Bride of Sheesh Mahal - Season 3 - Part 18

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Chapter 18


Khushi’s POV


When Arnav and Akash enter my home during my Mehndi function, I read it on Arnav’s face. There’s a strange panic in his eyes but the moment he sees me, his eyes soften. He gives me a thorough look from head to toe, before lazily continuing his steps towards me. Babuji meets him first and welcomes him inside. That surely diverts his attention to the guests Babuji is introducing him but every few seconds he glances at me, the gaze in his look reminds me of our kiss. I was so foolish to think a kiss was all a man and woman do. Now that I know what’s beyond that, fear and anxiety fills me. It takes Arnav another few minutes to reach me and Payal blocks his way.


“Not that easy, Jeejaji. If you need to see Khushi, you’ll have to give all her friends some shagun and we only take cash.”


Suddenly three-four girls from my friend circle and a few girls from my relatives side join Payal in her demand.

“Shagun? Now?” Arnav enquires.

“Of course, that’s the tradition” Payal adds.

“One-minute bhai” Akash reaches for Arnav’s support. “You are very innocent. Don’t give in to these girls demands. Let me handle this..”


He then faces Payal who looks all charmed by him but trying her best to hide it.


“Shagun is given after marriage, and that is two days later. You’ll will not get a single penny from Bhai to meet Khushi Bhabhi today.”

“Is that so?” Payal storms ahead. “Let us see how he meets her then.”


The girls create a barricade between me and Arnav and it’s obvious Arnav can’t reach me without accepting their demands. Nandakishore joins the Raizada brothers.

“This is heights girls. What is your demand?”

“We are around 10 girls and we need five thousand each.” Payal hold her chuckle and the other girls quickly support her.

“That’s right. We need 5000 rupees each or else no meeting the bride..” the girls mutter.

“No ways.. that’s too high demand..” Akash and NK both argue and that’s when Arnav interrupts.

“Akash .. NK.. its fine..” He then holds his gaze back on me with a grin. “5000 each is nothing. I can give all my wealth if they let me spend time with my would-be bride..”


The girls swoon at his charming remark whereas I am speechless. When he removes his wallet and removes a bundle of 2000 rupees notes, I realize he is crazy. He is about to give the money to them when I quickly march to Arnav and block him from my friends.


“What are you doing?” I shout at him. “You can’t accept their demands like this..”

“That’s a tradition, Khushi” he grins.

“If its about tradition then wait…” I take only five to six notes of 2000 from his wallet and give him the rest. “This is all you are getting from my Arnav.”


I hand over the cash to Payal and the girls scream ‘oh no’ for a while before accepting whatever I had to offer. The elders laugh at this scene and everyone disperses back leaving me and Arnav alone. He is still gawking at me and I know what that look means. He wants to touch me and a part of me wants that too. I shrug my thoughts when his gaze falls from my eyes to my lips.


“What?” I ask, getting his gaze back on my eyes.

“What did you say?” he huskily questions.

“I said this is all you are getting..” I repeat.

“After that” he takes another step towards me, the heat emanating from his body enveloping me already. I recall what exactly was the sentence I said and then remember it. I had said ‘This is all you are getting from my Arnav.’

“What did you say after that Khushi?”

Arnav takes another step and I realize we are too close for the people to notice.

“My… my Arnav..” I answer him, trying to end this moment between us but instead of pausing his steps, Arnav grabs my arm and then leads me to my bedroom.


I look around as he drags me, and thankfully no one is noticing us. Everyone is busy in their own world. Babuji is talking to the Raizada family and the guests are mingling with each other. Payal and all the other gang of girls are dividing the money Arnav gave them. Arnav drags me inside my room which he knows as he had been here before and then shutting the door, pins me to it.


“Say it again” he whispers.. this time breathing hard and I am gasping too.


So much of intensity between us has always embarrassed me because I never thought I would want to be this close to him so soon and desire him to touch me when in reality I have always been a touch-me-not type of woman so far.


“My… my Arnav” I say it for him and as soon as I finish, his thumb automatically grazes my lower lip, forcing me to part my lips.

“I want to kiss you. Right now.” His voice comes out more gruff than normal and in response I close my eyes to give him the permission he needs.

“Yes or no, Khushi?” He needs the words from me and they finally come out.

“Yesss” I say without opening my eyes because its literally embarrassing.


That one word sets things to motion. He cups my face and the next claims my lips. The kiss is nothing soft like the last time.


