Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story: The Perfect Husband (Posted on 01. May. 2023)
This story is based on a story request/idea by Aastha
Fair warning
Madhu is going to piss off some readers.
Rishabh is going to piss off some readers.
Both of them are going to piss off rest of the readers.
I believe everybody is excited... let's start.
Haven't proofread.
"Flowers!" Padmini says as she walked to her family happily holding the beautiful bouquet.
Madhu and Dipali expectantly looks at her.
"Who is it for?" Malik asks with a teasing smile at his daughters.
"Dipali. From Sultan." Padmini says as she extended the bouquet to her.
Blushing happily, Dipali takes the bouquet.
Madhu quickly puts a smile on her face as she tried to hide her disappointment.
As if on cue, Dipali's phone starts ringing. Blushing more, she quickly picks her phone and bouquet and hurries out of the room, while her family chuckled seeing that.
Padmini smiles as she watched her daughter and sits next to Madhu. Madhu smiles at her and Padmini smiles at her as she lovingly caressed her head. Madhu smiles and slyly looks at her phone to see if she got any messages or calls. There were none.
Madhu holds in her sigh of disappointment.
Dipali had completed her Software Engineering course and had got placed through campus recruitment. At present, she was going through her training before she started her official work. Their parents had started looking for a groom for her when they got the proposal for her from the Kundra family, for their elder son Sultan.
After the initial enquiry, their family had decided to proceed and meet each other when they had suddenly proposed their younger son, Rishabh for Madhu. Even though she was in her final year under graduation, they had decided to proceed because Dipali and Madhu were very close and the prospect of being married into the same family was something they couldn't refuse.
Soon, the families had met. She had met Rishabh. They spoke for maximum a minute. Rishabh had asked her whether she was okay with getting married before she completed her studies and she had replied yes. And that was it.
Immediately after their marriage had been fixed, Sultan and Dipali had started speaking on the phone and going on dates while she neither met or spoke to Rishabh after that.
**********
As days passed by, Madhu was getting worried and scared. She couldn't understand why Rishabh didn't show any interest in her. As time went, she started getting insecure and couldn't help wonder whether he was being forced to marry her.
She couldn't bring herself to call him as he clearly didn't want to speak to her.
She couldn't speak to her sister or parents about it, as she didn't want to cause any problems in di's wedding. She could clearly see how much they loved each other.
**********
Her family had started noticing how both their daughter's relation with their respective grooms were so different from each other. Dipali received gifts, flowers and calls from Sultan on a daily basis while Madhu received none.
Madhu knew that her family was also getting worried. But she acted as if she didn't notice it.
"Madhu..." Dipali walks to her one afternoon.
"Yeah, di?" Madhu turns to her as she faked a smile.
"I spoke to Sultan." Dipali starts guiltily and hesitantly.
Seeing the guilt on her, Madhu immediately knew what she would have spoke to him about. She quickly looks away, her smile dropping. "You shouldn't have."
"I didn't want to interfere. But Madhu, if it was the other way around, you would have also done the same." Dipali gently tells her.
Madhu nods realizing that was true.
"Sultan told me that Rishabh is very reserved and doesn't speak much. He has always been like this. He is always silent. He is a man of few words. Sultan swore to me that Rishabh wants to marry you. No one is forcing him." Dipali tells her.
Madhu nods, feeling a little relieved though her heart was still a little broken as she had always wanted a romantic husband.
"Sultan said he would speak to Rishabh."
"He shouldn't have." Madhu says a little upset because she didn't want anyone to force Rishabh to call her.
**********
Her heart slamming against her chest, Madhu stares at her phone screen as it displayed Rishabh calling.
"Hello?" Madhu nervously answers.
"Hello, Madhu. It is, Rishu." Rishabh gently says.
"I know, I've your number saved." Madhu informs him.
"Oh. Okay."
When he didn't say anything, Madhu asks him. "How are you?"
"Fine. And you?"
"Good."
"Sultan told me that you would have expected me to call you. I am sorry, I didn't realize that." Rishabh tells her.
"It's okay. I... just..." not knowing what to say, Madhu just stops.
"When is a convenient time to call you?"
"What?" Madhu asks confused.
"You have college and college work. So, when would you be free?"
Madhu felt the question a little weird but she answers. "Like now. I'm free at this time."
"Okay."
They were silent for a few seconds.
"How was your day?" Madhu asks as she was drawing a big blank.
"Usual. Office work. How was your day?" Rishabh asks her back.
"Good. I was in college. Had a test."
"Okay."
Madhu was a little disappointed that he hadn't asked how her test went.
"What else?" Madhu asks him.
"Nothing much. What else?" He asks her back.
"Nothing much."
"Okay... I'll call you tomorrow then. Bye."
"Okay. Good night."
"Good night."
**********
The next day, sharp at 10, Rishabh called her. And they had the same conversation again.
Then the next day, also he called her, and the same conversation.
And it went on like that till their wedding.
**********
Madhu nervously sat on her marital bed as she waited for her husband. Her heart was slamming against her chest as she tried to control her nervousness. She hears the door open and she sits up tensed. Then she hears Rishabh lock the door. She grips her hand in nervousness.
As she tried to calm her raising heart, she feels the bed dip.
Madhu gulps realizing that Rishabh was sitting in front of her.
She feels him lift her ghoonghat up. Madhu nervously looks up at him.
As their eyes met, Rishabh sweetly smiles at her.
Seeing him smile, Madhu shyly smiles back.
Smiling, Rishabh leans towards her and gently kisses her forehead.
Feeling his kiss, Madhu blushes as she shyly looked down.
Rishabh gently holds her chin and lifts up her face.
Seeing her blushing like a tomato, he couldn't help it, and he kisses her red cheek. Then he moves to kiss her other cheek. As he was kissing her, he felt her featherlight kiss.
He moves back and looks at her, and Madhu blushes even more.
Seeing her blushing like that, his eyes moves to her lips.
Feeling his eyes on her lips, Madhu couldn't help it, and her gaze falls to his lips and she unconsciously parts her lips.
Seeing the silent invitation, Rishabh moves towards her and takes her lips in his.
