Ansh OS : When Love Blooms Again

Loneliness of the night welcomed him as he entered their room. Their bed looked untouched and heat from the light couldn't provide the warmth that his wife did.  The usual warmth encircling the room was amiss that night. His heart instantly knew that his wife was not in the room, but what bothered him was where she could be at this time of the night. He was sure he saw her walking up the stairs when he was still engaged with Bheem Singh. She was disturbed, clearly disturbed.  That was the reason why he made Bheem Singh bring the files home. Those were impending items that needed his urgent attention along with his wife today. She hardly had mouthful for dinner, she pretended to be tired from the journey. It was their first official trip after their wedding and definitely didn't turn out the way both of them anticipated. There was no doubt, his wife handled the situation with great professionalism but both couldn't deny the effect of the venomous words on his Anandi. The silence that enveloped them made the journey back dreadful, he felt helpless of not being able to comfort her even when he was so close to her. It was an official trip, they were both obliged to their working decorum.

He left the room and walked to the study room and it was also empty. The cold breeze guided him to the terrace where he saw his wife. She stood at the terrace, her eyes were fixed on the starry night but she was definitely not star gazing or admiring the beauty of the night. Her pallu was down and her black tresses were dancing to the silent rhythms of the night. Neither did the cold breeze nor his presences had any effect on her tonight. Against the urge to embrace her, wipe of those strains of distraught from her face, he trailed back to his room; there was something else she needed more than him. Anandi stood still, neither the chillness of the night nor the howling loneliness of the dark affected her. She was used to accusations, she had heard worst before and she thought she has grown numb towards them but today proved her wrong. She didn't know whether it was guilt or the venomous impeachment affected her but she hoped the chillness would help her grow numb again.

Anandi's body jerked as she felt herself being securely wrapped in a warm quilt. The warmth of the quilt not only brought her back to reality, but also stopped her from erecting the icy wall around her fragile heart. He was quiet but concern was plastered on his face. He held her delicate hand in his, her body, her hand felt so cold that he wondered whether she was having frost bite in India. "How can she be so careless of herself, what if she fell sick?" his heart raged looking at her state but he couldn't express it. "She was shattered and his outburst will only deteriorate her" he consoled himself. Colors were slowly coming back to Anandi's pale face, she was slowly reviving back to herself. "Bheem Singh has gone home?" she asked breaking the stillness that was surrounding them. "Hmm..." was the only answer she got and she knows that Shiv was dead worried for her and she felt guilty for dragging him into this state. "Shiv, mein theek hoon" she tried to assured him but she only got his dagger glance in reply. She could never lie to him and his glance reminded her of that. "Andar chalo" were the only words he uttered as he carried her in his arms back to the room. She couldn't protest neither did she want to;she felt so secured and solace in his arms as if all she needed was him; her shoulder to cry; her best friend; her husband. Shiv placed her on the bed carefully as if she would break any moment. "I will get you something warm to drink" he told her as he left the room.

The solitude again led her back to incident today afternoon. Anandi accompanied Shiv along with Bheem Singh and Lal Singh to Udaipur to finalize the lab setup and preparation for Jeitsar. It was their wedding gift from the CM, they had meeting with team of specialist from renowned hospital to help with consultation on the equipments and setup preparations. Little did she know that fate will bring Gauri there; what shocked her was the state that she met Gauri. Gauri was pregnant; her baby boom evidently showed that she is in her second trimester. Gauri was revolted when she saw Anandi and her eyes were bloodshot red when it saw Anandi's maang adorned with sindoor. The gaze was enough to alert Anandi of the cloud of thoughts forming in Gauri; she must have thought that Jagya was back in her life. 

Before she could speak to Gauri, the meeting started. Anandi decided to uphold her duties as the Sarpanch first before confronting Gauri. Throughout the meeting, Gauri was very silent but her dagger glare were damaging. Only Anandi and Lal Singh understood the reason behind Gauri's reaction while it surprised Shiv and Bheem  Singh on the weird behavior of Gauri. When the meeting adjourned, Gauri immediately left in haste. Anandi immediately excused herself and went after Gauri, what mattered most is to clear the misunderstanding that was formed in Gauri's mind. There were many questions running in her mind after seeing Gauri, she wanted to know what transpired between Jagya and Gauri, did he ever knew that she was pregnant, how could Jagya leave Gauri in this situation. She had thousands of questions pondering in her mind, as she scanned for Gauri. She couldn't find Gauri anywhere within the vicinity which surprised her; she was sure Gauri couldn't have gone far in her condition. Suddenly she heard soft sobs nearby; she immediately followed the trail of the sobs.

  

Gauri was taken aback when she felt a consoling hand on her shoulders; she thought it must be Lal Singh who was a common friend back in medical college where she and Jagya studied. She blinked the tears away from her eyes and turned to greet her consoler. She was shocked to see Anandi standing in front of her; Anandi was the very last person in the world after Sumitra that she wanted to see at the moment. Before Anandi could speak, Gauri yelled at her. "How thoughtful of you Anandi! So you came to see how I was coping up after you have snatched my happiness away. I don't think I have met anyone with so much of innocence in the face yet there is nothing but deceitfulness in you. You gained sympathy from everyone when Jagya left you, you knew his family was his weakness and strength and you took control of it. Instead of walking away from the family when the ties that bounded you with them were severed, you decided to stay back for their sympathy. You knew that his family will never accept him or me as long as you are with them yet you stayed on. You made it impossible for Jagya to lead on his life; you never wanted him to move on just because he loved ME instead of YOU; just because he chose ME over YOU. The stupid family of his obviously was blinded over your chaal that they couldn't see beyond your deceiving nature. You made them choose YOU over their own blood; you made them disown their own blood because of YOU! Jagya was born with a silver spoon but you made him live like a tramp because his family denied his right, you caused him to lose his self-confidence and reach a stage where he doubted his own love, he was blinded by his insecurities because of his condition. You staked my love on your revenge for Jagya while you went around pretending to be a Mahan. What amazes me is how you even plotted to so call free Jagya from your marriage by agreeing for the divorce and then snatch him back within a snap. And now without any shame, you have adorned your maang with sindoor as your victory over me. You have dragged me to the same path where you were once, the only difference that you had his family while today I'm all alone with my unborn child. The symbol of our love that Jagya is not even aware of; you have not only stole my happiness but also the rights and happiness of an unborn child, heir of the Singhs that should be cherished not taunted. Gauri vented out her anger, there was so much of agony, rage but she just couldn't describe it with words.

Anandi had so much to say, but every accusation was like dagger piercing her so deeply that she couldn't utter a single word. Only tears flow from her eyes, she grabbed the railing for support. "Arey wah Anandi, are those tears for me? Please don't humiliate me any further by shedding those crocodile tears for me; I have not gone so low to seek for your sympathy. I still have dignity left in me, neither am I going to beg for sympathy from you nor am I going to ask you to return Jagya for the sake of my baby. My baby has given me enough reason and strength to move on with live. I'm not one of those fools who will melt in your tears and dance to your tune Anandi, so cut the crap and get lost from my life!" Gauri screamed at her.

"Don't you dare to speak to Anandi in that tone Dr Gauri!", the stern tone broke Gauri from her trance. Gauri was surprised to see Shiv standing behind her, she saw his eyes were raging in anger and it surprised her how can Anandi wrap the whole world around her tiny finger. "Mr Shivraj Shekar, the collector of Jeitsar is at rescue for the Sarpanch of Jeitsar. Wow, this is just amazing. By the way, we were just resolving some personal matters between both of us, which I presume doesn't require the interference of IAS officer." Gauri chuckled throwing both Shiv and Anandi a disgusting look. "I wouldn't have interfered if it was an issue that needed to be handled by Sarpanch of Jeitsar because the Sarpanch is far more capable in handling her issues on her own without any help. Her professionalism in her duty is beyond doubt Dr Gauri for your information. It is not the collector of Jeitsar who interfered but it is Shivraj Shekar; I will not tolerate if anyone dares to speak to Anandi Shivraj Shekar in that manner. Is that understood Dr Gauri? I guess it is not too much to expect that from you Dr Gauri?" Shiv retorted at Gauri.

