~Life Without You~ - VS ff - Chp 9, pg 7! - Page 4

"shall we go soni?" veer asked her after they dropped cherry, jeet & apple home. Durga however tried to stall them as much as she could. She didn't want veer taking soni out on a date. durga would rather veer take out a crocodile than soni. "veer puttar! Oh veer puttar! Apple puttar wanted to tour the city. Could you please take her out?" durga simpered while shooting evil glares at soni.

"no mamma. I can't. I already made a promise to soni that I'm taking her out for a long drive so we'll be out the whole day." Veer answered his mother not taking his eyes off soni. She was dressed in the same red saree veer had gifted her on karvacauth. By some form no less than a miracle durga had given the saree back to soni. Since it was a special occasion, soni decided to wear that saree & veer was more pleased than anyone else there to see his wife in that beautiful saree.

"you look really pretty today soni." He whispered to her as she came to stand beside him. A slight blush appeared on soni's cheeks as she smiled shyly. "but veer puttar.." durga started to interrupt when veer stopped her. "sorry mamma but my decision is final. I'm going to spend the day with soni. Only soni." Veer told his mother as he resumed his staring at soni.

"fine. Do whatever you please." With that durga turned on her heels & strode away fuming. "so shall we leave at least now?" veer enquired playfully but soni wasn't smiling. "veer.. mummyji.." she looked at durga's furious retreating back. "don't worry about mamma soni. Let's go!" he took her hand & led her out to the car.

"so where are we going veer?" soni asked him as veer drove past busy bustling streets whistling merrily. "just wait & see" was all he would say. He stopped before a posh hotel & led soni through the revolving doors to a huge lushly decorated reception area.

"wow! It's so beautiful! Are we really going to have lunch here?" soni asked veer her eyes as big as saucers. "yes we are. I thought you deserved a treat after all you've done for me soni. Please don't refuse." Veer stopped walking when they reached a north Indian restaurant named Kashmir Cuisine.

"any reservations?" a suit clad man sitting at a desk at the door enquired briskly. "yes, for mr & mrs veer khurana." Veer replied winking at soni knowingly. Soni felt yet another tinge of blush appearing on her cheeks & she looked away hastily. "a private booth? Wow veer! you didn't have to do all these you know.." soni chided him lightly. Veer however didn't reply but merely smiled in return.

A waiter soon came by to hand them their menus & take down their orders. "we'll have the chicken tikka, rogan josh, aloo gobi, paneer matter & goa fish curry. For the drinks, we'll have mango lassi." Veer placed his order & looked at soni expectantly.

"veer these are all my favourite dishes.. how did you.." soni smiled at veer in a mixture of delight & surprise. "I know soni. I'm your husband, of course I know what you like." Veer answered softly & his eyes met soni's locking them into an intense dreamlike trance.

Soni didn't know how long she had been staring into veer's eyes but she didn't want to stop. She wanted to just get lost in his eyes endlessly, soni knew that veer respected her immensely. In fact he was the only one in the khurana household who understood her totally.

But she didn't know that she would ever see love for her in veer's eyes like she was seeing then. The lovely moment unfortunately didn't last long as the couple were jolted out of their dreamy reverie by two waiters carrying steaming bowls of heavenly smelling food.

After an hour later, soni sat back on her seat totally stuffed. "I feel like a beached whale now." She joked to veer who looked slightly taken aback by his wife's sudden mischievous nature. Nonetheless he didn't question it & asked soni if she wanted him to carry her back to the car. They both burst into laughter causing the rest of the patrons in the restaurant to stare disapprovingly at them.

"maybe we should leave veer.. I don't think the people here like us very much.." soni exclaimed to veer in a carrying whisper earning more dirty looks from the patrons. Veer was grinning again like a madman. Soni's playful nature was amusing yet endearing. This was the soni whom he had missed since the time the malhotra's house was destroyed in the bomb blast.

At soni's insistence veer paid the bill & they prepared to leave the restaurant. "please do come again sir & you too madam." The manager sent them off stiffly though his expression said he didn't want to see them anytime sooner. "he doesn't mean it does he?" veer asked soni. "no he doesn't." soni smiled back up at him naughtily. They both dissolved into giggles once again.

