Sangher Haveli-Scene VII

 He stormed back to his cabin after loudly barking, "Everybody Back To Work"

Bai Ji stared at his retreating form, stunned at what had happened. She had never seen her husband so angry. Bai Ji had come hoping that she would go out for a pleasant lunch. Not in her wildest dreams had she expected to witness something like this. Bai Ji realised he must be very disturbed right now. Bai Ji turned to move up to his cabin and help somehow when Bai Ji felt a hand on her shoulder. Bai Ji turned to see Krystle. She was smirking as if she had just won a battle.

"If I were you, I wouldn't go to him at this time." Krystle said confidently. Uttara was so annoyed. Who the hell is she to tell me that? But she took in a deep breath and replied with a smile. "I know you wouldn't have gone. You have told me Kunwar Saab is arrogant person who never treated anybody with affection, so obviously you wouldn't dare to go to him at such a time. There has to be a certain level of closeness and understanding in a relationship to share each other's worries. Now please excuse me. My husband needs me." Uttara turned and walked away to Pranay’s cabin, wiping off the smirk from Krystle's face.

Krystle glared angrily. And mentally stating ” Go Mrs. Uttara. You never seem to have seen Pranay in the worst of his rages, that's why you are being so over confident. Go I hope your precious fragile heart has the strength of bearing what's in there.

Uttara entered the cabin to find Pranay standing at the window looking out and his files scattered all over the room as if he threw all of them in frustration. As Uttara moved closer to him Bai Ji did feel a little scared as Bai Ji could sense the heat of rage radiating from his body. Bai Ji gulped as she stood behind him and then taking a deep breath, hugged him from behind after cleaning the cabin.

"Kunwar Saab" Bai Ji said softly and nothing else.

Just hearing his name in her voice had an immediate effect on him. He turned around and pulled her in his arms and covered her with his own, body hugging her like he had never before. It was like he was trying to vent all his anger and frustration in that hug. Uttara was shocked at first but she just let him take over. Bai Ji wrapped her arms around him, running her fingers through his hair and stroking his back. A few moments later, the flavour of the hug changed as Pranay tightened his arms around her, as if trying to take her inside him. His passion became hungry and demanding and Bai Ji could barely keep up with his sudden and overwhelming possessiveness as his hands started roaming towards the deep cut of the blouse and started untugging the blouse so the bra and stroked whole of her spinal cord and a thunder ran in her body. When he let her go finally, Bai Ji gasped loudly several times, trying to catch her breath. And tried to retuck her buttons when he helped her. Uttara tried to look at him wondering why his mood had suddenly changed from extremely angry to something like this. But Bai Ji had barely glanced at him when he pulled her into a bone melting kiss, making Uttara wonder if he would ever let her go.

"Kunwar Saab.." she said again, resuming to stroke his back.

He looked down at her, cradling her face against his shoulder. He saw her swollen lips and got the little worried, running a finger over her lips he asked, "Did I hurt you? I am sorry."

"No Kunwar Saab, I'm fine." she smiled caressing his face.

"I'm sorry you had to see all this. I was upset and I took it all out on you. Are you hurt?" He asked concerned.

She just shook her head. "Are You okay?"

He smiled somehow, "I've been worse. But yes this is the fastest I have recovered, thanks to you."

Uttara kissed his nose, "I'm glad I could help. Now shall we leave?"

He looked at her apologetically, "Oh the lunch. Bai Ji can we do it some other day. I'm just not in a mood to..."

"No!!!" Bai Ji said suddenly. "I know Kunwar Saab, you are not in a mood and that is why we Should be going. You'll feel better."

Uttara smiled with relief that he was okay enough to talk and went to pick up her bag from the sofa.

As they moved out, Krystle was shocked to see Pranay walk out of the office completely relaxed with his arm around his wife's waist.

Finally she realised that she has lost the battle, and that this woman is the one who will have Sangher Haveli to herself, she is and will remain Bai Ji of that Haveli. She is the one who has Pranay dancing to her tunes as in her lied the happiness of Pranay. She was truly Uttara Pranay Raje Sangher

Sangher Haveli - Scene VI

As he entered after one of the pooja at home, he saw Uttara sleeping in the bed looking exhausted, she did got tired as it is never easy to be the Bai Ji of the Sangher Haveli, she has totally dissolved herself in haveli, and now she sleeps, it was one of the cotton sarees she wears while she sleeps 

“Kunwar Saab, you here. Needed anything” she said gently sitting in the bed and positioning her saree properly over her head and putting her wet hairs in back side

He could see and drown in the feeling that he is the only one who could see her like that, so keeping the towel in foot of bed, he just came close to her and said “Nothing, just was trying to wipe your hairs as I felt that they would give you cold.”

Bai Ji just took the towel and gently rubbing in her hairs said “Actually I was really tired after the ceremonies so decided to sleep the way it is. Sorry, I troubled you.”

