What if - Rishmi FF

Part 14

Rishi wakes up in the morning and sees himself sleeping in Lakshmi's arms. He looks at her and admires her beautiful face.
Rishi(thinks to himself): Bas har roz subah isi tarah main apne din ki shuruaat karna chahta hoon. Tumhe dekh kar.
He is feeling like he slept peacefully after a very long time. He feels lighter today. He remembers what happened last night. First he thinks of calling to check up on Malishka but then decided to give her some time. He thought she would talk to him when she was in the right state of mind. He knew she was hurting.
Lakshmi wakes up to see Rishi in some deep thought. She caresses his hair. He jerks out of his thoughts and looks at her.
Lakshmi: Ab theek ho tum?
Rishi: Hmmm tumhare paas rehne se sab theek ho hi jata hai
Lakshmi: Acha ji. Ab chalo utho brush karo, fresh ho jao.
Rishi obeys her and goes to the washroom. She looks at the time realises she was late. She gets up quickly and takes out her and Rishi's clothes and makes the bed. Rishi comes out and Lakshmi hurries to get ready.
She comes out with her wet hair and goes about getting ready. She is standing infront of the mirror drying her hair. Rishi sees her and is left mesmerized yet again. The water droplets on her exposed back and her face were making her look very tempting. Rishi gets up from the bed and moves towards her. He doesn't realise when  he is standing right behind her. Lakshmi moves her hair from one side to another and hits Rishi with it. He is still lost in her and goes even closer and smells her hair. She is like a beautiful meadow giving him the much needed calm. Lakshmi also realises his presence behind her and gets nervous. Slowly Rishi moves her hair from his face and then keeps his head on her shoulder and looks at her in the mirror.
Rishi: Beautiful
Lakshmi blushes and looks down. Rishi makes up look up by holding her chin.. he encircles her with his other arm holding her close to him.
Rishi: Arre tum sharma kyu rhi ho. Tumhe to khush hona chahiye tumhara pati tumhe compliment de rha hai.
Lakshmi: Rishi chhoro mujhe taiyar hone do. Main already late hoon Aaj
Rishi: Haan to maine kab roka hai main to bas apni biwi ki khubsoorti ki tareef kar rha tha.
Lakshmi comes out of his hold blushing and starts combing her hair. Rishi moves a little back and keeps looking at her. She takes the sindoor and is going to apply it. Rishi comes over and takes it from her hand. He fills the sindoor for her and a little bit falls on her nose. He cleans that and Lakshmi is looking at him with love. She is in awe of him and cannot think  of what would happen in a few days. She didn't want to leave him, ever.
Lakshmi then comes out of the trance, smiles and thanks Rishi. She then leaves after she is done. Rishi also goes to get ready for work.
On the dining table everyone is discussing the roka ceremony of Ahana and Gautam which is to happen tomorrow. The roka was already done previously but since broke they were doing it again.
Neelam is quieter than usual, only speaking when giving a final decision for anything. She doesn't like it when she sees Rishi always looking at Lakshmi or admiring or praising her. Kiran called her and told her what Rishi did and Neelam is not happy about it. Malishka didn't tell that Rishi told her he loved Lakshmi because she was still in denial so that detail no one knows.
Rishi and Aayush leave for office after breakfast. On the way Rishi tells Aayush how he broke up with Malishka. Aayush is beyond happy and gets very excited. He tells Rishi he is so happy that now Rishi and Lakshmi can start their life together finally without any problems. But Rishi reminds him that they still need to figure out the kundali thing because he wants his mother and all other family members to accept Lakshmi as his wife and respect her like that.
On the other side at Malishka's place
Malishka: Arre mom ye pyaar vyaar kuch nai hai Rishi ko Lakshmi se. Ye sab uska vehem hai. Wo Lakshmi bahot shaatir hai. Mere Rishi ko mujhse chheen Rahi hai. Par main aisa hona nai dungi. Agar usne Rishi ko mujhse alag kia na to main uski Jaan le lungi. Ye sab ek hafte ka drama hai. Ek hafte baad unka divorce ho jaega aur fir main Rishi ke saath time spend karungi aur use ye vishwas dila dungi ki wo sirf aur sirf mujhse pyar karta hai.
Kiran: But tumhe lagta hai Rishi use divorce dega. Usne to clearly kaha hai na tumse ki wo use divorce nai dega.
Malishka: Aise kaise nai dega. Unka divorce to hokar rahega. Aur abhi hamara sabse bada weapon to humne use hi nai kia hai. Neelam aunty. Wo mujhe pasand karti hai main unki choice hoon aur Lakshmi ko to wo waise bhi ashubh maanti hai. Agar wo Rishi ko bolengi Lakshmi ko chhor dene to Rishi mana nai kar paega. Wo unki baat nai taalega. Hume bas kisi tarah se unhe convince karna hoga Rishi ko unme aur Lakshmi me choose karne ke lie bolne ko. And our work is done.
In the evening when Rishi comes home he sees Malishka and Kiran in the house. He gets surprised but thinks that Malishka has probably accepted what happened yesterday. He is blissfully unaware of Malishka's evil plan. His guilt also subsided thinking she was okay. Malishka comes and says hello and Rishi thanks her for being so understanding about everything.
He goes upstairs to see his wife choosing clothes for the ceremony next day. Ahana and Devika and two servants were there in the room with a rack full of designer dresses asking opinions from Lakshmi.
Rishi: Kya ho rha hai
Devika: Rishi bhai hum Lakshmi bhabhi se apne kapde choose karwane aaye hai. Unki choice Indian kapdo me best hai.
Lakshmi smiles and chooses dresses for both of them. All of them leave then leaving Rishi and Lakshmi alone.
Rishi: To madam ho gye sabke kapde choose?
Lakshmi: Haan almost. Aayush ne kaha tha ki office se aake dikhaega options, bas uske choose karne baaki hai
Rishi: Aur mere lie
Lakshmi: Tumhare lie kya
Rishi: Mere kapde choose kar lie?
Lakshmi: Tumhare lie bhi karna tha kya?
Rishi makes an angry face
Rishi: Of course. Har roz tum hi karti ho na to fir function me bhi tum hi karogi na. Aur haan apne kapdo se complimenting kapde hi dena mujhe. Sabko lagna chahiye ki hamari jodi best hai
Lakshmi smiles and tells him she already chose for both of them and kept it aside. Just then they hear Dadi calling for Lakshmi and she replies she will come. She is moving towards the door but hits the stool on the way is going to fall when Rishi saves her. And then their takrona moment happens. They are looking deep into each others' eyes, lost. Rishi moves a strand of her hair blocking his way. Lakshmi shivers a little with his touch. Rishi is very close to her, their lips are inches away from each other moving closer by the second. But hearing Dadi's voice again breaks the spell. Lakshmi hurriedly goes away. Rishi smiles to himself.
Next day, everyone is busy preparing for the function in the evening. Rishi and aayush are also home busy with the work. Shalu came to help too. Lakshmi is hanging some flowers on Shalu's instructions. She is standing on a ladder and hanging it. Shalu goes to see some other decoration. Rishi comes there and sees Lakshmi trying to decorate. She feels that the ladder was a little wobbly, she looks down and sees Rishi.
Lakshmi: Rishi please pakdo na. Mujhe ye phool lagane hai.
She feels arms snaking around her waist and holding her tight. She shivers with Rishi's touch but controls herself
Lakshmi: Rishi mujhe nai ladder ko pakdo
Rishi: Oh mujhe laga tumhe pakadna hai.
He holds the ladder and Lakshmi finishes putting the flowers. Then Rishi holds her by the waist again and brings her down. Lakshmi is all nervous and shy
Rishi: Arre kya hua tumh ye red kyu ho rhi ho tum.
Lakshmi says she was alright and rushes away making some excuse. She is amazed at how Rishi's touch affected her. She keeps getting naughty thoughts like never before with just her husband's proximity.