"Wait a minute, did I hear it well? Did you say it was Anandi Shivraj Shekar? You mean you actually married this deceiving ****" Gauri was about to taunt Anandi when Shiv snapped at her. "Hold your words Dr Gauri, another word against my wife and you won't be pleased with the consequences. Not another word from you!  You have spoken enough and Anandi has heard enough from you. Now, you shall listen to what I have to say! It didn't strike me the reason behind your behavior towards Anandi during the meeting yet she handled with great professionalism. It surprises me how one can be so well educated yet behave in uncivilized manner.  Thanks to Lal Singh, I got a brief introduction of you, Dr Gauri Jagdish. Neither Anandi nor her family knows what happened between you and Jagdish and it is still an unsolved mystery. Jagdish came to Jeitsar in hope to redeem his mistakes, his wrongdoings to Anandi and his family. Anandi has gone thru the unimaginable in her life thanks to both of you, she knows how painful it was and never in her wildest dream would she want even her enemy to endure it. If ever I was in Anandi's shoes, I don't think I can ever forgive Jagdish but Anandi did it whole-heartedly. She not only forgave him but she gave him back his family, their love. If she was as devious as you claimed, then she could have ensured Jagdish was never back in Jeitsar. The reason she came running behind you was because she was concern about you, especially seeing you in this condition and in return what she got was only your venomous accusation. You didn't give her a chance to even explain herself but you continued firing your accusations. Take a minute to think back, it was YOU who came in between Anandi and Jagdish and stole her happiness. You are rightful person for all the accusation that you just imposed on Anandi yet she never uttered a single word. Never once, she actually held you responsible for her situation but here you are accusing her of something that she was never aware of. Even after her divorce, she only wished happiness for both of you and made Jagdish promise that he will never repeat the same on you. Too bad that your relationship with Jagdish didn't stand  as strong as you anticipated, so stop shoving blames to others and try to analyze what made your relationship break and find ways to mend them. You may have always had the pleasure of taunting and belittling Anandi in the past and may have gotten away with it easily but not anymore. From now onwards, bear in mind that it is Anandi Shivraj Shekar that you are speaking to. I hope I have made myself very clear Dr Gauri." Shiv warned Gauri as he walked over to Anandi and held her shoulders in support. He knows that what she needed now was support not sympathy, his wife was not any ordinary women who waits for others to wipe her tears off. "Chalo Anandi, we have better things to concentrate on for Jeitsar. Don't waste your time and energy on trivial matters, Bheem Singh is waiting for us in the car" he told Anandi softly but loud enough for Gauri to hear. He guided her in his arms back to the car, while she wiped off her tears and got a grip of herself leaving Gauri in fix.

The whole journey Anandi was quiet, although Shiv was busy discussing official matters with Bheem Singh yet he didn't let her off his grip. She noticed how he ensured she was ok; he wanted to give her the solitude that she needed without letting her off his sight. He decided to work from home, and politely declined the dinner invitation at the haveli. He never probed her for an explanation and even now he was more concern of her health rather than incident. Today, once again he stood by her when she needed him the most. "Drink this" Shiv's voice broke her off thoughts. He held a glass of warm milk for her."I'm ok and I'm not hungry" she tried to protest. "Maine kuch nahi sunne wala, I saw what kind of hearty meal you had today. Chup chap yeh dhooth peelo" he told her. Anandi reluctantly took the glass and sipped the milk slowly. She didn't dare to protest, his voice was stern, she couldn't gauge his emotions; there were anger, concern and sadness in his eyes and she knew that she was the reason for it. Neither one of them spoke anything, Shiv caressed her face; pretending to remove the strain of loosely hanging hair on her face but she knows that he was trying to wipe those tear stains on her face.

"Shiv... I want to tell you what actually happened today " Anandi finally broke the silence that was hovering the room. "Shhh..." he shushed her; "We can talk about it later, not today. I can't bear to see you in tears again Anandi" he told her. "I promise I won't cry." she assured him. "You better forget about crying anytime soon because you have exceeded your quota for this year" he smirked. "Kya!" she was taken aback with his reply while her lips curved into a weak smile. He was the only one who can make her smile at the most unexpected time. "I mean it Sarpanch Ji" he replied as he caressed her hair gently; nudging her to continue what she had to say. "Actually, Gauri was rude to me because she thought I was back with Jagya. I can understand her emotions; anyone would have acted in that manner if they were in her shoes. She needs Jagya badly this moment, especially when she is carrying their child.  Every woman would want to have their husband by their side, welcome their child and nurture their love to their child. We need to clear her misunderstanding and try to see what went wrong between them. If not for Gauri;at least for the sake of the child; for the sake of Dadisa, Babusa and Ma; they have been yearning for their grandchild for years and it would shatter them to learn about what Gauri and their future heir is undergoing now. Jagya have left the haveli, at least Gauri and the baby would help to ease their pain and fill the emptiness in their lives. Gauri has very strained relationship with everyone especially Ma and I'm sure the baby will be bridge them back. I just wanted to explain this to Gauri and try to bring back the happiness in haveli. I expected Jagya to take care of them when I left the haveli but he left for his redemption leaving everyone in agony again. Although everyone pretends to be unaffected by Jagya's action but I know everyone is sad. They have sacrificed so much for my happiness and I'm not there to heal their wound, this is the least I can do for them." she explained. Shiv was silent, she tried to dive into his eyes and read what was going on in his mind but she couldn't gauge them today.

"Anandi, you're done?" he asked her and she nodded in response."Ok, now let me tell you what I have in my mind. Firstly despite your explanation, nothing can justify Gauri's rudeness today. I will not tolerate it at any circumstances. You were wrong about concluding that anyone in her shoes would have reacted the way she reacted today. I know at least one person who would have reacted differently; you would have never behaved that way. Even after way she treated you all this while, you're seeking empathy for her; justifying her actions to me. That makes you different from the rest, which makes you so special. You can't even bring yourself to hate someone who has caused you so much of agony. I have spoken to Lal Singh earlier, told him to find out more about Gauri's whereabouts and try to drill some senses into her thick skull about what actually happened in Jeitsar. We shall meet her in person later; once she has gained some senses to talk. Bheem Singh is already in his mission to search for Jagya. Both these actions are being handled discreetly at the moment; we shall speak to Babusa and the rest once we have a clearer picture of what transpired between Gauri and Jagdish. I don't want to promise them a dream that may not materialize but no matter what happens, I will assure you that Gauri and her baby will not be deprived of their essentials whether she gets back together with Jagdish or not. Do you have any objection Sarpanch Ji?" he asked her.

Anandi could only manage to look at him in admiration; there were no words to describe her emotions, her gratitude that moment. She might have handled the situation emotionally but he handled it so maturely. He was indeed a blessing in her life;she didn't know what she did to deserve such a gem of a person in her life. He was there whenever she needed him, he was her pillar of strength, her guardian, her shoulder to cry and yet he doesn't make her feel indebted by his actions. She was so hurt that she reclined back to her self-erected fort; staying away from happiness and sorrow. He made her break her walls, he brought back the colors in her life, happiness, laughter and love that was long forgotten and he stood strong shielding her even against the shadow of sorrow. 

Without realizing, a tear rolled from her eyes and he immediately caught it. "Didn't I tell you NO more tears?" he probed her. "Yeh khushi ka aaso" she replied. "NO tears mean NO tears; I don't care whether it's due to happiness or onions. NO more tears Anandi and that is final." he commanded her. "Ok baba, no more tears. I promise. One more thing, Thank you Shiv." she replied him. "Thank you for what?" he asked her, "For everything Shiv, Everything. I will have to break my promise if you need me itemize my thank you list" she joked.  "By the way, please remind me that I owe Gauri a big Thank You when we meet her the next time" he told her. "Huh? Thank you aur kyu?" she was puzzled. "If not for her, there will never be Anandi Shivraj Shekar today." he smiled and Anandi blushed hearing it. "Ok enough, we both had a hell of a day today. Now get some sleep, we have busy day tomorrow Sarpanch Ji" he reminded her as he kissed her forehead softly and tucked her into bed comfortably. Anandi thought that love will never bloom in her life but today she was wrong. It bloomed in her life in the name of Shivraj Shekar and it took her so long to realize it. He taught her the meaning of love; unconditional love and today she realized that she is in love with her husband. She is in love with her Shiv.

"I love you Shiv..." she whispered to herself today, soon she will whisper the same words in his ears...

Ansh OS: Queen of My Heart

"Choti Ma, I'm going out for a while and I will be back before dinner." he informed as he grabbed his keys and walked out of his house. He felt suffocated, he needed a fresh air to rejuvenate his mind and body and there is only one place in Jetsar that can give him that. His mind was cluttered, thanks to Jagya, his conspiracy against him and Anandi and this was very unlikely for Shiv Raj Shekar. He was a man who had full control of his mind and heart till the day she started ruling his heart. His lips curved into a smile when her thoughts came into his mind. It seems like the whole world knew how much she meant to him, how much he loves her except her. The beholder of his hearts is totally clueless about it. His family knew it, Mahi knew it, Ashima knew it, even Bheem Singh knew it and irony he could even boldly confess his love for her to Jagya but not to Anandi. It was easy for him to tell the whole world how much she meant for him, how much he loves her but it was almost impossible to tell her.

Despite the strong and composed Anandi that everyone sees, there is a fragile girl who is reserved of her emotions and feelings. Maybe it was the scar of the past that has made her suppressed everything to herself, to show everyone that she has moved on. His instinct told him that she needed a friend, a companion more than a life partner. She needed someone whom she could trust; someone whom she could pour her heart out; someone who wouldn't judge her from her past. She was bind into a relationship, a marriage at a tender age by her family when she hardly understood it. She was again bound into another relationship by her in-laws before she could discover love on her own.

