Vani FF - Ishq Bulava

Chapter Seven

Bani was sitting alone in the lawn after dinner, looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky, lost in her thoughts. She had emailed her resignation to her senior immediately after she had said to Veer that she will leave the city. Anyway, that job of a personal assistant in a financial corporation was becoming a dissatisfying experience for her. She wanted to leave her past behind and have a fresh start. That is what was exactly happening to her in a completely different way. Life had twisted and turned upside down. In a matter of a single day she became a mother as well as a wife. Honestly, she had no idea what she would do when she said to Veer that she will go away and look after the baby herself. The news of her pregnancy was a very pleasant surprise. But what was the need to get married? There are a million different ways in which he could have helped her. He could have helped her find a job or relocate but no he took advantage of the situation and  married her. Her spirit shivered thinking about the way Balwant slapped Veer. There was tension in the relationship of father and son because of her. Never in her life, she had gone to anybody's place uninvited. Now she is living in Singhania Mansion as an unaccepted part of the family. She did not want a rich husband for herself. She just wanted a decent and dignified life. She traced the beads of the mangalsutra around her neck. She knows Veer loves her. A lot.  But marriage is no fun and games. The child in her womb is a big responsibility. He should not have interfered in her life and become a part of something that was solely her decision.

"Time for dessert Bhabhi!" Ponky said excitedly as he offered her a small bar of dark chocolate generously embedded with chunks of almonds. She sighed loudly as she refused it. This was the last thing she had to eat today according to her diet plan. Veer has hired a nutritionist to take care of the fact that she eats in a timely and healthy manner. Now she had to eat breakfast, morning snack, a well balanced lunch, fresh fruit, evening snack, dinner. Veer insisted that she has a sweet tooth so a small portion of dessert after lunch and dinner as well. Not to forget all the different kind of juices recommended along with lots of water to help her stay hydrated.

"I don't want to eat  eight to nine meals in a day Ponky." Bani gave him a look. Daksh sat in a chair beside her and spoke "We can't not follow Veer Bhai's instructions Bhabhi. And taking care of you is our responsibility. You are family. If you don't eat, Bhai will..."

She did not let Daksh finish. "Don't you take your brothers name in front of me." Bani was pissed off.

"Still upset with the way things turned out?" Daksh asked.

"Yes. I am very upset. And I think I have the right to be upset because he made a life decision for me as he pleased." Bani spoke irritatedly.

"I agree that he made an impulsive decision but it is not wrong Bhabhi.  He wanted to protect you and the baby." Daksh tried to explain.

"There were other ways to help and protect me." Bani snapped.

"Veer Bhai loves you Bhabhi and you love him too. Don't you?" Ponky asked her. She was caught off gaurd. He is not wrong. She does love Veer. She started realizing that she is not completely right in her way of treating him but she is not completely wrong either. He had said he would take away the baby from her if she did not marry him. "I have to go." She got up from the seat. Ponky did not let her go without keeping the chocolate in her hand.

On her way to the room, she unwrapped the bar and took a bite. It felt heavenly. "Gharwaali!" Veer excitedly greeted her  seeing her after a long day. So now he was going to call her Gharwaali as well? Bani's eyes were fixed on him as he came close to her, held her hand over the chocolate and took a bite. "This tastes good." He said wiping the slight chocolate smeared on her lower lip. Honestly, Bani did not have words. She wanted to go away from him but at the same time be as close to him as possible. It will be wrong to say that she is not in love with him. She is. Head over heels.

"I'll go and take a shower." He stepped back and walked to the bathroom. Bani looked around the room. It is their room. She is going to share this space with Veer.

Wiping his hair with a towel, he walked out of the bathroom and saw her sitting on the couch reading something on her phone. "How was your day sweet heart?" She heard him and paused but then continued reading. Veer talked to her about his day. She listened but did not look at him. She took note that he did not speak anything about how Balwant had reacted in the afternoon. Veer also noticed that she was deliberately trying to ignore him.

"Please don't be upset with me." He sat beside her and pleaded sweetly. "Are you not able to see that I am not interested in talking to you?" Bani scolded him still looking at her phone. Veer understood the way she felt uneasy because of the way he did what he did. But he won't let her distance herself from him.

"It's okay if my wife fails to understand me, I know my bottle of whiskey will." Veer said in an overtly dramatic tone. "I am going and drinking, drowning in my loneliness because I don't think my sweet heart cares." Bani did an inward face palm. Trust this man with his gimmicks.

"I thought my wife would worry about me but no worries. So what if I have a meeting at 7 in the morning. I will drink to cure my pains and wake up with a hang over." Veer continued.

"Don't you think of getting drunk right now Veer." Bani gave him a warning. He has to go to work tomorrow.

"I can drink a glass, a bottle or drown in an entire ocean of whiskey if I want. You don't care right? You stay here. I am going. Bubye!" Veer asked animatedly.

He walked out of the bedroom before she could anything. Concerned that he might as well do what he is saying she quickly got up to follow him. He took a bottle of whiskey from the bar and went to the pool. She was right behind him. He sat on the edge with his legs dipped in the pool and gestured Bani to sit beside him. She did not say a word.

"Please." He said. The tiredness was evident on his face. She knew he was exhausted trying to handle death of his loved ones, family dynamics, business responsibilities, marriage and even parenthood. she did not have the heart to say no right now. She knew he needed a connection and so keeping her resistance aside she sat with him.

"Don't drink the whiskey right now." She said straightening the collar of his t-shirt.

"I was not going to." He smiled mischievously.

"What am I supposed to do with someone who keeps on finding new ways to bother me. You like troubling me don't you?" She shook her head showing her displeasure.

"I like to see that you care." He said putting an arm around her and gently massaging her shoulder. "We will go see the doctor tomorrow." He informed hoping that this pregnancy does not have any severe complications.

"I miss Di and Jiju." She spoke feeling the heaviness of her heart.

"I miss them too."

"You got married to me because of their baby. Right?" She asked.

"I got married to you because I did not want any of us to face anything in life alone. I know you won't say it but you need me as much as I need you It was important that we both got each other. Everything will be okay now." He smiled.

He saw her settle on the couch with a pillow and a blanket an hour later when they got back into the bedroom. "I will sleep here." She said. "Not a chance." He made clear. He scooped her in his arms and carefully placed her on the bed tucking her inside a blanket. Bani was nervous thinking that they will share the bed now.

"Get some rest Gharwaali," saying he kissed her forehead. In that kiss, there was sweetness conveying how he felt for her. There were a million loving thoughts condensed in a moment. "I love you." He said and walked towards the couch to sleep there. Bani could not stop herself from admiring that he did not make any demand to be on the bed.