February 2022

dramebaaz.af

@dramebaaz.af

"Bas Hum Tum"

by dramebaaz.af

Both of them stood next to one another, casually shaking hands with the guests or trying to balance the boxes of presents bestowed upon them for marking their 10th wedding anniversary until Hari Prakash finally came up and helped them move towards the round table in middle of the room. She looked up towards him before pushing the sliding pallu of her sari back into the place, and gave an earnest smile as they observed their son eyeing the cake in front of them. 

"Aditiya!" He called out, "You want to cut cake with us?" 

Aditiya, merely four years of age looked at his parents with glee before jumping out of his Masi's arms leaving her mouth hanging open in shock to run towards his parents. He leaned down to pick him up when he tried to jump towards his mother instead of his father, before slowly letting her hold him in her arms without pulling onto her sari. 

She muttered a thank you to which he was about to respond with something flirtatious, but before he could do anything else, their daughter saw her brother finding a way into what was suppose to be the adult space until the cake was cut and rushed towards her father. He was quick to catch the buzz of lightening little Priya had appeared to be before pulling her up into his arms. He looked over towards her to see her trying to hold back Adiya's arms from leaping onto the cake! 

"Arre, yeh kya!!" Anjali walked forward with the knife in her hands finally, "Why did you both take them into your arms?"

"Arre Di, theek hai!" He replied trying to assure her, "Can we cut the cake though! We've been standing here since last five minutes like this!" He pointed out the face of his son to which his sister nodded at before letting out a chuckle. 

"I have a surprise!" He said leaning towards her ears just as the family members began circling in front the table while guests were pushed a bit behind. The videographer adjusted himself in the middle seconds after one of his brother's children tried to jiggle the camera stand. He saw his brother flash an apologetic smile towards them until everything was finally adjusted and the sparkles around the table were lit up. 

"Happy Anniversary!!" "Happy Anniversary!!" Happy Anniversary!" 

Bouts of wishes they had already received throughout the evening echoes around the hall until the table with the cake was wheeled out, the kids finally jumped off their arms, and the food was opened to be served. 

"Where's the surprise?" She turned around to inquire with an inquisitive smile and gleaming eyes. She pushed the pallu back into its place, and looked at him expectantly. He looked around the hallways to see the family members busy themselves with guests, the children now sitting next to his parents, and most of the house staff busied serving. He pulled her hand into his, "Chalo!" 

"Kahan!!"

He dragged her out towards the cars before instructing her to close her eyes. He tied a smooth fabric around her eyes and then helped her into the car. 

"Aakash!!" She chided, "What exactly is happening?!" 

"We're going towards the surprise!" He replied excited. 

"Is the ribbon on the eyes necessary?" 

"Just hold tight!" he tried assuring her as the car finally made its way to the mainroad. He pressed some button to put her favorite tracks on until the next twenty minutes. She hummed along in the beginning before slowly singing along with the tracks. A smile teased his lips as they finally came to a halt, and the music stopped playing. 

"You know," she said, "If you had a surprise in mind that required bling folding me, maybe you should've planned it before the anniversary party?"

"Every year I see Bhai and Khushi ji sneaking from our party, that he keeps insisting on throwing, and I just wanted in on the fun!" he whined helping her out the car. Her hands wrapped around his arms as she felt her feet step on uneven ground. "Where are we?"

"Just one more step!" He said before they both came to a stand still about few yards away from the parked car. He slipped off the ribbon from her eyes for her see where they stood. The area looked familiar to her but she couldn't figure out where it was. The floor had a rough carpet laid out to even out the pebbled and rough pathway they were standing on. There were fairy light wrapped all around with not one place left which can give away where they stood. 

But it wasn't the ornate and illuminating lights that caught her attention. It was a string of thaals falling from the tree branches like birthday ribbons that made her frown. There were also replicas of potatoes hanging like decoration over the lights and then pink table cloth that covered an empty table with a lit diya in the center. She let out a gasp realizing which diya that was. She turned to look at him in awe, "You did not Akash! When did you do this?"

"I just hired few people to do it." He replied, "You didn't like it when I did it myself last time!" He pointed out with a chuckle. She hit his chest softly before throwing herself onto him and hugging him as tightly as she possibly could!"

"I wanted to recreate that proposal so many times over the last ten years, but something would happen that would push my planning to a back burner!" He shared, as she stepped back and his hands cupped her face. He could see tears line her eyes. He pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed her eyes before helping her move a step ahead. 

"Where are we though?" she questioned

"The same cliff," he laughed

"That wasn't funny at all!" She reprimanded 

He pulled out his phone in response and a soft instrumental started playing, echoing in their little set up. "But it made you finally accept, didn't it?"

She nodded half heartedly with a lopsided smile. He put his hand forward and asked her to a dance, and unlike the last time when she had cried and left, some ten years ago before they had been married, this time she out her hand forwards and stepped alongside him to dance to their rhythm. 

"Aur kuch bhi hai kiya?" She inquired, teasingly as he twirled her, "Ya bas yahi?"

"Bohot kuch, par abhi ke leye, sirf mein aur tum!" He said softly, taking her hand on his shoulder in his hand before kissing her knuckles. She let out a small gasp as he pulled her closer to him, and lifted her up from her waist towards himself. Her arms circled around his neck and the two found a way to dance the night away. 

Both of them tried sneaking back into the house about four to five hours later, with stomachs full and a night under stars to be greeted by his parents. "Where did both of you go?" His father posed the question.

"No one asks bhai where he goes by the end of every single party thrown in this house! It's my anniversary!" he whined. His mother rolled her eyes and his father shrugged before handing their sleeping son into his arms and retiring for the remainder of the night without further questions. The two looked at each other before heaving a sigh and walking to their room with a smile. With all this time, some things never changed! 

xxx

[NOCOPY]