His jeep came to halt at his favorite spot in Jetsar, a place he discovered by accident. The calmness of the lake always gave serenity to him and he believed it will again today. He eyes immediately fell on a familiar petite figure sitting by the lake and his heart instantly recognized it was Anandi. "Looks like someone else is also in need for tranquility" he thought to himself as he walked over to her. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't realize his presence until she felt his hand on her shoulder. Her heart instantly knew it was him; she quickly fluttered her eyes to hide the traces of tears in her eyes. "Collector saab, aap yahan?" she asked him as he made himself comfortable next to her. "Well, I could ask you the same question as well? What brings Sarpanch ji to my favorite spot?" he asked. "Nothing, looks like your favorite spot has become my favorite as well" she replied still avoiding to meet his gaze. She just hoped the breeze would dry off the tears from her face but she failed to realize that she couldn't hide the sorrow from her voice. "Aur?" he asked her. "Aur matlab? Aur kuch nahi. Maan karta hai yahan thodi dheer beto isye wajah main yahan ayi" she replied unable to understand the sternness in his question. "Anandi ji, mere taraf dekho" he requested her. She slowly turned towards him, hesitantly meeting his eyes. The moment she met his gaze, she knew that he didn't need to see her tears to know its existence. "When are you planning to share the reason for this?" he asked as his fingers reached out to wipe the tear stains from her face. "How do you manage to come whenever I need you?" she asked him avoiding his question. "Well that's the power of lo..., uhhm friendship" he avoided blurting out. He was glad that she was still preoccupied with her thoughts to decode it. "Woh chodo, you have still not answered me Anandi ji?" he reminded her. She couldn't lie to him nor could she hide it from him.

Anandi took a deep breath, looked away from his eyes before she gave him the reason behind her turmoil, her tears. "Kuch nahi, collector saab. I was just thinking about life and how reality hits you whenever you think you have gotten a grip of life. It's funny how life gives you something when you never asked for, and snatches it the moment you want to have it. Life gave me a beautiful childhood without asking and snatched it in the name of marriage when I was beginning to experience. It gave me a ristha that I never asked for and snatched away from me when I actually begin to realize what marriage was. Never in my wildest dream, had I thought of marriage again in my life but now everything happened so fast. Now I'm just... " Anandi was unable to continue as tears choked her. Shiv placed his hand against her, giving her the courage to continue. "I just have the fear of losing you. We both know that our marriage is a compromise, till today I don't know under what circumstances Dadisa made you agree to the marriage but she knew I could never deny my mother's last wish. Despite it, I have learned to value our relationship, the bond that we share and now I'm scared of losing it" she confessed to him. She felt his grip tighten on her, she thought he was being her support but little did she know that it was his pain when he knew that she thought he agreed to marry her out of compromise, sympathy.

"Compromise! You thought it was a compromise?" was all he managed to utter. His question took her by surprise. "Collector saab, mein..." Shiv got up before walked towards to his jeep before she could complete. Anandi was perplexed with his reaction; she has never seen him so disturbed. His back was facing her but she saw his clenched fist on the jeep hood and she immediately reached out for him. He felt a gush of relieve within him, his anger vanished. Shiv took a deep breath, gained his composure and finally met her gaze. Gone were her sorrow, there was nothing left but concern; pure concern for him. She was clearly disturbed by his reaction. "Anandi ji, do you know what you mean to me? Do you have a slightest idea on what the kind of effect you have on me?" he asked her and her silence gave him his answer. "I don't what in the world gave you the idea that I agreed to marry you out of compromise. I don't know when I started falling for you, I don't what made me fall for you; whether it was your naivety, your compassion for others, your boldness, your determination, your smile, your laughter or even your anger but one thing is for sure that what I feel for you is more than mere admiration, respect or even empathy. I love you Anandi that is the truth. I truly love you. That is why I agreed to marry you. Our marriage would have definitely happened even if Dadisa had not come to me with your wedding proposal. Of course, it would have happened differently. I would have courted you my way, made you realize your love, realize how it feels to be loved and then proposed you on my knees under moonlight. I was dumbstruck when she read my mind and asked whether I would marry you. Do you know how happy I was that moment? Do you that it took me awhile to realize it was reality and not dream? Do you know that your mere touch makes my anger melt, my fears disappear? Every drop of your tears pierces my heart and I would do anything to bring back the smile on your face, to hear your laughter again." he told her

"Do you still think I actually agreed to marry you out of compromise pagal? I agree that everything between us started falling in place pretty fast, but it doesn't mean that I was conned or coaxed into it. I gave you the space and time you needed because you just went thru a divorce and lost your mother almost the same time. You were in need of a good friend at the moment, and I wanted to be there for you, to share your sorrow and bring back the smile that you have forgotten so I extended my friendship instead of confessing my love for you. There have been times when I wanted to tell you how I felt but it just never happened. I just became tongue tight whenever I tried. You just have the charm to make the Collector of Jetsar stumble for words" Shiv finally confessed.

Anandi was awestruck, she couldn't believe her ears. "Looks like Sarpanch ji is still not convinced?" Shiv tried to lighten her mood because he definitely didn't want his confession to happen this way but it just gushed out. He mentally smacked himself for blurting out his feelings instead of comforting her; he made it more difficult for her. "You actually gave me an option to go back to Jagya in the mandir?" she asked him. "A wise man once told that if you love someone, let it free. It will come back to you and mine did" he smirked. "I have full faith in my love" he added. "Just the way it brings you to me whenever I need you?" she added. "You actually heard?" he questioned her. "I learned the skill of observation from someone close to me" she replied. "Ah, so it actually backfired me this time" he laughed. "No, it actually led me to discover something new. To discover the true meaning behind those eyes" she said pointing to his eyes. She finally realized it was love, true love for her; something that she thought she was never blessed with.  "Let me tell you another thing that you don't know Sarpanch ji. You are the queen of my heart and continue ruling it the way you do. Nothing will be able to snatch you away from your happiness, from me this time and this is a promise my love" he vowed. His words brought out a genuine smile on her face.

AnSh OS: Surya Badal My Knight in Shining Armor

"Yehi hai Surya Badal ka kahani" Anandi concluded her story as she put her niece and nephew to bed. "Babhisa, Doesn't Surya Badal reminds you of Collector Saab' Nandu asked.  "Hmmm Nandu. Ab tum soa joa" Anandi smiled to herself while she tucked Nandu to sleep.

Anandi grew up listening to Surya Badal wishing her life would be as beautiful as the tales she believed in. Her happiness with Jagya was short-lived as Jagya's true shades emerged and eventually her perception on love and fairy tales faded along with heartbreaks in her life. If not for her family, she would have never made an attempt to redeem herself from her past. It was for the Singh's that she decided to move on in her life, the whole family held themselves responsible for her broken marriage with Jagya and vowed to bring back the happiness that Jagya failed to give. Anandi silently pledged to fulfill the responsibility of Jagya to the family. She promised Babusa that she would excel in her studies; she would work for the betterment of Jetsar. The day she was announced as the Sarpanch of Jetsar, she felt the whole family beaming in pride. It was something that they always wanted from Jagya, for him to serve the people of Jetsar as a doctor. Anandi was fulfilling all his family yearned to see from him, that became her ultimate goal in life but little did she know that destiny had something else stored for her in the form of Shiv Raj Sekhar. Her darkest fear took form in of her front of eyes the when the horse carrying her carriage went out of control. The situation took her off-guard and she had no control of her carriage or her life. All she could manage was to cry for help and pray for miracle which rarely happened in her life.

Her modern knight didn't come to her rescue in shining armor and black stallion but he dashed in black metallic Scorpio. He jumped onto the carriage and tried to halt the raging horse while Anandi was still trying to get a grip of herself and the situation. Midst of controlling the raging horse, he still managed to pull her to safety. Within split second, they were both thrown out of the carriage as the carriage wheels plunges into mud hole. It was when she caught the glimpse of her savior, a total stranger who endangered his life for her. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him lying meters away from her, but she sighed in relief when she saw his head turned towards her. He got up slowly and reached out for her duppata; ignoring his condition. He immediately covered the traumatized Anandi who was trying to recover from the injuries and shock. "Aap theek hai?" his voice broke her from her spell. She saw the glint of relief in his eyes when he was assured that she was not seriously injured. He offered his hand for support but she managed to get up herself. She was never used to so much of miracles in her life; she took a deep breath to recompose herself. Before she could speak, to thank him; he was already questioning her about the accident, analyzing the situation and damage. "Who the hell is he? He dashes out from nowhere, endangers his life, saves a distraught girl and pretends that it a piece of cake"

She spotted him walking towards the equally shaken horse, patting its back and whispering something into its ears. The next thing she knew, he was on the horse gesturing her to join him. He told her that this is their only option to get out the woods and Anandi reluctantly obeyed.  He knew who she was just by her mere name but his identity was still anonymous for her. Their paths crossed again when stranger walked in to her function; he was no other than Shiv Raj Shekar, the first collector of Jetsar. From total strangers, they became acquaintances and eventually into a relationship but along the way a beautiful friendship blossomed between them. The more she assumptions she made about him, the more she discovered about him. His attitude, his sarcasm, his anger, his kindness, his empathy, his wisdom, his maturity, his patience, his humor, his love and the list just goes on; she is still discovering him every day.

