SS: Adventures in London, Part 7 updated 5/1/2013 - Page 6

My take on Fridays Precap weaved into my SS.

Part 6

Ashima opens the door, relieved to see the two them safe, she lets them in, Shiv curtly narrates the whole incident to her, Ashima is shocked, 'This is a pretty safe neighborhood, I am surprised that something like this happened here, maybe it was some farmhands trying to have a little fun, nevertheless, I am glad Shiv found you at the right time.' Anandi was cold from being wet and started to shiver while Shiv suppressed a sneeze, Ashima quickly told them that she would give them some change of clothes, 'Why don't you stay back tonight Shiv, it is quite late now, you could leave in the morning, its Saturday tomorrow and I don't have to go to work.' Reluctantly Shiv agreed, Ashima took them upstairs to one of the bedrooms, she gave Anandi a night dress and Shiv her father's robe and pajamas. 'I'll get you both something warm to drink, which should make you feel better'. All this time, Shiv does not look at Anandi, while Anandi is desperately trying to catch his eye, pleading with him to forgive her. Seeing Shiv like this scares her, and as soon as Ashima leaves the room, she runs inside the bathroom, a sob escaping her throat. 'Anandi….' He calls out to her, but she has already slammed the door shut, Shiv just clenches his fist and mutters under his breath. Alone in the bathroom, she finally realizes the gravity of the situation and what could have happened and begins to weep. A knock on the door, reminds her of where she was, she wipes her tears, quickly changes her clothes, takes a hot shower and wears the strappy nightdress that Ashima has given her. After brushing her hair, she slowly steps out of the bathroom, she does not look at Shiv but quietly goes to the bed and lies down on one side, pulling the quilt over her, all this while Shiv is staring at her trying to gauge her feelings, he sighs and enters the bathroom, ' I think I was too harsh on her', he ponders, he comes out carrying all the wet clothes, ' Main yeh drier main dal ke ata hoon', Anandi does not respond but instead turns around and pretends to go to sleep. Shiv comes back after some time, with a warm glass of milk for Anandi, 'Ise pee lo, achha lagega', she quietly drinks the milk and gives the glass back to him, he puts it on the side, and slides into the bed next to her, as soon as he gets under the quilt, Anandi turns to him and hugs him tight and tells him, 'Please CS, mujhse is tarah bartaav mat kijiye, main sahan nahin kar paoongi, aap chahe to mujhe kitna bhi dat lijiye, par aise rookhe rookhe se mat rahiye…..', he wipes the tears that flow easily from her eyes and cradles her in his arms, 'Main zindagi main kabhi itna nahin dara jitna ki tumhe us halat main dekh ker dara, baar baar mere man mein yahin khayal aa raha tha, ki agar main thodi si bhi der karta to tumhara kya hota?' saying that he kisses her. 'Main….'kissing him right back, Anandi stops him from saying anything more and lets her hands and mouth do all the talking, later laying in Shivs arms and watching him sleep, she thinks back to the time a year ago when they were in a similar situation where Shiv was a little annoyed with her, the only difference being that back then it was because she was apprehensive of his touch and now she was afraid that he wouldn't touch her.