“No, Uttara, you never trouble me. And I should be actually sorry for breaking your sleep. Actually I am going on trip tomorrow, can I hold you today? I know you never deny me anything but it’s just that I cannot even think of touching you without your consent. As I still somewhere in fear that just like last time. When I return from the trip, I will find my room empty as my heart. That time I could tolerate without you but now it’s breaking. Please join me for trip.  You know Maa still joins Papa for trips.” He said blabbering as he wanted to savour every moment spent with her in his heart forever. Bai Ji saw the child in him wanting to keep his toy with him.

She would love to travel with him but she had her own responsibilities and it was her responsibilities that tied him to this house. She lovingly looked at him and said “I would love to join but can’t because I think that I join you, then you may not be able to concrete on work. Plus I need to stay here. You go tension free. It’s the word of Bai Ji of this mansion”

He returned to see his room was empty, he got scared but he had faith that if Bai Ji said she would not leave, then he also needs to understand that faith. So he decided to change after changing, he started to move outside room when felt someone is in balcony. He was shocked to see that Bai Ji was there sleeping in one of cane couches and the noise was of her bangles. Her body was protectively wound under the shawl and Bai Ji was looking leaner. Bai Ji looked very tired and exhausted; he saw her wearing a green saree which had huge butterflies of red and blue colour. Same full sleeve blouse. He sometimes wished that Bai Ji didn’t wore them but Bai Ji wearing it and covering her arms yet her super deep backs gave ample amount of warmth to him as whenever they are together he always rubbed his hands with her back a way other.

As he touched her, he found her a little more paler and colder than regular, though she had a cool body and a very pale colour of skin yet she looked as someone sick, he couldn’t understand that whether it’s his over thinking or she had being ill.  

He picked her up and made her rest in the bed and decided that he will look into the matter later because in his 1 year of marriage this never happened that he found Uttara sleeping in evening time, she is very strict with her disciplines so it was very unlike her. When he laid Bai Ji in bed and was turning, he saw that some papers were scattered in her table. He decided to arrange them then only he would go outside. There he saw a medical reports stating name “Mrs. Uttara Pranay Raje Sangher” telling that last few days she had being under severe anorexia due to some internal problems and medicines were prescribed accordingly.   

“Why Uttara, today I don’t feel like calling you Bai Ji, you were ill and I didn’t even seem to know about you, even when you had to hospitalized. If I hadn’t found the files I would not have known that you are acutely anorexic , so you take anti allergens each morning, and they finished plus you had severe case of anorexia, so you lost almost 15 kgs in last 10 days but you didn’t even called me.”

Uttara waited till his raging anger settled for some moments then just said “Yes, I am anorexic since ages and I just don’t know what went wrong in last few days. I am Ph.D in bio technology. I know my medicines.” She didn’t said it but from his previous experiences he knew that Krystle and Uttara don’t have good terms plus with Uttara not having cell phone, the only way they connect is through that way only.

“Saurav, yaah can you get me a cell phone.........yes best one please..........no matter of money............no, no not for me but your Bai Ji.”

“This is for you; call me whenever you feel like because you are my top priority irrespective of meetings so at any time when you are at mood to talk and next time I don’t want any more surprises. And here is your medicines, have them on time and properly. I’m on verge of my anger so pls do not poke me anymore and do get yourself well soon.”  Pranay said emotionlessly and he only knew how broke he felt seeing her look so dim. So he had decided to take things on his hands.

“Kunwar Saab, what do you think what should I wear in the annual meeting, I think this red gota patee saree will look nice with rubies but on second thoughts, I think blue saree with emeralds with make a better combination.” said Uttara seeing them in front of the huge mirror of their room. In response Pranay just Hmmed while working in the laptop.

“Kunwar Saab, Kunwar Saab, you are not listening to me. I was thinking that no one should marry a workcoholic man. You bring all office to home.”

Sliding his laptop, he said “What should I say. You are such a beauty that you look beautiful in every dress you wear, like now looking pure kesar ki bagaan” signalling towards her violet pink saree.

She blushed and said “Now, you are making me conscious.”

Sangher Haveli - Scene V

It was their 1^st anniversary and Pranay said that she should get ready as he wanted to show her something. And here in room she was in flux to do what? Just then Ammo came and said “Bai Ji, it’s your chance to common normal life. Take it; I know it’s hard to trust someone when he has broken your trust so many times. But you also wanted a dead do us apart kind of marriage so now this what it matters. Go for the chance and make him your Kunwar Saab, tell the world that you are Uttara Pranay Sangher.”

She took her chance and got dressed in He took her the balcony where she saw a large cloth covering a segment of balcony so Bai Ji removed and found that there was huge cage with innumerable love birds of all colours, he said “When I was visiting your father recently I saw over there that your father was tending to pigeons, he only told that you like birds. So after a lot of thought, I thought its best to get you some as other way also you get bored over here.”

