@tashudd Thanks for this beautiful poster
Raghunandhu and Parthavi were sitting on the dining table in the corner seat waiting for the lunch to be served. Raghu pushed her to the corner and settled inside next to her. All her cousins and his siblings yelled saying he was cheating.
"Raghu Anna.. This is cheating.. You have all your life to sit beside her and romance.. Sit with us for sometime no?"
Sainath shouted his lungs out. Raghu looked down chuckling. Parthu glared.
"This is not done Raghu Anna.."
Srinath joined his brother.
"Bava.. Sit with us"
Vasu called him. Raghu looked at Parthavi who was so immersed in her food.
"Parthavi.."
"I am not moving.. If you want to go.. Got from under the table."
"Who says I am going?"
"Then?"
"I am just waiting for you to start eating."
"Why?"
"You eat.. You will know."
Frowning Parthavi starts eating and when she asks for second serve of the potato fry she looks down and finds that her last serve of Potato missing. Scowling she turned and saw Raghunandhu stuffing his mouth with Potato fry and rice.
"OUCH!"
Raghu yelled and turns to Parthavi who was looking like Kaali Maatha.
"My Potato!"
"I am your husband! And you are kicking me?"
"HUSBAND TO BE.. BUT THAT WAS MY POTATO."
"POTATO KI INTHA SHOUTING NECESSARY?"
Everyone yelled back boringly making these two look down. His ears were so red. Her cheeks and neck were taking a bright shade of red. Prabha chuckled.
"Alludu.. What is this?"
"Yem ledu athaiyya.."
"I can see that.."
"Please call me by my name.."
"Its not.."
"Lakshmi.. Don't hesitate. And it will take some time for them Nanna.. To even think about using your name. It took me too. Give them space."
Shivaprasad came to their rescue.
"Mavaiyya. You don't know how awkward it is when such elder people give you so much respect.."
Prithvi said sadly.
"Hello.. That respect is for a reason! Because they are sending their daughter with you. So if you are respected, you would treat us with some respect ani.."
Bhoomi, who was feeding Dhitvi, came back heatedly.
"So right Bhoomi.."
"Mosam! Prithvi Bro Mosam.. We thought they were respecting us.."
"Its okay Rishi bro. She is right anyways.."
Shantha laughed.
"Prithvi Bava is Bhoomidasudu. So don't expect anything else."
Rishi surrendered.
"I am Shantha Das.. You tell me I will change my name this very moment."
Everyone laughed. Among all this chaos, they forgot the real jodi who were so busy in themselves.
"Dont you dare touch my jamun."
Parthavi silently growled. Raghu went close to her ears. So much that his hot breath raised heat in her.
"I have my jamun. So I will not come to yours."
He whispered and nuzzled his nose along the backside of her ear giving her goosebumps.
"Orei Thammudu! Food is in the front."
Bhargava called making them jump and move away and making others laugh out loud. Parthavi kicked him again.
"You better stay away from me and my food."
"Kashtam!"
"Grrr!"
"Dragon.."
"Thindi potu"
"You are not any less madam."
"Yo boss! Shut up and eat.."
"Give some respect to your husband Madam.."
"You are not yet my husband."
"The moment I saw you, I fixed you as my wife. And I think my feelings are reciprocated.."
"Keep thinking.."
"HELLLLOOOOO"
Vedmohan came to them with a cup of ice cream in his hands and eating from it.
"Hello"
Both said consciously.
"Are you done?"
"With?"
"I meant food!"
Both scowled at him.
"I am asking because.. In sometime we have to leave for the airport."
"We know. You finish licking your ice cream. By that time, we will be done."
"Not for the life."
"Orei! Po ra!"
"Relax Enuga. I am going.. Vassuuuuuu.. Get me another ice cream."
"Vache Ved anna.."
Raghu chuckled.
"Sometimes, I wonder who is the kid among those two."
Parthavi sighed.
"I know. When I met him first, I saw a lost kid in him. And Vasu was a person who could actually make him happy with all her antics and I saw him living his childhood with her. Ved is another son in this home."
"I can see that. Where we failed, you took it upon you to succeed Parthavi. I don't know.. How to.."
"Ved is my friends Raghu.."
"But he is my brother.."
"Which only makes him close to me.. And if you have fixed me as your wife, you shouldn't be in debt to me for making his life better."
Raghu smiled. The connect he felt for the first time he saw her pic was proving to be stronger with each passing moment. Parthavi was everything he wanted in his life.
Slowly his hand made way to hers beneath the table and held it tight. Parthavi smiled turning her palms in his and held his in return. A moment of theirs to cherish.
Soon they were leaving to Airport to catch flight to Hyderabad, for Parthavi and Vedmohan's Alumni meet.
Parthavi was climbing down the small flight of stairs from the door to the car when she sat down frowning. Raghu frowned and walked to her. He saw her trying to untangle her Salwar Duppatta from her anklets.
"Grr.. I told amma not to listen to all those ladies. Now wear Traditional dress and jewels and sit here trying to untangle. Say bye bye to the flight and alumni meet."
Raghu chuckled.
"Its just anklet Parthavi. Not a Jalebi."
"Dont you talk about Jalebi."
Raghu bit his tongue closing his one eye. Jalebi was the code word for her star couple because they were spinning jalebi for years now.
"Oops. Sorry."
"Hmm.."
Raghu sat on the stairs and slowly caught her foot making her gasp. His hand slowly caressed her sole before holding it in a grip.
"What are you doing?"
"Helping you.."
Saying he untangled her duppatta from the anklet. Very slowly much to her.. Did she like it? Did she not? She did not know. But his fingers on the sole of her feet, created a ripple in her that she had never experienced before. She looked at him. He looked at her. He took a deep breath as their eyes met. They did not know how much time passed since.
