya smiles hearing that then she looks down sadly realizing that even she couldn't tell anyone that he was her husband.

The lift opens and they get inside. Since there were other people inside, they remain silent.

They take the coffee and walk to an empty table. They sit opposite to each other. They remained silent as they had coffee. They didn't know what to talk about as they were just now getting to talk to one another properly. Seeing Pragya's hand on the table, Abhi holds her hand. Pragya quickly pulls her hand back as she worriedly looked around.

"There are people here." Pragya whispers to him in worry.

Abhi couldn't help smiling at her panic. "And if there were no people around?"

Pragya blushes uncontrollably and tells him, "Shut up."

Abhi chuckles hearing her.

"Your parents... they have no problem if people see us?"

"No." Abhi tells her. "Your parents wanted it like this."

Pragya nods, "Didi doesn't want to marry now."

"I know. On the day of our wedding, she spoke to me. She wants to get settled in her work before she can think of marrying."

"She told me." Pragya tells him smiling. "Didi... she is so brave. If she feels something is right, then she will do it no matter what anyone says. If she feels something is wrong then she will never do it."

Abhi nods.

Pragya's mobile rings and seeing that it was her mother, Pragya answers the call.

"Hello Ma?"

"Hello Pragya? Is the surgery over?"

"Yes, Ma. It went well."

"Thank God. So when are you coming?"

"I will come as soon as Nani is brought to the room."

"Okay. if it is going to take time, then you come. you can go see her tomorrow or day after."

"Okay, Ma." Saying that Pragya hangs up.

"Time to go?" Abhi asks her.

Pragya nods.

"Let's go." Abhi tells her as he stood up.

Pragya stands up and starts to walk with him.

"Why did you say yes to a secret wedding?" Abhi asks her.

She asks him, "Why did you decide to marry me?"

Abhi curiously looks at her.

"Was it because of Nani?"

"I was ready to sacrifice my love for Nani." Abhi tells her.

"Love?" Pragya asks as her heart skipped a beat. Was he in love with anyone? But he seemed so happy with her.

"I knew your parents wouldn't think of your marriage before Preeta's. So, I told my parents they can choose anyone."

"What?" Pragya asks confused feeling her heart break, was she his parents' choice?

"My parents knew that I was being forced into marrying. So, they felt, if I am to marry then I should marry the one I love."

"You love me?" Pragya asks shocked out of her wits.

Abhi turns back to see that Pragya had stopped walking and was gaping at him.

Chuckling he asks her, "Why did you think my parents called both your parents back-to-back to convince them? That they were willing to have a secret marriage?"

Pragya couldn't help smiling at him shyly.

Abhi smiles and asks her, "And why did you?"

Pragya walks to him and tells him, "I felt if I didn't marry you it would be my loss."

Abhi smiles hearing that. They start walking.

"But since when?" Pragya asks him.

"Long time. You never gave me a second glance. So, I was kind of sure you would have said no if I proposed. So, I was actually waiting for your sister to get married."

Pragya grins hearing that.

"You would have said no, right?" Abhi asks her as he pressed the button for lift.

"I would have said no without even considering it."

"Hmmm."

"You know other than me, none of Disha's friends come to your house unless it is a function, right?"

"I thought you were her only best friend." Abhi tells her curiously.

"You know how brutally honest she is."

"Yeah." Abhi chuckles.

"Well, she told our friends that I am the only friend that would be allowed inside her house because she is sure that I wouldn't eye her brothers like the rest."

Abhi chuckles hearing. "That is why you never looked at me."

Pragya nods.

"Well, Disha never thought that her brother would start eyeing her friend."

Pragya grins as they got in the lift. They remained silent as there was another person in the lift.

They kept stealing glances at each other as they stood in the lift. The lift stops and the man gets out. Once the lift door closes, Abhi and Pragya turn to look at each other. Then they move close to each other and without a word hugs each other.

**********

Happily, Abhi and Pragya walk back into the room. They find that Mohan had come back. Within minutes Nani was brought to room. Everyone started fussing around Nani. After some time, she had slept off and Pragya decided it was time to leave.

"I should leave now." Pragya tells everyone as her gaze ended on Abhi.

"How are you going?" Disha asks her.

"I'll take an auto."

"No... no... Abhi drop her home." Mohan tells him.

Abhi nods. "Come, Pragya."

Saying her byes, Pragya walks out with him.

**********

Pragya walks into her home with Abhi. Raghuveer and Sarala welcome them. As they talked, Preeta walks into the room.

"Hello, Abhi."

"Hello." Abhi smiles at her.

"Sorry, I couldn't come. I had some office calls and mails. Tonight, I am going back to Bengaluru, so I couldn't come."

"That's okay." Abhi tells her smiling.

Preeta smiles and they spoke for some time.

Noticing Pragya sitting silently, Preeta asks Abhi "Have you seen our house, Abhi?"

"No." Abhi replies a little confused.

"Pragya, show him our house and our room." Preeta tells her.

**********

Pragya takes Abhi around her house as she showed it to him. Finally, they walk into her bedroom.

"This is our room. Didi and I share this room." Pragya tells Abhi as she turned to him. Then she stops in confusion as he was looking outside the room. "What happened?"

Abhi slightly closes the door and walks to her, making Pragya blush. Abhi takes her hand and pulls her towards him. Blushing Pragya moves towards him, Abhi wraps his hand around Pragya and kisses her cheek. Pragya clutches his shirt as he continued to place tiny tiny kisses on her cheek.

"I love you." Abhi whispers to her.

Blushing and feeling ecstatic, Pragya hugs him tight.

"Someone will come." Pragya whispers to him after sometime.

Sighing Abhi leaves her. Pragya shyly looks at him, feeling happy knowing that he loved her.

"Never thought it would be this difficult to stay away from you." Abhi whispers to her.

Hearing him, blushing happily Pragya hugs him.

**********

Pragya and Abhi met only once after that day. It was when she had gone to see Nani and since Sarala was also with her, she wasn't able to spend time alone with Abhi. Abhi and Pragya kept in touch through phone calls. Every chance they got, they were talking on the phone and getting to know each other better.

A long weekend was coming up and Pragya's friends were planning a trip to Goa.

"Hello?" Pragya answers the call in a dejected tone.

"What happened?" Abhi asks her hearing her tone.

"Ma told me I can't go to Goa." Pragya tells him sadly.

"Why?" Abhi asks her in surprise.

"She is saying not to go like that with my friends." Pragya tells him. "Anyways, you tell me. how was your day?"

"Is your mother nearby? Put her on the phone."

"Why?" Pragya asks surprised.

"I want to talk to her."

"Okay."

"Ma... Abhi wants to talk to you." Pragya tells her mother then noticing her mother busy with cooking, Pragya puts the phone on loudspeaker.

Sarala smiles hearing Abhi wanted to talk to her. "Hello Abhi... how are you, beta?"

"I am fine, aunty... how are you?" Abhi asks her with a sweet smile.

"I am doing good."

"Aunty... Pragya and her friends are planning a Goa trip."

"Yes, she told me. But I told her not to go. It is not nice, na beta."

"Aunty, I think you misunderstood me." Abhi tells her.

"Yeah? How?" Sarala asks confused while Pragya frowns in confusion.

"I wasn't asking you." Abhi politely tells her. "As Pragya's husband, I was informing you that Pragya is going for a trip with her friends."

"What?" Sarala asks shocked.

Pragya's mouth drops open in shock.

"She wants to go for the trip so she is going. I'll book her tickets along with Disha's."

Pragya looks at her mother to see how she was reacting. If it was her father who had said such a thing to her mother, then she would have brought the whole house down.

Before Sarala could say anything, Abhi very smoothly switches the topic. "So, how is uncle doing, aunty? All good?"

"Yes." Sarala replies still reeling from the shock at Abhi's authoritative behavior regarding his wife.

"Okay aunty... is Pragya there?"

"I am here." Pragya says as she quickly turned off the loud speaker and kept the phone to her ear.

"You are going for your trip. Let me just check whether Disha has booked her tickets. If she hasn't then I'll book both yours together otherwise I'll book yours. I'll call you back after I book the tickets." Abhi says and hangs up.

Pragya turns to look at her mother and sees that she was busy with the cooking.

"Ma?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you okay?" Pragya asks worriedly.

Sarala looks at her and smiles, "If your husband says you're going what can I say?"

Seeing her mother smile, Pragya smiles.

"Loving husband you have." Sarala tells her smiling happily.

Pragya happily blushes hearing that. "Yes."

Then she kisses her mother loudly on her cheek and runs to pack her bag.

Pragya excitedly started going through her cupboard to look for nice tops. Because she realized that Abhi was planning a surprise to come to Goa to see her. they never got a chance to spend time with each other. Even the handful seconds they got it was always marred by the fear of getting caught. After going through her whole cupboard, she didn't find anything that she could wear when spending time with Abhi. Pragya excitedly decided to go shopping.

This was going to be the best trip ever.

**********

It was the worst trip ever.

It didn't go as she had dreamt.

He never came.

Pragya was excited at first then hopeful and finally depressed when he never came to Goa.

The night she returned, hearing her phone ring, Pragya answers her phone. "Hello?"

"What happened?" Abhi asks her in concern. "Why do you sound so glum?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me."

"I said nothing." Pragya says upset at Abhi for not coming.

Abhi sighs hearing her. "What happened, love?"

"I said nothing."

Abhi smiles and decides to ask her after a bit. "How was your trip?"

"Worst trip ever!"

"Woah... what happened? Here Disha hasn't talked of anything other than your trip." Abhi says confused.

"She had a good time."

"And you didn't?" Abhi asks in concern.

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Not even to me?" Abhi asks a little upset.

Hearing him ask her like that, Pragya felt even more upset that he didn't come. "You didn't come."

"Where?" Abhi asks confused.

"To Goa."

"I was supposed to come?" Abhi asks utterly confused.

"When you got me permission to go..."

"What?" Abhi asks confused. "I didn't get you permission. You don't need anyone's permission to do what you want."

"But I thought you were planning to surprise me and come to Goa."