"I need to use the washroom, could you excuse me for a while veer? veer?" soni waved her hand in front of her husband who suddenly seemed to be rather interested in the ceiling above his head. "veer? what are you looking at?" soni asked him worriedly. Veer looked as if he was about to go into a trance, all sweaty & nervous. He pointed upwards & soni looked up & saw a sprig of mistletoe dangling from the arched structure connected to the ceiling.

"mistletoe? But isn't that for…? What is it doing here?" soni had a shadow of her trademark confused expression on her lovely face. "anyone who stands under the mistletoe must share a kiss. Shall we?" veer asked soni & before she could reply, he had swept her up into his arms, planting his lips firmly against hers.

Soni felt light-headed & somewhat dizzy. Veer's lips were still very much on hers. He was kissing her softly & tenderly but soni was still shocked to respond properly. Before her brain could take in the rush of events, veer released his hold on her withdrawing his lip's hold over hers.

"I've been wanting to do that for a really long time." Veer smiled at soni rather cheekily. His face fell when he took in her shocked expression but he didn't let his disappointment show. "I thought she'll at least respond to my kiss or at least smile but soni just looks shocked. Maybe I was too hasty.." a shred of apprehension sneaked up veer's brain.

Soni didn't meet veer's eyes. She was afraid he might see the unshed tears shining in the depths of them. Soni wanted to kiss veer back, she really did. But somehow she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Soni didn't want to give veer high hopes about their relationship. If soni yielded to his advances & gave in, veer would start thinking she & him were meant to be. "I doubt that will be the case if he finds out about jeet's & my short-lived romance." a single tear trickled down soni's cheeks but she wiped it away before veer could see it.

"let's go veer. we've spent way too long here." Soni turned her back to veer & started walking away from him. Veer wanted to scream, shout & shake soni. What was wrong with her? Why was she still not ready to give their relationship a chance? The fact that soni was still not confiding in him fully annoyed veer slightly. He followed her out of the hotel silently & started the engine.

"so where are we going next?" soni asked veer in a quiet voice. "home." was all veer said. His face was set stonily & he didn't look at soni. Halfway through the drive, soni tried to make conversation with veer. "veer? are you okay? Why do you look so angry?" she enquired meekly. "nothing is wrong soni. I'm just tired I guess." Veer replied nonchalantly. Soni knew she had hurt veer with her non-response at the kiss at the hotel but what choice did she have?

"let's not go home so quickly. Shall we take a walk?" soni looked at veer steadily. She didn't want to hurt veer but she didn't want to see him unhappy either. Upon hearing soni's suggestion, veer perked up immediately. "a walk? where?" he questioned curiously. "at the beach? If you don't mind. It's been a while since I went to the beach." Soni told veer with a smile. "sounds good." He answered back, his usual grin flooding his face again.

The beach was fairly crowded as it was nearly dusk. Veer & soni ran into a couple who were making out by the bushes & immediately both their minds reverted back to the time where they had shared the soft kiss under the mistletoe. "er.. sorry.. let's go over there soni.." veer took soni's hand & led her away from the annoyed couple.

"the apple jalebis here are heavenly. Shall we try some?" soni pointed to the vendor who was having brisk business with his tasty apple jalebis. By the end of 5 minutes, veer and soni were biting into the tasty morsels of apple dipped in yummy semi-sweet batter. "mmhh.. these are so tasty! I remember having them with mummy-ji, daddy-ji, raji di & mahi.." soni suddenly looked as if she was about to cry.

"hey hey.. let's talk about happy stuff only okay?" veer comforted with his trademark grin. Soni brightened up slightly & gave him a small smile. By the time they had finished eating the jalebis dusk had already set in. the beach was bathed in the setting glows of the sun giving it a romantic ethereal feel.

"are you feeling childish soni?" veer asked her suddenly. "what? What do you mean?" soni looked lost. "because it's dunking time & I'm going to throw you into the water!" veer made a sudden grab for soni. She shrieked & ran for her life. "you're not escaping today soni! Not today. I'm going to throw you in no matter what!" veer yelled after her as he chased her down the beach, laughing maniacally.