SPECIAL DEDICATION
continues ... 
smiles-20
Karthik - Raji OS : Our 1st anniversary (14+)
I looked at my watch - 7:30 pm. Why was time going so slow?? I wondered. Looking out the window of the plane I could see Chennai city, with its busy streets and persons everywhere. It was good to be back here. Just an hour more and I would be home. The plane halted and finally landed to a complete stop. Making my way through the busy airport, I grabbed my luggage as fast as I could and went to a nearby shop to buy flowers.
The taxi ride from the airport to home was going in slow motion. As I travelled through the streets, memories of my life flashed through my mind. Raji - my wife. We were married for a year now and every day brought us something new to live for. Despite working at Netech Solutions, our jobs had changed. We were no longer the programmers Karthik and Raji who sat beside each other. Promotions and regrouping had brought changes for everyone. A separation within us was created at work - not a bad separation but a needed space for our careers. Being shifted into different departments and new teams also brought an interesting change in our lives at work.
Raji...Raji...I missed her like crazy. Being away from her, the last month was difficult. I couldn't imagine how she felt. Though we have our friends, our marriage had caused a large gap between both our families. Raji and I had only each other now as family. The past year was hard on Raji especially being away from her father and not talking to him.
I tried turning on my phone again but it was dead. Without realizing I came home, the taxi driver stopped the car and turned around and looked at me. I took out my wallet and paid him without taking the change. I was in a rush. Getting out of the car, I grabbed the suitcase and went to my apartment. Passing by the security guard I waved at him and went as fast as I could to the elevator and to the 6th floor. Walking in the hallway I got my keys out and quietly opened the door. I brought the suitcase inside and dropped my bag on the sofa leaving the flowers on the table. The apartment lights were dimmed but not off. Raji never turned the hall lights off while alone at home. She was too afraid. I walked to the bedroom and opened the door carefully and saw Raji. She was in bed with her back to me. She wore my blue shirt and I could see part of her black sweat pants under the white linen sheet. I remembered how she called few weeks back asking if she could wear my shirts saying it made her feel closer to me.
Is she asleep already? I wondered. She must be tired doing all that over time at work.
Not wanting to wake her up, I was about to close the door but was stopped as I heard a sniff. I opened the door further and looked to see Raji wiping her eyes with the sleeves of my shirt.
She's crying!
"Raji!" I said entering the room and walking towards her.
She jumped in bed startled by my voice, turned around and faced me her eyes filled with tears!
"Karthik?... Karthik!!"
She pushed the white sheet away and quickly got off the bed running to me.
I took her in my arms as she ran and gave me a tight hug. I put my hands around her and lifted her while she hugged me tighter and cried on my shoulder.
"Rajii...it's okay baby...I'm here..." I said patting the back of her head.
She cried a bit more and then started to loosen up.
"Karthik...I can't believe you're here...when did you get here?" She asked now looking at me.
"I arrived just now Raji." I told her brushing away her tears.
"I thought you were coming tomorrow...you should have called, I would have came to the airport."
"I wanted to surprise you Raji."
She held my face in her hands.
"I love you..." She said and kissed my cheeks and forehead.
"I love you too..." I said pushing away the stroke of hair in her face, kissing her forehead.
I took her in my arms again and hugged her. "Why were you crying?"
"I haven't seen you in a month Karthik...missed you so much...especially today..." She said softly.
"One month felt so long..."
I smiled and stroked her hair then took her hand and went to the kitchen turning on the lights.
"Happy anniversary Raji!" I said giving the flowers to her. Surprised, she took the flowers and looked at them smiling. They were her favourite white roses.
"Oh my god...thank you Karthik...Happy Anniversary!!" she said and hugged me tightly.
"I love you" she whispered in my ear. "I have something for you also."
She took her arms off me and went to the bedroom while I opened the suitcase and got out the other gifts I had bought for her.
She came with a black box in her hand.
"Karthik close your eyes." She said.
I did as she asked. She took my left arm and I felt her take off my watch and put something around my wrist. I opened my eyes and saw an elegant silver watch.
"Do you like it?" She asked.
I nodded my head "It's perfect...just like you."
I went closer to her and kissed her lips. I was waiting for this moment for the past month. Our tongues pushed each other fighting to win. She closed her eyes as I held her shoulders and kissed harder tasting her sweet lips. I broke the kiss and watched as she was breathing with her eyes closed then looked at me and smiled.
