Nawal - Missing Moments

10. Period Pains and Gains - Part 2

10. Period Pains and Gains - Part 2

Dhawal reached home and tiptoed inside, carrying bags of stuff he had bought. Everyone apparently had had their dinner and gone to their rooms. He sighed in relief. He had almost made it without anyone noticing him when Dolly caught him outside his room.

"Dhawal, ye tum itna saara saaman le ke kaha se aa rahe ho? I thought Maa said you had gone for group studies." She said, confused.

He put a finger on his lips and mimed for her to keep her voice down. "Don't tell anyone Dolly please. But I lied so Natasha and main saath me dinner kar sakein. Bas abhi thoda snacks le ke aya hu." He left out the part about why because telling Dolly anything was a risk. She couldn't keep anything to herself for more than few days.

"Awww...so cute yar Dhawal. Tum apni pyari si biwi ko manane ki kitni koshish kar rahe ho" she pinched his chin, smiling wide. "Kash Chiru bhi mere liye aisa karta. Main aaj hi usse gussa hoti hu so that we can have a dinner like this" she pouted. "Don't worry, main kisi ko nahi bolungi. Lekin mujhe kuch to rishwat deni padegi tumhe"

She made a gesture miming cash with her hand and held out her hand to him. He took out a large chocolate bar and placed it in her palm, hoping she would agree to this.

She laughed a delighted laugh. "Tumhe to sab tactics pata hai ladkiyon ko manane ke. Hmm...smart boy. Chalo have fun tum dono"

Phew. Bala tali.

Natasha was sitting on the bed and massaging her calves when he entered but stopped abruptly as soon she saw him. He smiled and dumped all the bags on the bed beside her. "Kya batau tumhe kese bachte bachate aya hu main. Aaj to phas hi gye the bas. Ye lo...I got everything. And your favourite Kulfi too!" He took out the carefully packed dessert and went to put it in the freezer. Her heart twinged at the gesture. He still remembered their first date...

She gaped at all the stuff he had bought. So many things! And the sanitary products were filling up two whole bags! And noodles and so many of her favourite things! She was feeling overwhelmed and got an intense urge to hug him tightly. Its just hormones!, she told herself.

"Dhawal! Ye itna sab kuch laane ki kya zarurat thi!? And 2 bags full of this? Bas ek se hi ho jata" she said, pointing to the hoard of products.

"Ab mujhe pata nahi tha tumhe kya pasand hai to sab le liya. Wese future ke liye bata do ke tum kya prefer karti ho?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

She rolled her eyes at him not bothering to reply.

Aisa pati tumhe kahi nahi milega! Tum jaldi se ajao ab. Lets have dinner."

"Haan...aisa pati kahi nahi milega" she replied in a deadpan voice referring to the way he had betrayed her. Why she was being so mean right now when he had gone and made so much effort was lost to her. It came out of her instinctively. It hurt him but he let it go, attributing it to her residual anger against him.

She hustled and quickly changed, coming out to see that he had set up all the food on the small table in their room and noodles were cooking on the stove. Her stomach fluttered. How did he know that I wanted to eat noodles?

"All looks so delicious Natasha! Thank you so much! Tumhe kese pata chala all these are my favourites? And aaj kya khaas baat hai ??"

She told him all about what happened in the morning with Hetal Bhabhi and Maa, leaving out the part about the assumptions Maa had made about them. He was shocked to learn the rules and regulations that his Bhabhi's had to follow when they got married. He had been so oblivious to what was going on around him.

Chalo...apne aap na sahi lekin Maddy ne mera favourite banaya to sahi. At least she didn't refuse. That's something.

"Maa ke rules ke according to iss hafte to tumhe dusre room me ja kar sona chahiye. Lekin agar unhe pata chal gaya to mujhe bahar nahi nikalne dengi. So tum please dhyan rakhna. Main unki disrespect nahi karna chahti lekin mera Pandya Store jana bohot zaruri hai" she explained to him