“But I don’t like caging them.” Bai Ji said in small voice

“Ok, then no problem we can free them” he said moving towards the cage.

“Can I free them once at a time, but then how much I will miss them” Bai Ji said in child like whisper. For the first time in their wedding he saw the girl in front of him to not be someone who was 29 but a teenager craving for love, he can’t even imagine his life being brought in house filled with 7 sisters and 2 brothers, he always had more than enough attention in his life.

“Don’t worry I will refill them till the time you either get bored with petting birds or with setting them free.” He said good humourly, where he realised that his small gesture opened the doors of her heart in a manner which he cannot see. It was first crack in their wall of separation. As she hugged him by herself and drawing happiness from his posture, she may be really strong but she has now decided to lean to him.  

After this incident their room was always full of chirps of birds and many times of peals of her laughter. Sometimes Pranay use to imagine how both of them sounded so similar to his ears. Now she smiled more often and laughing would be correct word. As promised he kept his word and the cage was always full of birds, small colourful birds. To see the birds most of the time his room was now flocked by the female brigade of haveli. From maids to his Maa now everybody would be there pampering the birds.

Uttara now also involved herself with Ammo and both of them together kept the royalty of this haveli still alive. They were still busy with community school in morning to sorting some miniscule problems of estate and then they will be just together reading books.

Pranay sometimes just wanted to thank Ammo to be there when they were at their worst. Because it was just only due to Ammo their marriage stayed. And now the situation was that even his parents loved Bai Ji more than him. Now the whole haveli would like “Bhaiya, Bai Ji ko bhejo na, kuch kaam hai.” But still he was not free from his guilt about how he treated her.

“Please, let be a husband to you only for today. I know it’s your birthday. You only wanted this relationship to work. So give a chance for repentance.” He said being teary eyed as he felt how badly he had wronged this girl.

“Only at one condition, we will never discuss the past again and live our lives more full of new hope. And you will stay my husband till the end of our lives” Uttara said emotionally.

Bai Ji just turned and took the saree to the dressing room and opening her wardrobe started searching accurate blouse. Just when she was about to pull a full sleeve black velvet blouse. Bai Ji felt him near her saying “I know you are the elder daughter-in-law but that doesn’t mean you always need to dress up royally. It’s just you and me so you can go with more eased look, but only if you want. By the way, the saree had its blouse too. It’s in another bag.” With that he left the room so that Bai Ji had privacy to change.

Bai Ji came down wearing the silver saree with pink-purple halter neck blouse. Her curls were lying on one of her shoulders. With that Bai Ji only wore jhumkis and under bustier diamond band. Bai Ji was smiling shyly that only he noticed that Bai Ji had some marks in her upper arms, they were dark marks of something like scratch marks. He decided to inquire about them but later. For now they needed to be with each other.

He took her to their estate near a river where there lied a mattress in garden with bon fire and under the stars while bubbling sound of water rustled, he just said  “Sorry, I have no idea to celebrate some ones birthday. I thought that you are always so full of people that you would like this.”

They just sat down enjoying the starry night, after a while he said “May ask you something’s about your life? I never tried to know each other. So let’s start with that. You toh know that I am studied from top universities of India and joined business after completing my studies 10 years back.”

The night was quite they both just sat and talked and talked about each other lives. This was the first time they just had talks like friends and came to know many hidden traits of each others’ personality.

The natural graduation in their relationship progressed; she just slipped calling him “Kunwar Saab” as like all other wives called their husbands. Like now all the household including himself called her “Bai Ji”

The first time he realised that he earned back “Kunwar Saab” he was so ecstatic that he said to call him that once again which she did unconsciously and then when she realised, she blushed like a ripe cherry and was silent throughout the day.     

The room now showed signs of cohabitation, from mini fights over covers to now had a huge picture of them framed and put in their personal library where she is holding him by arms and looking at him curiously where he looking at her lovingly. The photo that was clicked when he was taking her to see their anniversary gift

Compromise

Aditya Dhanrajgiri, thought as he sat in his posh office that he would never like to revisit that place, though he studied his college over there but then too. Here in Hyderabad, he was more than happy with his life. This city had a old charm and calmness he liked. Just then he was lost in these thoughts that   he realized it was past his lunch time.

Aditya was a big time stock broker or should say he with his father and brothers are the top firm in stock market. His father and brothers stayed in Delhi, they were a big happy Punjabi family and his father travelled to Mumbai for business purpose. But now his father was planning to retire wanted him to shift the base in Mumbai

As he was thinking to order something from café, he saw Sakshi , as usual she was looking bubbly, she was a  high end  fashion consultant for home décor, she with her some friends ran an exclusive consultancy where they were allotted empty spaces for decoration or redecor of the places. Here she was wearing a mustard coloured princess cut shirt and blue jeans with multicolored scarf. She entered the office and with her came the peon, he put the white sheet on the coffee table and then she kept the purple picnic basket. She bought out the crockery and cutlery and his favourite Lebanese.