The guests start arriving for the ceremony. Soon Gautam and his family also arrive. The Oberois welcome them. Lakshmi is mingling with everyone looking like a thousand bucks. Rishi sees her talking to a guy and being very friendly. She was laughing with him and this makes Rishi jealous. He goes over and hears the guy praising her beauty in Punjabi. This angers him even more. He puts his arm on Lakshmi's shoulder and introduces himself. Lakshmi excitedly tells him that the guy Vihaan was originally from her village. She tells him that they were friends in school when they were  young, but he moved away and after that they met today. They were sharing some old memories and Rishi didn't like that Lakshmi enjoyed someone else's company.
Vihaan: Rishi I must tell you ye jitni seedhi dikhti hai na, waisi hai nai ye. Bahot khurafati dimaag hai iska. Bachpan me to sab iski shaitaniyo se darte the.
Rishi is surprised to know that Lakshmi was that mischievous as she never showed him that side of hers. He wanted to experience this fun loving side of his wife.
Lakshmi: Tum iski baat mat suno Rishi, ye kuch bhi bolta hai.
Vihaan: Acha main kuch bhi bol rha hoon. Yaad hai school me tum kya kya karti thi. Aur Rishi ye itni popular thi. Sab ladke isse dosti karna chahte the. But isse kuch matlab nai tha. Isse to bas Masti karni hoti thi
Rishi keeps getting more jealous by the second seeing someone else making Lakshmi happy. He goes away making an excuse of being thirsty. Lakshmi feels something was fishy and also goes behind him feigning some excuse .