Vimal who couldn’t sleep a wink and waited for the dawn got ready quickly and reached Chaitra’s parents home to take her back with him to their little abode. Rani was not surprised even a bit to see Vimal at the early morning hours of the day. Prabhakar controlled his smile but deep down in his heart he was so happy for his daughter and son in law.
Vimal: Actually, I have some important meeting so thought of picking up Chaitra before I left for office. You know about her mood swings, she will kill me if I didn’t pick up her in the morning.
Prabhakar: Ofcourse Vimal, I can absolutely understand your situation. Chaitu must be asleep so do you want to wait or how about you surprise her ?
Vimal: I would love that dad.
Vimal rose to his feet and skipped the stairs to reach her room. He opened the door and saw her asleep with her lips apart. He closed the door and laid next to her without disturbing her. Chaitra wrapped her arm around him and pulled him closer but Vimal couldn’t hug her since her baby bump was between them. He proped on his elbow and kissed her lips. Chaitra immediately opened her eyes and saw him smiling at her. She thought it was dream and closed her eyes.
Chaitra: hello honey bear… I love you.
Vimal: Love you too baby girl
Chaitra opened her eyes and looked at him shocked. She raised her head and looked at the clock which showed 7 in the morning.
Chaitra: You ? You are here so early in the morning ?
Vimal: Baby, didn’t you want to return home in the morning ? Look at me, I have been the best husband and now I m here to take you back.
Chaitra: Idiot Vimal, I m yet to brush my teeth.. fuck ..
Vimal: Not now baby, lets go home and I will be gentle.
Chaitra: Nonsense.. I meant.. I haven’t had my breakfast and you are already here to take me back ?
Vimal: Thats it ? Lets go home and I will brush your teeth, I will cook for breakfast and feed you with my own hand. I missed you Ira… I couldn’t sleep a wink last night. Come with me and help me to sleep.
Chaitra: Such a baby you are honey bear..
Vimal: Ofcourse Ira… I m your baby..and I will always be your baby.
He said looking at her bosoms and Chaitra smacked his head. Vimal chuckled and rolled to the other side, he hugged from her behind, his arms wrapped around her bosoms playing with them.
Chaitra: What are you doing now ?
Vimal: Either come with me or let me sleep for a while. I m very tired Ira baby.. please love.
Chaitra got ready and they had breakfast with Prabhakar and Rani. Vimal placed her bag in the back seat and helped her sit in the passenger seat. They reached home and Vimal immediately cuddled her to sleep.
Two days later:
Vimal was sound asleep with his arm wrapped around Chaitra’s baby bump and she was looking at the time in her mobile. When the clock struck 12 she placed her mobile and shook Vimal who woke up startled.
Vimal: What happened Ira… are you alright ?
Chaitra kissed his forehead and Vimal smiled knowing the reason behind her waking him up at midnight.
Chaitra: Happy birthday Love.. Wish you all the happiness in the world honey bear.
Vimal cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips, a long one until he received a knock on his head as usual when she ran out of breathe.
Vimal: Thank you baby.. now where is my gift ?
Chaitra pointed to her baby bump and Vimal gasped on seeing the satin ribbon tied around.
Chaitra: What else do you want other than our twins ? You stole kiss even before I gave one and What else do you need ? May be I will cook breakfast for you and I wish you would be alive after eating it.
Vimal: Ofcourse our twins are the best gift and blessing to us but now I see a gift that is not our twins. The most gorgeous lady, wearing a maternity singlet and a satin ribbon tied around her is my favourite birthday gift I see right now and I m loving my gift. Thank you mylady.
Vimal proped on his elbow and started kissing her while his hands were busy discarding her singlet which she let him do happily.
Vimal woke up to the sun rays that hit his face directly and searched for his wife but on seeing her side empty he jumped out of the bed to look for her. He saw her in the kitchen, dressed in a beautiful saree she was cooking breakfast. He hugged her from behind and kissed her nape mumbling good morning.
Chaitra: Go get a bath dirty baby… don’t you want us to celebrate your birthday ?
Vimal: I m always ready to celebrate with you but aren’t you tired after the night celebrations ?
Chaitra: Shut up honey bear, don’t get any idea now and get lost in the washroom.
Vimal kissed her temple and made his way to the washroom. When he walked out drying his hair he saw a set of new clothes on the bed.
Vimal: Love youuuuuuuuuuu Iraaaaaaaaaaaaa
He screamed from the bedroom and Chaitra chuckled hearing him. He quickly got dressed and stood before her with his hands in pocket.
Chaitra: Awwww, my baby looks so handsome. Now lets have breakfast before get your next gift.
Vimal carried her in bridal style to the dining and he saw the french toast and juice waiting for them. He glared at her but Chaitra only smiled sheepishly.
Chaitra: I cooked what I know so be happy.
They finished the breakfats and she pulled him to their bedroom. Vimal was curious to see the gifts she had bought for him.
Vimal: By the way, don’t tell me you stayed at mom’s place to get me gifts ?
Chaitra: What else do you expect from me when we are together around all the time ? I had to make plans to surprise you so now shut up and stay put until I get your gifts.