"Oh achcha." Abhi says smiling. "How can I crash your girls' trip?"

Pragya sadly looks down.

"And I didn't know you wanted me to come."

"I really thought you would come."

"Oh... I am sorry, love. You should have told me."

"Then you would have come?" Pragya asks in regret having lost a golden opportunity.

"No." Abhi chuckles.

"No?"

"You were going with your friends; how can I disrupt your trip? And before wedding, I had promised your mother that I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize Preeta's future."

"Oh."

"Once we start our life together, I'll go with you anywhere you want." Abhi promises her.

Pragya smiles hearing that.

"And Pragya..." Abhi lovingly calls her.

"Yes?"

"Even I miss you like crazy."

"Why can't we meet?" Pragya asks sadly.

"Maybe you should ask your mother that." Abhi chuckles.

**********

"Preeta had called." Sarala informs Raghu as they sat for breakfast.

"How is she?"

"She is fine. Her flat mate is getting married. And after marriage she and her husband are planning to stay in her flat. So, Preeta has to find another flat."

"When does didi has to move?" Pragya asks.

"4 months. She has already started looking for a flat."

"She will stay alone?" Raghu asks curiously.

"She said once she gets the flat, she will look for a roommate."

"I hope she gets a nice roommate." Raghu says hopefully.

Hearing the door bell, Sarala goes to check.

The Mehra driver had come with Pragya's sargi, surprising Pragya and her family.

As Pragya was going through her sargi excitedly Radha calls Sarala.

"It's Pragya's and Abhi's first karvachaut and we wanted Pragya to come home for that." Radha tells Sarala.

"But how can we do that? If people find out..." Sarala worriedly says.

"We really want Pragya to come, so this time we are not calling anyone. It is going to be just family."

Sarala turns to Pragya who was sitting next to her. "Radha wants you to go to their house for karvachaut, do you want to go?"

Pragya excitedly nods her head in yes.

"You are fasting?"

"Yes." Pragya replies smiling.

"Okay." Sarala says smiling. Then she tells into the phone. "Will send Pragya."

"You and Raghu also come."

"We already promised our friend that we would go to their house." Sarala informs her regretfully.

"Oh okay. In that case let Pragya stay here."

Sarala was a little worried to let Pragya stay with the Mehra-s then she decided to let it be. She should trust Abhi and Pragya at least that much. "Okay." Sarala says with a smile.

Hearing her mobile ring, Pragya excitedly answers the call.

"Hello Abhi."

"Pragya, Mom was saying you would be coming here."

"Yes." Pragya replies happily. She was so excited to finally see him.

"You are going to fast?"

"Yes."

"You don't have to, Pragya. I don't believe in all that."

"I want to fast."

"Seriously, Pragya. you don't have to."

"I want to."

"Pragya, I don't like the idea of you staying hungry for me."

"I am not asking your permission, Abhishek. I'm telling you that I am fasting."

"Oh." Abhi stops in shock hearing her. "But Pragya..."

"I want to fast, Abhi. I feel happy fasting for you."

"Why?" Abhi asks shocked hearing that.

"Because I love you."

"You love me?" Abhi asks with a surprised smile.

"What? Don't act as if you didn't know that." Pragya tells him grinning.

"Of course, I know. But I didn't think you would tell me that so soon," Abhi tells her smiling happily.

"Why wouldn't I tell you? you are my husband."

Abhi smiles. "Tell me then."

"When I see you." Pragya tells him happily. Then blushing happily, she says, "Like how you told me."

"With kiss?" Abhi asks shocked and surprised.

Pragya laughs happily hearing that. "Let's see."

"I love you, Pragya." Abhi says too happy to control his excitement.

Pragya smiles hearing that. "I'll see you on karva chaut."

"So you are fasting?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll also have to fast. I can't handle hunger, Pragya." Abhi sadly moans. "Please don't fast."

"You don't have to fast."

"I can't eat when you're staying hungry."

"Awww. Then stay hungry." Pragya says happily smiling.

**********

Abhi wanted to pick Pragya from her house for karvachaut but since she had to get ready, Radha had send the car for Pragya around afternoon. Radha and Disha helped Pragya wear saree and get ready. After they got her ready, Radha had gone to her room to get ready.

Hearing her mobile, Pragya checks her message.

How many more hours left?

Pragya chuckles. Poor Abhi was having a hard time fasting.

4 hours.

Can we break our fast now?

Pragya chuckles and quickly replies.

You can break.

And Abhi replies.

Together.

Pragya smiles and replies.

Then when it is time

I think I'll faint by then.

Pragya giggles.

Pragya was sitting in Disha's room alone as Disha had gone to have her evening tea as she had no fast. She opened her bag and took her mangalsutr and sindoor dabba. Three months since her marriage, Pragya was wearing her mangalsutr and sindoor for the first time. As she wore her mangalsutr Pragya felt her eyes fill up.

Pragya calls up Abhi.

"Let's break our fast?" Abhi asks eagerly as he answered her call.

"No." Pragya sadly tells him.

"What happened?" Abhi asks hearing her sadness. "Are you that hungry? I told you no need to fast."

"It is not that you, bhukkad."

"Then? What happened?"

"I was wearing my mangalsutr." Pragya sadly tells him.

"You are wearing it?" Abhi asks smiling softly.

"You know since we got married, I haven't been able to wear it."

"Hmmm."

"I am feeling so sad, Abhi."

"Is it becoming so hard for you, Pragya?" Abhi worriedly asks her.

"Isn't it for you?" Pragya asks him.

"Pragya, if not this then I would have had to marry someone else and that would have slowly killed me."

"Am I being ungrateful?" Pragya asks feeling guilty hearing him. "My parents agreed in spite of didi not getting married and they only asked me of this. I shouldn't complain like this, right?"

"No, love. Don't think like that. what you are asking for is what every wife wants. So, don't feel guilty about it."

"I got emotional when I wore my mangalsutr and sindoor." Pragya confesses to him.

"One day, you can wear it all without hiding from everyone. For now, I know you're my wife and you know I am your husband, we can be happy with this, right?"

"Yes." Pragya says smiling. "Are you on your way?"

"No, I am waiting for Dad. He is in a meeting. We will reach on time."

"Okay." Pragya replies then smiling shyly she tells him, "I'm waiting for you."

"I love you." Abhi tells her feeling so happy.

They hang up the phone. Pragya realizes that one day, when she would be official Mrs. Abhishek Prem Mehra then like every wife she would be waiting for him to come home from office like this. And she just couldn't wait for that day to come.

**********

Abhi was so pissed at his Dad because his father insisted on going home together and he wasn't even ready to leave just yet. Finally, after what felt like ages, he was finally able to get home. He was a little disappointed in not finding Pragya the moment he entered his house. Then before he could look around for her, his mother had asked him to freshen up and join the puja.

After freshening up, Abhi had come back down to join the rest of his family as he kept looking for Pragya. and sees that everyone had sat for the puja.

"Abhi, come and sit for the puja." Radha instructs him.

Abhi sees Pragya sitting for the puja and there was an empty spot next to her. realizing that he was to sit with her, Abhi walks to her. Pragya was sitting with her head down. Abhi sits next to her.

"Hi." Abhi whispers to her as he slightly leaned towards her.

Pragya continued to look down but he could see that she was smiling happily.

Soon the puja started. Once, everyone was busy with the puja, Abhi felt Pragya look at him. He turns to look at her and sees her smiling at him shyly.

Pragya's heart was beating so fast, she was seeing him after 3 months in real apart from video calls, and it felt like years. Then she was smiling at her so lovingly that she had a hard time controlling herself, she just wanted to hug him tight.

Seeing her looking so beautiful in saree and with her sindoor and mangalsutra, the signs that she was his, his heart started beating so fast. He wanted to hug her then and there. Kiss her. and tell her how much he loved her.

And he understood why Pragya had been so emotional when she was wearing her mangalsutra. Seeing her adorned like a married woman, he finally felt the pang for hiding her from the rest of the world. He wanted to scream to the whole world that the girl who had been starving since morning for him, belonged to him and he belonged to her.

Unable to control himself, Abhi takes her hand in his and squeezes it gently. Pragya blushes even more. Abhi quickly leaves her hand as he didn't want anyone to catch them.

"How is your hunger?" Pragya asks him softly.

"Right now, I feel like, I have had a feast." Abhi replies as he looked at her.

Pragya blushes happily as she looked down.

**********

They go to the terrace to break their fast. Since there were no other guests, it was just Mohan and Radha, and Abhi and Pragya.

Pragya was collecting her thaali. She takes an extra matki so Abhi also could drink his water.

"We just need one." Abhi softly whispers to her.

Blushing happily, Pragya keeps back the extra one.

"Pragya... Abhi... it's about time." Radha informs them.

Pragya and Abhi take their position a little away from his parents. Soon it was time and Pragya and Radha starts the rituals.

After looking at the moon through the sieve then at Abhi, then offering water to the moon, Pragya takes the water takes it to Abhi's lips and offers him water. Abhi takes the matki from her and offers her the water. Silently telling her that he wouldn't drink water as long as she was thirsty.

Pragya takes a sip and then takes the matki from him and again keeps it to his lips. This time, Abhi drinks the water. Then Abhi takes the sweet from the thaali and offers it to Pragya. Pragya takes a bite then she takes it and offers it to Abhi. Abhi also eats it. They happily smile at each other.

"All done?" Abhi asks Pragya.

"Yes."

"Phew!" Abhi turns to his mother and asks her, "What's for dinner, mom?"

"Why, Abhi? Hungry? Where you also fasting?" Radha teases him.

"Pragya is hungry." Abhi tells her too embarrassed to let his family know that he was also fasting.

Pragya gapes at him in shock but then doesn't reveal his secret.

"Just so you know, even your mother is hungry." Radha informs Abhi.

"And your father too." Mohan informs him.

Pragya turns to Abhi and sees him looking at his father in shock.

"Come, Pragya." Radha calls her. "Let's all eat."

"I guess the whole world was fasting." Abhi whispers to Pragya as they followed his parents.

