OS : I see you

She smiled as this thought intruded her head for the hundredth time this afternoon. She chided herself mentally and smiled a wide smile as she looked through size 44 for more shirts.. for him. It was the first time they had come shopping together after.. after 16 years, it struck her.. and she became a little sentimental. 

But she quickly came back to her senses when she was reminded of the fact that she had to give Nachiket, who was in the changing room at that time, more options to try out. She was so unsure as she looked at the options in front of her.. 

would he still like what she picked out? Would he feel obliged to accept her choice just because they were back together? Why was she so nervous about her choices and him accepting them all over again? This felt much more difficult than what it was supposed to. 

He had changed.. no doubt. The colors she might have picked for her husband 15 years back were definitely not the same as she would like to do now. She tried hard to remember his new clothes.. the ones she had arranged in his wardrobe just yesterday. 

She was disappointed that nothing stood out. That was not like Nachiket at all. The Nachiket she knew was easily the best dressed guy in the room, and she loved him so much for the effort. 

He always used to say - dressing well is good manners.. and she would smile, and then he would kiss her big smile and she'd blush. He'd never tire of her blushing and she'd never tire of his kiss and the same line he said over and over again. 

Ragini didn't even remember a time she picked up an entire outfit for him.. she was happiest picking his accessories for him.. his watches and cufflinks and ties.. he always loved what she got him.. but he also loved everything else she got for him, even if she did not hear it from him as much.. 

She was then suddenly reminded of that beautiful evening by the bonfire when Nachiket had confessed to wearing sky blue shirts only because she loved seeing him in them.. oh how happy that statement had made her.. he still cared so so much. 

Ragini confidently put her nervousness behind her and selected a light lavender, a crisp aquamarine and a gorgeous off-white shirt that she thought he'd love and he'd look great in.. shirts in tow, she walked quickly and flipped them over the partition of the changing room. 

She REALLY wished she could see his face, read his expressions as he pulled those shirts down without comment. He was trying them on as she waited.. but then she started second guessing herself and wandered down the aisle in search of even better selections for him. Nothing but the best for her Nachiket. She blushed to herself again. 

This was not supposed to happen again and again, she checked herself and walked ahead.. 

Meanwhile, in the changing room, 

Nachiket quickly tried on the shirts Ragini got him without as much as another thought.. she still knew him so well. He proudly looked at himself in the mirror after trying the lavender one.. like he was showing off his wife's choice rather than the color that now suited him immensely.. he turned around to look at his side profile and nodded to himself.

He was going to keep all of them.. but he needed Ragini's approval - he always did. He smiled to himself warmly. She was the best habit of his life. And he would not have it any other way. 

He checked himself once again in the mirror and peaked out of the changing room. He was a little flustered to see two more men waiting in line to use the changing room. But he could not leave before showing this shirt to her.. he just had to.. he strained his eyes for her.. he was not comfortable with shouting her name aloud in front of all these strangers and making her blush like there's no tomorrow.

He took a step out and peered around, willing for Ragini to see him... he had asked her to stay nearby.. he was growing impatient and nervous because other people were waiting. He let out a big sigh and almost turned to change back into the clothes he had entered in when he saw her walk back in front of him with 3 more shirts in her hand.. 

The sight was one Ragini would not forget in a long time.. it was like she was his antidote - everything he needed in the world right then and there. That moment was complete because their eyes met. He looked at her like a traveler looks at his final destination. They were not used to it but it felt so familiar... seeking out each other, finding each other in the crowd that was this world. And nothing else mattered at that moment.. 

She felt his eyes relax at the sight of her and his face break into the warmest smile as he looked down proudly at the shirt he was wearing and winked when their eyes met again. She nodded in approval and she could physically feel the small sigh that escaped his mouth as he found peace and solace again. 

She was all he needed. 

Looking down at the clothes in her hand, he smiled again before disappearing into the changing room again and holding out all three shirts she got him earlier, gesturing he liked all of them. She smiled back wider this time and they walked together to the cashing counter. 

He was all she needed.