Chapter 8

The wedding took place in the farmhouse with both the families and close friends. After the reception, the family decided to let the couple spend the night in the farmhouse and leave for Mumbai the next day where as the rest of the Malhotra family returned home on the same day.

Suman sat on the bed in her room in the farmhouse waiting for him. She heard the door click and she lowered her lashes knowing it was Shravan. He walked towards the bed where Suman sat nervously playing with her duppatta.

"Hi!", he said.

She looked up at him with a nervous smile.

"Hi!", she replied.

"Uh.. Tired?", he asked.

She nodded in a yes.

"Why don't you freshen up?", he asked.

"Hmm..", she said and walked to the cupboard and got out her night suit. She turned to see him go out of the room.

"Tum kahan ja rahe ho?", she asked.

"Guest room. Need to get changed. My clothes are in there.", he informed.

"Okay!", she replied with a smile.

After a few minutes, Shravan walked into the room and heard the shower running. He smiled and walked over to the window and stood there looking at the star lit sky. he heard the bathroom door open but decided not to look back.

"Shall we.. ummm... sleep?", came her question.

He looked back to find her in a satin knee length nighty.

"You're beautiful.", he whispered.

She smiled at him with a faint blush.

"Thank you!", she mumbled.

He chuckled.

"Which side of the bed do you sleep on?", she asked.

"Which side do you sleep on?", he asked.

"Ermm.. I generally sleep in the center coz I'm used to sleeping alone. I toss and turn and roll over the bed.", she replied embarrassingly.

"I sleep on the left. You're most welcome to toss and turn.", he replied with a laugh.

"Your left or my left?", she asked.

"Isn't it the same coz we both are facing the bed?", he asked with a raised eye brow.

"Alright, Left while facing the bed or left while sleeping on the bed?", she asked twitching her lips.

"Left while facing the bed!", he said with a laugh.

They walked over to the bed and got in under the covers. Shravan lay on the left while Suman got in the right. He looked over at her as she gazed back at him.

"This was so fast isn't it?", she asked.

"It was. We're married already.", he replied in surprise.

"I was meaning to ask you something!", she announced.

"We won't go ahead till the time you don't want to take that step ahead.", he replied.

"How did you know I was to ask you that?", she asked in shock.

"I have started to know my wife.", he replied.

"And I don't know you well.", she pouted.

"We have our entire lives Sumo. What's the hurry?", he asked.

She moved closer to Shravan.

"Open your arms out.", she instructed.

He did as told. She shifted closer and kept her head on his extended arms.

"This is step 1. Getting comfortable with each other.", she said with a genuine smile.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

"I'm more than comfortable already!", he whispered and dropped a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes and snuggled more into him.

"You know.. I might get used to this!", she whispered.

"Used to what?", he asked.

"Sleeping like this.", she replied.

"I don't mind!", he said.

"Do you love me?", she asked.

"Do you?", he asked.

"I asked first.", she countered.

"I do!", he said.

"You do what?", she asked in surprise.

"Love you!", he said.

"When? How?", she asked yet again, flabbergasted.

"I started liking you from the very first time you spoke to Lala ji and Papa on the phone. Maa and I listened to your conversation. I thought I could connect to you as your point of view was similar to mine and so I agreed. Then when we met, I found you to be a really happy go lucky person and could connect to you on a personal level.", he said.

She smiled and said, "Continue!"

"Continue what?", he asked.

"The story!", she replied.

"It's reality!", he replied.

"Haan.. So tell me when you fell in love with me.", she ordered.

"When you called me after the mehendi function to tell me how dark the color came out.", he said.

"That doesn't make sense!", she pouted.

"It doesn't have to.", he replied with a chuckle.

She pouted again.

"If you continue to pout like this I might kiss you!", he whispered.

"You're so shameless.", she said as her eyes popped out.

"What's shameless about kissing your wife?", he asked smirking at her shocked face.

