Chapter 7

Mina

@-mina-

Thank you THANK YOU for patience and all your lovely words and your likes. Means so much to me to know I can bring you enjoyment. Very sorry I haven't been more prompt with comments  Hope you like the following. And maybe you can round the thread out to page 30 with your reactions? Yes, I'm shameless...I'm learning from Abhi

Gorgeous banner by anant aka Anny90! THANK YOU darling!!!

The beach was quiet when they arrived. There were a few tourists walking along the shore, but it was early in the morning so there were no crowds. Abhi led Pragya to a shaded spot where they could be private.

He tried to make her sit on a bench, but she refused. Instead she crossed her arms and stayed standing. "Okay, now can you tell me why we are here?" She was frowning again, and her eyes were sparkling with irritation.

Abhi flashed her a wide smile and spread his arms, gesturing to the sea shore. "Don't you remember? This is where we first met."

"Yes, but -"

"So, it's the perfect place for us to start over. In the daylight and on dry land, so there's no mistakes or confusion."

"What are you talking about? This is ridiculous, aapko -"

"Look, Chashmish - Pragya. All the time we've known each other has been full of misunderstandings. Today I want us to clear all the lies and secrets between us."

Pragya's eyes widened as she looked at him in surprise. "Lies and secrets?" she repeated slowly.

Abhi met her eyes and held her gaze. "Why didn't you tell Daadi the truth about us?"

Pragya looked away, her cheeks reddening as she began to answer, "I did, I told her we were too different --"

Abhi was amazed that she was still trying to avoid the truth. He interrupted impatiently, "You didn't tell her I thought you were a scheming gold digger. You didn't tell her I'd been cheating on you with Tanu the whole time we were married. You didn't tell her that you sacrificed your life's happiness and your sister's love all because Aaliya made one wrong assumption."

Pragya looked at him again, with shock and dismay evident on her face. "You know?"

"Yes, I know. Purab finally told me everything." He saw that her whole body tensed at this statement, and she was biting her lip in distracted worry.

Abhi continued, "I had to twist him like a corkscrew, but he finally told me. And you know what I don't understand? Why are you trying to leave me believing all these lies about you?"

He felt a wave of nervous energy begin to thrum through him; he was relieved to be facing the truth at last, but until she answered, there remained a tension hanging between them...

"Why does it matter?" Pragya replied quietly, avoiding his eyes.

Abhi frowned. "That's not an answer, Chashmish."

"I don't owe you any answers," Pragya retorted. She was trying to sound firm, but the way she was standing hunched with her arms protectively wrapped around herself undermined the hardness of her voice.

Abhi was starting to feel irritated. How to make her understand that he needed an explanation? "Oh, really? Then I guess you don't need my signature, either."

Pragya's eyes snapped to him. "What?"

"You want a divorce. I want an explanation."

"What is that supposed to mean? We both want a divorce -"

"No, not me. I'm in no hurry. Of course, I don't have creepy old friends proposing to me every day of the week." Abhi scowled at the memory of Pragya's conversation with Suresh. Who did that double battery think he was, proposing to a woman who wasn't even legally separated yet?

Pragya rolled her eyes and looked at him sceptically. "Really? What about Tanu?"

Tanu's not important. The thought surprised him, but he realized that was how he really felt. Tanu hadn't want to marry him when he had asked. She hadn't understood his need to keep Daadi happy. She had supported Aaliya's awful plan and joined him in his mistreatment of Pragya. Maybe he shouldn't blame her for that; he had made the same mistakes after all, and both of them had just been acting out of love for Aaliya. She'd just been trying to be a good friend the same way he'd been trying to be a good brother.

But it was an awful way to be a good friend. And the fact remained that she had never put priority in being with him, and she didn't have any attachment to Daadi. He couldn't see her as Daadi's bahu and that meant that suddenly he didn't see a place for her in his life at all. He knew then that he would have to break up with Tanu. It would be unpleasant, and Aaliya would get mad at him, but there was no room left for Tanu in his life, especially not once he got his Chashmish back...

He realized Pragya was watching him, waiting for his answer. She still had her arms crossed around herself, as if to protect her heart from his words, and in that moment Abhi hated himself for making her feel so defensive. He wished he knew how to make her feel safe, to make her understand that he regretted hurting her. All he could do now was give her honest answers, and so he met her eyes again and explained, "Tanu missed her chance. Besides, what I really want is for Daadi to talk to me again. And she won't do that unless I bring you back, or give her answers. I could tell her the truth about us, how I was mistaken about you -"

"No! Have you gone mad? You can't tell her, it would break her heart to know what you did. That's why I didn't tell her," Pragya interrupted. She was obviously agitated at the thought of Daadi learning the truth.

