JEEVIKA
After sometime, someone knocked the door. "Come-in", I said. Arjun came inside the room and I got up from my place and rested my body against the headboard.
"Happy Holi, Bhabhi", he said with a big smile on his face.
"Happy Holi, Arjun".
"Bhaiya said you're not well. Are you okay now?", he looked concerned.
"Yeah, it's better now."
"Bhabhi, annu is on line. She wanted to wish you".
I took the phone form his hand and wished Annu. We chatted for few minutes and then hung up the call. Arjun was sitting beside me on the bed. I handed over the phone back to him.
"Arjun". "JI-Bhabhi"
"Annu is really a very sweet girl. You're lucky one to have her".
"I know Bhabhi. She is perfect and I really love her a lot", he said with his shining eyes.
"Ek baat puchun Arjun?"
"ji Bhabhi .. puchiye na".
"Aapko kab ehsaas hua ki aap annu se pyaar karte hain?"
"samajh aajata hai Bhabhi. jab uske aas paas hum khush hote hai. uske paas reh kar sukoon ka ehsaas hota hai.. mann hota hai ghanto tak baat kare.. dil ki har baat share kare.. koi aur usko uss way me dekhe to gussa aana.. sath me time beetane se sab kuch theek hojana.. sukh me hi nahi duukh me bhi sath khade rehna" "samajh aajata hai Bhabhi".
I smiled. He was so clear that he loves her. "Bhabhi, Can I say something?"
"Yes, ofcourse".
"I've seen you and bhaiya many times together. You two make a perfect pair together. But.."
"I hadn't expected this ever. Bhabhi.. bhaiya was really heartbroken after Aarushi di not only left him but cheated with him so badly. He never went closer to girls after that. He never trusted them. But the way he looks at you, the way he treats you is very surprising for me. You really changed Bhaiya, Thank you Bhabhi".
I looked at him with wide eyes. I never knew all this. Arhaan never told me he had an ex. I never felt that he hates girls. He never let me feel that.
Arjun got up and left. I was lost in my own world focussing on each and every word Arjun said.
"samajh aajata hai Bhabhi. jab uske aas paas hum khush hote hai"- I'm happy with Arhaan, I really am.
"uske paas reh kar sukoon ka ehsaas hota hai.. mann hota hai ghanto tak baat kare.."-I really feel relaxed when I'm with him. When he takes me in his embrace, I feel his warmth and when he is away from me I crave for his warmth.
"dil ki har baat share kare.. koi aur usko uss way me dekhe to gussa aana.. sath me time beetane se sab kuch theek hojana.. sukh me hi nahi duukh me bhi sath khade rehna" - I always share every small details of my day with him. I want him to know me more and more and I also want to know him more and more. He stands with me in thicks and thins like he did today. He comforts me.
GOD, I LOVE HIM.
ARHAAN
I cannot wait anymore. I need to confess it today itself. I've to do this.
We had our lunch with the family. At evening, we changed our clothes into new ones. I wore a white kurta and she wore a white embroidered suit with a purple dupatta. As always she looked stunning.
We took the blessings of elders. We played gulaal with Arjun and Pihu but I didn't apply it on her.
Then we left for her parent's home. We took blessings of everyone and and applied gulaal on their feets. When we were alone in the room, she came inside the room with a packet of avir in her hand. She came towards me and I shook my head in a 'no'. But she ignored me and headed towards me.
Then, she did the unexpected. She took a pinch of aviir in her hand and bent down infront of me only to apply it on my feet. I immediately took a step back and raised her above to look at me, "Ye kya kar rahin hai aap, Jeevika?".
"Aapbhi toh humse bade hai na, Arhaan", she said innocently.
O my God, this woman.
"You don't have to do this. We're equals right, you don't need to touch me feet please".
"But you're elder than me na".
"Yes, but you're my wife".. "and moreover I do not let girls touch my feet, they're incarnation of Maa Durga".
She made a pout and smiled. "You didn't apply colours on me today, even for once".
"I'll, you have to wait", I palmed her cheek and said. She nodded her head.
We had our dinner with the family and then left after bidding them goodbye.
I started driving. After few minutes of driving, she asked me, "Where are we going?".
"Surprise", I said.
We reached to the place after approximately 30-35 minutes. She widened her eyes after realising the place.
"Why here, Arhaan? That too at this hour of time?".
"I said na surprise, Just come with me".
I opened her door and escorted her out. I took her hands in my hands and walked inside.
Triveni Sangam. This place which holds a very great place in my life. Whenever I craved peace, I visited this place and I felt relaxed.
We headed inside towards the bridge. Both sides were surrounded by water. The location looked so beautiful. Golden lights were lightened up everywhere.
I and Jeevika stood together. She was looking around and exclaimed, " So, this was the surprise? I totally liked it. I have visited this place many times but never this late. It looks so beautiful."
I shifted closer to her and held her hands. "Jeevika, I wanted to spend some time with you alone".
"We're alone Arhaan", she said and chuckled. "Yes, that's why I brought you here". She made an 'O' with her mouth.
"I also brought you here for one special reason".
"And what's that?".
I looked into her eyes for some time and then said, "I wanted to share something with you, something important. I just.. don't know how will you react".
She shifted closer to me, held my hands tightly and said, "I'll never judge you Arhaan.. You can trust me".
Speak up Arhaan. Speak up.
"I- I too had a past. I had a girlfriend whom I loved so much but life gave me the opposite. She never loved me. She used me. I saw her- uh infront of my eyes- cheating with someone on me."
She was listening to my each word very carefully. "After that, I was left heartbroken, I never trusted any girl, I never tried to approach any girl, I never went closer or talked to any girl".. "but then after approx. 1 year, papa started looking for girls and I denied that I didn't wanted to marry anyone". She held my hands more tightly trying to comfort me.
"After some days, papa showed me your photo. I don't know why but I said 'yes' for this marriage. I liked you. Your beautiful big brown eyes, my most favourite part of you. But I did a mistake that I didn't talked with you about this. I never in my dreams had thought that your consent would not be considered in this wedding. The day you told me about your past, I felt shattered again."
She lowered her eyes. I raised her chin up to make her look at me. "But then we became friends. And slowly, you attracted me towards yourself. I felt so happy that day when you told me that you wanted to give this marriage a chance. We came more and more closer day-by-day."
"And Jeevika, I didn't realize when I fell for you. I started loving you. I started craving for you day and night. I wanted to take away all your sorrows and give you just happiness. Jeevika, I don't know whether you feel the same for me or not but I cannot keep this inside me anymore." I cupped Jeevika's cheeks and confessed,
"Standing on this extremely auspicious and holy place where the Ganga,Yamuna and Saraswati meets I want to confess you that I love you, Jeevika. I really do. I haven't felt like this before. Like I feel with you. I love you so much. On this auspicious place, I want to promise you that, no one will ever come in my life after you and I'll always stand by your side irrespective of whether you love me or not, whether you need me or not. I love you jaan and the three rivers meeting here will be the sole witness of my promise to you."
My vision blurred and tears escaped my eyes. Jeevika cupped my cheeks and wiped my tears off with her thumbs. Even tears were flowing from her eyes. Non-stop.
She hugged me tightly against my chest and whispered, " I love you too, Arhaan".
I pulled her away from me with widened eyes and asked her, "What? What did you say?".
"I. love. you. too. Arhaan".