Part 5
Before he could guide her into a seat, the theatre plunged into total darkness. She blindly grasped at his jacket lapel with both hands.
"Ar...Arnavji?" Her voice almost child-like.
He knew from what she had shared about her childhood that she was not comfortable in the dark. With his hand still on her waist, he pulled her closer to his side, by way of assurance. "Come," he said in her ear, and showed her her seat employing his phone as an improvised torch.
She slid into her seat, but didn't release her hold on his jacket, which made his own descent into the low cinema seat a bit awkward. He leaned towards her to urge her to relax.
Either he misjudged the distance--or she leaned forward at the exact same moment--but they collided; his mouth met the side of her nose, and her lips pressed against his throat. This unorthodox union of Mr & Mrs Raizada lasted perhaps a fraction of a second, but the impact did not end when they moved apart.
Just then the screen illumed with colour and sound, and Arnav saw Khushi's face captured in a flash of blue light. Skin flawless. Like polished marble. Eyelids fluttered. Then lowered. Lips trembled. Mouth slightly parted. What right had she to be so exquisite?
And, then it happened--without plan or design--his hands cupped her face, lifting her mouth to his lips, and Mr and Mrs Raizada met once again--this time properly. It completed something that had been painfully interrupted many months ago; but by no measure could this kiss be called complete. Rather, it was an auspicious beginning.
Arnav knew intuitively that this was Khushi's first kiss, and he curtailed his desire in order to initiate her slowly. And, he preferred more privacy. He broke contact--reluctantly but decidedly--and ran his thumb across the plump fullness of her bottom lip as though to imprint, "this is mine."
Her eyes were gazing at him with something like wonderment. He arranged her more comfortably in her seat. She allowed it, but did nothing to assist him. He gave her a small nod to convey to her that this would be continued, and he himself settled more deeply into his seat and faced the screen.
His eyes followed the images projected on the screen, but his attention was fully on the space that had expanded inside his chest.
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When the theatre lights switched on to signal the film interval, Khushi felt as though the sun had come up to disturb a gorgeous night's sleep. It may as well be said: she was spellbound. What happens now? She turned to the man she had married, and saw that he had been watching her. Waiting for her.
He took her hand and helped her out of the seat. The aisle resembled a human traffic jam. Arnav negotiated them through it; Khushi just held firmly onto his hand and allowed herself to be pulled wherever he led.
"Chotte!" she heard Anjali call out to her brother, and Arnav steered her through the crowd towards where their party was gathered. Anjali was asking Arnav how it was that he surprised them at the cinema. Khushi missed his reply, as Shyam placed himself in Khushi's sightline and unnerved her with his pointed poisonous looks.
Her grip on Arnav's hand must have tightened. His eyes fell to where their hands joined and then peered into her face, lifting an eyebrow to ask, "tum theek hai?"
Khushi replied his silent question with a brief smile.
It must have failed to convince him because he bent his mouth to her ear, and spoke the words, "kya?"
Whatever was wrong was partially abated by the caress of his warm breath on her cheek.
Before she knew it herself, she heard herself say to her husband, "let's go home."
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Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
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