CONNECTED IN LOVE - Part 34

Part 34



When they drove to the gates of the huge mansion like house, they were surprised to find their car was allotted a special parking inside the gates.

"How sweet and thoughtful of Rohit!" Nikki exclaimed.

As they entered the house, they were warmly greeted by Rohit, Sonam and their families. Kavita expresses concern over the attack on them, the previous day. The others also showered extra attention on the two, since Nikki was attacked in her pregnant condition and Abhi's scars were visible. Abhi brushed it off as nothing, though, after Rajesh's warning, he knew there was more to what meets the eye, but, he did not want Nikki to be, even slightly, alarmed.

As they were making their way towards Anjali, Atul and Muskaan who were standing across the room, they meet a bubbly Simran.


"Hi Jeeju, Hi Di, so nice to see you both," she greets them excitedly. Then looking at Sid who was gaping mesmerized at her, she mumbles shyly, "Hi Sid."
Abhi and Nikki exchange knowing smiles.

"Hey Simran! How are you?" Abhi greets her giving her a hug after she was done hugging Nikki. "You are looking very pretty!"

"Thanks Jeeju!"

"Why such a low spirited greeting for Sid?" He asks with the raise of an eyebrow.

Simran abashedly lowers her eyes.

"Haan I know I know, you must be worried on seeing him. After all, this guy troubles you a lot," he tells her with a straight face. Making eyes at him, Nikki pokes him in the rib while Sid's eyes kept widening in alarm and he shakes his head trying to negate Abhi's words.

"But don't worry, today if he troubles you, I am around. Come right away and tell me. I'll take care of him, Okay?" he tells her with a naughty smile

"Abhi, lets go. Muskaan is calling us," taking Simran's leave, an amused Nikki drags him away.



Looking at the nervous faces of Sid and Simran, Abhi grins.
"You are Incorrigible!" Nikki chides him with a laugh as they walk towards the group.





Nikki was surprised to find Armaan and Riddhima had not come in as yet. When she enquires with the others, Anjali tells her they said they had some important work and would be here soon. Abhi hides a smile knowing exactly what they were upto.

"Ah here they come!" exclaims Muskaan, seeing Armaan and Riddhima come up behind Abhi and Nikki. Turning towards them, Nikki exchanges a hug with Riddhima.

"I thought only we were late, thanks to my husband," she looks pointedly at Abhi, "but what took you guys so long?"

"Your husband!" Armaan blurts out. Abhi and Riddhima freeze. Covered by Riddhima, Abhi digs his elbow hard into Armaan's stomach, while Riddhima turns and glares at him.

"What?" Nikki and the others question them.

"Oh....I...... mean.......I mean" he stutters. Abhi and Riddhima look askance at him, wondering how he was going to answer that. "We had decided we would enter along with you guys, but.......but.......your husband forgot about us," he scowls at Abhi who exhaled in relief.

Armaan then hugs Nikki warmly and says " I don't really blame him, especially when his pregnant wife is glowing so much!" As Nikki blushes with his compliment, Abhi and Riddhima close their eyes in relief.

Noticing a vacant table in the corner, Muskaan says they'll sit there. As the group moves towards the table, Abhi stops Armaan and Riddhima.

"What was that eh?" he hisses below his breath at Armaan. "You will never change!"

"Hey and what about you? What took you so long?"Armaan admonishes him keeping his voice low. "Bloody hell, we were sitting in the car for a hour just waiting for you to get out of your house. I am sure you did it purposely to rile me. I am going to make you pay for it"

"Haan haan, I already apologized to you guys. I didn't expect the cops to take so long. By the way, what are you grumbling for? You were sitting with your wife and I am sure you would have used the unexpected time to romance with her, after all, its very difficult to get such rare moments."

Riddhima blushes.

