FF: A Blue Moon Ago - Chapter 25

As soon as bidaai ended, Kripa and Angad reached to Angad's place. On the door were Naina, Aaliya, Josh and Kunal. Mishti, Prithvi, Kanan and Nishant returned to their houses as they had very early morning shifts. They had had a blast and now the time to return to reality had arrived. Naina had an arti thali in her hands and they did the grah pravesh. 

'Kripa bhabhi,' Aaliya giggled, 'as you know that we are going to play the ring game,' she said after a few minutes after they had entered the living room. 'Whoever gets the ring majority of times will rule over the other. So let's begin.' 

Angad and Kripa were sitting on a bed sheet on the carpet. A bowl filled with milk and rosepetals sat in the middle and the other family members had surrounded them. Kripa felt incredibly shy. Was she even supposed to feel this way? Wasn't she supposed to be sad and weepy? She decided because all this was real enough. There was no going back from this. She would win her husband back. She would not be the miserable woman women were often expected to be. She had her own identity and she would protect what was hers; the marriage. 

'Angad, Aali will put the rings in the bowl and let's see who gets the ring!' Josh exclaimed. Kripa lowered her eyes and dropped her hand in the bowl. Angad repeated her movements. They began the quest to look for the ring. Their fingers touched and electricity sizzled. They snapped their gazes to one another as if to verify whether it had happened or not. 

Kripa jolted when she heard everyone cheering and started blushing. Angad watched her blush and smiled heartily for once. Kripa got the ring and gave a whoop of delight. She blushed again. 

'Mama, you found the ring! Hahah, papa, mama will rule over you now!' Kunal chuckled. This was so much fun! Who would have thought these traditions would be so much fun? His parents were getting closer. He could feel it in his bones! 

Aaliya cheered for Kripa as Kripa dropped her hand in the bowl again. Josh was taking Angad's side and Naina and Kunal were neutral. Kunal was not actually neutral; he just sided with the winning party. Kripa won again. She wondered why she was winning. Wasn't it confirmed that her fate held nothing but misery? Did these traditions become deceitful as well? Or was there really hope? Nobody could answer this question but the future itself; so she left this question to the future. 

This round of Kripa's victory continued and so did everyone's amazement. Was Angad going to be such a pathetically sweet lovebird or was this all a lie? Naina and Kunal decided that Angad was going to be the pathetically sweet lovebird. Kunal could imagine his father hanging on to Kripa's words and chortled to himself. This was going to be a very interesting life he decided. 

After the torture of failure, Angad felt relieved when it was time to head back to his room. Oops, he corrected, to their room. He was looking forward to just snuggle in his bed as the day had been long and exhaustion had taken its toll on him. Then he wondered what the sleeping arrangement would be. 

He realized he did not want to snuggle alone in the bed. He wanted to hold his wife and that would not be possible unless everything was out in the open. He saw his mother take his beautiful wife to their room and smiled. He would be with his wife soon. 

Aaliya looked at Angad's smile and chose to further torment her brother. That would be so much fun! As he headed towards his room, Aaliya came in his way. 'Bhai, you can't go there.' 

'And why not?' Angad demanded annoyed. 

Aaliya giggled at that. 'What did you think? I'd let you get back to Kripa this soon? What do you mistake me for? A silly goose?' 

Angad laughed earnestly at that. I'm such an idiot, he thought. Of course she's going to demand things now, God created sisters so that men did not live in peace. How would his sister even think of letting him off the hook? There was no way his Aali could pity him and leave him alone. 'So sweet brat, what do you want?' 

She frowned at that. Did he just call her a brat? Now she'd show him how bratty sisters could be. 'Oh sweet brother, I do not want anything! I'm just not going to let you go to her room.' She gave her brother the most charming smile she could muster. 

Angad gaped at her. What had he just heard? Was this her idea of a joke? He then hit his forehead with his hand. This was not her idea of a joke; it was in fact her idea of revenge from him for calling her a brat. When would he learn to keep his mouth shut? All of a sudden he brightened up. 'Fine, then I just won't give you the sari I had got for you.' 

