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Till now you have read – Kusumita  a young girl from a poor family is forced to marry Nihaar Singh who is heir of a rich family of Delhi.  Soon she comes to know the reason behind their marriage as Nihaar has a dark past, his first wife Radhika’s mysterious death. 

In last part 15, you read Nihar suggests Kusum, that they spend some time together !

 

 

Part 15: dew and the Mist

 

‘Love Encroaching, Doubts Lingering’

 

The next day they headed to their farmhouse which was near Delhi.

‘This is a beautiful place…!’ Kusum was very excited to see the Bungalow at the farmhouse and then the surroundings – the mountains, the greenery, the sun-flower fields and she could hear the crinkling sound of the waterfall…!!

‘Really…? You liked it?’ Nihar smiled at her excitement as he took the bags out of the Jeep.

She shouted, ‘Yes, very much…’

He nodded in agreement, ‘I also like the calmness of this place very much. I come here often.’

She remembered her farms in her village, and ran into the field like a playful child.

He stood there and watched her for some time and then called her.

‘Kusumita, Come back.’

But she ran deeper inside the field. He came running after her and soon she was in his arms. He kissed her slightly, she protested and then they saw a car coming in. They separated from each other.

She recognized the car and ran towards it. Soon Dadi-maa, Sneha and Mohit got down from it. Dadi-maa hugged her, and said, ‘We wanted to surprise you…! But don’t worry we have no plans to spoil your honeymoon, we will leave after lunch…!’

‘Dadi-maa, I want you to stay with us.’ Kusum said.

‘No need to lie.’ Dadi-maa smiled.

Before lunch, we all decided to go for a quick walk around the farm. Mohit took the lead to show all the places. Nihar walked ahead of them as if he was not interested but had come just to follow the protocol to be with his wife.

Kusum could not hide her excitement as they reached the Sunflower field, ‘It’s truly a beautiful place!’

Mohit replied. ‘Indeed, when we were kids, we used to play hide and seek in the fields. Radhika, me and Nihar!! We know all the places here.’

Kusum became uncomfortable hearing Radhika’s name. Nihar turned back and gave a deep stare to Mohit.

Mohit raised his hands, and tossed a smile at Nihar, ‘Nihar, don’t forget to show Kusumita all the places!!’

Nihar did not reply but Kusum could feel he was tensed up, and it struck her that there is an air of tension between the two brothers, or it was an air of her imagination?

She thought about the possible reasons but could not come to any conclusion. 

After some time, all returned to the Bungalow. Lunch was ready. She and Sneha helped to put a table outside in the lawn and laid the delicacies on it. The mood on the table was very jovial nothing formal like she had seen in Delhi. After Lunch, everyone decided to laze around. Kusum and Sneha joined Dadi-maa to listen to the stories of the farmhouse.  

After some time, Dadi-maa, Sneha and Mohit decided to leave. As they were getting into the car, Mohit came to Kusum, and almost hushed into her ears. ‘Kusumita, I was worried about you, so I came. This farmhouse is not a good place to be alone with him.’

Kusum smiled, ‘Mohit, no need to worry about me.’

He gave a deep stare at her as if he wanted to reiterate the warning. Then he got inside the Car.

After they left, Kusum came back to the room, while Nihar stayed outside.

She switched on all the lights and sat on the chair. She was disturbed by Mohit’s warning. Her doubts returned. Why Mohit had come all the way to caution her?

Yes, she never gave a thought, why did Nihar bring her to this remote place….? What is going on in his mind?  She fumbled to reply to the questions asked by her inner self.

The last few days were like a dream to her and she had completely forgotten about her fears. She tried to calm herself, ‘Kusumita, don’t start doubting him again. Nihar wants to start fresh, so don’t spoil it by bringing your unreasonable fears.’

And she decided to keep all her doubts and fears away…

 

In the evening, they went to the waterfall, sat on the rocks, and watched in silence. The Sun had faded away and the water was trickling down softly to align with night.

Kusum waited for Nihar to say a few words but he was absorbed in his thoughts. She then decided to get into the water, she dipped her feet in the water and splashed it hard. Suddenly she noticed his gaze was fixed on her.

‘Join me…’ She shouted.