"Disha wasn't." Pragya tells him cheekily.

"Even if she is married, I don't think she will sacrifice her food for anyone." Abhi tells her.

**********

They have their dinner with the family. Pragya sat in between Abhi and Disha. Abhi and Pragya didn't speak much at the table but they kept stealing glances.

They were finishing their dinner when Disha asks Pragya pretty loudly. "By the way, Pragya, are you sleeping with me or bhaiyya tonight?"

Hearing the question, Pragya turns completely pink, Abhi's heart skips a beat as he looked at his stupid sister. Mohan started coughing while Radha glared at her daughter.

"I think I am full." Mohan says to no one and quickly gets up and leaves the table.

"What is wrong with you?" Radha asks her in a whisper.

"I was just curious." Disha replies shrugging confused.

"You don't have to be curious about them and they don't have to give you any explanations." Radha sternly tells her.

"I was..."

"I am sleeping with you." Pragya quickly whispers to her.

"Okay." Disha shrugs.

Radha leaves the table.

Once Radha left the table, Abhi furiously whacks his sister's head.

"Bhaiyya! That hurts." Disha says as she rubbed her head.

"Don't ever embarrass my wife like that." Abhi tells her furiously.

"Why can't I ask her whether she is sleeping in my room?" Disha asks confused.

Seeing Abhi still angry, Pragya quickly holds his hand. "It's okay."

Glaring at his sister, Abhi leaves the table.

"I just don't understand, Pragya. you two are married, so why are you acting so embarrassed regarding sleeping in the same room?" Disha asks her.

"You know our marriage is a secret."

"But everyone in this house knows that you are his wife. So, why do you have to act like you are not?"

When put like that, Pragya knew Disha was right, and didn't her mother-in-law also indirectly say that if they wanted to stay in the same room it was their decision? "Disha, I am not comfortable talking about this." Pragya whispers really uncomfortable.

"I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Disha quickly tells her. "I just wanted to know if you were going to sleep in my room."

"I know." Pragya tells her as she gently held her hand with a smile.

Pragya and Disha were about to go to Disha's room when she notices Abhi waiting for her.

"Disha, you go... I'll come in a bit." Pragya whispers to her.

"Okay. take your time. I am sleepy anyway."

"Okay."

After Disha went up to her room, Pragya walks to Abhi.

"Are you okay?" Abhi asks her as he cupped her face.

Pragya nods her head then she moves in and hugs him. Abhi hugs her.

"Disha was asking why we have to act as if we are not married when everyone here knows that we are married."

"Hmmm."

"Even mom was saying we could stay together if we want."

"I know."

"But it feels wrong." Pragya whispers to him.

"I know." Abhi replies. "Like we are stealing something?"

"Yes."

"Pragya..." Abhi gently calls her.

Pragya leans back to look at him though still cocooned in his arms.

"Our marriage is a secret. But I don't want it to be a dirty secret ever."

Pragya nods.

"I know just like me, even you are waiting for the day to be mine. You are my wife and I know that no one has the right to stop us. but I want to give you the respect and rights as my wife before I ask you to give me the rights of being your husband."

Pragya smiles hearing that then leaning up she kisses him on his cheek.

Abhi smiles.

They walk to the couch and sit. Then turning to face each other, they sit sideways on the couch.

"How was your first karva chaut?" Abhi asks her.

"Best." Pragya smiles happily. "And yours?"

"Best-est."

"Really?" Pragya asks smiling. "But you were so hungry."

"But I got to see you."

"When will we see each other again?" Pragya asks sadly.

"One of these days, I am going to come to your house asking to see you. I just know it." Abhi tells her.

Pragya giggles hearing that. "My mother will kick you out."

"Let's see how your mother will kick your husband out." Abhi tells her cheekily.

Pragya chuckles hearing that, Abhi had proved that he had no qualms in playing the husband card if he needs to.

They spent the night talking and sometime in between both of them fell asleep like that.

In the morning, Mohan and Radha find them sleeping like that.

"Poor things." Radha says in a whisper seeing them.

"I shouldn't have agreed for a secret marriage. Look how they are suffering. Even after being married, they can't even sit and talk peacefully, they have to hide from everyone and spend few minutes with each other." Mohan says regretfully.

"Let's just go from here. If they realize we saw them like this, they are going to be embarrassed." Radha tells him. They quickly leave from there.

Few minutes later, Pragya wakes up. Realizing they had slept off she gently wakes up Abhishek.

"Abhi, wake up."

Abhi opens his eyes and seeing Pragya, he smiles lovingly at her. "I have been dreaming for a long time to wake up and see your face first thing in the morning."

Pragya smiles. When were they going to wake up in the morning and see each other's face like this?

Abhi sits up as he looked around. "You should go to Disha's room before someone sees you."

Pragya nods and gets up. Then Pragya goes to Disha's room and Abhi to his.

**********

Pragya had changed her clothes and slept for some more time.

After waking up, she had taken a shower and got ready for the day. She was a little heartbroken when she removed her mangalsutra and kept it safely in her bag.

While Disha took her shower, Pragya decided to go see Nani. She was coming out of Disha's room when she notices Abhi standing outside his bedroom. Pragya smiles realizing that he was waiting for her. Abhi nods his head at her, gesturing her to go towards him. Pragya looks around and when she was sure no one was around she qickly runs towards him. Abhi opens his bedroom door for her, Pragya quickly slips in. Abhi closes the door.

Abhi walks towards her while Pragya shyly smiles at him as she looked down. Abhi lovingly brushes her hair behind her ears.

"Tell me."

"What?" Pragya asks curiously as she looked at him.

"Forgot?" Abhi asks her frowning cutely at her.

Realizing, Pragya smiles excitedly.

"Ah... tell me." Abhi says smiling realizing she understood.

Blushing happily, Pragya leans up and kisses his cheek. Then she kisses his other cheek. Then stepping back, she looks into his eyes and tells him, "I love you."

Abhi leans towards her, cupping her face, he tells her. "I love you too."

Then he leans down and takes her lips in his. Pragya wraps her hand around his neck and kisses him back.

"I have a gift for you." Abhi whispers as he stepped back.

"What?" Pragya asks smiling happily.

Abhi takes her hand in his and then he puts his other hand inside his pant pocket, he takes out a ring and lovingly slips it into her finger.

"It's so beautiful." Pragya whispers seeing her beautiful diamond ring.

"You can't wear you mangalsutra but this you can wear all the time."

"Thank you." Pragya says smiling happily as she hugged him tight.

"When did you get this?" Pragya asks curiously hearing what he had said.

"I wanted to get you a gift, I wasn't sure what to get you. After I talked to you yesterday, I just called up the jeweler and he had sent me the rings that he had available. I chose this. He delivered the ring today morning."

"The size is also correct." Pragya says amazed.

"Preeta." Abhi tells her grinning.

"I didn't know you guys spoke to each other." Pragya says pleasantly surprised.

"Disha didn't know your ring size. I had Preeta's number when she had called to tell me she was leaving, so I just messaged her and she said you both had same ring size, half an hour later, she told me her ring size."

"Oh." Then she lovingly wraps her hands around his waist. "What all my husband went through for me."

"I will go to the end of the world for you, my wife." Abhi tells her as he hugged her.

**********

Abhi had dropped off Pragya to her place after some time.

Pragya was sitting with her mother as she showed her the ring Abhi got her.

"Very pretty na, Ma."

"Yes." Sarala smiles.

"Since I can't wear my mangalsutra, Abhi got this so I can wear it all the time."

"I know, you both have to make a lot of sacrifices but you understand why we have to do this, right?" Sarala asks her a little worriedly.

"Yes." Pragya replies with a smile seeing her mother's concern.

"I'm happy you got a loving husband and a lovely family, Pragya." Sarala tells her as she lovingly caressed her face. "I hope Preeta also gets a good husband and family like them."

"She will, Ma."

**********

Few days later, Pragya calls Abhi as he hadn't called her since morning. After the ring kept going for a while Abhi answers the call.

"Pragya..." Abhi croaks.

"What happened?" Pragya asks immediately worried.

"I am having fever. Got throat pain, can't talk. I will talk to you later." Saying that Abhi hangs up the call.

Panic she had never known hit her.

"Ma... Ma..." Pragya cries as she worriedly run to her mother.

"Pragya... what happened?" Sarala asks her as she worriedly held her.

"Abhi has fever."

"OH!" Sarala sighs in relief. "You scared me, Pragya."

"He is sick, Ma. He can't even talk." Pragya says crying.

Cupping her face, Sarala asks her lovingly, "Do you want to go see him?"

"Yes."

"Then go." Sarala tells her smiling.

"Pragya?" Disha calls out to her in surprise, seeing Pragya hurrying into the house. Then seeing her tear stained face, Disha hurries to her. "What happened Pragya?"

Seeing Pragya upset, Radha asks her with a smile. "Came to see Abhi?"

Pragya nods her head.

"He is fine. He is in his room. Go." Radha tells her in a consoling way.

Without saying anything, Pragya runs up the stairs.

"Abhi." Pragya softly calls him as she stood near his bed and lovingly caressed his hair.

"Pragya?" Abhi opens his eyes and struggles to keep it open. "Why did you come?"

"How are you?" Pragya asks sadly as she fought her tears.

"Fine. You shouldn't stay here. You'll also catch fever."

"You sleep." Pragya tells him seeing that he was struggling to stay awake and talk. "I'll be here."

"You go home. Everyone is here."

"Is it the same as having me near you?" Pragya asks sadly.

Abhi smiles a little. "It is not."

Pragya sits next to him and adjusts his blanket for him. "Did you take medicine?"

"Yes. Having headache. Feel like my head is splitting." Abhi tells her as he held her hand.

"I'll press your head. You sleep."

"I love you, Pragya." Abhi tells her as his eyes filled up.

Pragya gently pressed his head as he fell asleep.

Pragya sat by his side the whole day taking care of him.

Pragya was feeding Abhi soup when her mother calls her.

"Hello Ma?"

"Pragya, how is Abhi?"