Her mobile's vibration broke her from her train of thoughts, her lips curved into smile when she saw the name flashing on her mobile. "Anandi ji, sorry to disturb you at this hour. There are some issues with the railway project budget paper. There are conflicting details in the document that we send over email and the one that I faxed over with our acknowledgement. I'm preparing the new documents and I need your signature again, so I will send the documents over through Bheem Singh. Need you to review it again." he explained in his straight and professional tone. She sensed tense in his voice, "Theek hai collector saab" she responded but there was a tinge of disappointment in her voice since he was sending Bheem Singh over instead of him. "You are still in the office? Aapne kuch khaya?" she asked him. "Abhi nahi, there were a lot of paperwork pending on the canal and the railway project due to the swine flu outbreak. Since chothi ma is not around, I thought it will be perfect time to finish up all the work. Anyways there are always noodles to my rescue, I will be fine." he assured her. "Main kuch nahi sunne wali. I will pack dinner for both you and Bheem Singh and that is final" she cut him. "Anandi you're not getting out of your room, you are supposed to be resting. That was Lal Singh's strict order and I'm not letting you violate it at any cost" his retorted. Anandi was taken aback with his sternness and he actually called her Anandi and somehow Shiv also realized what he actually blurted out. "Anandi ji, woh mein keh raha tha... "Shiv was startled for word, something that never happens to him. "Collector saab, Lal Singh said I shouldn't get out of the house, he didn't say I shouldn't leave my room. There is no prohibition for me to go from my room to the kitchen." she replied him. "As you wish." he sighed and ended the call as he knew there was no stopping her if she sets her heart of something, one of her qualities that attracted him to her.

He wanted her to take complete rest, recover and get back to work soon. That was the main reason he refrained himself from going to the haveli for the past 3 days because he knows that she will never rest whenever he was around. Even after submerging himself with piles of paperwork, it was impossible to get her thoughts off his mind. He has gotten accustomed of working together with her; their synergy has made their toughest hurdle at work an easy leap. But deep inside, he knew that he was hopelessly love sick. Without her presence, her smile, her laughter; his day was incomplete.

She heard the knock on the door as she was packing the hot halwa that she made along with sangri ki sabzi. "Chothi bindisa..." Makkan called out to inform about her visitor. "Bheem Singh, ek minute ruko. Main abhi ayee" she replied back from the kitchen. She has packed dinner for both him and Bheem Singh, knowing that both of them were working late. She also knows that he hates to eat alone, with Bheem Singh there will be no exception when it comes to food. He will definitely convince him to eat so that he can also indulge himself with his sumptuous meal. Her legs froze when she saw him standing, leaning against frame of kitchen entrance with his arms crossed trying to maintain his straight look but his eyes told her otherwise. "So sarpanch ji, this is how you usually pack dinner?" he question her while looking at the cooking utensils in the kitchen. "Actually, I came down to pack dinner when I realized it was mater ki sabzi. Knowing how much you love mater, I decided to make sangri ki sabzi for you" she replied him. "Aur halwa?" he shot her back her. "Well since I was already making the sabzi, so why not make halwa as well. It was going to take me the same effort anyways" she justified herself. "Anyways, thanks to you and Lal Singh, I have been on house arrest by Dadisa for the past 3 days. Ab mein bilkul theek hoon Collector saab. Ab bukhar bhi nahi" she assured him. "Well that is for me to decide" he replied as his hand instantly reached out to touch her forehead to check her temperature. Although she has been accustomed with his proximity; yet her heart never failed to perform summersaults and even skipped a few beats whenever she felt his touch against her. She slowly prayed that he didn't notice but the smirk on his face gave her the answer he needed.

"Bheem singh anne wale the aur aap yahan kaise?" Anandi questioned her unexpected guest. "You're not happy to see me here?" he questioned her back pretending to be offended with her question. "Mera matlab woh nahi" Anandi felt guilty with her question. "Are meri Sarpanch ji, I was just joking. Well I knew you would be up to some of your super women stunts since everyone has gone out, so I decided to check on you myself. Anyways, I just want you to review and sign the document then get back to bed." he instructed her as they walked to the living room. Anandi reviewed the files and acknowledged it. Shiv promised to update her once she has resumed her Sarpanch duties because he didn't her to worry unnecessarily and was prepared to leave when his phone rang. "Ok Bheem Singh, you carry on. Anandi ji has packed me dinner, so I will manage with that" Shiv ended his call. "Kya hua Collector saab?" Anandi enquired with concern. "Kuch nahi, just that Bheem singh is not lucky to enjoy the dinner that you have packed. He is having his dinner out, so he wanted to know whether he should pack dinner for me as well." Shiv explained.

"If that is the case, then I shall serve your dinner here itself." Anandi told Shiv and took the dabba in her hand. "Anandi ji, that is not necessary. I will manage it at home." Shiv replied but Anandi was not in the mood to listen to his excuses. She proceeded to setting up the dining table and Shiv was unable stop her. Even his heart yearned to stay longer, so he obediently followed Sarpanch ji's order. He truly enjoyed his dinner after an arduous day and even managed to feed her mouthful as well.

Anandi felt that it was the good time to actual share what has been bothering her these few days. "Collector saab, actually I know that you have understood me better than anyone else but still I feel that I owe you an explanation." Anandi finally spoke her mind. Shiv nodded not because he needed her explanation but he knew it would free her from the burden and guilt that she has been carrying with her. "Jagya's return to Jetsar and followed by the series of incident have changed everyone's perception on him. I'm not sure whether my perception on him will ever change or will I ever be able to forgive him but I can be assured of that he is definitely my past, a memory that I don't want to walk back again. If ever a situation arises that I should forgive Jagya, I would forgive him only for the sake of the family but nothing will be forgotten. The relationship that Jagya and I once shared is nothing but broken pieces of glass now. Even if you manage to patch them together but the marks and scars can never be erased. Yet I still tolerate his presence here in the haveli only for the sake of his family. Jagya may have never been a good husband for me but he was the heir of the family and his whole family adored him. He went against his family because of his love for Gauri instead of ME and the reason his whole family disowned him is ME. The whole family has taken the blame on themselves and has vouched to bring back the happiness in my life when destiny is bound to be blamed for this. They have showered me with so much of love and affection more than my own parents. In return, I want to give back their son to them. At least, I will know that they will have their son back to fulfill his duties to his family when I move on my life with you. I have noticed that their anger has started to mellow down yet they refuse to forgive him because of me. I have seen how Dadisa cried alone for being helpless seeing her ladlsar in this condition, how Babusa has buried his love and affection and how Nandu yearns for the brother that he adores. I don't want any of my action to hurt them more. I don't know what has transpired between him and Gouri but one thing is for sure; whatever Jagya is doing is only to win back his family even if it means of hurting me. I just want to assure you that my silence is because of my love for my family and not for Jagya." Anandi finally confided in Shiv.

Shiv held her hand in his while he tilted her face to meet her gaze; her beautiful eyes were glazed with tears. It always hurts him whenever he sees pain in her eyes. "Anandi ji, my trust on you is not so fragile to be affected by trivial matters like this yet your explanations have given me the assurance that I needed. I'm happy that I have earned your trust to confide your feelings with me. My respect for you has increased even more; you still want to give happiness to someone who has stolen yours. I have no qualms of Jagya being in the haveli, his family accepting him back but just bear in mind that I will not tolerate if Jagya tries to hurt you in any way." Shiv replied Anandi and she liked his protectiveness over her. She nodded in acceptance and her lips curved into a smile. "Well you are always there to protect me like Surya Badal nah?" Anandi responded to Shiv. "Surya Badal? Now who is this guy?" Shiv questioned her. "You haven't heard of Surya Badal? It is the fairy tales that most of kids including me grew up listening to; Surya Badal and how he saves the princess from evil." Anandi explained. "You grew up believing on Surya Badal tales when I thought you grew up being inspired by stories of Jhansi Ki Rani!" Shiv expressed his surprise. "Well I did and eventually I lost my believe in them until the day you emerged in my life. You saved me in the woods, stood up against Heth Singh for me and rescued me during Jyothi's wedding fiasco. You were there for me whenever I was down emotionally. You always manage to make me smile during the most difficult time. You are no less than Surya Badal for me Collector saab." Anandi replied. It was the first time, she actually confessed how she felt about him and he couldn't help blushing. Shiv felt contended hearing the admiration for him in her voice when she spoke and the glee in her eyes. He knew the day is not far away when she will also embrace and reciprocate his love.