**********
Madhu couldn't move. It was as if she was stuck in a tight place. And she was feeling sore too. Sleepily, she opens her eyes and realizes that she wasn't stuck. She was in Rishabh's tight embrace.
Seeing him in broad daylight, Madhu couldn't control her blush. She never thought or expected them to be of those couples who would make love on the first night of their marriage. She blushes as she remembered their night together. After their amazing first kiss, they just kept kissing each other and then one thing led to another and they ended up going all the way.
Realizing that she needed to get up, Madhu gently wakes him up. "Rishu?"
"Hmmm." Rishabh sleepily opens his eyes.
"Good morning." Madhu says as she blushed.
"Morning." Rishabh says with a sleepy smile as he kissed her cheek.
Madhu kisses his cheek shyly.
Rishabh smiles and hugging her, he closes his eyes to sleep.
"Move, I've to get up."
Rishabh nods and immediately moves away and moves to his side of the bed and goes back to sleep.
Madhu was a little disappointed that there was no push and pull on the bed like she had seen in movies. Then realizing she had no time to play romantic tease, she quickly grabs her clothes and runs to the bathroom.
**********
Madhu and Dipali walks to the dining table as they carried the food they had prepared.
"Is it ready?" Sultan asks excitedly as he walked to them.
"Yes." Dipali replies happily.
Madhu looks for Rishabh and sees him busy on his laptop.
"Which one is yours?" Sultan asks Dipali.
"This one."
"Rishu, come." Radha calls out to him as she served the food on bowls.
Rishabh leaving his laptop on the couch, walks to the dining table.
Madhu's eyes locks with his and he gently smiles at her. Madhu smiles back at him.
"This is Dipali's." Radha says as she handed a bowl to Sultan. Then she hands another bowl to Rishabh. "This is Madhu's."
Both the brothers tastes the food while Dipali and Madhu, looked at their husbands with nervous excitement.
"Wow... amazing." Sultan says as he ate the food.
Dipali smiles happily hearing her husband praise her.
Sultan takes her hand and kisses on it. "You've magic on your fingers."
Dipali blushes as she looked at her audience. Madhu winks at her with a teasing smile.
"How is Madhu's?" Radha asks Rishabh.
Madhu expectantly looks at her husband.
"Nice." Rishabh tells Madhu as he softly smiled.
Madhu shyly smiles hearing that, though she was a little disappointed that he was not that excited about her food like jeeju was of di's.
"Just nice?" Radha asks shocked.
"What?" Rishabh asks confused. "It is good."
"You are so unromantic, Rishu." Radha says shaking her head.
"How is a son of mine so unromantic?" Mohan asks frowning disappointed at Rishabh.
Confused and lost, Rishabh looks at everyone then he looks at Madhu.
Madhu didn't know what to say.
"Learn from your father, Rishu. He is so romantic." Radha tells him as she lovingly smiled at Mohan.
Mohan also smiles at her happily.
Madhu felt so awkward and uncomfortable hearing all that.
Noticing her sister, being uncomfortable, Dipali says loudly. "Let's eat."
**********
"You're happy, right?" Dipali asks Madhu as they walked to her room that night.
Madhu nods understanding, the earlier incident might have made her concerned."Rishu doesn't speak much. But he is very gentle." Madhu tells her smiling shyly.
Seeing her sister, happily smiling, Dipali smiles happily and hugs her. Madhu hugs her as she chuckled.
As they were walking, Madhu notices Rishabh coming from the opposite side.
Madhu stops while Dipali walked ahead. Seeing her, Rishabh walks to her.
"Di and I'm going to call Papa and Mummy." Madhu informs him.
"Okay. I'll be in room."
"I'll come soon." Madhu tells him as she blushed.
Seeing her blush, Rishabh grins though his cheek had also turned slightly pink and he whispers. "Come fast."
Madhu blushes even more hearing that. Nodding, she runs off to Dipali's room.
**********
Madhu locks their bedroom door as she walked in. Seeing her, Rishabh smiles and walks to her.
Madhu walks to him and was about to hug him when alarm starts ringing. "What's that?" Madhu asks shocked.
"My phone." Rishabh says as he looked around for his phone.
Seeing his phone on the bed, Madhu picks it up and stops in shock seeing the alarm notification. Call Madhu.
"You kept an alarm to call me daily?" Madhu asks shocked.
"Yeah." Rishabh takes the phone and stops the alarm. "I forgot to delete it." Rishabh says as he deleted the alarm.
"You had an alarm to call me daily?" Madhu asks, no wonder he was always sharp on time.
"Yeah, I knew you were expecting my call, I didn't want you to wait." Rishabh says as he threw the phone on the bed.
Madhu didn't know whether she should be offended that he needed an alarm to remind him to call her or be happy that he didn't want her to wait.
In the end, she decided to look at the bright side. "That was sweet." Madhu says smiling at him as she wrapped her hand around his waist.
Rishabh smiles as he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulls her close.
**********
Her husband was a loner. Madhu figured that out as days passed by. He always kept to himself. He wasn't much of a talker. Whenever they spoke to each other it was because she had initiated a conversation. It was not just her, he didn't speak much with his family members also. But he always had a smile on his face, when he looked at her.
"My leave is over. Tomorrow, I've to start going to college again." Madhu tells Rishabh as she snuggled in his arms.
Rishabh nods. "What's your college timing?"
"8 to 3:30."
"I can drop you on the way but picking you up..."
"That's okay." Madhu tells him smiling. "I go with my friends. And I'll come back with them."
"Okay." Rishabh replies then seeing her smiling he asks with a smile. "You're excited to go back to college?"
"Yeah." Madhu smiles excitedly.
Rishabh smiles.
"Di's training will finish in a month. Then she will go to Bengaluru." Madhu tells him a little sadly.
"You're very close to bhabhi, right?"
"Yes. Till marriage, we used to sleep in same room." Madhu tells him. "Now, I'll get to see her only alternate weekends."
"That is what they are planning. I don't know how practically possible will that be. They both would be working and traveling up and down might be too much after a point. So, maybe it will be once a month or so."