*****************

Arnav’s POV


I have never been the one to get hot and bothered over kissing. Until today. When she said ‘my Arnav’, I lost every ability to think and had only one agenda in my head and that was to kiss her.. to kiss those lips of hers again, which claimed me as hers. The kiss becomes harder and our pulses race as we both try to get as close as possible to each other. With my body pressed to her and she to the door, I am eager to rip off these clothes between us but the mere thought of this thing had to wait until we marry gets me back to senses.


I break the kiss first and move down to kiss her neck. She moans when I kiss her sensitive spot on her neck and I can’t wait to trace the rest when the door knocks.


“Khushi?”


It’s Payal. Khushi jolts in my arms, fear and perspiration on her face for not wanting her friend to notice us like this in her bedroom.

“Sshh.” I relax her. “It’s okay, tell her you are fixing your dress and will be back outside in a minute” I whisper.


She gives me a glare.

“I don’t lie..” She says that in a whisper too.

I want to laugh but I don’t..

“You don’t have a choice, Miss Devotee unless you want her to know we were kissi..”


She shuts my mouth to respond to Payal.

“I am fixing my dress, Payal. Give me a minute.” She shouts.

“Okay, have you seen Arnavji? His family is looking for him.”


She stares at me again for the answer and I mouth her to say I am in the back garden on phone. She tells the same and Payal soon goes away. The moment she leaves, Khushi opens the door slowly to see if anyone is around then turns to me.


“Go now..”

I shrug.

“Not without another kiss.”


I feel her cheeks heating and changing color at my demand.

“You are not getting one until we marry. Now go.. please..”


I don’t care and reaching her, I scoop her in my arms again having no clue where I got this courage from. I never thought we would be so free enough with each other before marriage. I kiss her forehead not giving her a chance to argue and then march out.


The rest of the night and dinner goes well. Since Khushi is made to sit next to me during the dinner, I try holding her hand but she smacks my arm and focuses on eating. I like teasing her. Even being close to her relaxes me so much that for a few hours I literally forget what happened with me in Sheesh Mahal. When I recall it, I ignore letting Khushi know because I don’t want her smile to fade. I don’t want her to worry and take more stress than she already has. She’s already exhausted with the traditions and other stuff and I want her to take enough rest before the marriage because its 100% sure that I am not letting her sleep on our wedding night.


*******************

When we are back to Sheesh Mahal after the Mehndi ceremony, I don’t go back to the basement neither think of doing any more work. There’s this strange vibe around me whenever I am without Khushi by my side. I hope this is normal. I don’t think I was like this before. So confused of the things happening in my life. This is the first time of me even believing in things which I had never even dreamt of happens for real. How could Akash be at two spots at the same time? He was the one with whom I had left the basement office and he was also the one who stood with the driver at the car. Was I hallucinating?


I ignore thinking much and go to sleep. The next day is normal and thankfully nothing goes wrong during my Haldi which is at evening. Khushi’s haldi is done at her home in Laxmi Nager. It’s said that the groom and the bride are not allowed to see each other during or after the Haldi which is why the function is separate. I have texted Khushi on her number though after the Haldi is done.


‘Tomorrow night, you’ll be on my bed in my arms.’


She obviously hadn’t replied and I know she must have been too shy to even imagine what I would do to her once we marry tomorrow. I am still thinking about her, sitting in the living room, alone whereas the rest of the family have gone to sleep to start the day early tomorrow when a servant comes rushing inside and he looks panicked.


“What happened? Why are you looking so scared?” I ask.

“Nothing Sahib..” he shivers.

“I can see it on your face Om Prakash” I argue. “It feels like you saw some ghost..”


He shivers again.

“Not ghost Sahib. A crow.. I saw a dead crow again.. at the same spot where we had found another one that day..”


A dead crow? I recall this has happened before. I don’t understand why these crows are dying right before our mansion.

“It’s just a crow. Make sure it is thrown away before the family sees and gets scared of it.”

“Jee..” He nods and scoots back in the house.


I wonder what is happening here. Sheesh Mahal feels so spooky these days that I wonder was it always like this and only I have started realizing this now?


****************

Marriage Day

Khushi and I take the marriage vows in a very private fashion before our families and close relatives in the temple. It’s around evening by the time we finish all the rituals. I never thought I would be wearing a sherwani again as I am not very good with traditional outfits but when Khushi saw me in it as she came in the mandap to sit next to me, I could see it on her face that she loved me in this outfit. She cries heartily clinging to her father during the Bidaai. I don’t like those tears in her eyes so though I understand this happens with every bride during her wedding, I still put this offer before her father if he would like to stay with us in Sheesh Mahal tonight so that his daughter doesn't feel alone there despite having all of the Raizada family.


