Greetings everyone! Thank you so much for all the love and appreciation this story is receiving! Happy reading!
Twinj: My Lifeline: Episode 50
A quick recap: Kunj decides to let Twinkle sleep in and leaves a loving note and coffee for her on the table that puts Twinkle in deep thought. He continues to intrigue her by being increasingly affectionate and understanding towards her, and ends up openly admiring her when she tries on the gown that had been waiting for her for too long now.
Twinkle had been muttering to herself that she should have never built high hopes on Kunj accompanying her to Chinki’s wedding in the first place, it was all her fault that she was now a disappointed mess when she should have been bubbling with excitement. She stopped dead in her track when on entering the Sarna Mansion, she spotted Usha and Manohar having what appeared to her like a tense conversation with a group of lawyers. Kunj, who had followed her hurriedly, bumped into her, his eyes too coming to a halt at the sight before them. “What’s going on?” Twinkle whispered to him, the worried look on Usha’s face bringing back to her mind the guilt she was sure she had recognised in Usha’s eyes a few days ago. He shrugged his shoulders as he tried to analyse the situation but failed. She grabbed his hand nervously as the two of them stepped forward, an unknown fear gripping her heart. She didn’t know why or how, but was sure that some new trouble had popped up. Usha looked up towards them when she heard footsteps and greeted them with what was evidently a forced smile. “Just some work related stuff.” She told Twinkle and Kunj when she had quickly walked to them, as though she preferred to keep them away from the discussion. “Nothing that either of you should be worrying about. Aren’t the two of you headed to Leela Ji’s place? Give her my love, will you?” She added, speaking as cheerfully as she could when she realised that she probably wasn’t sounding convincing enough. “I am. Kunj isn’t.” Twinkle answered, still keeping a watchful eye on Usha. Kunj scowled at that and explained, “I didn’t remember the date, Ma! It isn’t entirely my fault either! My manager was too busy with her best friend to pay attention to me.. My work I mean. I had to schedule things on my own and messed up.” Usha giggled and turned to Twinkle who was watching Kunj awestruck, his ‘not paying attention to me’ must have done that to her. “I’ll make it up to you, Twinkle! I promise! Could you stop being so annoyed please?” He called after her when she snapped out of her thoughts and headed up the stairs after giving Usha an ‘Are you sure everything’s fine?’ look that had been responded to with a firm, reassuring nod.
Kunj had driven Twinkle to the Taneja Mansion some time later, trying his best to convince her, unaware of the fact that she had given in long ago, but she really loved it when he would put in his everything to get rid of her anger at him, and allowed herself a little fun pretending she was still miffed. As he pulled into the driveway, she turned to him and grinned, surprising him. “I know it isn’t your fault, Kunj! I totally understand. I was only playing a little prank on you! You don’t need to keep that frown on all day now!” She teased and he narrowed his eyes at her in disapproval, only making her burst out laughing. “I’ll come as soon as I can, I promise!” He told her just before she had got off, and she had smiled back with a nod. She sighed deeply as she stood there, watching him leave. She had reminded herself that just because Kunj was so nice to her, she had no right to be directing his life, and tried assuring herself that he had only chosen his work first and that wasn’t a crime, but her heart wouldn’t listen! It demanded his presence by her side all along, and she couldn’t help it. It was in love after all, it would not understand any logical reasoning her mind came up with. “Oye, Twinkle Kunj Sarna! Not coming in?” Yuvi’s voice rang from inside, breaking her trance. She shook her head at him, making him laugh until Chinki came out impatiently and dragged Twinkle along, already beginning to complain about how late she was and all that she wanted her best friend to be supervising and doing. Twinkle listened to her banter carefully, deciding to set aside her own troubles for a while. She owed Chinki that much.
Leela had been the one who had insisted that Chinki got married at the Taneja mansion. It was ‘her home too, she practically grew up here as much as Twinkle did’ she had reasoned, and Chinki couldn’t have been more pleased. She was hoping her marriage would turn out to be a bond of trust, love and understanding just like Twinkle’s, for she knew that although things had taken time to fall into place, Twinkle’s relentless deep love for Kunj that only knew how to give and never expect anything in return, and Kunj initially slowly and then suddenly falling equally for her, if not more, had literally redefined any perception of love she ever had. She had seen Kunj call Twinkle a hundred times a day ̶ ‘You’re exaggerating it, Chinki!’ Twinkle would say when she pointed it out ̶ he told her everything that happened all day during his routine video call at night, and each time it would leave Twinkle smiling brightly with a look of contentment. And so, after each time she prayed they would be bound together forever and never part ways again, she always quickly wished for a similar future for herself. “It’s only been two days, Twinkle! You don’t have to overdo the ‘I miss you’ part!” She complained just as Twinkle put down the phone, and joined her to review the pictures that had been taken earlier that evening, in the Haldi ceremony. “Oh please! You have no idea how this feels yet! Each passing minute drags on like it’s an eternity on its own.” Twinkle groaned as Chinki smiled to herself, wondering when Kunj would finally confess, he had made everyone wait for it for way too long now. Right then they heard rapid knocking on the door before it went absolutely quiet. The girls exchanged a quick glance and then looked at the door to the bedroom which was wide open. Another set of knocks made them turn to the balcony door. “Must be Yuvi.” Chinki muttered as she proceeded to open the door, “Hi Jeeju!” Chinki’s teasing voice made Twinkle look up immediately. “Kunj!” She gasped, getting up from the bed immediately. “What was that again? We overdo the ‘I miss you’ part?” He questioned Chinki, making them realise that he had called Twinkle from the balcony itself. “I only said I’ll be leaving right away.” She replied quickly and slipped out, leaving the love birds giggling.