"Ahem.. Bava.."
The moment broke. Raghunandhu moved soon untangling. Parthavi stood up and rushed to the car behind Raghunandhu. Chuckling and shaking his head, Vedmohan followed them. Good that the family planned to arrive a little late to the door.
"Amma Parthu, be careful."
"Okay amma.."
"Raghunandha.. Please take care.."
"I will take care athaiyya. You dont worry."
"Avunu Prabha amma, why worry when Bava is there. But may be you should worry about Bava."
"Rei! Be quiet. My Daughter in law will take good care of him and so will he. You just return to us back this time."
Durga said pulling Ved's ears.
"Dont worry amma. If he doesn't. This time I will drag him here."
Bhargava said. He was one person who stood aloof with Ved because, he was much elder than Raghu and he felt more responsible for Vedmohan's leaving the family.
"Bhargav Bava. I am not leaving my family again. Okay?"
"Keep your promise this time."
"You will see."
"Anna, vadile ra. I am there no? And remember he is the new civil engineer in our firm. I have bond ready."
"Bhargava.. Nandhu.. Enough. Leave now. You are going to miss the check."
They bid adieu to the family and got into the car.
Soon they were sitting in flight travelling to Hyderabad. Vedmohan sat in the seat alone leaving them in the two seater row.
"Why didn't you wear something comfortable Parthavi?"
"I am comfortable with dress. My problem are the jewels."
Raghu chuckled.
"Seriously?"
"Yes. I am not used to wearing all these on daily basis."
"You can remove it before we go the event."
She frowned.
"You are coming?"
"Off course. Alumni meet allows a date right?"
"Yeaaahhh.."
"So I am coming."
"Mr. Architect.."
"Enti Ms. HR?"
"Are you by any chance investigating me?"
"Whatever you mean?"
"Aha.. So Mr. Architect is now Mr. KD Pathak investigating me and my past!"
"No way.."
"Your face Shows it all My man.."
"Ahan?"
"Yeah.."
"So, what does my face show now?"
Saying he moved closer to her making her breath arrest. Since she was close to window, she moved back leaning and he leaned forward.
"What are you doing?"
"What is my face showing.."
"Raghu.."
"Parthavi.."
He whispered back and leaned more closer. So close that their noses were touching.
"Raghu.."
"Hmm?"
"Rei Bava.. This is Plane.. PUBLIC!"
They heard Vedmohan from behind them and both moved away with jerk.
"When did you come here? Weren't you supposed to be 4 rows behind?"
"Seat Exchange offer!"
"Huh!"
"Sorry my dear elephant and he man.. But its not possible to stop the inevitable."
"Shut up Ved.."
"Weren't you the one who was trying to stop him when he.."
"Orei Mohan!"
"But.."
"Come on! There is something called privacy."
"Searching for that in a public place is making me wonder if you have any common sense Ms. Elephant!"
"Mohan!"
"Sorry Bava.. But please consider others who are in the plane and wait until you reach your place."
Raghu and Parthu growled. But Parthavi frowned.
"Where are staying Thaati Chettu?"
"Erm, In Bava's Penthouse."
"What the.. How come I never knew this?"
"Come on. I said that our Hyderabad house has been sold long back before I went abroad."
"But.."
"Okay then.. Let us stay at Prithvi Anna's place Partha."
"No no! You stay with me."
"Good!"
Raghu groaned. But then he scowled at Parthavi who was trying to stifle her giggle.
"Ms. HR! STOP!"
"Sorry"
And she laughed. And Raghu could not be grumpy anymore. So he just joined her and later was joined by Vedmohan's snore.
"Parthavi??"
Raghunandhu called her coming out from the room all ready in his very simple dark Prussian blue formal shirt and black pant.
"Coming.."
She came adjusting her saree that was a combination of magenta and prussian blue. She chuckled looking at his attire while he smiled too leaning on the door frame nearby.
"Hmm.. Something is not fitting."
Parthavi frowned. Raghu frowned too.
"Enti Parthavi?"
She came close to him. So close.
"Parthavi what are you doing my woman?"
He asked as he felt her lifting his arm from his pant pockets.
"Shhh!"
She said she held his hands and started folding his sleeves to half. After finishing both the sleeves, she let his arm down and looked at him smiling.
"Now you look like Raghu I know."
She said winking at him. Raghu chuckled shaking his head. He was trying so hard to be comfortable with his cuffs closed. But..
"How did you.."
"I have seen you enough to understand what makes you comfortable and what doesn't Mr. Architect."
"A very understanding wife.."
"Wife to be.."
"Its just 40 more days Parthavi.."
"Shh! Let us not get into husband wife zone already."
Before RAghu could answer, both heard a honk and knew that Vedmohan had arrived. Parthavi was about to move out when RAghu held her arm and pulled her to him. His one arm went around her waist while other went to her hair.
"You look good in open hair Ms. HR"
He whispered in her ear.
"You don't look bad yourself in Prussian blue Mr. Architect."
She replied in throaty voice as she felt him placing his face on the crook of her neck making her go crazy. His hand that was on her hair, slowly came down to caress her cheeks.
"Parthavi.."
"We should go.."
"I know.."
"Ved is outside.."
"Yes.."
But he made no move. Containing her laugh, she pushed him and sauntered out. He stood there with hands on his hips, smiling, looking at his giggling bundle. Suddenly she turned, ran back to him. He frowned.
Holding his collar, she pulled him down a little and planted a silent but long kiss on his cheeks and ran out. Shaking his head and caressing his cheeks, he followed her out.
But both came to halt seeing a very serious Vedmohan who sat inside the car which was growling showing his mood.
What could have gone wrong with him? Not wanting to ask anything now, both got into the car which zoomed to the college.