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Anandi ShivRaj Shekhar. It sounded good. Anandi Shivraj Shekhar, Sarpanch, Jaitsar. That sounded even better. Shiv sat at his office table, smiling dreamily off into space. His wife of six months. How much they had undergone in that time. How they had struggled to establish some sort of footing in their marital life. And what a revelation each day had been, as he unraveled the complexity named Anandi.
He had seen the way in which Anandi had been pulled in two ' between her fears and her desire to be a "good" wife, between her attachment towards her ex-in-laws and her new ones, between her old life and her new. She faltered several times, but she balanced it all out in the end. She now had a foot in both boats, perhaps like every girl who gets married. She had learned the fine art of pleasing her new relationships and her old, while finally keeping an eye out for herself. Circumstances had taught her that.
Leaning back in his chair, Shiv smirked to himself as he recalled the initial glitches in their married life. How he had gone overboard a few times, right in the beginning, scaring her into her shell. How he had vowed to wait for her to initiate. He guffawed out loud as he remembered how much she had fumbled while trying to indicate to him that she was ready for me. Her awkward attempts at hugs and touches, her pouty episodes, her foot stomping at his not shouting at her. "Aww, my sweet baby! She didn't see what the whole world saw - she loved me."
Closing his eyes, he bit into the tip of his pen as her recalled how finally, he came home one night to a darkened house. Heaving a deep sigh, he remembered his disappointment at not seeing her smiling face at the door. He had trudged into the bedroom slowly, only to receive the shock of his life, to see "his" Anandi, dressed like a bride once again, sitting on the bed, waiting to restart their life. And what a start it had been. He shuddered as he re-experienced the first touch of her lips on his, the first run of her hands through his hair, the first desperate clutch of her fingers on his shoulder, dragging him down to heaven, and the first merging of two bodies into one and of two souls into one.
"Sir, here is some mail for you'" Frowning at the interruption, Shiv put his spectacles aside to glare at Bheem Singh. "What's wrong, Bheem Singh? I had told you I was busy working out the logistics of the railway project. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to interrupt, but I think you were waiting for these papers." Scowling at the rude awakening, Shiv grabbed the envelop from Bheem Singh; his scowl quickly dissipating as he saw the return address. Quickly tearing the envelop open, he slammed his fist into the table in jubilation! Seeing Bheem Singh's smile, he quickly jumped up, shouldering on his jacket. "Bheem Singh, I am going home early. Disturb me only if it is absolutely urgent."
Drawing his jeep up in front of Anandi's school, he stood on the horn; for once forgetting about protocol. As the peon came running to see what the problem was, Shiv signaled to him to fetch Anandi. Wearing a thunderous scowl, Anandi came charging out, "Why are you making all this racket, Shiv?" "Arre, ghar chalo Anandi, I have some urgent work!" Huffing prettily to herself, Anandi went in to inform Guli, while Shiv tapped impatiently on the steering wheel.
On the way home, Shiv detoured through the chowk. "Anandi, bada jalebi khaane ka dil ho raha hai. Let's pick some up." "Shiv, you are getting fat. Kitna khaate hain aap. Ab to love handles bhi aa gaye hain!" Smirking at her, Shiv winked, "And don't you just love it, meri jaan?" Blushing and pouting at him, she couldn't help giggling' he was so right! They were her favorite place to hold on to while sleeping curled up against him like a kitten seeking warmth.
As they drew up to Circuit House, Shiv hopped out of the car, ran around to Anandi's side to drop his files and the hot bag of jalebi into her hands. Bending low, he swooped her up and out of the car, ignoring her shrieks of horror. "Shiv! The servants will see us!" "Na, I called and sent them all home." Smirking wryly at her perplexed expression, he strode towards the main door. "Jaanu, the keys are in my pocket, nikaal lo." Groaning softly at the exquisite torture, he kicked the door open, walking straight to the diwan in the lobby. Dropping her like a bag of potatoes, he walked back and locked the door. Rubbing his hand gleefully, he used his best imitation of Dilip Kumar to ask "And now, jaanu' where were we?" Clambering backwards, in a fit of giggles, Anandi made one last attempt to save herself from the despo in front of her. "Shiv, what's wrong with you?"
Grabbing both her hands to keep her in place, Shiv crouched over her and poured a stream of kisses over her upturned, glowing face. Slanting his lips over hers, he silenced her giggles effectively. As she quietened, he let go of her hands, and still kissing passionately, pulled off his sweatshirt, pausing only for her to draw it over his head. Seeing the heated passion in her eyes, he twisted her around to pull at her doris, dropping kisses wherever each loop came undone. Unable to bear the sweet torment any longer, she twisted around, using her puny strength to pull him down on herself, reveling in the familiar weight. Wrapping his arms tight around her, trying to merge their bodies, he ravished her lips, her cheeks, her chin, her neck - moving slowly downward to his ultimate goal. As they became one, the dust motes illuminated the lost couple in a golden aura, making them almost into a beautiful statue in motion.
Panting heavily, Shiv collapsed next to her, propping her drowsy head on his shoulder to make place for both of them on the narrow diwan. Running idle hands over and over her body, he waited patiently for her questions. And they didn't take long in coming. "Shiv, aaj hua kya hai aapko? What made you do this in the midst of a work day?" Turning towards her slightly, he pushed her tousled hair away from her eyes. "I have some news for you, Anandi. I don't know if it will make you happy or sad, but I am very excited." Sitting up in all her natural splendor, Anandi exclaimed, "Tell me quick, Shiv' is it about the railway project, the nehar, the school'" Shutting her up with a hand over her lips, Shiv reached across to where he had dropped his papers on the table. Extracting the envelop, he handed it over and sat back to wait.
Quickly skimming through the letter, Anandi looked at him in shock. "Yeh kya hai? What is this, Shiv? What are you trying to tell me? What did you do?" Smiling softly, Shiv said, "Jaanu, I cheated on you a bit. I took your signatures without you knowing what you were signing on. That is your penalty for trusting me so much. All I had to do was slip in the nomination papers, declaration form, and financial statements into the daily bundle of papers you sign, and you were none the wiser! Congratulations, Mrs Anandi ShivRaj Shekhar, your application to contest for the Legislative Assembly has been accepted by the Election Commissioner!"
"Shiv! But why? I am happy with my current work. And that Heth Singh..." "Yes, Anandi, I know that you are, but I have also seen your capabilities and abilities. You are destined for bigger things. The zeal in your eyes and your desire to help others is so far restricted to Jaitsar. As an MLA, you will have a wider reach and the rutba to help so many more. Your direct contest against Heth Singh is already won by you. People know you and your honesty. He doesn't stand a chance." "But Shiv, I am scared. I had never imagined something like this! Perhaps I will fail in my duties."
Lifting her downfallen head up with a forefinger, he stroked her soft cheeks gently as he said. "My darling, you don't need to tell me your wishes, aspirations, and fears. I know you, don't I? And you WILL win. I will support you in every fight, just as do in mine. The first step has been taken, my love. I am now just waiting for the day that I, ShivRaj Shekhar, Collector of Jaitsar, report to you, Mrs. Anandi ShivRaj Shekhar, Member of Legislative Assembly!"
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