VirMan OS : Some things never change

"I know what I'm doing Manvi", those words kept on haunting her since dinner. She could withstand any turmoil in life but she shatters into pieces when it comes to him; neither can she stand his pain nor his anger. Suddenly she felt herself being wrapped into a hug by a strong pair of hands; her heart instantly skipped a beat. His effect on her never fades and he knows that very well, but she was not giving in easily this time. She immediately shrugged, trying to break away from him which made him strengthen his grip on her bringing her closer to him instead. Her heart was beating erratically against his chest, against his calm and composed rhythmic heartbeat. "Abhi naraz hai" he whispered at her ears while he kissed her earlobe. "Control Manvi, control Manvi" she kept chanting to herself but her body was slowly giving up to his charm. His proximity, his husky voice, his touch and his aftershave is already breaking her defense and the moment she meets his gaze, she will be clean bowled again.

"Manvi, I'm sorry I didn't mean to raise my voice earlier at you but I just lost it yaar." he tried to explain but she cut him halfway. "It's ok Virat, I shouldn't have interfered as well. It is your career and it is solely your decision" she responded trying to hide her disappointment. Virat's body stiffen by her words, he slowly turned her to face him, lifted her chin to meet her gaze. Her eyes tried to avoid his gaze but he made her meet his eyes. Those glazy eyes pierced his heart, "Manvi, it was not about my decision or my career. Partner, remember that I have told you many times that nothing precedes you in my life priorities. I will go to any extend to fulfill all your wishes, obey all your commands but I will not compromise my responsibility to be with you when you need me the most because of my career. Nothing including you will be able to make me change my decision, so don't bother wasting your time. Samjha?" he told her. She knew that once Virat's mind is made up, he will not change it. "Do you know that your biggest weakness is your anger." she told him. "Hmmm, and it is also my biggest strength as well! " he replied her back with his trademark smirk. "Tumara matlab?" she was clearly confused with his reply. "Well, Virat Singh Vandhera has the charm to turn his weakest point to his strongest. My anger has given me a perfect chance for me to romance my dear wife. What else do I need?" he smirked. "So what else did you complaint your parents about me, it seemed like a long session with them today?" he asked they both sat on their favorite spot by their bedroom window, admiring the beauty of the night. "Actually I was only halfway thru my complaint list when you disturbed me" she replied him back. "Mera bare itna complaint?" he asked as he caressed her head that was resting on his chest and she nodded mischievously.

Suddenly he felt a tug on his shirt and he was surprised to see a pair of angry eyes scrutinizing him. She crossed her arms and continued staring at both of them, and even the Mickey Mouse on her dress looked equally angry as her. "Ab kya hogaya? Ek ka naraaz katam hua, dushree shru kya!" he exclaimed while shaking his head in disbelief. "Tum dono phir jagada kiya?" she finally broke the silence. "Hum? Jagada? Nahi!" he replied while Manvi watched the attics between both of them. She was not convinced with the reply; she continued to wait for her answer as she tapped her feet in annoyance. Virat looked at Manvi for help but Manvi smiled and raised both her hand in defeat. Virat had to confront the chothi sherni all by himself. She was their angel, their symbol of love, their world, their daughter, their Mia. Virat was skeptical when Manvi wanted a child; he was not ready to endanger her life again after her survival from her cancer. He tried to convince her that their love was strong and sufficient for both of them but Manvi believed otherwise. She promised him that their child will only bring them closer and not apart as he feared. Virat reluctantly agreed after consulting almost all the doctors he could find in Chandigarh. Mia was their bundle of joy; she inherited his gift of music, Manvi's spirit and mischief, bhabi's maturity, bhai's tactfulness, ma's love, Beeji's sternness and Badi Beeji sense of humor. Recently she has started to resemble Swamini bua who always watchful over their behavior.

"I'm still waiting!" her delicate yet stern voice broke Virat from his thoughts. "Ok meri ma, we had a small argument and we resolved immediately. "Ab khushi?" he asked her. "How did you apologize to mummy? "she naively asked him but her question made Manvi blush and Virat speechless. "Woh... woh... " Virat tried to find a way to explain to his 3 year old daughter how he patched up with his wife but his mind decided to fail him when he needed it the most. "I knew it! You didn't apologize to mummy yet, that is why her face is still so red in anger" she announced. Little did she know that it was not only anger that made Manvi turn red but they decided to keep it that way for now. "Now, apologize to mummy by holding your ears "she instructed. Virat scoffed and got up from the couch; he lifted his angel and placed her next to Manvi. Virat then went down on his knees and held his ears and apologized to the two beauties in his life, "Will you forgive me my love?" Mia and Manvi pretended to give serious consideration to Virat's apology. After some time, Manvi nudged her daughter and whispered in her ears "Shall we forgive him?" Mia immediately smiled and nodded. Manvi finally chuckled and announced "Theek hai, after consideration we have decided to forgive you". Virat sighed in relief, "For once I thought I will be stoned in this position forever. Thank god, you decided to bestow mercy on me".

Suddenly there was a loud roar breaking the serenity of the night and immediately Mia and Manvi hugged Virat. He wrapped his hand around both of them, calming them out of their fear of thunder. "Some things never change. Arey yaar, why fear when Virat is here" he told them. "Now do you understand why it is necessary for me to be here with you instead of the promotion tour? If not for me, mother and daughter would have brought the whole house down. Am I right?" he asked her. Manvi couldn't deny that she and Mia once freaked out when they found a mouse in the garden and screamed so loudly that everyone in the house panicked fearing something really bad has happened. It took her di and Vanshika ma almost an hour to calm both of them down and find out the actual reason. Virat immediately ensured that not only the house but the entire area was mouse-free; he didn't want anyone to have heart attack from another hungama that both his drama-queens are capable of creating if they encounter another mouse. They were both still clinging to him even after the thunder has calmed, Virat called out Manvi's name softly. Manvi finally looked up, the calmness in his voice gave her the assurance, the comfort that she needed. "You're ok? It was just a thunder baby" he assured her and her lips curved into a faint smile. Virat then softly kissed his little angel, carrying her into his arms. He could see her angelic eyes slowly opening, her fear immediately vanished the moment her eyes met his gaze. "Papa" she cried and hugged him tight.

Virat made Mia sit on his lap while Manvi rested her head on his shoulder and assured them "Both of you are my world, my family and I will never let anything harm both of you". "Ouch!" Manvi cried out and Virat panicked. "Manvi, kya hua?" Manvi held her baby bump and smiled, "I guess someone is seeking your attention and reminding you that your junior will be one joining us soon. Usko mat bulna." She took his hand and placed it on her bump, letting him feel the movement of their baby. Virat lowered down his head and whispered "Hey junior, how can I ever forget you? You are the reason why I fought with your mummy today, she wants me to concentrate on my career but do you think I will ever miss being there to welcome you and embrace you when you decide to make your debut to our world. Mummy, papa and Mia didi love you a lot and we are looking forward for you junior. Virat kissed his junior and asked Manvi, "Do you think my junior will ever forgive me if I was not with there with his mummy when he arrives?" Manvi was unable to answer him but she knows that she needs him in every phase of her life.

VirMan OS : Partners for Life

"Mannu since when you started nature photography as your hobby? Jeevika quizzed when Manvi insisted to go on jungle trekking for her project. "Woh Di, aapki shaadi ki baat mein bahut bored hogayi aur meina socha  kuch interesting hobby dundo. Us waqt meina photography choonliya. In fact, I have always loved to capture all memorable moments in my camera since young nah, the only difference now that I m capturing nature's memorable moments"  Manvi happily answered Jeevika. "But Mannu, I wanted to spend the day with you and you are planning your jungle trip today" Jeevika sulked in disappointment. "Di, I didn't know about your surprise plan and I have deadline for submission. Let me think of something Di" Manvi told her and went into her thinking mood. She was torn between her Di and her deadline; of course her Di always took precedence in her decision. "Saali  saheeba, can I suggest something?" Viren intercepted unable to bear seeing the behna's in helpless state. "Of course Jeeju, is there a need to ask?" she replied instantly. I know a good resort nearby Rishikesh which is near to the woods. Most people go there to escape the busy city life for camping and rafting. Let me get Virat to see whether he can get reservation for us. Then all of us can go a holiday, my wife can spend time with her sister and my saali can still meet her deadline. What say ladies?" Viren asked. "Jeeju, you are a genius... How can you come up with perfect solutions all the time?" Manvi cried in excitement but the name Virat irked her. The plan would have been perfect without him she thought to herself. Jeevika was beaming in joy.