She looks at the two men arguing with each other in low voices and shakes her head in exasperation. Everything will change, but these two will never change! But, she did notice there wasn't any hatred between them, even though, they were looking fiercely at each other. Their relationship has indeed changed. Their arguments and taunts have reached a certain comfortable level, knowing that the other will not be hurt or infuriated with it. She knew, in their heart, they have great respect and fondness for each other. They also had the confidence that the other will always be there in times of their need. But their egos will never get them to admit it.

'How does it really matter?' she tells herself. 'What matters is that they have no ill feelings for each other in their hearts. She smiles fondly at them.
"Stop it Guys!" she whispers, breaking their argument. "Nikki is watching us and we don't want her to suspect anything. Right?"

They nod their heads.

"Abhimanyu, everything is taken care of," she tells him. "After the work gets done, Pushpa is leaving. She said she'll give me a call and we'll handle Sid."

"Great ! thanks so much guys!" Abhi looks at her with affection.

"Haan teek hai teek hai,"Armaan tells him grudgingly "Who is doing it for you? I am doing it more for Nikki. She is my friend first."

Riddhima looks admiringly at Abhi.

"You are wonderful," she tells him her eyes misty. "I am so happy Nikki has you!"

Abhi smiles and says

"I am lucky to have Nikki in my life, she has brought me so much of happiness and wonderful friends like you."

He stretches an arm and hugs her.

"Hey, Hey, Easy Man! Don't forget she is my wife!" Armaan warns him with a half grin.

"Get Lost!" Abhi tells him. "To me, she is my friend first!" he winks at Riddhima who gives him a broad smile.

Noticing Nikki darting glances towards them, Riddhima warns, "Guys Nikki is watching us. Lets go to them, before she comes here."

When they reach the group, a suspecting Nikki asks them if everything was alright and they nod their heads.

"How can I not take the opportunity to fight with your husband?" Armaan tells her looking wryly at Abhi, putting Nikki's suspicion at rest.

Atul tells them since, next day, Rohit-Simran were leaving for their honeymoon and Armaan-Riddhima leaving for London the same day, they should party the whole night.

"NO!" holler Abhi, Armaan and Riddhima loudly, startling everyone with their sudden outburst. Nikki is even more stunned. 'What is happening ? Why are the three behaving so strange ?' she wonders.

"Why?" they were asked.

"Er..Er.. Why?" Riddhima stammers nervously and looks helplessly at Armaan and Abhi for help.

"Haan........Why?" Armaan looks from her to Abhi for an answer.

"Why.........Why......."Abhi continues with the trend of stuttering desperately trying to find an answer. Everyone was looking at them in puzzlement. "Haan......Nik....Nikki cannot stay awake the whole night na? That's why!" Abhi blurts out with spurts of nervous laughs in between.

"Haan........Yes....... Yes........" Relieved, Armaan and Riddhima support him with equal nervous laughs in between.

Nikki looks suspiciously at the three, her eyes moving from one to another. Abhi gives her a half-hearted smile and quickly glances away.



Everyone was having fun at the party. In her heart Nikki was bubbling with happiness. She was now confident her husband was completely hers. The feeling of being loved and cherished by him, sent her spirits soaring high. The deal between them had gotten her even more excited. Happily she tried every trick to make things difficult for him to keep his part of the challenge.



Whenever she found the opportunity, she would impishily lean against him, caress his arm on the quiet, put her hand on his thigh, whisper lovingly into his ears. Everytime she saw the desire and longing in his eyes, her face would light up in triumphant pleasure.


Abhi was even more delighted to see her eyes sparkling with excitement and happiness. He knew exactly what she was upto and was enjoying her naughty attempts to get him to make the first move. 'He should have set up rules to their game,' the thinks, 'a rule to keep a safe distance from each other. It would have been easier keeping his part of the challenge, but, in his heart he knew he had nothing to lose.



Sometime later the gang decide to have dinner. As the group proceed to the next room, where the dinner was served, Nikki tells them she'll find Abhi and get him to have dinner too.



She finds him in a corner, leaning over a tall round table, chatting with someone. The moment the man moved away, Nikki goes near him.