"Better than morning, but he is still sick." Pragya tells her as she continued to feed him while she cradled the phone on her neck.

"Hmmm okay. when are you coming?"

"I am staying here." Pragya tells her a little worriedly.

"Pragya... you can go back tomorrow." Sarala gently tells her.

"You go. I am feeling much better now." Abhi also tells her.

"No, I want to stay." Pragya stubbornly tells both Abhi and Sarala.

"Okay then." Sarala gives in with a sigh.

Pragya hangs up the phone and continues to feed Abhi.

"You should go. Anyway I am sleeping throughout."

"What if you need me at night?"

"Everyone is here and I will be fine." Abhi tells her smiling lovingly at her.

"I will not be able to sleep peacefully if I go home."

Abhi takes her hand and keeps it on his chest, then tells her smiling. "You do whatever you want then."

Hearing a knock at the door, Pragya calls out, "It is open."

Radha comes in. "How are you, Abhi?"

"Better, mom."

Radha smiles as she kept her hand on his forehead to check his fever. "Fever has come down."

Lovingly keeping her hand on Pragya's cheek, Radha asks her, "Are you okay, now?"

Pragya nods her head.

"She got so worried." Radha tells Abhi.

Abhi lovingly looks at Pragya.

"It is getting late, Pragya. driver will drop you home." Radha tells her.

Pragya worriedly tells her, "I am staying here."

"He is looking much better now."

"I am staying." Pragya softly repeats.

Radha nods understanding. "You sleep in Disha's room. I don't want you also to fall sick."

Pragya nods her head in yes.

"Did you tell your Ma? Or should I tell her?"

"I told her."

"Okay then. You didn't eat your dinner?" Radha asks frowning seeing Pragya's food kept there.

"I'll after Abhi is done."

Radha nods and leaves.

"You eat now. I'm done." Abhi tells her.

After Abhi had slept off, Pragya had sat with him for a while longer. A little after midnight Disha had come to call Pragya to sleep. making sure that Abhi was fine, Pragya goes with Disha.

Pragya wakes up from her sleep and checks the time. it was 3:30 am. She decides to check on Abhi.

"Pragya?" Disha sits up sleepily seeing Pragya unlocking the bedroom door.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you going?"

"To check on Abhi."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, you sleep. I'll stay with him. Don't tell Mom... okay?"

"Okay."

Pragya gently closes the door and walks to Abhi. she touches his forehead to check his fever.

"Didn't you sleep?" Abhi asks her.

"Didn't you sleep?" Pragya asks him surprised.

"I did. Was feeling thirsty so woke up."

"Did you have water?" Pragya asks his as she started to get the flask to take hot water for him.

"Yeah, I did. Why didn't you sleep?"

"I did then I woke up." Pragya tells him.

Understanding, Abhi pats on the bed. "Come."

Pragya gets on the bed and lies on top of duvet as the room was pretty hot without the AC and fan.

"Go to sleep." Abhi gently instructs her.

Pragya lies on her side and keeps her hand on his chest.

"Abhi..." Pragya sadly calls him.

"Hmmm?"

"I don't want to take everyone's permission to be with you when you are sick." Pragya sadly tells him.

Abhi smiles at her. "When did you take permission? You were telling everyone left, right and center, that you are staying with me."

Pragya smiles and blushes.

"Now, go to sleep." Abhi tells her.

"You also."

By next morning, Abhi was feeling much better. By evening, Pragya had gone back to her house.

**********

Couple of months later, Preeta calls Pragya telling her that she was shifting to new flat, and whether Pragya could go to Bengaluru for the weekend as she got settled in her new flat.

"That is nice. When do you have to go?" Abhi asks Pragya as they video called.

"I'm thinking."

"Go for this weekend and come back. Next weekend is your birthday, right?"

"You know it is my birthday?" Pragya asks him surprised.

"Of course, did you forget that I was behind you even before our wedding?" Abhi asks her chuckling.

"But you never wished me before." Pragya tells him pouting.

"Because you never came to my house on your birthday and we never spoke that much for me to wish you." Abhi reminds her rolling his eyes.

"Will you meet me on my birthday?" Pragya asks hopefully.

"Yes." Abhi promises her.

Pragya happily smiles at him.

"When you go to Bengaluru, Karan will come and meet you." Abhi tells her.

"Okay." Pragya says smiling.

"He has been dying to meet you."

"I'll call him when I get there."

"He will call, and come and see you wherever you are." Abhi tells her.

"Okay." Pragya replies excitedly. Abhi was very close to Karan bhaiyya and because of that she already liked and considered Karan as a brother.

**********

Pragya reached Preeta's place by next evening. Preeta had got a nice apartment with two bedrooms, a kitchen and a small living cum dining room. Pragya was excitedly catching up with her sister when Karan had called her.

"Hello Pragya?"

"Yes."

"Hi Pragya... I am Karan, Abhi's brother."

"I know Karan bhaiyya." Pragya tells him happily. "Abhi told me you would call."

"Yes... I just wanted to drop in and meet you. are you free now? Or should I come tomorrow?"

"I am free now. you can come now." Pragya tells him. She had already told Preeta about Karan's visit.

"Okay great... can you WhatsApp me your location?"

"I'll ask didi to message her location and address to this number. Is that fine?"

"Yes. That would be great."

**********

"When will you start looking for a roommate?" Pragya asks her.

"My colleague is looking for a place, so if everything works out then she would move in within 2 weeks."

"That is nice. But will you stay alone after I leave?" Pragya asks her in concern.

"Of course!" Preeta tells her chuckling. "I am not scared to stay alone. If it was up to me then I would have moved to one-bedroom apartment and stayed alone. Ma is worried to let me stay alone."

Pragya giggles and says "I didn't know you would listen to Ma also."

"She would unnecessarily worry. That is why." Preeta tells her. then she cheekily adds, "You are way too obedient that is why you think I am rebellious."

"At times, I wish I was like you didi." Pragya tells her sadly.

"Abhi?" Preeta asks her.

Pragya nods sadly.

"You are married. You should just start staying together. Why are you worried about all other things?"

Pragya sadly tells her, "Abhi promised Ma and Papa."

"Tell him, Pragya." Preeta gently tells her. "I don't know when I will get married. You shouldn't put your life on hold for me."

"Hmmm."

Hearing the doorbell, Pragya quickly hurries to open the door. "I think it would be Karan Bhaiyya."

Pragya excitedly opens the door and finds Karan at the door holding a flower bouquet.

"Hello." Karan says with a big smile.

"Hello Karan bhaiyya." Pragya tells him smiling happily. "Please come in."

"Hello." Preeta politely smiles at him.

"Hi... I am Karan Mehra." Karan says smiling as he extended his hand to Preeta.

"Hi... I am Preeta." Preeta says as she shook his hand. "Please sit."

Karan nods and walks to the couch.

"Excuse me, I'll just come now." Preeta tells them and walks to the kitchen.

"This is for you." Karan tells Pragya as he handed her the flowers.

"Thank you so much. Did Abhi tell you I love flowers?" Pragya asks him as she took the beautiful bouquet.

"Yes."

"He has told me a lot about you." Pragya tells smiling.

"Even he has told me a lot about you." Karan tells her then frowning as he watched the kitchen door that Preeta had disappeared into, he says "But he never mentioned that you had such a beautiful sister."

Pragya's mouth drops open hearing that.

Before she could say anything Karan's mobile starts ringing.

"It's office. I need to take it. Excuse me." Karan tells her as he walked out to attend the call.

"Pragya?" Preeta calls out to her once Karan had gone out.

"Haan didi?"

"Where did he go?" Preeta asks her.

"He got a call." Pragya answers her as she stood next to Preeta and watched the saucepan as the coffee was boiling. "Are you making coffee for me also? I don't want, didi."

"Ah okay... by the way, you never told me that Abhi's brother was good looking."

"What?" Pragya asks shocked.

"Yeah, he is damn hot." Preeta tells her as she continued to make coffee.

"He was asking me the same thing about you." Pragya tells her excitedly.

"Really?" Preeta asks smiling.

"Pragya..." Karan calls her from behind.

Realizing Karan was back, Pragya turns to him. "Haan Karan Bhai..." and stops in shock seeing Abhi.

"Abhi?" Pragya whispers in shock seeing him after months.

"Hi Pragya." Abhi tells her as he smiled at her.

"Abhi." Pragya says his name again and runs to him and jumping on him, she hugs him happily.

"You are here?" Pragya asks as she felt her eyes fill up in joy for seeing him.

"I owed you a surprise visit." Abhi whispers to her as he hugged her.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Pragya asks him as she hugged him tight.

Abhi immediately realized that she was crying. Even he hugs her tight as he smiled at Preeta.

Preeta smiles at Abhi then she takes Karan's coffee and leaves the kitchen to give them privacy.

**********

"I can't believe you are here." Pragya tells him as she looked at his face.

Smiling Abhi wipes her tears.

Pragya leans up and Abhi leans down, and they kiss.

"I thought we would celebrate your birthday a little early. Back home, we won't be able to spend any time with each other. So, I thought tomorrow you and me will spend the whole day together."

"Really?" Pragya asks as she sniffed happily. "When did you get here?"

"Well... yesterday I told you I was sleepy and went to sleep early, right?"

"Yeah."

"That was because I had to take the midnight flight." Abhi tells her grinning.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"With Karan for a month then with Preeta for about a week."

"You asked her to call me here?"

"Yes." Abhi chuckles.

"Thank you for the best birthday ever." Pragya tells him as she hugged him excitedly.

"But we still haven't celebrated your birthday."

"Still it is the best. Most special."

**********

Few minutes later, they join Karan and Preeta.

"So, everything went according to your plan?" Preeta asks Abhi smiling happily.

"It did. Thank you, Preeta." Abhi tells her grinning.

Preeta smiles then looking at Pragya, she winks at her.

"I'll just get your coffee." Preeta tells Abhi and walks back to the kitchen to get Abhi's coffee reheated.