"Let me sleep!", she said and closed her eyes and turned the other way round, still lying on his arm.

"That's a good excuse to escape this conversation. Good Night", he laughed.

She quickly took hold of his palm and bit him hard.

"Ow!", he shrieked and pulled away his hand and then pinned her to the bed.

"What the hell was that for?", he asked.

"For being sassy and confusing me.", she replied.

"What's confusing about it? Love just happens, and it happened to me!", he whispered.

"How can it happen just like that?", she asked.

"What do you expect? Violins, rose petals, fairy lights?", he asked laughing out loud still on top of Sumo.

"How would I know if I'm in love with you?", she asked.

"You'll know with time Suman.", he said and was about to move away when she stopped him.

"Ermm.. Will you.. umm..", she trailed off.

"Will I what?", he asked.

"Will you kiss me?", she asked.

He looked at her as his lips formed into a smirk.

"You want me to?", he asked with a chuckle.

"Tum mujhpe haste kyun rehte ho? I'm not talking to you!", she pushed him onto the bed and shifted to the right most end of the bed and closed her eyes hoping that sleep would take over soon.

He smiled and gently held her shoulder to turn her around so that she would face him.

"Chhodo mujhe. I don't wanna speak to you!", she complained yet again.

"Why do you want me to kiss you?", he asked.

"Tum mere pati ho. Biwi ko kiss karne mein sharam aati hai kya tumhe?", she asked faking anger, still not facing him.

"Bilkul nahi Sumo. I'm more than willing to do it you know!", he revealed.

She still did not turn over to look at him.

"Look at me na.", he requested.

"Why?", she asked.

"Because you want me to kiss you!", he replied with utmost honesty.

"Now I don't want you to kiss me!", she replied faking anger.

"I want to kiss you!", he tried again.

"That's your problem.", she taunted.

"Please..", he whispered.

He smiled and spooned with her. He nuzzled in her neck and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Ab bhi nahi?", he asked.

"Nahi!", she retorted.

He gently caresses her waist over the satin nighty and blew in her ear.

"Aur ab?", he asked huskily.

"Nahi..", she whispered as her breathing got heavy.

He trailed kisses on her bare shoulder and pulled the shoulder straps of the nighty with his teeth when realization dawned on Suman.

"Stop trying to seduce me!", she pouted and pulled away.

He pulled her back and turned her so that she lay on the bed straight and he came on top of her.

"Why? Are you seducible?", he asked with a cocky smile.

She looked into his big expressive eyes as though searching for something.

"I love you Suman Tiwari!", he whispered looking into her eyes with all the love in the world.

"Suman Malhotra!", she replied with a gentle smile forming on her lips.

Shravan looked down at the beautiful girl who lay below him. He couldn't believe it. In the beginning he didn't want to get married and now he was feeling like the luckiest man on planet earth. He was in love with her. In love with his wife!

He had this weird feeling inside him as though his insides were churning; wanting to make love to her and show her how much he cared.

Suman looked at her husband who lay above her looking at her with his deep brown orbs. She reached out to him and lovingly caressed his cheek unable to stop herself.

He leaned in and kissed her. Suman was stunned at first with her insides melting with the touch of his lips. She then gasped and her lips parted. Shravan slipped his tongue in and tasted her mouth, getting familiar to it. She was sweet and addictive which made Shravan want her.

He let go and looked down at Suman. She had her eyes shut, catching her breath, and then looked at Shravan and smiled.

"And?", he asked wanting to know what she felt.

"Wow! That was.. ummm..", she trailed off.

"That was what?", he asked scrunching his brows.

"Can we do it again?", she asked.

"Well, you're being a tease Mrs. Malhotra!", he chuckled.

"I'm not teasing you at all.", she replied as she wound her arms around his neck.

"Oh yes you are.", he replied.

"And how is that, if I may ask?", she asked.

"Kissing you is turning me on and it would be hard for me to stop you know..", he reasoned making her giggle.

