Ishqaan returned to Ishqi's home and found Karthik sleeping on the sofa in the hall. While Ahaan corrected his posture, Ishqi checked on Maasi once and bought a blanket for Karthik. While Ishqi slept on the couch in Maasi's room, Ahaan slept in Ishqi's room hugging a pillow, reminiscing the moments he spent with his favourite person.
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"Savitri, ab yeh chunri tum Ishqi ke sar par dhak do. Baad mein yeh shagun ki thali dedo Ishqi ko. Uske baad bacche rings exchange kar lenge", Dadi said as everyone had gathered in Maasi's room to celebrate the unplanned engagement of Ishqaan.
As told, Savitri covers Ishqi's head with a red veil while she smiles at her. She also gives Ishqi a plate with a new set of clothes, sweets and jewellery. It had almost all the cosmetics of her favourite brand as part of the solah shringar ritual covered with a silk red cloth over it. Ishqi held it while Karthik clicked their candid pictures.
Ahaan and Ishqi stood next to each other and exchanged rings that Ahaan had bought. They were asked to feed each other a sweet and pray to the lord to keep their pair safe from the evil eyes and bless them with immense happiness. With the prayers and aarti completed, Maasi tasted the kheer of her daughter's engagement too. All the Malhotras were happy on one end for the very first alliance in the whole generation but sad for the presence of their nuclear family only at the ceremony but coaxed themselves to host a resplendent wedding of their kids.
"Beta, tujhe ring pasand aaya na? Mujhe pata hai ladkiyan bahut ghumti hain apni manpasand ring laane par tu nahi jaa paayi. Lekin tujhe agar aur accha ring chahiye toh batana mujhe. Tu jo bolegi, main vo banvaunga", says Veer caressing her hair.
"Kya Papa aap bhi. Ishqi di ki hi toh choice hai yeh", says Karthik swallowing a spoonful of kheer.
"Ishqi di nahi Ishqi bhabhi duffer", Sonu corrected beating on his shoulder.
"Lekin Ishqi toh yahin thi na beta", Savitri asked eyeing Karthik and Sonu.
"Maa, vo na bhai ne video call Kiya tha. Bhabhi ko yeh pasand aaya toh hum yeh le aaye", Karthik said scraping the kheer on the sides of the bowl.
"Abhi se hi taking care of choices and all ah Bhai", Sonu teased.
"Accha hai, Bahu ke pasand ka dhyaan rakha jaa raha hai. Yeh sirf Aaj tak ya shaadi tak seemit mat rakhna beta. Zindagi bhar ke liye ek dusre ki choices ki respect karke decisions lete rehna", Savitri advised thus both nodded.
"Kya zaroorat thi iss Karthik ko mummy papa ke saamne bolne ki. Agli baar kahin lekar hi nahi jaaunga isse. Embarrass karana koi isse seekhe. Wait, Ishqi Sharma rahi hai? Yeh Sharma rahi hai ya embaressed hai? Oh wait, her cheeks are so red. Tomato ke daam badh gaye hain suna tha news mein, yahan toh free of cost mujhe dekhne mil raha hai", Ahaan thinks as he keeps on staring at her as she sat in between his parents, opposite to him.
"Bhai, bhabhi ke gaal laal hai, she's looking pretty toh aap khush ho rahe ho. Lekin jab shaadi ho jaayegi, tab gaal Kam aur naak zyada laal hogi, vo bhi gusse se. Kyun in sab jhamelon mein pad rahe ho? Paisa kamate khush rehte, aish karte. Aapko toh shaadi karni haina, Karo. Jab unke naak gusse se laal hogi aur vo aapko belan ya jhaadu se maaregi aur aapka badan soojhkar laal hoga, tab iss chote bhai ke baaton ka asli matlab samjhoge", Karthik whispers in Ahaan's ear irritating him.
"Ahaan Ishqi Veer Savitri.. yeh Sudha ke machines.. jaldi aao", Durga Devi screams from Sudha's room and everybody rushes there.