"You think so?" Madhu asks sadly.
"You can also go there to see her when you miss her." Rishabh reminds her.
"Oh yeah." Madhu says smiling at that possibility.
Rishabh smiles and he kisses her forehead.
Smiling, Madhu kisses him realizing he was ready to sleep. "Good night."
**********
Madhu wasn't unhappy. She was happy with Rishabh but when she sees the other two couple around her, she couldn't help feel a sense of loss. Both Jeeju and Dad, were so expressive and romantic with their wives. Both di and Mom were being treated like a princess by their husbands while she was being treated like just a wife.
She knew that there were many husbands who treated their wives in worse and cruel way. Rishabh was always sweet and gentle with her. Di and Jeeju already had their first fight after marriage and they had patched up while Rishabh hasn't even looked at her with displeasure till now.When she thought of all that, she felt she was being ungrateful. But her heart couldn't help crave for more.
**********
Madhu sighs as she walked to the kitchen, feeling disappointed and upset. Di and jeeju have gone for a date as it was Valentine's day. Even Dad and Mom were missing from home. Rishu wasn't even home from office yet. Her friends who all were in a relation were having special plans for the day.
She wondered whether Rishu realized it was valentine's day. Madhu shakes her head, he didn't. Even she hadn't realized it till she had gone to college and met her friends. Then later that day, Di had messaged her to inform of her valentine's plan.
"What's for dinner?" Madhu asks the cook.
The cook turns to her in shock and says. "Madam said since it is valentine's day, you all would have plans and not to cook anything for you all."
"Oh."
"I'll make something quickly." The cook says hurriedly.
"It's okay. I'll order something." Madhu tells her and quickly leaves the kitchen.
**********
Rishu, food is here. When will you reach?
Madhu messages Rishabh. Half a minute later, she gets his reply.
I'll take time, Madhu. You've dinner.
Okay.
Madhu sighs, Rishu always came late from work but she didn't mind that as she used that time to finish her college work and spend time with her di. So, when he reaches home, she would be free to spend her time with Rishu.
Tonight, she was feeling depressed and lonely. Everybody was having an amazing time with their spouse while she was here all alone. Madhu opens the pizza box. She takes a pizza slice and brings it near her mouth. Unable to control herself, a sob breaks out of her. Leaving the pizza back in the box, Madhu runs off to her room.
She falls on her bed and breaks out into loud sob.
Why didn't Rishu want to spend time with her? Why is he so distant? Why is he not romantic and loving?
With these thoughts plaguing her, Madhu sleeps off.
In the middle of the night, Madhu wakes up and looks to Rishabh's side and finds him sleeping on his end of the bed.
Madhu feels sad seeing that. Why didn't he wake her up when he reached home? They hadn't spend anytime together the whole day, morning they both would be busy getting ready for work and college. Only at night, they had time for each other, and he didn't wake her up when he reached.
**********
"Do you want to go out?" Madhu asks Rishabh one weekend.
"Where?" Rishabh asks curiously as he looked at her.
"Somewhere... anywhere... just for a driver... we never went out together anywhere." Madhu tells him.
"Okay."
Madhu smiles excitedly seeing him agree. "Let's go then. We'll have dinner also from out."
"Okay." Rishabh smiles seeing her smile.
"Let's get ready." Madhu tells him as she pulled his hand and pulled him up.
Chuckling, Rishabh let's her lead him.
**********
They were walking down the stairs when Dipali comes from the opposite side.
"Di, we're going out." Madhu informs her excitedly.
"Nice, where?" Dipali asks smiling happily.
"Just for drive and dinner." Madhu tells her.
"Great. Enjoy." Dipali tells them smiling.
"You want to come with us, bhabhi?" Rishabh asks her.
Madhu and Dipali stop hearing the question.
Dipali looks at Rishabh then at Madhu then she looks back at Rishabh and says, "No, you guys go. Have fun."
Madhu smiles hearing her sister refuse. She smiles at Dipali. "Bye, di."
"Bye." Dipali smiles at her.
Madhu and Rishabh walk down the stairs. Excited and happy, Madhu wraps her hand around Rishabh's waist, hugging him. Smiling, Rishabh wraps his hand around her.
**********
"Hi, di!" Madhu answers the call as she left her college. "College is done, I'll meet you at the mall in a bit."
Dipali was finishing her training today and in two days, Dipali and Sultan would be leaving for Bengaluru. So, Madhu and Dipali were going for shopping for her.
"Madhu..." Dipali says disappointedly.
"What happened, di?" Madhu asks as she stopped in worry.
"I don't think I can go." Dipali says softly sniffing.
"Why?"
"They put me in the branch here."
"But you had asked for Bengaluru."
"They didn't have any slot. Too many recruits from Bengaluru. Only options are Mumbai and Delhi."
"Oh no."
"I'm going home."
"Okay, I'll see you there. What did jeeju say?"
"He is also upset. He is coming home now. I'll see you there."
"Okay." Madhu cuts the call and dials Rishabh as she hurried out of her college
**********
The family had gathered together as they discussed on various solutions.
"When can you request for a transfer?" Mohan asks Dipali.
"I'm on probation for 6 months and I've to work here for two years before I can opt for a transfer." Dipali informs him.
"Er... how about you look for a job in Bengaluru?" Radha gently asks her.
Dipali thoughtfully looks at her mother-in-law.
"No... this has been her dream. To get a job in this company. And it is such a career kill to leave a job with no 1 software company." Sultan says shaking his head.
"Then what are you going to do?" Mohan asks him.
"I'll go alone then." Sultan says.
Seeing Dipali's eyes fill up, Madhu wraps her hand around her to console her.
"I'll go." Rishabh declares.
Madhu turns to Rishabh in shock.
"What?" Sultan asks him shocked.
"I can manage the work there. Either of us has to be there. I can go." Rishabh tells him.
Madhu couldn't believe that Rishabh would take such a big decision of their life without even talking to her first about it. And how could he go like that? What about her?
"But Madhu has college." Sultan reminds him, confused.
"Madhu will stay here." Rishabh replies.