Though his intention was not to drag Sakshi in his problems but his parents loved Sakshi more that any body else. After 3 sons, Sakshi was their daughter, they always wanted to have basically, even his brothers whom he had terms of fighting like hell were totally in her team, he had never seen them to have rough terms with  her. Shivam and his wife Aashi fangirled Sakshi because she helped their arranged marriage into a love one. Plus with his other brother Alankar or Aly was close to marrying his girl friend Sarika, it was a time they were to last details of their relationship and as usual Sakshi was the one who was also helping them.

They sat down together and as usual she talked about her day, he loved the way her hands moved when they discussed life or that twinkle in her eyes. He never said it but he loved when she came to his office giving him surprise and they had lunch together . She did it most of the times when she was in the city. They had a beautiful kothi near old Hyderabad, she had decorated it beautifully and he loved warmness of this city, she has being regularly juggling with her life in multiple cities especially after he moved to Hyderabad a year ago, though they still celebrate all major festivals in Delhi with his family. Sakshi and him had a an arranged marriage 5 years back, she was a single child of a single mother, so she loved being a part of a big family.

After the lunch, he quietly broached the topic that Dad wants him to move to Mumbai, feverly praying that Sakshi makes his parents understand that  it was not a wise move rather they should let Shivam settle in Mumbai as he has being in business for few years. But Sakshi only said “Adi, I leave the decision to you.  I can set my business from anywhere, its your career that’s important to me, but rather I would suggest Mumbai would be good place to change of environment.” Aditya knew he was fighting a lost battle because he knew one day he will have to face his fears.

So he informed his father that he will shift , and as usual he left house hunting and decorating to her, plus the interiors of his office in Mumbai. She moved to Mumbai a month earlier than him and found a posh penthouse in one of the high rise buildings plus a great office redecoration was in place.

The building had only two penthouses and as talking to Sakshi, he realized only a single woman who is in some sort of music industry lives there another one. Plus with the diagrams, Sakshi shared it looked that now Mumbai office is ready to the hippie version of stock broking firms. It is now more of lively place she created using vastu and other monetary favouring theories. There was use of a lot of glass and the décor had a flowing touch in it to give it a flow to market transactions. And though he was not much not home décor, but she still liked his views , the penthouse looked like Japan inspired cherry blossom looks, giving it flowery yet sopsticated looks with lots of use of Turkish décor making it look very contemporary Asian. He had to agree his wife was amazing in her work. But something moving to Mumbai was very stressing for him. Thankfully when he moved in, Sakshi was going out of town as she a major project in Kolkata, where 25 high end bungalows needed to designed , plus atlast Aly and Sarika are engaging so she would be there. With Kolkata project and engagement he was looking to 3 months of solitude as she would be really pressingly busy these months. So they just had a regular dinner, he liked what she did to the house and was looking real nice. He as usual also appreciated her choice of staff because it was perfect and that night when he took her, it was different from all other times, it was tensed and worried, plus kindda that made her feel that he was just doing that as a routine but didn’t enjoy it.

The next morning he was alone to home as she had early flight and driver drove her to airport, he was feeling guilty that in a way in his anxiety he was making Sakshi unsecured because this was the first time in their marriage that she didn’t woke him up before boarding the flight, but he felt a bit relieved when he saw a message from her in his room, her old habit of writing notes.

“Don’t worry, had very early flight plus it got preponed so left in great hurry that’s why didn’t wake you up. Best of luck for your first day at Mumbai’s office. Love you, take proper meals and I will call as soon as I land.-Sakshi “

He was returning from a tiring day at office, but staff responded well to the change . and as he reached his floor, he saw a girl struggling with lots of grocery as she was trying to open the gate on the other house, so he helped her by carrying some of her bags but when she turned, he was shocked to see the face.

The other pent house  belonged to Manasvini Munjal, the only person he didn’t want to see is the one who’s his neighbor .

Manasvini was also shocked to see Aditya after so many years. they lost contact 10 years back, when he moved out of their relationship after teenage disputes. Manasvini was also shocked but then using her brains , she invited in as he was moving she saw his nameplate in other side of wall “Aditya “ Sakshi didn’t like the formal nameplates and plus all her mails came by to Potter’s House, so the nameplate said “Aditya” They had coffee and he left to his house, when he saw that it was first time in years that he forgot work and had something else to think.

Late that night when Sakshi called, he was distracted so she cut the phone early. Following the week, she didn’t had much time so Aditya visited Manasvini a few times as she invited him to dinner. There Sakshi was busy in Kolkata, then she just flew for 2 days but that time Manasvini was in Bangalore for a concert, this was the week, she suggested that they should put  their personal stuff as that package is still packed  due their busyness. But he denied saying that its not just the time to tire her as she is having hectic schedule. Then she flew to Delhi for a month as their was Aly and Sarika’s engagement, then their wedding shopping because wedding was just 2 months away.

