Sanjana looks up towards the stairs, frowning slightly when she sees Ragav coming down the stairs alone. She stops serving her husband breakfast, looks at Ragav with slight disappointment as he wishes everyone good morning.
"Where is Kalpi?She asks.
Taking a seat on the dining table, Ragav says, "she is sleeping."
Grandma walks towards the dining table from the kitchen, a plate of hot parathas in her hand, unhappy, she says, "still sleeping." Turns to Her daughter inlaw and says, "what is this?"
Giving her a reassuring look, Sanjana turns towards Her son and says, "Ragav, why don't you go wake her up..." She pauses, waiting for Ragav to get up, then reprimands softly, "and come down together." Ragav gives his mum a sheepish look, nods affirmatively and takes the stairs two at a time as he rushes to his room.
Seeing a sleeping Kalpi, Ragav bends down, grabs her shoulder and shakes her slowly, saying, "wake up."
Groggy, Kalpi wakes up, saying "let me sleep."
Straightening up, Ragav says sharply, "Kalpi, wake up. Everybody is waiting for us downstairs."
Sitting up, Kalpi rubs her eyes, asking, "what time is it?"
Ragav replies impatiently, "past ten."
Kalpi looks at him, takes in the suit, asks, "are you planning to go somewhere?"
"Yes, Ragav replies, "office." Sitting on the edge of his bed, he continues, "I would really appreciate it if you could speed up. I don't want to be late for my meeting."
Ragav watches in with irritation as Kalpi makes a mess of the room, clothes strewn all over the bed as she looks for something to wear. Oblivious to what Ragav is feeling, Kalpi says, "how can you set up a work meeting the very next day after our marriage."
Picking the clothes by his side, Ragav says drily, "I had no idea I was getting married yesterday." Thinks silently, "I had just planned for the marriage to not take place. Little did I know that I would be marrying you!"
Seeing the intense look in Ragav's eyes as he stares at the outfit he has in his hands, unable to control her urge to tease, she picks one of her discarded outfits and throws it square on his face, laughing as she says, "always expect the unexpected... Especially now that you are married to me." Before he can react she races into the bathroom.
"Damn it," Ragav thinks as he crushes the outfit with his fist, "what the hell was that? Why is she not upset? One would think she never wanted to marry Laksh!" Frowning as he recollects their conversation late last night, he mutters, "I didn't need to marry her to reach my objective.
Stepping out of the bathroom, dressed in a sky blue coloured sari, kalpi hides her nervousness, her anxiety, behind her bright smile. Smiling, she calls out, "how do I look?"
Annoyed with her chirpiness, knowing full well that she was expecting a compliment, Ragav stubbornly refuses to give her one, instead saying, "you look the same. Let's go." Watching her carefully walk towards him, he asks with a frown, "are you comfortable..." Seeing her pleats, adds, "your pleats are messy."
Kalpi gives him a sheepish smile and says matter of factly, "not used to." Then goes about correcting her pleats, adding, "with time will get there."
Watching her make more of a mess of the sari through the mirror, Ragav strides over impatiently, grabs her by the arm, turns her around, saying, "oh for God's sake. Let me." Grabs the sari and quickly makes neat pleats. Too shocked to react, kalpi does nothing to stop him. Several seconds later, he steps back, pleased with himself, thinking, "how hard was that! Seen Priya... He stops mid thought as he is engulfed with memories of Priya. Reeling with the pain of her loss, he looks coldly at Kalpi and snaps, "next time wear clothes you are comfortable with. Come let us go."
Kalpi looks down at her sari pleats, reluctantly admiring Ragav's handi work. She looks up towards ragav who is already heading out. She follows him with quick strides, wanting to catch up. She jokingly calls out, "should I be worried?" Ragav stops walking, turns around, confused. with laughter in her eyes, Kalpi points at her pleats and repeats, "should I be worried?"
Hurting, annoyed, confused, frustrated for he did not understand her, Ragav walks up towards her, grabs her by the arm and pulls her back into their room.
Pushing her to the wall, his arms on with side, with just inches apart, he asks angrily, "what is wrong with you? Why are you not sad? Upset? You are just joking and teasing."
Angry at being mishandled. Fire in her eyes, Kalpi places her palms on Ragav's chest and uses all her might to push him away from her, unsuccessfully. She says furiously, "what do you expect me to do? Cry? Am I supposed to sit and cry that I was stood up on my wedding day by the man who is supposed to love me? Angrily she continues as pokes her finger on his chest, "your dear brother and sister took their prank too far. How dare they include my family in it... try to hurt my family? Fate was kind enough that you were there and that you agreed to marry me. Had you refused, how would have I faced my parents? Society?Just because I am not wearing my emotions on my sleeve, does not mean that it is not there... my groom changed within a blink of an eye! And anyways what is your problem? Was it not one of your conditions yesterday that Ayaan should be my past and you my present and future? Don't you dare judge me for trying to make the best out of a poor situation!
Ragav takes a step back, taken aback by the anger, frustration, hurt he hears in her voice... Shocked to realise that she was actually just following his instructions. Unnoticed tears fall from Kalpi's eyes, all the pent up emotions she had hidden, bursting out. With a broken voice, kalpi adds, "I thought we are friends." Ragav shaken by the avalanche of emotions he just witnessed, filled with guilt, shakes his head, whispers truthfully, "we are not friends."
Watching her hide the evidence of her emotional out pour, Ragav tries to curb the guilt he feels, thinking regretfully, "how is she going to react when she finds out that I am to blame, and not pakhi and Ayaan... I should have not said yes to marrying her. Oh, why did I think it was a good idea at the time! Day one of marriage and here we are, arguing."
His phone rings, clearing his voice, ragav answers. Meeting Kalpi's gaze through the mirror , ragav says into the phone, "reschedule the meeting for tomorrow. I will not be coming to the office today." Kalpi shakes her head. Ragav frowns slightly, then says into the phone, "reschedule it for day after tomorrow." Kalpi shakes her head again. Ragav takes the phone away from his ear, covers it with his palm and says, "Kalpi this meeting is important." "Fine," Kalpi replies, "day after tomorrow."
Putting his phone away, Ragav frowns as he watches Kalpi walk out of the room. Shaking his head he goes after her.
Kalpi walks down the stairs, Ragav by her side, deep down dreading to face His family.
Lost in her thoughts, Kalpi misses a step, waffles about, trying to keep her balance, in the processes stepping on her sari pleats. Thanks to his quick reflexes, Ragav grabs her by the waist and pulls her up. Seeing her pleats undone, he turns her around,away from prying eyes and automatically starts pleating her sari as he tells her in a voice that brooks no arguements, "no more saris from tomorrow."
Ayaan watches the scene with unshed tears, thinking, "that should have been me. That was my right."
Neerav and Sanjana look on with relief, pleased with the comfort level they observed between the two, giving them hope that this marriage will work despite their pasts, both thinking, "thank God there is no awkwardness between them despite the circumstances they married.
Shrieking internally, Kalpi tries to slap his hands away as she darts an embarrassed look towards his family, "Ragav!" Admiring his handiwork, Ragav says innocently, "what! You are my wife. Seeing her blush from embarrassment, he can't resist teasing her. He leans forward and whispers into her ear, "it is not like I was undressing you." Chuckling internally, Ragav gives her a wink before he continues down the stairs. "Atta boy, Ragav mentally pats himself on the back, "that's the way to handle her... keep her off balance.
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