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December 2019

Resort

And just like that, the day of the wedding rolled in; with lots of excitement, bubbling happiness, jitters, flutters, anxiety, a tinge of sadness, a steam of rush in the blood to make everything as per the taste and excellence. It was like a myriad of emotions that were kept locked until today and once it opened, the emotions splattered out of it, drenching everyone close to the bride and groom and the said people themselves, in it.

During the bright daylight of the day, when the sunlight was feeling good against the skin, the function of Haldi was set up and was spent in a lot of content, whining and an unmatchable gaiety. The bride and groom were literally drenched in the yellow, from top to bottom generously by Monami, Vedant and their group of friends and cousins. Oh and the revenge was very well taken care of too.

Post some cleaning up and some more important rituals and getting ready, it was finally the moment of the day. People started filling in, the music, the vibe, everything was perfect; at least for the people for whom this event mattered a lot.

The entire Shergill family had been present during the event, and once again, Karan was left in awe seeing Monami entering with Sidharth. She was accoutred in an elegant and eye pleasing sky blue lehenga which was adorned with golden specs of golden glitters all over, with the dupatta draped on both her elbows, two rings enclosed on her fingers of both the hands paired with diamond danglers in her ears and her hair left open in soft waves. Without much ado, she was looking beautiful.

Karan knew that on this day, at this event, Monami was ought to be busy except for a few minutes which was like an unspoken promise between them and hence he thought that it would be better if they could rather meet and just be with each other, till the ticking of the clock allows.

After settling Sidharth on his seat for the night, she stepped down the stage and she saw her parents, who were standing by their side and started towards them until she was interrupted by one of the girls who said something to her and she looked at her parents before going with her. All this while, she did not get time to even spare a glance at Karan.

Some time had passed and Karan was just standing, having a glass of mocktail gripped in his palm when he heard someone clearing his throat and he turned to find it was Monami. Looking at her, a few steps away from his personal space, Karan passed her his charming smile, making Monami return the favour, gently.

It was then Monami took in the sight of Karan, dressed to impress in a three piece cornflower blue suit, with black tie on the white shirt underneath the checked waist coat and a simple brooch tugged from the chest pocket, which was stuffed with a white pocket square, to the collar of the coat. He kept his coat buttons open to give an informal look. His hair was perfectly done and his signature watch sat proudly on his wrist. One thing Monami knew that if one dress she knew that the guy beside her could pull really well, in a breath she'll answer suit; although she observed or more check him out, very cautiously.

They both didn't know what to speak, because no matter the congeniality, the awkwardness was still very much lurking around them, thickly. So they just stood beside each other. Although, the last night was a like a wave of a fresh change between them, but they both are shy and dumb enough to not speak anything about it; although they both acknowledged it. In simpler terms, somewhere Monami had given her consent for this alliance, yester night itself and she somewhere realised it too, because she won't go and step to hold anybody's hand even for the sake of support or comfort just like that.

"Hey, you had food?" Monami decided to break the dense silence between them, although the question was not something very appreciating, but it did the work.

Karan shook his head in no. "Ah, no. I will have it in a short while." He softly smiled before adding, "Umm, would you like to have a mocktail?"He asked gallantly.

"Uh, sure." Monami simpered.
He asked the waiter who was serving around them to stop by their side and gave the lady beside him one, after knowing her preference.

Karan then very conveniently asked her something that she didn't expected, albeit it took a lot of rambling in his mind and a few sneaky rehearsals in front of the mirror of his room. "Uh, since it's "M" for the day, and I don't intent to make you uncomfortable but will you please share your Mobile number?" He was looking hopeful. "But it's okay if you don't want to." He added in a jiffy.

Monami was stupefied by this question, but she could not disagree that it was a smooth move. She held back a smile before narrowing her eyes at him and nodded.

Once done, they both avoided looking at each other. Karan was miserably failing in his attempts to stop the smile that was forming on his face, by poking the tongue on his inner cheek. And Monami, she could not help but feel fiddly and fidgety, whenever Karan is in the close vicinity.

