Peace and Love Everyone!
Hope you’ve had a great week.
I was blessed enough to hangout with my beautiful daughter this weekend. We checked out two places that we love to eat. Yes, we are foodies. I’ll have to do a blog about places to eat in New York one day.
OMG! I so thought that I wouldn’t be able to write this blog story, for I’ve had a horrible bout of writer’s block. I had no ideas all week. I was trying to figure out where I go from chapter 8s end. As I was trying to sleep last weekend, it came to me, at least part of it. But this week again, no idea on how to continue. When writing for a novel, have a bit more time to overcome writer’s block. Not so when writing a blog page. Anyway, here goes…
After what happened, I didn’t go downstairs again. The party ran into the wee hours of the morning. I could hear the music as I’m sure so could my neighbors. Of course, we invited them. This way, we avoid any problems with them.
I’m sure everyone thought it was weird that I went up to our room and didn’t return, but I just couldn’t. There was no way I could put on a happy face after what just happened. I have no idea what Raj told them. I told him to party for both of us and that he could dance with Rhea for the last time. He smiled but stayed with me for a while. I was all cried out.
Raj got back from the party after everyone had left, I had not moved from the couch. When he left, he wouldn’t let me sit on the floor anymore, so I sat on the sofa staring at the wall where my best friend tried to force himself on me. I cried again until the tears stopped coming.
“Autumn, you haven’t moved at all?”
I didn’t answer. That couldn’t have been a question.
“My love.”
Finally, I looked toward him. He did look so handsome. “I’m sorry I messed up our engagement party.”
“Everyone said they hope you feel better. Then they kept taunting me, saying that we’re rushing to marry because I got carried away. The family thinks you’re pregnant.”
I said nothing. I could be, but I refused to take the pregnancy test. I want to deny it a little longer.
“Could you be?”
“We will not discuss that.”
“Autumn, you haven’t menstruated in over a month.”
“I know, and we won’t acknowledge it. I was looking forward to getting to know my husband, not rushing into being a mother.”
“We’ve been together a year. You’ve never been late.”
“Raj, you’re not even going to ignore this with me? I want to be a couple first.”
“We’ll always be a couple.” Raj sat down next to me and put his arms around me, pulling me into him.
“I love you; you know that.”
“Enough to anger your best friend.”
“I respect you and your family. I don’t want to bring shame upon them.”
“Spoken like a real Indian girl.”
I rolled my eyes and elbowed him.
Raj and I sat for a while, unmoving. We listened to the sounds of the house as we heard the last guest leave. Anjeli and Arjun were still downstairs speaking with mom and baujee. Then we heard them all on the stairs. Our door was open, but still, they knocked. Baujee entered first, followed by Riya, Anjeli, and Arjun.
“We figured we’d check on you since you missed your own engagement party.”
I looked up at baujee standing by the door. He was standing in front of everyone as they crowded the doorway. I padded Raj’s leg.
“Everyone, please come in, sit,” Raj replied. He got up and pulled the desk chairs close to the sofa and love seat. Baujee and mom sat in the chairs, Arjun and Anjeli, in the love seat.
I took a deep breath. “I am truly sorry that I missed the festivities. I’m not one for masking my emotions well, so I figured it would be better if I stayed upstairs. So sorry for the drama.”
“All the women now think Raj is a stud. They’re saying he must have a silver tongue and talked you into an early marriage so he can have a lot of children.”
My eyes widened, and I smiled. “Mom, to be honest, I agree. He’s a sweet talker, alright. He can’t wait for children.” I jokingly elbowed Raj as I laughed. “Plus, his curls and hazel eyes.”
Everyone laughed, except baujee. “He is no longer welcome here.”
“Of course,” I replied. I hope baujee didn’t’ think that I would let Charlie come to visit me here. I still was in shock about what happened. I know Charlie didn’t think about consequences, but I did. He put me in a horrible position.
“Thank, Ganesh, no one paid attention to him. He shouldn’t have come.”
I couldn’t help but think that baujee was right. I wasn’t sure Charlie would even make it. “I sent him an invitation thinking he’d still be out of the country. I’ve known him so long; I couldn’t not invite him. Still, I didn’t think he would do that to me.”
“I know you didn’t, but I had a feeling. Men are different. He probably always had it in the back of his head that he would end up with you. Then you started dating Raj; he probably figured it was his last chance, and he didn’t know how to handle it.”
“Don’t make excuses for him, Riya. What he did was despicable. And in our home. Westerners don’t think of how their actions affect others; it’s all about them and their feelings.”
I smiled in response and nodded my head. I agreed with baujee; Charlie gave no thought to my reaction or how I would feel. We sat in silence for a while. I leaned back on Raj and sniffled a little. It was a blessing to have such a supportive family. I started to cry. “Thank you all for being so supportive,” I said through the tears. I brought my dupatta up to wipe my eyes.
“Let’s go; they need their rest, and so do we. We’ll have breakfast in the morning before everyone goes off to work.”
“I thought we were going to work on the wedding tomorrow. I took the day off.”
“Anjeli?”
“Yes, mom.”
“Perfect. You ladies have a girls’ day tomorrow. I’ll treat you all to a spa day.”
“Thank you, baujee,” Anjeli, and I said in unison. I blew him a kiss, and Anjeli kissed him on the cheek on the way out of our room.
“You, ladies, are very welcome. Since you ladies will be having a day, I say the men grab breakfast before we head to the office.”
“Sounds good,” replied Raj. Arjun smiled and nodded.
“Get some rest.” Baujee patted my hand and smiled before he turned and walked to the door.
“Shall we get ready for bed?”
“Yes, Raj.” We got up and walked to our bedroom. I never thought that baujee would be so forgiving of me. I thought he would blame me for what happened. I didn’t look like it.
“You know, Arjun had a talk with Charlie on the way out.”
“Wait; what?”
“He told him that since you were part of our family, he hoped that he, Charlie, would respect the relationship that you and I had.”
“But Arjun didn’t know what happened up here.”
“No, but Arjun knows our dynamic.”
“You told him.?”
“I talk to Arjun about everything. Especially the things I don’t tell mom.”
“I didn’t know.”
“It’s fine. Arjun won’t tell. He does have a new respect for you that strengthened when I told him what happened.”
“Okay. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Charlie hurt me.” Raj quickly turned me to him and lifted my face so that our eyes met. “Not physically, well, other than my next.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. Mom gave this to me for you. Just rub it on. You’re bound to be a bit sore.”
“Thank you. Did I tell you that I love you today?”
“I love you, Autumn.” Raj gently kissed my lips. The gentle kissed turned urgent and passionate.
He pulled away for a moment, a questioning look in his eyes.
“Yes, you may have me,” I replied with a smile.
Raj wrapped his arms around me and kissed me deeply as he maneuvered my body toward the shower.
Copyright 2019, 2020
Next blog, Chapter 10. It’s suppose to be the final chapter, but we’ll see. Let me know if you want to know more about Autumn or you’re ready for a new topic.
Peace & Love
LeticiaEdghill 