Chapter 12

Chapter#9

"Will you do me the honor of marrying me again?"

 

"Yes."

 

As easy as it was for her to respond, so was it for Shaurya to anticipate the worst. He continued speaking as if she hadn't answered him at all. "I know you may feel this is out of the blue and that you may need some time to come to grips with everything I've disclosed..." He suddenly paused when she settled her left hand on his. If not her answer, then perhaps this action would alert him to her desire. She watched him blink as he finally understood that his words had been unnecessary, but he still looked up at her to make sure, "Wait did you just..."

 

With tears pooling in her eyes, Mehek nodded. "Yes, Shaurya... it's true that I don't..."

 

 His lips silenced her, not at all in a forceful manner, but rather in a way that unless she had experienced his kiss, she would not have comprehended how hauntingly familiar the intimacy was. Whereas she had managed to hold herself together before, the tenderness of his touch that inexplicably reached inside  her to extract a long-lost remembrance of their connection, had her noisily dissolving into tears. Taken aback, Shaurya moved away from her. Certain that he had stopped himself from grabbing her to him, in consideration of her still fragile state, he still feared that his emotions had gotten the better on him leading him to second-guess if had hurt her in the process.

"Mehek"

"I don't understand it all, but of the few things I am certain of it's how much I love you, Shaurya and...how so very right that felt."

 

His eyes softened on hearing these words: straight from her heart "It is right," Shaurya whispered. "You...me...I will admit Mehek that it hasn't always been easy... but it has always been right. If you ever needed proof of my words you need only look to our child."

 

Mehek couldn't help but cast her eyes back towards the bedroom, her eyes widening with sudden concern.

"She's fine," Shaurya assured her. "She was awake when I came back but is under the expert care the nurse. You've done nothing wrong taking the time you needed."

"How...how did you what I was thinking?"

"I know you, Jaan. Just as deep in your heart you know me... you know your Shaurya."

Her lips trembled, and she bit her lip purposively before sniffling. "I'm s-sorry," she whimpered. "Honestly, I'm not even sad."

Sighing in commiseration, Shaurya reached up and swept the new tears from her cheeks. "These hormones really are no joke...I doubt that we men would survive half of what you women must contend with. In a few more days, things will be better...you will feel more yourself." He looked down at the ring he retained, and then back up at her. "All things considered, perhaps it best to put this aside for a while, until you feel more...more..." he sought the word that would come across as least offensive.

"Capable," she offered as a suggestion. "Do you believe that my feelings will change if, and when my tears dry up Shaurya? Are you expecting me to love you less?"

"I will always want the best for you, Jaan, and if that means that I have to wait a little while, then so be it."

She studied the face of the man who had proclaimed himself hers for a moment more, before answering exactly as she had before.

"Yes."

******

He stayed for the baby's next feeding, and unlike previous times, was completely fixated on the act of her nursing their infant. Or perhaps it was the diamond solitaire that flashed on her left hand that held his attention. God knew that she couldn't stop her own eyes from drifting from her daughter to the ring. She had expected the exquisite piece to feel heavy and foreign on her hand, but from the instant he placed it on her finger it had felt the most natural thing in the world, as if it was a part of her. She had even managed to tend the baby without fear of marring her delicate skin, which given the ring's size was a definite possibility.

 

"Would I be pushing things a little to far if I start with the arrangements?"

Mehek looked across to Shaurya, when he spoke aloud. "Arrangements?"

"For the wedding rituals. I would like to get the planning underway...there's quite a bit to do, even with Hina's help."

"Do you think that's necessary...I mean... and tonight...at this hour...what can you possibly hope to get accomplished?"

"At the very least, I will contact our families. They will want to come as soon as possible. They will be of a great help to us, both with the ceremony and our return home to Delhi."

Mehek blanched and immediately began shaking her head to deny his suggestions and was horrified when he just smiled and pressed on. "They are not the strangers you imagine Mehek. In fact,"

"Nahi, Shaurya: please. I don't want..."

