Ashok felt her eyes on him again, looking up from the book she was reading. He sighed, holding back a chuckle of amusement as he closed his own book, taking his glasses off as he turned to her.
She would always do that, glancing at him meaningfully when she wanted to approach him about something.
Some things never changed, he thought with a wry smile.
He waited patiently for her to sneak another glance, biting the inside of his cheek when her eyes widened as she met his gaze. Her cheekbones turned a light pink, and she smiled sheepishly. Her eyes darted back to her book, but he caught her hand.
"Sakshi? Aap kuch kehna chahti thi?"
She nodded slowly, a speculative look on her face.
"Woh main... Have you noticed the tension between Arnav and Khushi?"
He leaned back, listening. He could tell that it had been bothering her, her hands twisting in her lap and her brow furrowed with worry.
"I did notice."
"Their marriage was so quick. I know I should have said something then. I was a little uncertain, and I had my doubts. It was just far too sudden."
She paused, sighing, a wistful smile on her face.
"But I could see that they did love each other, and I had wanted this for so long. I never believed that it would actually happen. They do love each other. You can see that, can't you?"
He nodded, recalling the way Khushi's eyes lingered on Arnav when he was in the room. He had seen the panic in Arnav when Khushi had fallen sick, a rare display of open tenderness for his wife.
"But it's almost as if... they do not want to admit that."
Sakshi said. She turned to him, frown marring her features.
"Or perhaps they haven't had time to figure it out yet."
Ashok said quietly. Sakshi nodded, pulling her lip between her teeth. They sat in silence for a long moment.
He reached out, rubbing small circles on her shoulder. She turned to look at him, and he gave her a small smile.
They'll be okay.
"I think... I think they need some time alone, together. They never have had a chance to get to know each other, since Khushi fell sick..."
Her eyes suddenly lit up, a smile breaking out over her face. His heart skipped a beat, the crinkles at the side of her eyes making her look even more beautiful. He had to shake himself, reminding himself to focus on what she was saying.
"Why don't we send them to Nainital? Indira and Dilip have that house just up the mountain, and they could stay there. Khushi became sick before they could go after their wedding, and this would be the perfect opportunity!"
Ashok found himself nodding, and her smile deepened. Excitement spread across her face, and he could see where Anjali had gotten her disposition as she immediately began talking, planning out the vacation right then and there.
He couldn't restrain a snort of amusement and she stopped, fixing him with a glare. He shook his head innocently, biting the inside of his cheek to keep the smile in.
*********
"Ma, are you sure you will be fine for the next two days? I cooked some of that bhindi that Papa likes, I kept it on the side counter, and-"
Sakshi touched her arm, stopping her mid sentence. Khushi looked at her worriedly, scanning her face. She suddenly leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her mother and burying her face in her shoulder.
Sakshi smiled softly, running her hand over Khushi's head.
"Khushi, we will be fine. Go with Arnav."
She said. Khushi leaned back to look at her, and Sakshi brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, cupping the side of her cheek.
"But Ma, is this really necessary? Arnavji and I do not have to-"
"Khushi, you fell sick as soon as you got married. This will be good for you both. You will have time to spend together."
"Without the interruption of your elderly parents."
Ashok came up behind her, leaning on his walking stick with a mischievous smirk. Khushi flushed deeply, ignoring the badly hidden snicker from Anjali. Arnav came up beside them.
"The suitcases are in the car. Shall we leave?"
Khushi turned to their family, hugging Sakshi once more. She looked over at Anjali, who gave her a wink and a smile. She moved to hug her, speaking in low tones.
"Nikhil ke baare mae kuch pata chala?"
She leaned back, worry creasing her forehead. She watched as Anjali and Aman exchanged a heavy glance, with Aman looking away in irritation. She looked between the couple, feeling unsettled.
"What? Kuch hua kya? What happened to Nikhil?"
Her voice grew panicked. Anjali shook her head with a tight smile, pushing her towards Arnav.
"Kuch nahi, Khushi, bas, I will miss you. Enjoy your holiday."