It was Aaliya's turn to gape. If she didn't get the sari, what would happen to it? She could picture herself draped in a beautiful sari and sighed. Being just at the verge of giving in, she saw Josh laughing. She snapped back to reality. This was bribery and she nearly fell in the trap. Another idea of revenge formed in her head. Should I carry this act? she thought. 

'Kunal,' she called. She gave him a look and he understood the plan being the brat he was. 'What were you saying earlier?' 

Kunal cleared his throat, 'Papa, I want to sleep with you guys tonight. It will be the first night as a family!' he finished enthusiastically almost choking trying to hold in his laughter. This had to be the funniest expression he had ever seen on his father's face! Eyes were wide open and mouth was slightly looping down. Oh, he was such a comic! 

All three burst into laughter. 'Bhai, will you ever try to bribe me again? Or was this lesson enough?' 

They laughed even harder when Angad sighed the most audible sigh of relief. He really had not thought that they would torture him like that had they? Angad quickly left the living room and entered his room where he saw Kripa sitting on the middle of the bed which was decorated with white and red flowers. She looked gorgeous sitting there gazing into nothing. How was he supposed to behave now? 

Kripa sat there with a jitter of nerves. How was a newly wed bride supposed to behave? Especially the bride whose groom had made it apparent how things stood between them? She did not hear him enter the room. If she would have, she would have erased the look of vulnerability from her face. But she didn't so the look remained on her face. 

As soon as Angad walked towards the bed, Kripa jerked her head up. He froze in his spot. They felt as if a spell wove around them and neither of them could think anything. Kripa felt her breath freeze and wondered why this was happening. Had his eyes always been this wonderfully dark? 

Her eyes were beautiful. She was beautiful. She was his. They were legally together now. 

Kripa came out of the spell and lowered her gaze. This brought Angad back from his trance. 'Umm,' he cleared his throat, 'I know that being married to me is the last thing you wanted.' But I really wanted this, he added to himself. 

What? What are you talking about? I wanted to always marry you but not because we had to but because we wanted to, Kripa thought. 

'This is every bit is awkward for me as it is for you.' I'm saying this to make you feel better alright. I'm sorry. 

This is awkward for you? Well, what am I expecting? Sudden revelation of love? Grow up Kripa. 

'I'm sorry I put you in this position.' Why am I even saying this? Heck, I'm not sorry about our wedding! 

He's being the world's greatest jerk now! Seriously dude, shut up. 

'I wanted to clarify things with you before it's too late.' Yes man, now is your chance. 

Now what? Haven't you clarified enough? Why are you doing this to me? If you say anything dumb now, I'll seriously scream. 

'Kripa, I did not cheat on you more than a decade ago. I do not expect you to believe me after all I have put you through but I am speaking the truth.' Please believe me Kripa. I won't blame you if you don't but I wish you would. 

'Why are you faking this now Angad?' asked an outraged Kripa. 'I saw you and you admitted it. Come on, you know I got married to you knowing the truth, why do you have to lie to me? Fine, if you are saying the truth, what was happening there?' Don't lie to me Angad. Please don't. You've broken my heart. Why did you have to lie right now? 

'You remember Sonia right? She implanted this idea in me that you were cheating behind my back with Josh. So I staged that drama to get even with you. I saw you hugging him that time. I realized when Kunal came in my life why you were hugging him but I was so furious. I'm sorry Kripa for not trusting you. I'm really sorry.' 

'How could you think of me and Josh like that? You always knew he was like a brother I never had. If you had had a problem with me and Josh, why didn't you just let us know instead of doing this to me? I didn't feel as bad when I thought you cheated on me as I'm feeling right now. Thanks a lot Angad for everything.' She grabbed a pillow and blanket and got off the bed. 

Angad was stunned. He grabbed her arm. He looked at her with tears in his eyes. 'Don't go Kripa. I'll leave. No I can't do that. It will break everyone's hearts.' He took the pillow and the blanket with his free hand, smiled at her and released her. 'I'll sleep on the floor. You can take the bed. Once again Kripa I'm sorry.'