But before anyone could say anything to dissipate the mushy feeling amongst them, Monami was called and she looked at Karan apologetically but he assured her through his eyes and she skedaddled towards the direction of being called, while he found it extremely difficult to take his eyes off her.

The moment she was out of his gaze, he just smiled a bit loudly to his own ears and bowed his head down, closing his eyes before opening and straightening himself and composed himself, so as to not make a fool out of him in public. But the grin was softly tugged at the corners of his lips.

Shergill's did stay over there for quite some time before taking their leave. It was decided that they'll be leaving for Coorg, as decided in the evening of day after tomorrow.

Soon the night and the next day rolled in way faster than anticipated. Even though Monami was not someone who used to indulge in childish activities, but this time she didn't held herself back from enjoying; being the person from both the sides. She helped in stealing Sidharth's mojris as well as took some shagun from him; she also teased Sanjana from Sidharth's side too.

Overall, it was a fun filled event and one of the most memorable one.

The bride and groom, now man and wife including all the others, were completely exhausted after a week full of numerous shenanigans. They did the rituals that were supposed to be done on the day of Bidaai and then left for their honeymoon.

Monami too, slept for a good 10-12 hours, by calling in an early night, just like the other members of her family.

The next day, after her morning routine, she sat with her parents and brother in the living room, catching up with everyone. Then, after having a simple lunch Deepak said, "Accha bhai, ab hume shaam mein nikalna hai, toh sab ek baar apni apni packing kar lo. Yahi par milte hain, 5 baje tak. Nashta karke 5:30 tak hume airport ke liye nikalna hai."

(Okay now since we have to leave in the evening, everyone please do your packing. We'll meet here only around 5. Then we'll have some evening snacks before leaving for airport by 5:30.)

All the three people agreed and left for their rooms, but not before Juhi telling Vedant to keep some of his stuff, which was kind of embarrassing for him, making Monami and Deepak laugh at his expense. Monami also informed her parents that she'll leave for Pune, directly from Coorg only.

While Monami was packing her stuff, her phone went off. She quickly dropped the t-shirt from her hand on the bed and bent a little to grab her phone. Her eyebrows furrowed while seeing the caller. It was from her senior. She hurried and picked up her call.

After having a stressful conversation, which was notable from her countenance. She quickly went out and knocked on Vedant's door asking him to come downstairs, as well as she called her father to come out of the room along with their mother.

When everyone was assembled in the living room, with confused and a tad bit tensed faces, Monami asked her parents to sit. She stepped towards them and knelt down in front of them and everyone knew what it was about. She softly took hold of her parents palms in both of hers and said to them, "I have to leave. Now."

Juhi's eyes welled up a bit and Deepak and Vedant took in a deep breath. Deepak from his free hand caressed her head and asked, "Kya hua beta? Tu bata sakti hai?"

(What happened dear? Can you tell us?)

Monami looked in his eyes and nodded in a small no before inhaling a deep eupnea. "Papa, poori baat nahi bata sakti, lekin kisi ki jaan bachani hai. Aur kyuki main bhi is special action team ka part hoon, toh meri chhutti bhi radd ho gayi hai."

(Papa, I cannot tell you the whole thing but we have to save someone. And because I am also a part of this special force, my leave has been cancelled.)

She then looked at her mother and squeezed her palm, before saying, "Mumma, I promise mai apna dhyaan rakhungi. Aur vaise bhi meri training khatam ho gayi hai ab, toh agle saal pakka jaldi aaungi." She smiled and tried to sound sanguine but all the people in the room knew that it is something which time will tell them.

(Mumma, I promise that I'll take care of myself and as it is, my training is completed so I'll come early in the next year.)

Juhi grasped her help palm which in her daughter's hold and softly kissed it. "Mai jaanti hoon beta. Aur aana he hai." She paused before adding "Lekin Karan ka kya? Tune abhi abhi toh milna shuru kiya hai." She couldn't say more and so she sighed.

(I know and you have to come.) (Then what about Karan, you've started meeting recently.)