She thinks back to the day after her marriage when she wakes up in her new home and bed to find Shiv sleeping on the sofa, as Shiv's eyes opened to the sound of the alarm coming from his watch and the vision of his beautiful wife trying to stop the alarm, she smiles to herself recollecting what happened next, nervous that she was, she remembered how it all felt like a dream, the preparations for the wedding, the actual wedding, the grah pravesh, the endless rasams and then the beautifully decorated bedroom and the huge bed. Shiv's eagerness to be with her and her shying away at his proximity, she found it funny now that she ever doubted that she would not love this man, not love his touch, not love everything about him, he was the epicenter of her life, he was the reason why she was so happy and content, he completed her!! It had hurt Shiv to see that she shied away from his touch when he tried to hug her, he had withdrawn into a shell after that, just keeping to himself when they were together, not once encroaching on her space, and making sure he did not even accidently brush past her. That was when Anandi started to worry and also understand her Shiv, she started to realize what she really meant to him, how her insecurity had hurt him, if only she could make him understand that it was not him but Jagya and what Jagya had done to her that she was afraid of, she was afraid to love, afraid to give another man the chance to hurt her the way Jagya had, but she knew she had to overcome her fears, this was Shiv, this was the man who always put her and her needs before anything else, who always made sure that she was safe and secure and happy, who never made any demands on her, who always silently participated in her little joys and was sad when she was upset, this was the man who had taught her how to live again, how to laugh again, so how could she now doubt his intentions and deprive him of his most important right as a husband, the right to love her the way he wanted to, no Anandi had thought to herself, she would not let her experience with Jagya mar her present, if she wanted to be happy again, she would have to give Shiv a chance to prove his love and she would have to take the chance that he would not hurt her the way Jagya had. Although they had reached some kind of a truce, there was an underlying tension around them which they both could not overcome. Having made up her mind, she had decided to finally take the last step to make sure they would be one in all ways. Remembering that night almost a month after their marriage at CH, she blushes, she had made sure she got home early from school and decorated the bedroom exactly the way it was on the night of their marriage in Kesarbaug, complete with the heart shaped rose petals, she prepared his favorite dishes that night and dressed herself up in her wedding ghaghra and choli, her hair left open, sindoor in her maang, she sat on the bed, waiting for him to come home. Shiv had unsuspectingly gone about his chores when he came home, but found it a bit strange that Anandi was no where around, usually she always greeted him, when he got home, but today, the door was open and he couldn't find her familiar, anxious face waiting for him, after helping himself to the refreshments kept on the dining table, he proceeded towards the bedroom to change, it was dark and he turned on the lights only to be taken aback by what he saw, his beautiful Anandi in her wedding dress on the bed, he knew what was to come, but he was still hurting from the night of the wedding, he still could not come to terms with what had taken place that night and the next morning, 'Anandi, ye sab kya hain?' he had asked her quietly. Anandi was not afraid now, she had all the answers that she was looking for, her fears had been wiped away by the man who stood in front of her, that she ever doubted him, made her ashamed of herself, 'CS, main janti hoon, apne mere liye bahut dukh jhele hain, maine apko bahut takleef pahuchai hai, per ab aur nahin, main aap ko puri tarah se apna ne ke liye tayyar hoon'. Shiv had not reacted, instead he looked sad when he said, 'Nahin Anandi, main nahin chahta ki main tumhe kisi bhi tarah se hurt karoo, agar tum sochti ho ki maine tumse shaadi kar ke koi ehsaan kiya hain aur tumhe uski keemat chukani hogi, to aisa nahin hain, main tumhara dost banke tumhare saath rah sakta hoon, mujhe is baat se bhi khushi milegi, main tum par koi dabaav nahin dalna chahta, main tum se pyaar karta hoon, Anandi, tumhari soch se, tumhare dhairya se, na ke tumhari jism se.', a tear had trickled down Anandis eyes, 'CS, hum insaan bhi kitne ajeeb hote hain na, sari zindagi uske peeche bhagte hain, jo kabhi hamara nahin ho sakta aur jab woh pyaar hamare samne akar khada ho jata hain to hum use pehchaan hi nahin pate,' slowly she had walked towards him, holding his hand she had pulled him towards her and kissed him, 'Mujhe maaf kar dijiye, CS, main us raat dar gayi thi, jab aap mere kareeb aye to ek dar sa baith gaya man me, ki aap bhi mera istamal kar ke mujhe chod denge…….pata nahin mujhe kyun ye laga, ki aap bhi Jagya ki tarah mere zindagi se chale jaoge….mujhse khush nahin rahoge aur kisi aur ke liye mujhe chod jaoge……' she stifles a sob, 'Nahin Anandi, kaise tumhe samjhaoon, ki main tumse behat pyaar karta hoon, main kabhi aisa kuch nahin karoonga jisse tumhe dukh pahunche, main aisa kar hi nahin sakta, kyunki agar tum khush nahin hogi to main kabhi khush nahin ho sakta…..tum meri zindagi ban gayi ho Anandi' Shiv had hugged her then and he knew she was ready, ready for his love and that there was no looking back after that night, they had become one in every sense of the word, one in heart, body and soul.

Coming back to the present, she gently hugs him and plants a kiss on his lips and reminds herself to count her blessings, he pulls her closer and she finally falls asleep.

A little something to spice up the weekend.

Part 7

The bright rays of the early morning sun filtered through the window making Shiv open his eyes, he looked lovingly at his wife curled up into his side, her warmth bringing a smile on his face, she looked so beautiful with her eyes closed, cuddling into him, he couldn't resist himself and pressed his lips against her soft ones, she stirred 'mmm…' and went straight back to sleep, watching her like this brought back memories from the early days of their marriage, the wedding, and then the endless rasams and the eternal wait to be alone with his bride…….. as he came out of the bathroom after changing, on that night, he couldn't believe what he saw, she had fallen asleep on the bed. She looked like a baby and he did not have the heart to wake her up, so he fell asleep on the couch admiring her beauty and how serene she looked in her sleep. He woke up to Anandi trying to switch off the alarm in his watch, her proximity sent a heat wave through his body, he so badly wanted to take her in his arms and love her the way she never had been before, but she seemed shy and distant every time he came near her, he got the feeling that she was trying to avoid him, Anandi pulling back when he tried to hug her, had really hurt him, he realized that she was not ready yet….he was also ashamed of himself that he had forced himself on her and not once given any thought to what she must be feeling, she had a past and it would not be easy for her to just flush that down the drain and get on with her life as if nothing had happened, how could he forget that and expect her to pay heed to his advances. He would have to give her some time, to get to know him, to realize that he and his love were there to stay and that he was in no rush…..he would have to put her at ease, shower her with his love and affection. Although not deliberate, he made sure there was no physical contact between the two, but one thing he knew was that she would have to take the next step in bridging the gap, she would have to show him that she was ready, to love him and to be loved. And so they had settled into a truce, going about their daily chores, but deep down he was unhappy and sad and was waiting for Anandi to come around, it took him a lot of will power and restraint to not give in to his desires…but he could see that his love and care was affecting her, she was more comfortable around him, his parvah was getting to her, she was not scared to be alone in the same room with him. And then finally the day dawned, the day he had dreamed of from the time he knew Anandi would be his, never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought it would be so magical, so enchanting and so out of this world, he had just come back from work like he usually did, but found it a little odd that Anandi was not around to greet him and then picking on some of his favorite snacks kept on the table he had walked into their bedroom, it was dark and when he switched on the light he knew, that life would never be the same again, that she was finally his, she sat there on the bed in her wedding dress, her long black hair caressing her waist, her kohl filled eyes moist as they beckoned him to come and love her, he had been very gentle with her, making sure to take it easy, not hurt her, she had responded to his touch with all her love, a little shy as she let herself drown in his brown eyes and all his doubts were laid to rest that night, they had become one in every possible way.

