Hamesha Wala Pyaar - Chapter 36
Sidharth and his mom were lazing around in the porch while Sam aunty and Shehnaaz were at home fixing dinner.
“How’s Neeti and the kids Ma? Hamesha ki tarah phoot phoot ke royi hogi na?” he chuckled.
“Sidharth” his mother admonished, filling him in about Neeti and her family in the States.
“Tu jaise cut off hoke raha hai na sabse, u wont ever understand that feeling…But now that Shehnaaz is in the picture, m sure you will get a taste of it.” His mother pursed her lips, looking at him.
“But one thing I have noticed.. she has you wrapped around her little finger” she laughed out loud teasing him, making him blush.
“Itni chhotisi pyaarisi Gudiya hai, but tujhe bilkul badal diya usne, and the change is heartwarming I must say.”
She brushed the hair off his forehead like a small child.
“Mom you are saying as if I was a monster earlier” he retorted.
“Not a monster exactly but you had an air of bitterness around you, which broke my heart at times. Finally Shehnaaz did the trick and I will be eternally thankful to her” she had a warm smile playing in her face.
She eyed him and spoke “Tujhe maine kabhi bataya nahi sidharth but ek time tha jab mujhe laga tha that you probably like boys” he guffawed at his moms statement with his eyebrows hitting his hair line.
“Mommmmm” he exclaimed in horror.
“Haa aur nahi toh kya?, tu din bhar uss Mohit ke saath rehta tha, and there was no girl around, so I thought may be..u know.” She was hinting at him being gay.
Sidharth was astounded by her confession.
Thankfully she wasn’t aware of his sexual escapades.
Dinner was a simple affair. Sam aunty forced Shehnaaz to be seated beside him, while she served them all.
Sidharth’s mother was surprised looking at Sidharth gobbling up the food without his usual tantrums about not liking a particular vegetable or the dal being too salty.
Sam aunty and She exchanged a knowing look.
To break the silence, Rita started asking Shehnaaz about her childhood, her family, setting her into panic mode.
Her face paled, as she started pushing her food around fixing her gaze on the plate.
She hated talking about her childhood and her past due to the haunting memories it brought back.
Sidharth stealthily placed his hand on her thigh under the table, giving it an assuring squeeze.
They both exchanged looks and Shehnaaz seemed to relax a bit as he blinked his eyes, silently telling her to calm down.
“Mom, yeh koi celebrity hai kya jo itna interested ho aap? isko chhodo, aap Abeer aur Vihaan ke kisse batao na” he diverted the topic, egging his mother to tell them about the antics of Neetu’s children, who were always upto some mischief.
Rita noticed the stressful expressions that crept up on both their faces, but continued with her stories from the time she spent with Neetu and her family.
After dinner, chairs were laid in the lawn, as Sidharth set up a small bonfire.
Rita under the pretext of taking a walk took Sidharth to a side and insisted on knowing the reason for Shehnaaz’s suspicious expressions during dinner.
Sidharth told her about the ordeal Shehnaaz had gone through during her growing up years.
“Oh god that’s horrific” Rita exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock.
“Itni pyaari bacchi ke sath koi aisa kaise kar sakta hai, aur who bhi itni chhoti umar mein?” she empathized.
“I know mom, even I felt the same when I heard it for the first time” his face hardened.
Holding his arm, She walked along with him on the lawn
“Sidharth, for some people, falling weak is just not an option. So they successfully put up a brave front for the world, but deep inside they are extremely vulnerable, emotionally. I have experienced that myself after Ashok left us and I can see Shehnaaz is also one of them. Beta now that you have signed up for this, promise me you will take utmost care of her” before he even started to speak, she interrupted him continuing herself
“And you know what bacche? The way u calmed her down just looking at her during dinner was proof enough that you are handling things wonderfully” she placed her loving hand on his cheek.
“I am so proud of you and your choice darling. By some miracle, my hopeless son has landed himself a treasure.”
Her words made his heart flutter.
Her word meant the world for him.
He knew all that was to know about Shehnaaz already, and loved absolutely everything about her, but the senior Rita Shukla’s stamp of approval on Junior Rita Shukla made his heart lurch into his mouth.
It was a task for him to contain his happiness and not run to Shehnaaz to pull her into a tight embrace.
They walked up to the lawn. Both Sidharth and his mother, scrunched up their faces when they saw Shehnaaz sitting in the grass with her babies cozying up in her lap.
“Ohhh mom ha, inse toh milaya hi nahi maine aapko” he quipped
“Meet Mama, mami & Rajbeer, our dogs” he said stifling his laughter as Rita furrowed her brows at the weird names.
“Aunty aap baitho, maine gajar ka halwa banaya hai, desert ke liye, main leke aati hu” she gestured Sidharth sneakily, to follow her in the kitchen, which he did promptly, leaving both Rita and Sam chuckling.
The sight of a tamed Sidharth was very refreshing for them both.
“Sidharrrthhh” she hugged him tight as soon as they entered the kitchen, finally getting a chance to be this close to him since noon.
Breath released out of her body in a whoosh, as if a heavy burden has been lifted off her.
“I love you jaan” he cooed in the shell of her ear, hugging her back with equal intensity.
“Teri mummy kitni acchi hai, main aive hi darr rahi thi” she spoke into his chest.
He smacked her head lightly “Bola tha na maine, tera kuch alag hi chal raha tha” now patting the same spot lovingly.
“Yaar main darr gayi thi na” she said in a babylike voice
“I know baby, but main hoon na tere saath? Aur hamesha rahunga” he pulled her face to him pecking her plump lips, long and hard.
They took the desert out to the lawn, hearing a loud cheer from the ladies
“Yaar hame toh laga tum log gajar ka halwa khaake sone bhi chale gaye. Kya kar rahe the itni der?” Sam aunty said.
“Humne toh abhi tak nahi khai, but shayad Sidharth ko sweet dish mil gayi”
Rita gestured him to wipe his pink stained lips, turning him into a red hot mess.
“Shittt !!” he muttered wiping his lips.
The same mistake repeated, first with Preeti and now with Mom, only god know how his sisters and mother were going to slaughter him in the V4 group on whatsapp which had only his mom, himself and his sisters, he thought.
From now onwards they would mutually inspect each others faces to clear out any evidentiary trails, he decided.
Sam aunty and Sid’s Mom teased them both to no end after that.
Sidharth’s mother was brimming with joy as she looked at the house fondly reminiscing her husband.
“Kaash aap hote yaha pe Ashok. Perfect bahu dhundi hai aapke bete ne. mujhe toh bohot pasand aayi” she smiled moving her gaze from the villa to a happily smiling Shehnaaz and Sidharth.
_____________________________________________
Hey guys.. hope u guys are enjoying reading my fictions as much as m enjoying writing it.
Many many thanks for all your love.
Love n luck
Sidnaazkidiwani