Monami looked at her parents and then Vedant who was a silent spectator in all this; she knew that her brother was trying to calm his mind down. She had an eye contact with Vedant and gestured him to come near her.

She took a breath and said, "I am ready." She saw the wide eyed look on the three faces in front of her before nodding.

"I'm ready for this alliance. It's a yes from my side and don't overthink guys, I've given it a lot of thought. So papa, you can tell Atul uncle about this." She simpered a bit with an eye blink.

"Okay, now I have to rush with my packing, Ved we have to leave in an hour for the airport, I've booked my tickets." Monami looked at Vedant who affirmed and said, "Yeah you go and I'll check the car if it's filled enough." Saying so, he dashed out side and Monami gave a look of assurance to her parents and trudged upstairs.

Juhi and Deepak looked at each other and both nodded at each other, with teary eyes; their palms entangled with each other. On one hand they were happy about her confirmation and on the other; they were tensed about her leaving. Deepak took his phone out of his pocket to call Atul, as it is he has to inform about sudden changes too.

Shergill's

It was a bit chaotic morning in the Shergill residence, since baby had her school, for the last day of the year before she goes on leave and then the winter break, so Barkha was getting everything ready. Then Atul informed her about auto strike today and how Baby's auto won't be coming as well, then Barkha rushed to her room to wake Param up as first Atul was going to drop his granddaughter but the car wasn't starting and because his old age doesn't allow him much to handle bike, they had no option left. So Barkha woke her husband up and asked him to hurry and drop their daughter to her school. And finally the little heart of the family left for her school, making everyone take a breath of relief.

Amidst all this, one Shergill was missing since he was out for an early morning run. When he came back, he saw his father and sister in law sitting with some relieved expressions and soon his brother too entered and slouched beside Atul. He looked at everyone addled, "Kya ho gaya? Sab aise kyu baithe ho jaise ab jaake chain ki saas li ho?

(What happened guys? Why are you all sitting like it is now that you all have got some relief?)

"Arrey mat pucho Karan, kuch aisa he hua..." And then Barkha briefed Karan about the morning tumult.

(Oh don't even ask Karan, it was something like that only.)

Barkha finally moved to the kitchen and came back with the morning tea/ coffee. She settled it on the table in between the sofas and everyone took their beverages.

"Accha papa, aapki koi dawai ya kuch lena hai ya phir kuch aur? Param, Karan what about you two? Agar kuch lena hai toh jaldi market khulte he le aate hain, phir timely packing bhi karni hai." Barkha glanced at everyone.

(Papa do you need any medicine or anything else?)(If any of you have to buy something, then we have to go out at the earliest whenever the market opens up because we have to timely pack our luggage too.)

They all sat and discussed together about the trip and stuff they might need, Barkha being the ultimate guide.

Once this discussion got over, Atul asked Karan while having his poha, "Karan although there is no rush, but I just want to know about how it is going with Monami?"

Karan was actually not prepared for this question, so the poha he was eating got stuck in his throat and he choked on it. Param quickly patted his back, since he was sitting near him.

"Uh papa, it is going good?" Karan sounded as if he was asking the question.

Atul shook his head and Param was watching this with great fun. After all who doesn't enjoy when your sibling is under the limelight.

"Chhottey, Papa ka matlab hai ki tune kuch socha hai ki aage kya karna hai, about this alliance? Do you need more time? Or perhaps you want to say no to Monami?"Param gave a detailed description of the question their father asked; although his tone was more like a teasing statement which Karan understood.

(Chhottey, Papa means that you gave it a thought that what do you want to do about this alliance?)

As soon as Karan heard the last question, he knew that something was fishy. "It is not like you guys hide something from each other in this context." He threw a sarcastic glance at his family members making their lips twitch to break out in a smile. Then he turned towards his Bhabhi and narrowed his eyes, "Et tu, Bhabhi?"

(You too, Bhabhi?)

"Hey, I haven't disclosed anything. It was your Bhaiya who vouchsafed it to Papa." Barkha reasoned, offended.

