UNEDITED

Part 23

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I Just Want... To Thank You For Being My Reason To Look Forward To The Next Day"

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"Hello aunty. Hope there is some butter chicken let for me to eat" Kathryn said and gently pushed the door wider but Madhu didn't take her hand off the door knob so Kathy had no other go but to duck under her arm and crawled into the house.

"Hey" Madhu called her but she kept walking as if she owns the damn place.

"Look at this girl's audacity?" Madhu looking at Kathryn, almost slammed the door on Naira's face who came right after her.

"Mom!" Naira yelled

"Lock the door and come" Madhu said without bothering to apologize to her for almost hitting her face with the door and ran behind Kathryn. She wanted to know why that girl was there.

Who would have invited her? My husband or my son? I am going to kill them. Madhu thought.

Everyone seated in the dining room was surprised and one particular member looked panicked and started sweating profusely seeing Kathy strolled in casually waving her hand to all but her eyes were set on one man. Her man. Arjun. His face had lost all the color and looked as white as a ghost.

"Hey, darling" Kathryn said sweetly before bending down and planting a kiss on her boyfriend's cheek.

Arjun closed his eyes in mortification as he cupped his cheek where she had kissed him.

Madhu gasped in shock and then glared at her mom-in-law for whistling appreciatively. One look at Radha, Madhu can tell she approved Kathy already!

Rishab and Veer had an identical smirk on their faces.

Inayat shyly smiled at Kathryn's open display of affection. 

Naira joined them a moment later from the kiss scene so she looked clueless. She just walked straight and sat on the chair next to her dad.

"You invited her?" Madhu mouthed at her husband.

"I swear I didn't" he mouthed back as he pinched his throat. She nodded believing him.

"What are you doing here, Kathy? I told you not to come" he hissed softly so that no one will hear him.

"And that why I am here. No one dictates me. I act on my own free will." She made her point loud and clear to him and to everyone.

"Who invited you?" Arjun asked rudely.

"Arjun!" Rishab admonished him. He didn't like his son disrespecting their guest.

"I invited myself, Arjun" Kathryn said, hardly thumping on Arjun's back and she laughed in satisfaction when he groaned in pain.

Veer snickered because he heard the loud slapping sound as he was sitting next to Arjun and he knew it would have hurt his brother and he was happy about that. He deserved it for always making his wife uncomfortable with his sick tricks to bring them close.

"You guys haven't started your dinner yet?" Kathy asked.

"We were about to start" Rishab said and politely added "Please join us, dear"

"Thank you, uncle" Kathy said with a smile and looked at the two empty seats, one - the head seat and other - the seat next to Rishab. She was contemplating where to park her butt but before she could make a decision, Madhu went and sat beside her husband.

"You don't sit here, on this head chair, uncle?" She asked curious as she placed her elbows on the top rail of the head chair.

"Why should I sit there?" Rishab asked with a frown.

"Head of the family sits on the head chair, right?" She asked. She had seen her grandfather and father sitting on the head chairs.

"Oh really? Then you're asking the question to the wrong person. You should ask my wife why she isn't sitting on the head chair" Rishab said placing a hand on his wife's shoulder making her smile.

"I prefer sitting closer to my husband" Madhu replied.

"And I perfer sitting in between my girls" Rishab said with a happy grin. He always loved to have his wife and his daughter by his side. He turned and looked at his daughter who was sitting there silently looking down at her empty plate.

"Nice" Kathy smiled. She liked Arjun's family. They were different from what she had seen in her home. Here, everyone loves and cares for one another. There, everyone cares for money and only money. "So can I sit here?" She asked.

"Sure" Rishab said.

"The oldest and the youngest occupying the head seats. How nice is that?" Radha asked glasping her hands in glee. Madhu rolled her eyes. She can't believe her mom-in-law liked the wacky girl.

Kathy giggled and asked "Shall we start guys?"

"Sure" Veer and Radha replied in unison. Rishab was busy scrutinizing his daughter's face. She looked upset.

Madhu stood up and went to serve everyone starting with Veer as she made everything painstakingly for him.

"You okay, honeybee?" Rishab asked in a whisper. Naira nodded her twice in yes but he knew she wasn't okay. "Daddy is here, okay" he gently stroked Naira's head. Kathryn longing watched Rishab's affection towards his daughter. She once again wished she was his daughter. Naira gave her dad a small reassuring smile. "Now, enjoy the dinner. Later we will talk, sweetheart" he whispered. Naira nodded.

Suddenly, Rishab turned towards Kathryn feeling her eyes on them. She smiled feeling embarrassed of getting caught. Rishab returned a warm fatherly smile to her making her heart jump in joy. Maybe he could feel my need for affection. She thought.

