enough

spoil her

KHUSHI

Throughout the ride, Rohan and I enthusiastically discussed our plans for a trip to Paris. I was eager to see Rohan fully engaged in the excitement of planning, and personally, I was thrilled at the prospect of exploring Paris myself. With Ruhan and Dad in the front seats, Rohan, Mom, and I occupied the backseat. Even Mom seemed on board with our idea, adding to the anticipation.

As we chatted, I noticed Ruhan stealing glances at me through the rearview mirror from time to time.

We finally arrived at their house. It was beautiful, just like Suhani used to talk about how her future house would be. I was so proud of her and Sid, for how far they have come.

As we walked inside, I instantly ran to little Khushi. I greeted her with warm kisses as I held her in my arms. Sid and Suhani waved to us as they were in Puja.

As Ruhan introduced me to Sid and Suhani's family, I couldn't shake off the memory of Suhani's warning about their feelings toward me. She had hinted that her family might blame me for past events, so I braced myself for any cold glances or unwelcoming gestures.

"Hi, Uncle, Aunty! Nice to meet you," I greeted Suhani's family with a warm smile, hoping to diffuse any tension.

"Wish we could say the same," her mom replied curtly, taking little Khushi away from me before I could even exchange pleasantries.

I felt a pang of disappointment at the cold reception but maintained my composure, understanding that their feelings were likely influenced by past events.

Feeling the sting of hurt from the cold reception, my eyes welled up with tears. Despite my best efforts to hold them back, I couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion washing over me. However, I didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to myself, so I took a deep, steadying breath, willing myself to compose.

In that moment of vulnerability, I felt Ruhan's hand squeezing mine, offering silent support.

The whole day I just kept trying to hide myself from everyone.

As the puja concluded and we gathered for lunch, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief knowing that the event would soon come to an end. However, to my dismay, Sid's family insisted that we stay for dinner before leaving. Despite my inner desire to leave and escape the tension, I knew how much Sid meant to Ruhan, so we all reluctantly agreed to stay.

As the evening wore on, dinner stretched into the late hours of the night. By the time we finally bid farewell to Sid's family and made our way home, it was nearing midnight.

Everyone went straight to bed. Feeling the weight of Suhani's mother's words lingering in my mind like an unwelcome echo, I found myself unable to simply brush them aside and sleep. Instead, a heaviness settled over my chest, weighing me down with a mix of sadness and frustration.

Seeking solace in the quiet of the night, I made my way to the poolside, sitting by the edge, I dipped my legs into the stillness of the water, allowing the gentle ripples to distract me from my troubled thoughts.

"Are you sure you're not gonna take up the offer?" Ruhan's voice pierced through the silence, breaking through my reverie.

He had already changed into shorts and a sleeves t-shirt.

"Not now, Ruhan," I warned him, my tone firm as I tried to maintain my composure. I wasn't ready to discuss the matter, not while the sting of the day's events still lingered so heavily in my mind.

"Fine, but at least get inside, or else you'll catch a cold", he requested.

As I tried to gather myself and rise from the poolside, the smooth tiles proved slippery under the weight of my saree. With a sudden slip, I lost my balance, tumbling backward into the water with a splash.