Forever Yours

Eighty Three

Once Ridhi had left the room, seething and stomping, the rest of the family didn't really have a plan anymore on how to proceed. 

Shehnaaz was sitting on the edge of the bed and none of the people present in that room had ever seen her look so exhausted before. 

They understood, of course. It had been an unusually long day and no one blamed her for finally losing her patience with Ridhi. On the contrary, they were all extremely proud of their little girl for finally taking a stand. 

Shehnaaz looked up for the first time since Ridhi had stormed out of the room and her eyes met with Rajveer's. "Bhai.." 

Rajveer rushed up to her and without another thought, pulled her into his arms. "Mera baccha.." 

"I'm sorry bhai. Mai bahot darr gayi thi.. mujhse nahi hua." Shehnaaz's voice was cracking, almost breaking into sobs. 

Rajveer's grip around the young woman only tightened at that, half in assurance and half in pain. He couldn't comprehend the kind of cruelty that Ridhi's twisted heart and mind possessed to plan and implement something so dangerous and horrible to someone like Shehnaaz. He rubbed her back, pressing soft kisses on her face. "Sab theek hai baccha."

"Aap mujhse gussa nahi ho?" She asked innocently. 

Rajveer wanted to laugh, "Nahi beta. Bilkul nahi." 

Shehnaaz pulled away, almost bewildered but then she sighed. She was not a stranger to the unconditional love that this family had showered her with, since day one!  Her lips stretched into a tiny smile and Rajveer pressed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. 

"Tu Shukla khandaan ki sherni hai. Tu nahi dahaadegi toh kaun dahaadega?" Aarav asked, almost too blatant with his teasing. 

Shehnaaz smiled and nodded. "Dahaad zyaada toh nahi ho gayi?" She asked cutely.

"It was perfect."

"It was very much needed." Samyukta said firmly. "Aaj Ridhi aunty ne bahot over kia. Hadd hi paar kardi." 

Shehnaaz sighed. "I won't disagree."

Rajveer squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and rubbed at it. "It's over now." He mumbled softly. 

Shehnaaz nodded. "I know."

***

No one left her room for hours afterwards. No one wanted to and Shehnaaz was grateful for that. She wasn't sure if she was ready to be alone anymore and no-one could blame her. 

Weddings were especially hard on the bride & the groom and that day was trial through fire for both of them in a sense.

Ordinarily, one of the ladies would have asked Sidharth to leave the room but after the nerve-wracking few hours that he had been through, even before he realized Shehnaaz was missing, made them realize just how much "Sidharth's sanity" was synonymous to Shehnaaz. 

So Sidharth stayed, for as long as he could and watched their family dote on his wife while he lay curled up on his mother's lap.

They talked about nothing & everything at once till Shehnaaz fell asleep. No one wanted to tell Sidharth to leave the room, but someone had to. 

It was the day of their wedding tomorrow. The palace and the venue were filled with guests and not all of them understood the depth of the bride & the groom's relationship the way the people in that room would. 

Sidharth ran his fingers through her hair & pressed his lips gently on her forehead. "Good night wifey. I'll see you tomorrow." 

Sidharth smiled at his sisters' identical nods of approval. "I know how cruel the world can be and I want to keep her away from that face of the world for as long as I can. Saari zindagi iss hi ka toh intezaar kia hai, kucch ghante aur saheen. Shaadi ke dinn relatives ko koi scandal banaane ka mauka nahi de sakta mai."