"No." Dipali says shaking her head. "You and Madhu doesn't have to do that. Sultan will go and I'll stay here."
"Bhabhi, this is the practical thing to do. Dad can't go. He has to be here. It's either Sultan or me. It is better I go." Rishabh tells her.
"What about Madhu?" Dipali asks him.
Madhu helplessly looks at her husband as her heart slammed against her chest, in worry and heart break. How can he go leaving her behind?
"Madhu has college, she'll stay here." Rishabh says.
"You and Madhu staying away from each other... that is not right, Rishu." Sultan tells him. "Dipali and I'll work it out. For now, I'll go alone."
"Be practical, Sultan." Rishabh tells him. "In a few months Madhu will finish her course. She can move to Bengaluru after that. She can join a college there for her post graduation. By the time, she finishes her PG, it will be time for me to come back. We both will come back then. If I go now, it is just a matter of few months for us. If you go, then it is going to be for years for you both."
"Rishu is right." Mohan gently interjects.
Sultan and Dipali look at each other, guiltily and thoughtfully.
"What do you say?" Sultan finally asks Dipali.
"I don't feel this is right." Dipali says guiltily.
"Even I feel Rishu is right, Dipali." Radha tells her.
"Are you okay with this?" Dipali asks Madhu.
When her husband had made the decision and told everyone about it, did it really matter whether she was okay with this or not?
Madhu looks at her sister, and the first thought she had was, jeeju loved di, and they should be together.
Madhu looks at Rishabh and sees him looking at her. "Rishu is right."
**********
Two days went in a blink for Madhu as she watched Rishabh prepare for shifting to a new city.
She was hurt, upset and heart broken but she didn't tell him anything. Because according to her, he had already made his decision to leave her behind.
Madhu watched as Rishabh packed up his laptop bag. His flight was tomorrow early morning. He would be staying in the flat that jeeju and di had decided on. They had already got the flat ready the week before itself. Seeing Rishabh keeping his laptop bag to the side and taking his mobile to set the alarm, Madhu runs to him and hugs him from behind.
Rishabh turns around and hugs her. "What happened?"
With tear filled eyes, Madhu looks at him. "When will you come back?"
Rishabh lovingly cups her face. "This weekend. I'll come every weekend." Rishabh promises her.
"I'll miss you, Rishu." Madhu tells him as she sobbed.
"Madhu, please don't cry." Rishabh tells her as he hugged her. "It is for just a few months, love."
Madhu nods as she hugged him tight. "Keep alarm to call me every night." Madhu tells him as she cried.
**********
Madhu walks to her bedroom and gets on her bed sadly. First time, she was staying there without Rishabh. Even though her sister was there, Madhu felt lonely and abandoned.
Rishabh had already called her. Now, she was alone.
She lies on her bed and silently cried. She was finding it so hard to stay away from Rishu. And she had to stay like this for months. How was it so easy for Rishu to take such a decision?
As Madhu lay on her bed, she couldn't help wonder whether she meant nothing to Rishabh. Just like how he had decided to stay away from her for his brother, did he decide to marry her also for his brother?
With that scary thought, Madhu cried herself to sleep.
Feeling someone hug her, Madhu wakes up in surprise. "Rishu?" Madhu calls as she turns to look.
"It's me." Dipali guiltily says.
"I thought it was Rishu." Madhu says disappointed and sad as she lay back. "He always hugs me like that when we sleep." Madhu whispers.
"I'm so sorry, Madhu." Dipali guiltily says.
"Don't say sorry, di. This is right thing to do." Madhu says as she looked at her.
Madhu knew the decision they had made was the most practical decision, but she still missed her husband and felt abandoned.
Dipali gently wipes Madhu's tears.
Madhu looks at her sister sadly and confesses as she cried. "I miss him, di. He left so fast. I didn't have time to get used to the idea of staying away from him."
Dipali hugs her as Madhu cried herself to sleep.
**********
Even though she missed Rishabh and felt lonely, she tried to ignore that and go about her life.
Madhu was walking to her bedroom when she noticing through the window, Sultan and Dipali walking together in the garden as they spoke to each other.
Madhu unknowingly stops and watches them for a few seconds. She couldn't remember walking like that with Rishabh. She regrets never walking with him like that. Then she couldn't help but wonder if he would even enjoy that.
Feeling someone keep his hand over her shoulder, Madhu turns to look and sees Mohan.
"Dad..." Madhu smiles as she looked at him. "I was just..."
"Missing Rishu?" Mohan asks her.
The family was going out of their way to pamper her because Rishabh wasn't home. Madhu smiles at him and says as she hugged him. "He will come back in 2 days."
Mohan smiles at her.
"Madhu!" Dipali calls her.
Madhu turns to look at her sister.
"Come here!" Dipali and Sultan waves her over.
Madhu was wondering whether she would be intruding on them when Mohan gently pushes her. "Go."
Nodding, Madhu walks to them as she smiled at them.
**********
Madhu couldn't hide her excitement as tomorrow evening Rishu would be coming home.
"Look at her beaming." Radha teases seeing Madhu walk in.
Madhu happily chuckles as she sat next to her mother-in-law.
"Was college that good today?" Radha teases her.
Madhu happily laughs hearing that. "The best!"
Radha laughs hearing her.
Seeing her laugh, unable to hide her excitement, Madhu says happily, "Rishu will reach tomorrow."
"But Rishu said he is not coming tomorrow." Radha tells her confused.
"What?" Madhu asks confused then chuckling she says, "You're teasing me, right?"
"No, Madhu. Rishu is not coming tomorrow." Radha tells her.
"But he didn't say anything to me." Madhu says confused as she took her phone to call him.
"He called while you were in college. Maybe he didn't want to disturb you during class. Some important meeting. He said he'll come next week."
"You're just joking."
"I swear, Madhu. He is not coming tomorrow." Radha tells her honestly.
"He is not coming tomorrow?" Madhu asks as her eyes filled up and her heart breaking.
"Oh Madhu... don't cry, my child." Radha quickly hugs her. "I was just joking."