Abhi was surprised by her declaration. "What do you mean, what I did?"

Pragya narrowed her eyes, giving him a slanted glare. "Treating marriage as a joke - marrying me for revenge, I mean. Lying to her. Forcing Purab's hand. Do I need to go on? You don't deserve her good opinion, but she doesn't deserve to be hurt by your bad choices."

So this was her reason? Abhi couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You really care that much for my Daadi? Then you should realize how much she's hurting because you left -"

"I know. And I'm sorry. But that's how it has to be, isn't it? There's no future for us." Her voice dropped as she said this, and she looked away from him, staring at the beach behind his shoulder. He didn't like the finality of her words, or the sad, resigned tone of her voice.

"There could be," he said, thinking, I want there to be a future for us.

She sighed and frowned at him again. "I tried to explain this to you before our engagement. We are too different -"

Abhi remembered the day she had marched up to his bedroom door to tell him that they shouldn't get married. After everything that happened, how could she still think they were so different? He interrupted, "We're not that different. You put up with me for three months for your family. That's the same reason I did everything that I did."

"It's not the same! I put up with your torture for three months. You tortured me for three months," Pragya retorted.

"Because it was a misunderstanding! Our motivations were the same, weren't they? We both want our families to be happy. Daadi will be happy if we get back together. And your mother will be, too," he added, recalling how she had made him promise not to say anything that would upset her mother. She might have stayed with him three months to protect Bulbul, but she had originally married him for her mother. Surely that would be a convincing reason for her to come back?

Pragya gave a short, brittle laugh. "No, she won't be happy. I told her everything. She thinks you're a disgusting human being and she completely disapproves of you," she told him with a twisted smile. It was almost a smirk, but Pragya wasn't the kind of person who smirked...or at least Abhi hadn't thought she was.

Abhi felt a new shock of shame at the thought that Auntyji was apparently so disappointed in him. He understood that she would be upset, but he hoped that she would understand his side. Maybe after he convinced Pragya to come back, he would go to her place and explain everything to her mother. "Okay...well, I can win her around," Abhi asserted, regrouping with a smile. His confidence grew as he imagined exactly how he would beg for Auntyji's forgiveness, and explain that his biggest mistake was just to trust his darling sister...

Pragya shook her head again. "Abhishek, let's be realistic. Daadi ki pasand and Maa ki khushi aren't enough for a marriage. In the end, they won't be happy if we're not happy."

"So who says we can't be happy together! Come on, Chashmish. Already we have so many  things in common." He reached for her hand and tugged her closer to him. She didn't resist, but she was still glaring at him. He continued, "We love our families, we hate cockroaches. We shared a room and even a bed. We could share a life."

"That is ridiculous!" Pragya poked a finger at his chest. "And that's another reason we won't work, you can't be serious -"

"Yes, yes, I'm not like your double battery!" Abhi slid his hands down from her shoulders, holding her by her elbows. "I'm not serious, I don't act like a grown up, and I'm a rocking musician, not a boring professor. But so what, Chashmish? You are serious enough for the both of us."

"Abhishek!" Pragya huffed in exasperation.

"Pragya!" Abhi answered back, copying her tone with a cheeky grin.

"Mera mazaak mat udaiye!" Pragya protested. She pulled back from him, but he hooked his hands around her waist and kept hold of her.

"But I am being fully serious now, Chashmish," he told her earnestly. "I think we should start over."

"Why?"

"You did so much for my family. You got Purab back to Aaliya, and she's happy now though I'm not sure she deserves to be. And you're taking all the blame for this marriage on your head, out of concern for Daadi. I can't just let you walk away.

"Well, neither can we stay married out of gratitude! It just doesn't make sense."

"So maybe life doesn't have to make sense! Come on, Chashmish, what do you have to lose by giving me a second chance? Really, you have everything to gain. Tumhe biwi banne ka bada shauk hai, main jaanta hoon."

Pragya stared at him, completely baffled. "What?"

"I know you loved being the ideal bahu." Pragya started to respond, but Abhi continued, speaking over her. "Don't even lie, Pragya, it was obviously one of your top goals in life, right up there with reading every book ever printed and getting more degrees than anyone would ever need."

