Natasha smiled as it had been two years since she was last in Somnath.   Natasha had left Somnath for Ahmedbad to finish her schooling and to get away from the family.  

She had only been married for six months when the news of the demolition of Pandya Store came about.   When she saw the real face of her inlaws,  she didn't say a word to them but she did go over to apologise to Daama and her brothers, but they wouldn't listen, and they kicked her out of Pandya Niwas.   She went back to Makwana house, as she had no other place to go.   

Dhawal tried to apologise, to talk to her, but she was quiet.  She did her work without any complaints.   Too quiet.   Amba and Amrish were on cloud nine,  so happy that their plan worked.  What they didn't realize was that Dhawal had recorded their talks and was trying to become independent so that Natasha and he could move out.  

 Finally, Natasha had enough and spoke to Dhawal.

"Dhawal, I need to talk to you."  said Natasha

Dhawal was happy that Natasha was finally speaking to him.

"Go ahead."  Dhawal smiled.

"I want to go to Amhedbad.  I had gotten a scholarship to finish my MBA, but we were getting married, so I never thought of it.  But now, I want to go.  Please.  Let me go."

Dhawal  was shocked. He didn't think that she would leave him.   He looked at her and saw that she was serious.  He was ready to move out with her, yet Natasha wanted to leave him.   Dhawal responded,  "Give me some time, please."  

A couple of days later, Dhawal took Natasha out for dinner.

As they were sitting in the restaurant, Dhawal asked Natasha, "What are your plans?"

"I just want to finish my MBA." said Natasha

"Fine, I have conditions."  said Dhawal

"Conditions?  What conditions?"  squeaked Natasha

"You are not leaving me.  We are married.  You are my wife.  Mine.  And I am your husband. I love you!"  stated Dhawal shocking Natasha.

"But-" stammered Natasha

"No buts.  We made promises.  We are staying together.  Now, I know you are hurt.  I didn't know that Amrish Bhai would demolish Pandya Store, I know he wanted it, but I thought he would be talking to you about it.   I overheard Ma and Amrish Bhai talking the other day about how they got Pandya store, but also got you to be the perfect daughter in law.  I don't want the perfect daughter in law.  I want my Maddie back, my Natasha.  I will give you time and space."  said Dhawal

"Really," smiled Natasha

"Yes, your course is for a year, correct?"  asked Dhawal 

"Yes." smiled Natasha

"I will work on getting back Pandya store, and you finish your MBA.  But I want you back with me at the end of the year." said Dhawal

Natasha smiled and agreed.  

"You will move into my apartment in Amhedbad."  said Dhawal

"You have an apartment in Amhedbad?" asked Natasha.

"How is the family going to react?" asked Natasha

"I'm not going to tell them until after I come back from Amhedbad.  I will deal with it my way."  stated Dhawal

Two years later, Natasha came back to Somnath, as her company had transferred to their Somnath office.  What Natasha didn't realize that in the time she was away, Dhawal had become one of the top businessmen in Somnath.    Dhawal owned an events company with locations in Mumbai and Amhedbad.  When Natasha wished to stay in Amhedbad after her schooling was over, he had gotten his manager to offer her a job in his Amhedbad office.  Now, after two years of waiting, he decided to transfer Natasha back to Somnath.  

Natasha walked into her new office building, it was one of the newer buildings in the city.  She was impressed with the modern decor.  She was led towards the CEO's office, she smiled at the secretary, and thanked her.  Natasha knocked on the door and waited to be called in.

"Come in, and have a seat."  said the CEO

Natasha sat on the seat and waited for him to turn around.  His voice sounded familiar, but it couldn't be Dhawal as he would be working for his brother.  "Natasha Pandya Makwana.   You have been transferred from our Amhedbad office, as you were recommended by the manager there.  Do you think you will be able to handle home and office together.  Your resume says you are married."  

"I can do the job.  I do need to speak to my husband." said Natasha

Dhawal turned his chair around to face Natasha, shocking her.

"Dhawal! How?"  Natasha started to stand, then sat back down.

"Yes, it's me."  said Dhawal, looking at her intently.  Natasha was suddenly nervous and started to bite her lip.   Dhawal got up and sat at the edge of the desk, right next to Natasha.

