The weather was cool, wind flowing occasionally making the surroundings sway at its motion. The clear blue clouds were accelerating in the sky, mostly trouncing the sun from protruding its hard rays through them. A perfect weather for the tourists to start with.
The Singhania’s have reached the Swiss Vapeur Parc located almost a few miles away from their resort as their first spot for the day. It had a few fun rides along with some virtual shows that they have watched. It was almost noon, when they had completed exploring half the park. They then had taken a break in the nearby hotel and had lunch.
After the lunch, they took a comfortable cabin, which were allocated for the tourist’s leisure in the park. While Sanjana and Ishani were gushing over the photos they had taken, Ridhima was talking with Meera about herself. Vansh was asking Aryan about his work being curtailed. Sampath was busy with his phone.
In the morning, Siya was feeling uncomfortable with herself. Her head was spinning viciously making her restless. Her insides were making her feel nauseous and dizzy. She was trying hard to not let anyone notice it, so that they can enjoy their trip peacefully. She was awfully calm throughout the trip or was just smiling when someone talked with her.
Sampath turns to Siya and finds her rubbing her head slowly. Sensing some trouble he swiftly walks to her and holds her hand. Siya flinches and opens her eyes to look at the person held her. Upon knowing that it was her brother, she gives him a weak smile making him worry more.
“Choti, are you fine?” Sampath asks, as he gently sits beside her and leisurely rubs her head.Her creased eyebrows soften at his gentleness and she leans towards him. Sampath smiles, before wrapping his arm around her and holding her to his chest.
“Now tell me, what happened? You are looking tedious ever since we came here. Are you okay?” He whispers while gently caressing her scalp.
“Don’t know Bhai, I am just feeling drowsy and tired.”
“You should have told me before na. Wait, let’s go back to the tempo first.” Sampath says firmly and gets up.
“Bhai, I am fine. I am just tired after the day. Please stop.” Siya whispers faintly trying to sound fine. Sampath glares at her before walking towards Vansh. Vansh gets up when he finds Sampath coming his way.
“Vansh, Siya is not feeling well. I will take her to the tempo. You take care of here.” Sampath says before turning to Aryan, who acknowledges him with a smile.
“Bhai, what happened to her? I will take her if you don’t mind.” Vansh says slightly panicked at the sudden information.
“No, you should stay here and look after them. I am there with her. Don’t take it seriously, Vansh. She is fine.” Sampath vaguely smiles trying to ease the fear in Vansh. He knows that Vansh will panic if his family is in trouble. Vansh nods at him and then hugs him. Sampath gets surprised at him and then hugs him back.
“Vansh, Are you okay?” Sampath asks, worried about his change.
“Ha B-Bhai, I-I was just wo-worried about her.” Vansh stammers, not wanting to tell the reality of her health to Sampath. If Sampath gets to know about her, his vigor would break again.
Sampath smiles at him before walking towards Siya and taking her out of the cabin leaving Ridhima, who was watching them, confused.
“Is Siya okay?” Ridhima asks, slightly petrified at her sudden egress. Vansh nods his head, unable to decipher anything. He then gives a weak smile to her before turning to everyone.
“Let’s get done with the remaining part early.” He says catching the attention of others. Sanjana and Ishani come to him and find that Siya and Sampath were not there.
“Bhai, where are Siya and Sampath bhai?” Ishani asks while walking towards Aryan and standing beside him. Listening to her, Meera walks to them swiftly and notices about their departure.
“She was not feeling well, so Bhai took her to the tempo asking us to continue.” Aryan says while Vansh smiles at him briefly.
“And why will we continue? We could just leave with her right. What is the fun when one among us is feeling upset?” Sanjana says strappingly.
“She didn’t want it. Siya doesn’t want to be the reason we stop this tour.” Ridhima reasons, trying to sound accurate. Sanjana smiles at her and nods her head.
“Let’s get done with it, so we can leave early.” Ishani says before walking out of the cabin followed by others.
