Windsock
There wasn't any closeness or intimacy between them so what could she complain about. She was head over heels in love, but he was just amused it looked like everytime he interacted with her. She couldn't give him any grief over it because they had started the marriage deciding to be platonic
Or not deciding to be platonic but that's the way it was
She thought lawyers were too dull and the gift confirmed that opinion. He really didn't care for her either
Sexaul attraction toward him had hit her like a wall of fire, but she was alone in it, it looked like. His Bday present did not signify any familiarity whatsoever
She bitched about it to Devu first and Meeta later that night
Which was a bad idea because Devu couldn't get what she was trying to imply
Meeta thought there was something seriously wrong with her marriage. Vibhu had ordered a dozen pairs of sheer expensive lacy lingerie in custom colors from a Paris fashionhouse for her birthday
He had made her wear them all for months night after night. And here was a guy that went to Law School in the UK gifting his new wife water bottle and two pairs of socks
Nobody had given Meeta such an impersonal thing ever before
Teeku was acting like it didn't matter when she was narrating her birthday events
"Aapne poochha Harit ko ki kyon diya aapko socks? Do u like socks? Meeta asked the girl who she had known for over 10 years no
"Bhabhi... hamare paas 100s of pairs of lingerie hai, makeup hai, lipsticks hai chapsticks hai I don't have anything as dumb as socks. He is a lawyer Teeku finished
"Looks like it babe
"Inko law school mein kuch sikhaate nahi hongey about birds and bees
"Does that mean there was an "expectation? Meeta held her breath
"I mean expectation nahi tha bilqul, hum jaante kitna hain unko
"Lekin...
"I mean if it was his birthday I would ask family what he liked and give him that Teeku was being very noble
"Itni koshish karengi?
"Bhabhs... I married him for Chandu, for harmony I have to be nice na? Teeku said haughtily
"Ofcourse ofcourse Meeta nodded baffled
"Chalo. Atleast he thinks of u as a coworker, if he hadn't given you anything phir kya kartin? Meeta's sigh indicated dejection
"Hamey farq nahi padta Teeku fibbed
"Hum kya kahen aapko. Ek suit aap ek mahina chunkar khareedti hain, aur yahan shaadi teen hafte mein Meeta was resigned
"Hum rakhte hain
The dinner was splendid, almost chhappan bhog, with atleast 5 varieties of sweets made from scratch. Her favorite kind of paneer was there, stuffed baby brinjal, ajwain waali pooris
No cake though, since they were quite traditional, they did cakes only for kids
Avantika slept soundly, as she had missed sleep last night
In the morning she was told Friday April 13 was Pradosh ka Vrat so she had to show up for a pooja at 9
She showered and stepped out wearing her cotton lounge pants and tee.
He looked like he was readying for a shower, he pulled his top teeshirt off uncaringly and flung it in a basket in the bathroom
Her heart stopped beating, and only resumed when she noticed he had a vest on
"Did u have a good birthday? he asked politely
"Thank you she nodded carelessly reminded of the lame gift she got collecting her soaps and astringents and lotions from around the wash basin so he could keep his stuff
She dropped a couple bottles in the sink, it clattered their lids opening, she picked them up with trembling hands as he ran the water in the bucket noisily, She set some back in her room by the dresser and returned for the last two
" Did u like the saree Bhabhi gave you? he asked amused as if he knew she hated it
She nodded smiling with joy "Khoob pasand aayi hamey saree
"Really? he was shocked
"Hamey SOCKS pasand nahi she blurted and turned red
He turned the water off and approached
A muted "Uh-oh escaped her lips
"U hated it? he asked grinning
"Hamey kisi ne aaj taq socks nahi diye hain she said primly
"Oh? Always a first? Haan? he asked for approval
"Hum to pooch lete hain hamey... yaane ki jinka Birthday hota hai she stumbled
He stood across from her
Hands in his track pockets
"Aapne koi personal si gift expect ki? he asked his eyes smoldering yet mocking
She refused to give him the satisfaction
"Hamey aapki pasand ki jaankari nahi he said pushing her verbally
"Hum yahan roz nahaate hain, yahan is ghar mein two weeks se hain, aapko pata nahi hamey kya pasand hai?
"Nahi? he shook his head
"Ive worn LILAC LIKE TEN TIMES she was agonized
"Hamara sab kuch lilac hai she waved towards the wash basin
He took a step towards her
"Mostly.. sab kuch she croaked weakly
Her eyes big and tormented
"U are wearing lilac? he asked
"Nahi she said shaking her head
He trapped her on the open bathroom door and bend down, he ran his right hand in the back of her neck where her scalp ended and neck began and gently caressed the back curls with his fingernails
She shuddered and cried out loud
"Aapke baal raat se geele hain, aap geele baalon ke saath soti hain?
She looked at him like "What are you? My mom?
He inhaled his hand
"This? he asked as if he didn't know.
He bend down immediately and smelled behind both her ears sending tremors tumbling through her form.
When his rough jaw came in contact with her neck and ears his face blurring as her eyelids fluttered down
He inhaled more than necessary.
"Avantika? he whispered on her collarbone
"Humko aaj wear nahi kee hai... nahaye nahi... matlab... I don't have lilac she fought weakly. Forgetting syntax and grammar
He didn't care... he was going to smell every inch of her it seemed like, back of her arms, her wrists, her collarbones, her cheeks
He lifted her damp tee and smelled her navel, she clutched a clump of his hair on the back of his head and warned
"Harittt??!! she shrieked in shock
He raised his head stunned
They stood staring interminably, her cloudy stormy eyes realizing she had called his name out
"Ek jagah bhool gaye hum he whispered, still not letting go of her eyes, he bend down
He bend down and buried his nose in her cleft between her curves and stayed there as she buckled, electric shivers goosed her skin, he held her by her bare waist, his fingers spanning her form, holding her tight.
The fist that held his locks in warning now involuntarily caressing the back of his head not in words but in action encouraging his foraging. She stroked gently, her thumb feeling his hair texture between her fingers, a thing she did to Chandu when he was upset and cried on her shoulders. She was skillful at it now.
He lifted his head eventually leaving a trail of flushed skin and buried his face in her neck and stayed there calming himself
her damp freezing body now damp and sizzling hot. She felt like a windsock swaying uncontrollably.
She let go of his hair and let her arm wrap itself around his waist to stop herself from quivering
Edited by Nisha0604 - 7 years ago