Enjoy Reading (:

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Flashback:

Vegas.

Joining the crowd they saw a new reckless side of the world; the world which was hidden from them. They were the sheltered kids, loved by their families and protected from all the vile things which could spoil them.

The adventures for them meant, adventured sports with high level of safety gears. They were brought up with the ideology of staying away from trouble.

But here in Vegas, they were free to do whatever they want to do, without a care for this world, without the pressure of thinking what to do and what not to do.

And so this ignited a spark in them. As soon as they joined the crowd, they were offered black masquerades, so as to hide their true identity from all. They took it without hesitation and joined the crowd.

They saw many people drinking, smoking a joint, some guys fighting but not going overboard. A guy was playing guitar and Vaish can't help but go towards him unintentionally. He followed her lead and walked behind her.

They enjoyed the song that he was playing. They didn't know the language but his voice has something in it which touched their heart. They saw people around them starting to dance with their partners. They looked at each other with a hopeful look in their eyes and joined their hands for a dance.

He was nervous at first. He knew about couple dance but something about her made him nervous. He was afraid if he screwed up this chance with her, if she went away and left him alone, just like others. But as she stood with him, looking at him with her Amber brown eyes he felt all the tension leaving him.

For in that moment it were only two of them and nothing else mattered and so they danced with him taking the lead and her following it effortlessly; like they have practised it before for so many times.

The beat became fast and so did their steps but neither one of them stopped. It was only after the crowd started hooting did they realise that they were the only ones left dancing.

As they became conscious of their surroundings, they stepped away from each other. Thanks for the masks covering their faces; otherwise they didn't know to face the crowd or each other.

"What is your name and where are you from?" A blond guy asked him.

He was silent for a while. Did he want to take the risk of revealing it all and enjoy the mystery surrounding them? Was he ready for facing the reality and harshness of the truth?

The answer was a big no and so he opened his mouth to say, "My name doesn't matter because we all are strangers for each other who will never meet again. I'll tell you where I'm from though because my country is big and you can't find me." He said and ended the statement with a wink to charm the audience but Vaish was already charmed by his voice. The wink was just bonus.

"Ok, Mr. Stranger. Where are you from?" A girl having a thick accent, probably Russian asked.

"Mr. Stranger? I like the sound of it. I'm from India, Mumbai to be precise." He said and Vaish's heart skipped a bit. They were from the same country.

"And your girlfriend? Where did you find a beauty like her?" A guy asked with this so innocent look in his eyes. It was obvious that he framed the statement this way to know about their relationship status and may be hit on her.

Vaish was about to reply but he beat her.

"Mrs. Stranger."

He said in a loud and clear voice and held her hand in his. "She is Mrs. Stranger."

There was hooting in the crowd at his claim and Vaish stilled. He held her hand tightly and silently pleaded her to not say anything about it.

"Oh stating you claim. You got yourself a real man, girl." One girl said to her and Vaish can't help but nod tightly.

He took her out of that place and to a silent corner to clear things.

"Mrs. Stranger? Really?" Vaish asked in an angry tone.

"Don't tell me you don't realize the way that creep was looking at you. That was a peaceful way to take his attention away from you."

"There can be so many other ways! This was not needed and I could handle creeps like him." She argued.

"I don't have doubt about your skills; you look like a spitfire but we don't know how many of them here are his friends? We can't take a risk of getting into fight in an unknown country, that too in a place like this." He tried to reason her.

"Still I don't like it." She said.

"Listen here! You came out of that bar with me. You are my responsibility. I can't let you be in any trouble. I think we should go back. Come I will take you back to your hotel. It's time to end this night." He said with finality in his tone.

"No, you listen here, Mr. Stranger. I'm not one of those girls whom you can order around. I came out of that bar on my own, with my free will and I can very well go back. I will do what I want and right now I want to enjoy this night, with or without you." Vaish said haughtily, annoyed over the fact that someone was ordering her around. The sensible side of her brain was screaming at her, to listen to him but then again she has shut that side long back.

He was getting irritated with this spitfire in front of him. He knew that he has no right on her but then again he felt connected to her. Perhaps the wine was showing its effect.

"Do whatever you want but don't come to me running like a baby if anything goes wrong." He said in frustration.

"Good bye, Mr. Stranger." She said in an equally irritated tone and walked away from him joining the crowd.

***

"Slow down buddy!" He heard one voice, asking him to stop drinking his tenth or eleventh shot. He has lost the count now. He was out of his senses.

His anger was on another level seeing that mad girl dancing with a bunch of weirdoes and drinking madly, just like him. What was she even trying to prove? That she was more stupid than this? He can't believe that she was dancing with random people!

What was more stupid was the fact that even after their argument he can't find itself in him, to leave her alone in the crowd! What was he even thinking when he asked her out of that bar!

But in all these drama, he completely forgot what his original problem was. She had successfully diverted his mind from the big issue that had happened earlier this evening, which has brought him to the bar in the first place.