Vimal sat on the couch and Chaitra entered their closet. She emerged out a minute later and gave him a jewel box. Vimal opened it and saw a beautiful chain with letter ‘C’ in it. He gave it to her and Chaitra clasped it around his neck.
Next she gave him a small envelop and Vimal opened it and saw a craft work. He opened the multifold color papers which revealed birthday wish, love quotes, their photos, the scan copy of their twins on every fold. Chaitra expected him to hug her and shower her with kisses but she froze on seeing the exact opposite of what she expected.
Vimal gulped and his hands started trembling. The gift slipped off his hand and Chaitra saw tears in his eyes and he was sweating profusely. She was totally clueless on what went wrong, the hours of her work only brought tears in his eyes for some reason and she shed tears too.
Chaitra: Hubby, what happened ? Please say something.
More tears rolled down her cheeks and wiping them with the back of her hand she shook him gently.
Chaitra: Vimal, you are scaring me. Didn’t you like the gift ? Its ok, I understand… I will get rid of this but you don’t feel bad please. Today is your birthday and I thought you will love my hand made gift.
Vimal looked at her in shock and then his eyes flickered to the gift that was now in Chaitra’s hand. She was holding it safe in her pallu.
Vimal: You made this by hand ?
Chaitra: Yeah, but its ok.
She excused from him and entered the closet. She placed the gift safe in her wardrobe and broke down unable to endure her gift being rejected. She had spent a day despite the trouble the twins gave her but felt broken when everything went in vain. She heard footsteps and quickly wiped her tears but that was too late. Vimal hugged her to his chest and mumbled sorry. Chaitra started hitting his chest as she broke down completely. Vimal pulled back from the hug and wiped her tears but his reaction scared her.
Vimal: Ira… we need to talk so now stop crying.
Chaitra was bewildered on his reaction and followed him as he walked out holding her wrist. He made her sit on the couch in the living and he sat opposite to her on the floor.
Vimal: Ira… you made the gift with your hands ?
Chaitra bobed her head with a frown on her forehead and Vimal rubbed his face with palms before he looked at her.
Vimal: Have you ever made this gift before or have you ever tried to confess your love for me ?
Chaitra: Yes, yes to both your questions.
Vimal quickly sat next to her and held her hands in his and she saw he was feeling restless.
Vimal: Ira… tell me when did you try to confess your love and where is the gift you made for the first time ? Please tell me everything.. every single incidence that happened when you tried.
Chaitra: It was even before you were in relationship with Manjari. I knew that you and Manjari were only friends. Aadhi used to share everything with us and she shared that information too. Once I saw you and Manjari in a mall when I was there with my mom and dad. She was very beautiful and you looked very comfortable around her. I was scared that I will lose you forever so I decided to confess my love to you.
Vimal: What happened then ? Please Ira.. tell me..
Chaitra: I know you would visit the park near by your home every night or should I say in the late evenings. Luckily it was your birthday too so I made similar gift and I lied to my parents that I was visiting Malini’s home. I arrived at the park and waited for you but all of a sudden I was scared and I couldn’t bring myself to confess my love. I was having an internal battle and before I could decide a kid who was playing fell and I rushed to help her. She was injured pretty badly since her head hit on the pavement. When I came back to the bench I was sitting the gift was gone. I searched everywhere but couldn’t find it. Then I saw you and Manjari was there too. You both were smiling and I couldn’t watch you with her so I left the place and decided to propose later but I was too late. Two days later Aadhi said about your relationship status.
Vimal held his head and his elbows were proped on his knees. Chaitra was going crazy with everything and pulled him holding his collar.
Chaitra: Would you tell me, what is happening ? I m going mad Vimal.
Vimal: She played us Ira…this gift I received from her on the next day.
Chaitra: What do you mean ?
Vimal: I met with an accident that night and when I woke up, I was in a hospital all alone. She arrived around 9 since she couldn’t stay the night. She hugged me and… she cried.. she cried for a long time. I was shocked to see her state. I tried to console her but she wouldn’t stop crying. Finally she confessed that she loved me, she gave me the similar hand made gift and I was shocked to see the amount of love and time she spent in preparing that for me. I loved the craft, it was so much of love. When she saw me not responding she hugged me and said that I was the last hope in her life after being ignored by her family. I was taken back because me and Aadhi were in similar family. She said I was the first and last source of happiness in her life.
Chaitra: She made you emotionally weak ?
Vimal: Yes, I felt bad for her, she looked deprived of love and I couldn’t see her breaking down.
Chaitra: And you said yes ?
Vimal bobed his head as more tears found its way to his cheek while Chaitra was seething in anger.
Chaitra: That bitch, stole my gift, she knew I was planning to propose you and she proposed you even before I had my chance. She made you emotional and forced you to accept her proposal and you being the kind hearted idoit accepted her proposal.
Vimal mumbled sorry to her but soon he felt his stomach twist in unease, his blood boiled that he had been a fool and fell into her trap. He cursed himself for accepting her proposal when he only felt pity for her. He felt his blood boil on knowing his chance of realizing his love for Chaitra been snatched.
Vimal: I did commited a sin, May be if I had not fallen in her trap then I would have realized my love for you. Its all my mistake but I need answers from her, how dare she steal your gift and propose me with that ?
Vimal rose to his feet and picked the car key to meet Manjari but Chaitra stopped him.
