Part 28: Page 114
Part 29: Becoming One
Armaan kneeled in front of her and pulled her hands away from her face.
"Riddhima...everything will work out..."
"I'm scared..." Riddhima barely whispered.
Riddhima sniffed but her tears kept streaming from her eyes. And then as suddenly as lightening, she hugged him, wrapping her arms around him so tight that he could barely breathe.
"You won't leave me like he left her, right?" Riddhima choked in between her sobs.
Realization dawned upon Armaan. She was scared that he would leave her. After seeing her best friend's unexpected break-up, Riddhima really was torn and upset. The pessimistic side of her was taking over again, compelling her to think that Armaan would leave her.
Armaan loosened her arms and pulled away to look at her. She kept her eyes lowered and sniffed again to gain control. She closed her eyes when he cupped her face gently and made her look at him.
"Riddhima open your eyes. Look at me."
Riddhima opened her eyes slowly and looked at him with her bloodshot eyes.
"I will never never leave you. I'll be here until you tell me to go away. Because I—" Armaan stopped dead in the middle of his sentence remembering that he'd said he won't say the three words to her until she said them to him. Not giving her a chance to hang on to that bit, he continued quickly. "You can't break down now Riddhima. Kripa needs you. She was always there for you when things were haywire between us...now you need to be there for her. I won't be here for the next eight weeks. You'll have enough time with your best friend...I know you'll help Kripa get through this. Besides...it will give you less time to miss me." Armaan said teasingly.
Slowly, a smile formed on her lips and Armaan let out a faint sigh of relief. She touched his cheek affectionately, "I'll miss you regardless."
Armaan closed his eyes at her gentle touch. He was going to miss her like no tomorrow but he couldn't let that get to his head. He was leaving the next morning and if he didn't control himself, he knew he wouldn't be able to leave.
"You were saying something." Riddhima said.
Armaan opened his eyes and looked at her questioningly. "What?"
"You were saying something...you will never leave me because you...?" Riddhima prompted.
Armaan hid a smile. Now he understood what she was trying to get him to say. He let go of her face. "Because I would miss you too much if I left." Armaan tapped her nose and got up to leave. He had just turned when he felt a tug on his wrist.
He heard the couch crunch as she got up. "That's not what you were going to say." She said confidently.
Armaan turned around to face her with a smile. "In that case, you know what I was going to say. And I'm also sure that you know why I won't say it. Not until you say it first Riddhima."
Riddhima averted her gaze and let go of his hand. He turned around and went into their bedroom. Riddhima paced back and forth in the living room. He was leaving tomorrow morning, and he won't say the three words to her!
She sulked to herself until a little voice inside her showed her the mirror: you didn't say them either.
She sighed. She considered that...should she go and say the three words to him..? After all, she was in love with him. The tank fish had fallen in love with an Ocean Fish.
After a few minutes of thinking, she took a brave deep breath, clenching her fists to hold onto the determination and walked towards their bedroom. She felt a little shiver run through her as she saw what she expected to see.
Armaan was in the shower, his pajama top was sprawled on the bed, and he had taken the bottoms with him. Perfect. Riddhima picked up his pajama top and walked out of the room.
Armaan stepped out of the shower wearing his pajama bottoms and no top, as usual. However, this time he was confused to see that his shirt was gone.
"Riddhima? Have you seen my pajama shirt?" Armaan moved the blankets to check under them. "Riddhim—"
He ate the rest of the word when he turned around to face the door and saw Riddhima standing there...wearing his shirt. And nothing else.
She tugged at the helm of the shirt, in the hope that it would provide more cover, as she walked closer to him. "Um...I forgot to put my pajamas in the dryer...I hope you don't mind me wearing this for the night."
Armaan didn't hear a word of what she'd said. He was too busy admiring his wife in the white baggy shirt which covered her until mid-thighs, and the sleeves covered all of her hand except for the tips of her fingers. He jerked out of his thoughts when she called out his name again. "Sorry...what did you say?"