Karan, Abhi, Preeta and Pragya had spent the rest of the evening together at Preeta's flat. After they had dinner, Karan and Preeta notices that Abhi and Pragya were stealing glances at each other.

"Pragya... Abhi... you can use the spare room." Preeta tells them.

Pragya turns completely pink hearing that while Abhi says a little hesitantly, "I am not staying. I'll be staying at Karan's."

"Oh... I thought you were staying here." Preeta says a little embarrassed realizing that she had made it awkward.

Abhi shakes his head. "Actually, we should get going."

Karan nods and stands up to leave.

Abhi turns to Pragya to say his bye and sees her looking at him a little sadly. Seeing her like that, Abhi just couldn't leave then.

"Karan, give me 5 mins."

"Sure."

"Pragya..." Abhi gestures her to come aside.

Pragya nods and guides him to her bedroom.

Abhi closes the door and turns to Pragya.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Abhi promises her.

"Every time you have to go away from me." Pragya tells him sadly as she hugged him.

Abhi hugs her tight.

"Can't you stay here tonight?"

"Pragya Abhishek Prem Mehra, do you want us to have our suhaag raat tonight?" Abhi asks her grinning at her.

Pragya blushes hearing that. "But we had decided, right? You only said..."

"Yes but that doesn't mean that if the love of my life, who is also my wife is in a closed room with me that I would behave."

Pragya giggles hearing that.

"I'll go?" Abhi asks her.

"Nooo." Pragya tells him as she hugged him.

"You will be the end of me." Abhi tells her as he hugged her tight.

Sighing Pragya leans back to look at him. Seeing her looking at him like that, Abhi leans down and takes her lips in his.

15 minutes later,

"I should go." Abhi whispers against her lips for the nth time.

"No." Pragya moans.

"God, Pragya." Abhi groans as he hungrily kissed her.

10 minutes later,

"I really should go." Abhi whispers to her as he kissed her neck.

"2 mins." Pragya begs him.

"One more minute and neither of us would be going anywhere, Pragya. I swear."

Realizing how much he was struggling, Pragya shyly steps aside.

"Now you are stopping." Abhi sighs, he was just a breath away from dragging her to the bed.

"You should go." Pragya tells him shyly.

"Yeah." Abhi sighs as he fought the urge to pull her towards him.

"Go." Pragya tells him as she slightly pushed him shyly.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Abhi tells her.

Pragya shakes her head in reply happily.

Abhi opens the door and stops in shock. "Shit!"

"What happened?" Pragya asks curiously as she walked to the door and looked out and covers her mouth in order to stop herself from screaming out loud.

Abhi quickly closes the door.

"Did they know each other before?" Abhi asks her in shock.

"No." Pragya shakes her head. "That was didi itself, right?"

"Yeah."

"And it was Karan bhaiyya that she was kissing? Or was it someone else?"

"It was Karan." Abhi tells her reeling from the shock.

"But how?" Pragya asks utterly clueless.

"I have no idea." Abhi replies then he asks as he turned to her in panic. "Does that mean we are going to be stuck in here tonight?"

Pragya felt equal measure panic and excitement at the possibility.

Seeing her looking at him like that, Abhi starts moving towards her when his mobile buzzes. It was a message from Karan.

I think I'll bounce.

"Coast is clear." Abhi tells her in relief and quickly replies.

I am coming.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Let's go?" Abhi asks Karan as he stepped out.

"Yeah." Karan replies as he nervously checked his mobile. "I'll get the car. Bye Pragya."

Then without another word he quickly left. Abhi also quickly leaves.

"Good night, Pragya." Preeta tells her and hurries to her bedroom.

Pragya just stood there gaping at the empty living room.

**********

Pragya was getting ready to go out with Abhi.

"Ready?" Preeta asks her as she stood at the door.

"Yeah." Pragya tells her as she turned to look at her sister.

"I have to tell you something." Preeta tells Pragya nervously as she walked into her room.

"Tell me." Pragya tells her realizing that she wanted to talk about Karan bhaiyya.

"Last night... after you and Abhi went to room." Preeta says as she nervously looked at her.

Seeing her so nervous, Pragya tells her softly, "We saw didi."

Preeta closes her eyes in dread. "Abhi too?"

"Yes."

"I am sorry, Pragya." Preeta says regretfully as she sat on the bed. "I have no idea how it happened. I have never done something like that before. You know me."

"I know, didi." Pragya sits next to her and reassuringly keeps her hand on Preeta's shoulder.

"I've never thought about all these things. I wanted to get my career in track first... but last night..." Preeta says covering her face.

"It's okay, didi."

"We were just talking. We were just talking about rents." Preeta tells her in exasperation. "He said he just moved into a new place. I told him even I just moved in. then I was asking him about the rent at his place. He is living in this posh area, and we were just talking about difference in the rents... and I don't know how it happened, next thing I know, we are kissing."

"I am so sorry, Pragya."

"You don't have to say sorry, didi." Pragya tells her as she hugged her.

"I feel so embarrassed."

"It's okay, didi." Pragya tells her chuckling. "You don't worry."

Pragya's mobile rings. "It's Abhi. he is here."

"Yeah, you go."

**********

"Where are we going?" Pragya asks excitedly as she got in the car.

"Wherever you want to go." Abhi tells her smiling.

Pragya smiles hearing that. "Can we just go for a drive?"

"Just a drive?" Abhi asks surprised.

"Just you and me. no one else." Pragya tells him and wistfully asks him, "When will I get you all to myself again? please?"

"Okay." Abhi tells her smiling. "Anything you want."

**********

Abhi and Pragya had spent the better part of the day driving around. And nothing had been more blissful for them than that. they only stopped for breakfast and lunch.

By evening they go to the restaurant for their dinner.

"I forgot to tell you."

"What?" Pragya asks curiously.

"Karan asked if he could ask out Preeta."

"Really?" Pragya asks excited.

"I told him to wait till we left so that Preeta won't feel awkward."

Pragya smiles hearing that. "Didi was telling me about their kiss."

"Even Karan told me."

"But I don't know what Didi will decide, she wants to concentrate on her career."

Abhi nods. "I did tell him that. Anyway let them talk and see."

"Happy birthday to you."

Hearing the song, Pragya turns to the sound in surprise and sees a couple of waiters walking to their table with one holding a chocolate cake. Pragya turns to Abhi and smile excitedly.

Pragya happily cuts the cake and they feed each other.

"Happy birthday in advance, wife." Abhi wishes her as he hugged her happily.

"Thank you, husband." Pragya tells him smiling happily.

Abhi offers her a gift wrapped box.

Pragya excitedly opens the box to find a beautiful bracelet.

"Thank you." Pragya says excitedly as she tried it on. "This is so pretty." Pragya gushes excitedly.

**********

Very soon, their time together had come to an end and it was time for them to fly back. Abhi had booked the same flight as Pragya, so they could travel together.

"I told didi that Karan bhaiyya wants to ask her out." Pragya informs Abhi.

"And what did she say?"

"She is not sure. She said she wants to think about it before she made a decision."

Abhi nods. "You told her that even if she wants to say no, it is okay, right? that it is not going to affect us or change things between all of us."

"I did." Pragya tells him.

"I'll wait in here, so uncle doesn't see me." Abhi tells Pragya as they started to walk out of the airport.

Pragya nods. "I had an amazing time, Abhi." Pragya tells him smiling.

"Me too." Abhi smiles at her.

"Now, when will we meet next?"

"Soon." Abhi promises her as he hugged her.

"I'll just call Papa and see if he reached." Pragya tells him as she switched on her mobile.

First thing, Pragya noticed was a message from Preeta.

"Didi send a message." Pragya tells Abhi as she showed him the message.

Pragya, Karan called.

I don't know why... I just couldn't say no to him.

We are going for dinner tonight.

Pragya turns to Abhi and sees him thoughtful.

"What are you thinking?" Pragya asks him seeing that he wasn't as happy as her.

Abhi turns to her and smiles, "I was thinking about you."

"What about me?"

Abhi cups her face and tells her gently, "I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"Hopes?"

"Karan and Preeta are adults and we should just support them whatever their decision is. I am just telling you that they might decide that they are not suited for each other."

"Oh." Pragya nods as she looked down.

"They are just starting their journey and till they are sure of each other; I don't want you asking Preeta about marriage. Don't pressurize them."

"Okay." Pragya nods and then she softly confesses, "I thought once didi finds someone then we could be together."

"Aren't we together now?" Abhi asks her lovingly.

Pragya smiles hearing that.

**********

Pragya was excited to know about how Preeta's and Karan's date went but remembering what Abhi had told her, she willed herself not to call her sister. She would give them the space that they required.

It was midmorning when finally, Preeta messages her.

Hey

Pragya excitedly replies to her.

Hello didi, how are you? how did it go?

It was nice :)

Pragya quickly thanks the Lord. And was about to message Abhi when Preeta sends another message.

We are meeting tonight.

Gotta go. Talk to you later.

Bye didi.

Pragya excitedly calls Abhi, since he was in office they couldn't do video call.

"Didi messaged." Pragya excitedly tells him.

"And?" Abhi asks smiling.

"They are meeting tonight again. She said it was nice. Did Karan bhaiyya message?"

"Not yet." Abhi tells her.

"Oh." Pragya says disappointed.

Abhi chuckles. "I told you not to get your hopes up."

"I am not."

"Liar." Abhi teases her.

Pragya closes her eyes embarrassed.

"Okay... I have to go now... got work." Abhi tells her.

"Okay, bye."

Once the professor left the class, Pragya curiously takes her mobile to check if Abhi had called or message. She sees a missed call from him and a message.

Karan called. He seems very happy. He really likes Preeta.

**********

Things went on like that for a while. Abhi and Pragya didn't get a chance to meet after that. Preeta and Karan were in a steady relation now.

It was Abhi's birthday and since Abhi was a little held up with work, they couldn't take a trip to Bengaluru to be together.

So on his birthday, Pragya had planned with Disha and had left for college early. Instead she had gone to his house after collecting his birthday cake.

After keeping the cake in the kitchen, Pragya and Disha goes to Abhi's room.