Quietly slipping her hand into his arm, that was lying on the table, she leans against him and nuzzles her nose affectionately against his shoulder.
"How are you doing Hubby Dear?" she asks him

"All of a sudden, so much love for your husband?" he taunts, with a wry puckering up of his lips.

"What to do he is so irresistible today!"

"Oh !" Abhi mouths. "You mean otherwise he isn't?" he questions with the raise of an eyebrow. Nikki lowers her eyes unable to meet his.

"You enticing siren, you think I can't see what you are upto?" he dares, a teasing smile forming at the corners of his lips
"Wh.......What do you mean?"

"I mean I can see through your smart moves Wifey! All this extra lovey-doviness so openly in public, which you normally fight shy to do even when we are alone........" Inspite of his dry humour, the fact that he was enjoying her playfulness was clearly visible in his eyes.

Nikki flusters.

"As they say, everything is fair in love and war!" she tells him sheepishily.

"Hmmm I know! Only when its tried on one's self, its difficult to buy that!" he grins.

Nikki lets out a coy laugh. Abhi smiles as he fondly plays with her fingers, sending a tingling sensation through her whole body. There was a certain kind of sexiness in his smile making his whole face so attractive that it was pulling her like a magnet towards him. Looking lovingly into his face, she knew if he had his way, she wouldn't be able to resist his charms at all. She wasn't wrong when she said he was irresistible even though she did say it in jest. Abhi found himself drowning in her big eyes that were looking adoringly at him. He was passionately thrilled with the knowledge that he was the focus of those beautiful eyes.

"Oops!" Feeling a sudden flutter in her stomach, Nikki puts her hand on her abdomen.

"What happened ? Abhi asks, a flicker of worry wrinkling his forehead as he sees her gently stroking her stomach.

"Your baby loves troubling sometimes, just like you." She teases.

"Oh I see! If the baby troubles then it becomes mine otherwise its ours eh ?"

"Yes!" she confirms with a mischievous smile. " because you are a big Troubler!" Nikki tells him. "You keep troubling me all the time! And that's, just because you have such a sweet and innocent wife!" she bats her eyelids pretending innocence.

"Oh! very, very innocent wife !" Abhi mocks.

"Yeah, but soon I'll have the support of our babies and together, we will give you hell, you won't have any chance against us!"

"Babies ?" Abhi's eyes widen in astonishment. "Are we having twins?" There was a plethora of questions suddenly springing in his mind. 'When did this happen? How was he not aware of it? The ultrasound didn't reveal two babies. Then?'

"No Silly," Nikki pinches his nose. "we'll have more babies na in the future. Actually, I would love to have a dozen kids, but then I was feeling sorry for you, " she gives him a sympathetic look. A relieved Abhi mockingly mouths a thank you to her.

"So I decided we will have atleast two kids. Two is definitely needed. They will give each other company and I will give all my attention to you!" lovingly, she cups his face with her hand.

"Wonderful thoughts wifey, but lets deal with this pregnancy first. Hmmm? I don't know about you but, I am finding it very difficult to retain my sanity. If, by the time the baby is born, my sanity is still intact, I plan to write a book........"Alarm Bells For Expectant Fathers" His fingers make quote signs "The fatherly pregnancy symptoms and solutions by Dr. Abhimanyu Modi.......Tried and tested"


Nikki laughs, playfully punching him in the chest. Abhi also chuckles.

"Good! Now you realize how difficult pregnancy is! You don't think you can get everything easy!"
"Yeah, yeah," resignedly, Abhi sighs deeply.

Another flutter in her stomach brings a warm smile on her face.

"You know Abhi, we are due for another ultrasound. We will have to do it on Monday," she tells him looking fondly into his face "even though I can feel it growing inside me, I am dying to see how the baby has grown!" her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Me too!" Abhi tells her , a mixture of awe and tenderness in his eyes.

