Chapter 142
"So, ab aage ka kya plan hai?" Riddhima asked, as they stepped out of their hotel. After they'd bid goodbye to Aurora, Zoya, Nora, and Nicholas, Armaan had spoken to the receptionist at the hotel and managed to snag a suite for them for the rest of their time there. The hotel had been very helpful and had agreed to transport all their luggage from the Sirenuse. However, they'd needed to rush back to pack all their stuff and check out of their room over there. The hotels had some sort of tie-up which meant that they hadn't lost any money in the cancellations, for which Riddhima was grateful.
Their room at the San Pietro was definitely more lavish. It was a large suite, with a huge master bedroom that boasted a king size bed, a dining room separate from the living room, a balcony with a small breakfast table, and a separate balcony which housed the swimming pool part of which doubled as a hot tub along with lounge chairs. They even had a jacuzzi in the bathroom. Riddhima had had half a mind to stay back at the hotel to make full use of their luxuries, but Armaan had assured her that he'd kept in mind to keep a couple of lazy days in their itinerary where all they would do would be stay in bed, so she had agreed to go out and explore, but not before Armaan had talked her into christening the jacuzzi.
"Let's go on that moped tour!" Armaan suggested.
"Moped? Tumhe chalani aati hai?" Riddhima asked.
"Of course!" Armaan sniffed. "What sort of question is that?"
"A normal one?" Riddhima replied, her response coming off more like a question in her confusion.
"Basket! Tumhe aisa kyun laga mujhe moped chalani nahi aayegi? Tumne meri bike dekhi haina?" Armaan probed.
"Haan, but bike aur moped same thodi hai!" Riddhima defended herself. "Plus, I can't really picture you on a moped."
"Well, lucky for you, you won't have to picture it any longer! Tumhe live dekhne mil jaayega!" Armaan exclaimed. "Chaloooo! Let's gooo!!"
Riddhima laughed, letting herself be swept away by Armaan's enthusiasm as he basically ran through the streets in his bid to get to a rental place fast. When they finally found one, he took ages to finally pick a vehicle.
"Armaan!!!" Riddhima cried, annoyed, as he sat on the 4th scooter, testing it out by bouncing on the seat a little. "Kya kar rahe ho tum?"
"Basket," he explained patiently, "we have to choose the right one! Warna phir agar beech raaste mein kharaab ho gayi toh humaare saare plans pe paani phir jaayega!"
"Aur iska engine sahi hai ya nahi yeh tumhe seat pe jump karne se pata chalega?" Riddhima questioned.
"No!" Armaan exclaimed, the proverbial light bulb going off in his head. "You're right. Wait. Let me ask if they'll let me do a test drive!"
"That was not what I wanted when I asked you the question!" Riddhima protested, aghast. She'd thought it would deter him from trying out various scooters and just pick one. She hadn't thought it would make the entire process more cumbersome. But, that was on her. She should have known. This was her husband. When had he ever done anything to make her life easier? It was like his entire purpose of existence was to annoy her. And he was accomplishing his objective really well!
"Too late, sweetheart!" Armaan called out as he walked to the office. Riddhima rushed behind him.
"Hey! Can I take them on a test drive to choose one?" Armaan asked the clerk manning the counter.
"Sure," the man, Matt, replied. He pulled out a key and gave it to Armaan. "I'll come with you."
"Wow," Armaan mused. "Thanks! This was so easy! I thought I'd have to try harder to convince you."
"It's okay, you're not the first one who asked for a test drive," Matt assured. "We'll take that one," he said, pointing to a deep blue scooter.
"Cool," Armaan agreed. "And after that we can try the yellow one and the red one! Oh, and definitely the orange. I think the pink one should also not be ignored."
"Wait…" Matt paused. "You want to test drive all the scooters?"
Armaan nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! How else will I know which one is the best?"
"I thought you wanted to try out only one," Matt clarified. Riddhima snorted. Oh, this naive fool. She almost pitied him. Almost.
Armaan looked positively aghast at the insinuation. "Why would I want to try only one when you have at least 6 of them right here… And more in the back? How will I know which of these is the best one for me if I don't try all of them out?"
"Sir, we don't have that kind of time on our hands," Matt responded.
"Speak for yourself," Armaan snorted. "I have nothing but time."
"That we're supposed to use to explore the island!" Riddhima cried. "Not waste on test driving scooters!!"
"But, Basket… It's necessary for the tour to go well. We have to be very careful when we choose the moped!" Armaan insisted. "I told you this already."
"Sir," Matt cut in. "I can assure you… All our vehicles run very smoothly. They have great mileage too. You don't have to worry on that front."
"How can I believe you without checking it myself?" Armaan questioned. "When we were driving down from Naples, I was duped the same way! They said the car is in a perfectly good working condition and then it broke down in the middle of nowhere!"
"That won't happen here, sir," Matt promised. "I guarantee it. If it does, I'll refund the entire rent to you."
"It's not about the money, though!" Armaan cried. "It's about the inconvenience it would cause if your scooter stopped working. What if we get stranded again?"