"Jeeju, why Virat? Give me the name of the resort, I will check it out. After all, he is in Chandigarh, so why bother him" she volunteered in her attempt to keep Virat off her bay. "Chandigarh? Nah Mannu, Virat is here in Rishikesh with us. He dropped us here and went off to sort out something" Jeevika replied naively failing to realize the uneasiness in her sister but it didn't go unnoticed by Viren. "Oh, Virat is also here?" Manvi cited in reluctance. Viren has always knew something was brewing between his little brother and his  saali and his observations only strengthens his suspicion. "This is his forte Manvi, he will sort all this within minutes. Let me call him now." Viren replied and walked out to call Virat. Manvi has kept her distance from Virat ever since she noticed difference in his behaviour. He was no longer the Chep that she knew, she was unable to look into his eyes anymore, his proximity gave her goose bumps and his sudden affection was different. His words had double meaning which she found it difficult to decode.

Jeevika excused herself to help Beeji while Manvi left to prepare the guest room for their unexpected guest. Their bond as frenemy somehow boomed well into partners. Although they seem like total opposite in nature, there were many similarities between them that brought them together. Unknowingly the Maya's entry has been the stepping stone for realization between them. They began to understand each other more and saw the other side of themselves that they failed to notice earlier. Instead of being sad of his break-off, Virat was angry at her for breaking this trust. Manvi was angry at him for breaking her attempt to patch him up with Maya.  It was her first mission that took off well and failed, in opposite of the previous track record. All her missions start off with a blow and ends up successful. She expected an apology and explanations from her partner but he refused. He ignored her; refuse to answer her calls and one fine day ends up standing in front of her in Rishikesh pretending nothing has happened. She wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine but instead of brewing in fury at her cold treatment, he was ever- accommodating. He never irritated her, he was almost flirting with her, trying to impress her and somehow that freaked her out. It seemed like he planned a sweet revenge for her, which she was caution enough not to fall for. He insists on having 15 minutes of her time which she refuses to grant. She knows that next to her Di, he seems to know her weak points. Something in him, his eyes will make her melt and lose her sanity. She was never going to give in this time until he gives her overdue apology. She made his stay a living hell in Rishikesh, got him into awkward situation with Beeji, Chachi and Chachu, used Dabbu as her bait to drive him off the walls but somehow he tolerated all knowing she was the mastermind behind. The longingness in his eyes, the sweetness in his words and the vibes around him disturbed her physically and emotionally.

Heavy heartedly he left after 3 days; he was never granted the 15 minutes that he pleaded for. Instead of rejoicing her triumph, Manvi was disturbed. The longingness and yearning in his eyes when he left haunted her till today. At first, she felt guilty for behaving in such manner. Then her guilt became longing for him, she missed him, his voice, his nok-joks, his smile, their long chats. The longing became yearning, she started to dream of him and now she feels his presence around her. "Manvi... Kaha hai tu?" she heard Jeevika's call from downstairs. "Di, I'm preparing the guest room" she replied back. Minutes later, she heard a knock on the door. "Di, since when you started knocking in your own house?" she hailed back while finishing on the final touches in the room. Surprised on her Di's silence, Manvi turned towards the door. Her feet were rooted to the floor, her heart performed rhythmic gymnastics and she felt a surge of happiness seeing him there. She expected him to greet his partner and welcome her with his smile but Virat did neither of that. He just stood there, with his arms cross and his expression was new to her. She regained her composure and decided to leave before her sanity betrays her. She walked pass him and he didn't bother to greet her nor did he stop her. She felt a pang of disappointment in her but her pride was not going to let her down. "Virat Singh Vandhera, tum attitude dekhna chaatha hai! I'm in for the game as well" she mentally challenged him.

Viren updated everyone on their plan for their getaway in the forest resort. Virat engaged in conversation with everyone except her and it irked her. Viren noticed the exceptional behaviour of his brother and saali and mentally made a note to speak to Virat about it. Virat was at the balcony after the dinner when Viren joined him. "Virat, what are you doing here?" Viren's voice startled him from his train of thoughts. "Kuch nahi, just needed some fresh air. Anyways I'm not getting signal in the house, so decided to come here for better signal" he lied. "Acha, since when our service provider started to be bias in providing coverage?" Viren questioned him. "Bhai, we both are using the same provider. It is nothing to do with telephone signal but it has something to do with the Manvi. Kya chalraha tum dunno ki beech?" he asked. Virat knew that he couldn't hide any further from his br other. Virat absently rubbed his forehead thinking how to begin. "Bhai, remember how you always thought that there was something more than mere friendship between me and Manvi. Initially I brushed off the thoughts as well but as days passed, I felt my attraction, affection towards her grew stronger. I started my day and end my day with her voice, her calls. I started seeing her qualities in Maya; I realized that it was the Manvi in Maya that brought me back to her. When you described Maya to Dadaji, I swear I saw Manvi in your words and no one else. It took a while to realize that I decided to give Maya a shot because Manvi wanted it. Everything around me happened because either it was what Manvi wanted, or it is because it made Manvi happy or that would have been what Manvi would have done. I didn't want to share this with you as I was not sure of it myself. I didn't want to be influenced by what others perceive, I wanted to be sure it was Manvi who I really want, whom I really love. Bhai, I apologized to you the other day because Manvi refused to talk to me till I apologized to her peace loving Jeeju. Finally I saw it, all the puzzles seems to make sense. I broke-up with Maya; I told her that the fog that was clouding my mind was gone. I knew who my heart desires, whom I truly love. Ironically she knew it was Manvi. Seems like the whole world knew we were meant for each other, except us. Unfortunately your dear Saali is still clueless about it. I came to Rishkesh in pretence of our new project, I wanted to confess my feelings, wanted to ensure she feels the same for me before I share it with you. Being a typical Bandariya, she was mad at me for dumping Maya, failing her mission, disappointing her trust and not realizing what I truly feel for her, she is my happiness. She refused to grant me the 15 minutes I requested as my punishment. I decided to give her the pleasure of winning and decided to give us the space and time needed. I know she was equally disturbed, there are hundreds of questions in her head and today when I saw her, my heart knew she felt the same for me. She went thru the same torture that I went thru without her. I decided to give her a taste of her own medicine for awhile "Virat finally poured out his emotions.

Viren couldn't contain his excitement any longer; he once started doubting himself and thought he was wrong in his judgment as how Jeevika sees it. He was glad to prove her wrong. He hugged his little brother, "You have made the right choice bhai. Finally you have found someone who is meant for you. She is the only one who can control my bhai and the same time drives him off the walls" he told him. "Thanks Bhai" Virat replied him. "Anyways, stop torturing my saali any further with your attitude. I will ensure both of you have sometime alone to sort things out tomorrow" Viren warned him. "Bhai, your Saali tortured me for three full days and you don't want to give me a pleasure of torturing her for even one day. Anyways, it won't be for long. I promise. I can't bear to see her in that state as well. " Virat assured him and both the brothers called it a day.

They left early for their getaway. Manvi was elated for being able to spend time with her Di but she was also anxious about Virat. It would be almost impossible to avoid him and try to act normal despite her internal turmoil. Manvi was sitting with Jeevika while the Virat was driving and Viren was navigating. They finally reached their destination after the long drive. The atmosphere was breathtaking, it was so close nature. Viren was completing their check-in formalities while the sisters were busy making themselves comfortable in their chalet. Jeevika was singing her Devar's praise for choosing such a fine and beautiful place. Nothing was more meaningful for her than to be close to her husband and sister in Rishikesh itself. Virat returned moments later with booklets and brochures on all the activities available and the jungle trekking options.  The foursome had their sumptuous lunch and decided to get ready for their jungle trekking.  Everybody patiently waited for Manvi to get ready and almost after 15 minutes she appeared from her room all geared up for her trekking cum photography trip. The brothers and Jeevika was astonished when they saw her. She was cladded in her jeans, top with a backpack that was almost as huge as her. Her camera hung around her neck and her bag containing her other equipment on her shoulder. Virat was unable to contain his laughter any longer; he burst out laughing joined by Viren and Jeevika. "Bhai, I thought we are only going jungle trekking for a few hours but someone is packed as if we are going for a week" Virat chuckled and Manvi's cheeks turned crimson  red out of anger. She shot him her dagger glance and retorted "Di, I just packed some food stuff and some other necessities in case we need them in the jungle. Anyways, why should anyone bother since I will be the one carrying it! If anyone has the right to complain, it will be me" she snapped at him and walked towards the door. Virat realized that both the dagger glance & words were directed at him but he chose not to argue. Viren patted on his shoulder "Chal mera bhai".

Manvi was leading the trail while Virat was behind her and his bhai and bhabi was behind him taking their romantic stroll. He was amused to see his Bandariya struggling with the trail map, her camera with her food supplies for their hike. He offered his help to carry but she declined it. Suddenly they heard loud cry from behind and Manvi immediately knew it belonged to her Di. She dashed behind to see Jeevika was in pain. 'Di, appko kya hua? " she cried out. "Kuch nahi Mannu, I slipped on the rock and I think I have sprained my leg." Jeevika explained. "Di, can't you be careful while walking. Are you sure it is only a sprain and nothing else? Can you walk? Should we call for help?" Manvi panicked. "Relax Mannu, it is a small sprain. Nothing else, I will be fine." Jeevika reassured her. "Manvi, I don't think Jeevika can continue the trekking. I will take her back to the chalet while you continue with Virat. We shall meet in the evening" Viren suggested. "Nahi Jeeju, I will also follow you back" she insisted. "No Mannu, Viren ji is right. There is nothing you can do as well. I think I will be fine if I rest for a while. You continue with your photography, the weather is good and I'm sure you will get good shots." Jeevika explained. Reluctantly Manvi agreed and bid her sister goodbye. She carried on with her trekking with Virat. When Manvi and Virat where off their sight, Viren carried Jeevika and headed back to their chalet.

