Part 7

Part 7

Alka was running here and there to find all the important things needed to get Sai ready for the wedding. She dreamt all her life for this moment and it came like this when she didn't have anytime to even breathe for few seconds as Virat was waiting for them at the temple.

"Aai, Do you think its right? Virat se is tarah shadi karna....kahi unhe ye na lage ki hum unki majburi ka fayda utha rahe hain...aur mujhe toh ye samajh nahi aa raha ki main apne liye khush hoon ki mera sapna pura ho raha hai ya unke liye dukhi hoon unka pyar adhura reh gaya." Sai asked her mother all confused over her emotions.

"Sai, how selfless you can be? You are still thinking that Virat lost his love. For once beta be happy for yourself. And don't worry we didn't ask them, they themselves have asked for your hand and also Virat has seen the true color of that girl. He will accept you whole heartedly." Alka assured her.

"Will it be easy for him to move on?" Sai  asked remembering that she had denied all the possibilities of moving on from Virat when he asked her to.

"May be not, it may take some time. But eventually he will accept your love because your love for him is so pure...I am sure he wont be able to stop himself from loving you back." Alka told her as she kept her hand at her head lovingly.

"Lekin...." Sai tried to ask more questions but this time Kamal didn't let her.

"Sai, tu ye sab bekar ki baatein sochna chhod de. Ye bhagwaan ka aashirwaad samajh ki hum sab ki ichha puri ho rahi hai, tera pyar tujhe mil raha hai. Tu bas bharosa rakh baki sab bhi achha hi hoga. Pehle hi waha bahut tamasha ho chuka hai. Ab waha sabhi ko aur intezar karana theek nahi. Hume jaldi waha chalna chahiye." Kamal suggested and finally Sai stopped thinking and decided to take a leap of faith.

Joshi family arrived at the temple. Ashwini and Ninad were happy to see Sai dressed as a bride. Finally their dream had come true. Even after the whole scene created by Pakhi and her family, this day feels auspicious as Sai's feet graced the mandap and also their son's life.

Both the parents were happy. Relatives were looking relaxed. Remaining guests also started to feel normal. Sai looked at Virat dressed as groom, waiting for her at the mandap, a little smile broke out on his face and he looked relieved to see her as if a burden has been lifted off his chest. All her questions, confusions took a back seat as she traced his form, simply the most handsome groom of this world for her.  She was obviously feeling overwhelmed by emotions as finally the moment had come for which she was waiting for her whole life. She is going to be Virat's wife. From now on, she is going to be Mrs. Sai Virat Chavan.

For once she forgot all the drama that had happened since the day Virat had come. She was lost in her thoughts, day dreaming about how things would have turned out if there was no Pakhi ever existed between them and that day Virat had simply said yes to their marriage. Then this day would have been the happiest day of her life, just like she had dreamt about it a thousand times. For now, she wanted to live her dream forgetting everything. She closed her eyes and imagined Virat is as happy as her today, sitting with her, holding her hands, doing the rituals as instructed by the pandit ji. She could even hear the faint sound of her favorite shadi song playing in the background as they stood up for the pheras. She almost chuckled when she remembered that in her childhood, she used to think that it was mandatory to play song in all the marriages or else ceremony would be incomplete.

Tare hai barati chandni hai yeh baarat

Saato phere honge ab haato me leke hath

Saato phere honge ab haato me leke hath

Jeevan sathi hum diya aur bati hum

Re Jeevan sathi hum diya aur bati hum

Ganga jamuna se bhi paavan tera mera bandhan

Tera prem hai phulvari aur mera mann hai aangan

Janmo janmo ka hai sajani tera mera sath

Saato phere honge ab haato me leke hath

Jeevan sathi hum diya aur bati hum

Jeevan sathi hum diya aur bati hum

"Aaj se aap dono pati patni hue. Pehle bhagwaan ka aur phir ghar ke bado ka ashirwaad le lijiye." Pandit ji announced and this brought Sai out of her beautiful thoughts.