He invited her to dinner one night when they discussed Sakshi, she said “Your decorator was very passionate about her work, she did everything as if she was to live here. Here  what was her name….”  

“Sakshi, she is my…..”  Manasvini said “I know, she is your interior designer, and a friend looks she is Shivam’s friend too, isn’t she?”Aditya went with the flow because he would like to spend some time with Manasvini without any complications.

Though when he flew for engagement party, Sakshi looked dull , when he inquired  she said she just feeling tired some nights, weather caught her as both Kolkata and Delhi were boiling in temperature. She was just too tired and so his attention was again back to Manasvini. Somehow, his life was planning the way he would have liked as his mother didn’t let Sakshi leave the home because she said  it would be better that she helps in wedding plus her regulsr trips to Kolkata are exhausting so with a family here in Delhi, she would be better cared. And he couldn’t agree more.

Here in Mumbai, he went out a lot of times with Manasvini, plus no one knew much of his personal life, so no fuss about that, plus he enjoyed Manasvini’s company because with Sakshi she only understood old Bollywood or new club songs, but none much than that, but Manasvini had a refined choice in music like they went to a jazz bar, plus electronica theatres and all that kind of music hubs. Aditya never told anybody at home about it but he had a kind of music bar in settling up when he was in college but his best friend cheated him bar and was secretly dating Manasvini, it broke him and he left the place as loser but now if it gave him some peace that music bar failed because very advanced for that decade plus he was cheating with Manasvini with other women.

It was just a regular day till mid day, when he saw Sakshi all smilingly in his office, with a duffel bag she was carrying, he didn’t knew she was returning today, truth to be told he didn’t hears a word she says to him now-a-days though they didn’t talk much because whenever she called he hanged the phone early, so she reduced calling thinking it’s the new city, new office pressure with  lot of office work, and  she herself was busy with her ailing health, Kolkata and wedding but he was confident that she had not said something about her return, she was looking as usual, a jeans and a shirt with a scarf, that was also a reason he liked Manasvini, Sakshi was predictable and concistent with her life. It was always jeans or Indian wears whereas Manasvini was more spunky and interesting mate he moved with. But he noticed she has lost weight as his brothers said, they were also saying that she was being still nostalgic.

She brought him lunch and today it was home cooked food , she as usual started with her chatter ,   

“You know we were discussing to have a collage of photos for Mummyji’s 55^th birthday but I couldn’t  your photos of college days.”

“Sakshi you have to arrange without them.”

“But, Adi I am just asking some college photos, not something that will be used otherwise .” She was losing her cool when she felt that there is no way she deserved that kind of treatment when she returned 7 weeks after she left their home especially when she has being so supportive.

“Damn Sakshi, I just don’t want to remember that time”  she was speechless but he continued “Yes, I have chosen this life 10 years ago, yes I had to compromise somethings in life but who doesn’t make some compromises in life.”

“Adi, the life you are saying compromise, I am part of your that life only, is this wedding is also a compromise for you.”

“For God sake, Sakshi, that’s not what I meant.”

“That’s exactly you meant, Aditya. I am just a compromise for you”

“Lets leave all these. And why had you come unannounced to my office?”

“I was mistaken, I always thought that you liked to share your lunch hour with me and seeing me suddenly over here you will be rejoiced so in your moment of happiness I will tell you that you are going to be a father.”Placing a hand over her still flat abdomen. “But, from now on, I will never come to your office, I don’t think I deserve this kind of behavior , even after I never tried to subrotage your private life, but now I realize we may share same postal address but we aren’t sharing our life, you are not sharing your life.” He was stunned for a moment but she continued “But what a pity, now I don’t even know you will even happy knowing this.”

She left throwing a photo frame at cabin, after she left the peon entered and was cleaning the glass when he saw it was their photo that he had got framed in their last anniversary. A typical Delhi couple photo where they were standing after a karwa chauth. Now a child, for whom he was waiting since last 4 years , for a moment he was thinking that whether his long forgotten desire was really  worth it. Sakshi may not be his first love but paved her path to his heart in slow and steady manner by being a constant to his moody and variable nature, she never had in her life tried to change him but rather has adjusted herself.

Is really his college crush worth it that he should risk his five years of marriage, that innocent woman’s heart, plus his parents satisfaction, his brother’s adoration, his full happy Punjabi family and most importantly now his child. A child which she is giving him. Their love for each other may not be crazy and wild love, but it was something basing on years of companionship, care and love.

But now, he didn’t knew what to do? So calling an early day off he left to his house and saw her luggage was clearly stacked in room but she was not there, he called for her when the staff told him that she came 2 hours ago and after instructing them about daily work, she left, he found a note saying

“Off to Potter’s House, Need some time to think.”

