Vignettes- 3.Saturday Nights- Eng Translation-Pg 3

Hello all...

Here comes the third OS in the series...This is a continuation to the second OS - Evening Rituals.

To those who missed the first two in the series, this is a series of one-shots, basically moments in their life that I wanted to see. Well, in my head, these moments did happen!

Please do me a favour and read the OSs in the order that they are written. That way you'll get a feel of how their relationship has progressed.

You can read the other OS in the series here

1. Peace

2. Evening Rituals

Hope you enjoy...and please do leave your comments...

Khushi woke up with a start. It took her a moment to get her bearings, considering that she was lying sideways with her back against the head board. Feeling something pressing up against her stomach, she looked down, only to see her husband's face pressed up against it. "Humare saath rehkar Laad Governor bhi aisi-waisi sone ki aadat dal di...", she smiled.

The lights were all blazing away. Squinting up, she focussed her bleary gaze on her alarm-clock. "Hey Devi Maiyya, saadhe barah baj gaye! Arnavji ko na khana khilaya, na davai! Hum bhi na...", she exclaimed, jumping up.

"Khushi...", Arnav murmured in his sleep, extending his arm for her, missing her warmth already.

"Arnavji uthiye", she leaned over him. Trying to pull her down into his arms, he murmured, "Khushi mujhe bas sona hain. Khana kal khayenge."

"Nahi, Arnavji. Khane ke bina aapke davai aapke peth ko kharab kar dega. Aur aapke dhakan ke vajah se Doctor bhi kaha tha na, aapko apni davai theek se leni chahiye. Ab uthiye. Jaldi se khaakar hum vaapas so jayenge. Kal waise bhi chutti hain. Hum waada karte hain hum aapko der thak sone denge aur pooja keliye nahi uthayenge."

Cracking open one eye, Arnav looked at his wife bustling around, gathering his medicines and putting away his wet clothes. Knowing that she wasn't looking at him, he smirked , "Tumhe bhi sona hoga der tak. Tum jaanti ho na, agar tum uth gayi toh main zyada der tak leth nahi paoonga. You've spoiled me throughly, Khushi, tumhare bina so hi nahi paatha."

Missing the his full-blown ASR smirk, she replied, "Theek hai baba, main bhi der se hi uthoongi. Ab chalein?"

Stretching out his arm for her to pull him up, Arnav smiled at her. Eyes softening at the peace and love she found on his face, Khushi pulled him up and hugged him tight, not letting him go. Returning the hug gladly, he stood in her embrace.

"Hum aapse bahut pyaar karte hain, Arnavji. Humein nahi patha hum kisi se itna pyaar kaise kar sakte hain. Har pal aapke bare mein sochti rehti hoon, har cheez aapki yaad dilaati hain, aapse door har pal humein sathaati hein. Bas, aise aapke baahon mein saalon saal rehna chahti hoon." Dropping kisses along his chest and neck, she breathed him in. "Yeh pyaar bhi na, ajeeb cheez hain. Kabhi hasaati hain, kabhi rulaati hain, kabhi dil khil uththa hain toh kabhi dard hota hain, kabhi kabhi dar bhi lagta hain. Kya aapko bhi aisa hi kuch mehsoos hota hain, Arnavji?"

Eyes moistening at his wife's innocent confession, he wound his arms tighter around her. Kissing her head, he leaned back, so that she could see his eyes, so that she could see in them what he felt, what he would never be able to express in words. She was his heart, the keeper to his soul, his happiness, his strength, his weakness. She was his protector, she was his most precious treasure. She was the best thing that had happened to him. She was his everything. As she had put into words just now, it scared him sometimes. But it was good to have so much to lose. It was as if fate was making up for all that was taken away from him.

Gathering her dear face in his hands, he smiled at her, the unspoken words in his smile telling her how much she meant to him. His wife smiled back, her eyes tearing up at the sight of his defenceless, emotion-filled face. Leaning back into his arms, she hugged him with all her strength.

"Khushi...I love you, more than ever".

"Hum jaante hain. Hum bhi aapke liye hi toh bane hain."