“Why may I ask, did you not come in through the main door like a normal person?” Twinkle asked Kunj as he stepped towards her, smiling from ear to ear. “I would have preferred another ‘I missed you’ like the one I got when you came back home, you know?” He responded with a frown as he held his arms out for a hug and she complied cheerfully, laughing at him. “To answer your question, I am not normal, you see? I’m the Kunj Sarna, the heartthrob of so many ‘girls’. We wouldn’t want you getting jealous, would we?” He added, making her glare at him and then step away. “Such a lie! I’m sure you only wanted to do a heroic deed like those in your songs!” She stated, knowing him too well, and although he had been extremely surprised as to how she had found out, there was no way on Earth that he would accept it, for he was worried that then he might have to also tell her why he wanted to show off his heroism to her. “I don’t have to do all that! I’m a hero either way, and who would know that better than you?” He teased, leaning close to her. “That was on one occasion that you caught me looking for information on you! I was not stalking you!” She protested, for he didn’t have to offer an explanation for her to understand his reference. Besides, she wouldn’t let him know that he was right, that she had been stalking him for a long time before he even knew of her existence. “If you say so!” He said with a wink, adoring the pretty smile that adorned her face. “Next time, please don’t..” She began, but he cut her short with, “I know, I know. I won’t repeat the stunt! I just wanted to check that off my bucket list!” Before she could say anything else, she heard him slump on the bed. She knew he had a long day and headed to pull up the duvet for him, when he held her hand. “We could finish talking the remaining stuff tomorrow. Sweet dreams!” She whispered, and he responded with a sleepy, “I will have sweet dreams, now that I’m with you.” She was grateful he had his eyes shut, lest he should have seen the blush that had crept up her cheeks.
“And what is this for?” Twinkle asked Kunj the next evening as he sat in front of her with a hand fan, blowing air on her Mehendi with it, both of them oblivious to all the curious eyes watching him sitting on a low stool in front of her. “For making up for the last time! I know I was an absolute idiot back then, I had no idea how important all these rituals were. I know I still am an idiot in several ways but I want to do my best!” His reply brought her a weird sense of solace, since for her it was his hidden assurance that he had begun believing in their marriage, and was probably the first time he had done that. She had noticed how he had begun referring to her as his wife more often recently, and as she watched him cutely scrutinise her Mehendi right now, her happiness knew no bounds. “You don’t have to do that actually. It’ll dry in the air.” She informed him, knowing how little knowledge he had of all this. “Oh.” He said embarrassedly as he put away the fan and scratched the back of his head. She giggled at him, which made him ask, “What else can I do for you? I might need some help with that, because I might be singing all the romantic songs in the world, but have almost no practical knowledge..” He paused when he realised what he had been saying, and her widened eyes were a clear indication that she had heard him and was left baffled. “We’re leaving for Greece on the night of the wedding by the way.” He said before quickly getting up and leaving awkwardly. Although he hadn’t said so explicitly, she was sure he had definitely something big planned for their trip, and the way things were proceeding, she couldn’t wait for it.
That’s it for now, guys. I would like to thank all of you for being a part of the terrific journey this story has had so far, it’s been an extremely memorable one. Also, since it’s a special ocassion and because I just finished the final edit of the Greece track, here’s a little sneak peak for you all too:
“What about the rest, Kunj? Did you read them off some Greek romance too?” He shook his head in response, looking deep into her eyes as he placed her right hand over his heart and whispered, “Those came straight from here.” She felt her breath hitch at that, and looked up from her hand on his chest to his face, his eyes conveying that every single word he had spoken was true, and suddenly she didn’t know what she should do with herself, with the emotions bubbling up within her.
Until we get there, why don’t you guys tell me what your takes on this little bit are, and also go ahead and make your wild guesses about the context of this scene!
Lots of love!