Potter’s House was her work house and had a bunk bed so that if needed a person or two, he called  a number of times at the landline but no one was picking up the phone, so decided to drive over there, and he saw her sitting infront of  potter’s wheel and trying to make a pot sobbingly. He just sat beside her and started cleaning her neck and face with his hanky and then he firmly holding his hand help in making the pot. He could feel her nervousness as he could feel her back in his front. Then after he carried her in and made her lie in the bed.

And just lied beside her holding her in a manner which made in clear to her that he is no mood to leave her and just caressed her to sleep and falling himself to sleep in turn. He had made his choice and he had chosen his this life with Sakshi. He has decided to end matters with Manasvini and before  coming here he visited her and told the truth that he was now married and myriad of emotions he persuaded her but now he has understood that he actually want to live with his wife because she is the one who is his true salvation.

Sangher Haveli-Scene IV

“I don’t know what I should call you because I am not calling you Kunwar Saab like others call their husbands as I don’t think you have done something to deserve it. Calling you by name is out of question as even if we are not conventional couple yet we are married.” Said Uttara for the first time after they had again met, while looking the sunset from her room’s balcony.

To say Pranay was shocked will be an understatement, he said “I didn’t think that you would like to continue the relationship after all that happened and I’m surprised. You are from London still you believe in such customs.”

Uttara turned and saw him direct in eyes and said “I was 2 when my mother died, since then from last 27 years my father is alone. If he wished he could have easily got married as considering his multi-billionaire status and dashing looks, still now he would have being into the 3^rd or 4^th marriage. And even today girls of my age or younger can do anything to marry him, yet he has always survived with her memories. It has being years but vision of my mother laughing with my father will stay with me forever, and you will be shocked to know even they had an arranged marriage. So for me also, it’s just a single time marriage, and destiny tied to me to you, so I will stay but not as your wife but as the girl whom you gave the scared vows. So for now you are not Kunwar Saab for me, you need to earn it.”

He now knew that she will not leave him gave him the confidence and time that he needed to woo her. He tried his level best but he also had a multi dollar business to run. Plus he does not even understand what has got into the head of Krystle; she was his PA since last 5 years. A good girl who had her roots firm in the ground, he knew that she was a bit high aired but good at work and a harmless flirt so he never let things go out of hand but last week was just excess.

As he came out of meeting, he was told by Chandan that there has being a call from Sangher Haveli but it was not passed to him whereas since last few days he has given clear instructions that any call from home should be passed to him without any delay.

When he let Chandan loose in the matter, he came back with news that it was Bai Ji call that she had a talk with Krystle as she was there in the building and the matters was into a lot of heat as this was the first time she came office as Mrs. Sangher or should say the first time after returning she showed some inclination towards letting him in the circle or should say responding to his proposals.

Krystle was shocked to see Mrs. Sangher in office. Bai Ji Uttara was really as beautiful as her wedding photos depicted plus she did carry a regal air and looked highly intellectual. So tried to attack on her psyche, as she had heard rumours that everything was not fine between Mr. and Mrs. Sangher as Chandan was gone somewhere few days back and to be believed he had gone to see Uttara Sangher as she was missing.

So she just said “Sorry, Uttara, you are not allowed inside. You know how Pranay is. An insensitive brute who does not cares for anybody else except his business.”

Uttara just smiled at her sweetly, too sweetly and said “Its either Bai Ji or Mam for you, Ms. Krystle. And I am here to drop the lunch and not to chit chat with your boss, for that I have my bedroom. Plus how is his nature I don’t need to told by a employee. I know my husband. If you are forgetting I am the one who had vowed sacred promises with him. So I know him better than any of you people. ”

Looking at the tiffin helplessly. He just didn’t know what to do. On one hand it’s very difficult to manage without a PA and especially when he himself knew that he is not a very easy person to deal with in business circle. Plus he as was frustrated that his every effort of last few weeks went down the drain as today Uttara herself came to office and yet he couldn’t meet her. He just didn’t know the next course of action so he decided that it’s time to face the music and see how it turned at home.

When he went back to haveli. He saw everything was back to normal and Uttara was in the back gardens with her devranis playing with some rabbits that were kept by Yashovarman. And looked quite content. She was as usual in saree with full sleeves blouse and bare backs which no one can see due to her saree pinned in other shoulder. When he came, the others left and they both were left, she was bit breathless and just said “Had your lunch, your driver was on leave so while coming from school I left it in your office.”

He knew that she went to the community school for 2 hours every morning to teach science and returned from there around 12. But he was shocked that she didn’t discuss her issues with anybody else.

Sometimes he didn’t understand what he wanted, here she had became even more detached from him now he didn’t even see the anger lest leave hope or affection. He actually wanted a wife and not someone who just attends him on proper times. Now he getting taste of his own medicine and she has without even intending has achieved a full throttle revenge of those 10 months.

