two stories of marriage

chapter 8

'ek baat kahun aapse?' said dushyant as his gaze was fixed on the road and his hands on the steering wheel.

'yeah, sure.' Said ishita as her gaze moved to him from the window.

'maine, uhhmm, jo aapko bataya tha mere dad ki death ke baarein mein, main kabhi aise batata nahi hoon kisiko...but, jab aapko bataya toh, i don't know, mujhe laga main aapko bata sakta hoon.' He said, surprised at himself, he never fumbled like this while talking to anyone.

He never even opened up like this while talking to anyone. It was new, but it was something he wanted to get used to.

A smile crept on ishita's face, as she said, 'i can understand.' She was someone who spoke a few words, but she really meant them.

'so, what do you think, aap apna final decision bata dengi aaj ya ek do baar aur mil le?' asked dushyant, as he changed the topic.

Ishita, who had for the first time was being given a choice, realised how good it feels. She knew though that she had to inevitably say yes, she wished it didn't mean she had to stop meeting him.

'agar maine haan keh diya, toh aap mujhse nahi milenge?'

'toh aap haan karengi?' he asked playfully.

'sawaal ka jawab sawaal nahi hota..' she too played along.

'aap kahengi ki aa jao, toh hazir ho jayenge.' He replied as she chuckled,

'acha.' She remarked as they both shared a chuckle.

'aur mera sawaal ka jawaab?' he asked as his gaze moved towards her.

'aapko kya lagta hai?' she said as she turned a bit towards him, still smiling.

'sawaal ka jawaab sawaal nahi hota.' Replied dushyant, playfully mimicking her.

'i knew it!' said ishita as she chuckled more.

'acha, toh jawaab bhi dedo.'

'mil jayega aapko, jald..'

'wow, bilkul bhi cryptic nahi tha..' he said as they both shared a chuckle. But this too had to end, as dushyant stopped the car by ishita's house,

'li jiye, aa gaya aapka ghar!' he said as he was concealing a part of him that hated this.

'bye..' she said with a usual smile, concealing a part of her that hated this too. They both could see it in each other's eyes, but they had to part ways.

She got out of the car as she turned again, to wave goodbye for the day. He didn't drive away before he could no longer see her, and she didn't have to look back to know that, she knew.

                                                                  ***

'arre dushyant bhai toh jaane ka naam le hi nahi rahe hain.' Said purvi as she roared in laughter.

'arre i can understand as a fellow majnu, apni laila se nazar batao kahan hatti hai?' replied kavin on the other line on the phone.

'hayee mera majnu, sach kahun toh tere se bhi nazar nahi hatti meri.' Purvi replied playfully as she chuckled.

'arre, apne ab jo yeh keh diya, yeh dil bhi mera, ab yeh kaise sambhlega..' he said jokingly, as he lied down on his bed, pretending his fist to be a knife stabbed to his chest,

'oh god kavin, ek no. ke drama company ho tum sach mein.' Purvi said she she roared in laughter.

'arre, aapke kaise muskurahat ke liye yeh drama bhi seh lenge.' He said more dramatically as purvi chuckled,

'seriously though, main tumhare chehre se kabhi yeh muskurahat hatne nahi dunga.' Said kavin, earnestly as a smile crept on purvi's face,

'kavin, i love you.' said purvi with all her sincerity.

'and i love you.' he said lovingly. A silence crept between them, but none of them had to break it as they could sense all the love without any words.

                                                           ***

This time when the doorbell rang, she didn't mind opening the door. She rushed to do so with such enthusiasm that it baffled purvi.

'ishu, toh batao, haan hai na!' exclaimed their mother as ishita just chuckled, not at her, but because she thought of him.

'haan..' she said, still busy with her thoughts. Purvi, who had sensed this, asked,

'dushyant bhai kitneee ache hai na?'

'haan..'

'and that smile of his, it is worth dying for, right?'

'hmm'

'bas aisa lagta hai ki woh kabhi chodke jaayein hi nahi...'

'haan...'

Now, purvi was bursting in laughter, which brought ishita back to earth.

'arre, tumhe kya hua, has kyun rahi ho?' said ishita, while their mother just slapped her forehead,

'beta yeh kaunsi goli khake aayi thi tum, ki kuch bhi bolo, haan...' she said mockingly.

'aisa kuch nahi hai yaar mummy..'

'anyways, main toh bas sahi mauka dhuhdke, inke ghar phone kardungi, ki bhai ladki ki bhi haan hai toh nikale muhrat, haan..' said their mother as she exited, feeling giddy.

'dushyant, aap kitne ache hain.'

'nahi ishita, aap zyada achi hain...'

'nahi, dushyant, aap!'

'nahi, ishita aap!' purvi dramatised jokingly as she got a glare from ishita at which, she just hugged her, 'arre mazaak kar rahi thi yaar! But tbh, i'm so happy for you..' she said.

'thanks..' said ishita with a light chuckle.

'toh bataiye, kitne ache hain woh..' said purvi as ishita glared at her and purvi just shrugged, 'just a joke di, chill!' but ishita couldn't stop smiling, as she couldn't get her to stop thinking about him. she never thought that this is the love she might have been wanting all along.

Everything was merry, love was everywhere, and to be there was a bliss.