She laughed, but Khushi could hear the strain. She opened her mouth to argue when Arnav came up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and he smiled, nodding towards the car.
They arrived in Nainital almost seven hours later, exhausted from the trip. But their exhaustion faded as they stepped out into the fresh air, surrounded by rolling hills and sinking valleys.
Arnav heard an audible gasp, and looked over at Khushi, a smile tugging at his lips when he caught her amazed expression. She was looking around at the hills covered in thick trees, her eyes wide as she drank in the surroundings.
"Oh, it's beautiful. And those little houses! They're so colorful!"
"It is, isn't it? It's even more beautiful early in the morning, when there's fog resting over the mountains."
She nodded, speechless as she looked around. Goosebumps rapidly crept up her arms as the cool air lapped at their skin, and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself.
She felt his arms wrap around her, draping a shawl on her shoulders. She looked up at him in surprise, glancing over at the suitcases.
"It gets cold up here, so I slipped a shawl in your bag," he said.
He had slipped a shawl in because he had known she would be cold.
Her heart seemed to stop for a moment, overflowing with emotion. He didn't look down at her, his eyes focused on the car waiting for them.
The driver swung open the door, and Khushi slid in next to Arnav, finding herself unexpectedly close to him. She was distinctly aware of the heat in her cheeks, the cool air failing to douse the fire.
She felt his hand slide around her waist, pressing closer to her as he braced himself. The darkness of the cab masked the subtle movement, his fingers sending a tingle up her spine. He leaned over her, pointing out the window.
"That's Naini Lake."
She struggled to keep her breathing steady as his warm breath whispered in her ear.
"It is supposedly one of the sixty four Shakti Peeths, where Sati's burnt body fell as Shiva carried her up after Daksha's yagna. Her eyes were said to fall here, and that's where the name came from. Nainital."
Her eyes lingered on the crystal waters of the lake, glimmering in the faint light.
"And that, over there, is the Naina Devi Mandir."
"Can we go visit? I want to keep a prayer for- "
She asked, turning around.
Her words caught in her throat, not realizing just how close they were to each other. His nose was just barely brushing hers. She could see the shadows of his cheekbones, the sharpness of his nose. She lifted her gaze to his, his warm eyes glinting in the dim light.
She wanted to kiss him.
"Sir? We are here."
The driver announced loudly. They split apart from each other hastily, grateful for the relative darkness of the rapidly approaching night.
She flicked on the light, her heart still racing as Arnav spoke to the driver. There was a faint buzz as the room lit up, albeit dimly, and she scanned the room, smiling.
She heard Arnav's footsteps behind her, coming to stand entirely too close.
"He said the cook and the maali have both fallen sick. We will have to make food ourselves."
"That's fine."
Her voice came out higher than she intended, and she cringed.
Did he know how he affected her?
She wondered as his feet padded against the floor, turning on the other light. She heard the crinkle of paper as he leaned against the counter, opening up a map. She looked around the room, her eyes falling on the airy room that opened out to a verandah.
She found herself walking towards it, drawing her shawl tighter. She sighed, leaning against the railing.
Her thoughts drifted to Nikhil, an odd feeling of dread insistently pressing against her chest.
She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
His voice echoed in her ears, the broken plea and the regretful, dark brown eyes haunting her, begging for her forgiveness.
She felt a sharp pinch of guilt, her stomach twisting.
She wished she had forgiven him in that moment.
Arnav stood in the doorway, watching the tense figure of his wife. He knew it had been bothering her.
He took a deep breath, walking up to her.
"Did you hear anything about Nikhil?"
His nerves were drawn taut, and his heart beat uneasily.
He could feel her shocked gaze on him. He forced himself to look away from the comfort the dark sky provided, meeting her gaze. He waited patiently as she stared at him. He could almost hear her thinking, trying to sort out the confusion.
Did he really want to know?
Why was he asking this?
She closed her mouth, realizing it had fallen open. She moved her gaze away from his, staring out at the darkening sky.