  

Generally by the time he came home to rest after lunch for siesta, he would find her busy with her life either with Ammo for some community work or as such or kitchen experimenting with hi tea. But today was an exception, she was ready as if for some event but he doesn’t remember one to be notified and cleaning the room. Looked like she had tried some other sarees too.

“Sorry, I am just leaving actually today is Teej that’s the reason I’m bit late in getting ready.” she said pinning her saree pallu in her head as expected from their family’s daughter in laws. She was looking very beautiful in pink ghaghara saree and full sleeved blouse. With that she was wearing a green beads necklace and earrings. Her hands adorned mehandi and bangles. Her waist looked desirable due to waistband. Plus on her shoulder laid one saree broach.

“Kaun kehta hai ki yeh ladkiyan ab badi hoon gayi hain, ye toh abhi pariyon ki kahani lagati hai, yeh kabhi nahi ho sakti” said Ammo seeing her granddaughters running and chasing each other as they were here for Saawan, now her 3 daughter in law added in this. The only who felt Ammo’s love and mostly was the person who didn’t got any from any other source, Uttara.

Sangher Haveli-Scene III

Pranay never knew how to handle the matter because he was bought up in a huge family, their was still a joint family. So their family circle was their grand-mother, Ammo. His father Shashidhar had 2 sons and 2 daughters. Himself, then sisters Durga and Amba. Durga was elder most around 33 married Neel, 35, the owner of clothing brand, Wild Gals. Amba was also married only a year to Neel’s younger brother, Shiv in total “Hum Aapke Hai Kaun” style as she was there in Paris with him for their fashion course. And Saurav who was a film producer with shy but intense looks married to Shristi. His chacha and chachi had 2 daughters, Jyotshna, Ambalika and a son Yashovarman. Jyotshna and Ambalika married Kartik Maheshwari and Anirudh Rajeshwar, his business partners respectively. Yashovarman was also married. His bua, who lived with them, had three daughters, Subadhara, Shatakshi and Shambhavi. Subadhara married Parth Chandra, a politician by profession and the heir of a big business family. Shatakshi was in relation with one of her M.A. Professor Dr. Raj Aryan. Shambhavi was youngest around 20 and happily married with her child husband. All of them lived together in Sangher Haveli, Bhopal. And he despite being elder most was last to marry in brothers. He was 35 when he married Uttara who was 28 at that time.

He thought a lot and then thought of dealing the bulls directly by his horns, and so next day he sat there in the bonnet of car, as she came out of the haveli and followed her though out the whole. Village to the school.

He could sense that she was astonished to see him yet she ignored him and rather anger which was his personal expression, he smiled at her childlessness that she thought he would never find her.

Though he agrees it was hard to think of her in Bengal. He was mesmerised by the way she always got ready even in lowest means, today she was wearing a simple Bengali cotton brown saree and in her neck was a simple pendant of simple brown stones and silver, she wore it simple Bengali style and today she had worn a plain dark brown mega sleeved blouse, he was amused that even without touching her, he made her uneasy and conscious.

After her school got over, she hurriedly tried to skip him but she didn’t knew that he was waiting just outside in the sticky heat, he stood there but before she could turn and leave, he dragged her to isolated orchard where he kept her locked between himself and a trunk of a tree and said “Uttara Raje Sangher, even if you wanted to visit your maternal home, you could have taken my consent. Is you can, Bai Ji.”

“You don’t have a right to call me Bai Ji, you didn’t want me in your life so I quitted and now please leave me, I want to live my life, my way” said infuriated Uttara. But just then Abhimanyu played his part and sent the media over there because if he knew his sister well she would never make a scene in from public.

And as media came, Pranay got a chance and said “Sorry, but my wife preserves her privacy to her extents so does not meet anybody when I’m not in town, and other reason is quite clear that Bai Ji loves to travel with me. And guys lets be practical, Bai Ji is my wife and that too newly-wed, we just can’t get enough of each other. ” he just answered laughingly mirthly when asked when “Why Mrs Sangher was never seen in any social circles when he isn’t there? Is he stopping her mingling with people?”

“I accept that I am public figure and so you have questions about my life are not something which remains my personal. But Bai Ji is my wife, and like every traditional Indian wife, her life revolves around her household. So it would be better, if we keep her out of media glare. It’s my humble request and if you want to ask something about our married life, direct your questions to me. I will satisfy your queries easily and promptly. And to visit her, you can see her in Sangher haveli in Bhopal. There with my grand-mother, Ammo she meets people. Now pls let us leave as you can see Bai Ji is exhausted after my business journey and as it was first with me, so it’s more unsettling.” Saying that Pranay left with Uttara Who was tired yet was angry to be dragged back to her marital home but with Ammo, Uttara knew she will be the queen.

