So here we complete the half-century of this story.......Yipeeeeeeee! One of my most favourite stories and it's gonna be a hell cute chapter with super caring and intelligent Rey! Hopefully you guys would enjoy this.
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Author's POV
Rey adjusted his tie, setting his hair and spraying some perfume he was ready for the day. He looked at the bed where Taani was still sleeping, he first thought to wake her up but seeing her tired face he dropped the idea.
Deciding to bring her breakfast up in the room, he took some clothes out for her and also her other necessities for the day so she didn't have to do much. Preparing a warm bath for her for when she wakes up, he went downstairs to see that the others were yet to arrive. Only karan, veer, amna, ishita, harshali, vansh, parents, dadu, dadi and twinkle and swadhinta were there. He went there wishing everybody,
"Good morning!"
He heard a chorus of good mornings before standing beside his mother, when she said,
"Rey, chal jaldi breakfast karne baith jaa, or taani ko bhi bol....." before he could have replied she looked back not finding her there, and asked, "Arre Taani kahan hai?"
Rey answered taking his seat,
"Vo so rahi hai mumma. Uski tabiyat kharab thi to mene uthaya nahi, uska breakfast upar le jaunga."
All grew concerned hearing him, even Naina and Sanskar who came there when Vandana asked with concern almost ready to get up and go check on her daughter-in-law,
"Kya hua usse?"
Rey hesitated, not knowing if Taani would be comfortable in everybody knowing, his family was too much open about things, Naina and his bhabhi's never tried to hide this like a disease but he wasn't sure about Taani. Amna pushed a little,
"Kya hua Rey, bol na? Sab thik hai na?"
He nodded, saying assuringly,
"Wo.........Just monthly's."
All sighed, and Gauri said concerned, "Oh my poor baby! She must be in pain, achha kiya jo nahi uthaya usse."
Avantika nodded, "Haan Rey, tu kuch khaa le, fir main uska nashta de deti hu. Usse jake khila dio."
Rey nodded when Naina said,
"Bhai, aapne bhabhi ko vo home remedy nahi di jo mumma deti hain hume?"
Rey nodded saying,
"Don't worry, mene usse chocolates and vo remedy dedi thi. Thoda relaxation mila usko."
The ladies smiled proudly and Rajni caressed his head, all the family members too smiled knowing their sons would always take care of their wives no matter what. They were proud of their upbringing. Soon, everybody but Taani came and had their breakfast, Avantika handed Rey a tray after he was done and said,
"Ye le, ask Taani to finish thi and come down whenever she is feeling okay."
Ishita said, "Haan Rey, usse kehna kuch bhi chahiye to hum mein se kisi ko bhi bata degi."
Rey nodded and took the tray upstairs. He entered inside only to see her getting ready hurriedly, wincing occasionally as she got ready for the day in the outfit he kept for her. she looked at him when he entered and saw him coming with food,
"Reyansh, aap niche the? Aapne uthaya kyu nahi mujhe, kitna late ho gaya hai."
He shook his head keeping the tray on the table and saying walking close to her,
"Kuch late ni hua hai, pehle tum batao, how you are feeling now?"
She mumbled with a small pout,
"Pain ho raha hai."
He smiled softly kissing her head and said, "Hnn, mumma ne tumhare liye breakfast bheja hai, garam garam kha lo. Or fir ye garam paani fir pi lena, better feel hoga."
She frowned seeing the food,
"Aap ye upar kyu laye, main neeche sabke sath hi brealfast karleti na. sab kya soch rahe honge...."
He frowned saying,
"Koi kuch nahi soch raha taani, tumhare tabiyat thik nahi hai na. Koi kyu bura sochega. In fact, sab ladies ne tumhe rest karne ko bola hai, or ye bhi ki kuch bhi chahiye to unhe bata dena."
She hesitated hearing him, asking him with fumbling with her fingers,
"Sabne matlab? Aapne sabko bata diya ki...ki...mere......"
She was embarrassed, he sighed cupping her cheeks,
"Haan, I am really sorry, main tumse puche bina nahi batana chahta tha but sab panic hog aye sunke tumhari tabiyat kharab hai. To koi option nahi tha."
She looked down exasperatedly,
"Reyansh, it's so embarrassing. Aapne kyu?"
He frowned pulling her head up and asked,
"Hey, what's embarrassing about this? Menstruation is completely normal, everyone knows this."
She sighed and said,
"Haan but....."
He rolled his eyes pulling her closer and saying,
"Taani, listen to me and listen carefully, okay?" she nodded as he continued, "Main raat se dekh raha hun, why are you so embarrassed about something so normal? Every girl goes through this every month, it's not an embarrassment. Women bleeding every month is a symbol of fertility, sign of their power of bringing a new life into this world. No man can go through this every month without dying every second, yet you girls manage to do it, only you and the Goddess know how. So, don't be embarrass about it ever. Just think about it this way, we are here in this world because of our mothers, who too bled every single month, yes?"
She nodded, relaxing somewhat, before saying,
"But bhaiya and papa......"
He sighed knowing she was embarrassed because of men, "You know something, all of them are just concerned about you. Our upbringing has always been different Taani and one thing that was taught to us was about menstruation. You forgot we have a little sister, Naina? When she was gonna get her periods, I remember all three mummas calling us guys and Naina, and explaining to us about it. And you know why they told us?"
Taani looked at him anticipating his words, "They told us this only to tell...rather warn us the next second to help Naina or any other girl we see going through this in our childhood without making fun of her. They told us to take care of Naina, be it for bringing her pads unashamed, fulfilling her food cravings, not teasing or fighting with her because of her mood swings or even helping her with her cramps. And they even taught us to help all the women in our lives, specially our wives. Haan dadi and dadu being old was initially not really appreciative of us knowing but slowly as they saw Naina getting comfortable with us about this, they too warmed upto this idea."