Riddhima repeated her earlier explanation for wearing his shirt. She tugged at the hem again and this time he noticed. He closed the distance and put a hand on her shoulder. "Of course you can...I'll wear another one...but are you okay? Your face is red and you look flustered."
Riddhima shook her head. "I'm fine."
Armaan didn't believe her but he smiled and nodded anyway. He started walking towards the closet but she called out to him and he stopped, thinking that she will tell him what was bugging her.
When she turned around to face her, he found her looking at him...unsure. She came closer and gently touched his cheek with the tips of her fingers. Armaan's immediate thought was: is there something on my face?
But then she touched his other cheek in the same gentle manner. In the next few seconds, she was cupping his face while Armaan looked on confused. She went on her tippy toes until they were nose to nose and she moved dangerously close. Armaan wanted to call out to her but he couldn't find his voice.
"Armaan." She whispered gently. Lovingly.
She closed her eyes and moved closer until her lips met his. Like sunshine breaking through clouds, realization broke through confusion in Armaan's mind. He could feel his arms automatically winding around her slim wait while he felt her arms from his face to around his neck.
By the time they parted, desperately aching for air, Riddhima had managed to leave Armaan with a tingly feeling in every cell of his body. His spine felt like it was on fire while Riddhima experience the same kind of fire in her stomach. She couldn't tell if it was the anxiousness of what she was about to do or the after effects of the kiss.
A couple of seconds after she had let go of his lips, he felt the same softness of her lips against his jaw line. She left a trail of butterfly light kisses along his jaw and then trailed down to his neck. When he felt him loosing that self-control over her, he gently pushed her away a little bit.
"Riddhima..." he warned cautiously knowing exactly where this would lead if she didn't stop. He didn't know why she was doing this. It was out of character for her to initiate such intimacy. He didn't want her to become upset or regret anything.
His warning, however, had fallen on deaf ears. She couldn't hear anything past the ringing in her ear. She couldn't think about anything other than her husband. Yes, she desperately wished that she would pick up the hint and take the lead. She didn't know how many bold move she could make because the anxiety was taking over. She gathered her courage once again and started her gentle torture on Armaan again.
She showered his shoulders, neck, and face with several kisses and eventually she had him shivering in her arms. She could feel the physical tension in his muscles, similar to a fully stretched elastic band. If she pushed him just a little bit more, he would snap. And she did just that.
Going on her tippy toes, she swept him off in another eager lip-lock. Armaan lost all control at that moment, just as Riddhima had expected. He turned her sweet kiss into an urgent one, full of desire, passion, and need. He pulled on her shirt at the collar to expose her shoulder and then he put her through the same sweet torture she had put him through.
Equal passion and equally flaming desire took over the two and their positioning changed automatically to fulfill the new needs. Riddhima's fingers lingered over the waistband of his pajamas while his hands slowly made way their way towards the buttons of the shirt she was wearing.
Even in the tornado of such intense passion, need, and love, Armaan was able to think regain his control. He immediately took his hands off of her and stopped moving, still breathing as if he'd run a marathon.
Riddhima's eyes were still closed as she slid her hands off of him and reached for her own shirt's buttons. Armaan looked at her face while she managed to unbutton the first two buttons. He stopped her hands just as she reached for the third.
"I know what I'm doing..." Riddhima said in a small voice.
Armaan frowned in confusion. She opened her eyes when he didn't say anything. She'd kept them closed to hide the tears that were starting to flood in. Armaan was taken aback. He hadn't expected the tears. He knew he should have controlled himself.
Before he could do or say anything, Riddhima threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hid her face in his chest, sobbing.
"If I asked you for something before you leave tomorrow...would you give it to me?" She asked once she had her sobs under control.
Armaan rubbed her back soothingly. "Anything you want Riddhima."
Riddhima took a deep breath and gathered her courage for the umpteenth time that night. "Make me yours."
She felt his hand stop moving on her back. He was holding his breath; she couldn't feel any movement against her head. His heart was hammering ahead.