"Um... no, I haven't."
He nodded curtly, taking another sip of his coffee.
"He was my first friend in Delhi, besides Anjali, of course."
"I didn't ask. You don't have to tell me."
He heard her smile, and his heart reciprocated when he heard her words.
"You didn't ask directly, no. But you implied it, didn't you?"
He couldn't help but laugh, recognizing the familiar refrain.
"Yes, I did, didn't I?"
She nodded with a small grin, taking another sip of her chai.
"He has this way of making everyone his own. He smiles at you, and you're immediately at ease."
She fell silent, and he could hear her voice break. He felt the sharp pang of jealousy that made itself known, reminding him of how close Khushi and NK had been.
He was her friend. He was just her friend.
"He was- is- the force of our movement. He is one of those people, that when he speaks, everyone stops to listen. All the way down to the cockroaches in the corner."
She pursed her lips, blinking back tears.
"I don't know what we would do without him. These last few weeks have been so hard, so, so hard, going to the meetings and not seeing him there."
She took a shaky breath, letting it out slowly through her teeth.
"I hope we can get him out."
"He got himself in, Khushi."
He couldn't help the statement that spilled from his lips, laced with resentment and disdain. He felt her stiffen beside him.
"They put him in."
There was ice behind her words, her eyes flashing with anger.
"What are they to do if people set of bombs in a crowded location? Do you realize how many people could have been killed?"
He asked, his voice low and hard. His voice was carefully controlled, but even so, she could hear the simmering anger behind them.
The words hung in the air, weighing over them.
"What about the peaceful protesters they kill with lathis? The thousands that are rotting in jail with no trial?"
She asked quietly, turning to look at him.
"Why is it representative of keeping order when they kill, and chaos and brutality when we do the same?"
Arnav fell silent, having no answer to her question.
"I am not condoning setting off a bomb, Arnav. But the difference in how that action is perceived is unfair, and I will not allow that."
He remained silent, his chest tightening. They stayed that way for a long moment, listening to the wind rustling in the trees.
He heard her take a deep breath, her gaze focused straight ahead. Her jaw trembled, sadness evident in the way her hands twisted.
"I just hope he will be okay."
She whispered, her vision blurring. He looked at her, his heart clenching painfully at the tears that filled her eyes.
"It will be okay, Khushi."
He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. Looking at her worried face, he hoped fervently that it would be.
*********
They walked towards the mandir nestled at the edge of the lake. The bright red, sweeping roof came to a triangular tip, and bright white pain of the wall contrasted beautifully with the dark wood of the trees, the small waves from the lake lapping at its footstep.
There was the faint rustle of the trees as the wind blew gently, thick fog obscuring the hilltops. The air had a bite to it, the thin mountain air cooler than the thick, hot air of Delhi. There were only glimpses of the sun, the dark foliage making it look like late evening.
Khushi could feel her red cheeks, the cool air nipping at her skin. She curled into Arnav further, and he pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. They were alone except for the crunch of their footsteps, making the trek down to the temple.
"What did you find most odd when you landed in England?"
She broke the silence abruptly, her gaze on the ground. He leaned back to look down at her in confusion, surprised by her question. She raised her head to look at him at his silence, her eyes showing genuine curiosity.
He thought for a long moment, clearing his throat.
"Um, well... the food, really. I missed Ma's khana so much."
His expression grew nostalgic, a faint smile on his face.
"I cannot imagine living without Indian khana. I would miss the gulab jamuns, and the rasgulla and the kaju katli and-"
"And the jalebi and panipuri?"
He asked, laughter in his voice. She reciprocated, conceding ruefully.
"And my jalebi and panipuri."
"Their food is quite bland. It took me a while to get used to not having that thika, and I craved Ma's aloo methi."
"It's your favorite, isn't it?"
"It is. But I have a fondness for their pear crumble."
"Yes, they have such rich food while we struggle to feed ourselves."
Her words were caustic, and Arnav flinched. His temper flared, irate by her stubbornly blaming the British for everything.
