"Na,na Kartik aap na.. but he took the pleats from her hand "Sirat it's ok.. he said whilst re-folding the pleats and Sirat was lost in him..
'Bol Halke Hallke plays in bg.
Sirat felt his fingers brush her waist and her skin errupted in goosebumps from his touch. "Accha mein under dal do?" He asked and closing her eyes she said "haan" he nodded and pushed the neat pleats inside her skirt. "Yeh hogaya" he said then looked at her face. "Sirat tum sogayi?" He asked "huh?" She opened her eyes.
"Th-thank you mari madat karne ke liye" she said to which he nodded "acchi lag rahi hu na mein?" She asked him and he nodded "hmm yeh sari mein tum bahut ladki lag rahi ho" Sirat giggled at his comment.
"To bandarya na, pakka na ladki hi?" he picked up a chain from the box "hmm pakka" he said making her wear it like a garland because it was one without the clapse. "Sach mein bahut acchi lag rahi ho miss mukeshwar" he chuckled and she smiled adjusting the pendant.
A knock came on the door."mein dekhta hu" he said "haan" she nodded then started wearing a bindi.. "tumhari dharam pati tayar hai Puja ke liye?" Sirat heard the woman's sister say. "Haan mein tayar hu" she said coming to the doorway. The woman smiled "theekh hai beta..par yeh kya hai?" She asked looking at Sirat.
"Tumhara mangalsutra aur mang ka sindoor kaha hai beta?"Sirat touched her neck and then her empty mang. "Kya Hua didi itne der kyu?" Asked Sumitra. "Haan jaan ek second hum pehna dete hai" said Kartik. darwaza band kare ke kyu hum bhi dekhte hai" said Devika ji.
'Hai khatu maharaj madat karna, mein aur Kartik je kese karenge'
"Jiji tumhara phone kab se baaj raha hai" said Sumitra's husband. "Haan mein aati hu chal Sumitra" she said and left. Kartik quickly shut the door. "Bach gaye" he said leaning against the door. "Ab puja mein ke karna padega hume.. " she said holding the mangalsutra. "Sirat.." he said "tum mat pehno" he said and she turned to him. "Par woh Devika ji- Kartik shook his head "haan woh log tume puche to bol do pehna hai par undar dala hai" she smiled
"Wah Kartik thari idea to badiya hai" she said and Kartik nodded "ek second" he said taking the mang tikka "yeh ese" he said placing it on her forehead. "Koi puche toh sindoor iske neeche hai" he said "haan je theekh rehega" she said feeling relieved. "Yes ab chale?" She nodded and they left the room.
Devika and Sumitra and a few other village ladies were stood in a line they saw Kartik and Sirat coming..
"Jiji tumhari baat sahi nikli to?" Sumitra asked "tum chinta mat karo thode der mein sach ugalwadungi.. Sirat, beta tum dono agaye" said Devika ji.
"Haan Devika ji" said Kartik keeping his arm around Sirat's waist, whilst she held her sari pallu in front "Accha to shuru Kare?" Said Sumitra. Sirat nodded "Ji mausi ke karna hai?" She asked her "Sirat tumhara mangalsutra-
"Undar dala hai, mujhe nai pasand ke meri biwi ka woh shaadi ki nishani sab dekhe nazar lag jati hai" he said making up some rubbish. "Wah chora yeh to mein pehli baar sun rahi hu" said Devika ji.
"Haan je thode woh ke keve.." she said turning to him then briefly held his waist "kya?" He asked turning to her they looked cosy "ahem koi baat nai puja shuru kare chalo mandir ke paas" Kartik removed his hand and she did the same. They were made to do aarti together which wasn't a hard task thank god.
*
"Manish ji aap shant hojaye Kartik ka pata chal jayega aap khalo kuch" said Suvarna.. "kese kuch khao mera beta woh bechara..pata nai kab unki parishani khatam hogi..jab Sirat ayi hai to woh ladki parishani ki jad bangaye hai!" He stood up from the chair "Aap theekh ke rahe ho bhaisaab aur abhi bhi woh Sirat ki madat hi kar raha hoga" said Surekha to which Suvarna rolled her eyes.
