Chaitra opened the door on hearing the door bell and saw Vimal standing holding a bunch of yellow roses. She was surprised that he was smiling like he used to do earlier.
Vimal: You won’t let me in ?
Chaitra: You look so handsome and I m just lost in you so why would you disturb me from looking at my husband ?
Vimal’s ears turned red hearing her words and he pinched his ears controlling his smile. He gave flowers in her hand and Chaitra moved away letting him in.
Prabhakar: Welcome my dear son in law. I think we didn’t disturb your schedule by inviting you both for lunch.
Vimal: No, absolutely not. We would have been here to meet you today even if you hadn’t invited us. I didn’t want Chaitra to miss you both so you are welcome anytime to our home.
Rani: Thank you so much but I think your wife won’t be happy to have us at your home. She wouldn’t stop smiling and was watching the door every 5 minutes looking for you.
Chaitra: Oh wow stop building stories mom, I was looking for Malu. I messaged her that I will be here for lunch so I was waiting for her.
Rani: Whatever makes you sleep at night Chaitu. Now lets have food and I couldn’t wait to serve the feast to my son.
Vimal gave the sweets he bought for his mother in law and father in law. Chaitra smiled on seeing his little gestures towards her parents and they got settled to have lunch. Vimal gulped on seein the table filled with lot of dishes and looked at Chaitra who was controlling her smile. Rani placed a full plantain leaf before him and Chaitra burts out laughing at him.
Rani: Shut up laughing, I can’t serve all the dishes on to a single plate so I thought why not serve the feast in a traditional way.
Vimal watched her fill one corner of the leaf with sweets and the rest of the dishes that filled the leaf.
Vimal: I think my stomach will burst eating all these alone. I will try but don’t feel bad if I couldn’d finish it completely.
He started with the sweet and moved on to the biryani and all the chicken, fish, muttom, crab, prawn and egg. Chaitra was served with a smiliar feast and she was eating little by little. Soon they heard a scream and Malini dropped her bag and sat next to Chaitra who was giving a victorious smile. Both the girls started eating from the same leaf while Vimal was struggling. On seeing him Prabhakar touched his shoulder and passed a glass of juice.
Prabhakar: Eat as much as you can and leave the rest. Don’t force yourself too much.
Vimal thanked him and immediately rose to feet to wash his hands. They got settled on the couch and Malini sat next to Chaitra with a bowl of gulab jamoons.
Malini: I knew aunty would prepare gulab jamoons since this is your favourite.
Rani: I didn’t prepare it, Vimal bought them today.
Chaitra looked at Vimal who was talking something serious with Prabhakar but she knew his attention were on her.
Malini and Chaitra were in her room and they were packing some clothes and other things of her.
Malini: So how is your life ? How is my brother treating you ?
Chaitra: My husband is very good with me.
Malini: Ohohoohooo, your husband ? wow what a great news ? I heard someone threatening him to run away.
Chaitra: I confessed my love to him Malu.
Malu froze and Chaitra face palmed on seeing a full gulab jamoon in her mouth. Malini gulped it down and placed the bowl on the night stand turning her attention to Chaitra completely.
Chaitra: Nothing happened, I confessed and he is good. We went out shopping yesterday, he cooked for me and today he got me flowers.
Malini: I m really happy for you both. That man, deserves so much love so crush him with all your love that he should run behind you like a love sick puppy.
They heard the sound of throat clearing and saw Vimal at the threshold. Malini immediately gave him a teasing smile.
Malini: Bro, couldn’t stay away from your wife is it ? I can understand, she is all yours and I m taking my leave.
Malini stopped by the door and looked at both Chaitra and Vimal with a frown.
Malini: Either of you could have stopped me for courtesy but life has its own way of teaching lesson. I don’t want to third wheel now, stay happy love birds and give me a baby soon. I don’t want my Aadhi’s baby to grow alone without a friend.
Chaitra threw a cushion and Malini walked out giggling. Vimal entered inside and looked at her room. He saw her struggling to close the trolley and he helped her.
Chaitra: How did you know I like yellow flowers ?
Vimal: Once I dropped you, Aadhi and Malu to buy gifts for your game .. chris mom and chris child. You were looking at the yellow roses but Malu chose white ones. Everytime I took you three out to have snacks you always bought dahi puri and gulab jamoon.
Chaitra: You noticed all those things ?
Vimal: Its just today I realized that I did notice all these things about you.
Chaitra: What else have you noticed hubby dear ?
Vimal: I don’t know but I m sure I have noticed a lot of things and I will let you when it strikes my mind.
Chaitra: I see a change in you. Where did you go this morning and what happened to my shy and introvert husband ?
Vimal: Be clear on what you want from me. Didn’t you want me to be casual to you ?
Chaitra: Alright, I m happy and I will be impressed if I m being surprised more.
Vimal: Be ready then. Now shall we leave or do you want to stay with them for a while ?
