Shriya saw the box on the table. He signalled her to open it. She took it and she unwrapped it carefully expecting some beautiful gift. She knew he is giving her a gift. He will give her a gift wherever he felt like it without any particular reason.
She didn't think too much into it. She unwrapped it and Abhi was looking at her with expectation. She opened it and saw a photo frame and what's in the frame really shocked her and an endless stream of tears rolled down from her cheeks immediately.
She took the photo into her hands and caressed the man in the photo. She looked at her man with admiration in her eyes and then stared back at the photo. Shw couldn't take her off that man.
It was the same picture that Abhi took from Mr. Pratap that morning. The same picture of Varun and Shriya which Varun treasured so much till his last days. Shriya was stil crying and Abhi hugged her from behind. He wiped her tears with his fingers and said "I brought this photo for you so that you will feel happy, not to make you cry."
She smiled and said "Thank you so much Abhi. This is the best gift for me. I love you". She choked on her words and her words were all cracked because of her sobbing but he understood it.
He smiled at her and said "I have another news for you. But I don't know whether you will be happy or not after hearing it." His face is a bit tensed and this made her curious. She placed the picture on the table and stared at him.
She looked at him curiously and he got down from the chair and kneeled before her on the ground and she was surprised. He took out a blue coloured velvet box from his pockets and opened it infront of her.
She saw a beautiful diamond ring in it. She was pleasantly surprised and excited and tears rolled down from her cheeks continuously seeing him propose to her out of the blue. Abhi sighed and asked "Please don't cry, I am already scared enough that will not accept me and those tears are making me even more nervous than I already am."
He joked and she smiled. Then he asked with a gentle tone and his eyes are full of love for her "Will you marry me ?" to which she nodded happily. She gave her left hand and he placed the ring on her finger and kissed the back of her hand.
His heart was filled with happiness and he didn't knew how to react at that moment. He thought to say so many things to her but nothing came out of his mouth at that very particular moment. His five years of waiting has now come to a happy ending. Those five years when he yearned for her love and the moment when he first saw her flashed infront of his eyes. He took her in his arms and made a round with her in his arms.
He made her sit on the chair after a few more rounds and said "I am the happiest person on this entire earth right now."
She looked at him with her bright moist eyes which were twinkling in the candle light. He placed his hands in his pockets once again and she hurriedly said "I am already happy enough and I can't take anymore surprises for today. If there are anymore I might faint with over happiness".
He smiled at her innocence and pure nature. He had seen so many woman who tried to do anything tobe with him and will go to any lengths for their own good. No matter how much one gives them they will not be satisfied and ask for more and more.
But the girl infront of him now is completely different and so simple. He wanted to give her all the happiness in the world and want to provide her with all the things she ever needs but she will be more frightened and feels insecure the more you provide her with comforts and luxuries.
He took out a brochure of some vacation spots from the pocket and passed it to her. He said with a smile "I want to get engaged to you. As I promised you earlier, we will go to Martias and will held our engagement ceremony there. These are the few hotels i liked and if you decide which one you prefer, I will continue with the arrangements."
Shriya looked at him with both surprise and shock. Though she knew that this day will pp eventually and was prepared already, she still felt so happy and nervous at the same time.
She took the brochure and looked at it. She said "When ?". Even she didn't know what she meant by that word. She thought 'May be I should when did you prepare all this ?" but he didn't give her a chance to ask that. He said with a smile "May be the first week of next month."
She looked at him with confusion and he said with a pitiful tone "You can't go back on your words now".
Shriya smiled seeing him putting on an act and asked "Who else will come ?".
Abhi thought only for a moment and said the list "Me and you ofcourse."
"Then Preeti, Rahul, Gouthami, Sony, Kunal, Uday and Manvi".
Shriya asked almost immediately "Naveen and Brahmini".
Abhi smiled and said "You didn't give me a chance to say that. Before I could say, you interrupted me silly girl. How can I forget your brother".
Shriya nodded and then something striked her heaun and she held her head down and asked with hesitation "Your parents ?"
Abhi thought only for a moment "I'll try but I can't promise. But believe me Dad and Grandpa are with us in this."
She nodded her head and he kissed her forehead. They spent the evening as usual playing with each other for a while before falling asleep.
* * * * * *
Rahul was immersed in his own sea of thoughts. His brain is a mess and he is undergoing so many emotions at a time. He is happy, nervous, frightened and worried and many more emotions.
He is happy because he is going to be a father soon and is nervous to face Gouthami afterall he has been in India for a while now leaving her all alone in America. He is seeing her for the first after knowing this good news. He is frightened what she will say to him afterall she has a very bad temper and worried because he is new to this kind of thing and he doesn't know how to take care of a pregnant woman.
He wanted to ask Shriya to come and help him out for a few days but was afraid that Gouthami will hurt Shriya with her hostility and ill temper.
He was even more afraid to ask for her help infront of her brother. So he decided to call her the next morning when she is at her college.
The thing that he is most worried about was Preeti. That little girl is so innocent and he don't want to cause her any trouble. She has already suffered so much at such a young age and he couldn't see her hurt again or feeling left out or lonely.