"Bhaiyya." Disha calls him as she knocked on the door while Pragya stood to the side hiding.

"Going to take a shower." Abhi calls out to her.

Disha turns to Pragya asking what to do. And Pragya gestures her to knock.

"Open bhaiyya, I just want to wish you."

"Fine!"

Abhi opens the door and looks at Disha in exasperation. "Wish."

"Happy birthday, bhaiyya." Disha says as she hugged him.

"Thank you." Abhi replies unable to hold his frown. He smiles.

"I got your gift too."

"Yeah? Where?" Abhi asks smiling.

Disha gestures to where Pragya was standing.

Abhi curiously turns to the side and Pragya excitedly jumps to stand in front of him. "Happ..." and she stops seeing Abhi in only a pyjama.

Pragya gulps seeing the most tantalizing image of her life.

"Pragya..." Abhi softly calls her very aware of his state of undress.

Seeing Abhi and Pragya awkwardly staring at each other, Disha declares, "You guys talk. I'm going." Then she quickly leaves.

"Pragya." Abhi softly calls her name.

Realizing she was staring, Pragya quickly looks down blushing uncontrollably.

"Do you want to come inside?" Abhi asks her gently.

Pragya nods and seeing him step aside, Pragya quickly runs into his room.

Abhi locks the door and turns to her. the moment they looked at each other, they hurried to each other and slams their mouth on each other and starts hungrily kissing.

"We should stop." Abhi whispers to her.

Pragya leans up and kisses his shoulders and neck, while she ran her hand all over his chest.

"You shouldn't touch me like that, Pragya." Abhi whispers to her as he nervously breathed.

Pragya stops as she looked into his eyes and tells him. "I want to."

With a groan, Abhi leans down and takes her lips in his. She was hungrily kissing him when he stops and she felt him lift her in his arms. Pragya looks at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Abhi passionately looks at her as he walked to his bed. Then he gently places her on his bed.

They were hungrily kissing each other when Pragya's phone starts ringing breaking them out of their passionate haze.

Abhi quickly moves back.

"Where is my bag?" Pragya asks as she tried to calm her raising heart as she looked around everywhere instead of him.

Abhi looks around and finds her bag on the floor. He quickly retrieves it and gives it to her. Pragya takes out her phone from her bag.

"It is Disha." Pragya informs him and answers the call.

"Pragya... Dad wants to go to office early. So, why don't you and bhaiyya come down so we can cut the cake?"

"Yeah, coming." Pragya replies and hangs up. "We have to go down." Pragya says as she looked down.

Abhi gently keeps his hand on her cheek. "You okay?"

Hearing him ask that question so lovingly at her, Pragya moves to him and hugs him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah give me five minutes." Abhi says then he lightly chuckles.

Understanding what he had meant, Pragya blushes. Then she lovingly kisses his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you."

"Happy birthday husband." Pragya tells him as she kissed him again.

"Thank you." Abhi tells her smiling happily.

"I've a gift for you." Pragya tells him as she grabbed her bag.

"If it wasn't for my sister, you would have been my gift."

Pragya blushes hearing that. "I'm yours. You know that, right?"

"I know. But I told you earlier..."

"I know." Pragya tells him smiling. "And I love you more for that."

Abhi smiles hearing that. "Give me my gift."

Pragya takes out the watch box from her bag and gives it to him. Abhi takes out the watch and looks at it with a smile. Pragya nervously looks at him look at the watch.

"I know it is not as expensive as the ones you use. I don't have a job now... and my pocket money..." Pragya worriedly tells him.

"I love it. Thank you." Abhi tells her smiling happily at her.

"You do?" Pragya asks smiling happily.

"Yes. Thank you." Abhi tells her as he pecked her lips.

"Okay... you get ready and come down."

**********

By the time, Abhi had come down, Pragya and Disha had set the cake on the table. She had got a vanilla cake because that was his favorite flavor. Pragya watched as his parents and nani wish him.

"Let's cut the cake." Disha calls out to them while Pragya light the candle on the cake.

After lighting the candle, Pragya moves to the side so Abhi could stand in front of the cake. Everyone stands around the cake and starts singing happy birthday for him. Only when he took the knife to cut the cake did she notice that he was wearing the watch she had gifted him. Pragya smiles happily seeing that.

Abhi takes the first piece and looks at her.

"Pragya." Abhi nods his head, gesturing her to join him.

Blushing Pragya walks to him though she did look at his parents and nani to see if they were offended that the first piece he was offering to her, but they looked happy. Pragya takes a piece of cake and offers him. They feed each other as they happily smiled at each other.

"Come here." Abhi whispers to Pragya once everyone had a piece of the cake.

Pragya goes with him to the side. Abhi takes his wallet and gives her his credit card.

"Keep this with you."

"Why?" Pragya asks shocked.

"I should have given you my card earlier, it didn't occur to me. I am sorry."

"But why?"

"Earlier you said you didn't enough money."

"But I am still living with my parents." Pragya tells him then seeing he was about to argue she tells him, "Papa might feel insulted if I take this."

"You are my wife, Pragya. I feel insulted when you take money from your parents." Abhi tells her.

"If I need money, I will ask you." Pragya tells him.

"Keep the card with you." Abhi insists.

"If I keep the card then I might not use it. But if I need money, I will definitely ask you. I promise."

Abhi nods and keeps his card back.

Seeing that he was a little upset, Pragya quickly tells him. "Okay, give me some money."

"Really?" Abhi asks smiling surprised.

"It's my husband's birthday, I will treat my friends. I'll take them for lunch." Pragya tells him.

"You never take me for lunch." Abhi tells her pouting sadly.

"We'll go today?" Pragya asks excited.

"Hectic day at office." Abhi tells her sadly.

"And Ma will kick your ass." Pragya tells him as she opened his wallet and took out all the cash, then she puts back 100 rupees. "In case you have some emergency."

Abhi chuckles but loving her for this gesture of hers. It wasn't about spending money on her, it was about she considering what was his as hers.

**********

Pragya was in her college when Abhi calls her. quickly moving away from her friends, Pragya answers the call.

"Hi." Pragya says with a smile.

"I just spoke to Karan." Abhi tells her very excited.

"And?" Pragya asks feeling happy realizing his excitement.

"He is going to propose to Preeta." Abhi tells her excited.

"Really? When?" Pragya asks unable to contain her excitement.

"Tonight." Abhi tells her happy. "I am so happy."

"For them or for us?" Pragya asks him in a teasing tone.

"I am happy for them but very happy for us. finally, my wife is going to be just mine."

"And my husband is going to be just mine."

**********

At night, Abhi calls Pragya.

"What happened? Did you talk to Karan bhaiyya?" Pragya asks him excitedly.

"Karan just messaged me." Abhi tells her in an upset tone.

"What happened?" Pragya asks as worry gripped her heart.

"Preeta said no."

"WHAT?" Pragya shouts in shock. "But why?"

"I don't know. Karan just messaged that she said no. I am going to call him. I thought I will just let you know." Abhi tells her and hangs up.

Pragya felt like crying. She was feeling anger. She wanted to break things, scream out loudly. She was feeling so much anger at her sister. She couldn't believe how selfish her sister was being at that instant.

Hearing her mobile ring, Pragya answers the call seeing that it was Preeta.

"Yeah didi." Pragya says unable to hide her anger from her voice.

"You know." Preeta states sensing her anger.

"Don't you love Karan bhaiyya?"

"I do." Preeta sadly confesses.

"Then why did you say no?" Pragya asks sadly.

"Everything is happening so fast, Pragya." Preeta confesses.

And Pragya stopped herself before she said, "Everything is at standstill for us."

"You know how Karan and I happened. It all feels like a big blur. It is all going so fast and it would kill me if we jump into marriage now and Karan regrets it." Preeta tells her.

Pragya stops in shock realizing that her sister was insecure. "Didi... why do you think like that?" Pragya asks her in concern.

"We have been together for only months and we are just getting to know each other, what if once we get married we regret it? And..."

"And?"

"Many times Karan has told me how he feels sorry that Abhi and you have to stay apart. I can't shake this feeling that one of the reasons he wants to get married is so that you both can be together."

"Hmmm."

"Pragya, the first thought I had when Karan proposed was that I should marry him that way Pragya can be with Abhi. and I realized how wrong I was. Karan deserves better than that."

"You're right, didi." Pragya tells her realizing that her sister was right. "You should get married only when you are as sure of the guy as I am of Abhi. I am sorry, didi. For a while I got selfish and thought you were being selfish. You are the reason, Abhi and I am together, and I... I want you to get married only when you are 100 percent sure. Abhi and I can wait. You don't worry about us."

"Thank you, Pragya." Preeta says feeling relieved.

"You have the right to live your life the way you want." Pragya tells her smiling.

"Even you have that right too, Pragya." Preeta tells her sadly. "You are sacrificing your happiness for me."

"You don't worry about me, didi." Pragya tells her smiling confidently. "You don't know my husband. If it becomes too difficult for me to stay without him then all I have to do is tell him, the next second he would take me home. So, you don't worry, didi."

Preeta smiles hearing that. "There is another thing."

"What?" Pragya asks curiously.

"I told Karan that I want us to live together before we decided on marriage."

"What?" Pragya shouts in shock.

"When I told him all my reasons, even he agreed. He even said that he wasn't sure whether he proposed marriage for us or for you both."

"But will Ma and Papa agree?" Pragya asks shocked.

"Pragya... we are not telling them." Preeta tells her shocked.

"What?" Pragya asks shocked out of her wits.

"He wants me to move into his apartment. So, I am moving to his apartment."

"What if Ma and Papa find out?" Pragya asks shocked.

"I will deal with it when that happens."

**********

"So they are moving in... huh?" Abhi asks as soon as she answered the call.

"Yeah. I told her that I would support her." Pragya tells him.

"Hmmm."

"What about you?"

"Same. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am fine." Pragya tells him sighing. "What about you?"

"I am fine... a little disappointed." Abhi confesses.

"You kept telling me not to get my hopes high."