An emotional tidal wave sweeps over Nikki "You know Abhi, in the beginning of this pregnancy, I was so confused and so worried, but, now when I feel every movement of the baby, whether it kicks, taps, flutters, hiccups, I just can't explain what a wonderful feeling it is ! Every moment it keeps telling me of its presence inside me. As a doctor, I knew about being pregnant, but, actually feeling the baby inside you, is a different thrill altogether." Seeing the glistening of joyous tears in her eyes, a lump forms in Abhi's throat. With an understanding nod, he lovingly brushes a strand of hair from her face.

"Now, I am truly enjoying the feeling of holding a life inside me," Nikki continues, unable to conceal her exhilaration. "I already love our baby so much Abhi and I know you do too!"

Unable to speak, Abhi nods his head. His moist eyes revealing his own attachment to the baby. Stretching his arm, he pulls her close to her. For few moments, their throat prickling, they look deep into the each other's eyes, wordlessly sharing a profound feeling of pride and joy.



After sometime, Nikki sighs "Everyone has gone for dinner," she informs Abhi "I came to call you, but , before that, I want to ask you something."

Seeing her eyes narrowing suspiciously, Abhi braces himself, wondering what was coming now.

"What were you, Armaan and Riddhima cooking up?" She questions him.

"Stew for you!" he grins and was rewarded with a swat on his shoulder.

"Come on Nikki, Armaan told you we made plans to come together and I forgot about it. So he is mad at me! And he is so right! Its all because of you. You are really very tempting!" he tells her tweaking her nose.

"And you still think you can win against me Dr. Modi ?" Nikki challenges with a smile.

"Ah ! remembered our Deal Dr. Nikita?" he drawls. "Let me tell you, Dr. Abhimanyu Modi doesn't lose either"

"Believe me, this time, you'll definitely lose Dr. Modi," she runs her finger over his face. Abhi's eyes focuses on her finger and skeptically moves in tandem with it . He then holds on to her finger and gently squeezing it, says,

"I have nothing to lose wifey. The only two things that was most precious to me were my heart and soul. Even those, I have lost to this beautiful, impish, sexy, enchantress. So how can I fear losing anything else to her!" He decides to return the favour by caressing her face with his finger, sending electrifying sparks into her whole system.

"But, this game is oh so exciting and I am really enjoying playing it," he tells her with wicked delight "I am definitely going to give it all that I have. And, I can safely assure you I won't lose. Shall I tell you why?

"Why?"

"Well, whoever makes the first move, the pleasure will anyway be Ours!" His eyes dance with mischief. "There is nothing to lose only to gain!"

The truth of his words brings various colours onto Nikki's cheeks.

"Yoooooou," she punches him hard on the upper arm.

"Ow, Ow, violence? I asked for something else!"

"Shut up!" Nikki tells him her cheeks now completely flushed deep red. Abhi laughs.

Something behind Abhi then catches her attention. "Abhi," she nudges him, resting her chin on his shoulder blade. Looking to the other side, Abhi follows her gaze to a pillar a little distance from them. His face lights up in amusement.

With a wicked gleam in his eyes, he takes Nikki's hand and says "Come On!"

"Abhi, No!" Nikki protests, her eyes widening in shock as she senses his thoughts.

"Just come with me," he warns sternly.

Hand in hand, they walk towards the pillar. Behind it were Sid and Simran leaning over another tall table and staring into each other's eyes.

Nikki giggles. "They make such a cute pair, Abhi," she tells him as she fondly watches them. "Let them be, don't trouble them," she pleads

"For all the trouble my little brother gives me, I have the right to tease him a little." Abhi tells her, his voice warning of complete mischief on his mind.

"Abhi......"

"Don't you support him," Abhi warns in a low voice "Just play along!"

When they near them, Abhi takes an empty tray from a passing waiter and places it in between the faces of Simran and Sid.

"Whaat the hell?" a befuddled Sid looks up with a start.

Seeing a solemnly looking Abhi staring at him, the colour from his face begins to drain while Simran's cheeks have turned red with embarrassment.

"What's going on here ?" Abhi asks sternly, his expressions deadpan.

"Bhai....that.....that....."

"Jeeju.......Jeeju......."

