Falling for my guiding star

Chapter 18

Anu looked around at the decorations and lights and unknowingly her eyes welled up with happiness. 

Finally after a decade it felt like Diwali. It won't be a lie if said from the time Ridhaan left, he had taken away a part aling with him.

"How do I look, Popeye...?"

Anu's attention was instantly diverted to the two who holds her heart in their palms.

Ridhaan playfully messed up Raunak's hair before replying,

" Just like me , Champ...just like me"

The bright smile on Raunak was a testament of his adoration for Ridhaan.

As Anu walked towards them , she couldn't help the pinch in her heart. With days passing by, the guilt was increasing especially now when she and Ridhaan have decided to move forward in their relationship. 

After years, finally their life has come on track and it scared her to the core that the truth hidden in the inner realms of her heart could wash away all that she had built till now. It was not because she didn't trust her Ridhu . She trusted him with all that is in her instead she is scared of the hurt it will inflict on him.

" Beautiful...."

The husky whisper in her ear brought her out of her thoughts. Her eyes clashed with his dark ones .

With a feathery touch, Ridhaan moved her hair tendrils behind her ear.

Everything moved to insignificance as they stared into each other's eyes.   Anu felt his gaze like a physical touch moving from her forehead.... over her nose ....across her cheeks ....finally resting on her lips.

The depth of love swirling in them brought a pink hue to her cheeks but it was the passion deep within which sent butterflies through her being.

Against her will , Anu took a step forward. Her breath increasing frenetically as the atmosphere crackled sensuously. She could see the bobbing of his Adam's apple as well as the stiff nature of his stance.

" Ridhaan..."

Priya's voice broke their stupor and as if on fire, Ridhaan stepped back. Then stealing away his glance,  he rushed towards his mother taking Raunak with him, not realizing that he was leaving his Anu bereft .

But Anu couldn't find fault in him. From the time of their confession, Ridhaan was not hesitant to show his love but always kept him in check of.  After that night, he has  never made any advancement towards her physically. Anu could understand his trepidation after the way she acted . She so wanted to break  this final wall but the secret in her depth is somehow keeping her in shackles.

And before she could ponder more, she was also called in for the Aarti.

*****

Never ever in his life has Ridhaan ever felt this helpless.  He wanted to bash those women for their low and conservative thinking but both Anu and Priya warned him away from doing anything untoward.

"Do you see her? No shame at all....dressed up so colorfully...."

" So true...Poor Aman....How unfortunate for him to get such an unloyal wife like her"

"See ....see how she is laughing and flirting with his brother.  If it had been my daughter-in- law , she would have by now known the heat of my rod"

" You are absolutely right. It is good thing her mother in law is not here otherwise she would have been mortified by this brazen act of hers"

" Arey, girls like her are like this only. Not satisfied by one."