Forever Yours

Chapter Eighteen

"Siddharth btao na kya kar rahe ho.." Shehnaaz whined, clinging onto Siddharth's frame as he led her carefully out of the apartment. He had covered her eyes with his palm.  

"Superstar.. sabr rakh. Do minute nahi chup hui hai tu." Siddharth responded in fond exasperation. Shehnaaz grumbled but nonetheless, stopped talking.  

Seconds later, Siddharth removed his palm from her eyes. "Now open your eyes." He whispered softly.  

Shehnaaz was standing in the middle of a beautiful and unfamiliar living area. She frowned and turned to Siddharth questioningly.  

Siddharth smiled. "Welcome home." He said in the softest, most hopeful of voices.  

Shehnaaz's frown deepened, Home? She looked around the place. It was beautiful. Tasteful. Classy. It distinctly reminded her of Siddharth, for some weird reason.  

"Home?" Shehnaaz mumbled, surprised. She saw the whole family assembled there.  

Rita Maa nodded. "Haan bacche."  

Shehnaaz opened her mouth and then closed it, blinking dazedly. What?  

Siddharth held her shoulder. "I.. wanted to buy this place-- for you. Andheri bombay ki bilkul doosri taraf hai yaar. I know tujhe kabhi-kabhi lagta hoga na ghar jaana hai, akele rehna-- whatever.. you know-- I just wanted ki tu agar mere saath nahi bhi ho.. I mean-- agar tera mann nahi ho kabhi mere paas aane ka.." He fumbled through an explanation. "Tu samajh rahi hai na?"  

Shehnaaz chuckled. "Haan.. but Andheri mein flat?" 

"It's there. Tera hi hai woh bhi.. I just wanted you to have a place closer to me-?" Siddharth smiled nervously.  

Shehnaaz sighed. "It's beautiful. It's like.. there's a part of you in here. I can't refuse something like that. Not even if I wanted to." She said softly.  

"Give her a tour." Mukku exclaimed.  

Siddharth nodded. "It's not completely furnished. I wanted your home to have a part of you. I did some things. Some I left."  

Shehnaaz hugged him tightly. "Thank you."  

"Come on, I'll show you around." Siddharth said, pulling her by her arm and leading her to the kitchen.  

Shehnaaz looked back at Rita Maa and Siddharth's sisters who all smiled. "Go on." Maa mouthed with a wide smile.  

"We'll be back home Siddharth.." Preeti Di called after the couple.  

*** 

The next few days went by in the blink of an eye. Shehnaaz finished shooting for her short-film which was scheduled to release three weeks later. Jay and Maahi hosted a small brunch that Sunday for their friends where she announced her pregnancy. Shehnaaz couldn't stop smiling throughout the brunch. She had pulled her Maahi Di into the tightest hug possible while Siddharth watched her from his car.  

Maahi walked her to the car, while talking excitedly about the good-news and the look on Shehnaaz's face, made Siddharth's heart skip a beat.  

Shehnaaz met a lot of new people the next few days, Siddharth just couldn't get enough of showing her off. Siddharth stuck to her all through her interactions with any new person (esp. Men) his hands entwined with hers, arm wrapped around her shoulder, clearly marking his territory.  

Siddharth took her on long-drives, took walks with her on the beach, their toes dipped in the cool sand of Bombay nights. They'd return home with tiny little trinkets for Shehnaaz's new home, after impromptu Ice-Cream/Paani-puri dates.