Having had enough of watching her madness, he took hand of a random girl and started dancing but there was no chemistry between them. Though the girl was trying her best to come close to him, he tried to maintain some distance between them.

Vaish was boiling. Seeing him dancing like that with someone ignited a fire inside her. She wanted to go there and remove the wandering hand of that girl away from him but she can't. In her anger she didn't pay any attention to the amount of drink she has taken and turned her face away from him and continued dancing.

***

He noticed it first. The crowd was dispersing, slowly. People were silently drifting away. His eyes scanned the area and he found some people whispering among themselves and taking their friends out of that place. At first he was confused but then the girl next to him held him closer by her hands and whispered in his ears, "Let's get out of this place, Stranger. Time's up. Local police is coming. We need to get out of here fast. My place in near, you can come with me."

He abruptly stopped dancing and distanced herself from that girl. He ignored her ramblings and walked where that spitfire was dancing. He frowned when he can't find her but then he located her in the corner, dancing with some hippies. He shook his head and walked fast towards her.

Vaish who has now lost the count of drinks she had for the night was laughing madly at someone's sad story. This was so much fun! Why hadn't her parents allowed her to do that earlier?

She felt someone standing behind her and turned to see Mr. Stranger. She looked at him for a second and then started laughing. He was so funny. Well, everything was funny at the moment for her.

"We need to leave, now." He said in a no nuisance tone.

"I'm not your slave to order around." She spoke and heard the crowd behind her hooting. She turned around and dramatically bowed down, thanking them for their support.

"You men think that you can rule women. But this is not sixteenth century dude! We women will no longer be oppressed by you men. We are independent and will do things our own way. So take your stupid mind somewhere and get lost, because this girl is on fire!" She said and pointed at herself in the end.

He lost it then. This woman was being dramatic but he was pro at this. In fact his friends have given him a name for this speciality of his. She wants drama, she will have it.

"Baby! Spitfire, My wife! I have never asked you to do anything you don't want, then why will I do that now? I'm your slave. But right now we really need to leave honey! Our little munchkins are waiting for us at home. We can't keep them waiting. Come with me spitfire, please!" He said in a sad dramatic tone and found everyone around him going silent.

"Our munchkins?" She asked in a confused tone. She was to dunk to comprehend anything.

"Yes our munchkins." He confirmed.

"Oh! How could I do that to them? I'm such a bad person." She said in a sad tone, believing him totally, that much drunk she was.

He sighed internally. This woman was so drunk that she was accepting whatever nuisance he was saying. But he didn't have any other way. They were short on time and he knew that ordering her won't do anything so he tried another technique of making her go a guilt trip.

"So shall we leave now?" He asked and she just nodded with a sad sigh. Turning to her hippie friends she said, "Bye guys! I had an awesome time with you but duty calls. I've to go back to my munchkins."

"Go Mrs. Stranger. You need to take care of your family. But before going accept this last drink from our side in the memory of the amazing time we have spent together." One of them said and called a random person.

He offered both of them a glass. Vaish gulped her glass in an instant.

He on the other hand wanted to reject it at first but then decided against it, not wanting to create unnecessary drama and also get away from this place as soon as possible with this mad girl.

What the hell was that?

He drank it in one go and his throat suddenly burned. This drink was strong. What was it? He felt his vision blurring for a second. He wondered how this girl was even standing after drinking this thing so many times.

He closed his eyes for a second to get a grip but he didn't. However, he found a hand being linked with his and he looked at her who was looking at him with such an innocent look in her amber brown eyes that he can't help but wish to remove that mask from her face at this instant and kiss her then and there.

God! What was wrong with him? What the hell he is even thinking?

He needs to focus on his goal of getting them out of this place and then escort her back to her hotel, safely.

He gripped her hand tightly and walked away from the crowd trying to focus on his one aim to get away from that damn place. He was getting weird feelings and he didn't want to get into something he was not ready for.

He has already done his fair share of mistakes for the day; he didn't want to add one more to his list.

"Mr. Stranger! Our munchkins; are they either boys or girls?" Vaish asked and once again his heart fluttered. He hadn't seen such a beauty with innocence from a long time.

He had been with girls and so he knew their mentality but this girl was different. So different that he wanted to keep her with him forever.

Damn! Where are these words coming from? He reprimanded himself and decided to talk to her in order to keep these unwanted thoughts out of his mind.

"What do you want?" He asked her.

"Both. I want a boy and girl." She replied in a breath.

"You look like you've it all planned." He asked in an amused tone.

"A girl got to do what a girl ought to do. I have thought about it all. I want two children and minimum five grandchildren. We will all sit in the lawn and have a snack party where I'll spoil them rotten. I'll be their favourite grandma and then I'll tell them my amazing love story." She said and suddenly stopped.

"Wait. What is our love story? I can't remember it! Don't tell me we were arranged by our parents!" She screamed and stopped walking.

"Will it be so bad to have an arrange marriage with me?" He asked and she shook her head.

