•5 years later•
"So that's it for today, let's wrap up guys", Adriti announced as every worker of the cafe gathered around her
She thanked them for their work and service. Removing her apron, she walked inside the kitchen and checked each and every burner, switched off the lights and the main circuit and walked out closing the cafe.
She couldn't believe that it's been 5 years, five years to her marriage and 4 years since she started her own cafe. Just after her wedding after returning from their honeymoon, she started making plans to open her cafe. Samrat was her best motivator and guide when she needed him. She had his full support, and it was his idea which encouraged her to make her dream come true.
Adriti smiled as she drove her car and the familiar building came into view.
"Mumma", a loud voice squealed and the little creature came running towards her and hugged her legs.
"Did Samriti enjoy her day today?", Adriti asked copying her baby tone to which Samriti just nodded with a big toothy smile
Married life was just a bliss for Adriti. Just after a week of her cafe's inauguration, he found out she was pregnant. And she was left horrified, truth be told she was overwhelmed. The fact that she had just started the work and the now baby on the way, it was a way too much to handle.
She remembered how stressed and panicked she was with the news. She almost had a nervous breakdown but her husband never left her. He always had her back. He understood her fears and concerns, he made her realise and understand how they were together in this when she almost had second thoughts about her baby.
She almost laughed at the memory when she revealed news new to him.
"Samrat Maheshwari, you, good for nothing, piece of the barbarian tribe, what did you do haa? How can you do this with me?",She was so freaked out that she'd yelled profanities at him while he was in the middle of a meeting.
"Abhi Maine kya kar diya baby?", he had so innocently asked her back unaware of everything.
"You freaking made me pregnant, I'm with a baby and there you are busy handling some shity meeting", she had yelled back irritated. "Y-you are pregnant?", he had asked her after a pause, his tone a hushed whisper as if he was on the verge of crying
"Obviously, if would be fucking me like a damn beast, pregnant hi hungi na", she shouted in annoyance. "And you, remember if in the next 10 minutes, you aren't here in front of me, forget that you ever had a wife", and without waiting for his reply she had cut call on his face
And as promised Samrat was in front of her in just 9 minutes. Tears cascaded down his eyes as he softly yet strongly hugged her while sniffing and crying like a baby. Her emotions and hormones were everywhere that she cried in his embrace, her anger and rage long forgotten.
"We're pregnant riti?", he'd questioned again looking at her in the eyes. "haa! Abhi kya stamp paper per likh kar du?", she sobbed in his embrace while he chuckled at her last remark
They broke the news to the family and to say that everyone was happy would be an understatement, all of them were over the moon, especially her husband. He handled her every craving, her every mood swings.
He would wake up along with her at ungodly hours whenever her morning sickness troubled her, he never complained about her any midnight craving and followed her very demands like an ideal husband. He would gently kiss her forehead and hug her wherever she was an emotional mess.
Samriti was a super active child and gave a tough time to her parents from the time she was in the womb. Adriti would have severe back pain and would end up with highly swollen feet After several false alarms, headaches, countless sleepless nights, and terrible morning sickness, their super hyperactive daughter was born.
Samrat had literally cried for hours after he'd held their little buddle of joy in his arms for the first time. He was so scared to even hold her, saying what if he'd end up hurting her. "She's so soft and beautiful like you Riti, I promise I'd never let even a single drip of tears leave her eyes. See she had got your eyes but my nose"
They named her Samriti, after Sarah came up with the name. She said it was what she had come up with after joining my and Samrat's name. And since then Samriti was everyone's princess. She had everyone wrapped around her tiny finger.
She wasn't spoiled but knew the way to coax everyone. Her single cry and the whole Maheshwari Mansion goes bonkers.
"Mumma, where's papa?", Adriti was brought out of her reverie when her daughter asked her about her father
"Papa is busy with work kiddo, but you know we're gonna give him a surprise", she replied and made her sit in her baby seat.
She chastely kissed her both chubby cheeks to which she giggled. She quickly came towards her side and drove off towards her husband's office.
Reaching the office building, she gave the car keys to the guard and walked inside the glass door with her daughter on her hips.
"Mumma, we gonna meet Papa?", she cutely asked looking at the exterior with her big curious eyes. "Yes bacche", Adriti replied and passed smiles to everyone as a greeting
She walked towards the private lift and punched the floor button. Samriti squealed in her arms, oh her daughter had a thing for lifts. Where most of the people were shit scared to the bones her little troublemaker enjoyed it the most. The lift pinged and as soon as the door opened Samriti jumped from her arms and ran towards the open office shouting loudly, "Papa"
"Oh my princess is here", Samrat copied her tone, matching her excitement as he collected him in his arms and tickled her making both of them erupt in a fits of laughter.
"Great, I kept her inside me for 9 months and all she does is forget my existence in your presence", Adriti remarked twisting her lips. She crossed her arms below her chest and gave the father-daughter duo a stinky eye and rolled her eyes at them
"oh just accept it that you're jealous", Samrat replied and walked towards her. He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, making her land on his chest with Samriti between them. Both of them were lost in each other's eyes, and Samrat eyed her lips as she licked them.
"Off ho! Chhoriye mujhe, you both are squeezing me", Samriti complained bringing the two love birds out of their dreamland as she jumped out of his arms
"Jaisi maa vaisi beti, ek dam dramebaaz", Samrat whispered under his breath and twisted his lips. "Kya kaha aapne?", Adriti asked, her eyes turning into slits
"kuch toh nhi! Mai kuch kehta bhi hu bhala", He answered with a sheepish smile and Adriti visibly relaxed and nodded her head.
"Papa mai chahu ke pass jaau?", Samriti asked and then waddled away without even listening to his answer
"As if she would have stopped if you would have refused", Adriti scoffed. "Tumhari hi toh beti hai", Samrat whispered under his breath but gave a heartwarming smile when she glared at him.
Samrat nicely wrapped his hands around her and pulled her closer by her waist. He stared lovingly at her making her blush. He still had that effect on her after years of marriage. No matter how much they fight, at the end of the day, they still find their way back to each other.
"I love you a lot, like a lot a lot", she confessed making him smile.
No matter how many times they confessed it seems like just yesterday. Samrat leaned and softly placed his lips on hers. The gentle caresses of his lips on her made her toes curl. It was so soft yet passionate, filled with love and promises. He tugged at her bottom lips and darted his tongue inside her mouth sucking on it. Her fingers combed through his hair as her stomach did a weird flip. They lost themselves in the kiss with the promise to find back each other.
He broke the kiss and rested his forehead on hers. They panted for breaths, eyes closed and chest heaving up and down. A small smile grazed their lips as they recalled the past together. Their first meet, their confession, their marriage, their fights and arguments, her pregnancy, Samriti and their togetherness of five years.
"Papa, I wanna have an ice cream", Samriti demanded and the couple still in each other's arms looked at her standing afar
"Of course, anything for my favourite ladies", Samrat answered making both the girls beamed at him.
And just like that they found their forever. It was an end to their story, but every end is a beginning in disguise. Samrat kissed her Adriti's forehead with the promise of happily ever after as they gazed at their daughter giggling and relishing her ice cream.
THE END
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The official end to 'Dil bimar'.
Phew, I feel overwhelmed announcing my first-ever story which I finished. I had started writing books before always but couldn't find myself continuing till the end because of a poor schedule And now finally completing at least even a short story feels like an achievement.
For all those more couples to come, stay tuned;)