Wedding day:
Its early morning and Daya, Vineet and Dr Salunkhe are preparing for the wedding in the temple. Tarika is helping Purvi get ready.
Rajat is very nervous before the start of the ceremony.
Daya: Arre Rajat…itna serious kyun ho yaar…relax..main jaanta hoon mushkil hai..magar yeh sab tum Rajvi ke liye kar rahe ho..
Rajat: Sir mujhe bahut darr lag raha hai…main pehle bhi shaadi kar chuka hoon aur….aur yeh Purvi ki zindagi ka sawaal hai..kahin iss baar meri wajah se use koi dukh hua toh?
Daya: Rajat…hum sab tumhe ache se jaante hai…tum ek bahut ache insaan ho…pichli baar jo hua use bhool jaoo tum….aaj se nayi zindagi shuru karo..apne parivar ko kush rakho…dekho Purvi bhi bahut achi hai….jo tumhari beti ko ek maa se badhkar pyaar karti hai who sach me dil ki kitni achi hogi…tumhara ghar, jeevan sab kuch sawaar degi..bas ek dusre ko thoda waqt do..sab theekh ho jayega..
On the other hand, Tarika is getting Purvi's hair done and generally talking, but Purvi is not paying any attention.
Tarika: Purvi…Purvi..kahan kho gayi ho? Kabse puch rahi hoon, tumhare earrings kahan hai?
Purvi: Haan…kya…Tarika ma'm…who mere purse me hai..
Tarika completes her make up. She is simple but looking very beautiful.
Tarika: Sach Purvi….tum itne simple dressing me bhi bahut sundar dikh rahi ho…kya baat hai..chehra utra kyun hai?
Purvi (with tears): Mujhe bahut….darr lag raha hai Ma'm…
Tarika holds her and pats her back.
Tarika: Main samajh sakti hoon..tum apne pehli shaadi ke bare me soch rahi ho….Rajat bahut acha insaan hai…jo tumhare bête ko apna sakta hai, apni jaan tak ki parvaah na karke bacha sakta hai…who tum dono ko bahut khush rakehga Purvi…ghabrao mat..jo ho raha hai use hone do…Rajat ko ek mauka do..Apne aap ko ek mauka do Purvi…
The wedding ceremony starts with the priest and Rajat performing rituals. He cannot help but get flashbacks of his first wedding with Saavi done in a small temple like this. He remembers the happiness in his face to have her sit next to him, doing the rituals together. Today, he is doing this as a job, Rajvi is all that matters to him right now.
Meanwhile, Purvi remembers her hurried first wedding, where she had no joy, no enjoyment. She was full of uncertainty then, she is uncertain today also. She wipes her tears and consoles her heart that this is for Viraj and Rajvi.
The priest calls for the bride, Tarika gets in the slowly walking Purvi whose eyes are downcast. Rajat manages to take a casual glance, his heart gets filled with sadness for Purvi. She has no expressions on her face. She comes and sits next to him. Rajat gives her a small smile; she returns the smile and looks down again.
Rajat ties the mangalsutra around her neck, Purvi slightly bends backwards and looks into Rajat's eyes with fear. Rajat swallows and goes ahead with the mangalsutra.
Its time to apply the sindoor on Purvi's head.
With trembling hands, Rajat picks up the sindoor and looks up into Purvi's eyes. Her eyes are full of tears, he applies it on her forehead and her tears spill out. Purvi feels the sindoor on her head.
The priest asks Rajat and Purvi to hold hands for the seven pheras (circles around the sacred fire). Purvi's hand trembles as she gives it to Rajat. He feels the tremors of the soft but cold hand of Purvi. He smiles at her hoping to make her comfortable and holds her hand gently for the rituals.
Rajat's gentle touch somehow makes her feel protected and that feeling gradually travels to her heart. Her hands become warm as the heat from his hand passes on and she now grips his hand in reciprocation. They complete all the rituals and have now become husband and wife.
They take blessings from ACP and Dr Salunke. They both give them some days off to get settled in their new house. Rajat and Purvi go together to Purvi's house. She collects her's and Viraj's clothes, necessary things and informs her landlord that she will vacate the house soon.
Later they drive to Rajat's house – which will now be Purvi's house too. Purvi steps in the house with a prayer that the kids and Rajat should be happy forever.
Rajat: Purvi…tum baitho, main coffee banata hoon..
Purvi: Sir….aap baithiye…main kar deti hoon..
