BEYOND THE CLOUDS (Completed)

Chapter 44

As requested by Shehnaaz, in two days they were to be married with a civil ceremony with just a registrar and their closest friends from both sides, in attendance.

But during a recent dinner Siddharth and Shehnaaz had hosted for them, Kartik, Freddy and a few of her aviation friends, had gotten acquainted with all his childhood friends and by the end of the dinner, they had all planned a congratulatory party for the soon to be wedded couple.

“I am going to miss u like crazy bubba” Kartik’s eyes welled up yet again as he stood beside Shehnaaz who was getting her hair and make up done in the suite of Jubilee Colaba, where the party was held.

“Carruuu” she whined, tired of cajoling him since morning “I am not moving to another country, we can see each other anytime.

Now don’t make me emotional or else you know what happens when the tearwork starts” pointing at her eyes beautifully enhanced by the makeup artiste with a shimmering blue that matched her gown Dina had sent over, Shehnaaz chided him.

Being an inevitable part of her life, he had stepped into multiple roles of her family and today he truly felt as heavy as her mother would have felt, sending her away.

The void she will leave behind when she permanently moves in with Sidharth was creating a havoc in his brain. Her words did make sense, and he understood, this moment comes into the life of every girl and their families are more or less prepared for the ordeal.

He forced his face into a tight smile and held Shehnaaz’s hand “I had dreaded this moment from the day you started seeing Sidharth. Somewhere I knew, it will definitely culminate into a solid relationship, but still I cant help but feel sad that your leaving me” the sad undertone in his voice, made her gasp

She excused herself and got up from her seat facing Kartik.

“I will miss you too Carruu, you know you and Sidharth are the two strong pillars of my life. I cannot lose anyone, so leaving you is out of question. Infact I am definitely going to keep calling you, to organize my stuff, Sidharth gets so mad at me sometimes for being a scatter brain” she chuckled and hugged him back.

“Ya for that bit I am happy, I wont have to keep cleaning after you anymore” he mocked “The house will be squeaky clean” letting out a dramatic sigh, he smiled closing his eyes and earned himself some sharp thwacks from her.

Kartik led her to the small oval banquet and to the party.

The entrance was opulently decorated with a huge board flashing ‘Congratulations Shehnaaz & Sidharth Shukla’.

The conjoined name made her grin ear to ear and gush with happiness. Sidharth was standing with his friends laughing over some joke cracked by Abhimaan, when he saw her enter.

The sight of her dressed in a Deep blue gown left him grappling for both words and a breath. She looked ethereal. Before he could realise, his feet had already started in her direction and stopped when he was just a few inches apart.

Before he could say anything, a happy giggle left her as she clapped her hand on her mouth.

His dazed expressions told her he liked what he saw, and her face lit up with a smile brighter than every light in the room. “Say something!!!” she exclaimed giggling at his bulged eyes.

“Speechless, as always you have taken away my breath, dear wifey” pulling her closer to him, he bent down to whisper in her ears.

The hot breath that tickled her skin, hitched her breath but the mention of wifey made her squirm in excitement.