Her loving words were his undoing. Gathering her close, he kissed her, putting into that one kiss all his love, his awe, his need, his soul. Moving on to her neck, he kissed her before resting his forehead against her shoulder. They stood silently, loving eachother, being loved by the other.

After one final squeeze, he asked, "Neeche chalein?" She nodded and arms around eachother, they headed down.

*********************

Arnav sat at the dining table, chin pillowed on his forearms, watching his wife bustling around quietly in the kitchen. Di had left their dinner on the hotplate to keep warm. His gaze involuntarily went to the pooja room, silently thanking the Gods for the two women in his life - his sister who continually surprised him with her resilience, who was his mother in more ways than one, and his wife, the one person in the world who he knew would love him at his worst, who would take his anger, his arrogance and give back shot for shot, all the while loving him beyond all else. It still amazed him, that he, Arnav Singh Raizada, was loved unconditionally despite all his faults. It was humbling.

"Lijiye, aapka khana."

Breaking his reverie, Khushi kept his plate before him. Looking up to see him gazing at her unblinkingly, she asked, "Kya?'

'I love you, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada...I really do."

Her cheeks flushing becomingly, she kissed his forehead, "Hum bhi aapse I love you...Ab aap chup chaap khayiye."

Noticing that she had brought only one plate, he looked up, "Aur tum?"

"Aap khilaayiye..."

"Wow! Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada, romantic moments bigaadna chod diya aur romance jataana shuroo kiya?", he gave that endearing lop-sided smile that still caused acidity in her.

"Ji! Aapke saath ek saal se jee rahe hain, kuch toh seekhna tha...Ab aap khilaayenge, ya bekar mein baatein karte ranhenge?"

"What the! Khushi! mein baekar mein baatein karta hoon?"

"Haan...Jab humare alaava aur koi aas paas mein na ho, toh aap ya humein bekar ki baatein karke chidathe hein yar bhir aisa waisa kuch karte hein jiski nishaaniyon ko chupaane keliye humein na jaane kaisi kaisi dhank mein kapde pehenni padti hein...", She stopped abruptly, spotting the full-blown smirk on her husbands face.

Holding out the first morsel to her, he murmured, "Achcha...toh prepare kar lo. Kal to tumhein top to bottom covered hoke rehna padega..."

Choking, she stared at him, shocked beyond belief. "Haun! Besharam!"

Laughing delightedly at the sight of his wife's reddening face, Arnav reached for the glass of water. Catching the look on her face, he paused midway while taking a sip. "Kya hua? Aise kyun dekh rahi ho?"

"Humein aapko haste hue dekh ke bahut achcha lagta hain, Arnavji. Jab aap humare vajah se hans padthe hain to hume aisa lagta hain ki humein koi anmol tohfa mila ho. Aise humesha haste rehna..."

Smiling gently, he cupped her face, "Yeh hai hi ek anmol tohfa, jo tumne mujhe diya hain. Zindagi ki khushiyan meri life mein tab aayi, jab mujhe tum mili. Meri Khushi..."

Turning her face, she kissed his palm. "I love you, Arnavji...itna I love you ki hum bata bhi nahi sakte..."

Caressing her cheeks, he replied, "Jaanta hoon...Ab meri biwi, jaldi se khaa lo aur kamre mein chalo."

The rest of the dinner passed in a soothing discussion of their day, each updating the other of each and every tiny detail.

A short while later, Arnav stood leaning against the pillar, watching Khushi put away the utensils. Unable to help himself, he walked up to her and hugged her from behind. Leaning back against him, she stretched her hand back to stroke his cheek, "Ho gaya. Chalein?"

Pulling her behind him, Arnav strode towards the stairs, "Finally! Chalo...kuch aisa karte hain jisse tumhari naak toh kya tumhari poori body laal ho jaayein!"

The last of what was heard of the couple was a startled "Haun!" from Khushi which her husband quickly and gladly silenced with his lips.

*********************

Later, much much later, watching his exhausted wife sleep in her usual "let-me-be-my-husband's-blanket-pose", Arnav chuckled to himself, "Saturday nights are fun!"

And Sunday was yet to come!