"I know... for a second I thought my wife was coming home." Abhi tells her sadly.

"Do you think if we were just engaged then we would have found it this hard?" Pragya asks him curiously.

"If we were engaged or just dating it would have been different. It wouldn't have been difficult. You are my wife, you are mine and that is what it makes it so hard."

"Soon, husband."

"Yes."

**********

Very quickly Preeta had moved into Karan's apartment. She even lied to their parents about having renovation done on her bedroom. Now she video called their parents only from their bedroom and Karan would stay away that time. she even lied that her new roommate was a workaholic who was forever busy with office work.

It was going to be their first wedding anniversary, and Abhi and Pragya wanted to spend it together. Since, Pragya was a little scared to ask her parents to go to the Mehra house for that particular reason, Abhi had decided that he would handle it.

Pragya was waiting for Abhi to call her parents when Abhi had come home. Her parents were happily talking to him while Pragya sat near them.

"Actually, Uncle... aunty... tomorrow is our wedding anniversary." Abhi informs them.

"It's been a year?" Raghu asks as he looked at Pragya with a sad smile.

"How time flies... huh?" Sarala asks as she sadly smiled at Pragya.

"We wanted to be together. So I came to take Pragya home. She'll come back tomorrow." Abhi tells them.

"I understand that you are married..." Raghu hesitantly says. "But if someone finds out... you understand right, Abhi?"

"Uncle, I think you misunderstood me." Abhi politely tells him.

Pragya quickly covers her mouth to stop her smile from showing.

"Ah then, there is no use." Sarala says giving up.

"What am I misunderstanding, Abhi? And what no use, Sarala?" Raghu asks confused.

"That is his way of saying." Sarala tells him while Abhi chuckles looking down.

"Saying what?"

"Saying 'shut up, Pragya's husband has spoken'."

"what?" Raghu says shocked as he looked at his wife, his son-in-law, his daughter and finally at his son-in-law again.

Abhi sweetly smiles at him then he says, "We are getting late, uncle." Then turning to Pragya, he asks, "Let's go?"

Raghu's eyes widen in shock then he seeing the way Abhi was still looking calmly he turns to his wife, "At least he is polite."

Abhi chuckles hearing that.

Sarala then tells Abhi gently, "I know we are being unfair to you both, but please be careful."

"I know aunty that if we go out together, people will notice. I know too many people know us in this city. Don't worry. We are not going out. We will be at home only."

"Home? Your family is there at home, right?"

"Yes."

"So nothing special?" Sarala asks surprised.

Abhi shakes his head in negative.

Abhi walks into his house with Pragya.

"Pragya... how come you are here?" Radha asks surprised seeing her.

"Why is that no one remembers that tomorrow is our wedding anniversary?" Abhi asks a little offended making Pragya smile.

"It is?" Radha asks smiling. "We should celebrate."

"They are not celebrating it. They are not even giving each other gifts." Disha tells her.

"Really? Why?" Radha asks shocked.

"What is there to celebrate? They have been staying apart all this while. They haven't started their life together as husband and wife. So, they are just celebrating their journey."

"How do you know all that?" Abhi asks her shocked.

"Did you forget that your wife is my best friend?"

Abhi turns to Pragya and sees her cheekily grinning at him. He shakes his head at her.

**********

While Abhi had gone to freshen up, Pragya was with Disha.

"Disha... there is something I want to tell you." Pragya nervously tells her.

"What?" Disha asks her frowning.

"I hid something from you."

"What?" Disha asks curiously.

"I always tell you everything but this..."

"Oh God." Disha says freaking out as she sat up. "Please don't tell me all your adults-only secrets. I don't want to know."

"What?" Pragya asks shocked. "It is not that, you idiot."

"Oh... for a second I got scared." Disha says feeling relieved.

"And there is nothing to say about that." Pragya mutters as she sits.

"Is it that bad?" Disha asks shocked.

"WHAT? NO! we haven't done it."

"WHAT?" Disha asks in shock as she stood up.

"what?"

"But you guys went to Bengaluru."

"Yeah... I told you I stayed with didi and he with Karan Bhaiyya."

"You said you went for long drive... actually the whole day."

"Yeah we did." Pragya replies confused.

"You mean long drive and not "long drive" ?" Disha asks shocked.

"Why would I call that long drive?" Pragya asks her shocked.

"Oh." Disha says shocked. "So you guys haven't..."

"No."

"But it is one year now."

"I know." Pragya tells her feeling a little sad.

Seeing her sad, Disha asks her, "Is that the secret?"

"No... it's something else." Pragya turns to her and tells her, "It is a secret... okay?"

"Yeah okay. tell me."

"You know, didi,..."

"Hmmm?"

"Didi and Karan bhaiyya,,,," Pragya nervously smiles. "It is a secret, okay?"

"Are they dating?" Disha asks shocked.

"They are living together."

"WHAT?" Disha shouts in shock.

"Hi didi." Pragya says smiling as soon as Preeta answers the call.

"Hey Pragya... where are you?" Preeta asks seeing the new background.

"Is Karan Bhaiyya there?"

"Hey Pragya." Karan slides towards Preeta coming into view.

"Karan bhaiyya, please don't scream at me." Pragya worriedly tells him.

"Why would I scream at you, darling? You are my darling sister." Karan tells her smiling.

"Really? Then what about me?" Disha asks as she came into the camera's view.

Karan's eyes pop open seeing Disha then he turns to look at Pragya, "WHAT DID YOU DO, PRAGYA?"

"She is my best friend... I can't keep secrets from her." Pragya tells him in a pleading tone.

"Nothing stays in her stomach!"

"I can't believe none of you told me!" Disha says offended.

"Now please go tell everyone, okay?" Karan tells her while Preeta chuckles.

"Okay. I'll tell Mom first."

"I was being sarcastic!" Karan tells her in exasperation.

"She is also joking. She promised she won't tell anyone." Pragya tells him.

Karan looks at Disha suspiciously.

"So you guys are together?" Disha asks excitedly forgiving all for hiding it from her.

"Yeah." Karan tells her smiling.

"I am so happy for you guys." Disha tells them smiling. "You know, didi... I never let my friends come to my house other than Pragya, because I didn't want my friends to eye my brothers."

Preeta chuckles hearing that. "Really?"

"Only Pragya was allowed and Abhi bhaiyya fell for her and now, Karan bhaiyya fell for her sister."

Karan chuckles hearing that.

"Only friend I trusted with my brothers and because of her, both my brothers slipped out of my hand." Disha says laughing.

Disha and Pragya were chatting with Preeta while Karan just sat by and listened.

"Babe... is there cake left from yesterday?" Karan asks Preeta.

"Yeah, one piece is there in the fridge, do you want me to get it for you?"

"I'll get it." Karan tells her and gets up and leaves.

Few minutes later, Karan comes back with the cake as he ate it.

"Karan, I told you no food in bedroom." Preeta tells him frowning.

"I'm done." Karan says as he jumped on the bed and licked his fingers clean.

"ewww Karan, wash your hands!" Preeta says in disgust.

"Why should I? my hands are clean." Karan says as he tried to pull her cheeks and Preeta kept swatting his hands.

"Stop it, Karan."

Seeing them, Pragya looks down as she felt a little sad.

"Look at you both." Disha says amazed. "You guys are not married but still living bindaas."

Karan and Preeta stops as they looked at Disha a little embarrassed.

"And here these two, they can't even meet each other. They are married but has to take everyone's permission to even celebrate their first wedding anniversary."

"It's your wedding anniversary?" Karan asks shocked.

"Tomorrow." Preeta tells him as she sadly smiled at Pragya.

Pragya smiles at them.

"Why don't you and Abhi come here? Stay with us for a few days?" Karan asks Pragya gently.

"I have exams now, Karan bhaiyya." Pragya replies for lack of another answer. She no longer wanted the chori-chupe time with her husband, she wanted her rightful time with her husband.

"Pragya?" Abhi knocks on the door.

"It's Abhi. I have to go. Didi... Karan bhaiyya, I will talk to you guys later."

"Okay... bye."

"Bye Pragya."

"Bye." Pragya says and cuts the call.

"See ya, Disha. I'm sleeping here, don't lock the door." Pragya tells her and hurries to open the door.

"Okay."

"Hey... let's go?" Abhi asks her smiling.

"Yeah... but where to?" Pragya asks as she stepped out and closed the door.

"Terrace."

**********

Pragya was surprised to see a table and two chairs set for dinner. She looks at Abhi in surprise.

"I didn't want to have food with everyone. We are completing one year, so at least today we should have get some us time." Abhi tells her smiling.

Pragya hugs him.

They have dinner as they talked about random things.

After dinner, they had sat on the terrace floor as they leaned against the wall.

"Are you happy?" Abhi asks her.

"I have you, how can I not be happy?" Pragya asks him back.

Abhi smiles and takes her hand to his lips and kiss it.

Pragya keeps her head on his shoulder and listened to Abhi talk.

"I told Disha about Didi and Karan bhaiyya."

"Karan will kill you." Abhi tells her grinning.

"She spoke to them."

"Really?" Abhi asks smiling.

"Yeah."

Pragya turns to look at Abhi and tells him sadly, "Today, they were kind of arguing and I felt bad."

"Why?" Abhi asks curiously. "It's normal, right?"

"Karan bhaiyya was eating in their bedroom... and didi was pissed. Karan bhaiyya started irritating her. They looked so much like a couple."

"Hmmm... you know at times, when I talk to Karan, they would be getting ready to have dinner, and Karan would be setting the table... I have felt bad then."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to be upset." Abhi tells her. "And I know, we will also have these moments in our life. sharing the house chores, the arguments, fun banter... I know we will have all that."

Pragya wraps her hand around his arms and keeps her head on his hand. "Did you think it would take more than a year?"

"No."

Feeling her eyes fill up, Pragya wipes her eyes on his shirt sleeves as she hugged his arms tighter.

"Pragya, the moment you feel you can no longer be happy like this..." Abhi starts.

Pragya cuts him off, "I know." She turns to him and tells him, "At times, that belief is what gives me strength to go on like this."

