Drowning Love

chapter 17

Rehan's pov:

I saw pihu arrive at the place where I texted her to reach. It was an art museum, The museum belonged to me actually, she was looking at the portraits, I saw she was adoring the paintings a smile crept on my face and I was following her like a lost puppy.

I want to tell her that I'm starting to like her. After her divorce I'll propose her, I know she and Bhai don't love each other he loves Tia, so there won't be a problem.

I'm just hoping she'll say yes to me, cause it's the first time I'm so into someone, earlier I didn't like the term marriage but now my thoughts are changing.

She was looking at her phone and she looked shocked as if something happened to her.

"pihu" I called her and she turned in my direction.

"Did something happen," I asked her and saw tears in her glittering eyes.

"Rehan...I.. What do I.. Do.." she cried and stuttered.

"What happened pihu," I asked her tensed.

"My..My. Grandpa passed away," she burst into tears.

She was not able to process. I took her to my cabin and gave her water making her sit. She was weeping,

"I..I. Need to go my home," she wept.

"Okay... I'll take you there," she nodded and we left, I texted Bhai to tell the family members about her grandpa's death, and we are going to her parent's house.

When we reached there pihu started sobbing as she met her family.

After a few moments, Bhai also arrived.

"Gaon Jaane ke liye nikla jaye," pihu's mother asked her father, he hummed and was quiet.

(Shall we leave for village)

They left for the village, and I came back home to take mom with me then we'll leave for there.

Eeshan's pov:

We were on our way, she was resting her head on her mother's shoulder while I was driving and father in law was sitting next to me.

We reached the village as it was not very far away, there were many villagers around the dead body.

Father-in-law started doing the funeral preparation with other people he knew. I was also helping him,

Many villagers and family members were crying about the death of the poor man. My mother and Rehan also came, here.

Grandpa's body is washed, sandalwood paste and turmeric is applied on the body, and was wrapped in a dhoti. The big toes are tied together with a string and a Tilak is placed on the forehead.

A bamboo bed was also ready in which he'll be taken to the Shamshan. His body is carried to the cremation ground near a river, by the family and villagers, and placed on a pyre with feet facing south.

The funeral ceremony ended, and we all were back in grandpa's house. It was almost evening now.

"beta.. Tum pihu ko apne sath le jao yaha rahegi toh aur tbyaat kharb hogi uski," my mother-in-law said.

(Son, take pihu with you, she will get sick if she stays here)

"ji.. maa.." I said.

(Yes mom)

Everyone was having dinner, I saw pihu sitting in one of the corners of the room and was not eating anything, Rehan was trying to make her eat but was not eating I took a plate of the meal and went to her.

"have your dinner pihu," I slowly said.

"I don't want to eat it," she said.

"if you will not eat you will get sick pihu," I politely said.

"I'll eat later," she wept.

"Eat it pihu," I gave her a morsel she was looking at me and finally, ate it. I feed her the food. Rehan went out from there leaving us alone.

We both were sitting there for some time when she said, "He didn't talk much to anyone but he talks with me for hours"

I side-hugged her and pecked her forehead, "I'm sure he loves you a lot, that's why he likes to talk with you," I said softly.

"Pihu mother-in-law said you'll go home with me," I said.

"I'll come tomorrow, I don't want to go from here," she stammered.

"Beta tum ghr jao yaha raho gi toh tabyat khrb hogi," mother-in-law said making her understand and she agreed with it and we left from there. My family also left.

(Pihu go back go home you'll get sick)

We came back! During the whole drive, she was just looking outside the window.

"pihu," I called her as she was blankly sitting on the sofa and was weeping and looking at me with teary eyes, I hugged her tightly, "pihu he has gone to a good place, he'd be in heaven don't cry please, he'll not like it if you'll cry like this, you know he loved you right and we don't want our loved ones to cry right," I lightly said wiping her tears. She hugged me and kept her head on my chest and was weeping lightly.

"Let's go to sleep," I said and took her to bed.

I was looking at her when she asked me, "do you have something to say."

"Sleep well," I said and cupped her face and kissed her forehead, and her eyes wiped her tears with kisses and then her lips and then we slept hugging each other.

pihu is distracting me, making me forget that we are in a contract marriage. my heart starts to beat fast when she is so close to me and I'm unable to control it. What should I do now.

I think I have to tell tia about my marriage, I can't lie to her now. This time I'll definitely tell her.

***

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