"What bhai, Jeeju? Can't you both speak up?" he thunders

Nikki is bubbling with laughter.

"Bhai something went into Simran's eye

"Jeeju, something went into Sid's eye."

They blurt out together.

Hearing their babbling, Nikki who was standing behind Abhi, looks to the ground and uses his back as a shield to hide her giggling. Abhi was also finding it difficult to keep a straight face.

"Oh! So you were both exchanging eye for an eye! Next what will you exchange?" Nikki hits Abhi on the back. "Stop it!" she tells him pleadingly. Abhi squeezes her hand firmly. With difficulty Nikki, manages to stifle her laugh.

"And you?" Abhi looks fiercely at Sid. "I told you not to trouble Simran, right?"

"Bhai..," Sid looks pleadingly at Nikki.

"No Jeeju he is not troubling me!" Simran hurriedly blurts out.

Abhi's lips contort into a crooked smile.

"Really? Are you sure?" Then leaning closer to her, he whispers, "Are you sure he is not troubling you or you don't mind him troubling you?" He teases

Simran blushes. A giggling Nikki puts a fond arm around her.

"Don't worry Simran, I am with you," she tells her. "I'll teach you the art of handling troublesome Modi men. I am an expert in that field! After all, I have the experience of handling the most difficult one of them all!" she winks at a grinning Abhi.

Scratching his head, Sid also grins widely. Looking at him, Abhi's eyes glint wickedly.

"You!" he raises an eyebrow at Sid. "Why is your nose red?"

"Red?" Sid touches his nose. Nikki and Simran look at Sid with concern.

Abhi gives him a hard pinch on the nose.

" Ouch!" Sid winces in pain.

"Abhi!" a shocked Nikki pulls his hand away.

"See, I told you, it is red!" Abhi tells him grinning from ear to ear. Then over his shoulder he tells Nikki, "Lets go Nikki. I am sure he will be taken care of," he darts a teasing glance at Simran. "I don't think he needs us now"

Poking Sid fondly in the rib, he winks at him. Nikki ruffles Sid's hair and putting her hand in Abhi's hand, walks away. Going a little distance they look behind. They see Simran affectionately rubbing Sid's nose while he stares mesmerized at her. Abhi and Nikki then look amusedly at each other and chortling, walk away,



By the time they finished dinner, Abhi realized his wife wasn't going to give up her endeavours to tease him and he had to desperately do something. Often he was tempted to drag her outside and squeeze her in his arms. But then the exciting pound of flesh made him all the more determined not to give in to her advances and his determination grew even more stronger.



Taking matters seriously in his hands, he started keeping a safe distance from her much to her annoyance. Whenever she would sit or stand near him, he would get someone from the group in between them. Noticing that most of the time he was chatting with either Riddhima, Sonam, Simran and her friends, irritation and jealousy began to take over her. She wasn't liking him distancing himself from her, although his eyes would keep darting to wherever she was. To his amusement, she began to sulk.



At one point of time, sitting with the rest of the group, an annoyed Nikki notices Abhi standing at the opposite end of the room, talking with Jas and Rohit.

Sensing her gaze on him, he looks at her and winks. Nikki scowls at him. Abhi is amused. A roguish smile playing on his lips, he keeps staring at her. Looking at the sullen expression in her eyes, he knew exactly what she was trying to tell him. Often, they didn't need their voices to communicate with each other. Their eyes could express exactly what they were feeling.



"Dr. Abhimanyu Modi, no matter how hard you try, your eyes keep getting drawn towards me." the smugness in her eyes seem to be telling him that.

"Well Dr. Nikita Modi, what can I say, I have to admit, you have good attacking skills," he replies, his eyes staring passionately at her. "That captivating beauty sitting across, is making me crazy, my defences are weakening and believe me I am a good fighter,"

"Yeah, I can see that," she screws up her nose in annoyance "Using that........that seductive smile and passionate eyes to counter attack, making me go weak in the knees," her face turns red.

