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For the fans...
"Good night" Ragini shut the door of their bedroom as the kids went to bed.
Nachiket, along with the kids and Pam had come back from US, a few hours back. After two agonising days, Ragini felt at peace. Finally, she was happy. Her family was complete and with her. The word contract was not prefixed to her marriage, and nothing would take her kids away from her now. With these thoughts in mind and a content smile on her lips, she turned around from the door. And there he was. Coming out of the bathroom, with a towel in hand, drying his recently shaved face.
"Kya hua?" asked he. Ragini realised she was staring at him. Staring at his face to be exact. She removed her eyes from his face instantly, "kuch nahi". Ragini wondered if he believed her.
Picking up the wet towel from the bed, "There is no contract in our marriage, but the clauses remain. No wet towels on the bed," she admonished him.
"No, please!" He sat on the dry side of the bed, "I don't like using towel in the bathroom,"
"Pata h mujhe. Par bahar use karne k baad wapis rakhkar bhi to aa sakte ho," she increased the speed of the fan to dry the bed sheet.
"Main bhool jata hu Ragini" How she loved the sound of her name from his voice!
"Acha, lets make a deal," his voice brought her out of reverie, "You can make Loki once a week. I'll eat it without complaining, and in return, you can pick the towel from the bed. Simple," he finished with a smile.
"Very funny," Ragini loved the cute face he made whenever he tried to justify his stupid actions with lame excuses. Aagham had inherited this from him. She picked up his wet towel, along with her nightie, and went to bathroom to change, with a smile plastered on her face. She couldn't wait to have those silly fights with Nachiket over wet towels and vegetables.
Nachiket had settled down under the sheets and was going through a paperback when Ragini came out of the washroom. And as their eyes locked with each other, both of them realised what this night meant. There was no contract marriage. Both of them had already confessed their love. So, next would be... As if the realisation struck both of them at the same time, they broke the eye-lock. While Ragini was thinking if she should brush again, Nachiket's eyes had seen the open robe. She hadn't tied it, like she usually did. Is that an invitation? He wondered.
"Kya pad rahe ho?" She came towards the bed and tied the knot of her robe.
"Kuch nahi.. Aise hi dekh raha tha.." He quickly kept the book on the side table, not meeting her eyes.
Why is he behaving like this? Ragini wondered.
Why did she tie the knot? Does it mean she doesn't want to..? Nachiket asked himself.
"Kya soch rahe ho?" Asked Ragini, removing the sheets from her side to settle on the bed.
"Kuch nahi" he answered.
Ye itne sawaal kyu puch rahi h?
Ye bas aise dekhta hi rahega kya?
Neither of them said anything for the next few minutes. When the silence became uncomfortable, Nachiket suggested they should sleep and pulled his pillow down. Ragini wished him goodnight and Nachiket sensed a tone of disappointment in her voice. Or was it just his wishful thinking, he didn't know.
He lied down, placing his head in the centre of the pillow and stretched his arm on Ragini's pillow. It was too late for him to realise what he had done. He couldn't take it back now. Will she take it? He kept looking at the ceiling.
Ragini was going to lie down when he stretched his arm on her pillow. Is his arm on my pillow intentionally or unintentionally? Should I take it? What if he takes it back at the last moment? Ragini wondered. She sent a quick prayer, 'Please don't make me look stupid here' and lied down, placing her head on his arm. Both of them sighed with relief.
Nachiket switched off the lights and the room was engulfed in darkness. Ragini snuggled closer to him.
"Ragini.."
"Haan.."
"Main hoon yahan pe," he placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I know," she placed her palm on his chest and after 18 years, both of them slept a dreamless sleep.
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