"Why are you serving Veer bro first?" Kathy asked as she crossed her legs under her. "Why didn't you start with me first and go clockwise or with uncle and go anticlockwise but from the one sitting in the middle?"

"Shut up, Kathy" Arjun scowled.

"One more time you insult me, your guest, I will kick your ass" Kathryn warned him through gritted teeth.

"Madhu made all the dishes specially for Veer so she wanted him to taste first. He won't get to eat home cooked food for the next six months nah" Radha said.

"Oh right. He is leaving to Kashmir to resume his army duty, right?"

"Yeah"

When Madhu came to serve Kathryn, she offered her a sweet smile and said "My mom doesn't know to cook"

Madhu frowned not understanding why she was telling her that. Kathy touched the chicken butter masala Madhu had put on her plate with her finger and licked it. "Yum. You cook awesome, aunty"

"Thanks" Madhu said a customary thanks.

"Why are you so shy?" Kathy asked Inayat. "And why are you so upset?" She asked Naira as she started eating her food.

"Why are you so talkative?" Naira snapped

"I love to talk while eating, you know, but I never had company before..." She said with a casual shrug.

Arjun took hold of her left hand under the table and squeezed it.

I am not hurt! I am not lonely! I don't need his support!  She thought and withdrew her hand from his hold.

"... well, I am using the chance I got today to know my boyfriend's family better" she emphasized the word boyfriend and winked at him.

He would have loved to hear her claiming him as her boyfriend in some other circumstances but not today, not in front of his mom. He just wanted to hide under the table and never come out of it.

"So?" Kathy asked Inayat and Naira.

"It's my nature" Inayat softly replied. Kathy smiled liking Inayat's softness.

"I am not upset. I am perfectly fine." Naira said and faked a smile.

"Hmm...if you say so" Kathy let it go as it was none of her business and continued eating butter naan and butter chicken.

Madhu looked at her daughter and asked "What's wrong?" through her eyes. Naira shook her head as in nothing.

"You don't eat non veg, aunty?" She asked seeing paneer butter masala on her plate.

"I am a vegan"

"Oh! Now, I know the secret of your beauty. Fresh vegetable and paneer keeps you young. Cool." Kathy said. Madhu looked away from Kathy to hide her blush. Rishab smirked at his wife. He was actually impressed with the way Kathy was dealing with his wife.

"Why no one is talking here?" Kathy asked.

"Because you're not letting us talk" Arjun pointed out.

"Okay. I will keep my mouth shut..."

"Good" Naira blurted out. She had nothing against Kathy but today she was in no mood to entertain her.

"...You guys talk. I will listen" Kathy said and waited for two minutes but no one initiated a convo.

Kathyrn sighed audibly breaking the deafening silence. "Since no one is talking I am going to talk again."

"Talk" Veer found her entertaining so he didn't mind her babble.

"No, I will ask something to you, Veer bro"

"Me? Okay, ask" he said dreading what she would ask him.

"Will you take me to Wagah border one day and show me the parade?"

"That's all?" Veer chuckled. She nodded. He kinda panicked that she will ask some hypothetical question to him. "Sure, I will take you, one day"

"I can take you, if you want to see Wagah border parade" Arjun offered. Madhu kicked her son under the table who was sitting across her.

Arjun hissed in pain.

Kathy burst out laughing. "I knew at one point of time he will get a kick from you aunty and that's why I cautiously kept my legs up. It's not fun to get kicked at the shin because it pains like hell"

"Smart girl" Radha roared with laughter.

"I know, granny" Kathy winked which she returned.

"Okay, now one by one we will say few words to Veer bro which he will cherish till the day he comes home, the next time." Kathy looked around for everyone's assent but only Radha and Rishab nodded their heads and that was enough for Kathy. "Starting off with his beautiful wife" Kathy pointed her finger at Inayat.

"Wh... What... I..." She stammered. She didn't know what to say to her husband.

"Say something. He is waiting." Kathy boosted her.

Inayat turned her head to her husband's side and shyly looked at him through her eyelashes. Kathy was right. Veer was eagerly waiting to hear something from his wife which will serve him as a remembrance.

"Be safe, Veer" Inayat said those three words with so much of emotions - worry, pain, and most of all love swirling in her eyes.

"I will" he promised. They hardly communicate but when they do even their simplest of simple words mean so much special and intense to them.

"Now, your turn, aunty"

"I will keep praying for your well-being, baby. Just come back to your momma soon." Madhu said with teary eyes as she blew him a flying kiss.

Love you, maa. He mouthed and smiled feeling so loved.

"Aww" Kathy's lower lip wobbled. "Granny?" She moved to the next person before she started weeping.

"Veer, jaan, remember to get me some Kashmir walnuts when you visit us next time"

"Sure, dadi" Veer smiled.

"Granny, can you break the nuts with your dentures?" Kathryn asked teasingly and for the first time since Kathryn came Madhu laughed.