"Really? Glad to know it," Abhi rolls his eyes in relief "I was beginning to believe I was losing my resolve."

"If you don't stop your stubbornness you will surely lose out on everything and then you'll keep fretting all your life," she lifts her head loftily.

"I told you before, I have nothing to lose here!" there was a devilish determination in his eyes.

"Stop your stubbornness or I'll catch you by the collar and give you a good shake instead!" Her eyes peered defiantly at him.

"Really? Now I am scared," there was pretence of fear in his eyes.

"Yeah don't try messing with the best," she pushes her head up haughtily.

"Don't smirk. If I could have it my way, I can put that so called Best, over my knees and spank that beautiful backside till I am stopped driven crazy." Tongue in cheek.

"Ah," expression of shock. " you mean to say you will do it?" Disbelief takes over her eyes.

"What else can I do?" Shrugs. " Got to keep all my options open," Then sighs. "Yet I know even there you are better armed." Throwing a defeatish look.

"Wow! Nice to know that and how is that ?" eyes dancing with curiosity.

"On one hand you are looking so HOT and ravishing and on the other, you are carrying my baby. I am ambushed from all sides," a flirtatious smile plays on his lips.

She blushes profusely. A yearning then takes over.

"Do you know how much I miss you, You Stubborn Meanie!"

"Do you know how much I love you?" eyes desirously intense.

"Then why don't you say it to me?" pouts.

"When do you ever listen properly to me ?" deep sigh.

"You better tell it to me or else........." looks threateningly

"Or else what ?" eyebrow raised in challenge.

"Or else..............or else." eyeballs moving from one corner of the eye to the other "or else I will complain to my baby," twitches nose.

"Argh! Don't forget I am the father of that baby, the sympathies will definitely be for me........." eyes filled with pride.

"Ha! Ha! High hopes!" bats her eyelids.

"By the way what is my baby saying ?" eagerness in his eyes

"Saying, tell my silly father to stop acting pricey and come and give my mother a nice hug." an impish smile accompanied with a firm, naughty shake of the head.

"Well, as I said before, for a change, how about the mother making the first move. She should come over and give the father a nice kiss to start with," smiling rakishly "the other part we can continue later."

Eyes pop wide with disbelief. "Here? In front of everyone?"

"Yeah why not? After all your husband is very irresistible today, right ?"

Blushing takes over her whole face.

"Come on, I am still waiting!" the dashing devilish smile erupts on his face.


His eyes then narrow as she sees Nikki's mouth open wide in embarassment. Her eyes move from his face to the side of him. Abhi follows her gaze and finds Rohit staring at him.

"Your wife is trying to say someone is trying to get your attention," he tells him dryly.

Scratching his head Abhi grins, sheepishly mouthing a 'Sorry' to him.

Rohit laughs out aloud. "Nice to see doctors so romantic and that too, married doctors. Here, you are busy eyeing your wife and there, he is busy with his wife!" Abhi follows Rohit's eyes and finds Armaan and Riddhima in a corner, lost into each other, as Riddhima feeds him with a spoon of ice-cream." Abhi bites his lower lip in amusement.,

"Now, I am missing my wife," Rohit tells him with a laugh. "Let me go and find her. My suggestion is you also go to your wife before she explodes and doesn't take you inside the house tonight!"

They both guffaw and with a pat on Abhi's back, Rohit walks away.

Beside Rohit, there were four other pairs of eyes who had been watching them with amusement. It was Simran and her friends.

"Hai, these two have eyes only for each other." Simran says moonily.

"How romantically , they speak through their eyes!" an awe-struck Geeta adds.

"If they are so romantic in a room full of people, wonder what they will do when they are alone," that was Nisha. The girls giggle.

"Why wonder? Lets see!" Geeta says."

"What do you mean?" Anita asks.

"I mean lets call them to the lawn and watch them romance." Geeta suggests.

"No, that's not right!" Simran protests.

"Arre yaar, we are only bringing them together," Geeta tells her. "The rest they'll do." The girls giggle naughtily. They then make a plan.



