Raashi saw Veejay and his team surround Krish. He was gripping his left shoulder in agony and blood was seeping through the wound.
Raashi turned back to Sameer and punched him on his shoulder, hard.
He winced. “What was that for?”
“How dare you put yourself in danger?” Raashi yelled at him. “Who asked you to be superman and come fight with the bad guy? Couldn’t you let Veejay do his job?”
“And how do you think I felt knowing you were in danger?” Sameer asked her angrily. “Should I have just folded my arms and watched while that psycho held a gun to your back? No! That wasn’t happening. And why didn’t you leave when I asked you to? Do you ever listen?”
“You’re mad. You know that. What if something had happened to you?” Raashi said as a tear slid down her face and then she broke down completely. The horrifying events of the last half-hour came crashing down on her and she burst into tears.
“Oh! Sweetheart. Don’t cry. It’s all over now. I am safe, we all are,” Sameer said.
He gathered her in his arms and kissed the tears off her face. Raashi melted into him, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck. She brought her lips to his and kissed him greedily. She wanted to wipe away the memory of the agonizing moments they had just been through. Sameer kissed her back, thankful that she was safe.
“I love you so much,” she said between kisses and tears.
“And I love you, forever and always.” Sameer said.
EPILOGUE
“Dance with me,” whispered a lilting voice from behind him. A delicate hand touched his arm and turned him around.
Sameer smiled at his wife. Life had come full circle for him. Once again, a romantic song played in the background and once more his hotel lawns were decorated and lit up magnificently for a wedding reception, his wedding reception. He looked into her beautiful sparkling eyes and led her to the dance floor. He gathered her in his arms as they started to slowly sway to the music.
Once again, he was dressed in a three-piece suit and she was wearing a beautiful gown, this time in gold. He let his eyes rove over her, taking in the low neck, cap sleeves, corset style gown that flowed to her feet.
“Like what you see, Mr. Sehgal?” Raashi asked him teasingly.
“Wrong. I love what I see. You look stunning tonight.”
“And you’re not doing too bad yourself,” Raashi said, repeating her words from that long ago night to him.
Sameer chuckled as he too remembered her saying the very same thing.
Raashi sighed and moved closer to him, her husband. She couldn’t believe they were married. Their wedding ceremony had taken place earlier in the day. After the whirlwind few days they had had, she finally felt at peace.
She looked around the crowd, thankful to be surrounded by the people who mattered to her. Her sister, Jiya, sat with Shauna and Rhea, the girls, no doubt hatching up some new plan of mischief. The three of them got along like a house on fire and she dreaded the trouble the three of them could get into together. She let her eyes linger on Rhea for a second more. Rhea looked fine but Raashi could see the shadows haunting her eyes. She had become quieter now and it would take time for her to heal, but she would get there.
Veejay had assured Rhea that Krish would never trouble her again. After speaking to Krish’s parents about the entire situation they had begged them not to file charges against him. They had accepted that their son needed help and were ready to send him to a medical facility to heal. After a lot of discussion and Rhea’s permission, that is exactly what they had done.
A few days back, Rhea had informed them that she was finally ready to return to London and resume her education. It was time to let go and begin anew. Raashi was pleased with Rhea’s decision.
Raashi smiled as she saw Keya and Kabier dancing slowly next to them, lost in each other’s arms. Their baby was going to arrive soon and she was so happy for the two of them. She turned her head to see Sheena and Rajiv sitting at a table with Sameer’s parents.
Rishi was talking to Veejay and both raised their glasses in a silent toast to her as they saw her watching them.
Janak, she noticed, was talking to an older looking man. Raashi thought he looked familiar but was unable to recollectwho he was. Rithwik, her dear friend was at the bar getting a drink for himself.
She laid her head on Sameer’s shoulder, feeling content. She had always wished for a deep abiding love and she was blessed to have found it with him. To think that at one time she had never imagined herself being in this situation and now here she was finding her own forever.
“What are you thinking?” Sameer asked her.
Raashi sighed and tightened her arms around him.
“I’m thinking of the last time we danced like this. You charmed me so thoroughly that night. I think I was already half in love with you. But then you left and never called.”
“Yeah and I think I needed that distance from you to actually find my own heart. And when I saw you again, I understood. You had my heart right from the beginning. It just took me a long time to figure it out.”