"I have some gifts for you." I said giving her the boxes of wrapped gifts.
Her arms were full and she put the boxes on the table as I sat down on a chair. She came and sat in my lap and took my hand.
"Thanks Karthik...I can't believe it's been a year since we got married. It feels like we just got married last week." she said smiling.
"How did the trip go?"
"It went well...we got the order, I need to talk to Vishwanathan Sir about it next week. How is everything going with you?
"Lakshmi and I finished the sample demo we were working on but..." She stopped with a sense of worry in her voice.
"What's wrong?" I asked stroking her hair.
"I don't know exactly but I heard rumours, some changes to the systems are going to happen soon I think...I don't know exactly but I think we are going to have a meeting next week updating us about something."
She looked worried.
"Don't worry Raji, we will see what happens next week..."
She smiled and took my hands to play with now. "Karthik...did your parents call you today?"
I looked at her and knew what she was thinking. "No...they didn't Raji...how about your mom and dad?"
"No..." she said and looked at the ground.
I lifted her chin up and looked at her.
"Let's give them more time, everything will be fine..."
"I hope so Karthik..." she said in her shaky voice.
"Is everything okay Raji?"
"I just really missed you when you were gone...and felt very lonely here..." Her voice was trembling.
I understood how she felt, after we got married, the hardest part was losing contact with her father. She always hoped both families would come together soon and talk to us. Raji was never used to being alone, but because of work; I had to leave her here for an entire month.
"Raji as long as I'm here, I'm never going to make you feel alone."
I kissed her neck and she smiled as I wiped a tear off her cheek."
"I've already made plans tomorrow for us...it's going to be a surprise for you. Also, tomorrow night Vishnu and Lakshmi are coming over for dinner."
"Sure...that sounds great." She smiled.
"But for today we only have a few hours left to celebrate our first anniversary and I'm going to show you how much I love you..."
"Oh really?" she replied shyly.
"Really...I missed you for a whole month remember...we need to make up for the lost time."
I kissed her passionately this time running my hands through her hair. She kissed me back showering her love to me. Our lips still attracted together, she went for my shirt and unbuttoned it while I unbuttoned my shirt she was wearing and took it off her.
I bit her lip lightly and she let out a small moan. She took off my shirt and threw it on the ground. I lifted her and she wrapped her legs around my waist and her hands around my neck. I kissed her neck and she let out a small giggle.
I took her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. She looked at me with her sparkling eyes and smiled. Gosh I missed her smile all these days.
"Mrs. Karthikeyan is in a good mood now." I told her.
I went and sat on the bed and she hugged me from behind.
"Because Mr. Karthikeyan is here...right here...beside me." She smiled and kissed my cheek.
I pushed her down her back hitting the bed. I kissed her chin then nuzzled her neck as she ran her hands through my hair and back. Working my way down I went for her chest and her tummy sending kisses everywhere. She squirmed and let out a shiver but I knew she liked it.
"Kaarrthhiikk" she moaned.
My hands ran across her body creating goosebumps on her skin and she breathed heavily. They went for her tummy and she jumped at my touch. She took my hand and placed hers on top as she directed the way across her body. She got used to my rhythm and sensation and enjoyed it.
"I love you Raji..."
Her lips slightly quivered and she took my hand and kissed it.
"I love you too..."
I could feel the goosebumps now all across her arms and back. I turned around and laid beside her, taking her in my arms and pulling her closer to me.
She rested her head on my chest and wrapped an arm around me.
"You always smell so good" she said smiling.
I let out a laugh. She always loved the perfumes I wore. I pushed her hair back behind her ears and hugged her tightly and rubbed her back, something she always enjoyed. I kissed her as she rested her chin on me. My fingers crawled up her back and I was about to unhook the back lace strap, but, got interrupted by her cell phone ringtone.
Who's calling now?
Raji took her arm off me and got off the bed to get her phone from the dresser.
The phone kept ringing...
"Who is it Raji?"
She took her phone and looked at it. "I don't know it says unknown number."
She placed a hand on her hips and answered the call.
"Hello?"
There was silence as I watched her wait for an answer. Her eyes grew wide opened and said
"Appa...?!"
End
celebrations continues
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