Dearest Readers,

Sorry for ghosting you folks on and off.
Lots of things happening in my life.
I'm switching jobs. Lot of things changing in life. Hope you understand.

Took a vacation recently after years with family. A much needed one. Feeling relaxed. My mind seems sorted too.

So here I am resuming writing. Will give constant updates for next few days. Planning to finish this book soon.

Here's your much awaited update.
I know many of you have been pissed and complaining about no updates but this time I'm not sorry. This was a much needed break.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Love ❤️
Srinidhi

✨
ANIKA
✨

The entire house was filled with laughter and giggles. My siblings, our neighbours, Daarji's friends and well-wishers had poured in to bless Dhara. I couldn't help but feel extremely happy for Dhara. She was finally going to get a loving and caring husband. Sharath seemed to be a gentleman however his parents and relatives seemed problematic. It worried me and Tillu both. Shankar however assured that if Sharath would standby Dhara then nothing should be problematic and anyways Sharath stayed in Chandigarh. Once in a while going back to Kolkata shouldn't be an issue. Dhara was a smart girl and she would manage it all well. However I had my own fears and beliefs about marriage especially when I had a horrifying experience myself.

But then a smile on Dhara's face and all my worries vanished away. She looked extremely happy, cheerful and excited. We couldn't judge if the Henna on her hands were redder or her cheeks every time the girls teased her with Sharath's name. I was convinced that she will be happy with Sharath. However some things still worry me. Like Daarji's expressions. He tried to force a smile on his lips hiding all the tensions.

Yesterday evening when we were celebrating Dhara's Haldi rituals I heard Daarji speak to someone asking them for some more time so he could pay all the dues and I was shocked. Neither Tillu nor I knew of any loans until we spoke to one of our neighbour uncle who revealed that Daarji had taken a loan of approximately 10 lakh Rupees against the piece of farmland where Daarji cultivates vegetables every year. We were shocked. When confronted Daarji he simply laughed it off and avoided saying small expenses are usual for parents when their kids get married. But the visible tension on his face didn't go unnoticed by us.

Currently as we see the Henna being applied on Dhara's foot, and as she is posing for all the beautiful pictures that Amit was clicking it made us emotional.

'I just hope and pray she gets all the happiness in the world Rabji!!!' I whispered when suddenly I felt a pull on my parandha (decorative hairdo for long braided hair) and I looked down to see my little Roshni in her cute orange lehnga choli was flashing her little Henna clad hands to me and I couldn't help but lift her up and kiss her nose.

'Mummaaaaa seeeee red red!!!' and I giggled seeing my little baby so happy and excited. My siblings loved Roshni. She was the youngest in the house too. They pampered her a lot. They dressed her up with little jhumkas and also pinned the little pearl mangtika on her head. Some of my sisters even decorated her hair with jasmine flowers making her look like a little Indian bride. Shankar asks me not to lift her up as I'm in my second trimester but then I cannot stop myself from showering love on my baby when she's being so cute.

'Nice naaaa?' she asks with a cute pout and I smile kissing her chubby cheek saying

'Yes baby!!! They look beautiful!!!' and then she looks at my hands saying

'Mumma why is your hand not red?' anfI smile saying

'Mumma has a lot of work baby...Mumma doesn't have time for it. Tomorrow is Dhara Masi's(aunt) wedding na?' I told her as I caressed her baby hairs when she pouted angrily saying

'But everyone's hands are red!!! I want your hands also red-red Mumma!!!' she whines when I pull her cheek saying

'Na Puttar!!! Mumma is busy na!!! We'll apply some other day okay?' but she seems angry as she simply wiggles in my arms and gets down from my arms saying

'Mumma...Shine Katti!!!' as she runs from there without letting me explain. And I chuckle. My daughter is the cutest baby ever!!! Even her anger is cute. I love her so much. I get busy looking at the arrangements. I make sure Dhara's stuff is packed, I double check upon Sharath's family's arrangements as tomorrow is the wedding and tonight post the Mehndi rituals we leave to Kolkata via flight.

Once I'm done with all my checks, I go back to my room to double check my luggage when suddenly someone grabs my hand and I'm pulled into a hard chest. I was shocked but the moment my eyes met the sea blue ones I freeze. My Ogre of a husband dragged my hands and turns me around to back hug me making me wiggle and before I knew his bearded face digs into my neck kissing my neckline senselessly making me shiver.

'Shhhhhankar!!! Wha...what are you doing?' I manage to whisper when he leaves a open mouthed kiss on the base of my neck saying

'Loving my beautiful wife!!! Is that a crime?' as he leaves another urgent kiss on the nape of my neck and I wiggle in his arms trying to get out of his hold.

'Shankar please...I....I have to look at the last minute arrangements!!!' when he simply kisses my neck again trailing his lips down towards my shoulder whispering

'And why is my sugar-donut doing all of that when her husband and his army is at her service?' he says when I simply turn around saying

'Because it's my sister's wedding and...you are a guest!!!' while he grabs me closer again whispering

'I am the son in law of this household!!! And this is my family function!!! So...mam...you...relax!!! I'll manage it all' and before I could argue further he leaned in and kissed my forehead and I closed my eyes embracing it. Something shifted inside me this moment. This was the man who hated people, cared only about his comfort, humiliated each and every employee who worked with him for years who is now whole heartedly announcing his wife's adopted family as his own. I was slightly emotional when he suddenly held my hands saying

'What nonsense!!!' and I narrowed my eyebrows and opened my eyes when he simply checked my hands saying

'Why isn't there Mehndi on your hands?' he asks when I simply shake off my hands saying

'Because I'm busy!!! And now...move!!!' but he grabs me closer saying

'Noways!!! My wife is the only woman here without Mehndi...I'm not taking that...Sit here!!!' he says making me sit on the bed but I try to get up and he simply pushed me down saying

'SIT DOWN!!!' and I don't know why I felt that hot.

