What if - Rishmi FF

Part 8

Lakshmi goes to the terrace and joins everyone. Aayush and Ahana see her smiling and are relieved that she is okay.
Rishi comes behind her and Aayush notices a little red mark on his cheek. He realises what it was and takes him to a side..
Aayush: Rishi bhai kam se kam saboot to Mita dia Karo yaar. Aise acha lagta hai kya sabke samne.
Rishi: Huh... Tu kya bol rha hai pagal ho gya hai kya?
Aayush: Arre Rishi bhai ye jo laali aapke gaalo me chayi hai na uski baat kar rha hoon. Pyaar karo ache se karo but duniya ko proof dikhane ki kya jaroorat hai.
Rishi realises it might be Lakshmi's lipstick from when she kissed him.
He extends his hand upward to wipe it but someone roughly cleans his cheek.
He turns around shocked to see Malishka. She wipes off the stain and holds his hand and takes him away.
Malishka: What the hell Rishi. Ye Lakshmi ki lipstick ka nishaan tumhare upar kaise aaya. Uski itni himmat ki usne tumhe... Chhua kaise usne tumhe.
Rishi: Calm down Malishka. Tum aise kyu react kar rhi ho. She is my wife. And main tumse pehle bhi keh chuka hoon uske baare me izzat se baat Kia Karo.
Malishka: Wife, wife my foot. Husband wife jaisa hai kya tumhare beech me.... Yaad karo Rishi tumne hi mujhe kaha tha ki tum ne aajtak use haath bhi nai lagaya hai..infact tum dono to ek bed bhi share nai karte to fir ye kya wife wife laga rakha hai. She is nobody for us. Tum sirf aur sirf mere ho. Samjhe
Rishi heard her words but didn't react. He was reminded of the day when he told Malishka about their bedroom situation and how hurt Lakshmi was because of it.
Rishi: Malishka please mujhe tumse abhi koi baat nai karni.. mujhe Jana hai
And he leaves. He is standing on the terrace and admiring Lakshmi from far who is busy mingling with family and friends. He is remembering all the times he hurt Lakshmi. When he told Malishka about the bedroom scenario, when he pulled the ring forcibly from Lakshmi's finger, when he called her a liar, a cheat and a greedy person who was only with him to gain money.. when he disrespected her while being drunk because he thought she was plotting against him. He even called her forcibly to his engagement with Malishka and made her suffer through the entire thing, didn't even confront her when he came to know the truth about the article. He feels extremely guilty with all of this. He decides that he needs to apologise for everything he did to hurt her before he could confess his love to her. He needed to clear the air about the divorce proceedings and why she asked for it.
The function gets over and everyone retires to their rooms after dinner.
Rishi is sitting on the bed working on his laptop. Lakshmi comes with her blanket and pillow and is going towards the sofa. Rishi sees this and is again filled with guilt. He calls her to the bed..
Rishi: Lakshmi maine tumse kaha tha na ki tum abse bed pe so sakti ho fir tum waha kyu jaa rhi ho
Lakshmi: Arre sorry Rishi mere dimag se nikal gya bilkul. But it's okay na. Main so jaungi. Aaj to tumhe bhi aaram ki jaroorat hogi na subah se vrat rakha tha tumne. Tum ache se bed pe so jao.
Rishi: Tum kitni ziddi ho yaar. Har roz bas plead karwati ho. Ab kya tumhare aage haath jodu ki Lakshmi ji please bed pe aa jaiye
Lakshmi: Nai nai. Acha theek hai abse main bed pe hi soungi. Waise bhi kuch hi dino ki to baat hai.
Rishi (thinks to himself) : Ji nai Mrs.. Oberoi ab to zindagi bhar aapko isi bed pe apne isi pati ke saath Sona hai ya nai Sona hai😋
Lakshmi: Arre Rishi kya hua ye khud hi khud me muskura kyu rhe ho. Mujhe bhi batao
Rishi: Kuch nai..main bas ye soch rha tha ki tum aaram se yaha so sakti.. main tumhe kuch bhi nai karoonga. Aur waise bhi aaj ke lie sweets bahot jyada ho gyi hai.
Lakshmi: Kya bol rhe ho tum meetha jyada ho gya, mujhe kuch nai karoge. Mujhe kuch samajh nai aa rha.
Rishi: Acha, samajh nai aa rha. Yaad dilau?
Saying this he holds her face with one hand and starts to comes close to her. She is reminded of the kiss in the evening and Rishi referring to it as a sweet to break his fast. She quickly moves away shying.