"Aur maine kuch zyada nahi bataya bas itna bataya ki jo pehle kabhi nahi hua, vaisa ab hua hai. Pehli baar chhote sahab ki nazrein ek ladki par itni ruki hai. Aur toh aur, jab woh kanya saamne hot hai, toh aapki aankhein unse hatne ke liye bahut mehnat karti hain." Param tried to be innocent, but it was anything but innocent. Barkha and Atul snickered after hearing him. And Karan, his eyebrows fluttered quickly, blush coating his cheeks in red, making everyone guffaw.

(Hey I haven't told anything much. I just told that how something that never happened, has happened now. For the first time, this young master's eyes have stayed on a girl for this long. Moreover, when the maiden is in front of him, his eyes require a lot of effort looking away from her.)

"Okay, enough now. Karan, ab tu he kuch bata de." Atul looked at Karan, once everyone sobered up from the laughter.

(Karan, now say something.)

"Okay fine. Although I have told Bhabhi but now I am telling you both as well that it's a yes from my side." Karan then took his lower lip under his teeth as he gazed at stunned faces and within seconds he was taken in embrace by the men. And Param being his elder sibling patted his back in a not so decent manner making him pull away easily with a scowl on his face.

Both the Shergill men, sans Karan, looked at Barkha with narrowed eyes to which she blinked her eyes and tilted her head a little, looking smug. She too, side hugged Karan and said, "I am so happy for you."

Everybody had a little chat over it. And then they all went to their rooms to wind up their work. They went to the market to buy the necessary things, had lunch and quickly scurried towards their rooms to take a short nap and pack.

It was somewhere around 3:30 in the afternoon, when Atul called Barkha and Karan in the living room. Seeing his face, one thing was clear that the news is something serious. "Is everything good, papa?" Karan probed.

"I just got Mahajan's call and the news is not very pleasant, actually it's a duty call for Monami; she has to leave in an hour." Atul said and huffed out a breath.

Karan's heart skipped a beat hearing this. She'll be going. This was all he could think of. Will it be the same every time she leaves? The same anxiety until she comes back, the days when there would be no contact. He gulped the lump in his throat. All these questions were surfacing in his mind.

No, he doesn't love her. There are so many steps that need to be stepped on for that to happen. But spending time with each other almost daily has been a routine. Moreover, he was very well versed with the anxiousness of the situation; after all, his father had served in the Indian Army for quite a lot of years.

Karan zoned out for a couple of minutes before paying his attention to what Atul was saying.

"Uhm, vaise yeh baat woh thi jiske liye hume sirf uski salamti ke liye prarthna karni hai. Aur ek baat aur hai." He paused, making both the people agree to what he said and patted Karan's shoulder before saying, "Barkhurdar, ab hum officially ek family hain. Rishta pakka ho gaya hai. Monami ne haan kaha hai."

(Uhm, this was one thing and what we can do is pray for her well being.) (Mister, now we are officially a family. This relationship is sealed. Monami has given her consent.)

Karan stilled for a few seconds, he was happy. But the other emotion he was feeling when he heard the news about her departure, had more weightage.

"Also, Monami had conveyed it to and through her parents that we should continue with this trip and that we can decide whatever we feel is right. So there are no changes in plans, and well, we'll spend some time together as one big family now." Atul said.

"Papa, Kyu na hum bhi airport chalein? As it is, we have our flight after an hour of her flight, so why not now? This way we'll spend some time together and send our best wishes along with her. And Param can join us as soon as he gets free from his work." Barkha suggested and Karan couldn't have been more thankful to her. Atul too nodded at this idea and he said that he'll inform Deepak about it too.

(Papa, why don't we also leave for airport?)

With this the Shergill's went to pack their luggage and started for their journey, although a bit late then what they expected but nonetheless, they will get some time.

Let's see what this new phase brings in their life. Karan and Monami have crossed one more step in their journey, now time will be the judge as to how it all will pass.

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3.4k+ words.

Guys, thank you so much for all the love on this book and esp the last chapter. It made me so so happy!

We'll be entering into the next phase of their life in about almost next two chapters.

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Much Love,
Nehal.