Purvi goes into the kitchen and makes coffee and breakfast for both of them. They finish it and go to pick Viraj from school and take him straight to the hospital. Rajvi is awake now and has tears in her eyes when she sees Purvi and Rajat.
Rajvi: Mamma….aap kyun chodke chali gayi mujhe,,maine kitna dhoondha aapko..
Purvi: ab mamma kahin nahi jayegi..aapke saath aapke ghar me hi rahengi….Viraj bhi rahega..
Viraj: Papa bhi rahenge?
Rajat: Haan beta….maine aur tumhare mamma ne shaadi kar li hai…ab hum sab saath me rahenge…..
The kids scream Yay! And look very happy and excited.
Doctor: Congrats Mr and Mrs Rajat…aapne yeh bahut acha kiya..I think Rajvi jaldi theekh ho jayegi….
Purvi: Doctor, aap mujhe Rajvi ke saari medicines aur tests ki information de dijiye…kya aap kuch suggest kar sakte hai jisse rajvi ki depression kam ho?
Doctor: uski koi hobby me interest rakhiye….agar who busy rahegi toh ye better hoga uske liye
Later Rajat drops Purvi and Viraj home. Soon Viraj sleeps and Purvi goes and stands near the window. She sees her reflection on the glass with the sindoor still on her forehead. She feels it again and gets overwhelmed by the whole situation and cries with huge sobs.
It's the first night after her wedding and just like the first time, her husband is not home! Purvi is all alone!
Rajat is pacing up and down the corridor of the hospital sipping a coffee. His mind races back to the morning's events, how Purvi trembled when he applied sindoor, how she stepped backwards when he put the mangalsutra. He picks up his phone and calls Purvi.
Purvi is still crying, when she sees rajat's call. She wipes her tears and tries to sound normal.
Rajat: Purvi…who….tum theekh ho?
Purvi: rajvi theekh hai na Sir…aapne phone kiya…iss waqt?
Rajvi: Nahi…who theekh hai..so rahi hai..mujhe….mujhe tumhari fikar ho rahi thi…toh isliye..
Purvi: Main theekh hoon…Viraj bhi so gaya hai…aap…aap bhi so jayiye Sir..
Purvi keeps the phone down and now wipes her tears and without realizing closes her eyes and sleeps on the floor. Next morning, Purvi wakes up and confusingly looks around. She then realizes its her new home. She gets up and quickly starts with her work. She drops Viraj to school and gets ready to go to hospital. She is about to leave when she realizes she has missed something. She slowly walks to the bedroom, takes the sindoor box from the dressing table and applies it on her forehead.
Purvi reaches the hospital with coffee for Rajat and breakfast for Rajvi. Rajvi is awake and feeling much better. Rajat prepares to leave to go home for a bath and change.
Purvi: Sir…who…maine nashta table pe rakh diya hai..aap akele khaa lenge kya?
Rajat: are Purvi..tumne takleef kyu ki..main omlette bana leta..
Purvi: Ahh…who….meri adat hai nashta banane ki..toh…waise maine aapse pucha nahi pehle..magar maine upma banaya hai..
Rajat: Purvi….mere koi special demands nahi hote..tum jo banaogi main khaa loonga..waise bhi tumhare haath me kaafi swaad hai..chalo…main aata hoon jaldi
Rajat leaves and Purvi looks behind him and recollects a past incident when her husband had slapped her for not asking and making food for him.
Rajat enters his home to a wonderful fragrance of agarbatti (incense sticks). He realizes Purvi has cleaned the whole house. He moves to his room and sees all his stuff arranged neatly, opens his cupboard to see both their clothes arranged.
Purvi had managed to do all this in 2 days with minimum help from Rajat. He sees her various stuff on the dressing table, she doesn't have too much make up just the basic – powder, kajal etc. He picks her sindoor box and remembers that she was looking different today. It was the sindoor! Rajat smiles thinking about her.
Rajvi comes home
Rajvi is discharged from the hospital and she comes home. Purvi does aarti for her and welcomes her. The family then prays together for good health and happiness. The kids have great time playing and soon its time to bed. Today is also the first time Rajat and Purvi are together in the same house.
Purvi settles both the kids in their room and softly sings a lullaby to put them to sleep. Rajat is passing by the room when he hears Purvi's soothing voice. He stands there against a wall and her voice takes him back to his college days when Purvi was the lead singer in their college band. He used to admire her singing and many had felt she could become a good singer.
Purvi finishes the song, the kids are asleep and now she is unsure whether to stay in the kids room or go to Rajat's room. She hesitatingly steps outside and jumps up seeing Rajat just next to the door.