Lakshmi: Theek hai theek hai samajh gyi
Rishi: Good..mujhe pata hi tha tum bhi mere saath rehte rehte smart ho jaogi.
Acha suno main tumhare lie kuch gift laya tha. Karwa chauth ke lie
Lakshmi: But wo to tumne mujhe de dia na already. Kitni Sundar thi wo saree
Rishi: Nai aur bhi kuch laya hoon.
He goes and takes out a box from the cupboard. He then asks her to close her eyes. She obeys him and Rishi moves her chooda back and puts a bracelet in her hand. She opens her eyes on his insistence and sees that it's a beautiful diamond bracelet with an infinity charm.
Lakshmi: Ye to bahot Sundar hai Rishi but iss infinity symbol ka kya meaning hai
Rishi: Iska ye meaning hai ki hamara rishta infinite time Tak chalta rahega. Always and forever
Lakshmi gets happy and hugs Rishi. He hugs her back with equal zest. They stay in the hug for quite some time.
Lakshmi: Par Rishi main to tumhare lie kuch bhi nai laayi. Mujhe to nai pata tha tum mere lie vrat rakh rahe ho warna main bhi kuch gift deti tumhe.
Rishi: Arre gift to tum mujhe meri pasand ka de sakti ho bolo dogi?
Lakshmi: Haan maango kya maangna hai tum jo bologe main poori koshish karoongi tumhe Dene ki..
Rishi: To theek hai mujhe do cheezein chahiye. Pehla ki main tumse koi bhi teen sawal puch sakta hoon kabhi bhi kahi bhi. Aur tumhe sach sach jawab dena hoga..
Lakshmi: Aur dusra
Rishi: Pehle pehla gift to do
Lakshmi: Ok baba promise. Tum kabhi bhi mujhse koi bhi teen sawal puch sakte ho aur main sach bolungi. Waise main kabhi jhoot bolti nai hoon
Rishi: Achaaaa. Kon bol rha tha ki usse jalan nai hoti mere aaspaas dusri ladkio ko dekh ke aur fir kon jal bhun rha tha
Lakshmi: Rishiii wo to main bas. Acha chhoro tum apna dusra gift maango..
Rishi: Dusra to mujhe kuch sweet sa chahiye fir se
Lakshmi: But abhi to tumne kaha ki aaj ke lie bahot sweets ho gyi. Ab aur meetha nai hoga
Rishi: Arre Lakshmi wo to main bas tumhe bed pe laane ke lie bol rha tha.
Lakshmi: Acha ji. But ab to maine Maan li tumhari baat na ab ye to gift main nai de sakti..tum ek hi gift se kaam chala lo aaj
Rishi makes a puppy face and goes and keeps his laptop.. comes back and says goodnight in a huffy puffy manner and turns to the other side to sleep.
Rishi ( pouty):  Light off kar do. Mujhe Sona hai
Lakshmi switches off the light and then goes to Rishi's side. She looks at him with all the love she has in her heart for him just thanking God for blessing her with this guy. She puts one hand in his hair and with the other hand pulls his cheek. He opens his eyes and still pouts.
Rishi: Kya hai? Kyu pareshan kar rahi ho mujhe. Sone do na.
Lakshmi: Pakka?
Rishi: Haan to ab tum meri baat nai Maan rhi to mujhe sone to do.
Lakshmi: Theek hai so jao aap patidev
Rishi closes his eyes again. She again ruffles his hair but this time she goes ahead and kisses his cheek and then moves back.
Rishi's eyes open in surprise and happiness
She blushes seeing him staring at her..
Lakshmi: Ab tum mujhe aise dekho mat. Maine tumhe tumhari gift de di na.
Rishi: Yess. Thank you patni ji. Ab main aaram se so sakta hoon. Goodnight ( gives her a big smile)
Lakshmi gets up and goes to her side of the bed to sleep.
Rishi (to himself) : Tum dekhna Lakshmi main hamare past ke saare misunderstandings ko kitni jaldi clear kar doonga. Aur Malishka ko bhi ye bata dunga ki main ab uske sath nai rehna chahta. Main sirf aur sirf tumhara ban ke rehna chahta. Bahot jald hum dono hamesha ke lie ek ho jaenge, kabhi na alag hone ke lie..just wait for it Lakshmi.
Both sleep soundly today with big smiles, one because he realised his feelings and the other because she saw a glimmer of love from her husband whom she loved so very much.