Abhi decides to follow Rohit's suggestion and walk across to his wife. Barely had he taken a step forward, he finds himself face to face with Simran's friends. There were three of them. His lips twists into half amusement, knowing how much the girls relished teasing him. Looking at their faces, he knew that they had every intention of ragging him, like always.

"Hayeeee Dr. Abhimanyu Modi!" they chirp teasingly, swaying to and fro.

"Hi Girls, tell me what can I do for you?"

"Do for us? Hayeeee," Geeta exclaims, dramatically cupping her face with her hands. "Instead, we would love to do anything for you!" She tells him, her eyes dreamy. She then looks mischievously at her friends and they all start giggling.

Abhi's lips pucker together in amusement.

"I can clearly see, you three are upto something. So out with it!"

"We? No! Never!" They feign innocence.

"Then why do you all have a naughty look on your face?

"Hayee, you noticed us!" Geeta tells him and they all giggle again "and we thought, there is only one person in this world who gets your complete attention!"

Carrying on with their giggling, they look at each other and then back at him.

"YOUR WIFE!" they say in unison.

The colour rising in the handsome doctor's face made him even more attractive. The girls gape smittenly at him. Abhi rolls his eyes wryly and looks towards Nikki. He is surprised to find her missing from her place.

"She is not there!" Geeta tells him. "She is waiting for you outside."

"Outside?"

"Yeah just like you cannot do without her, she too is missing you, so she called you outside. You are both, so made for each other!"

A flustered Abhi manages to smile at them and walks towards the exit with the girls giggling heartily behind him.

"Girls!" With an exasperated shake of his head, Abhi grins.



Once outside, he stood on the porch, beautifully decorated by coloured rice lights. The driveway was packed with a train of atleast eight cars till its gate. On its left was a huge sprawling lawn while on the right there was a swimming pool. The light for the whole place came from the two lamp posts in the driveway.

He takes a deep breath. 'Hmmm ! So wifey has called him out!' he smiles. 'Steady your heart Abhimanyu your determination is now strong. You can face her'

He looks up into the dark starless night. There was a certain kind of stillness in the air. Certainly not the right setting for romance, he smiles

Oblivious to him, in the extreme dark corner of the lawn, behind a tiny shed like house, covered by a tall palm tree, a pair of amused eyes were watching him.

Nikki was elated when Simran had told her that Abhi has called her outside. So finally Dr. Stubborn has succumbed!

"Hubby Dear, you made me fret so much. Now just wait and see how much I make you fret. I'll teach you what fretting is!

"Hey wifey," Abhi mutters to himself as his eyes distractedly scan the paved path outside the swimming pool. "A daring attempt to get me to succumb? Not bad! I am loving it!" he smiles.

He walks towards the lawn and peers all over, the excitement in him reaching a feverish pitch "When I have you, do you still think I have anything to lose wifey? Chalo let's see !"

Time stood still as two hearts were beating wildly and passionately, stirred by an euphoric excitement, as their eyes explore the darkness, for the face of that beloved who was their entire world.



PRECAP TO PART 35


"Did you see a lady in red?" Abhi asks him. "She is pregnant."

"No Sir, we are on the gates, but we haven't noticed anyone."

Simran and Geeta come out expecting to see the two romancing but are surprised to find Abhi alone.

"Jeeju, what happened ? Where is Di?" Simran asks him.

"So you girls were playing a prank on me, isn't it?" an annoyed Abhi asks them.

"No, honestly Jeeju, I left Di here myself." Simran tells him.

"Yeah, Yeah, I know you little imps." Abhi shakes his head in exasperation.

An amused Nikki is disappointed to see Simran and Geeta. She wanted to tease her husband a little more. Seeing the guard has also come, she knew if she did not come out of her hiding, soon there would be chaos around.

She sees Abhi telling the guard to go back to his duties on the gate and with slight irritation, he walks towards the house, with a pleading Simran and Geeta, following him. Reluctantly she calls out his name.