"No! It will be bad if I came under my mother's scheme. I'll never hear the end of it. She will always boast that she has the upper end on me." Then she looked at him from up to down. "By the way, you are handsome too. I don't mind if our boy has got your personality."

As soon as she said that, they both started laughing; now under complete control of alcohol.

"I would love it if our girl looks like you but then again it will be difficult for me to keep boys away from our little firecracker. I would have to train her brother to keep boys away from her till she is forty." He said and Vaish just shook her head.

"I'm twenty nine and we are already married." Vaish pointed out.

"We are, are we?" He asked and both of them sat on stairs of a building thinking deeply.

"Don't tell me we have our munchkins before we got married? And what are we doing outside in an unknown country at this time of night? What will my parents say about it?" Vaish said in horror.

"No, no it can't be. We can't do that. What will society say about this?" She continued her blabbering.

"Relax. Whenever there is a problem there is a solution. We will find it." He tried to calm her but she could hear the tension in his voice.

"Children why are you sitting on the door of church at night and why are you covering your faces with masks?" A priest asked and they both immediately got up.

Inside of the church was dark.

"Father! We are confused. We are in a problem but we don't know our way." Vaish said.

"Come inside one by one." The priest said.

They looked at each other unsurely but then finally agreed. Vaish entered the confession box first and removed her mask.

"What are your troubles? Confess it in front of Jesus and you will feel lighter." The father continued.

What is my problem?

Vaish wondered before saying, "I feel like I'm doing something wrong, like I'm missing something important or someone important. I'm Mrs. Stranger but I'm not really. We are married but we aren't. It's all too confusing."

"Are you drunk?" The priest simply asked.

"Nope." She lied in a single breath.

"Okay, wait in the church and pray. I'll see you soon." And Vaish moved to the other door.

***

He entered the room next and removed his mask.

"Is that woman earlier your wife?" The father asked.

"She is Mrs. Stranger." He simply replies.

"Any you are Mr. Stranger?"

"I am."

"You don't remember your marriage?"

"We are having some troubles regarding that."

"Follow my advice and all your troubles will be gone." The priest said and talked to him.

He gave his suggestion.

"I don't have the things." He said after listening to the advice of the priest.

"I can arrange them."

"Okay then."

"Are you sure, Mr. Stranger?"

There was a silence after that.

"I am." He finally answered.

"Okay then wait inside, I will come soon."

***

He entered the church and saw her praying while sitting on her knees.

He sat beside her. He can't see her face clearly because of the darkness.

"I have found a way." He said. She put her hands down but didn't open her eyes.

"Let's get married right now. We will remember it this time." He finally said. Once again there was silence.

The father entered and called them.

"Are you both ready?" The father asked.

He stood up and waited for a second before smiling as he felt her standing up and walking towards him.

As they both said their vows, looking at the statue of Jesus in front of them; they felt lighter.

Well they were feeling lighter from the moment they drank but now they were floating in the sky.

He gave her his family ring which was in his pocket from the evening. The weight of ring was heavier from the moment he got it but now it all felt as if it was in the hands of its right owner.

They came out of the church wearing their hoodies.

Vaish ran in the street before shouting, "Mrs. Stranger. I'm Mrs. Stranger."

He chuckled and then shouted before saying, "You are Mrs. Stranger."

"Wait! We have to inform so many people. You do one thing; go to your room and pack your bags and I will pack mine and then we will inform our families. We will meet near the church tomorrow at the same time." Vaish said.

"But how will you go to your hotel? It's not safe." He said in a worried tone. She looked at him and even though she can't see his face clearly in the darkness she could clearly detect the worry in his tone.

"Don't fear, Mr. Stranger. Mrs. Stranger is not so weak and my hotel is in the next street. I checked from Google maps."

"You sure."

"I am."

"See you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Bye." She said and walked away.

She happily entered the hotel feeling proud of achieving something so important and feeling so content. 

***

Vaish was shocked to the core. There was silence for few minutes. Arjun gave her time to digest reality and drank water feeling tired after narrating such a long tale.

She was getting flashbacks now. And she was sure that he was not lying. She also knew that she hasn't seen his face that night but all the other details were correct.

So that was it. She realized. 

"Where is your wedding band?It can be the proof of wedding." Vaish asked after finally overcoming her shock.

Now Arjun got shocked. She was smart, he has to give her credit.

But he was getting tired of this game now. It was time to end it and so he said, "I will give you the proof soon. You will see the proof of your Vegas wedding soon." His tone was full of determination with no hidden motive.

"See you next week, Vaishali." Arjun said and got up from the chair leaving her alone in her thoughts.

***

So I hope it makes sense now! I kind of tried  to make it sensible but remember guys that they both were dead drunk that time and you make bad decisions if you are under influence of alcohol.

In next chapter Vaish and everyone will come to know about Mr. Stranger,  So are you all ready?

Next week Vaish is giving her presentation, meeting Pooja and also getting to know the truth about Mr. Stranger! Lots of drama coming ahead! 

So for the last time, any guesses about who is Mr. Stranger? 

So Stay tuned and Keep on voting and commenting (: