Chapter 2

Part 2:  on popular demand(this one’s a filler, you can read it with the next and final part)

“Anuj? kya poochna tha puchiye na?” she asked snapping her fingers in front of his face to pull him out of his trance.

“kahan kho gaye? aap bhi na!” she had a feeling that he was upto something in his head while he smiled contently thinking about the hug he just enjoyed.

“raat bhar soye kyu nahi?” she asked while pouring out the tea...there was a certain tease along with authority in her tone.

“woh actually raat bhar sochta raha ki sha...” listening intently to what he was saying, she missed the cup and poured hot tea on her hand instead.

“Anu, yaar kya kar rahi ho” he yelled and rushed to run cold water over her hand...

“thik hai Anuj kuch nahi hua hai” she assured but he fussed over the mild burn and got her to sit on the chair while he got a bowl full of ice.

Blowing over her hand he continued nursing it when all she could do is adore him for all the attention and care.

“aap abhi kya keh rahe the Anuj? sha?” she asked making him stop everything he was doing.

“haan woh mai keh raha tha ki sha...shayad mujhe apna khud ka business hi karna chahiye” 

“accha ye soch rahe the, mujhe laga...”

“tumhe kya laga?”

“nahi mujhe bhi yehi laga ki shayad aap yehi soch rahe the”

“accha hmmm”

Both being equally bad at the pretence thing, they laughed off the matter before it got awkward.

‘why was it so strange to talk about something that was a pretty normal progression step in a relationship?’ she thought but didn't want to be the one to bring it up thinking it would put unnecessary pressure on him when he already had loads on his mind.

‘I want her to take her time to think about it, it’s not going to be easy for her’ he thought and pacified himself that waiting a little while longer wont hurt if he could wait for 26 years.

He asked if he could feed her breakfast and she couldn't refuse. She loved being spoilt by him and he loved spoiling her.

Instructing him to spend the day working out his business relaunch plan, she went out to her dance class.

He could barely concentrate on anything without her around and went back to thinking what he was all of last night...

**********

“Tum kab aayi?” he asked as he came home with a bag full of veggies.

“Anuj mai le aati, aap kyu? she said and he replied “ mai laaoo ya tum ek hi baat hai, accha chalo aaj kya khana hai batao? he asked

“aaj ka khana mai banaoongi” she announced grabbing the bag from him.

“kyu? mai kya itna bura khana banata hoon?” he asked pulling a puppy face

“Anu, tum ek hi din mein thak gayi aur mai toh poori zindagi tumhe apne haatho se khana banake khilane ka soch raha hai” he said unknowingly bringing up the topic they were trying to avoid.

“ Anuj aap subah...” she mumbled when he grabbed her hand and sat her opposite him.

Anu sensed the urgency and conviction in his body language, it seemed like he was about to ask something that would change their life..

“Anu maine bohot socha, kal raat bhi aur aaj bhi, mai nahi jaanta ke ye sahi waqt hai ya nahi ye baat karne ka par maine 26 saal tumhara intezaar kiya hai, aur nahi karna chahta”

Lost in the joyful moment she could hardly contain her excitement when he intensely looked into her eyes as she awed at him in anticipation.

“Anu, mai tumse shadi karna chahta hoon, kya tum mujhse shadi karogi?”

The words felt surreal, so did the proposal...

Anu found it hard to control her happy tears and Anuj felt like he awaited the result of the toughest exam of his life...

“Anu?” he asked, worried by the unnerving silence that filled the air and her teary expressions added to his misery, ‘what if she wasn’t ready yet?’ he thought and kicked himself for being hasty.

“Anu, tum naa keh sakti ho...mai aur intezaar kar loonga” 

**********

precap: towel wrapped Anuj out of the shower😉

do not throw chappals please, I am too tired to type now but I have the next part all written out in my head☺️