Both Virat and Manvi felt awkward with the silence that was lingering between them. It was the first time that they were both together after their fiasco. Virat was thinking hard on how to break the ice between them. He had his moment that he was yearning for, only both of them with complete solitude. He saw her slowing down with her pace; he knew she couldn't bear the weight of her bag. Manvi was about to lose her balance when Virat holds her on time. She froze on his arms, she felt so safe in his arms and wish she never had to leave his arms. It took her awhile before she got back to reality and abruptly freed herself from his grip. Virat reluctantly let her off but held her hand to stop her. "Manvi, give me your bag" Virat requested but Manvi ignored him and started to walk. Virat stopped her and forcefully removed the bag from her shoulders and carried it instead. "Manvi, don't argue. You have tendency on falling down on normal occasion, I can't imagine how you will manage with this weight on your shoulder" he explained. Manvi tried to argue but Virat cut her off. "Manvi, No more arguments! You just concentrate on your photography while I will manage this" he instructed, leaving her no option but to agree. Manvi was immersed in her photography while he was immersed in admiring her. He occasionally took shots of her from his mobile while she was busy in her task. He didn't realize how the time passed until he heard the sound of birds returning to their nest. Virat glanced at his watch and realized that it will be dark soon. "Manvi, chalo yaar. It is almost dark, we should start now else we will be stuck here."  'Hain Virat, just give me 5 mins yaar. I just need a perfect angle for this shot" she requested. "Theek hai, jaldi karo yaar" he reminded her. Typical of Manvi, her 5 minutes stretched to almost 30 minutes and Virat was reluctant to stop her. Bechari was trying to get a perfect shot from all angles " he thought to himself

"Ok Virat, I'm done! We can leave now. "she exclaimed. From Virat's expression, she knew she was late. She checked her time and realized how late it was. "Oh damn Virat, it is almost dark. We need to rush else it will be impossible to find our way back once it is dark." She told him while guiding him the way out based on her map. "Oye Bandariya, this was what I was trying to convey to you earlier as well." He slumped reiterated as he followed her. After almost an hour, Virat was sceptical on the path they were going. "Manvi, are you sure where you are heading to. It looks wrong" he asked her. "I'm sure Virat. The map indicates this as the alternative route back to our chalet. Don't under estimate me, I do know how to follow map" She replied him confidently. They quietly walked for another 30 minutes, when he noticed Manvi slowing down and scratching her head.  His instinct was right, they were totally lost and off track from the trail. "Virat, according to the map, we should have reached but I don't see any sign of the chalets nor any other indications specified in the map. I think we may be lost!" she confessed in a low tone. "Manvi, at least give me the map now." Virat requested. Manvi handed the map to him, he was calm but she could sense the tension in his voice. "My-Dear-Ms-I-Know-How-To-Follow-Map, you have been reading the map upside down! Following the map and reading the map correctly are two different things Manvi and that is the reason why we are lost" he finally answered after studying the map. She was dumbstruck; she didn't realize she made such a huge blunder. She thought she could handle it and she screwed up again. "What are we going to do now? "she asked softly not wanting to irk him any further. "Let me think. It is almost impossible to find our way back even with the map coz we don't know where we are now! He took out the leaflets from his bag, and suddenly she saw a spark in his eyes as if he found a solution. "Ok, this is the plan. We have approx 30 minutes before it turns completely dark, it is impossible to reach back within 30 minutes. According to the leaflets, they have several viewing point towers in the jungle and I remember sighting one on our way earlier. We shall spend the night at the tower, and leave back to the chalet first thing tomorrow morning. Once we reach the tower, we will know our exact location and we can find our way back with the map. So what do you say? "he asked her. She nodded in agreement and what surprised her that he was still calm and that he even bothered asking her opinion despite the blunder that she has made. He led the way and she followed quietly; he frequently turned behind to ensure she was alright.

They both slumped off on the floor the moment they reached the top of the tower; they were totally exhausted and hungry. Virat called Viren to update on how they got lost and his plan. Moments later, Virat received a text message "Bhai, do you want me to arrange for help or would you rather I leave both of you alone?". Virat smirked the moment he read it, "Whatever you deem as suitable" he replied back and he immediately got his reply "You wanted 15 minutes and now you have the whole night to confess. All the best mera bhai and take care of my Saali" . Virat smiled and replied back "Thanks Bhai. You enjoy your romantic getaway with Bhabi as well". Manvi was silent but she was scrutinizing his expression, she couldn't bear the awkwardness that was surrounding them but at the same time she was not ready to give in first. Virat noticed this from the corner of his eyes and decided that he will make the first move to end it. "Manvi, I have informed Bhai about us, he will inform Bhabhi but no one else will be aware of this. Don't blurt it out to anyone at home and Bhabhi is fine now. "he updated her as he walked towards her. He sat next to her and asked her "Is everything alright with you? You have been exceptionally quiet "he asked in concern. "Virat, I m sorry." she finally spoke. "It's alright, I know how much you love being close to where you truly belong Bandariya" he chuckled. It took Manvi awhile to understand what he actually meant and she smacked him on his head for his sarcasm. "Actually, I owe you several apologies" she started. "Please enlighten me" he told her. "Firstly for Maya fiasco, I was actually angry with you when I heard about the breakup. Then I spoke to Maya a few days ago and then I realized my mistake. Maya told me it was a mutual breakup and she realized that she couldn't see the love and affection for her in you. She finally realized that you have moved on and you will never be happy with her. Then I realized that I was the one who forced you to patch up with my emotional blackmail under the impression that it was for the sake of your happiness. I actually listened to others and assumed your happiness was with Maya but I fail to ask you. I didn't bother asking my partner where his actually happiness lies. I could have ruined your life and Maya's but you manage to salvage me from the biggest blunder in my life. I don't care whether Swamini bua will be angry with me or not but what really matters to me is your happiness." She explained and Virat was relieved to hear that she has realized his love lies somewhere else but she just didn't know it was her. "The next apology would be? " he asked her. "Well the next apology would be f or the way I behaved when you were in Rishikesh. Instead of being there for you, listening to what you had to say, I threw my tantrum on you. I refuse to grant you the mere 15 minutes to listen to you. Virat, you have been there for me whenever I needed you, you have always helped me to redeem myself from all the mess that I have caused after Di, you have stood up for me whenever I was taunted and in return I was never there for you. I failed you as your partner, I failed you as a friend" she told in a shaky voice and tears started forming in her eyes. Virat wanted to hug and tell her that she was wrong but he refrained himself. He put his hand around her shoulder in comfort and whispered to her "Enough of apologies Bandariya. You have never failed me partner and you will never do. You have all the rights on me. I will accept all your apologies with one condition" he told her. "What condition?" she asked him immediately. " Erase all the guilt from you and I only want to see the smile in your face and nothing else. This emotional character doesn't suit you; I want back my old Bandariya. Ok?" he asked her. Her eyes sparked in joy and the beautiful smile adorned her face again. "Now that is like my darling" he replied softly. "What did you say Virat? "she questioned him but he diverted her.

"I'm famished; let's see what you have in this mini storage of your" he suggested and she immediately agreed. Manvi laid the spread of food that she brought and Virat was astonished. "Manvi, you can practically open a mini Dabba here tonight" he teased her. "I'm so hungry that I can finish everything here, so shut up and eat else there will be nothing left" she warned him. They enjoyed the rest of night in each other's company with their typical nok-jok and masti and fell asleep in each other's arms without realizing it. The rays of sunshine woke Virat from his sleep, he woke up to see Manvi holding tight to his shirt while her head rested on his chest and his hand were wrapped around her. "Good morning sweetheart" he whispered in her ears and she stirred in her sleep while moving closer to him, "Let me sleep a bit longer in your arms before you disappear again" she mumbled. Virat couldn't believe his ears; he was now sure she felt the same for him as much as he did for her. "I believe I have not acquired the skill to disappear yet Bandariya but I will promise that I will not disappear today" he replied her as he tightens his arms around her. Suddenly he felt her body became stiff, she opened her eyes in shock and realized her position. She tried to untangle herself from him but instead she ended up falling on him again. "What is the rush Bandariya?" he asked as his hand snaked around her waist holding her closer to him. "Let me complete what I have wanted to tell you since the day I was in Rishikesh. Manvi, I realize that you were not only my partner but you were more than that. You are my life; you are where my true happiness lies. It is you whom my heart truly desires and loves. My happiness lies in you, in your smile. Manvi, I love you and I want you to b e my partner in my life forever, in my happiness. Are you in for ready for this new partnership?" he asked her. Manvi was blushing and finally she got the answer for her questions, it was love. She was in love with her Chep and she failed to realize it. "Partnership accepted and I love you too Chep" she finally confessed the words that his heart wanted to hear.

