~Sohbat~

~Chapter 58~

" Haa! Woh Vaidehi toh hai hi nahi yaha! Toh inke haath kaise ho sakti hai pooja! ", Damyatti was saying.
Just then they heard the footsteps, it was Vaidehi.
("Yes! That Vaidehi is not even here! How will the pooja happen in their hands! ")

Raaghav released a sigh.
" Yeh dekho, ab aayi hai maharani! Kaha thi tum, ha? ", Soumyawatti asked accusingly.
(" See.. The queen has finally decided to arrive")

" Woh..
"Go Vaidu, freshen up and get ready, there's still time left for the pooja! ", Raaghav said, with authority, avoiding the talks of Soumyawatti.
Vaidehi nodded and went upstairs. She was excited.

The way Raaghav avoided anyone from saying anything to Vaidehi, Rutvendra saw it. He knew Aanisha was right! Raaghav would turn the world upside down for his wife.

Rutvendra looked at Aanisha, she was boring her eyes to him. He knew she was angry over the fact that it was not them, rather Raaghav and Vaidehi sitting in the pooja.
He sighed, probably preparing himself for the long lecture that she would make him hear.

After nearly 15-20 minutes, Vaidehi walked downstairs.
As Raaghav turned to watch his Vaidu ascend down the stairs, he was awestruck.
She was looking so ethereal.

But wait a second!
Raaghav realised.
She wasn't wearing the saree, they chose together.

His eyes trailed down, as he saw her.

His heart. It stopped.
His eyes became glossy as he saw her. He watched her without blinking as if trying to absorb her look completely.

Words failed his throat, as he saw his wife wearing a piece of clothing that had once adorned his mother. At that very moment, he fell in love with her, all over again.

She was wearing his mother's saree. Not in a regular manner. He could see she had made changes in the saree. But, to say he was way too taken away with the fact that he saw her wearing his mother's saree. 
The saree that he had himself bought as a gift for his maasa, from a scholarship's money. His first and only gift to his maasa.

He remembered the day, when Damyatti had torn a part of that piece of cloth, after his mother's demise. That day, he thought his first gift to his maasa was all broken. He never in his wildest dreams had imagined that he would see that saree on anyone ever.

But here he was. Seeing his wife, who was looking so gorgeous and mesmerizing.

Vaidehi walked to him.
She raised her eyebrows asking how she was looking.
Raaghav didn't say anything, he just engulfed her in a hug. Vaidehi too took into his warmth.

"How did I get this lucky? ", he softly asked.
Vaidehi had a smile on her face.

Randhir too knew what importance that saree held for Raaghav, but he never thought that his son must have preserved the saree for so long. Moreover, he was genuinely happy to see his son happy.

Rana Amrendra watched his grandson and his wife with love. They both radiated so much of tenderness and affection.

After a while, Raaghav released Vaidu! They had a brief eye contact, clearly indicating to Vaidu, that his husband loved her surprise.

"Chalo, ab pooja suru kare? ", Rana Amrendra asked.
(" Let's start with the pooja! ")

" Raaghav- Vaidehi, betho beta! ", he further continued, signalling to the havan kund.
(" Raaghav- Vaidehi, sit! ")

Vaidehi looked at Raaghav confused. He just held her hand softly and walked to the havan kund, as they sat for the pooja.

As the pooja was over, the couple seeked the blessings of the priest. Just then a flower fell down from Mahadev's idol.
" Lagta hai, Mahadev bhi yehi chahte the! ", panditji commented indicating that maybe the Almighty also wanted them to do the pooja.
(" Seems like, even the Almighty wanted the same! ")