He pulled her apart and looked at her flushed face, a tear streaming down her face. He wiped the tear away and suddenly he swept her off her feet and carried her in his arms. He walked to the bed and lay her down before taking a seat next to her. He leaned closer and wiped the tear that was trying to stain her cheek. She reached up and grabbed his hand, holding it against her cheek.
"You're sure?" Armaan asked after a few seconds of silence.
"I've never been surer..." she said but her voice was shaky. It didn't make her sound too sure. She looked sure. He could feel it in the way she held him, he could see it in the way she looked into his eyes, and he could hear it in the thundering heartbeat of hers.
It was when he looked back into her eyes that he realized what she was doing. This was her way. This was her way of letting him know that she loved him. Giving herself up emotionally and physically. Letting him know she trusted him. Letting him know she loved him enough for her heart to allow her to take this step with him.
Overcome with joy, passion, and love for his wife, he smiled widely at her before leaning closer. She met his lips halfway and he found his way to granting her wish.
* *
Riddhima shivered in the morning. The room was suddenly too cold. She wiggled herself enough to find the warmth that had stayed with her throughout the night. When she didn't find it engulfing her, she patted the space next to her, hoping to find her husband but he wasn't there. She sat up, clutching the covers to her chest and looked around the room. She felt a blush making its way onto her cheeks and she smiled to herself. She felt an attach of butterflies in her stomach as she considered what it would be like seeing Armaan after what had happened last night.
Armaan. Where was he? She looked around the room and looked at the bathroom door as if she could see through it and see that Armaan wasn't in there. During her third scan of the room, she saw a note attached to the mirror. She wrapped the covers around herself and practically ran to the mirror.
'Go Check the Dining Table'.
Maybe he had a surprise waiting for her. She ran into the washroom, took exactly a minute to brush her teeth, and took the quickest shower of her life before putting on his favourite top of hers and skinny jeans before she ran out into the kitchen.
She saw a bouquet of red roses sitting on it with an envelope wedged under it. She nearly tore the paper in the process of opening it. She read:
Rise and Shine beautiful. I can't explain to you how high up in the clouds my joy is right now. Thank you for accepting me as your husband. If I'm not mistaken, you were trying to get a message across last night. I think I know what it was. I would still like to hear you say it though. My condition was that I won't say it until you say it to me first.
Anyway, that will have to wait. When I woke up this morning, I saw happiness and content on your face this morning. You looked so peaceful in your sleep that I didn't have the heart to wake you. That and I don't think after last night I would have been able to leave if you were awake.
I will miss you every time I take a breath Riddhima. Take care of yourself for me.
Yours in Every way,
Armaan.
DAMN! Riddhima slammed the letter down. His flight! He was leaving today. She had completely forgotten. She looked at the clock and panicked. She had exactly forty-five minutes to get to the airport. She could get there in half an hour if the traffic wasn't so bad.
She made a run for her car keys and sprinted out of the house. She drove like a maniac on the highway breaking every speed limit. With luck on her side, she didn't get pulled over. After freaking out over a small block of traffic minutes away from the airport, she finally made it to the airport in good time.
She ran into the waiting area and looked around for him frantically when she spotted Khushi and Arnav. Riddhima practically ran up to them.
"Have you seen Armaan?!"
"Hey Riddhima!" Khushi said stifling another sob while Arnav just shook his head at his dramatic girlfriend.
"Hey Riddhima. Everyone is right by the Starbucks over there." He pointed in the direction. Riddhima thanked him and hurried off.
She felt relief wash over him when she spotted Armaan. She couldn't help the joyous cry of "Armaan" that escaped her lips.
He smiled at her as if this was exactly the reaction he had expected from her. She ran up to him and threw herself in his arms, trying her best not to sob. A few minutes late and he would have been gone!
Just as Arnav had pointed out the direction to Riddhima, Kripa had walked up to them from the entrance as well. Khushi hugged Kripa and cried.
"Khushi!! Stop crying! I'm only gone for eight weeks! And you're the one who didn't want to come with me! I should be the one crying!"
