STAY IN MY ARMS.

Chapter 9

FLASHBACK ......

Raghav  bought a pretty suit for   kalpana.....which  was made of gold brocade...... kalpana  hugged Raghav and  cried on his  shoulder
''  i  have  never owned   anything  so beautiful in my life.." my  late  mum  had always  wanted to buy me  expensive  gifts,,she  worked hard with my  dad....but  they   both perished   leaving me alone in this world...''
Kalpana  ..you are not alone....i am  here for  you  and  i will stay with you forever..''....Raghav promised........together   both of  them  had tea and  after Raghav sent  kalpana home...he  drove  home.......his  mother  Rubina  was waiting......."'Raghav   i want  you  to  meet   Sureka.......she  has  just   finished  her  housemanship .......i  have  invited  her  for  dinner...,her  parents   will also  be  here..i  know  you have  bad  tempers  ,i  don't want  you to be  rude  to  our  guest,..."Mother..what is  the need   for  this  meeting   '''just  get  Sunil  to  meet  her......Raghav  was  refering to his  younger brother ..who  loved  meeting  girls....."what  are  you  talking about'?  Raghav..you  know  he is  still in  college...........you are  going to graduate  soon..........and  after that  you will be
"'  taking  over  our  business empire.........Rubina  tried to convince    her  elder son  Raghav  .but  Raghav  paid  no attention  to his  mother.......''mother,,,what  are  you  planning.....? ...i  have  no  intention  to  sit  in your  fancy office......and  order  people  around....i  have  my own plans  for  my  future.......I want to be an engineer  mother,,you  know  that  very  well   ..so   stop trying to  pull me into your  web.........now  if   you will excuse  me..i  have   to  complete  my  papers,,,my  final  papers before i  leave  university .........Raghav  left  Rubina  to  nurse  her chagrin   on  her  own.........she  will let  not   Raghav  go  so  easily...a  son  has  to  obey  his  mother.....she  will get  him to  do what she  wants.......Raghav  will marry Sureka.. Rubina  had  decided.........
Raghav  drove  to  kalpna's   flats   and    helped  her  with the  laundry........kalpana's  face  lightened up  when  she   saw  Raghav........she has  finally  found someone  to call her  own.....
" listen  kalpana  Deepti Tejwani.....we  are  getting  married   after  graduation...  Raghav   ssuddenly   scooped  Kalpana in  his  arms and twirled her around........."'then  we  will go on our honeymoon....'''we will go  to  Switzerland  and  play in the  snow....we will go.... tobogganing.... we will go to the highest  peak     Pennine  Alps.......
''  Raghav   pinch    me   ''''is  this  really  happening''Kalpana   stopped laughing 
'Pinch  you...oh  never   ever.............kiss  you  yes...i will.....Raghav  kissed  Kalpana  instead of pinching  her
"Raghav  you are  being  naughty......have  you told  your  mother  about  us.....will she  accept  me;? Kalpana  broke away from Raghav's  arms..........she was so serious  ..suddenly   Raghav  just  pulled  her  back into  his  arms......and  held  her  close  to  him    .....
" who  wouldn't    like  a sweetie   like  you   ........my  mother  will   accept  you  and  if  she  does not  we  will elope  and   get  married..laughed   raghav
'' what?   ,,run away  and  get  married.....without  your  mother,s  blessings........kalpana  was  concerned and  worried 
Oh  don't  worry  kalpana.....we  will cross the  bridge  when we  come  to  it...said  Raghav  still holding   kalpana
"when  are  we going to meet  your  mother Raghav? '''i want so much to meet  her''Kalpana   voiced  out  her  eagerness..
"on  graduation   we will meet   ' mum in law'...."...Said   Raghav  ..happy  about the  whole  thing   going  his  way......
Raghav  reluntantly   left kalpana   waving  to  him 
Kalpana   happily went of to work at the   Angel Florist........... happy.............. Meena  and   Joshua  her  guardian    withdrew  their  savings   to  buy   jewels  for  kalpana,,,she  was  a good  child   ....always  caring for them.....like  they were  her  birth parents......this  gave them great joy.....soon kalpana  will be married........
Raghav stepped   into his  mother's  house  to encounter  Mr and  Mrs  Patel  and  their daughter  Sureka......
''  ah   Raghav  come  and  meet  Mr  Patel  and   Uma   and    Sureka." .... Rubina   said    walking up to  Raghav
Raghav  shook hands with his   mother's guests  and   said  a  hi"  to  Sureka.........a  tall lanky   woman  who  was a doctor  posted to    city hospital
You are  into  Engineering   i  heard''   spoke  Sureka   taking  in   How  Handsome   Raghav  was...........he  was  good  husband   material....and  she  liked  him  instantly  but  Raghav was  not  interested   in  eveything in his  mother's  house  ........he  refused to be  intimidated  by   Rubina  Gupta.......she  had  built   the  family  business  with  his  father  Shailendra    Gupta  ......his  parents  were well off.......Rubina  had  been devasted  when    Shailendra    had a heart attack   and   died   leaving  Rubina  to  run the  whole  show  on  her  own...Raghav  and  Sunil  Gupta  her   sons   her   consolation........
''Raghav  excused himself and  went up to his  room.......he  showered  and  got  out  his  tennis  gear and  as  he  was   passing  the  living  room....'he  heard   Mr  Patel and  his  mother  shake  hands  on their  deal..........a  merger  ........Raghav and   Sureka  to  be  married  after  Raghav's  graduation
"my  foot....... Raghav  cursed   under his  breath  watching  the  conspirators......plans  were  discussed  unaware  that   Raghav  was  watching  the  whole facade.......
Raghav sat   late  at  nights    engrossed in his  final   year  papers........he  was  always  the  top on the    list........he  will  proof  to his  mother he can  do this  without her influence............he  had  a  great responsibility...towards  the  girl he  loved, Kalpana  ,he  had  promised to  marry  and cherish her and take  care  of  her  and  build their  own little  home..and   have  a family......he  will fullfill..his  words     .......nothing in this world  would  stop him to achieve his  goals    and    marry  the  one  he  loved...............Raghav  planned  out  his  life   with Kalpana.......Kalpana  had  deeply  motivated him  to concentrate   on  his   exam papers......and   told him she  would  see him  on his  graduation Day.........until  then  they  should  not see each  other.............Raghav  found it difficult   not  being able  to see kalpana  he  called  her every day  and  spoke  to  her  on the  phone......kalpana   had  many  floral orders  and  in  between... she   was  glad   to  get calls    from   Raghav.....in  another week  after  gratuation.....Raghav and  Kalpana  will  be   married.........Kalpana carried  these  thoughts   in her  heart while  Raghav   laid  his  head  on the  cushion  he  had  stolen  from  Kalpana.........he  needed that restfull sleep..........he  had  a lot of  things  to  take  care  of.............to  be  continued