"I was under the impression that you were going to be touring within the city limits?" Matt probed. "Because, if you're planning to go outside the limit, I'm sorry but I won't be able to help you with a rental!"
"We're not going out," Armaan clarified. "We'll be here in the city itself."
"So, there's really no chance of you getting stranded then, is there?" Matt questioned rhetorically. "You can ask any of the locals for help! And we're pretty much in the heart of the town right now, so anywhere you are, you can easily journey back here on foot as well. You won't get stuck anywhere."
"So, what you're saying is no test drives?" Armaan asked.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't afford to give you multiple test drives," Matt confirmed.
"Fine," Armaan sighed. "Can we at least try out the yellow one? Just one?"
"Sure," Matt agreed. "Let me get the keys."
The moment Matt was out of hearing range, Riddhima started laughing. "Hahaha," Armaan intoned sarcastically. "Haslo tum. Tumhe toh mazaa hi aa raha hoga na mere saath yeh sab hua toh."
"Awwww," Riddhima cooed, still giggling. She wrapped her arms around his neck, brushing their noses together in an eskimo kiss. "Thoda sa," she admitted.
Armaan pouted. "Come on, baby!" Riddhima exclaimed. "You have to agree… It's a little funny!"
Armaan harrumphed, not deigning her words worth a response. "Achcha, baba! Sorry! It's not funny at all! Okay?" Riddhima gave in.
"Whatever," Armaan muttered. "Agar phir kuch gadbad hui, toh meri fault nahi hogi!"
"Okay," Riddhima agreed. "Tumhaari fault bilkul nahi hogi! I promise."
When Matt came back with the keys, he said, "You can circle the parking lot itself to check it out."
"No need," Riddhima told him. "We'll take it."
"Are you sure?" Matt asked, doubtful.
"Positive," Riddhima assured. "If something goes wrong, we'll call you. Or, like you said, walk back here. It'll be fine."
"If you say so," Matt shrugged, dropping the keys into her open palm. "Here you go, then!"
"Thank you!" Riddhima exclaimed, expressing her gratitude.
"It's my job," Matt reminded her with a smile. "Now, helmets are in the trunk under the seat. Please wear them when you're riding the scooter. Also, you have to pay half the rent upfront as an advance."
"Of course," Armaan replied, reaching into his pocket to get the money. He paid Matt and then, were on their way.
"Kaske pakadna, Basket," Armaan warned before he started the engine, and then immediately zooped off. Startled, Riddhima held on for dear life, both her arms wound tightly around Armaan's waist, her body practically glued to his. Armaan purposely drove over a few potholes and stones, jerking the moped and making Riddhima's arms tighten around his body.
"ARMAAN!!" Riddhima shrieked after one very jerky bump. "Bandh karo!"
"Maine kya kiya?" Armaan shouted over the noise of the engine, acting innocent.
"Tumhe pata hai tumne kya kiya!" Riddhima cried. "Ab zyada bhole mat bano!"
"Nahi, Basket," Armaan replied. "Mujhe sach mein nahi pata kya hua."
And then, he rode over another pothole. "Yeh!" Riddhima screeched. "Yeh hua!! Tum jaan-boojhke aise khaddon pe se chala rahe ho na?"
"Main kuch nahi kar raha," Armaan promised, driving over a stone. The scooter jerked harder and Armaan actually had to stop for a second to gain his footing.
"Armaan!! Kya kar rahe ho? Stop!" Riddhima ordered. "Abhi accident ho jaayega."
"Kuch nahi hoga, Basket," Armaan assured. "Trust me!"
"No, thanks," Riddhima answered. "Ek kaam karo, tum rehne do. Ab main chalaati hoon."
"Tum?" Armaan laughed. "Tumhe aati bhi hai kya scooter chalaani?"
"Cycle chalaane se kitna hi different ho sakta hai?" Riddhima asked. "Woh toh aata hai mujhe!"
"Bohot different," Armaan told her.
"Pch… Mujhe try toh karne do! Please, baby!!" Riddhima pleaded, batting her eyelashes just so.
"Tumhe sach mein seekhna hai?" Armaan asked, sighing. Riddhima nodded eagerly.
"Okay. Phir main achche se sikhata hoon," Armaan said.
"Thank you!" Riddhima cried, giving him a quick squeeze.
"Chalo, aage aake baitho tum," Armaan told her, getting down. Riddhima slid to the front.
"Okay, ab… Scooter chalana cycle chalaane jitna easy nahi hota, but usse zyada difficult bhi nahi hota," Armaan explained. "Tumhe bas weight sambhaalna hai aur balance banake rakhna hai, okay?"
"Okay," Riddhima said, carefully listening to his instructions. "Tum peeche se pakadke rakhoge na?"
Armaan chuckled. "Of course, Jaan," he assured her, kissing her forehead. "Tum tension mat lo. Main hoon. Kuch nahi hoga. Okay?"
Riddhima nodded. "I know."