"Okay then, Good Night!", she whispered and closed her eyes.

"Good Night!", he replied and closed his eyes in sheer satisfaction. Soon she fell asleep and Shravan slightly opened his eyes to see her serene and calm face.

He dropped a loving kiss on her forehead.

"I love you Sumo!", he whispered to her sleeping figure and drifted to sleep.

Next morning, Suman stirred in sleep and squinted open her eyes to find her husband sleeping in peace.  She caressed his cheek and outlined his jaw.

She got up quickly and had a quick shower and changed into a red anarkali suit.

"Shravan ko utthau ya nahi?", she questioned herself.

She smiled and walked over to the left side of the bed where he slept and sat down next to his sleeping form. She bent down to his ears.

"Shravan.", she whispered.

"Umm..", he groaned and went back to sleep.

"Shravan, get up. Mama ji ke ghar ke liye nikalna hai.", she whispered.

Shravan squinted open to the most beautiful sight. Suman's face was just a couple of centimetres away.

"Good Morning Wife!", he wished with a lazy smile.

"Good Morning Husband. Get ready. Mama ji aur Mami ji breakfast ke liye wait kar rahe honge.", she replied.

Shravan raised his hand and lovingly caressed her cheek.

"I'll be down in 10 minutes.", he said and got out of bed as she went downstairs.

~

Shravan and Suman drove back to the Tiwari House and had breakfast with them. Soon after spending some more time, they left for the airport.

After checking in and boarding the flight, Suman sat in the window seat and Shravan sat next to her.

"Sumo!", he called out.

She turned to look at him. She had glistened eyes.

He quickly put his arms around her shoulder and pulled her into a side hug. She buried her face in his chest as she let her tears trickle out of her eyes.

"Please don't cry sweetheart. We can come to Delhi whenever you want okay!", he whispered and dropped a kiss on her hair.

"Tum mujhse bohot pyaar karte ho na?", she asked.

"Haan. Bohot pyaar.", he replied.

"Tum itne achhe kyun ho?", she asked in a mere whisper.

"Didn't you deserve a good husband? Tumhe bura pati chahiye tha kya?", he asked letting out a chuckle. She giggled.

"I really like you.", she confessed.

"Well, thank you baby. I love you!", he confessed.

"How would I know if I'm in love with you?", she asked.

"You'll know with time Sumo.", he replied and they held hands as the aircraft took off.

"You wanna sleep a little more?"', he asked.

"Yea!", she replied.

"Sleep then. I'll wake you up once we reach Mumbai.", he said.

She smiled and slept in his embrace as he lovingly played with her hair.

~

The duo reached home and Nirmala welcomed the couple lovingly. She kissed Suman's forehead.

"Welcome to the family Suman!", she said.

"Thank you Maa!", replied Suman.

"Shravan take your wife to her room.", said Nirmala.

"Her room? She is living with me Maa.", he replied in confusion.

"Shaadi ke baad tumhare room pe Suman ka zyada haq hai. Isliye her room.", she said.

"Nahi Maa. Shravan and I are equals in this marriage.", said Suman. Nirmala smiled and patted her cheek.

"Chalo Sumo. Humare kamre mein!", he announced giving her his hand to hold. She took it and gripped it tight.

~

Finally Suman had settled in her new house with the help of her loving husband and very supportive family and had now started work. It had been 10 days ever since she started her own catering company from a place near Shravan's Office and Preeta had shifted to Mumbai as well.

She sat in on her desk checking the inventory list when she heard someone clear their throat.

She turned around to find her handsome husband leaning at the frame of the door.

"Ghar chalein?", he asked.

"How come the driver didn't come to pick me?", she asked with a wide grin.

"Kyunki aaj aapka personal chauffeur aaya hai. Khushi nahi hui tumhe?", he asked as though complaining.

"Nahi. Bohot khushi hui.", she closed everything and walked upto him and gently pecked his lips.