Meera stands their thinking about Sampath and the way he cares about Siya. She was pleased that he was caring and also poignant that she was not the one he cares for. Yet, she loves him and cannot stand without him.
“Meera.” She turns to Ridhima, who was looking at her pointedly, while holding the door of the cabin for her to exit. Meera smiles before walking out with Ridhima.
****
They were in a shopping mall full of jewelry and gifts. After buying a lot of clothes and all, this was the last shop they were going to wrap up with.
Vansh fishes out his phone when he receives a notification and smiles when he sees what it is. He puts his phone back looking at his surroundings and sighs before walking towards a corner where Meera was gazing at the jewels, which were in the counter display.
Vansh upon reaching her, clears his throat making Meera look at him. Meera gasps slightly when she spots him, tucking a strand of her hair, she turns towards the counter trying to control her nervousness.
Vansh understands her apprehension and giggles inwardly knowing that she was still struck in the conversation they had in the morning. Quaking his thoughts away, he leans towards the counter, facing towards the stall of jewels displayed and checks them.
“Which one do you like, Bha-Meera?” Meera turns to Vansh who was already looking at her. Unable to get his words, she raises her eyebrows asking him what he meant.
“In these collections, which one did you like?” Vansh says softly while pointing at the jewels in front of them. Meera gets confused about him but chooses one ring, with a small emerald fixed in the middle. Vansh smiles looking at her choice before calling one of the staff members of the shop towards them. A man fully clad in a white mini suit comes to them.
“Sir” The person bows his head as a gesture of respect.
“Pack this one.” Vansh says while pointing at the ring Meera chose. Meera gasps and turns towards him.
“But, why are you buying this? I don’t want anything.”
“Well, this is for my wife. I thought your choice would be nice so asked you about it.” Vansh smiles at her while Meera gets flabbergasted. She smiles at him feeling awkward and moves from there.
“Of course, he will buy for his wife only. What were you thinking?” Meera smacks her head for being overenthusiastic.
****
“Can you get me some other designs?” Ishani asks the manager who was showing her a variety of pendants she has asked for.
Aryan smiles looking at Ishani, who was seriously looking at the jewels trying to select the best one. He loves her so much. Even if he was not worth her in the assets, she has accepted him wholeheartedly. He looks down at his hands which had a box of earrings that he had bought for Ishani with his own earnings.
“Wow, this one is so good. Pack this.” Aryan snaps back from his thoughts when he hears her speak those. He smiles and moves forward wanting to show her his souvenir.
“How much is it di?” Sanjana, who was sitting beside Ishani, asks her while looking at the pendant.
“I guess it’s 5lac in Indian rupees.” Aryan halts at his way when he hears her saying the amount. It was a huge amount, at least for him. That was two times the salary he gets after working for 30 days. His smile fades away when he finds Ishani looking at the pendant lovingly.
His brain fills with an instant fear he didn’t know existed. Ishani was an independent woman with her own identity. Her habits have been rich for years. She was living in luxury for a long time. She loves to spend the money she has on the things she wants without a second thought.
What if she doesn’t like her surroundings after they get married?
Aryan steps back when the sudden thought comes in his mind. He turns back and wipes the sweat formed on his forehead. His eyes were turning glossy with each thought he was having.
‘What if she doesn’t adjust with us?’ Her mother’s words were ringing in his mind.
“She will because she loves you.” Aryan opens his eyes swiftly on hearing someone speak. He turns towards his left and finds Ridhima standing there with a smile.
“I know you are worried about how Ishani is used to the luxuries. But believe me, she loves you and wants to share her life with you. She is even ready to fulfill every duty a wife does for her husband. The way she respects your decisions and showers her love on you. For her, money was never the thing to be noted. Just go and give this gift to her.” Aryan smiles cheerfully listening to her. He swiftly wipes his tears and walks to Ishani.
Ishani smiles while looking at her reflection in front of the mirror while holding the pendant across her neck. Her gaze moves towards Aryan, who looks at her smilingly.