"He is coming tomorrow?" Madhu asks her hopefully.
"No."
"Then..."
"You reached?" Rishabh asks happily.
Hearing him, Madhu turns back in shock and sees Rishabh walking towards her, smiling happily.
"Rishu!" Madhu shouts in surprise and she quickly gets up and runs to him.
As she reached him, she jumps on him and hugs him tight. "You're here."
Rishabh hugs her tight.
"How come you're here?" Madhu asks him as she looked up at him, unable to control her joy.
"You liked our surprise?" Mohan asks Madhu.
Madhu turns around and finds Mohan, Radha, Dipali and Sultan. "Your surprise?" Madhu asks surprised.
"Yeah." Radha tells her smiling as she lovingly caressed her hair. "I told you Rishu is not coming tomorrow." Radha cheekily says.
"You gave me a heart attack." Madhu tells her laughing happily as she hugged Rishabh.
"I told you I would come." Rishabh reminds her gently.
Madhu looks at him and smiles happily.
**********
The moment they walked into their room. Rishabh and Madhu starts to kiss hungrily.
"I missed you." Madhu tells Rishabh as she kissed him.
Rishabh groans as he hungrily kissed her as he pulled her closer to him.
**********
Slowly, Madhu adapted to the new situation. Rishabh came every Friday evening and left Monday early morning. And every night, Rishabh called Madhu at sharp 10. Madhu never kept any time, whenever she felt like talking to him, she called him.
**********
Hearing the alarm ringing, Madhu comes awake in shock. "What is that?" Madhu asks as she tried to calm her raising heart.
"It's the alarm." Rishabh tells her as he turned to switch off the alarm.
"Is it time for your flight?" Madhu asks disappointed.
Rishabh chuckles. "I just reached today." Rishabh reminds her.
"Then why the alar..." Madhu stops when she felt Rishabh kiss her cheek.
"Happy birthday."
"It's my birthday?" Madhu asks confused. "Oh yeah it is."
Madhu feels Rishabh take her hand and she looks at their hand and sees him put a beautiful bracelet on her wrist.
"So, beautiful." Madhu says smiling as she admired it.
Rishabh smiles seeing that.
"You knew it is my birthday?"
"Yeah." Rishabh replies surprised.
"You kept an alarm to wish me?" Madhu asks frowning.
"We always wish each other at 12 here." Rishabh replies.
Madhu takes his hand and keeps it over her heart, and feels her heart beating fast. "You need to change your alarm tone."
"Sorry."
"Thank you." Madhu says as she kissed him.
"Madhu!"
"Everyone is here to wish you." Rishabh says.
"Oh." Madhu jumps out of the bed as she gathered her clothes. Then remembering, she removes his t-shirt that she was wearing and throws it at him. Every time they made love, she was too lazy to wear her clothes and always wore the t-shirt that he would have been wearing that night. She runs to the bathroom to wear her clothes while Rishabh wore his t-shirt and opened the door.
Madhu comes out of the bathroom fully clothed and finds the family waiting for her.
"Happy birthday!" Everyone excitedly wishes her.
**********
Madhu was getting nervous. She hadn't got her periods yet. She waited for a few days but there was no sign of her periods. She decides to get a home test and find out.
**********
Madhu knocks on Dipali's bedroom door. Sultan opens the door.
"Hi Madhu." Sultan says smiling at her.
"Where is di?" Madhu asks him nervously.
"Dipali... Madhu here for you." Sultan calls out then he asks her in concern. "All okay?"
"Yeah."
"What happened?" Dipali asks confused as she walked out hearing Sultan's question.
Madhu awkwardly looks at Sultan. Realizing they wanted privacy, he walks back into his room.
The moment he went back in, Madhu grabs Dipali's hand and runs to her room.
"What happened?" Dipali asks as she ran with her.
Madhu takes her test stick and extends it to Dipali.
Noticing the home test, Dipali asks excitedly. "You are pregnant?"
Madhu nervously nods.
Seeing her nervous, Dipali asks her worriedly. "It is not planned?"
Madhu shakes her head in no.
"What did Rishu say?" Dipali asks her.
"I called him but he didn't answer the call. I think he is busy."
"Try again, Madhu." Dipali tells her gently.
Madhu nods and takes her mobile and dials Rishabh's number.
After a few rings, he answers the call. "Madhu... I'm a little busy. Can I call you back?"
Madhu quickly moves away for privacy. "No, Rishu. This is important."
"All okay? You sound upset." Rishabh asks in concern.
Madhu nervously tells him. "Rishu, I'm pregnant."
"What?" Rishabh asks in shock. "How? We used condoms."
Rishabh had always been careful. Not even once they have had unprotected sex.
"I didn't get my periods and when I checked at home, it shows I am pregnant." Madhu informs him.
Rishabh was silent hearing her.
"Rishu?"
"What did you decide?" Rishabh asks her.
As he asked her that, Madhu asked herself that question. Her heart and lips replied at once. "I want this baby."
Rishabh didn't say anything hearing that.
"Rishu?"
"I'm here."
"What are you thinking?"
"It's such a shock." Rishabh says then he sighs loudly. "We are going to be parents."
She could hear his smile in his voice. "You're happy." Madhu says feeling happy.
"I love babies. You had college, studies and career. So, I thought we'll have babies only years later." Rishabh says happily.
"I know. But I'm happy we are going to have a baby." Madhu tells him happily.
Rishabh smiles hearing that.
"I want to see you. When will you come?" Madhu asks excitedly.
"Day after."
"Oh."
"You want me to come today?" Rishabh asks her.
Even though, she wanted him to come, she knew it is silly to say that. "It's okay. I'll see you day after." Madhu tells him softly. "Bye. Call me when you're free." Madhu tells him and hangs up the phone.
Madhu turns back and looks at Dipali. Dipali expectantly looks at her, and Madhu happily smiles.
"Congratulations!" Dipali says excitedly as she ran to her and hugged her.
Madhu hugs her happily.
"I'll tell everyone?"
Madhu happily nods.
Shouting excitedly, Dipali runs out of the room.