"Naughty girl!" Radha scolded with fake anger.

"Next. Next. Next. Hmm... Naira di, you share your feelings"

"Twinnie, I will miss you. We all will miss you but you don't worry about us. We will be fine here. You just take care of yourself and do your duty with extra care and alertness. I just love you, Veer"

"Love you, Naira" Veer smiled at his sister affectionately.

"Uncle?"

"I just wanna thank you for being a blessing to us and making us proud, Veer. Thank you." Rishab saluted his son and he saluted him back.

"Lovely" Kathy softly clapped her hands.

"Now, c'mon baby bro, say a few words to your big bro" Kathy cheered.

Arjun hung his head down and remained silent for few seconds before saying in a hoarse tone "Make sure you don't come home in coffin, bro"

Inayat's heart momentarily stopped beating as her eyes welled up with tears but she gasped in shock and covered her mouth with her hands when Kathryn splashed a glass of water on Arjun's face.

No one had expected that move from her so they couldn't react but just gape at her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Kathryn?" He barked as he stood up from his seat wiping his face off with his palm.

"You are so insensitive and your choice of words suck! See, you made Inayat bhabhi cry, you asshole!" Kathryn shouted at him.

Veer didn't realize Inayat was crying until Kathryn mentioned about it. "Inayat, stop crying please. He says that to me every time before I go back to army and I don't mind it at all"

"Hey, mind your language!" Naira defended her brother.

"Naira, tone down!" Madhu snapped

"I can't believe you could say something so hurting. You don't care for other's feelings at all, Arjun! You only know to bullshit!"

Arjun fumed hearing her words.

"Kathryn, calm down. You're mistaking him." Rishab said as he rushed around the table and stood in between Kathryn and Arjun. He felt protective towards the sensitive girl so he shielded her from his son.

"Veer, you take Inayat to your room" Radha suggested. Veer nodded and softly talked with Inayat asking her to go with him to their room but she didn't move from her place. He poured her a glass of water and made her drink as he softly reassured her that he will be safe. 

"His wife just told him to be safe and the very next moment this senseless idiot is saying him not to come home in coffin? Like seriously? God! Is that even pleasant to hear?" Kathryn raged in anger.

"You have created enough scene for tonight and ruined our family dinner, Kathryn. Now, get out of my house!" Arjun snapped at her and walked to his bhabhi. He knelt down in front of her and softly apologized. "I didn't mean to hurt you or anyone... It's just my fear, bhabhi. Please forgive me. Please."

"Aunty, uncle, I am sorry, I ruined everything, tonight. I shouldn't have come..."

"Yes, you shouldn't have come uninvited" Naira said irately.

"I know. I am sorry. I will leave." Kathy grabbed her backpack from the floor and swung it over her shoulder.

"Kathryn, I don't want you to go like this. We will sit and talk, okay?" Rishab tried to stop her. He really felt bad for her.

"Maybe another day you try and justify me your imbecile son's statement, uncle. Now, I am going." Kathryn said glaring at Arjun who didn't look at her way at all.

"Alright. Just don't take things to heart. He said it in a right sense though it didn't sound good."

"That's so wrong! If his words can wound me this much then how much it would have wounded his wife. See, how inconsolably she is crying?"

"You are simply blowing up the issue, Kathryn" Madhu spoke softly to calm her down.

"You behaved hysterically when Arjun said the same words for the first time when Veer was leaving to army four years back, Madhu, so you can't blame this poor emotional girl who cares for your son and his wife's feelings" Madhu's subconscious forced her to think rationally.

"You better leave" Madhu suggested. She wanted to save her from further humiliation. She didn't want her son and her to split up on this account.

"Okay. Once again sorry." she said and took few steps in backwards but stopped remembering the purpose of her visit.

"Oh I actually came to give this" she dug her hand into her backpack and took out a gift box.

"Uncle, I got this for Veer bro and Inayat bhabhi, a small wedding present from my side" After the meeting with Rishab in the mall, Kathy was window shopping to kill time and suddenly she remembered that she hadn't gifted the newly weds yet so she quickly got into a watch showroom and got a branded couple's watch for them. "Can you please give it to them?"

"You give..."

"No, I upset them and I feel ashamed to face them so you please give it to them on my behalf." She quickly thrust the box in his hand and ran out of their house.

... To be continued!

Okay! This update didn't come out as you all expected! It wasn't fun at all, I know. Sorry for disappointing you all but this is how I have planned it!

And one more thing, this story might not go as you all want it to go! It will be little different! Apart from Rishbala and Veerat, every other main character in this story is flawed! They will do mistakes and they will piss you off so much but at the end you will like them all, hopefully! 

Vote and comment only if you feel this part still deserves to be voted and commented!!!

Thanks all!!!