Srusti's POV
Flashback
I was trying to hold my tears. This lady slapped her brother for me. Jiju saved my life... And Mohit... He seemed to love me back. He had beaten his... Robin for me like anything.
" I am sorry for what my brother did to you. " Di said with tears in her eyes.
" No, Di !! Please don't say that. It is not your fault. It's not even his fault... "
" What?? " Viraj Ji said.
" I am not as mature and open-minded as you all are, but I just gave a thought about all thips. Di, I am sorry to say this but you said that you would have understood his situation if he had told you. Right?? "
" Yes, I would have. At least, both Viraj and I would have understood. "
" Di, he has told you now... Please try to understand his point of view. He had to tell all those lies as he was scared that you might react in this way... That his mom and Dadi might not survive the shock. Please try and understand di, he told all this to us by himself."
" Why couldn't he tell us at that time?? He didn't have to do all this."
" I saw how restless he was. He didn't want to get married di, but he had to get married to save Maa and Dadi. I saw him breaking down. He was fighting his own battle jiju. Please try to understand his point of view. "
" But he should have told us or at least you. " Maya di said.
" Yes, di... But he could not. He loves all of you so much. He was so stressed out at that time he was not eating or even sleeping. He just wanted his mom and dadi to be safe. He already told me that I should not expect any feelings from him. Our marriage was only on paper. So, if our feelings were not involved, how does that matter if he didn't tell me??"
" He should have taken care of your emotions as well. " Maya di said.
" He always took very good care of me and treated me like a princess. Imagine di, he was supposed to act that he was in love with me when he was not and he had promised me that he would not touch me unnecessarily. Di, he was falling in love with me and still he never crossed that line. You and maa asked for romantic pictures of our honeymoon. Only I know how we managed them. I could see his emotions in his eyes and felt that he loved me but then he would hide his feelings because he promised me. He has been a perfect gentleman jiju. Please don't be angry with him."
" Can you forgive him?? " Viraj Ji asked.
" I already did di... He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Since my parents died, my life was like a hell. I ran off from my sister's house to save myself from her husband and had an accident with him. My whole life has changed since then. He trusted me enough to open his house for me and helped me in being myself again. It is because of him that I started trusting people again. He gave me what I had lost and never hoped to get back. "
" What was that??" Viraj Ji asked.
" Love of his family. He shared his lovely family with me. Di I fell in love with all of you the moment I met you all. I can not thank him enough for that. "
" You love him?? " Maya di asked. I didn't know what to say but then I left all the inhibitions and nodded.
" Oh, my sweet little baby... " She hugged me.
" So you don't have a problem with his past?? " Viraj Ji asked.
" No, I don't have any problem with his past. Past is past, Jiju. I just don't care what he did before we met. And his preference or whatever he calls it is a new thing for me to understand. But as you said, it was his life, so it was his preference. "
" What if, he again gets attracted to another man? " Maya di asked.
" It's not about being attracted to a man or a woman. It is about being in a relationship. If we continue our marriage, he needs to be faithful to me. I don't care what he did in the past but I would not tolerate any other man or woman to come between us now. "
" You know what Maya, that idiot did at least one good thing in his life," Jiju said.
" What?? "
" He found this rare gem of a person to be his paper bride. " He said and Maya di and I smiled. They both hugged me.
" See, I forgive him. You are right, finally, he told us, we must consider that. But that idiot loves to do acting... Let's show him our talent as well. Do as I say... Let's not get him off the hook this easily. He needs to chase you and propose to you again. "
" Viraj !!! Let it be... "
" No! It's my way or highway..." He said dramatically. Maya di laughed.
" But jiju... "
" No, I know he loves you but let him prove it to himself and you. He should evaluate the intensity of his feelings for you so that he thinks at least a hundred times before going on his backtrack. He must be sure of the fact that he can not imagine his life without you. He should know that it is not just the physical attraction between you, it is a much stronger feeling called love which remains there forever and increases with every passing minute you spend together. "
" Very well said Viraj. I really love you. "
" I love you too. And even that idiot brother of yours. But he would have to pay for hurting my little sister. Srusti, ignore him. And that date with Sujoy is still on..."
" But jiju..."
" No... It is final." He said and ordered the food as we all were too tired. Di had left the kids with Maa.
I was still worried for him as he would not have eaten anything at all.
" What happened little one?? Why are you not eating?? Jiju asked.
" Her beloved husband must not have eaten anything. So this sweet little one is thinking about him. Right?? " Maya di asked and I just smiled faintly.
Present time.
Di stopped the car at their favourite restaurant. I followed her silently. Kids and Jiju were already inside waiting for us at one of the tables.
The kids hugged me and we all settled down to eat. Di asked me what I wanted to eat. But the food didn't seem to be important.
" Di, I am not hungry... I will eat anything. "
" Please cheer up now... we will talk about it. " Maya di assured me.
" About what, darling?? " Viraj Ji asked.
" Viraj, Mohit is going crazy... He is madly in love with Srusti. Please let it be. "
" I know... But he has to face the music. As it is, he loves music. You have a date with Sujoy the day after tomorrow. "
" But Jiju, how can I go on a date with someone else. I... I mean, I... am married to Mohit Ji. "
" Don't worry, just meet Sujoy."
" But Mohit is going mad with rage. He would beat him to a pulp. He is suddenly turning into the hulk. Today he ripped two of his dresses. He would rather kill someone than destroy his own proud creation. I swear they were one of his best designs in sexy party wears. "
" Poor boy... But no!! He has to go through this. He should have a fear that he can't live without her. "
" Jiju please... "
" No, little one!! Trust me it is important. Let him win you with all his efforts. Don't you want him to propose to you for real this time? "
" He is getting hurt, he is not even eating. He hasn't eaten anything since breakfast yesterday. "
" Don't make me feel guilty for what he did. The date is on, we will see after that."
The orders were placed and we were still discussing when I saw Mohit entering the restaurant.
I was hallucinating now. Why would he come here?? And how?? We never mentioned we were coming here.
Was he here with someone else?? Here I was worried to death that he is hungry and he is in the restaurant.
He was asking for the table and to my dismay, the waiter showed him to the table next to ours. He nodded and turned back towards the door and held out his hand and someone placed a hand on his.