Thanks so much for your encouragment guys!!🤗
I wasn't to happy with this part so I asked Shafu to redraft it, but the poor girl didn't know how to change it, so I'm posting the original one here.........warning in advance - not that good!!
Glancing tiredly at his watch – showing the time to be somewhere past 1am – Jai made his way to the bedroom on the far side of the landing, which a sleepy Rano had pointed to a few minutes before. The deal hadn't gone as well as he had hoped. He'd have to work hard to get this project of the ground, though the first thing he needed right now was a goodnight's sleep. But all these thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind as he stepped in to the room – This was Bani's bedroom.
He didn't need to glance over the several photographs of her sisters, or check in the cupboard where her suits and saris were stacked neatly, or even peek in to bathroom where her toothbrush and other daily necessities were placed, the room felt of her warmth and smelt like her fragrance.
So this was where his darling wife slept. Sitting down on the bed, Jai ran his hand over the covers, but stopped halfway as a thought entered his mind – where was Bani?
Pia had given him the rundown of the house over breakfast. There were three bedrooms, each with attached bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining area, a spacious living area, and a balcony at the end of the landing, which overlooked the small, well-kept garden at the back.
The couples had occupied the other two rooms, and he was sitting in the remaining one. Curiosity getting the better of him, Jai stepped out of the room and quietly descended the stairs, reasoning to himself that Bani could only be somewhere downstairs.
After almost half an hours searching in the darkness, he finally found her huddled underneath a large thick blanket, a book lay open on the floor as the owner slept peacefully above it.
Closing and placing the book on a coffee table, Jai gently peeled away the blanket to reveal the large t-shirt he had seen in the morning, coupled with a similar pair of oversized shorts, which covered her legs past her knees. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he took in her appearance, looking ridiculous, adorable and gorgeous, all at the same time.
Careful not to wake her, he gathered in her in his arms, almost stumbling backwards as he realised how heavy she was. He had lifted her once before, what had followed had been a passionate night of lovemaking, she had been as light as a feather then, but now…
Jai wondered if he could manage the trip to her room, though all doubts were washed away as she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, her body snuggling closer to his as her head rested on the crook of his neck and her warm breath fanned his chest. For this, he could carry her up and down the stairs a hundred times over.
Five minutes later, Jai had eased her on to the bed and pulled the duvet over her nightclothes. The curtains on the other side of the room hadn't been closed properly, allowing the moonlight to filter into the room, casting a milky glow on to her face. As she pulled the duvet around her in an attempt to get warm, Jai wondered is he had ever seen such an innocent face before?
Carefully brushing away a stray lock of hair, he bent down and placed a small kiss on her forehead as her familiar fragrance filled his senses. After retrieving his laptop from the bag underneath the window, Jai pulled the curtains shut and stepped out of the room, looking back once before shutting the door with a small 'click'.
*****
"Good morning"
"Good morning Di"
"Hey Bani"
Plopping down on the wooden chair at the table, Bani gave a sleepy smile to Pushkar and Rano who detached themselves from the kitchen door and sat down to join her.
"Did you sleep well Di?"
Bani nodded as she got herself a drink.
"Hmm. By the way, thanks for getting me to my bedroom last night. But I thought I told you to show Mr. Walia that room Rano."
Taking a sip of her morning coffee, Rano creased her brow as she tried to take in what Bani had said.
" I did Di, as soon as ji-I mean Mr. Walia walked in last night, and as far as I can remember, Sahil was fast asleep by then."
Confused, Bani looked questioningly at Pushkar who also shook his head in the negative.
"Not me Bani. By the time I got back, I was to tired to do anything but sleep, which was exactly what Pia was doing when I got there."
Neither Pia, Pushkar, Rano, nor Sahil. Puzzled, Bani wondered how she had got up to her room when she definitely remembered making herself comfortable on the sofa downstairs. Suddenly a thought entered her mind, and she wondered whether her dream hadn't been a dream after all, and whether he had actually lifted her and taken her all the way to her bedroom. But then if he had, where had he slept?
"Di, are you okay?"
Breaking out of her reverie, Bani nodded and was about to reassure Rano that she was fine when Pia walked in, the phone balanced carefully between her right ear and shoulder, and her hands full with two plates of pancakes – one covered in chocolate while the second was plain, though accompanied by a few slices of orange and lemon at the side.
Placing the second plate in front of Rano, Pia covered the mouthpiece and turned to address Bani.
"Di, Anu asked if you're coming to her godh bharai next week?"
Surprised, Bani shook her head, having no intention of ever going back in that house. But it only took five minutes of Pia's whining, Rano's insistence and Anu pleading over the phone for her to reluctantly agree. Soon after, Pia disconnected the call leaving a very excited Anu on the other end.
"Oh, before I forget, Jai sir won't be with us for today, maybe two days. Some problem cropped up and he'll be staying at the site."
Bani's head snapped up at Pushkar's words and she wondered if he was avoiding her on purpose?
Also finished typing up part 4 if you guys are up for it!!😉