Soon Virat and Sai followed the instructions and took the blessings of their elders and also of Radha Krishna. "Thank you for giving me my love back." Sai expressed her gratitude to the diety. Chavans welcomed Sai officially now as their daughter in law.

They made Virat and Sai complete the rituals and after what felt like eternity, all the rituals finally ended and guests started leaving. When only four of them were left in the house, Virat let out a loud sigh and slumped down on the sofa, tired and dejected. It was only then, Sai looked at Virat properly, trying to decipher emotions on his face. And she realized that during the whole ceremony she was busy living her dream but it was nothing short of a nightmare for Virat. First, his girlfriend turned out to be a gold digger. Second, she insulted him and his family in front of all people and third, he had to agree to marry her to save their faces. He has not willingly chosen her. She was more of a compromise for him and nobody feels elated after a compromise.

Ashwini led Sai to Virat's room for rest while Sai kept looking at Virat to find out whether he will be coming soon or not. But Virat stood up and went out with his friends saying he needed some fresh air.

Ashwini tried to stop him but Ninad didn't let her, "Let him go. Today was very difficult for him. He needs to vent it all out. All the things finally sinking in, he needs time."

"Lekin, is tarah Sai ko chhodkar..." Ashwini wanted to argue but Sai held her hand.

"Its ok aai, I understand. Let him be, for some time." Sai persuaded.

Ashwini nodded getting assured now that Sai is in Virat's life, sooner or later everything will fall into its place. Now as both the families were very happy they suddenly found their excitement back and their batteries charged up. They begin to plan for grand reception party.

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Sai was waiting for Virat in his room, she didn't know when she slept off. She didn't even change her clothes. Virat only came around mid night. Sai woke up with the sound of door opening. She quickly stood up. She saw Virat was fidgeting with the lock of the door. She went near him and helped him with the lock. She could smell alcohol from him, Virat was drunk. Though he was not completely sloshed and was well in his senses but he looked edgy. Sai sensed it  but didn't say anything. She could feel his restlessness, frustration and pain.

Virat tried to walk towards bed and was about to lose his balance when Sai caught him, "Be careful, I know it is difficult to forget whatever happened with you today but trust me everything will be fine soon. I am with you." Sai said putting her hand on his shoulder.

But Virat suddenly became angry hearing her sympathetic words. Since evening after Pakhi left him, he has only heard either taunts or sympathetic words for himself. The alcohol in his system wasn't helping much and frustration was provoking him to lash out on everyone.

"I don't need your pity. You are showing your sympathy on my face but I know your are laughing at me from inside. 'Look at this fool. He dared to reject me now that girl rejected him. His poor family, I saved their honour by saying yes to him at the last minute. I did a favour to them.' aren't you thinking this right now?" Virat asked as he grabbed her wrist tightly pulling her towards him.

"Ye kya keh rahe hain aap? Main toh aisa soch bhi nahi sakti. Aur main aapse pyar karti hoon, hamare beech ye ehsaan wali baat kaha se aa gayi." Sai said honestly what was in her heart.

"Jhoot...sab jhoot...badi badi baatein hain sab....Pakhi bhi karti thi...par aaj kya hua? dikha diye na usne apna asli rang...tum bhi yahi karogi na ek din?" Virat accused her.

"No, never... I will never betray you. I love you more than my life. I can do anything for you." Sai couldn't take his accusations.

Her last line caught Virat's attention, "You can do anything for me?" he asked in challenging and sarcastic tone as he felt the alcohol in his system kicked in again to give him adrenaline rush.

"Yes" Sai replied with confidence.

"Really, then prove it." Virat smirked at her.

"Yes, Tell me what can I do for you?" Sai asked innocently not even getting his sarcastic tone.

Virat so desperately wanted to win this argument to give atleast this smallest of a victory to his damaged ego. Nothing had gone as per his will since the morning and suddenly now he wanted this argument to go as per his will. He held upon it like his life depended on it. Virat looked at her from top to bottom as he tried to think what will make her uncomfortable and she would say no. He noticed she was wearing golden color saree and heavy jewelry. He knew exactly what to ask from her to make her awkward and back out from this challenge.

"Remove your clothes." Said Virat in no nonsense tone.

Sai gasped at his appalling demand. "WHAT! But...but..."she stammered.

"kya hua....badi badi batein kar rahi thi na abhi aur itna sa bhi nahi kar sakti....I am your husband and this is our first night...this is very normal thing to ask for." Virat said nonchalantly.

"I can do anything for your happiness but...." Sai tried to say something but Virat didn't let her complete.

"Oh, I will be very happy seeing you without clothes...trust me...I am a man after all."  Virat said as he smirked at her.

Sai didn't have anything to say after that. When Virat saw her standing still he taunted her, "Kya hua? Hawa nikal gayi badi badi baton ki?" Sai just shook her head in no and took deep breath. She decided she will not give up.

Sai started removing her jewelry first. She removed her bangles, rings, earrings, necklace, mang tika, waist chain. She opened her hair. She then opened all her saree pins. She closed her eyes as she felt her eyes started watering up. She didn't have any problem in getting intimate with him. For her, he was her everything and he literally owned her body, mind and soul. She had also thought about tonight, if the moment comes she will surrender herself completely to him but she didn't expect the way it was happening. It almost felt like an insult to her. Like he was asking her to prove her love to him at the cost of her dignity. What wrong has she done to deserve this kind of treatment from him, she thought and with her shaking hands she removed her saree pallu and then untucked whole saree from her waist. The saree fell down on the floor.

By now she had started sobbing silently. Virat kept looking at her. He had thought she will not do this but she proved him wrong. He felt bad seeing her like this for the sake of this stupid argument. The fact that he just wanted to have a last word and ended up in feeling even more idiotic brought him out of his alcohol charged personality. He noticed Sai was about to open the first button of her blouse with shaking hands. Virat caught her hand before that.

"Stop it...stop it please...enough..no need to do anything now." Virat said and he quickly picked up her saree from the floor and wrapped it around her.

"Please go and change" Virat asked her.

Sai went to change quietly while Virat sat down on the edge of his bed, now getting completely sober. Sai wiped her tears and smiled proudly at Virat as he realized his mistake on time and didn't let her lose her dignity.

Sai came out of the changing room. She was visibly relaxed now. Virat immediately came towards her, "I am so sorry Sai...I didn't know what got into me...may be alcohol or may be my frustration from all the events of today...I took it out on you...I am extremely sorry. When you said you can do anything for me I remembered Pakhi and I just wanted to test your love...You didn't deserve that crass behavior from me...I was being a total idiot there." Virat implored.

"Its ok. Forget about it. I understand how stressful this day was for you. You look tired. Take some rest." Sai said and then held his hand and took him towards the bed. He followed her quietly, almost like a lost puppy, too tired to use his own brain now. However he did wonder how easily she forgave him. She was such an innocent soul.

Sai helped him removing his sherwani. She made him sit on the bed and offered him a glass of water. "Relax" she said and patted his back while he drank water. She then made him lie on the bed and she sat near his pillow. Virat kept looking at her and let her take care of him as he felt affinity in her gestures. Right now he wanted to be pampered and someone to tell him that its all going to be ok. And she was doing exactly same.

She put her hand on his eyes and asked him to close them. She then started caressing his forehead and hair. Virat slept off in few minutes. Sai then removed his shoes and watch and kept them at their respective place. She covered him with a blanket. She wondered for sometime whether she should sleep on other side of the bed beside him but she didn't talk about it to Virat. May be he will feel uncomfortable and awkward in the morning. So she decided to sleep on the floor for tonight. She took extra mattress, bedsheet and pillow from the cupboard and made a temporary bed for herself. She lied down on it and soon slept off.

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to be continued....