'I am SAT!!!' I whisper when he asks 'Sorry?' and I clear my throat saying

'I ...I can't...I'm busy and anyways why are you insisting upon it... don't you hate the smell of it?' I asked when he smiles asking

'And that's the reason why you didn't apply it?' and I open and close my mouth saying 'Of... Ofcourse not!!! I'm...I'm busy!!!' I try to reply him back when he raises an eyebrow and smirks saying 'My little plumcake!!! I wanna eat you!!!' and he quickly places a chaste kiss on my cheek when I yell 'Shankarrrrr!!!' and he again kisses my other cheek when I try to get up but he quickly says 'Dare you!!! If not..I'll kiss you in places you won't be able to handle!!!' and my cheeks turned crimson. What's with his mouth nowadays. He speaks so dirty.

I sat there like a doll when he quickly goes out and comes back with a plate full of Henna cones and I try to shake my head but he grabs my hand saying

'My wife is the prettiest and I want her beautiful hands look even more beautiful!!! Got it?' when I say

'Shankar please!!! Everyone is busy!!! Someone mus-'

'Shhhhhh!!!' he keeps his index finger on my lips and before I could say another word he holds my hand and slowly starts scribbling on my hands. I couldn't help but smile. He scribbled childish designs on my hands but my heart fluttered. Everyone wore Mehndi with their husbands name on their hands but my husband is himself applying it on my hands. I didn't know why my eyes turned misty. I realised true men treat their women like queens unlike cowards who force themselves upon women. One man here is treating me like his queen while other back then treated me like shit. One filled my hands, my life with colors in my colourless life while the other snatched every color away from my life. How I wish I met Shankar earlier. How I wish Meet never came into my life.

I was deep in my thoughts when suddenly he bent down to touch my foot to apply the Mehndi when I stopped him but he simply shushed me and sat on the floor lifting his one knee upwards. He asked me to keep my foot on his lifted knee so I could balance well and not get tired. I whispered 'Shankar...hands are enough!!!' when he simply smiled saying 'You are my new bride forever and as much I hate the smell of Henna, that much I love to see your hands and foot colored in red...Dark red!!! It's like ...it reminds you loud and clear...how much your husband is madly, crazily and hopelessly in love with you!!!'

My throat clogged up and tears that were on the edge slipped off my eyes and wet my cheeks. A couple of them fell on the back of his hand when he lifted his head up looking at me and he says

'Heyyyyy chocolate-pie...whyyyy...shhhh!!!' and he slowly raises up as he stands on his knees and pulls me closer and I helplessly hug him breaking down when he asks 'What happened? You didn't like the design? I know it looks like my company's graph statistics report but I'm sorry sweetie...I always earned a D in my drawing classes. I'm sorry...if you want I'll get you the best Mehndi artis-' but I simply cover his mouth with my palms saying

'This is the most beautiful Mehndi I've ever adored!!! Thank you!!!' and he smiles saying 'Well that didn't need you to apply it on my lips!!!' and I realise I covered his mouth with my Mehndi clad hands and I couldn't help but burst out laughing when he laughed out too wiping his mouth with my Dupatta.

After applying Mehndi to my hands and legs he asked me to rest. He was about to leave the room when I suddenly realised something.

SHANKAR
✨

I am still bad at drawing. Miss Michelle my drawing teacher would have still failed me if she saw my designs but then I was happy that I got to hold her hands for more than an hour. Call me a pervert but I'd do anything to be closer to her. Even if it meant tolerating the smell of the Henna which I thoroughly hate. But then she looks beautiful with them. It swells my chest with pride as it reminds me that she's mine. My wife. My bride.

Once I applied Mehndi on her hands and legs I asked her to rest. The flight was at midnight. It was enough if we left at 10 pm from here. She still had enough time to rest and she deserves rest. She has been roaming around throughout the day prepping for the function. I wanted to stop her but her excitement and happiness didn't let me interfere. My men and I helped her secretly as much as we could but then Anamika being Anamika is a superwoman. But my superwoman is also gonna be a supermommy again soon. My little one and her mommy needed rest.

I was about to leave when suddenly she said

'Shankar!!! Can you...ummm stay?' she asked and I turned around asking 'Sure!!! Everything's fine? You ok? Junior is ok?' and she bit her lower lip and looked at me nodding and she turned around saying

'I....uh...Need help!!!' and I was confused when she suddenly said

'Can you...ummm... help me... change?' and my throat went dry.

She was standing infront of the mirror and her gaze met mine. Our eyes clashed. When she lifted both her hands showing her Mehndi clad hands and I cleared my throat asking

'Ar....are...are you sure?' and she simply stared into my eyes without unwavering her gaze and simply nodded her head.

Wow!!! Okay!!! This isn't going to be easy!!!

I think...I'm going to die a little.

God save me.