Chaitra: Lets go…
Chaitra informed her parents and they did not stop them. Vimal pulled her trolley and placed it in the trunk of the car. Vimal started driving and Chaitra was extremely quite which worried him.
Vimal: You are unusually quite, what happened ?
Chaitra: I m upset with you. You called Aadhira as Aadhi and Malini as Malu but you never thought of giving me a nick name to me.
Vimal: Aadhi is very close to me and I call her Aadhi out of love. Malini is like Aadhi and I call her Malu because I treated her too as my sister and now I realize that I always called you Chaitra which means I never treated you as my sister anytime. If I had ever called you Chaitu then you would have been in my sister zone just like Aadhi and Malu. But that doesn’t mean I will call you only Chaitra.
Chaitra: Did you knock your head somewhere ?
Vimal: I met my psycologist and had to discuss something serious. He said something that felt right and in fact I wanted to share everything with you but I need some time. I m not sure if you would trust my words.
Chaitra: I will always trust you no matter what it is but I will wait until you are ready.
Vimal: Thank you, do you think its easy to move on so quickly when it was hardly few months that I had endured so much in life ?
Chaitra: Its not easy for any common people but if you have people to love you then sure you could come out of it, just like you have me and all you need to do is take one step and I will pull you out of your past.
Vimal: Its not about my past anymore Chaitra, there is something else that has been bothering recently and I m just trying to find answers to it.
Chaitra: I m not fond of puzzles so I m out of that game and will wait until you are ready to reveal yourself.
Vimal thanked her and on reaching the apartment he parked his car and together they entered the lift. Vimal passed the key to her and Chaitra opened the door. They stepped in and Chaitra was about to enter their bedroom to change but Vimal stopped her.
Chaitra turned to him and cocked her eyebrows. Vimal sauntered to her and surprised her by hugging her. It was a very gentle hug. Their outfits of their upper body alone touched and Chaitra only felt his palm resting very gently on her back as if he was scared to hug her. Chaitra smiled and hugged him back, her palms patting his back.
Chaitra: Are you sure of accepting to my conditions ? Are you doing this because your doctor suggested this ?
Vimal: He did suggest but I want to give a chance, I deserve to live and deserved to be loved and I want to give a second chance in love.
Vimla pulled back from the hug and chuckled on seeing Chaitra frown.
Vimal: baby steps Chaitra…
Chaitra: I will make sure this baby steps ends us to hold a baby.
Vimal: Have some filter girl, now do you mind me getting back to business ? Will you be ok staying alone ?
Chaitra: You are yet complete one more condition to prove that you are completely ready and I will for that to happen. Now tell me aren’t we going for our honeymoon ? you are too bad hubby dear.
Vimal: I know you are pulling my legs, now answer my question. If you want I can work from home for a while until you will be ready to stay alone.
Chaitra: Don’t bother, I can take care of myself so go ahead with your plans.
Vimal: I will get you a car and appoint a driver to take you to office if needed or you can always go visit your friends, even invite them home. I will stay home for a week until you get used to the new place. I will talk to dad and inform him about the plan. He is working too much for his age and I need to relieve him very soon. He has done a lot to me and the least I could do is let him rest and relax at home.
Chaitra: What is stopping you then ? Start the procedures and relieve him.
Vimal bobed his head and spoke to his father about his plan and informed him to carry out the procedures. He leaned on the glass door and watched Chaitra fill grains in the bird feeder and clean the spilled grains.
Chaitra: Hubby, you could have chose a royal luxury flat but why did you choose this flat ? Very simple, beautiful and cozy, I m loving this place.
Vimal: Forget this is our home and tell me what would be your choice if we had to plan a home for us ?
Chaitra: No, I won’t ask for anything better hubby, this is exactly what I had in my mind. A simple home in an apartment with my hubby…. I mean, I imagined a future with you in a home like this and its like someone cast a spell and all my dreams are coming true.
Vimal: Three years ago, one day I was walking in the garden of our home and I found a paper. It was a wishlist. A simple two bedroom flat in an apartment, handsome husband, cooking together, romance with him in the kitchen.
Chaitra rushed to him and shut his mouth with her palm and her eyes were ready to pop out in shock. Vimal felt her cold palm against his lips and looked into her eyes.
Chaitra: How ?
Vimal removed her hand and moved back into the room and sat on the bed. He casually picked the remote and played a movie randomly. Chaitra knelt beside him and pulled his sleeve but Vimal ignored and continued to watch movie with a smile.
Chaitra: hubby dear, tell me how did you knew it was my wish ? Me, Aadhi and Malini were in the garden studing for exam and we wrote our dreams about our future. Tell me or the consequences would be bad.
Vimal: Are you challenging me wifey ?
Chaitra smiled at the way he addressed her and before he could speak further she sat on his lap and wrapped her arm around his shoulder…….
to be continued……..
