"I am curious. Why are these decorators here? Any special occasion I missed?" asked Mitali, caressing her seven-month bulging belly as she felt the baby kick her. As the baby's not-so-gentle movements brought happiness to expectant parents, Mitali found solace in every kick that pushed her away from despair.
"This is a very special occasion." Adhrit grinned ear-to-ear and Mitali's eyebrows raised in surprise as he said, "There was no way I would miss celebrating this." The sight of Adhrit Sinha's smile - a slight and elegant upward curve of his thin lips - was a rare sight, and she had not imagined him flashing a Cheshire grin even in the wildest of her imagination.
The man sniggered as the woman's confused drawl of "okay" made her forehead crinkle. "Well, I hope you can get some of my favorite dishes added to the menu."
Adhrit hummed back and rested against the wall, hands tucked into his sweatpants. "Depends on which one. There would be no issue with adding it to the menu if it's the more tasty option, but if it's one of your inventive concoctions..."
Mitali rolled her eyes in exasperation at the teasing edge in his tone. His efforts to suppress it failed as her vexation made him chuckle warmly, leading to a punch to his shoulder from Mitali. "Ouch!"
"Your drink for tonight will be orange juice with dark chocolate with sea salt. Just so you don't lose the touch with my ingenious creations," she said, feigning fury at him by averting her eyes from him and crossing her arms against her chest.
The memory of when Adhrit tried the combination with her came back to him. While she relished the drink with a sparkle in her eyes, he had to wipe the tears that filled his eyes after a single sip of the vicious drink. "Please! Please, anything but that combination!"
"For my order, I want Kachori Chaat, Shahi Paneer, Lachcha Paratha, a sundae, and a dessert of your choice. If I get these for the dinner, then you can escape the fate of having the drink," she said.
"As you wish, my lady! But there's something you need to do too. I'm requesting that you wear this outfit."
He indicated towards the remarkable golden skirt with maroon borders and intricate embroidery consisting of peacocks and lotus motifs. However, the most captivating part of the dress was the almost transparent maroon silk dupatta with light embroidery that covered the entire material. The ensemble was light, in keeping with her pregnant state, but also stood out.
"It is beautiful, but how can I join? I mean..."
Mitali was hesitant because she knew paparazzi might be present at the event. If she appeared on the news, it would reveal the truth to her mother, causing her heart to break beyond repair.
"No paparazzi. I made sure of that. Only a few people. It's just a very special and intimate ceremony," Adhrit said, placing his hand on her shoulder to reassure her.
"Okay."
****
"Here she is! Come on, Mitali. Take the seat!" exclaimed Adhrit, rushing to her side to help her walk to the dais created for the ceremony.
"What is happening here?" Mitali inquired while being escorted to the dais by Adhrit, looking at everyone assembled in the house for the ceremony.
"It is your Godh Bharai ceremony!" The ceremony's simple yet exquisite dais left Mitali in awe, causing her lips to part in surprise and her eyes to widen.
"Mitali, did you truly think that I could only cater to your unusual food desires? Your gaze at baby shower pictures on the internet spoke volumes about your longing, which I noticed. Why didn't you just tell me? However, since I had learned, I decided to surprise you. How is it?" he asked, his arms snaked around her and his face merely centimeters away from her.
The sheen of tears over her eyes bounced off the chandelier's soft light. She didn't want to burden him with her wish, but he fulfilled it without her even asking. His eyes' warmth enveloped her, warding off the dark thoughts lurking inside her.
"Thank you so much, Adhrit. I'm unsure which is more beautiful - your intent behind the event or the event itself. Thank you," said Mitali, with an exquisite smile playing on her lips, and that was all that Adhrit needed to avoid drowning in the remorse for his inability to offer her the safety net of a marriage.
"Do you have any problem if I join the ceremony, Mitali?" asked Purvi. The duo turned their attention away from each other as her voice compelled them. With a repentant expression on her face, Purvi said, "I'm aware we've sinned against you, and as a divorced person, maybe I shouldn't be here, but please allow me to attend."
"I know you care for the unborn, Purvi Ji. That's all that matters. As for the marital status, I am an unwed mother - far from conventional. There's no need for attendees to follow any conventions for this baby shower," Mitali stated.
Adhrit shared how Purvi supported him when their grandmother was against him and explained why she was behaving erratically and unreasonably. Purvi's defiance led Shanti to leave the Sinha Mansion and stay in one of their holiday homes in Shimla.
The senior woman oversaw the staff to ensure Mitali received the best possible care. Mitali decided to forgive Purvi and allow her to participate in the ceremony to experience the joy she had missed.
With a rueful smile on her face and dried tears on her cheeks, Purvi took to the dais. Purvi applied the turmeric paste onto Mitali's cheeks and arms. "I pray that your life ahead is beautiful, Mitali. May your future child have a wonderful life, full of love, success, and peace."
She applied turmeric on Mitali's feet, and her eyes filled with tears. As she cried, the tears rolled down onto Mitali's feet.
"I am sorry, Mitali. I apologize for everything I've done. I caused you a great deal of suffering because I was hesitant to be in your position, which is why they brought you into this situation. I fell victim to my worst fears and tormented you. I am sorry, Mitali. I really am. I don't have any expectations of your forgiveness. I want to express my regret and apologize." Purvi muttered her thanks for being allowed to be part of the baby shower, her voice a rusty whisper of regret and turmoil.
"Forgiving you completely, Purvi Ji, is something I'm not sure I can do. I recognize you had your causes, and I understand how they can impact someone's choices. I appreciate you standing by my side when I wanted to have this child. Maybe someday, when I see this child playing with me, I will forgive you," said Mitali.
Before losing her first child, Mitali Pathak would have disapproved of Purvi Sinha's selfishness, but the experience changed her. She didn't know who she was, leading her to make requests that the old Mitali Pathak would disapprove of.
She had two men by her side, brimming with remorse and willing to obey her every command, which was fortunate for her. The woman before her was on the unfortunate side of luck. She not only had to shoulder the blame for losing her own child, but also had to face abandonment by her husband.
The woman's actions didn't lead to forgiveness, but instead, the guilt weighed heavily on her as she regretted tormenting Adhrit after the miscarriage. Adhrit Sinha's absolution could be the key to her forgiving her culprit.
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YOU ARE READING
River & Desert
Romance"There is no need to search for a bride, Dadi. We do not require one. What we need is a surrogate. To fulfill my duty, I must find a surrogate who will carry the heir." **** Mitali's brother spoke of an offer they had received from the heartless mon...