Ishqi immediately sits adjacent to her and rubs her palms, touches her forehead to check her temperature and panics while Ahaan helps the nurse to set up the oxygen cylinder and makes sure Maasi wears the mask. Her eyes were in her head and laid lifelessly on the bed with no energy. She held Ishqi's hand again and slowly looked at Ahaan. Ahaan slowly moved towards Maasi on the opposite side of Ishqi as Savitri signalled him, observing Maasi. Sudha slowly extended her other hand to which drips were injected towards Ahaan and he immediately caught hold of it. She slowly glanced at both her kids, Ahaan and Ishqi and tried to smile in the mask. Sparing a glance at Savitri, her eyes slowly rolled back to her head and the machines started beeping again. Sonu and Karthik stood numb at the door. All these events were scaring them to hell. Sonu held on to Karthik tightly seeing the scene unfold infront of her eyes.
"Inka bp gir raha hai. Yeh machines bhi restart nahi ho raha hai. Maine doctor ko call kar di hai. Agar aap sab yahan rahenge na toh theek nahi hoga. Please bahar jaayiye", nurse ordered and left the room calling the doctor.
"Maasi, yeh aap kya kar rahe ho apne saath? Thik ho jaao na Kam se kam mere liye. Aapke bina main Kahan jaaun. Mujhse chutkara paane ke liye shaadi karva rahe ho kya meri? Aapke bina main kya karungi? Kaise sambhalun sab kuch? Office, ghar, kaam, kaaj, hobbies, passion? Mujhe toh theek se char logon ka khana banana nahi aata, aapke bina kaise manage hoga sab kuch? Please mujhe chodkar mat jaao Maasi. Aapke alava koi nahi hai mera iss duniya mein", Ishqi sobs taking in Maasi's head in her lap and cries endlessly.
"Ishu, aaram se. Kuch nahi hoga. Kuch bhi nahi hoga. Hum sab haina. Doctor abhi aane hi waale Hain. Sab theek hoga", Ahaan says sitting next to her and holding her by her shoulder.
"Main Maasi ke bina kuch nahi kar paaungi Ahaan. Mujh jaise ek anath ko apnaya, pyaar diya, padhya, likhaya aur ab aise hi chodkar jaa rahi hai. Nahi, inhe mere liye theek hona hoga" Ishqi says as she joins her forehead with that of Maasi's and cries.
"Ishqi, khud ko itna takleef nahi dete baccha. Shaant hoja", says Savitri caressing her hair. Slowly Maasi's chest started heaving due to her uneven breathing and the oxygen mask fogged completely.
"Arrey inke mask ko kya hua? Cylinder toh barabar chal raha hai", says the nurse as she started checking the oxygen cylinder and the pulse and bp volunteering machines started to beep yet again.
Meanwhile, the doctor enters the room. Checking the machines and mainly observing the oxygen provided not being inhaled properly, he holds Maasi's wrist to check her pulse. Next he looked at his watch for a few seconds and slowly switched off the machines and removed the mask off Maasi's face.
"Maasi" Ishqi screamed as she saw doctors removing the mask over her head. Ahaan held her by her shoulders as she collapsed down sobbing loudly. She was her only family. Years ago, the same way doctors has declared her parents as dead. Sudha and her husband had embraced this little girl and had given her all the love and warmth a kid needed. And today, she was again witnessing the same moment.
"Maasi bhi chali gayi. Main ab phir se anath ban gayi" she thought as she looked at Ahaan. He was crying too. But he held her protectively in his arms. He was comforting her by rubbing her shoulders with his palms. He was all what she needed right now and she knew embracing him would be the best way to console herself and him. He had lost a dear one too. With no other thought she hugged him as everyone were busy informing the relatives and friends.
Veer and Savitri were friends with Sudha since ages. They almost knew everyone in the closest family Circle. They had informed about Ishqi and Ahaan's roka also through WhatsApp the previous day and had mentioned it to a "intimate ceremony" and today had sent the photos through Maasi's phone. And within a day, now they were informing the exact opposite news. While the doctors had advised not to keep the dead body for longer duration, the final rites would be done within an hour. Ishqi sat sobbing inconsolably as Maasi was shifted to the drawing room for everyone to visit.
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Bestfriends to Soulmates ❣️
FanfictionA journey of two best friends Ishqi and Ahaan who get tied in a knot of marriage arranged by their parents. Eventually, they fall for each other so hard that the mere thought of staying away itself starts irking them. Start to read to witness their...
