Warm Embrace of Her Husband

Chapter - 24

Thirds person’s POV
Pritika was crying and Adesh was consoling her.
PRITIKA : why? Why are they saying such bad words about my father? They don’t even know my father. He is already dead. What  harm had my papa done to them? Noting.. No? Nothing… just because he was poor, they were saying those things. They think my papa has married me off for money but they don’t know he is no more.
Adesh didn’t understand what to say, so he was just consoling her by caressing her back and let her vent all her emotions. He knew, she got very hurt by their statement.
PRITIKA : If my papa would have alive, he would have never let me get married at this young age. What they think of my papa? Just because he was poor, he was bad. No, they were wrong. My papa was the best papa in the world. For them every thing money money and money. I hate them. I hate all the riches. I  hate –
ADESH : what!! Now I have to be poor to get your love.
Pritika stopped her wailing and looked at Adesh.
ADESH : o god! Then what will I  do? I don’t know sweeping, no one will give me job in their house. Ummm idea! I can be a beggar. A handsome beggar. Then I don’t have to do anything. You will love this handsome beggar …right?
Pritika understood Adesh was joking to cheer up her mood. She stopped crying but still her face was sad.
Adesh took her face in his palm and wiped the tears with his thumbs.
ADESH : stop crying wifey, you have cried enough. You papa would not be happy in heaven seeing you like this. I don’t know why they have behaved this way but I will talk to them….and never say you hate rich people because You love me and now you are also rich. You love me… right? Say ‘I love you, hubby.’… you haven’t said it till now.
PRITIKA : Adesh, I am not in a mood.
ADESH : Mood? To say your husband, you love him. You need to have a specific mood??? Or… or you don’t love me?(made pout face)
PRITIKA : Adesh…
ADESH : No, first you tell, you love me or else I will not let you sleep tonight… (said in a challenging way)
PRITIKA : Adesh! Don’t act like a child.
ADESH : Fine. You don’t want me to behave like a child? .. Ok no problem then let’s make a child.
PRITIKA : Adesh!
ADESH : Then say it…
PRITIKA : FINE! I love you.
ADESH : No, no, not like that. Say it sweetly… I love you, hubby.
PRITIKA : I love you, hubby.
ADESH : No, I didn’t find any sweetness. Again say it sweetly.
PRITIKA : I… love… you… hubby. (Said dragging every word)
ADESH : I love you too wifey… (saying this kissed on Pritika's cheecks)
Finally a smile broke on Pritika's lips. Adesh was happy seeing that. He pulled Pritika in his embrace. They were enjoying the warmth of their embrace and quietly listening each other’s heartbeat in the silent room.
In the same house at the garden…
Vikram Thakur was sitting on a bench looking at sky, tears were rolling from his eyes. Nilesh came and sat on the other corner of the same bench. There was  silence… no one spoke anything for some time.
VIKRAM : You… you are the reason because of all of these. Everything has happened because of you. 
NILESH : Me?? You are blaming me?
VIKRAM : of course I am blaming you. Everything has happened because of you. Not only you had lied to us but  you also had helped her to elope.
NILESH : I did, what I thought was right and I have no regrets about it.
VIKRAM : No regrets? Of course how could you have regrets? You didn’t even like her…It’s my fault. If I hadn’t thought your care, your love for my sister as  a lover. If I hadn’t suggested you  maybe… maybe we could have found a good guy. I thought you as my best friend. But what you did, you betrayed me. What you did with us, even a enemy don’t do this.
NILESH : do you Thakurs have problems in your brain? You don’t regret about your works? don’t you regret? that if you had accepted her choice, maybe… maybe she would have still alive. If you had helped her maybe everything would have changed.
Vikram didn’t reply anything, he just turned his face.
NILESH : (chuckled) actually you regret… you are regretting about your actions. You are regretting that why didn’t you helped her when she had come to your doorstep, asking for help after so many years. You’re regretting that you didn’t even talked with her properly. You are regretting that you didn’t hugged her. You are regretting why did you threat me to not to help her. You are regretting… your regretting every action of yours. That’s why you are blaming me. That’s why you’re saying nonsenses now.
Vikram started sobbing… Nilesh closed the distance between them and put his hand on Vikram’s trembling shoulder. Vikram started crying more loudly.
VIKRAM : I… I am such a bad brother. It’s should be me who should have stood by her side… I should have helped her. But what I did… I did the exact opposite…it was you who helped her. Maybe if I didn’t stop you to help her at that year… you must have helped her . You did what a brother should do.
NILESH : No… I didn’t do what a brother should do. I did what a lover should do.
VIKRAM : lover??
NILESH : yes, I loved your sister. I loved Kri.
VIKRAM : Then why did you reject the marriage?
NILESH : because I loved her ( chuckled).
Vikram looked at Nilesh confusingly.
NILESH : I always loved her. I knew she was so younger than me, our relationship would never possible. But when your father and you suggested our marriage. I became the most happiest person in the world. I didn’t know why did you want her to get married so young… and I never tried to find out. I was happy… I was very happy that I will get married with the love of my life.
Vikram was quietly listening to Nilesh. He was surprised to know that Nilesh actually loved his sister.
NIlESH : But the day before the wedding, Kriti contacted me. She said that she loved someone else and she didn’t want that marriage. You all were forcing her. She begged me to stop the marriage….and I did what she had requested. I had never denied her any request, how could I denied that. I loved her but I didn’t want to cage her. I didn’t want her love for me change into hatred. So I did what I thought was right.
VIKRAM : so you mean… your marriage with Aditi wasn’t a love marriage?
Nilesh gave a tight smile to Vikram.
NILESH : I had threatened her father… she married me to save her family business and reputation. I know what I did was wrong. But I had no other option. I had to save my families reputation also and I had to show you guys some reason for not wanting to marry with Kritika. So I did what I thought was right.
Vikram was quiet shocked hearing all these. He couldn’t believe his best friend had done all this.