Abhi kisses her hand.

"If we could have met every day, then I wouldn't have found it so difficult." Pragya confesses.

"I know."

"We have to wait months before we can see each other."

"If I had known that things were going to be like this, I wouldn't have promised your mother anything."

"Then she might not have agreed for our wedding."

Abhi sighs hearing that.

Seeing Abhi check his watch, Pragya looks at his watch. He was wearing the watch she had gifted him. He always wore this watch. She had noticed it on his hand every time they video called. Pragya smiles and looks at the time, one more minute left. They both silently sat there as they stared at the minute hand.

"Happy wedding anniversary." They whisper to each other as they turned to each other and kissed.

They hear firecrackers and they move apart and look at the sky.

"You?" Pragya asks smiling seeing the beautiful fireworks.

"Yeah."

They sat together and watched the fireworks.

"I thought of getting skywriting. Pragya Abhishek Prem Mehra."

"Really?" Pragya asks smiling.

"Yeah, then I thought, we have been hiding our relation. And if I do that and someone sees it, it would be like pouring water over all the sacrifices you made."

"And you." Pragya tells him.

Abhi turns to her and tells her in a serious tone, "I am starting to find it very difficult, Pragya."

Pragya squeezes his hand.

"I don't know for how much longer I can go like this." Abhi tells her.

Pragya nods.

"I am getting to a point where I am not going to care who is going to be hurt, whose heart is going to be broken and the promises I made be broken. I just wanted you to know so you can be prepared."

Pragya leans up and kisses him on his cheek in answer.

**********

Unexpectedly, one weekend Preeta comes home.

Pragya and Preeta were lying in bed as they talked at night.

"Karan has also come." Preeta informs Pragya.

"Really? Abhi didn't say anything." Pragya says surprised.

"That is because I told Karan to tell Abhi and Disha not to tell you, as I wanted to tell you." Preeta explains.

"Tell me what?" Pragya asks curiously.

"I came to tell Papa and Ma about Karan. We have decided to get married."

"REALLY?" Pragya asks excitedly as she hugged Preeta.

"Yes." Preeta laughs as she hugged her. "I'm sorry, I made you wait for so long."

Pragya grins at her and informs her, "Abhi was on the verge of taking me home."

"Really?" Preeta asks smiling in surprise. "You would have gone if he called you?"

"I love him, didi. And he is my husband. I would go to the end of the world for him." Pragya tells her smiling.

Preeta smiles impressed.

"But you are sure and confident about Karan bhaiyya and your relation, right?" Pragya asks her worriedly.

"Yes." Preeta smiles at her.

"You don't have to get married for me, didi. I am just waiting for the day for Abhi to call me."

"I want to marry him, Pragya. I want to spend my life with him. Even he can't wait anymore."

"I am so happy for you." Pragya tells her as she hugged her sister.

"Tomorrow I am going to talk to Papa... will you be there with me? I'll talk to him... you just...."

"Of course."

**********

Next day morning, Preeta and Pragya goes to Raghu. Pragya sits near them while Preeta went and sat next to Raghu.

"Papa... I want to talk to you." Preeta nervously tells him.

"Yeah, tell me." Raghu tells her smiling encouragingly.

"There is this guy." Preeta tells him. "His name is Karan and I want you to meet him."

"Karan?" Raghu asks frowning.

"I love him, Papa."

"Hmmm." Then he frowns and asks, "Do I know him? His name sounds very familiar."

"He is Abhishek's brother."

"Abhishek's?" Raghu asks frowning then he asks curiously, "Mohan's brother's son? The one who passed away, his son?"

"Yes. Mohan uncle and Radha aunty raised him. They are like his parents."

"Hmmm... so should I call Mohan?" Raghu asks her.

Hearing that Preeta smiles in relief and she looks at Pragya and sees her smiling excitedly. "No. Karan will tell them today. Then they will come and meet you."

"Okay." Raghu says smiling then he asks curiously, "But how did you meet him? He was not there for the wedding, right?"

"He came to meet Pragya when she came to Bengaluru. And I met him then."

"Oh okay." Raghu smiles, "Both my daughters going to the same family."

Preeta smiles hearing that.

"Did you tell your mother?"

"No, you tell her."

"Okay." Raghu tells her smiling as he stood up and went to look for his wife.

Pragya excitedly runs to Preeta and hugs her.

**********

The Mehra family had come that evening to officially talk about Preeta and Karan's wedding. And very soon, they were watching as the Pundit looked through the charts to decide a wedding date.

"There is a good muhurat on March 7th."

"Isn't that too soon?" Radha asks worriedly.

"It's not, Badi Ma." Karan gently tells her. "Abhi and Pragya have been waiting for more than a year."

Radha nods and smiles. "That's true."

"So, we will fix for March 7?" Raghu asks Mohan.

"Yes." Mohan nods smiling.

"Punditji, this is the younger children's kundali." Sarala says as she passed him the kundalis.

Pundit was busy looking through the charts.

"Oh." The Pundit says softly.

"What happened?" Sarala asks worriedly while Pragya looked at Abhi in fear.

"There is a good muhurat on March 5th."

"March 5th would be before Karan and Preeta." Mohan points out.

"Yes but after that it is only on July 24th"

"March 5." Abhi tells no one in particular in a calm tone.

"Yeah but that would be before Preeta's wedding and Sarala and Raghu has issues with conducting Pragya's marriage before Preeta's." Radha explains to Abhi thinking he was just saying out the date loudly in shock.

Abhi turns to his mother and smiling very politely, he tells her, "I think you misunderstood me, Mom."

Raghu bursts out laughing while Pragya quickly looks down to hide her smile.

"Oh it's decided then." Sarala says.

"Misunderstood?" Radha asks confused. "And what is decided?"

"We have no issues with having Pragya's marriage two days before Preeta's." Raghu tells everyone instead of giving an explanation.

"That is brilliant." Mohan says smiling. "I didn't want to keep our children waiting for months again."

"We'll just have one wedding card for both Preeta and Pragya, so everyone will know that both of them are getting married." Sarala tells Mohan.

Soon everyone got busy talking about the wedding details. Finally, all the major decisions were made and Mehra family decided to leave.

Abhi stood up and sees that everyone had stood up to leave. "Two minutes." Abhi says as he looked at everyone. Then he looks at Pragya, "Pragya." he gestures his head to the side.

Pragya turning slightly pink, quickly follows Abhi to the end of the room.

Karan's eyes pop open seeing the authoritative way Abhi behaved with Pragya in front of their parents.

"Pragya was telling the truth." Preeta softly whispers to Karan as she moved next to him. "Abhi doesn't shy away from using the husband card."

"Do you believe that they haven't done it?" Karan asks her in a whisper.

"I am starting to feel suspicious. You know he even put my parents in their place when it came to Pragya?" Preeta asks him.

"Really?" Karan asks surprised. "Definitely they are lying."

"But who told you? Abhi?" Preeta asks surprised.

"Are you mad? Who told you?" Karan asks her.

"That day at my flat they said they didn't want to stay together. After that Pragya indirectly said something on that effect. And who told you?"

"Disha. Told you, nothing stays in her stomach."

"Hmmm."

They look at Pragya and Abhi talking, then they see Abhi kissing Pragya on her forehead.

"Definitely." Preeta declares. "Even now, I am scared to hold your hand in front of my parents."

"Liars!"

"Are you happy?" Abhi asks Pragya as they stood away from their families.

"Do you even have to ask?" Pragya asks him surprised.

"No... not that." Abhi tells. "We had to hide our relation because your parents didn't want you to marry before Preeta but we are getting married again before them... so, I was just wondering whether you feel we went through all that for nothing."

"Marrying then and marrying two days before didi is different." Pragya tells him.

"Yeah." Abhi agrees smiling.

"And I am so happy that we don't have to hurt our parents." Pragya tells him smiling.

Abhi smiles hearing that. "Even me."

"Abhi... Mom was talking about shopping and all." Pragya starts.

"Hmmm?" Abhi nods.

"I don't want another mangalsutr. The one you gave me for our wedding, I want you to tie that on me for our this marriage too. I'll give it to you sometime before our wedding. I don't want a different mangalsutr. That one is too precious to me and my heart had yearned to wear that." Pragya tells him as her eyes filled with tears.

Abhi felt his eyes fill up, without a word, he moves towards her and lovingly kisses her on her forehead.

Abhi and Pragya walks back to join their families.

"Let's leave?" Abhi asks his family.

They nod.

Abhi walks to Sarala and bends down to touch her feet, "Bye aunty."

"Now that we would be announcing your engagement and wedding, I think you should start calling us Ma and Papa." Sarala tells him smiling.

"Okay, Ma." Abhi tells her smiling.

**********

Now that their supposed engagement and impending wedding was informed to all near and dear ones, surprising everyone, Abhi and Pragya had decided that now they would meet only on their wedding day. Their explanation was that they had stayed away from each other for so long that they would continue that till their second marriage. Meanwhile Preeta and Karan had gone back to Bengaluru and continued to stay together.

Very soon, everyone got busy with the wedding preps. And the month flew by and like Abhi had promised Pragya, they had a grand wedding.

"It's really late, we should sleep." Pragya whispers to Abhi as she snuggled on his chest. "Morning we have the Puja here for Karan bhaiyya then we have to go home for didi's Puja then evening their mehendi function."

Abhi hugs her as he rolled over her and started kissing her naked shoulders, "I have no idea, how many nights I have spent sleeplessly thinking of this night."

Pragya cups his face so he would look at her. "Even me." Pragya whispers then leaning up and she takes his lips in hers.

*** The End ***

For all those curious people, there was scene in Shubhayathra where Jayaram and Parvathy comes to Innocent's house. Jayaram says we will go for a walk and come, after they leave KPAC Lalita says something about how they are not able to be with each other. That scene inspired this story, a husband-wife, not able to have a normal relation. And that is how I got this story. And the part Mohan and Radha see Abhi and Pragya sleeping and sympathizing with them was my version of the above scene. Also the part where he has fever is inspired from the movie.

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- Lazy