Quietly pulling the quilt over her sleeping form, he slid out of the bed, pulling his clothes on, he let himself out of the room.

Anandi woke up a little later, finding her night gown, she slipped it on quickly and went downstairs looking for Shiv, she could hear some sound coming from the direction of the indoor pool, she walked quietly towards the pool, Shiv was swimming in the pool, she could see his clean strokes cutting through the water. She stood at a distance, hidden from Shiv, behind the indoor plants, mesmerized watching him slice through the water, the muscles in his arms rippling with every stroke that he made. After a couple of laps, he came out of the pool, water dripping down and once again she couldn't stop admiring his physical traits, he pulled a towel and wrapped it around his neck after wiping himself dry, Anandi started walking towards Shiv, at the same time Ashima walked in with a tray of juice and breakfast from the other side, Ashima was in a two piece bikini, Anandi stopped and stood where she was, she just stared at Ashima in her bikini standing so close to Shiv, she felt pangs of jealousy rip through her as she observed the two of them share a joke, all kinds of thoughts entered her mind when she saw them like that, she wondered whether they would have ended up together had she not come into Shiv's life. 'Stop…' Anandi scolded herself, 'he married me, didn't he….so why am I letting these thoughts enter my mind….', she slowly made herself visible to them, Shiv casually turns around and grabs her hand and pulls her to him, nuzzling her neck he says, 'Good Morning, to meri biwi finally uth gayi', 'Good morning Anandi, did you sleep well?' Ashima asks her. Embarrassed at her husband's blatant display of affection, Anandi responds in the affirmative, 'Good, main Shiv se keh rahi thi ki mujhe office se ek urgent call ayi hain aur mujhe jana hoga, you guys make yourself comfortable, breakfast khake you can leave at your convenience, mujhe ane me der ho sakti hain..' saying that she gives a peck on Shiv's cheek and leaves.

As soon as she leaves, Anandi becomes aware of Shivs state of undress and pushes him away, 'aap bhi na, kisi ke samne bhi shuru ho jate hain, aur Ashima ke itne kareeb khade hone ki kya zaroorat thi?', she blasts. 'Arre kuch to jalne ki badboo aa rahi hain, tumse to nahin…' he pulls her leg, 'To meri biwi ko accha nahin laga ki koi aur mere itne kareeb khade rahe'. 'Haan, khaas karke jab wo koi adhi nangi ho…..hato ab jaane do' Anandi scolds him. 'Accha, meri biwi to bikini pehnne se rahi, main kisi aur ko bhi kya nahin dekh sakta hoon?' Shiv teases her, she sees that look in his eyes and knows what he is getting at, she punches him in the stomach and says, 'aisa sochna bhi nahin, main nahin pehnne wali aise kapde', Please Anandi, ghar par koi bhi nahin hain sirf hum, mere liye ek baar', 'mujhe to tairna bhi nahin ata', 'tumhe tairne ke liye kaun keh raha hain, bus pehen ke dikha do', 'theek hain', she goes into the changing room and finds quite a few costumes lying there, she picks up one and tries it on, Shiv walks in as she is trying to tie the strings, he comes up behind her and ties it for her, turning her around he is mesmerized by her beauty, 'Pehen liya, bus, ab shuru mat ho jana, hume nikalna hain jaldi, yaad hain na ab do hi din bache hain, phir humme aur thodi jagah bhi to dekhni hain', ' Haan per ek kiss se koi train nahin chootne wali' pulling her close he gives her a long kiss, his hands roaming all over. Hiding a smile, she pushes him out of the changing room and wears her nightdress and heads back to the laundry room to get their clothes from the drier.