VirMan OS : Raang Birangi Holi

"Bolo Di, Is it a deal this year? Come on Di" Manvi was jumping in joy while waiting for Jeevika to respond. "Kaisa deal Saali Sahiba?" Viren interrupted his wife and his Saali's conversation. "Woh jeeju, I was reconfirming our yearly Holi deal. Haar saal, there will be competition between Di and myself. It is norm that we will put color each other first before anyone else and the competition is who will be the first to color. The loser will have to obey the winner's hukum for a day" Manvi announced the Behna's Holi deal. Viren's smile faded as he heard the deal and Manvi immediately noticed it. " Kya hua Jeeju" Manvi was asked in concern. "Is there any chance for you to compromise your deal this year?" Viren requested. "Kaisa compromise Jeeju?" Manvi quizzed. "Can both of us share the privilege of being the first to apply color on Jeevika tomorrow?" Viren asked. His suggestion left both the sister baffled. "How is that possible" both the sisters asked in unison.  "Very simple, let's make a deal Saali Sahiba. I will be the first to color my wife on her left cheek while you will be the first to color your di on her right cheek. Both of our wish will be fulfilled, what say ladies?" Viren presented his case with the best negotiation deal. "Jeeju you are such a genius, it is a pakka deal!" Manvi jumped in joy and left the room. Jeevika couldn't help admiring her lawyer husband who has handled the situation so well without disappointing Manvi and freeing her from her dilemma.

Manvi rose with joy in the morning. She was elated to see extravaganza Holi celebration at the Vandhera mansion. The place was filled with people, music, dance and colors. She has only seen such celebration on movies and today she is part of it.  Manvi realized that her mission would be extra difficult this year; firstly she has to locate her Di and reach her before anyone else manages to color her Di or herself for the matter. "Come on Manvi Chowdary, you can do it yaar. Stay focus, stay away from color until you find Di!" Manvi kept on reminding herself while her eye scans for Jeevika in the crowd. "Uff, seems like the whole Chandigarh has flooded the Vandhera house... Di kaha hai tum?" Manvi mumbled to herself. At last, she found Swamini bua introducing her Di to some guest."Didi, here I come" she slyly smiled to herself and  went into the crowd while keeping her radar active to avoid any color attack on herself  before she accomplish her mission.

Virat's eyes were skimming for his partner, his Bandariya amongst the crowd. He found it disturbing that she was not part of the celebration. He was worried whether she was not well or did anyone forbid her from attending the celebration. Lately she has been apple of the eye for Vandhera clan especially Dadaji and Swamini bua, so it is pretty impossible that someone would have been harsh on her. Suddenly his gaze fell upon a familiar petite figure trying to penetrate thru the crowd. She seems to be very discreet in her act; at the same time it seemed like she was preying on someone.  Virat smirked when he saw his Bandariya in action, filled his palms with color and set on his new mission "Mission Bandariya" with the devilish grin on his face. Manvi almost reached her Di when Kadambari chachi whisked Jeevika from the spot to meet some other guest. Manvi was irritated, "If Di needs to meet so many people, then they should just organize a national parade and Di can meet the entire guest at once" she grumbled while looking for hideout to plan her next attempt. Jeevika was also eyeing for Manvi in the midst of entertaining the guest. She has also assigned her husband to spy for his Saali but she was pretty skeptical since he is capable of siding towards his Saali more often. "After all, Manvi didn't earn the name 'Jeeju ki Chamchi' from Virat for no reason" she thought to herself.

Jeevika finally spotted Manvi walking towards the secluded fountain area, she was about go behind her when Vanshika Ma requested Jeevika for an errand. She was unable to decline."Acha toh mere moos yahan chup rahe" she thought to herself and decided to deal with Mannu the moment she is done with her errand. Manvi was sitting at the fountain, planning her next attempt when suddenly she felt presence of an intruder. Before she could strike, she felt her both her cheeks were filled with gulal by a familiar touch. "Aww Di, you won again this year!" she exclaimed and turned with her 500 watts smile and suddenly the smile vanished into shock. The familiar touch, the hand that painted her cheeks with yellow gulal belonged to Virat not her Di. "Virat! Tumne yeh kya kiya!"  Manvi gasped in shock. Virat was equally flabbergasted with her reaction; his heart ached the moment her smile faded."Mannu..." Jeevika cried from behind. Manvi's eyes got teary the moment she saw her Di who was standing behind Virat holding the tray of colors. "You broke our tradition Mannu, and you lost again this year" Jeevika joked while pouting her lips pretending to be disappointment. "Di, I'm sorry. Thanks to your Devar, everything is ruined" Manvi replied in low voice. Jeevika sensed the change in Manvi and hugged her, "Arrey Pagal, how can anyone ruin our Holi Mannu. The tradition is not fully broken, my right cheeks is still waiting for you nah" she comforted her. Both the sisters cuddled in their sisterly hug until Viren interrupted. Both the sisters applied color on their cheeks and wished each other again and ended it with their trademark coin flip into the fountain. Then it was the jeeju-saali and bhabhi-devar holi moments before Jeevika and Viren excused themselves. Virat wished Manvi after his bhabhi and bhai left and Manvi replied with curt nod. Her expression didn't match her eyes and for once he was unable to gauge whether she was angry or sad

Virat felt pang of guilt for ruining his Bandariya's Holi. He wanted to apologize to her but she disappeared into the crowd. Virat hurried behind her but he lost her trail.  He was about to search for her when Swamini bua requested him to entertain some guest.  Despite being physically present, his mind wandered for his Bandariya; he was unsure why he is unable to bear seeing her being sad. Viren salvaged him from the agony, Virat immediately excused himself and left to hunt down his Bandariya and bring back the smile that he snatched. He searched the whole place but she was nowhere to be found, not even in her room. His anxiety was driving him crazy when he found the terrace door open. He mentally smacked his head, "How can I forget the terrace!! This is the place she finds her solace whenever she is happy, down or angry". He slowly tip-toed to the terrace as he didn't want to scare her, he has done enough damage for the day when he heard her conversation with her demised parents.

"Mummy Papa, muhje kya hua? I was supposed to be angry at him for ruining my Holi, breaking our tradition. I was mentally prepared that my Holi will never be the same the day Di got married but this year was an exceptional gift for me. It was like dream come true to continue our tradition which I thought was never possible thanks to Jeeju but yet destiny cheated me in His form. It was Di's right to color my Holi, to color my life not His yet why is this weird feeling overpowering my anger. This is Manvi  Chowdary... I was supposed to give him a piece of my mind instead of walking away. Why is my anger crystalizing to tears the moment it meets his gaze? Why am I melting in his smile and why am I crying now when I'm supposed to brewing in fury... Kyu?" she asked her parents.  

"Hey partner, can I join you in your private celebration" he asked her. His voice startled her, her body jerked in shock while she turn away to flutter away the tears that was forming in her eyes hoping he has not heard anything. "Tum aur yahan! " she probed him. "Haan mein and was that a Yes or No for my request?" he asked. "It is a free world and this is your house so you can sit wherever you wish" she shrugged. Her felt her sarcasm in her reply and coldness in her tone. Manvi was about to get up when she felt his grip on her wrist, "Thodi dheer ruk jao Manvi. Mera baath suno" he pleaded. "Kya kehna chata hai?" she snapped at him and freed off his grip."Woh actually mein...Woh..." he floundered for words. "Woh Manvi, I'm sorry yaar. I didn't mean to ruin your Holi nor your tradition. Mujhe kuch nahi pata and you didn't bother sharing this with me. Call yourself my partner and never bother sharing this important tradition and plan with me?" he replied. "Waise are you apologizing or blaming me?" she shoots him back. "Acha sunno meri pyari bhabhi ki bhehna, I'm really sorry meri maa" he pleaded by pulling his ears with his trademark smile. "Theek hai beta, your forgiven" she melted in his apologies. "Pakka?" he asked again. "You need a declaration letter?" she mocked at him. "Nah I need your smile to prove it" he smirked and she blushed. Her lips slowly curved into smile fulfilling his wish and he was euphoric.

'Chalo mere partner, we have missed half of the Holi ka mazak. It is time for double masti, let's paint the Vanderas and Chandigarh with colors" he hailed while extending his hand to her.  The word "masti" brought back the glee in Manvi's face as she held his hand as they walked out. Suddenly she paused, "Virat ek minute ruko" she cried while running back to the terrace. "Happy Holi partner!" she shouted as she colored his face with raang. "Happy Holi mere Bandariya" he replied her. He was not sure why but he felt so contented to see her smile, her excitement. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder as they walked out to enjoy their Holi.