Taani finally smiled a little seeing sense in his words, she nodded when Rey said,
"One more thing, never be ashamed of this okay? Taani, if we as elders won't be open up about these things, what do you think will be the effect on Harshali and Vansh as they are growing up. You know right Harshali would have hers soon and that little girl would go through a lot. It would be upon us to make her comfortable when she is suffering through this new phase. Not just her, but all our kids, even OUR future kids."
Taani pondered over his words and knew he was right, when he said,
"Now we don't want them to have an environment at home where they would hesitate while taking pads in their room, or hiding them in a newspaper, not talking about their issues and going through all this alone like in schools. Do we?"
Taani immediately shook her head,
"Never!"
He smiled caressing her cheeks,
"Now, you okay? And still, I am sorry for telling everybody. I would take care of this from next time."
She just shook her head, "You didn't do anthing wrong, you don't need to be sorry. You are right, Harshali and Vansh are growing. And I want Vansh to be like you and bhaiyas, not like guys who laugh after seeing a stain on any girl's clothes."
He grinned hitting his forehead with hers smiling widely,
"That's like my bachha. Now you have this, I need to leave. Kuch bhi chahiye ho, bhabhi ko bata dena. Nahi to call me, I'll try to come soon."
She nodded, he collected his stuff and was gonna leave when she stopped him holding his hand,
"Reyansh!"
He looked ta her and then at their hands, she smiled softly making his day brighter as she walked closer and standing just an inch away from her. her hands cupped his cheeks making his breath fasten as she stood on her tip-toes and pressed her lips on his forehead in a soft kiss, before coming back down on her feet as she mumbled looking straight in his eyes,
"You're so precious."
His heart expanded with joy hearing her, those words menat everything to me. more than any confession of love. He so wanted to hear this everyday for the rest of his life, but he wanted to tell her this too everyday,
"So are you jaana!"
Saying that he kissed her forehead lovingly making her sigh in bliss. Hugging her for a few seconds, where she mumbled,
"Jaldi aana."
He separated and left for his office while she just stood there admiringly.
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Taani was resting in her room, the first days of her cycle are always the most painful when she heard a knock on her door. She said loudly,
"Come in."
She sat straight seeing Vandana, Gauri and Avantika there with all the bhabhi's. she said to them,
"Arre mumma, aap sabne knock kyu kiya."
The ladies smiled at her when Kanchi joked,
"Han han mumma, abhi to yahan Rey bhi nahi hai, so I am sure aisa kuch ni ho raha hoga ki hume knock karke aana pade."
Taani flushed hearing Kanchi while the others giggled making Taani whine,
"Bhabhiiiiiiiiiii.........Mumma dekho na."
All looked ta her amused seeing her baby self, she bit her lips realising what she did making everybody giggle when Avantika sat beside her and said caressing her cheek,
"Bilkul aise hi bachhe ki tarah raha kar, abhi to bas 21 ki hai meri beti, ye itni maturity and seriousness ki koi zarurat nahi hai."
All agreed and Taani finally smiled. All settled down when Gauri asked,
"Ab thik ho Taani? Bahot dard to nahi haI?"
Taani nodded, "Bas thoda sa hai mom, baki I am okay."
Vandana smiled picking the tray she brought with her and said,
"Chal shabash, ye garam besan ka halwa hai, jaldi se kha le. Araam milega. Tum sab bhi khao."
Taani immediately got a wiff of the aroma and smiled brightly,
"Wow, khushboo kitni achhi aa rahi hai."
Twinkle said,
"Haina, mumma ne jo banaya hai."
Saying that she hugged Avantika from the side who laughed patting Twinkle's head. All the ladies picked one while Avantika picked one for Taani and fed her with her own hands. Taani ate silently enjoying Avantika's pampering to the fullest. Her mother never pampered her during her cycles. Avantika patted her head saying,
"Chalo, tum sba khao or baatein karo, hume kuch kaam hai. Hum aate hain."
The girls nodded and kissing Tanai's head the trhee ladies left leaving behind the younger gen. the girls settled in a small round of conversation, soon deciding to play something. Settling on housie, they all started playing the game spending their tiem together.
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"Sanskar, how can you do this to me? Tum mujhse....mujhse break up kar arhe ho?"
Vishakha asked him furiously, Sanskar nodded looking at her, still calmer than anything,
"Yes Vishakha, main tumse break up kar raha hu coz maine realize kiya hai ki we aren't meant to be. We have different ideologies as well as opinions. Problem tum mein nahi hai, it's just I have understood we won't be happy together."
Vishakha fumed as she saw Sanskar moving away, she shouted from behind,
"It's because of Taara right?"
Sanskar halted mid-way, they were in the college corridor where no one comes a lot. He spoke,
"Tumhe jo samjhna hai samjh lo."
Vishakha scoffed,
"So, I was right. It's because of her. that bitch!"
Sanskar fisted his hand and turned around instantly shouting for the first time in their conversation,
"Vishakha, I won't hear anything against Taara. Think twice before saying something bad for her, consequences won't be good for you."
Saying that he walked away while Vishakha just stood there staring at her boy....ex-boyfriend walking away from her. She cursed under her breath,
Go to hell Sanskar Singhania, you deserve that rotten rat only.
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That's all for today! Hope you all liked these two updates. A request do give a chance to my book 'And they all survived' and do give your reviews on Amazon. It would mean a lot.
Thanks and love!
Meera