Chapter 24
Although, Jalal was with Jodha physically, mentally he wasn't with her. A rush of guilt passes inside him like ocean waves whenever he looked at Jodha. He often wondered what he did to deserve Jodha. Was he worth it? but no matter what Jalal knew that he cannot bring to forgive himself despite her saying she did. The wounds of his past mistakes does not leave him. No matter how many times he tried to maintain his distance from Jodha, the more closer she got. He also knew that she is very stubborn and will not leave him or let him leave him at any cost. He watched in silence cleaning the house, he wanted to go up and kiss her and hug her with all his strength but couldn't.
After she was done, she came up to him with food. He quietly opened his mouth as Jodha fed him, he didn't want to disappoint her by saying no. He also knew what was coming after dinner, she would put her head on his lap and hug him all night long as if to reassure that he won't leave her but today she didn't something that he didn't expect. She looked at him with a smile that reached all the way up to her eyes, this was a different smile, a smile that spoke mischievousness. She held his arm and led him, quietly, to the bedroom without taking her eyes off of him. She placed him on the bed and walked back a little with a smile, while Jalal looked at her with confusion.
Jodha turned around and turns her face sideways looking at him from the corner of her eyes, smiling. Slowly, she slides off her dupatta, with her back still toward him, Jalal wanted to look away but was unable to. He watched her as she starts taking off her suit, he gets up and walks to the door only to be stopped by Jodha. He looks at her as she shakes her head no, slowly she brings him back again to the bed and makes him sit. She stands in front of him and holds his both hands. Slowly, she places her hand on her waist, Jalal wanted to take his hand away but it only made her hold him tighter. He lets her guide his hands. She starts brings her hands up toward her chest, Jalal head shots up to her face, who had her eyes closed feeling his touch after all these years
She leans closer to Jalal causing him lean back in defense, until Jalal's back touched the bed while Jodha leans sits on top of his stomach. She lets go of her hands and opens her eyes, while Jalal closes his eyes in pain. She unhooks her bra and throws it on the floor and takes Jalal's hands again, happy that he is no longer resisting, she places his hands on top of her curves, Jalal's eyes shot open after feeling the breasts in his hands. She smiles at him and lets of his hands, and leans toward Jalal and kisses him on his cheek "Won't you love me like you used to?" she whsiperes in his ears. Jalal sheds silent tears as he looks at his side, he feels her kissing his tears away "lets start new forgetting our past...love me Jalal..please" She hugs him around his neck and cries on his shoulders. "I need you as much as you need me..love me..." Unable to take her tears and hurt in her voice...he slowly brings her around so that he was on top of her. Jodha closes her eyes and starts to breath heavily, when she felt him playing with her curves. He traces his one hand on her face, as if recognizing her, she opens up her eyes and looks into his hesitant face.
"Its ok, you won't hurt me, you would never" (She held on his arms for support as Jalal continued to study her face)
"I don't know if I can trust myself" (He looks away..Jodha turns his face toward her)
"I trust you."
She leans up and kisses him on his chin. She smiles and looks at Jalal and lies back down. Jalal slowly leans toward her and kisses her on her everywhere on her face. She hugs him from his neck and lets Jalal take in charge. She knew that is what Jalal needed to know he won't hurt her. She let him do whatever he wanted to do with her without a complain. Jalal hands slowly move down to her stomach from her breasts, gently messaging her stomach, while still kissing her. He stops right there as his hands were about to go down. Jodha looks at him and smiles in reassurance. Jalal takes off all the clothes removing any barriers between them. He looked at her body from top to bottom. After few seconds, he enters inside. Both gasps as they felt each other, both in a way, felt alive again. Both felt their lost souls entering their bodies again after a long time. Jalal smiled down at Jodha and kisses her on her face "thank you for making me alive again" he hugs her as both move in rhythm. Jalal and Jodha both had found their happiness at last.
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"Jalal what are you thinking about?" (Ever since their encounter last night..Jalal has been very quiet and to himself. He wouldn't even look at Jodha or come near her, he would simply turn his head away.) "Jalal please talk to me.."
"I shouldn't have..."
"Please Jalal" (she cups his face) "I don't know how to make you understand but please forget everything...lets start new life?"
"I am scared" (Jalal removes her hands and stands near the window..Jodha comes and stands next to him. She notices that he is crying. Jodha turns him toward her and removes his tears while shaking her head no.) "how can you Jodha? How can you forgive me after what I have done?"
Jodha sighs: "To tell you the truth...I don't have the answer to your question" (Jalal looks at her with pain) "But I do know one thing..I love you...and being with you is all that matters for me"
"What if I hurt you again?"
"I know you won't...I trust you. Please don't distance yourself from me...it hurts to see you in this state"
"You know I fell in love with you the moment I first saw you. I still remember that moment like it was yesterday. You were reading a book at your dinning table while trying to eat your dinner at the same time. At that moment, I knew, I knew you were the one that can fulfill the void in my life. I wanted to make you mine no matter what and give you all the happiness you wished for but I didn't know that instead of happiness I would be giving you pain. The happiness that I should've given you, you found it in Suraj. Jodha I don't know what happened last night but all I know is that it shouldn't have happened. You would be better off with Suraj. Why can't you understand?" (Jodha looks at him with tearful eyes while Jalal looks away) "Please don't look at me like that. It hurts to see you suffer because of me."
"If it hurts you so much then why are you making me suffer by going away from me?"
"I am doing what is best for you" (He stands far away from her...Jodha runs and hugs him from the back... She hugs him tighter while Jalal looks at the moon outside the window. Jalal brings Jodha forward when he felt his shirt dampen due to her tears. He makes her look at him and wipes her tears away and hugs her tight.)Both stand there, for what seemed like forever, feeling each other after so many years.
"You are the best thing that happened to me. Yes, I agree, it took time for both of us to understand what we really have but now that I understood I am not leaving you. If you go away from me then I will kill myself." (Jalal puts his hand on her lips to silence her and shakes his head no. Jodha cries and hugs him tight. Jalal picks Jodha up and brings her to the bedroom while both look at one another with new hope and ray of light. Jodha hugs him tighter and places her head on his chest as he carries her...)
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A week later!
"Jalal let go of me. I have work to do" (She screamed and laughed as Jalal tickled her)
"No, not until you give me what I want" (He stops tickling her and looks down at her smiling. After that night, everything had changed for good. Old Jalal was forever erased from their memories and now stood a new Jalal, full of life and laughter. He was looking much healthier like he used to, which made Jodha jealous most of the time whenever girls used to look at him. As a protective nature, she would hold him tighter by his arm, like a little girl, making sure to let the others know he belonged to only her. Now, both were happy in their world. He looks at her mangalsutre and sindoor, stating she belonged to him. Both got remarried the very next day. Although, it was a small ceremony they had everything and everyone they wanted. Jodha forgave everyone as her father forgave Jalal. Both were now settled in their small quiet life in Goa.)
"No, I told you not now" (she wriggles underneath him attempting to get out but Jalal held both her hands and her body tight making sure she is fully trapped)
"You know I will get what I want..." (she looks at him knowing there would be no other way out)
"fine, what do you want?"
"you" (he kisses her on her face...) "I want you with me always 24/7 on this bed until I say so OR until you become pregnant" (Jodha looks at him shocked while he smirks at her)
"What!..let go of me..."
"no" (he whispers in her ear) "We have a lot of catching up to do" (Jodha blushes and covers her face with the spread...Jalal pulls down the spread revealing her beautiful eyes...he begins kissing her slowly as the spread slowly reveals her face...) "i love you"
"I love you too"
PRECAP: EPILOGUE