Chapter 7
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Part 7
ipkkndfollower 2014-01-21 04:56:37
For the first time Astha was waiting for her husband to come back home. After the morning's episode she felt gratitude. She sincerely wanted to work on her marriage and make it work. A small part of her was telling her that Shlok would definitely be worth the effort.
Astha prepared the dishes that she does best for Shlok. She also prepared his favorite dessert. Astha got the information out of Varad bhai, her one alley in the house. Astha took special care with her appearance as well. She wore a beautiful black sari and minimum jewellery. She adorned her eyes with kohl and applied gloss in her lips.
As usual Shlok was late. He didn't bother to call or inform her. Same as the previous days. Astha served the others and waited for Shlok. Niranjan and Varad went up to their rooms. Anjali had her dinner and asked Astha to clean the aftermath of the meal. Before she went up she only said "Don't think you can sleep late just because you are waiting for Shlok. Breakfast should be ready right on time. Sahib should not be made to wait. And don't go to Shlok seeking pity. Every time it will not work." Anjali's voice and stance was curt.
As soon as Anjali went up Astha heard Shlok's key turn. Astha went to the living room. Shlok came in to see a beautifully dressed Astha. He lowered his eyes and went up to freshen up. She followed him to the room. "Shlok..." No reply.
Astha tried again. "I have prepared your dinner. Your favorite dessert too." Shlok went in to the washroom without uttering a word. Astha's anger was swift. How dare he? How dare he brush off her efforts like this? And he didn't even look at me. The nerve of this man! Let me empty the contents of the dessert on his head. Will serve him right.
Even as she was plotting various ways of taking revenge using the dinner, Shlok came out in his kurta. He saw her standing there, like a statue. "Why are you still up? I didn't ask you to stay up."
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
"What?" He frowned.
"You were the one who told me that we will have breakfast and dinner together. And the very first day you go against your own words?"
"Okay come. There's no need for you to prepare anything special for me. Just give me whatever was done for others. That will do."
The khadoos. Can't even acknowledge someone's efforts. From tomorrow it's just going to be dal and chawal. May be not even that. Water would suffice. Huh! They had dinner together. Astha stole glances at him while they were eating. Shlok could feel her gaze on him. He felt uncomfortable and strange. It had been long since he was the center of attention for a female.
He quickly finished his dinner and didn't wait for her. As usual he went up to read before getting to bed. She came upstairs thinking all her efforts to dress up and be nice were wasted. No use at all. Why do I even try? She was muttering to herself.
She sat in front of the mirror and swept her hair to the front, on one side. She slowly started removing her bangles, then her necklace and finally the anklets. Astha was busy being irritated with herself and the beast, that she failed to notice a pair of eyes watching her.
Shlok was mesmerized by her beauty, by her pale, creamy skin. The black sari contrasted her fair skin. As she swept her hair to the front, her smooth, flawless back was also exposed. His eyes moved from her head to her toes in longing.
He came out of the trance with a jolt. What was he thinking? It was all her fault. Trying to be over smart. He had to remember she was his wife by force not by choice. His duty was to protect her. That's all. He didn't want anything else, wasn't meant for anything else.
Closing the book with a definite thud, he went to the couch and closed his eyes against the onslaught of his senses.
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