**********
Madhu rolls over in her sleep and her hand hits something hard. Madhu curiously opens her eyes and sees someone lying next to her.
"DI, JEEJU, DAD, MOM!" Madhu screams freaking out as she jumped out of her bed.
"Madhu? What happened?" Rishabh asks as he sat up worried.
"Rishu?" Madhu stops in shock. "When did you come?"
"Why are you screaming?" Rishabh asks her worriedly.
"Because you were supposed to be in Bengaluru and someone was lying next to me." Madhu tells him shocked.
"Madhu!!!" Dipali knocks on the door freaking out.
"Madhu!"
"I thought you wanted me to come." Rishabh replies confused as he walked to the door and opens it.
"Rishu?" Sultan stops in shock seeing him. "When did you come?"
Dipali pushes Rishabh and runs in worriedly to Madhu.
Checking his watch, Rishabh says, "About 2 hours back."
"Madhu... what happened?" Radha asks as she hurried to the room then stopping in shock, she asks. "Rishu? When did you come?"
"Is Madhu okay?" Mohan asks.
"You okay?" Dipali asks Madhu.
Madhu nods. "I didn't know Rishu was back. I got scared when I saw someone lying next to me."
"Oh my God, Rishu." Radha hits his shoulder. "She is pregnant. You don't scare her like this."
"She was sleeping when I reached. So, I didn't want to disturb her by waking her up." Rishabh explains.
"Are you okay, Madhu?" Radha asks her.
"Yeah, I am fine. Sorry, I woke you all up and gave you a fright." Madhu tells them.
Slowly everyone left. Rishabh locks the door and walks to Madhu.
"Sorry, I scared you." Rishabh tells her as he hugged her.
"You came." Madhu says happily as she hugged him.
"I felt as though you wanted me to come."
"I did." Madhu smiles and keeps his hand over her stomach.
Rishabh smiles and gently caresses her stomach. "I still can't believe."
"Even me." Madhu tells him happily as she hugged him tight.
**********
"I'm not coming down." Madhu says as she sat on the bed looking down at her fingers.
Rishabh who was picking up his bag stops and looks at her. "Are you not feeling well?" Rishabh asks as he walked to her and knelt in front of her.
"I'm fine." Madhu whispers.
Rishabh lifts up her face and sees her eyes filled with tears. "What happened?"
"I feel like crying. I don't want everyone to see me cry." Madhu tells him sadly.
She had gotten used to him leaving every week but today, she was feeling sad again.
Rishabh wipes her tears. "It is normal to feel emotional during this time."
Madhu nods.
"Be happy. Everybody is here." Rishabh tells her.
But she wanted him the most.
Madhu nods. "I'm fine. It is just the pregnancy hormones."
Rishabh nods and kisses her forehead. "I'll go. You stay here."
"Bye." Madhu hugs him.
**********
Madhu was happy about her pregnancy but being away from Rishabh was making her lonely. She hadn't expected them to have such an arrangement till it had happened and slowly she had started getting used to it but now, with this unexpected pregnancy and Rishabh being away from her, made her feel so lonely. Every time, she missed him, she called him. Even though he attended her calls and called her once daily, he being a man of few words, left Madhu feel lonely and depressed. At times, it made her feel that she was being desperate for his attention and that made her feel horrible..
"I didn't get an appointment for the weekend. Only Thursday is available." Madhu informs Rishabh.
"Hmmm."
"Should I look for another gynecologist?" Madhu asks him.
"Mom said she is the best, right?"
"But you won't be able to come."
"No, I can't. But it's okay, you go with bhabhi."
"But you'll miss the first scan."
"It's okay. You let me know in advance about the next appointments, so I'll clear my schedule accordingly."
"Okay. I'll send you the scan picture."
**********
"I'll pick you from your college tomorrow." Dipali tells Madhu at night as they walked to Madhu's room.
"Okay." Madhu nods.
"You're missing Rishu, right?" Dipali asks her softly.
Madhu softly smiles at her without replying.
"I'm sorry, Madhu. At this time, you need Rishu the most and because of us, you both have to stay away from each other." Dipali says guiltily.
"No, di. We didn't expect that I will get pregnant so soon. None of this was planned." Madhu tells her.
**********
Madhu wakes up feeling intense pain in her stomach. Crying and struggling, Madhu gets out of her bed. With great difficulty Madhu knocks on Dipali's bedroom door.
"Di..." Madhu gasps as she knocked on the door.
Dipali opens the door and stops in shock seeing Madhu kneeling on the floor, crying and sweating.
"Madhu..." Dipali falls on her knees as she held her.
"My stomach is paining, di. My baby..." Madhu cries, scared for her baby's life.
"Oh my God... Sultan!"
**********
"Madhu... say something." Padmini says softly as she sat opposite to Madhu on the hospital bed.
Madhu doesn't reply or look up at her mother as she kept her hand over her stomach, praying to wake up from this nightmare.
"Madhu..." Dipali softly calls her as she sat next to her.
Madhu ignores everyone as she prayed hard for the nightmare to end.
Hearing the door open, everyone except Madhu looks at the door and sees Rishabh walk in.
"Rishu..." Dipali informs Madhu softly.
Hearing his name, Madhu looks up and sees Rishabh standing by the door. His eyes filled with tears.
Seeing him, Madhu's eyes fill up and she starts sobbing softly then she starts wailing. Rishabh runs to her and hugs her. Hugging him, Madhu cries her heart out. Everybody leaves the room to give them privacy.
**********
Rishabh was watching Madhu as she slept. She had cried herself to sleep.
"Visiting hours is getting over. We'll have to leave now." Mohan informs his family.
"Only one of us can stay here." Radha softly whispers.
"You all go. I'll stay here." Rishabh tells them as he looked at sleeping Madhu.
"I think it is better if one of us stayed here." Radha tells him as she gestured at the women in the room.
"Why?" Rishabh asks confused.
"Madhu would need help. It is better if we stay, Rishabh." Padmini tells him gently.
Hearing that Rishabh gives in and nods.
"I'll stay then." Dipali says.
Hours later, Madhu wakes up and looks around for Rishabh.