 "They are our family, we have been separated from them long enough and every one of us has suffered for it."

Him most of all, she surmised. Immediately overwhelmed with guilt Mehek tried to explain, "That's not what I am saying at all. I understand that eventually we will need to reunite with our family, and that you have borne so much for me, but the formalities...the shaadi you are describing: all of the rituals...well aren't we already married in their eyes?"

"So, no wedding," he asked slightly confused.

"No...I mean yes." Mehek stopped when the baby began squirming in her arms. Shaurya stood and came across the room: grabbing a nearby nursing cloth before taking Meera away from her mother and settling the infant on his shoulder, where he began to gently pat her back. It allowed Mehek the chance to fix her clothing and gather her thoughts before attempting to explain herself. "Shaurya, after what you told me...when you asked me...I figured that you meant something simple...something private to the two of us. I don't need anything more than that."

She watched as he paced the room quietly, burping Meera. Was she being unreasonable, she wondered? "That is, unless this what you want, Shaurya. If it really is what you want..."

"I only want whatever it takes for you to feel whole again Mehek. If it's not a big fat wedding redo, then it won't be." He turned his head to peer at his daughter. "I think she's asleep. Should I lay her down?" 

"Haan."

She watched as he did so with little effort. "You are a very quick learner, Shaurya," she mentioned when he had finished his task.

Admiring the pint-sized beauty peacefully reposed in her bassinet, Shaurya smiled to himself. "Aacha, I find the needs of the youngest of my ladies, the easiest to determine. Evidently, I have yet," he said as he turned to his wife, "perfected my dealings with the most important woman in my life though."

"Perhaps it is she who is imperfect not you," Mehek answered back.

He took a seat next to her. "Nahi, that is an impossibility. Now tell me, Jaan, what will make you the happiest?"

 

******

About a week later, Shaurya made the first of his thrice weekly Skype call home. Speaking to their families as a group over the video call, he shared first with them, the necessary updates on both the baby's and her mother's health. Although they were all pleased to hear that both were doing well, they still lamented the distance between them and their loved ones. Especially now when Meera was here, both his and Mehek's mothers were impatient for their children's return. Actually, over the past few communiques they had become pretty vocal in their dissatisfaction. However, today in his effort to appease them he had taken the chance on Meera's co-operation and scheduled the call at a time when the little angel would be awake. As he steeled himself for the onslaught of complaints, he listened for the opening of the bedroom door which would signal the arrival of his little peacekeeper. Right on schedule, the nurse called out to him from behind, and Shaurya stood up. "Maa, if you could hold that thought one second," he called before abruptly disappearing from view. Karuna was having none of it, and with his back to his parent he grinned as he took Meera from her nurse. "Thank you," he mouthed to the sister, before coming back in view of his vociferous parent. "Do you hear how impatient they all are Princess, they won't even let your Papa get a word in edgewise." He ignored the expected chorus of oohs and ahs when he positioned the baby, so everyone could view the little girl who for the first time for her audience, was wide awake. "Say hello to PD and Daadi and Baabaa and Naani and look there's Chachi and Chacha too. Now tell them Princess, that you are just waiting for a few things to be in order so that you can come home. That even though your Papa can move mountains that Princess Meera still needs her birth certificate in order to get on the jet Daddy is chartering as soon as he can, that will bring you and your Mummy back to Delhi instead of travelling on the roads which will take so much longer. And if they are just a little patient that you will soon be home with them all."

"Is it true Shaurya beta, are you bringing my Laddoo and our Choti Laddoo home?"

Shaurya smiled at the feisty senior who looked and sounded near to tears when posing her question. "Ji PD, as soon as possible." He thought of Mehek who was busy at this very moment, at the task of choosing her attire for their upcoming ceremony. "Just as soon as we sort out some final matters."

Chapter 10 

[NOCOPY]