Khushi looks happily at me as I propose it but as usual her father denies and thanks me again for thinking so much about Khushi’s happiness. He doesn't need to thank me, I should. For giving his life to me.. for giving his daughter to me.


We get in the car finally, and the family drives in the other one, to give us privacy. I ask the driver to take it slow as I want Khushi to relax before facing the other rituals which will take place in my house to welcome the bride of Sheesh Mahal.


She is still sobbing when I decide to pass her my handkerchief. She takes it from me and wipes her tears.

“Feeling better?” I ask and she just shakes her head softly.

“Thank God” I sigh. “I was just wondering when to talk to you about my real problem.”

“Problem?” She looks nervously at me. “What problem?”

“Uh..” I shut my mouth. “No that’s fine. I’ll handle it.”

“Arnav?” she shouts, her cries have stopped completely and her mind is diverted, just like I had wanted. “We are husband-wife now, your problems are my problems too. Tell me what’s wrong?”


I like when she calls us husband-wife. That we are. I still can’t believe I married to her.

“Tell me,” she shakes my arm.

“Okay. You know this sherwani I am wearing is the most weirdest thing I ever wore.. The pyjama (pant) knot is so damn loose that every time I turn around, I feel its going to come off..”


Her eyes widen and then she laughs holding her palm over her mouth.

“I am serious, Khushi.. This is happening from many hours and I can’t even tell it to anyone..”


As if she senses my worry, Khushi stops laughing and smiles.

“You better change the dress the moment we end up in Sheesh Mahal..”


The moment she says this, the car stops with a loud shirk. I literally grab Khushi to me to ensure she is safe and then look ahead at the driver.

“what the hell happened?” I roar.

“Sorry Sir, the car broke down.. The engine is not starting again.”


The driver tries again to start the engine but his attempts go futile.


“It’s okay. We will walk.”


******************

Khushi’s POV


I step down the car at the garden area of Sheesh Mahal. This is going to be my new home, now that I have married to the grandson of this family. Arnav reaches my side.

“Can’t believe the car broke down just 100 meters away from the entrance,” he groans. “That’s not how I expected to welcome the Bride of Sheesh Mahal.”

The term ‘Bride of Sheesh Mahal’ sounds odd to me.

“I’m the bride of Raizada family,” I debate.

“And Sheesh Mahal is an important part of this family,” I exclaim as we walk towards the entrance. “You know my ancestors had been living at this very place. Our family owns this property from decades. From Around 80-90 years I suppose.”


I smile getting this info and then turn my gaze to this wide gigantic mansion from the outside. It’s a full moon night. Arnav’s phone rings and he quickly answers it.

“Daadi, we have reached. The car just broke down few meters away so we are now walking to the mansion. Give us 10 minutes, we’ll reach.”


While he informs all that to his grandmother, I admire the place and suddenly I see a shadow lurking over the mansion’s exterior. It’s a big shadow.. of something that looks like a man.. I turn behind to see if anyone is around this place whose shadow falls on the mansion but there is no one here except me and Arnav. I instantly clutch Arnav’s arm.


“Khushi? What happened?” He sounds worried.

I clutch the Mangalsutra tied to my neck and chant Devi Maiyaa’s mantras to protect my husband from the evil. Arnav is clueless and he keeps asking me what’s suddenly wrong. When I finish chanting and I open my eyes again, the shadow is gone. I take a sigh of relief, knowing this is temporary. Whatever is haunting us is right here, in to Sheesh Mahal and very close to us.


To be Continued


NEXT PART 


Note: I know I stopped where the precap had ended but couldn’t draft more. Interesting romance + spookiness in the next chapter for sure. Stay tuned.

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A Standalone Office Romance by Madhuri Tamse.

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How does it feel when the most charming man in the city chooses you for a dance, ignoring every other gorgeous face around? Splendid, isn't it? And what if that man is also your Boss who has never shown a bit of interest in you so far? Bizarre!! But that's how Ritwik Bajaj, the most eligible bachelor in the Fashion industry, also known for his playboy nature, swooned me. It was not just a ball night to remember but the most nerve-tickling three weeks of my life after, where he fulfilled all my romantic fantasies, which I wondered a man like him will ever shower upon me.

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