Rehaan Deol or as his parents still call him "Chetan", the boy who changed his name for the love of a woman.
The woman who left his heart shattered in pieces.
He says he is ready to marry Ishleen and give love a chance while his sister-in-law, Sama...
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I wake up the next day with my phone's alarm blaring loudly and I jolt up from sleep, naked. Usually I clean up and get dressed before I go to sleep but last night I was too tired to get up after he was finally done with me. I turn to look at him sleeping face down oblivious to the sounds of the world.
My husband. My forever.
I bend and kiss his forehead before picking up my dupatta and roughly wrapping it around me, as I tiptoe to the shower.
++++++
I get dressed and walk downstairs to start my morning as I hear the usual chatter from the kitchen.
"And then Janvi bhua was like 'Oh no, my son is like so much better than Ambar. He earns more and doesn't have to work at odd hours.' So I was like 'Oh the one whose too drunk and snoring while sitting on the bar stool.' And then mom she went so pale." Samayra says as my mother-in-law laughs.
"You said that on her face?" mom says still laughing.
"What was I supposed to say? Let her bitch about my only husband? I mean he is an arrogant idiot but he is MY arrogant idiot." She says as I walk into the kitchen and they both turn to look at me.
"Good morning Ishleen." Mom says as I smile.
"Good morning mom, Good morning Bhabhi." I say and she nods.
"Good morning and all is okay, but bro I can see the dark circles already forming under your eyes." Ayra says as she picks up the curd to dip the Vada's.
"She's right. I was about to say the same thing, Ishi. You don't look well rested." My mother-in-law says and I did feel the nickname to be a weird twist to my name but I didn't know how to politely respond.
"Should I go to my room?" I ask and they disagree together.
"No, You are already dolled up. Just go to bed early today and get out of bed a little later tomorrow. Wedding's can be exhausting. You need to take proper rest or you'll get sick." She says and I smile.
"Okay mom." I say as Ayra bhabhi opens the lid of the sugar container and finds it empty. She keeps it aside and opens the pantry cupboard looking at the massive transparent container of sugar stored at a higher shelf. She goes for it, but my instincts went further as my hands reached for it taking it down.
She glares at me a little shocked as I feel I might have hurt her feelings.
"Ishleen!!" she says and I start explaining flustered.
"Sorry bhabhi. I thought I was taller and oh like no.. I know things got done before I was here but also like the container looked heavy and you're expecting so..."
"Ishleen... My little finger." She says and I look down to see that I had stepped on her little toe finger. I step back and she laughs.
"Sorry..." I say blushing as she just gives me a one sided hug.
"You're adorable. What did you think? THE BIG EVIL DAUGHTER-IN-LAW got offended because you're trying to take my place?" she says and I look down at my feet.
"AYRA..." my mom-in-law scolds her lightly and she shakes her head.
"I've watched some of those shitty saas-bahu serials with my mom too." She says laughing and takes the small box giving it to me as I stay quiet.
"You can fill it, if you want to help and keep the bigger container back." She says and goes back to taking out something from the oven as I get to work with a big smile.
"Ishleen, don't mind your bhabhi. Ayra likes to joke around but she's really sweet from the bottom of her heart." My mother-in-law comes to whisper near me as I remember the exact opposite that grandma had told me before my wedding.
"I can hear both of you planning to poison me." Ayra says putting the waffles on the shelf and looks up at us seriously and I was scared again for a moment.
"No, we.." I was about to say and she breaks into a laugh again, with my mother-in-law but this time I join in on the laughter as we get back into work.
We were almost done preparing food as Amber walks in the kitchen just in his sweatpants and I immediately turn my back to him.
"Oh Sorry, I forgot... that you'll be here.. Umm.. okay.. if you aren't comfortable I'll wear a shirt next time and Ayra, you're phone is going nuts and it's from work." Ambar says and by the time I turn he had left, handing his wife her phone and Ayra was dialing someone back.
"Hey, yeah. No, the reception was yesterday. Tell me... Ahmm... hm... Oh yeah, Dobby has a history of seizures and even had a few episodes of... No... If you need to go for an emergency C-section, I'll come in to monitor anesthesia since I know her history well. Get an ECG done as well and tell the owner about the higher risk due to her age and history... Yup... Give me 10 minutes." She says her phone between her ear and shoulder and wipes her hands and picks up half a waffle and waves a goodbye to mom.
"Drive slow and take care." Mom says as she picks up the car keys and walks out.
Breakfast was a quiet affair as my parents came from the hotel they were staying in to say goodbye and needless to say, I was crying again while bidding them goodbye.
Grandma helped me to quiet down and before she could start filling my brain about negative things about others, I told her that my almirah and cupboard were still not set with my belongings. I went to my room and have no idea when I quit unpacking and fell on the bed, immediately falling asleep.
I wake up from my nap with some loud noises outside and get up to see what it was about. I pick my phone to see the time and it was 3:30 in the afternoon.
Damn, I guess I missed lunch and no one woke me up. I set my hair and walk down to see Ambar going up and down the hallway shouting on his phone.
"No... It's been an hour since her phone has been off and the hospital says she left two hours ago. We had a doctor's appointment at 3 and she isn't someone who would miss. I have already looked at the path from our home to the veterinary hospital twice. I need you to get me the last location before her phone was off and... No, you idiot, I know. I'm not filing a missing complaint. I'm your senior and I'm using my resources to find her." He says turning off the phone and falls back on one of the chairs they had kept inside due to the rain on the terrace last night.
I pour him a glass of water and he looks up thanking me before taking two sips.
"I found her car." Rehaan says coming up the stairs.
"What?" Ambar says getting up shocked.
"She might be on her way to the donut shop she loves and her car is in the way. I told the vehicle number to a few friends and one of them found it." He says.
"And she's not in the car?" he asks as my husband disagrees.
"Yeah, No... We need to..." he says as the phone rings again.
"It's him." Rehaan says and picks up the phone.
"Yes... Oh fuck... We are on the way." Rehaan says putting the phone in his pocket and picking up the car keys.
"Where are we going?" Ambar says running after him.
"She might be walking to the mechanic's shop and fainted on the road. She's at MG hospital." My husband says as Ambar's face goes pale for a moment and he freezes.
"She didn't even have breakfast." He whispers to himself before regaining control and leaving the house after Rehaan ji.
"Ishleen, tell mom we are leaving." He says as I walk towards the kitchen to find my mother-in-law and update her about the situation.
