I'll Love You Longer Than Forever

Chapter One Hundred & Twenty Six

"Basket, tum theek ho na?" Armaan asked his wife, marvelling once more at the fact that he could call her his wife now.

"Of course, baby!" Riddhima exclaimed instantly. "Mujhe kya hoga?"

Riddhima seemed perfectly content now, to laze in his arms, a sheer contrast to how she had been just minutes ago. Armaan didn't think he'd seen Riddhima cry so much ever before and that was saying something. Armaan knew that it couldn't be pleasant to leave behind her whole life the way she had, but he had not thought it would be so bad. But, maybe that was the entire issue. He had not thought. He couldn't. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be in Riddhima's position - to turn her back, even if metaphorically, on everything she knew, for the sake of a man. He didn't think he would be able to do it. For Riddhima to have placed so much faith in him, to have trusted him so much meant the world to him. He would be the best husband in the world, and not because of any promise he had made to so many people in the last few days, or for any other reason, but to be worthy of this trust that his wife had bestowed upon him.

"I'm okay, Armaan. Pakka," Riddhima murmured, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Woh bas... sabse alag rehna hoga na ab, toh thodi emotional ho gayi thi. But I'm really excited about the life we're about to start together, baby. I promise."

"Hmmmm," Armaan hummed. "You'll tell me, right? Agar tumhe koi baat pareshaan karregi?"

"Tumse nahi kahoongi toh kisse kahoongi?" Was her prompt reply, making him smile.

"Waise... wifey," Armaan murmured softly, pulling her close. "Congratulations."

"Congratulations, husband!" Riddhima replied, reaching up to kiss his cheek. "Only took us three and a half years."

"Exactly. Only! Jaisi tumhaari harkatein thi na... mujhe laga tha kamse kam 30 saal lagenge!" Armaan exclaimed, clearly joking.

"Meri? Meri harkatein? Maine kya kiya?" Riddhima asked, wanting to know.

"Kya kya harkatein nahi thi yeh poocho tum!" Armaan told her. "Kitna bhagaya mujhe apne peeche. Haan bolne mein hi mahine laga diye. Aur phir har baat pe mujhse naraaz ho jaati thi!"

"Toh tum kaam hi aise karte the na!" Riddhima defended herself. Sobering at the direction the discussion had taken, she felt it important to add. "Armaan... mujhe pata hai ki jo bhi hua... humaare beech jab ladaayi hui, agar tumne mujhse jhooth bola ya koi baat chupaayi, woh sirf isliye kyuki tumhe laga ki tum mujhe protect kar rahe ho, ya shayad isliye ki tum mujhe stress nahi dena chaahte the. Kayi baar shayad isliye bhi kyuki tumhe laga ki main shayad tumhaara nazariya nahi samjhungi. Ho sakta hai woh sahi bhi tha. Lekin... Armaan, hum partners hain. Har cheez mein. Tumne agar kabhi mujhe mauka hi nahi diya, toh main kaise jaanungi ki uss situation mein main kaise react karungi?

Ab... Pari wali baat ko hi lelo. Tumne itne time tak itni badi baat mujhse chupaayi, usse chupaane aur jhooth bole. I guess, I can understand where you're coming from... but it really hurt me, Armaan. Tumne kaise soch liya ki mujhe tumpe itna bhi bharosa nahi hoga? Kyu tumne uss raat hi mujhe phone nahi kiya help maangne? Agar tum mujhse baat karte... main aur Di shayad Pari ko apne saath le jaate, ya wahaan tumhaare ghar aake tumhaari help karte.

Armaan... jab bhi mujhe koi pareshaani hoti hai, main kisi problem mein phansti hoon... toh mujhe sabse pehli tumhaari yaad aati hai. Main hamesha sab tumse share karti hoon kyuki mujhe pata hai ki tum meri help karoge... agar help nahi kar paaye, toh at least mujhe support karoge, mera hausla badhaoge. Lekin, kabhi kabhi mujhe lagta hai ki jaise main tumpe trust karti hoon, tum nahi karte. Isliye tum apni problems hamesha Rahul ya Atul ke saath share karte ho, mere saath nahi.