"Hey --!" Pragya sputtered.

"And I noticed that you liked being chachi, too. You know Bunty and Babli won't even look at me because I sent you away?"

"Oh..."

"And, I think Aaliya is really going to need a good bhabhi to help her sort out her life. I know there are issues between you, but we can fix that."

"Right. So you want me to come back to you so that I can serve your grandma and your sister and your niece and nephew?" Pragya summarised sarcastically.

Abhi smiled. "Well, there is one other thing."

"What's that?"

"In teen hafto mein maine kuch realize kiya."

"Kya realize kiya?" she asked with exaggerated patience.

"Main tumhaare jadoo mein pad gaya," he told her. He wanted to be serious but he couldn't stop himself from grinning as he watched her face scrunch into a scowl.

"Arre, phir bhi wahi baat?" she protested. "Main kuch jadoo wadoo nahin karti!"

"Tumhaare achai ki jadoo," he clarified.

Her eyes widened with disbelief, and she shook her head. "You can't be serious."

"I can." Abhi let his smile fade as he looked into her eyes, trying his best to convince her of his sincerity. "Just give me a chance. Let's start over. Hi, I'm Abhi Mehra, and my daadi says you're perfect."

"I'm not perfect, and I'm not right for you, no matter what your daadi says. I'm boring and plain and old-fashioned. I don't know how to dress or act like a supermodel -"

"No, you wear full-sleeved umbrellas and gaping-back blouses. Don't worry, I can work with that."

Pragya finally pushed away from him, and shook her head in frustration. "Abhishek, why don't you understand? I'm trying to set you free!"

Abhi already missed the feel of her in his arms, but didn't ask himself why. "I don't want to be free. I want to make this work."

"For Daadi and Aaliya and Bunty and Babli," Pragya summarised, again being sarcastic.

"Yes, for all of them. And for me. And for you. The thing is, chashmish meri chashmish, we were made for each other."

Pragya looked at him in astonishment. "We drive each other mad!"

"That will keep life interesting."

Pragya shook her head again, and hugged her arms against herself once more, as if to comfort herself. "Look, Abhishek, I understand that you're feeling guilty, but that's no reason to drag out the mistake of our marriage --"

"Uff! What do I have to do to prove that I actually want you. You, Pragya Mehra. I want you in my life. You're already my wife, so give me a chance to be your husband, properly." Abhi approached her again and held his hand out to her.

Pragya stared blankly at his hand, and then at him. Slowly, with her voice full of disbelief, she said "You...you really want me? As your wife? For everything that means? Forever?"

"Yes. One day at a time, but yes." She still hadn't taken his hand, so he reached out and took hers.

For one moment, Pragya let him keep hold of her hand. She stared into his eyes, and he felt like she really was delving into his soul, looking for truth. He hoped he was showing her that she could believe in him. He wanted so much for her to come back, for them to start over...

Pragya pulled her hand back and looked away from him. "I can't. It's not worth the risk to me," she said, and there was a lifetime of pain behind her words.

What could he say to convince her? He knew she had no reason to trust him. That left only pure blind faith, and so he told her, "Pragya, I know you're hurt, but it's just one more leap of faith. You believe in the power of faith, don't you?"

Pragya glanced up at him, suddenly amused. "I might, but since when do you believe in faith?"

"Well, I've learned a lot from you," he told her, smiling again.

She shook her head. "I just don't think it's going to work between us, Abhishek."

"But you won't know unless we try. Let's try, Pragya. Worst comes to worst, we'll just file the divorce papers later. At least we should give ourselves a chance."

"So...I'm supposed to take a leap of faith, and just wait forever to know whether we'll stay married or not? Sorry, main Tanu thodi na hoon, jo aap ki waiting mein latki reh jaongi."

Abhi was a bit distracted to find that Pragya could be so sarcastic. Where had she been hiding this sharp tongue of hers? But he focused on the task of convincing her, at least finally it sounded like she was half way there. "You're supposed to take a leap of faith, and trust me with your heart. And if you're concerned about forever, we can make it a year, to start."

"Because Tanu will be free by then?"

Abhi winced internally at the implication of that question. She still didn't believe that he wanted only her. He explained, "No, because you won't agree until I set terms. I have no intention of letting you go in a year. It's my job to convince you that you belong with me. I already know you're perfect for me."

Pragya seemed to be trying to find reasons to keep refusing him. "Well...you haven't seen all of me yet. Maybe in a year, I'll turn you off."