"It is not their goddamned fault that you cannot grow crops well in this country."
"We could, if your angrezi didn't take our resources."
She said, her teeth gritted.
"Perhaps if you stopped blaming the British for all of the flaws in this country, and focused on making change happen here instead, you would actually succeed."
His voice rose an octave as they stopped in their tracks, facing each other, his harsh voice infuriating her.
"You are Indian too, Arnav."
He steadily met her gaze, shrugging.
"I am. But I can admit that my country has flaws."
She inhaled sharply, her jaw tightening as she whirled on her heel, walking briskly forward. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he tried to bring his anger under control. He broke into a jog, quickly catching up and falling in stride with her.
The hard lines around his mouth softened as he looked at her. Her eyes were fiery with passion, her face flushed from anger as she strode forward.
He couldn't help but admire her tenacity, her passion for her country. He grudgingly respected her, despite the fact that they threw angry words at each other whenever it came up.
But was that passion that he had fallen in love with, the woman who stood her ground with her head held high.
They found themselves on the steps of the temple. Khushi immediately bent down to touch the steps, and Arnav mirrored her actions, feeling out of place.
He rarely worshipped, if at all. His only worship came in the form of doing it to please Sakshi, to see the smile on her face when he joined her for the aarti.
He turned to Khushi, her hands clasped tightly in prayer as she stood in front of the Mata Kali. He knew she was a devotee of Devi, often muttering her name underneath her breath when something surprised her.
He tried to pray but his eyes kept sneaking to her, studying her profile. He followed the line of her forehead past her thick lashes down to the tip of her nose, chuckling at the redness of it.
She opened her eyes, and he quickly closed them, not wanting to be on the receiving end of her glare.
He took a deep breath, surprised by the way his mind felt at ease in front of the goddess.
The quiet whoosh of the water against the shore was still audible, along with the murmurs of the other devotees. Every so often, there would be a loud chime as someone rang the bell that hung in the doorway, the sound echoing against the walls.
He opened his eyes to find her slipping a bill into the metal box, before she went up on her tiptoes, trying to reach the bell.
He stepped forward without a second thought, brushing up against her as the bell clanged against the heavy metal, swaying gently on its thick chain.
She turned her head to give him a smile, and they walked out together, the previous disagreement forgotten for now.
*********
The rippling waters of the lake glimmered under the early morning sun, tall mountains sweeping up from the ground. The small boats on the water were bright, colorful spots against the dreary sky, rocking along the waves. The houses on the other side were little dots of white, speckling the dark hills.
There was a sense of contentment as Khushi sat down on the edge of the terrace, watching as the sun slowly slipped behind the mountains. She sat on the ledge, swinging her feet, leaning her head back, the gentle breeze caressing her hair.
It was so different from Delhi, where she could sit on their verandah and wave to their neighbors, wave to them from behind the clothesline that hung over their terrace, through the thin cloth of the saris.
All she saw here was the dense layer of trees, the lake out in front of her. She found she enjoyed the tiny goosebumps that seemed to erupt whenever she stepped outside, a welcome change from the oppressive heat of Delhi, the dust kicked up by the rattle of the cars and the constant flow of people.
The quiet was almost unnerving in its overwhelming presence, the cool evening untouched by the lights of the city. She could see the faint splattering of stars against the faded pink sky, the curvature of the earth visible as it dipped behind the hills.
"Here."
She was shaken out of her trance by the husky voice of her husband, holding out a steaming steel tumbler. She breathed deeply, the spicy scent of the chai filling her nose.
"Thank you," she said, tipping her glass at him. He nodded with a smile, sitting down next to her with a glass of his own. She leaned over, making a face as she caught a glimpse of his tumbler.
"What? I like black coffee. Not that... sugar concoction you seem to prefer."
She rolled her eyes, blowing lightly on the liquid, watching as the plumes of steam spiraled away from her. She felt his hand reach for her, his fingers sliding between hers.
There was a familiarity in their silence, one they didn't feel the need to fill. They were content to merely sit side by side for a while, the mixed smell of coffee and tea settling around them.
