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 recollect who 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.”
“We have come a long way indeed,” Raashi said softly.
Sameer gathered her closer into his arms leaving no space between them. “Yes we have and all I want right now is to be alone with you.”
Sameer lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them.
“You think anyone would mind, if we...crept away?” Raashi asked him, her eyes sparking with mischief.
“Only one way to find out,” Sameer said. He took her hand in his. “Come on. Let’s go start our forever, now,” And he led her to the exit.
Janak Sehgal watched as his grandson pulled Raashi towards the exit of their hotel lawns.
History had repeated itself and settled very well for these two.
He was delighted with this outcome. He couldn’t have chosen a better man for his angel, Raashi, than his own grandson, Sameer.
They were perfect for each other in every way and more. He smiled.
“Looks like you got your wish after all,” said a voice at his side.
Janak Sehgal turned to see Varun Bali standing next to him, sipping his drink.
Janak nodded at him. “Thank you for putting Raashi’s name on the top of your son’s list of brides. It was brilliant and I owe you. Sameer couldn’t hurry up to claim her after he found out Rithwik was pursuing her.”
Varun Bali smiled “I am happy it turned out well for Sameer. My son on the other hand has decided to drink himself to oblivion.”
He raised his glass pointing it at Rithwik who stood at the bar downing one drink after the other.
“Are you sure forcing him to marry is the right thing for him?” Janak asked carefully.
“That boy parties late almost every single night and is at work at sharp ten the next morning. And then he works the whole day and late into the night at times and then the cycle continues endlessly. The only two women who even remotely mattered to him are both married to your grandsons. He needs to settle down before he burns himself up,” Varun Bali said watching his son.
“And if the only way I can get him to do that is to threaten him with losing the work that he loves, then I am willing to take the risk. Besides, so many arranged marriages have worked in the past. I can’t see why his would not. ”
Varun Bali watched as Janak’s other grandson Rishi joined Rithwik at the bar.
A few minutes later the two of them left the party together in very high spirits.
For sure, they would be painting the town red that night.
He shook his head and sighed deeply. Someday his son would understand that everything he did was for him.
Till then, well tomorrow, was yet another day.
THE END