"Toh, shuru karein?" He asked. At Riddhima's confirmation, he taught her how to get the engine running. Slowly, Riddhima began to drive the scooter along the streets while Armaan held onto it from the back, just in case. He knew if something happened, he wouldn't be able to stop it, that controlling a scooter was not the same as a bicycle, but Riddhima had asked him to hold on, so hold on he would.
"This is so much fun!" Riddhima exclaimed, as she increased the speed just a tad, making it so that Armaan had to jog to keep up with her.
"You're doing so well, baby!" Armaan encouraged. "Bas ab thode time mein mujhe peeche se pakadna bhi nahi padega!"
Riddhima giggled at that, her happiness absolutely infectious. Armaan kept up with the scooter for a while but then let go, standing still as Riddhima moved forward on her. He stood back, watching proudly as she drove the moped without any help, doing a pretty good job for her first time. He didn't think he was capable of feeling this way. That someone else's small achievements would feel like big triumphs to him. But here they were. Riddhima hadn't done anything huge like cure cancer. She'd just learnt how to ride a scooter. And yet, here was, feeling as if he should be handing out awards to her for this feat. Love truly did make you blind, he realized in that exact moment.
Well, he'd known before, of course. Had even felt it in his own actions, when he chose to wilfully ignore things, or to overlook situations. But, never before had he felt it so keenly. He felt like the love he felt for Riddhima would pour out of his body and spill onto the sidewalk, because he was sure he wouldn't be able to keep it in. How would he be able to anyway? His body wasn't big enough to hold the unending love he had for his wife. No body on this planet was big enough. He doubted there ever would be.
"ARMAAN!" Riddhima's shriek brought him out of his thoughts and he realized that she'd turned back, seen him standing away, and promptly started to lose control of the vehicle. He darted forward, running like his life depended on it. He reached Riddhima just in time to cushion her fall to the ground. The wind was knocked out of his lungs as Riddhima's head banged against it, their arms and legs tangled together in a mess of limbs. Thankfully, the moped fell on the opposite side instead of over them.
"Are you okay?" Armaan asked, breathless. "Kahin lagi toh nahi?"
"Nahi," Riddhima replied. "Tumhe lagi?"
"I… I don't think so?" Armaan answered, more like a question. He couldn't feel any pain so that was good, but maybe it was because Riddhima was still squishing him and he just hadn't realized. Riddhima seemed to have come to the same conclusion because she immediately scrambled to sit up. It took her a couple of tries because her urgency only made her keep falling back on him.
When she was finally sitting, she helped Armaan sit up too. "So? Kahin dard ho raha hai?"
Armaan thought about it for a moment, feeling his body to make sure everything was okay. "Haan, dard toh ho raha hai! Aur bohot zor se!"
"Oh my god!" Riddhima whispered. "I'm so, so, so sorry! Kahaan? Dikhao mujhe!"
"Aahhh," he moaned.
"I'm so sorry, Armaan! Mujhe aur dhyaan se chalana chahiye tha!! Meri wajah se tumhe bhi chot aa gayi… I'm… Main… I'm sorry!" Riddhima repeated. "Batao… Kahaan dukh raha hai."
"Yahaan," Armaan pointed to his heart.
"Kya? Kahaan?!" Riddhima quickly bent forward, twisting his shirt to get a better look at his chest.
"Haan… Woh… Tum itna door baithi thi na… Toh dil dukh raha tha. Ab sab theek hai," Armaan added, using the opportunity to slide his arms around her waist and pull her into his side.
"ARMAAN!" Riddhima cried, whacking his chest. "Jaan nikaal di thi tumne meri! Aise koi karta hai kya?"
"Sorry!" Armaan exclaimed, not sounding apologetic at all. Riddhima huffed and looked away.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Armaan repeated, punctuating each apology with a kiss - to both her cheeks and a quick peck on her mouth.
"Theek hai, theek hai," Riddhima murmured. "Sach mein theek ho na tum?"
"Haan, Basket," Armaan promised. "I'm okay. But I think… Ab moped main hi chalaata hoon. What do you think?"
"Yes, please!" Riddhima agreed. She got up and helped Armaan up too. Armaan dusted his pants and then did the same for Riddhima before he picked up the moped.
The rest of the day was a lot of fun. They explored the town and all the nearby areas, enjoying the beautiful landscape and heavenly views. They indulged in gelato for all their meals and had their fill of fresh fruits and juices along the way. Of course, Armaan somehow managed to go shopping too, and they bought more stuff for themselves and their friends. At the end of the day, Armaan returned the keys of the moped to a very smug Matt much to Armaan's chagrin. When Matt winked at Riddhima over Armaan's shoulder, she laughed, and for that, Armaan forgave his misplaced pride at the scooter having functioned smoothly through the day.
They went to the hotel extremely excited to test their new bed out. The moment they were in the room and the door was closed behind them, Armaan leapt onto the bed, and started jumping. Soon, Riddhima joined in. The two of them kept using the bed like a surprisingly efficient trampoline till Armaan lost his balance and fell down, taking Riddhima along with him. As Riddhima's breathless giggles echoed around him, Armaan sunk into the mattress, happy to have found his home in her laughter.
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