"Madhu... Are you okay?" Dipali asks as she hurried to her.
"I am okay. Everybody left?" Madhu asks her.
"Yeah, visiting time was over. They will come in the morning."
Madhu nods as she turned her face away. Why Rishu always abandons her?
**********
Next morning, Rishabh comes.
"How are you?" Rishabh asks Madhu as he cupped her face.
Madhu nods as she looked down, avoiding looking at him.
"Bhabhi, you go home. I'll be here." Rishabh tells Dipali.
"I'll go freshen up and come." Dipali tells Madhu.
Madhu nods.
After Dipali left, Rishabh sat with Madhu. As usual Rishabh was silent while Madhu was drowning in her hell.
**********
"I want to go home." Madhu finally tells Rishabh.
"Your test results all seems to be fine. The doctor will come in the evening. After you meet her, they said that you'll be discharged." Rishabh tells her.
"I want to go to my home." Madhu tells him softly.
"To your parents' house?" Rishabh asks her.
"Yes."
"You feel like staying with them?" Rishabh asks her as he lovingly kept his hand on her cheek.
"I can't keep going like this." Madhu tells him as tears fell from her eyes.
"I didn't understand, Madhu." Rishabh tells her confused.
"You don't need me, Rishu."
"What are you saying, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her shocked.
"You married me so jeeju and di could get married." Madhu accuses him as she cried.
"Who the hell told you that?" Rishabh asks her shocked. "I married you because I liked you."
"Then why do you always leave me?" Madhu asks him as she looked at him.
"Leave you? When?"
"Last night, I needed you but you left."
"Because Mummy and Mom told me that it would be better if one of them stayed with you."
"And you accepted that? You didn't even ask me what I wanted."
"Madhu..." Rishabh stops realizing that he had let others decide instead of asking Madhu what she preferred.
"Just like how you decided to move to Bengaluru without even asking me."
"Madhu... that was the practical decision." Rishabh tells her in shock.
"You didn't even discuss with me. You decided to leave me and go."
"Madhu... I..." Rishabh stops feeling guilty because he knew Madhu was right, he never asked her whether she was okay with the decision.
"You didn't even ask me whether I wanted to come with you." Madhu softly whispers as she cried.
"You had college." Rishabh guiltily whispers.
"So, you left me here. I wanted to be with you, Rishu. When I realized I was pregnant, I wanted you with me. Last night, I needed you the most. We lost our baby and you left me."
"Madhu, I didn't realize... I'm so sorry. Please trust me, I wanted to stay with you but when everyone said..."
"You don't talk to me, Rishu."
"Madhu... I do." Rishabh says shocked.
"Only when I start the conversation. You don't spend time with me. You keep an alarm to call me daily."
"Madhu..." Rishabh stops as he didn't know how to convince her.
"When I see how jeeju spends time with Di, Dad with Mom and Papa with mummy... and the way, you... I feel so unwanted." Madhu confesses as she cried.
Rishabh stops rooted to the ground hearing that.
"I can't take this anymore, Rishu. I want to go home."
Realizing what Madhu had been going through, and filled with guilt, Rishabh walks out of there.
**********
Madhu had gone to her parent's place directly from the hospital. The family had assumed that Madhu wanted to be with her parents after the tragedy she went through.
Madhu was lying on her bed in her room when someone knocks on the door.
Dipali who had stayed back to take care of Madhu, opens the door.
"Rishu?" Dipali says surprised seeing him.
Seeing him, Madhu sits up.
Dipali gently smiles seeing him. Realizing that he had come to stay with Madhu, she leaves the room. "Just call me if you need me, Madhu." Dipali tells her as she left.
"I wanted to talk to you." Rishabh tells her as he walked in and closed the door.
Madhu nods and says. "I don't want any problems to come between Di and jeeju. We won't tell them for now. Later, when the time is right..."
"Stop talking as if all is over between us, Madhu." Rishabh tells her in anguish as he hurried to her.
"It's becoming so difficult, Rishu." Madhu tells him helplessly.
"Please... let's just talk." Rishabh requests her as he knelt in front of her.
Madhu gulps as she looked down, tears falling from her eyes.
Rishabh lovingly wipes the tears from her face. "It was Sultan who noticed." Rishabh says softly.
"What?" Madhu asks confused.
"Your family had sent bhabhi's photos. One of the photo was with you. And Sultan had noticed how I was looking at you."
Madhu looks at him in surprise hearing that.
"I didn't marry you for Sultan or whatever reason you think. The proposal was send for you because I liked you, Madhu." Rishabh tells her. "Please don't leave me, Madhu."
"Then why were you distant from me?" Madhu asks him confused.
"How, Madhu? What made you feel that?" Rishabh asks confused and helpless.
"I never felt that you needed me." Madhu confesses softly.
"I do, Madhu. You're my wife."
Madhu shakes her head in no. "You never even felt the need to talk to me, Rishu. It was me who always came behind you."
"Madhu, I've always been like this. I don't talk much. That's how I am."
"Why you never felt the need to talk to me? Express what you feel for me?"
He asks her softly. "Like how Sultan expresses to bhabhi and how Dad is with Mom?"
Madhu gulps hearing that, her eyes filling up.
"I am not a person like that, Madhu." Rishabh helplessly says.
Madhu looks away too hurt and insecure to accept anything else other than what her insecure mind had thought up.
Seeing that, Rishabh realized that unless he opened his heart to her, she was not going to believe or understand him.
He sits down on the floor and takes Madhu's hand in his. "What I am going to tell you, no other soul should know about it, Madhu."
Madhu looks at him in confusion and shock hearing the strange request.
"No one, not even bhabhi. I trust you, Madhu." Rishabh nervously tells her.
Madhu nods.
"I've never told this to anyone. Even Sultan doesn't know."
"I won't tell anyone." Madhu promises him.
Rishabh grips her hand and takes a worried breath. "I think... I was maybe 3 or 4." Rishabh tells her.
Madhu nods hearing that.
"Sultan used to sleep in his room. I used to sleep with Dad and Mom." Rishabh says as his heart slammed against his chest.