Purvi: Sirr…aap…
Rajat: Who main bedroom me jaa raha tha toh tumhara gaana suna aur main ruk gaya…tumhare awaaz me aaj bhi jadoo hai Purvi…
Purvi smiles. They both stand there without talking. They both speak at the same time.
Purvi: Sir who main….Rajat: Tum chaho toh..
Rajat: Tum bolo…
Purvi: Kuch nahi..woh main bas kapde badal kar aati hoon..
Rajat gives space to Purvi. She quickly rushes into the bedroom and closes the door. She feels her heart beating fast and tears spring up in her eyes. She changes into her night clothes and is washing her face when she hears a knock on the bedroom door. She steadies herself and breathing uneasily opens the door.
Rajat sees her in her nightclothes and she gets very uncomfortable with his gaze. He clears his throat.
Rajat: who main yeh keh raha tha ki….raat bahut ho gayi hai..tum so jaao..
Purvi's hold on the door knob tightens, her fingers turn white..she looks pale..
Rajat: Itna nervous mat ho Purvi…tum bacho ke saath so jaao…main thodi der TV dekh ke so jaoonga…Kuch chahiye ho toh mujhe bula lena…Good night
Purvi releases the door handle and relieved tears spill out of her eyes. She quietly makes her way to the kids room and sleeps hugging Viraj.
Days pass like this and slowly the family becomes normal. Purvi and Rajat get married legally also in presence of both Rajvi and Viraj and soon after Rajat officially adopts Viraj. He also converts all the money bequeathed by Viraj's grandfather into a trust that Viraj can use after he is 25 years of age.
Purvi settles very well in the role of a doting mom and manages the house, job and the kids with lot of help and co-operation from Rajat. He has taken on the role of dad for both the kids and soon develops a very strong bond with Viraj. However Rajat and Purvi are living as their kid's parents and in their lone moments are just friends or colleagues.
Some months pass by and as these two in close vicinity of each other, small incidents of attraction take place.
One morning:
Purvi still sleeps with the kids, but uses her bedroom for everything else. One day absent mindedly she forgets to collect her clothes for her bath from the bed. She realizes only after her bath that her clothes are outside. She thinks of calling Rajat to pass it on but feels awkward.
She steps out slowly in a towel, her dripping wet hair spread over her shoulders. She slowly makes her way to the bed and is relieved that Rajat is sleeping. In reality he had woken up a minute before. He was about to get up from the bed when he saw Purvi step out in a towel. He immediately pretended to be asleep to save her from embarrassment.
She slowly walks near him, Rajat can smell lavender from her skin and that's irrestible for him. She bends forward with one hand on her chest holding the towel tightly. Her clothes are placed next to Rajat's outstretched hand, she pulls them and quickly turns away and sprints inside the bathroom. As she turns, few drops of water from her hair fall on Rajat's face and he opens his eyes to see Purvi's bare back, wet hair and long slender, smooth legs before she closes the door.
Rajat pretends to sleep when she comes out dressed and dries her hair. They shine in the sunlight. He watches her with half opened eyes as she applies powder, kajal and finally puts a bindi and sindoor. She smiles at her reflection and moves out of the room.
Rajat gets up and is mesmerized with what he saw and ruffles his hair. Later when they leave for the bureau after dropping the kids to school, he finds himself checking Purvi – her eyes, her lips and those cute dimples. He looks away immediately when she turns to see him.
Rajat cannot concentrate in his work the whole day and his heart beats rise automatically whenever he gets a glimpse of Purvi in the bureau – in the cafeteria, lab or meeting room.
Daya and Abhijit notice a smile now and then on Rajat's face and discuss this with amusement.
Abhijit: Lo…lagta hai..yeh shaheed ho gaya..ise ho kya gaya hai aaj….baat baat pe lab jaa raha hai..
Daya: Abhijit..lagta hai apne dost ko pyaar ho raha hai….apne hi biwi se…. They both laugh
Well! Well ! Looks like our inspector is falling in love….Will Purvi also feel the same about Rajat..How will they confess their feelings..Will the kids help them out…Check the upcoming chapters
Someone pointed out in the last chapter that how can Purvi's in laws ask custody. Well they are not asking custody but asking for adoption which is common among relatives. But just to add some drama I added some fiction about legal and court case and stuff ! Glad to know you are so involved in the story..makes me happy J
Take care sweeties JKeep writing your reviews, I can see a good spike in views so will be thankful for reviews too J