The Sangher haveli was more than happy to have its elder daughter-in-law back. Though Pranay’s mother was very upset to see the girl whom Pranay made to run away from his mistakes so hadn’t courage to see her but Ammo was very happy to have her back as she saw another Ammo in her. 

Sangher Haveli-Scene II

The next time he saw her was in a small village in Bengal, she was working social worker cum teacher, it was due to his aided man Chandan Roy, and he found her. He looked at her discretionally; she was wearing a simple red saree with green balloon sleeves blouse and was bare except just her mangalsutra and a red glass bead necklace with just few red glass bangles. She looked happier than she looked in his Haveli. He saw she lived in the haveli of the village with a guy. At first he doubted her to have some clicked relationship but then scolding himself, he knocked the gate and found the man was a famous mall king in Dubai and is known for his social interests in the matter, Mr. Abhimanyu Rathod. He had Abhi once or twice and he looked kidda dedicated to Paakhi, his child bride. So he decided to gather information at his level.

He met Abhimanyu for a deal and then just casually questioned him about his stay in which Abhi told that he is staying in that village. And when he was showing Pranay photos, he just casually questioned about Uttara. In which he replied

“She is Uttara, my sister actually her mother and my mother were sisters so we were maternal cousins but we both lost our mother in the same accident as both the sisters died in same plane crash to Delhi 26 years back. So we both were brought by my Nana-Nani as we both were single child so we are more like real siblings and that village is my maternal village which we both inherited... And I was visiting it so also invited her. She was very broke when she came here but in a month she is happier and I’m planning to take her Dubai with me.

Actually she got married around 10 months back but it was not success, so  she was running from there when I met her in the same train as both us going to our maternal home  after I never questioned her so also she never told much about it so I never forced her. 

Unfortunately or you should say fortunately I didn’t attend wedding because Aryan was not well. Or else I would have killed her husband to kill my sister.

You know Uttara is a PhD holder in Bio-technology and owned a pharmaceutical company in London. At 28, she was an over achiever but my sister lost all her zeal in that marriage. My sister was so dedicated in relations is now just not interested in anything. Her husband use to treat her like commodity that he has bought from his money is what she shared in such a long time. Why can’t he understand that my sister was a billionaire in her own sense, she hasn’t married for clothes or jewels.   Plus she is the daughter of Dharamraj Mahiyavanshi. Who does not need money to bring happiness in her life?  But alas luck was not in our favour, she got married and now she lives with me, even after much persistence she isn’t telling me the name.

We now have decided that she will resume her previous life in London and we will leave there next month. After that she will inform Maasaji as till now we have kept it between us. Then with him we will decide our next course of action.“

Pranay was shocked to know all this facts about his own wife, what kind of relationship they shared that he even didn’t knew that her mother died years ago or that she and Abhimanyu shared almost a sibling relationship. Then he felt angry on him only because he remembered that since the time their marriage was fixed, he never was interested, some was his lack of inclination towards other was their communication gap. She never tried to know about him and he considered it to be the point that she only wants to have her luxurious life to continue so never tried to go beyond that.

In all through 10 months of their marriage, he never talked to her about she would like or not , whereas she had tried her level best to mingle in his joint family though she was from a single family.

These 10 months had many moments like her first birthday after marriage, he even forgot to wish. She always there ready and playing perfect spouse. Their marriage had become two unknown people just being there. But the most   astonishing fact was that she was always found near Ammo, Ammo who never even smiled was there always with her chatting and Ammo, she and Jasum use to go a lot of places like she was really involved with Ammo in her social work plus he duties as Bai Ji of the haveli..

Remembering the last time he saw her was on some ritual she was wearing an orange saree with gold blouse and jewels. He had not even acknowledged to be participated in the pooja and later that night left for a trip to Moscow without even considering how she would have felt where only her husband was not there for the ritual. Afterwards, he came to know that after that incident she didn’t talked to anybody for whole 3 days and on 3^rd night in rains, she left the place. And maybe forever. He till now had understood his mistake that she is self respecting girl who would never tell anybody else about her issues.

He decided that to win her back he needed to win the brother, so with a little flicker of hope that he will not be trashed. He told Abhimanyu the truth, though Abhimanyu did wanted to kill him for making his sister go through this but then he decided that if Pranay is really regretting then he should be given a chance and there is no on perfect and everybody deserves second chances. As he also once had almost lost Paakhi due to his carelessness and now wit Ayaan she is the centre of his universe. Maybe this turns out that Pranay and Uttara may find love in each other.

So they planned everything properly knowing tha even Uttara gets a hint of this all she will blast like a bomb over Abhimanyu and so will Paakhi who felt that Uttara should leave a man who don’t even cares for her.

Pranay just wanted luck to favour him just this time like it has always being there in his business so with the determination they decide deals, they planned the plan to malofy Uttara.