Madhu gently caresses his cheek seeing him so worked up.
Rishabh holds her hand and kisses it, then he keeps her hand in his again.
"Everything would be fine during the day. At night, I used to wake up hearing them whispering." Rishabh says as he gulped. "They thought I had slept but I would be awake. And I could hear Dad pleading Mom not to leave him. Not to break up the family and that he loved her. But she said she loved someone else. Sometimes, he would cry. They both would cry."
Madhu gulps hearing that.
"I couldn't understand what was happening. In front of everyone they would be happy but inside the room, it was so different." Rishabh tells her. "I once asked Dad why Dad and Mom fought at night, he said everything was fine and it was just a misunderstanding. But Dad's eyes had filled up. After that, I never asked him or anyone anything about it."
Madhu's eyes fill up, thinking about what a small Rishabh went through at an age that he couldn't understand all these.
"I didn't understand it then, Madhu... it took me years to realize that Mom had an affair that time." Rishabh tells her.
Madhu couldn't believe that the couple that she saw daily had a past like what Rishu was narrating.
"Seeing all that, I always felt it all fake. I couldn't express like that, it makes me feel awkward." Rishabh helplessly says. "It felt like empty words." Then he hastily adds. "I'm not saving Sultan is not genuine or whether what is between Dad and Mom is not real. It is just that I don't feel like myself if I did all that. I get uncomfortable."
Madhu nods understanding.
"I guess I got scared seeing Dad like that and I started withdrawing from everyone because I was scared to go through what Dad went to." Rishabh tells her then helplessly looking at her, he says. "I didn't realize I was making you go through what Dad went through. It was not my intention, Madhu. I didn't realize I was doing that to you. I love you, Madhu."
Hearing him, Madhu hugs him crying.
"Why didn't you tell me what you were going through?" Rishabh asks her sadly as he hugged her.
"I didn't know how to tell you all that." Madhu tells him crying.
Rishabh nods. "Don't leave me, Madhu."
"I won't." Madhu promises him as she cupped his face. "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you."
Rishabh shakes his head. "Will you come with me to Bengaluru?" Rishabh asks her.
Hearing his question, Madhu nods. "I want to stay with you."
Rishabh smiles in relief hearing that.
**********
Two days later, Rishabh, Madhu and Dipali came back to Kundra house.
"Madhu, how are you, my child?" Radha asks her as she walked to her.
"How are you, Madhu?" Mohan asks as he walked to her.
Madhu gulps looking at her in-laws. Knowing what she knew now, she didn't know how to face them.
She feels Rishabh squeeze her hand and she looks at him and he calmly looks at her.
Madhu didn't know how to face them. She can never see them the way she did before. She didn't know how Rishu faced his parents for all these years. Her heart went out to him.
"I'm better now." Madhu says softly smiling.
Mohan lovingly cups her face, and says, "Sometimes, these things... it happens. Life has a way of giving you more than what you lost."
Madhu smiles hearing that.
"Mohan is right." Radha says as she smiled at Madhu, unconsciously keeping her hand on her husband's hand.
"I'll be going tomorrow evening." Rishabh informs everyone.
"Rishu, I was thinking, why don't you stay here for a week or two. I'll manage everything there." Sultan says.
"It's okay, Sultan. Madhu will be coming with me." Rishabh tells him.
"Madhu? Can she travel now?" Mohan asks confused.
"Doctor said she can."
"When will you come back?"
"She is going to be there with me from now on." Rishabh informs.
"What about her college?" Radha asks shocked.
"We spoke with her Principal. They have agreed to shift her to online classes and anyway, in a few weeks her study leave would start. She'll come down for her exams and if any need arises."
**********
More than two years later
Madhu was sorting out her luggage to shift back to Mumbai. "Rishu, Di was saying that we should stay with Papa and Mummy. Its been so long since we stayed together. I'm going to stay with them for a few days... okay?"
When there was no reply, Madhu turns back and look and sees Rishabh reading a magazine.
"Rishu!" Madhu shouts exasperated.
Rishabh curiously looks up.
"I asked you something."
"I heard."
"Then why can't you reply?" Madhu asks frowning at him.
"I nodded."
Madhu growls. "I'm looking that way. If you nod, how will I know? You're impossible!"
Rishabh smiles at her.
Madhu couldn't help smile seeing him smile.
"We'll stay at your parents for a few days."
"We?" Madhu asks confused. "I meant Di and me."
"You'll stay without me?" Rishabh asks shocked.
"I'm going to have fun with Di, Mummy and Papa." Madhu says smugly.
Life in Bengaluru was good. She wouldn't say perfect or beautiful because she wasn't fanciful anymore.
Rishabh still spoke very less and didn't express much. She did all the speaking and expressing for the both of them. He was ever the calm and gentle man even when she got pissed with him and screamed like a shrew.
He knew how to handle and calm her with his gentleness.
And she was no longer the immature and starry-eyed bride. She was a mature and understanding wife. She learned to read him. She understood his unspoken words and his actions. And they made her feel loved. Always.
"I know that look." Rishabh says with a sexy smile.
Grinning, Madhu walks to him and straddles his lap.
"We're out of condoms. Since, we are flying out tonight, I didn't buy any." Rishabh tells her as he held her waist.
"You pull out before you finish." Madhu tells him.
"How cruel you are, Madhu?" Rishabh asks shocked.
Madhu laughs hearing that. And she says smiling, "You know, Di is pregnant... maybe even we should try for a baby."
"But you're just starting work."
"Why do you think I decided to join Kundra Industries? So, I can work according to my convenience." Madhu cheekily says.
"Work is work, Madhu. You can't fool around there." Rishabh tells her.
"And that is why I'm going to work with Dad and not you and jeeju."
"You're training under Dad?" Rishabh asks shocked.
"Yes. Can you imagine us being together 24x7?" Madhu asks him.
"What's wrong in that?"
Madhu frowns and says. "Rishu, you were never cheesy. Don't start now."
Rishabh chuckles hearing that.
"So, babies?" Madhu asks him smiling excitedly.
"whenever you are ready."
*** The End ***
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- Lazy