Khushi waved him off and wiped her tears. "You're here to see off Angad?"
Kripa nodded gently. Khushi and Arnav led Kripa towards where everyone was standing. Angad broke away from the crowd and walked towards her. Arnav and Khushi smiled at him gently and left the two alone away from the crowd.
Angad just stood there in front of her, looking at her face. Trying to register details of her face as if he would never see her again. She raised her eyebrows at him when he didn't move. He slowly walked up to her and gave her a bear hug. She hugged him back and smiled to herself. It felt good to know that despite their break up, they were still on good terms.
After they pulled apart, he smiled at her again. "How have you been?"
"Probably just the same as you..." Kripa answered coolly.
Angad gave a sad smile and nodded. "Well...maybe it will make these eight weeks just a little easier...you'll miss me less."
Kripa scoffed lightly. "I'll miss you just the same, Angad."
Naina, Angad's mother, stood with the crowd but she observed the interaction between Angad and Kripa and she immediately knew something was off. Dilip was busy with his phone while Armaan's parents were trying to cheer Khushi up as she kept herself wound in Arnav's arms, refusing to let go. Armaan had pulled Riddhima apart and much to his surprise; she quickly went onto her tippy toes and gave him a quick kiss.
"Why didn't you wake me up?!" she demanded.
Armaan held onto her hands. "I told you...I didn't want to wake my sleeping beauty."
"You told me?" Riddhima asked.
"In the letter." Armaan rolled his tongue in his cheek.
"What letter?" Riddhima tried to act nonchalant. "I didn't get any letter...I didn't get any note..."
"If you got the note...you got the letter." Armaan said in a matter of fact tone.
Riddhima smiled at him but didn't say anything. He went ahead with his next tease. "Are you here to put into words what you tried to say last night with your actions?"
Riddhima's face went red instantly. "You first..."
"No...Remember the deal...you first. Come on Riddhima...I'm leaving in ten minutes...wont you say it now?" Armaan gave her hands a gentle squeeze.
Riddhima wanted to tell him but she couldn't find her voice. Her lower lip quivered.
The overhead announcement rudely interrupted the moment by making the last announcement for Armaan's flight travellers.
Riddhima's eyes widened as she looked at him, expecting him to say the three magical words so that she could say them back to him! He kissed her hands, came closer and gave her a quick kiss on this lip before leaving a lingering kiss on her forehead. Still holding onto her hand, he led her back towards the group.
On the other hand, Angad gently cupped Kripa's cheek and turned around to leave.
"Angad?" Kripa called out to him and waited until he turned around to face her. When he did, she kissed his cheek and whispered a "take care. I love you."
He smiled at her with all the love he could muster. He kissed her forehead twice. "Love you too" he whispered against her skin before the two made their way back to the crowd.
The two couples reached the mob around the same time. Goodbyes were exchanged, along with hugs and kisses, and a flood of tears thanks to Khushi.
"Don't make too many Jalebis today, okay?" Arnav said trying to keep his determination. He hated tears in her eyes and here she was, wasting them like they weren't important.
She sniffed. "I'll only make enough to last me these eight weeks! You better call me every night!"
"I promise. First call as soon as I land there, okay?" Arnav consoled.
Within a few seconds, the three boys were blending into the herd that was headed towards the terminal for the flight. Eight weeks. These wretched eight weeks. Khushi will have eight weeks to make and eat enough jalebis to make her fat. Kripa will have eight weeks to move on from the man she loves so that she can completely focus on her baby. Riddhima had eight weeks to go until she could either say or hear the three magical words from her husband.
Hey Guys! This is today's part. Made it longer to make up for the delay. Hopefully the AR fans are happier. I try my best to balance between the two couples but sometimes, some parts just need to be focused on a particular couple! I really hope you guys can understand that, I know that a lot of you do! Hope you all liked this part! Next update will be for Beauty & the Beast (in a day or two MAX for those interested in knowing!)
Enjoy!
Love,
Katie <3
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