"You were supposed to return after your course was finished.  You were supposed to be in Amhedbad for a year.  It's been two years, Natasha!" Dhawal yelled, hitting the edge of the desk.

"I got scared.  I wasn't ready to come back."  cried Natasha.  

"And you couldn't call me to tell me.   Not once did you call me.  I called to check up on you, and you wouldn't answer your calls.  Until I appointed bodyguards for you.  I didn't know what was going on with my wife!  You were going to school and working.  But you didn't have time to call your husband.  I told you before, you aren't leaving me.   You are mine.  My wife.  And I am yours.   You can try to push me away, but it's not happening.  So, now you are home.   And now we will start our marriage again, built on trust and foundation.  Understand."  Dhawal said firmly.  

Natasha nodded.  This Dhawal was a little scary.  He was very business like.  Colder.

"Ok.  Where is your luggage?"  asked Dhawal

"I left it with behind the secretary's desk.   I was going to call you after the meeting." said Natasha quietly.

Dhawal grabbed her hand and pulled her along.   Dhawal stopped by his secretary's desk and grabbed Natasha's luggage.  "Ruhi, this is my wife, Natasha.  Please set up a meet and greet for tomorrow at 10 am with the rest of the staff.   I will be leaving for the rest of the day.  See you tomorrow."  

"Welcome, Ma'am.  I will organize the meet and greet for 10 am, sir."  said Ruhi.

Dhawal led Natasha out of the  building into his car.  

He drove to his house, and Natasha noticed that it wasn't Makwana house.  "This isn't Makwana 

house." asked Natasha

"No. It isn't.  It is Dhawal and Natasha's house.  Nawal's.  I bought this house when the business started showing a profit.  Shortly later, I was able to open offices in Amhedbad and Mumbai." Dhawal said.

"Oh."  Natasha was surprised. It seems like Dhawal lives separately from the Makwana family.

Natasha and Dhawal walked up to the front door, and Dhawal quickly walked in and said, "Natasha, wait.  Let me get the thali."  Dhawal got the thali. He had the white sheet and a basin with red water.  Dhawal blessed her and told her to walk through the coloured water filled basin and make her steps on the white sheet.

"Dhawal, what's going on?  I have already been welcomed as a bride when I married you.  Remember.  I was labeled as a bad omen."  said Natasha

"You are not a bad omen.  That was Ma playing tricks on us, to make you look like a bad omen.  You see, after I had dropped you off in Ahmedbad, I had come back to the house early, Ma and Chhabali were talking and Ma admitted that she manipulated us, so that you would be labelled as a bad omen.  Now that you have been welcomed into our home, I did a redo your welcome as my bride into our home."

Natasha smiled at Dhawal, "Really.  It was nice.  I wasn't labeled as a bad omen, as I walked into your-our home." 

Dhawal caught her slip of tongue.  Dhawal led Natasha to the sitting room.  As they sat on the sofa, Natasha was getting nervous.

"Natasha,  I know it's going to take some time.  You are used to being alone.  But, you are my wife.  You need to learn to trust me.  I know that when we got married, the trust wasn't there.  But we lived together for six months before Amrish Bhai destroyed Pandya store.    I know that on our date, we had confessed our love, and we made new vows that we promised each other.  I know that you were angry enough to leave me.  And I am glad you didn't.   I am glad that our vows meant something to you.  But you lost yourself.  You had become a shell of yourself.  So I had decided to start the steps for us to move out of Makwana house, so when you asked to finish your MBA, I said yes, even though I wanted to say no.   I am also glad that you were able to get your MBA, but I want you back with me.  So I got you transferred to our head office." 

"I trust you.  You promised me that you would never hurt me, and for the most part, it's true.  What happened wasn't your fault, but Amrish Bhai's.  I was hurt.  My family broke their ties with me.  I became an orphan again.  I needed space.  I needed to become stronger so I could be a wife to you.    And I am glad that you gave it to me.  I promise that I was going to call you when I was finished with the meeting.  I was planning to come back to you.  I just wanted to surprise you with my job."  said Natasha.

Dhawal smiled,  pulled her into a hug , and said, "Finally."