Abhi grinned. She probably had no idea how that sounded, innocent Chashmish that she was. "I am looking forward to seeing all of you, actually. I am pretty sure it will turn me on," he drawled, winking at her.

Pragya blushed. "Abhi! That's not what I meant."

From Abhishek to Abhi. I am making progress, Abhi thought in satisfaction. "Oh, I know," he assured her. "So, we've sorted everything now, right? I'm sorry I was a jerk, and I forgive you for lying to me." He was starting to feel light and happy again, which made him a bit more carefree with his words.

"Hey! What do you mean, lying to you?" Pragya demanded.

"You told me you loved Purab. Very bad, Chashmish, one shouldn't lie to one's husband."

Pragya blushed again, and ducked her head so she wouldn't have to meet his eyes. "Well...it was because of a misunderstanding," she said, not sounding like she even believed in her defense.

"It's OK, I already forgave you, didn't I?" Abhi said generously. He took hold of her shoulders again, sure that now she wouldn't keep trying to move away from him. "Now come home with me, baby. Let me try to keep you happy. And by the way, I'll break that double battery's teeth if he ever talks about marrying you again." His voice dropped to a growl as he thought again of Suresh's astounding audacity. This was why you always had to be wary of the quiet nerdy types, they'd go behind your back and try to get your girl...

"This is insane," Pragya stated. She looked to the sky, as if to ask heaven to help her out of this mess.

Abhi tipped her chin so that she had to meet his eyes again. "So let's be insane together. Come on Chashmish, do we have a deal?"

"Postpone divorce for a year and give you a chance to play husband? You know it's going to hurt everyone when it doesn't work out."

"IF it doesn't work out. If, Chashmish. And I know it will work out. I'm very loveable."

Pragya looked torn between laughter and outrage. For a long moment she looked at him again, scanning his face and then searching his eyes. Then she looked away, at the beach, and to the sky. Finally her gaze settled somewhere between his neck and the third button of his shirt. "...OK. Fine. We have a deal," she said quietly.

"YES!" Elated, Abhi took Pragya's face in his hands and kissed her. It was a quick, sudden kiss, but he still had time to notice how soft her lips were and how sweet her breath was, and to want to kiss her again...

Pragya drew back and slapped his cheek. It wasn't a hard slap, but he was shocked.

"Hey! What'd you do that for? A kiss to seal the deal, it's standard procedure you know," Abhi said, dramatically rubbing his cheek with one hand. But he made sure to possessively set his other hand on her hip.

Pragya pursed her lips in a frown. "No kissing until you break up with Tanu. I don't kiss other girls' boyfriends."

"But I'm your husband!"

"Only on paper."

"Oh ho. Well don't worry Chashmish, I will become your husband in every way that counts, soon enough," Abhi said, confident that things were finally going to work out.

Pragya raised an eyebrow, a dangerously arch look taking over her face. "Don't get ahead of yourself. We may be married, but I'm not going to sleep with you this year." Then she grinned, obviously enjoying the way the smile fell from his face.

"What?" Abhi sputtered in dismay.

"It'll be part of your challenge. Aapko pati banna hain, naa? Hum bhi dekhenge, kab tak aap ek patni ki nakhre aur sharton ko jhel sakthe hain."

"...Ok. No sex for a year. Fine, challenge accepted."

"OK. So are you gonna have a last hurrah with Tanu before -"

"No! I don't want to, with Tanu. And anyway it'd be unfair to go to her while thinking of you."

"I'm just saying, a whole year without..."

"I will manage. But there should be kissing."

"Ok. Maybe. But dump Tanu first," Pragya insisted, and Abhi found he actually liked the tiny hint of possessiveness in her demand.

"I will!" he assured her. Then his inner badmaash got the better of him and he decided to test the boundaries of her new acceptance. "So give me one kiss on future credit please?" he asked sweetly.

Pragya shook her head, but now she was finally smiling and relaxed. "Nope. Come to me as a free man, and then we'll talk."

"Fiiine." Abhi sighed. "Ok, let's go explain to Auntyji. I want to get all my apologizing and groveling out of the way today. If she's as hard to convince as you, I may just die of exhaustion before getting to kiss anyone again."

"Oh, she'll be even harder to convince," Pragya informed him, her eyes glittering with gleeful anticipation.

"Great..." Abhi groaned. But then he took Pragya's hand and led her back to the car. Finally he had his answers, and new hope too.

And he was definitely going to burn those divorce papers when he got home.