VG’s mother had included HM in the wedding preparations… It was a blessing in disguise… She could roam around the house without raising suspicion and simultaneously stay away from AS… He had taken the challenge quite seriously… AS on the other hand was busy gaining MG Gill’s trust… He needed to identify the exact location of the trigger before TV… His heart beat elevated every time he saw his love moving around… She looked ethereal with her pallu tucked in her waist… The sound of her anklets was like music to his ears… He was gazing at her without blinking… “Itna ghurenge toh kahi aapki hi nazar na lag jaye…” VG said breaking his reverie… AS flushed… “Woh mai…” “Ghuriye ghuriye… aap hi ki biwi hai… Waise lagta hai nayi nayi shaadi hui hai…” “Ji nahi… Shaadi ko toh kafi waqt ho gaya…” “Phir bhi aapki nazar nahi hat rahi Bhabhi ji se… Bohot jyada pyaar karte hai shayad aap unse…” AS looked at her… she was laughing at something that VG’s mother had said… “Bohot jyada… Unke liye jaan de bhi sakte hai aur kisiki jaan le bhi sakte hai…” he said in a trance… That was the only truth in this entire façade…
“Meher puttar…” “Ji Aunty ji…” HM replied… “Lo… Mai phir bhul gayi… Gill Saab sahi kehte hai… Umar ho gayi hai meri…” “Kya aunty ji aap bhi… aisa thodi hota hai…” “Waise ek baat kahu… tum aaj hi hum sabse mili ho lekin aisa lagta hai ke bohot saalon se janti hu tumhe… Aapni si lagti ho… Thank you puttar mera kaamo mei haath batane ke liye…” “Apna bhi kehti hai aur Thank you bhi bol rahi hai…” HM said with a smile… she had developed a strange liking towards the lady… “Acha thik hai… Nahi bolti Thank you… Lekin isse pehle ke bhul jau suno… Kal Jagratha hai… Parso Cocktail Party… Phir Mehndi, phir Sangeet aur uske baad Haldi… Haldi ke agle din Shaadi… Yaad rahega na…??” “Ji…” “Thik hai… Toh fir aaram kar lo… Kal se functions shuru ho jayenge toh time nahi milega…” “Ji…” “Khush reh puttar…” She said and left… HM was moving towards her room when TV called her… “Meher… ek min…” “Ji Tanya ji…” “Kya Meher, itni formality kis liye… Aap Tanya hi kaho…” “Thik hai… Boliye… aap kuch kehna chahti thi…” “Haan… Mujhe na aapki help chahiye thi… Jewellery aur dresses ko match karne ke liye…” “Chaliye…” “Urgent nahi hai… kuch der baad karen…??” “Thik hai… Aap bata dijiye kab karna hai… Hum kamre mei hi hai…” “Ok…” with that Tanya left and HM went to her room…
AS came to their room and was treated with a mesmerising scene… She had changed into a salwar suit trying to tie the strings into knots… “Is dress mei itni doriyan kyu hai…??” she said irritated as she was unable to tie them… He walked towards her and stood behind her… She looked at him through the mirror, their eyes speaking to each other… He moved his hands to tie the strings, his fingers brushing against her skin causing a chill run down her spine… By the time he had tied the last knot, his resolve withered away… He slowly glided his fingers along her back causing her to close her eyes… His sweet torture caused her breath to hitch… She could no longer bear and tried to go away… He put a hand on her stomach and pulled her closer… her back hitting his hard chest… He moved the strands of her hair exposing her neck… He held her shoulder with his other hand nuzzling into her hair… Both were lost in the warmth of each other… He moved towards her shoulder to plant a kiss but… “Meher… Oh sorry…” TV said… They moved away with a jerk embarrassed… “Woh darwaza khula tha… Sorry maine aapko disturb kiya… Mai baad mei aati hu…” TV was about to leave when HM found her voice… “Ek min Tanya… mai bhi chalti hu…” She hurriedly took her dupatta and left with TV…
HM was lost in her thoughts… TV was talking to her but no words were being registered in her brain… “Meher…” TV shook her… “Haan…??” “Kaha khoi hai aap?? Mai kabse aapse kuch puch rahi hu…” “Woh mai…” “Lagta hai abhi tak Veer ji ki baho mei hai aap…” TV teased… What she had seen few moments ago had nearly cleared every doubt she had… Crimson rose on HM’s cheeks… She didn’t realise when VG’s mother had walked into the room… “Aisi koi baat nahi hai Tanya…” HM managed to say… “Kaisi baat Meher??” VG’s mother asked… TV wanted to tease HM a little… Her eyes sparkled with mischief which HM noticed and pleaded her to not say anything… “Mummy ji… maine na ek galti kar di…” TV said teasingly… “Kaisi galti??” VG’s mother said… “Do pyaar karnewalon ko juda kiya…” TV said eyeing HM… HM was blushing too much... “Aur kaun the woh do pyaar karnewale??” VG’s mother said joining TV… “Meher aur Veer ji…” “Ohh…” “Mujhe toh lagta hai mummy ji Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha ke saath inka bhi naam legi duniya…” “Tanya… bas bhi karo…” HM said pleading her to stop… “Haan Tanya… bas karo… waise pehle puch toh lo kitna pyaar hai…” VG’s mother teased and laughed, TV joining in… HM was in a fix… If she stayed here, they would tease her and if she went to her room, she will have to face AS… Both situations being very awkward… She decided to stay as the later would be more difficult to face…
Suddenly TV’s phone rang… HM could see ‘D’ as the caller… “Haan Divya…” TV answered the call, worry visible on her face… “Kab aa rahi hai tu??” “……” “Kal Jagratha hai… aur tu abhi tak nahi aayi??” “……” “Kal 8 baje?? Thik hai… mai khud tujhe pick karne aa jaungi…” “……” “Chal bye…” and she ended the call… “Kaun tha Tanya?? Woh bhi itni raat gaye??” VG’s mother asked… “Meri dost hai Divya… Kal aa rahi hai… bas wahi batane ke liye call kiya tha…” TV said… HM in an instant knew she was lying… There was something fishy… She for sure knew ‘D’ was none other than Danny… She needed to let AS know… But how?? They were under surveillance… She had to think of something… Her trail of thoughts was disturbed by VG’s mother… “Kaha kho gayi Meher??” “Kahi nahi… Boliye na…” HM replied… “Jakar aaram kar lo… Baki subah kar lena… Thik hai??” “Ji… Good Night” HM said to both of them and left…
When HM reached their room, she found AS already asleep… “Kal subah baat karni padegi inse…” she thought to herself… She pulled out her phone and sent a message after which she went and slept beside him…