‘No, I am enjoying watching and observing you’ He replied.

‘Watching me….? What did you observe?’ She again shouted.

He took a breath and said, ‘A playful Kid! You are a kid at heart!’

‘But I feel it is you who is a kid at heart.’ She said in a complaining tone.

‘Me….?’

She said, ‘Yes, you are many times stubborn like a kid. You don’t like, if things don’t happen your way. You don’t like if you have to hear a NO.’

He screwed his eyes in disagreement and said, ‘Not true! Only with those whom I consider my own.’

‘Your own….?’ She said, and held her breath to hear his answer.

He became silent; his eyes wandered for a while and then slowly he nodded.

Her happiness, her joys, and delight knew no bounds, they poured out of her almond-shaped eyes.

He then gazed at her for some time as if he was trying to find some answer. ‘Kusumita, I am sorry for that night. You were right. I think I was not able to take your NO.’

‘But why?’ she decided to probe him.

He avoided her eyes and stared at the ground. ‘I don’t know. Maybe, I was hurt to hear that you don’t need me.’ He avoided her and stared at the ground.

She wanted to understand him more, she probed further, ‘But then you only told me once, that you don’t need anyone in your life!’

He was dazed, stunned. She saw expressions on his face as if he was trying to figure out but then he shrugged off and got up.

‘Kusumita, let us go.’

She came out of the water and slowly followed him to the bungalow.

The dinner was ready and they quietly had the dinner for he was very much in his thoughts.

After dinner, she came to bed and waited eagerly for him. She was a little tensed up as she thought about him. He was joyful since morning, talked to her more than she had expected and throughout the day, she didn’t see even one glimpse of his anger. 

She was worried as he did not turned up. She saw the clock, it was midnight. Worried, she went out to look for him. She searched all the rooms but could not find him. She then came out of the Bungalow and found him on the lawn, lying in a hammock, with his eyes closed.

‘Nihar…’ She called him softly.

He opened his eyes and gestured for her to come closer.

‘Nihar, what are you thinking?’ She was very curious to know if it was about Radhika again but he avoided her question.

‘Nihar…?’ She again asked him.

He looked at her for a moment and took a deep breath. ‘I was thinking about what you had asked me that day. I was trying to find an answer, wondering why I was hurt by your NO that day.’

She asked, ‘So did you get an answer?’

‘Yes, somewhat but I want to be sure of it. Let  us go.’ He closed the conversation and got up.

Her eyes twinkled and she caught his hand. He smirked; pulled her towards him and opened her hair. She hugged him tightly and her hands went around him.

‘Kusumita, shall I ask you one thing?’

‘Yes……’

‘Are you happy now…?’

She nodded.

He kissed her lightly. ‘Kusumita, I know I am a stubborn person, I always do what I want to do. I am also short-tempered but please don’t ever leave me…’

‘I shall never leave you.’ She smiled.

‘And promise, you will love me every second.’

‘Love….?’ She was stunned.

Her awed looked made him take a step back, ‘Don’t you love me?’

He waited eagerly to hear her but she simply stared him back with wide eyes. ‘And you?’

He became silent and his chirpiness eloped. His face was shaken but he quickly regained himself. His hand then went around her waist and brought her closer. ‘Kusumita, I like you very much, I feel oneness with you and then you know everything about me. Give me some time.’

She felt happiness; she could not have asked more from him. She had seen his madness for Radhika. She now understands he is trying to come out of Radhika, to take his life ahead with her.

She tried to tease him, ‘Nihar, if I leave……’

He was upset, and shouted angrily, ‘What kind of joke is this?’

She tried to pacify him, ‘Nihar, I was just kidding. Relax!’

He roughly lifted her in his arms and brought her inside the room. She could feel anger lingering in his body. She held her breath and waited anxiously as he placed her on the bed. Her eyes were stuck on him and as he kissed her, she knew he was very upset but she cannot let his anger again come between them. She claimed his lips, and gave him a deep kiss, making him go breathless. His anger subsided and he grabbed her hands; intensely looked into her eyes….

‘Don’t ever talk of leaving me!!!’

She nodded softly, and he took her back in his embrace.

 

Rakhi Sunil Kumar