It had been a month since the second wedding of Dhawal and Natasha. She was following all the rules of the household. She stopped interacting with everyone. She was blamed by Amrish and Amba for the bride swap, and she couldn't even prove herself innocent. Chirag and Dhawal tried to explain, but no one believed them, thinking that they were trying to protect Natasha. Her plan was to stop the wedding, not to be at the wedding. Chirag and Dhawal had made this plan after saving Natasha from Sundip's assault. Luckily, they were able to save her. So they exchanged the brides. So she just accepted everything, the taunts from Amba. She accepted Dhawal's explanation, but she was tired of fighting. She stopped talking to everyone. Any time Dhawal had a conversation with her, she would anwered any questions, but she never volunteered any info or started a conversation. She did her chores and started her classes online, as the family wouldn't approve of her going to university. Dhawal, on the other hand, was getting frustrated. He wanted his old Natasha back, the fiesty, cute, fearless Natasha. He was running out of options of trying to find his Natasha.
One day, she had made Dhawal's breakfast and cleaning up after him. When everyone was sitting in the sitting room. The sister in laws were quietly conversing among themselves. Natasha usually kept herself away from everyone. When they noticed that Natasha came down in a completely white outfit, like the ones you would wear at a funeral. Shocking the Makwana family.
"Natasha, what's going on?" asked Dhawal.
"Nothing" as she walked by the sitting room. As she passed the family, her phone rang.
"Hello Bhabi." answering the call.
"No, Bhabi. I will grab the garlands. I will be going to the market before coming. We need to be at the temple by 3 pm. No need. I will take a ricksaw. Don't worry. Fine. I will ask Hetal Bhabi. I will be there shortly. Bye" as everyone heard the one-sided conversation. They figured it was Isha. Natasha turned to Hetal Bhabi
"Hetal Bhabi, I need a photo?" Natasha asked.
"A photo? Who's?" asked Hetal Bhabi
"Papaji's," answered Natasha
"Why do you need Papa's photo? And I will take you to the market. Let me get ready, " interrupted Dhawal
Natasha nodded sadly. "We are doing a puja for my family, as their memorial, and Bhabi is doing Papaji's"
"Why is Isha doing that! The puja will be done on the anniversary of his death, " said Amba
"It is their death anniversary. I lost my family during the earthquake, and Isha mentioned that Papaji also lost his life then. It's been sixteen years to the day." Natasha quietly answered.
"Nastasha. I will grab the photo. I will also get ready and join you. " stated Hetal
"We will come too," said Dolly and Pranali, as they left to go get ready. Dhawal and Chirag also got up and went to get ready. The next thing Natasha knew was that everyone left to get ready. She waited 5 minutes for the picture when she messaged Hetal Bhabi to bring the photo to Pandya Niwas. She decided to grab a ricksaw as they family would be taking a while to get ready. She had been trying to get a richsaw for 10 minutes, when Dhawal called her from near his car as he was putting his father's protrait in the car.
"Natasha, I told you I was going to take you to the market. Let's go." she looked out towards the main road, realizing that a ricksaw won't show up any time soon.
She got into the car, and Dhawal drove off. "Can you let Isha Di know that the family is coming too." Natasha nodded and quickly called Isha to let her know.
"Why didn't you tell me about the puja?" asked Dhawal
"It wouldn't have mattered. Nothing I say matters." stated Natasha
"Everything you say or do matters to me. I tried explaining after the wedding. But you weren't listening to me. You just got quiet. I miss my Natasha. The one who was fearless." stated Dhawal
"You wanted someone like Suhani. That is why you were ready to marry her. You left me!" cried Natasha
"I left you for your happiness. I love you! Nothing mattered to more than your happiness. And your family and Pandya Store were your happiness!" replied Dhawal
"You are my happiness. I love you! My family is important but so are you! I need you! Nobody else! Why do you think I was thinking of ways for your wedding to be cancelled. All those functions, I couldn't have you doing those with Suhani. You're my husband!" Natasha cried, smacking his arm.
"Natasha! I'm sorry! Stop hitting me! I'm driving!" Dhawal exclaimed, trying to keep his eyes on the road. "Natasha, I'm sorry. How about we have a proper talk after the puja. I know you were hurt a lot. And I am sorry. I will make it up to you. "
"Fine," said Natasha
"What do we need from the market?" asked Dhawal
"We will grab the supplies for the puja and the garlands." said Natasha
"How many garlands?" asked Dhawal
"9. One for Papaji and eight for my family." stated Natasha
"8? You lost 8 members of your family during the earthquake." asked a shocked Dhawal
"Yes. My family was at Somnath Bank. They were helping people get out to safety. But they lost their lives." stated Natasha
Dhawal and Natasha quickly grabbed the supplies and went to Pandya Niwas, where everyone was gathered. The atmosphere was quite tense. They smiled as they walked in.
"Yash, after the puja, both families need to talk." suprising both families. Chiku nodded his head and agreed.