It was reminiscent of their nights spent up on the terrace before their marriage, feet dangling over the edge.
She looked up at the sky, surprised by how quickly it had darkened, the previously faint silhouettes of the stars now winking at them.
It seemed clearer, free from the extraneous noise of the city. The stars seemed to shine more brightly, sparkling in the deep blue night sky. Her eyes automatically searched out the familiar pair of stars, a wistful smile appearing on her lips when she found them.
I'm sorry it has been so long. I got married.
She smiled, thinking of Arnav. Her parents would have loved him, she knew. She could almost hear her mother admonishing her for keeping her poor Arnav too thin as she fed him yet another poori, accompanied by the deep throated chuckles of her father.
I miss you so much.
She said, the stars blurring in her vision as her throat closed. She wiped away the tears, her heart longing for the embrace of her mother.
He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She looked so much like that day he had first seen her out in the garden, wearing that white salwar kameez and bright red dupatta. He moved his gaze to the sky, looking for those two stars.
"Do you think they like me?"
He asked lightly, smiling at the snort that escaped from her.
"Knowing Mama, she would have decided that you were a much better person than I ever would be. And then she would have accused me of not feeding you properly and fed you heaps of food."
She shook her head with a fond smile as he laughed, turning towards her.
"Ah, then we'd be even, since my parents think you are the best thing to happen on this planet. They pamper you so much more. You know how many times I got a scolding from Ma and Papa for letting you fall sick?"
He drawled, glaring at her playfully. The corners of his mouth twitched as she gave him a mischievous, unapologetic grin.
"That is because I am the best thing to happen to this planet. You just don't appreciate it."
She poked at his chest, pouting. He held her gaze for a split second before she dissolved into giggles, her face lighting up under the moonlight.
He couldn't tear his gaze away, drawn by the laughter that spilled from her lips. Her shoulder shook as she laughed in abandon, free of the tension that had marred her face in the last couple of weeks.
He couldn't help himself from joining her, his lips unwittingly pulling up. He saw her pause, staring at him in surprise and happiness.
"Kya?"
She shook her head with a smile, tilting her head.
"You're laughing with me."
It was the second time he had laughed with her in just the last week.
It felt good.
He paused, regarding her with a soft smile.
"I am," he said simply, shrugging.
The corners of his eyes had crinkled up, his caramel eyes molten and warm as they rested on her.
They closed the distance between them, drawn to each other. He hooked his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up. Her eyes closed when his fingers ghosted across her cheek, brushing the curl that always fell on her face behind her ear.
She could feel him.
He took her lips with his in a closed mouthed kiss. She sighed in pleasure, drawing him closer. They opened their mouths in unison, tangling their fingers in each other's hair. His hands slid down to her waist, and he could feel the tiny shiver that swept through her body.
They broke away and he leaned his forehead against hers, fitting his lips to her once more, his tongue sweeping across her bottom lip. He forced himself to draw away, sighing impatiently when he realized they were still out on the terrace.
His thumb brushed against her sensitive lips as she leaned into his touch, and he couldn't resist stealing one more kiss. He took his time, his head tilting to deepen the kiss, their mouths melting together.
Her hands remained twisted in his hair, her lips throbbing from his caress. She could feel his warm breath against her lips as he brushed his against hers again in a feathery touch, loathe to pull away.
He traced the line of her cheekbone as he pushed the strands of hair away from her face. Her eyelids were heavy, and lashes remained a dark shadow against her cheek, as if opening them would turn this into a dream.
"I love you."
He murmured, their noses brushing as he drew her in again.
She smiled against his lips, almost cross eyed as she met his warm gaze. She heard his husky laughter, her whispered words vanishing into a lingering kiss.
"Jaanti hoon."
*********
Note: And that's where I'll leave you for today! I hope you enjoyed it- please let me know what you think through a like or a comment. I love to hear your thoughts!
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Love always,
Choti.
Edited by chotidesi - 9 years ago
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