“How is it?” Ishani asks looking back at the mirror and frowns when she gets no response from him. She slowly turns behind but stops when Aryan blocks her from turning back by holding her shoulders. He kneels down beside her and shoves the open-end box with two earrings on the display. Ishani freezes on seeing them, her mouth parts in surprise and she turns towards Aryan, who was looking at her expectantly.
“For me.” Ishani asks, pointing the finger towards her. Aryan nods at her and stops when he finds tears filling Ishani’s eyes.
“Hey, why are you crying?” Aryan asks while caressing her cheek. Ishani denies and wipes her tears away. Keeping the pendant she bought on the table, she takes the box from him and touches the earrings lovingly. Aryan smiles at her blissfully and turns to Ridhima who was already happy for them.
“look at them, how lovely they are.” Ishani shrieks merrily unable to lower her containment.
“You like them?” Aryan asks wanting to hear her answer.
“Absolutely, thank you so much.” Ishani whispers before wrapping her arms around him and nestling into his neck.
Money can feed the body. Love will feed the soul
****
Vansh climbs the tempo swiftly and finds Siya sleeping while leaning on Sampath’s chest while he wrapped his arm around her as if protecting her. Sampath opens his eyes when he hears some noises and smiles after seeing Vansh.
“Is she okay now, Bhai?” Vansh asks while bending towards Siya and caressing her head.
“I guess she is. But I don’t know if she has been sullen for almost the entire day. Getting nauseous, dizzy and irritating. She is even forgetting things which are so unusual.” Sampath speaks slowly as if whispering.
Vansh gulps the lump formed in his throat listening to his words. He is still afraid of letting things known to everyone. He knows that Siya’s health is getting worse lately. He is providing the best treatment to her but still his hopes were not getting higher.
“Nothing bhai, it’s just stress she is having.” Vansh shakes his head and chuckles nervously.
“I hope the same Vansh, I can’t afford it if something happens to her.” Sampath says more to himself. Vansh nods at him.
Soon, everyone come and sit in their seats. Sanjana accompanies Meera by sitting beside her. Vansh goes back and sits beside Ridhima. Ridhima notices his tense mood and holds his hand on the hand rest. Vansh turns towards her while she just nods her head saying
‘Everything will be fine’
Vansh smiles at her forlornly and closes his eyes while placing his head on her shoulder.
****
“Do you know where your brother is?” Ridhima asks Snajana, who is sitting in the hotel’s club filled with music and people.
Sanjana nods her head in no when Ridhima fails to listen her reply. Ridhima frowns, she doesn’t know where Vansh is since pas few hours. He said he had some work and left the room just when they got back from the trip and didn’t leave any other message. She was slightly worried for him and was asking everyone about him.
“Ridhima, he told you that he is having some work right, don’t take any tension.” Meera says, who was sitting on the chair next to Sanjana near the bar counter.
Sanjana asked Meera to accompany her to the hotel’s club as she was alone. Ishani and Arnav had left for a date while Sampath had some important work to do.
“He should have at least sent me a text stating he would be late. How can I not be bothered?” Ridhima fumes, recollecting his words.
A popped notification on her mobile diverts her attention and she checks her phone, hoping it to be of Vansh’s. She smiles when she finds that it was Vansh who had messaged her. She instantly opens the notification and reads it aloud.
‘Come to the room’
Without any moment, she hurries back to her room stumbling with people here and there. It was the first time she was feeling so fretful on not finding Vansh so long. She was so angry on him for not telling her where he went but still she would just hug him when seen.
Opening the door, she scrutinizes around and scowls when she doesn’t find him. Her gaze then fell on the bed which had a parcel on it. She moves towards it and finds a note written beside the box.
‘Driver will pick you up in an hour, get ready. You are the best.
With love-Vansh’
She closes the note immediately while looking at the box in front of her which was neatly packed. A smile never leaving her face.
Hello Munchkins, hope you all are doing fine. Thank you for your love and support.
It was so odd for me to post this late but today somehow I was determined to post. I hope the chapter was as expected.
Next episode tomorrow