Everyone and the puja was done wonderfully. Natasha was hugging Chiku. "Chiku, for the first time, our puja was complete. We missed you in all these years. Our family is finally happy." cried Natasha. Chiku returned the hug, with Sheesh and Mithu joining them. Isha and Dhawal smiled at the Pandya siblings. "How about you guys, include your spouses in this love. We are part of this family too, " interrupted Dhawal as her hugged Natasha from behind, and Isha gave a side hug to Chiku.
"Ok. Let's get back home so we can talk. Yash, let's go to Makwana house." Dhawal asked, and it was agreed upon.
After a while, everyone gathered in the sitting area of the Makwana house. Once everyone was settled down. Dhawal had started.
"Earlier today, I found out some news. 16 years ago, both families were devastated in the aftermath of the earthquake. We lost our father and Damaa, and she lost her family. Eight members. Four sons and four daughter in laws, all in one moment. Our families were connected 16 years ago, and we just didn't understand. Ma, the family that tried to save Papa was none other than Natasha's family. Her family was in the bank helping others to safety and lost their lives." Amba looked shocked at the news. Amrish opened his mouth, then closed it. Not knowing what to say.
"I also have a few things to say. I didn't want to divorce or get annulment from Natasha. That was a deal that I had with Amrish Bhai. He would return Pandya Store if I had sent Natasha out of my life. So I did. I would do anything for Natasha. I even agreed to marry Suhani, so Natasha could move on. It was my punishment for hurting Natasha. Even the wedding functions, I did all my functions, imagining that I was doing them with Natasha, and in the end, I did have them with Natasha. And lastly, the bride swapped, that was my idea. When we found Natasha, Sundip had already drugged her. He was ready to assault her. We handed him over to the police. We sobered Natasha up as much as we could. But I couldn't marry Suhani, so I married Natasha again. And I would do it 100 times, as long as she is my wife. We love each other, but circumstances were against us, which also includes the demolition of Pandya Store. But no longer, we will be moving to the Farm house, and if that is not possible, we will ind an apartment. But we will be moving out."
"Dhawal, we can't move out," interjected Natasha
"Natasha. Calm down, "holding her face in his hands. "I promise we won't be moving for good. Just for a little while. Bhavin Bhai made a good point in his drunkness. We need to make start living for us. Our small family. We need to start making our decisions, whether they are good or bad, but they will be our decisions. Not anyone elses. And we will do that by moving out."
"Finally, someone taking a stand for themselves. Sorry, Amrish Bhai. I know you are mad , but the decisions you make are only right for you. Our family has not been happy in years, yet you and Ma persist in your delusion of reputation and how your family life should be. What did that reputation do when your mentor turned out to be a criminal. At least when I married Yash, he wasn't going to jail, unlike Rohan." Isha stated. "We need you to guide us, give us advice when we ask for it. We do not need to under your control. You know, Pandya Niwas is not as big as Makwana house, but do you know I have never been happier as I am in Pandya Niwas."
Chiku and Suman smiled at Isha's words.
"I agree, Mots! You need to let us live our lives, our way otherwise, the day is not far, when you will lose all of us. And now, Natasha and I still have to talk so we will leave. I am taking her out for dinner, so we will see you guys later." As Dhawal grabbed Natasha's hand and pulled her out of the house.
The Pandya's left soon after, leaving all the Makwana's with something to think about.
Dhawal and Natasha were out having dinner when she tried to ask him about what just happened earlier, in which he would brush it off, saying we would talk when we got home. He smiled, thinking,'Finally, my Natasha is coming back! My fiesty Natasha'
Dhawal and Natasha arrived home, and the place was quiet. It seemed that everyone was in their bedrooms. Natasha and Dhawal got ready for bed, and Natasha made both of them a cup of tea. Both got in bed with their cup of tea, and as they were drinking, Natasha finally was able to ask him about what happened a few hours ago.
"Natasha, I'm sorry for everything I put you thru in the last few months. I mean, the first marriage, I married you in false pretenses. I thought it was ok that love would come afterward, but when you found out, the hurt in your eyes, it broke me. I didn't know how to fix my mistake. You were so angry, and it was your right. Then Daama had her attack, and you didn't want me around you. Then Mots wanted me to divorce you, but luckily you came back. I was so happy. I didn't know at the time was, that I had already fallen for you. Then the issues with Golu's kidnapping and then you brought back Isha Di, and then Mots decided to destroy our relationship by demolishing Pandya Store. I gave you the annulment, and then we got remarried. I don't regret the marriage. I think this time, it's for the right reasons. Love, and I was marrying my love. I meant the vows we took around the mandap. I see a future with you, I want to have children with you, in our far future. And when we do, I want our children to be proud of us. What we can accomplish. And that is why, tomorrow, I will be speaking to Ma and Mots. I can figure out if we move to the Farm house or we can find an apartment to move into." said Dhawal
Natasha smiled and nodded. She noticed that Dhawal wasn't going to the sofa as he had been for the last little while. When she motioned towards the sofa.
"New start. New beginnings. We can share the bed." Surprising Natasha.