Thank you everyone, for all the love you are giving to Aakash and Meenakshi.
Everyone expects immediate changes in Aakash and Meenakshi’s life. But isn’t change already happening slowly and steadily? Nothing transforms overnight in a middle-class family. Aakash and Meenakshi are learning to stand up for themselves whenever necessary and they will continue to do so.
Despite all the hatred surrounding them, this couple will build a beautiful life together. They will create their own little bubble of happiness and that process has already begun.
I have planned to conclude this story in fewer than 50 chapters so I won’t be stretching the plot with unnecessary sequences. The story is progressing at the right pace and it will continue moving forward the same way. And very soon, you will get to see a naughty side of Aakash as well.
Thank you …..
***********************************
Aakash woke up to the alarm from Meenakshi’s mobile and noticed that she was still sleeping soundly. His breath hitched when he realized how close they were to each other.
They were facing one another. Meenakshi’s hand rested on his chest, while his arm had somehow wrapped itself around her waist.
He swallowed hard when he saw how close her face was to his. His eyes unwillingly drifted to her lips and he found himself unable to look away. An overwhelming urge to touch them crept into his mind. Yet at the same time, he didn’t want to move his hand away from her waist.
Ever since he had confessed everything about his past and she had embraced him wholeheartedly, they had grown more comfortable with each other.
True to her words, he had slowly begun breaking down the barriers within himself. He smiled more when he was around her. His body no longer flinched when she stood close to him. His lips would curve into a quiet smile whenever their arms brushed accidentally.
He loved watching her sleep and the way they unconsciously drifted closer to each other during the night.
But being around her had become a sweet kind of torture for him.
Emotions he believed were buried deep inside him began resurfacing. Feelings he thought he would never experience were slowly awakening.
His body responded to her in ways he had never imagined possible. She had become the peace he had longed for all these years, a gentle light that chased away the darkness in his soul.
Her words, her care and her smile had become the very things he looked forward to every single day.
Every evening when he returned home, her face would light up the moment she saw him, despite the exhaustion she carried from the day’s work.
And now… she was awakening desires within him that he struggled to suppress.
Meenakshi stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes, only to find herself staring into the deep, magnetic eyes of her husband. He was still lost in his thoughts, unaware that she was awake and watching him.
Her cheeks turned pink.
She gasped softly when he unconsciously tightened his hold on her waist and the sudden movement snapped him out of his trance.
Aakash immediately withdrew his hand and quickly turned to the other side and mentally cursed himself for losing control.
” Kadavule, iva enna kolraale… eppadi naan iva mogathula muzhippen ? ” ( God, this woman is tormenting me… How am I supposed to face her now?), he thought.
After a moment, he slowly turned back to face her again.
“I’m sorry… I wasn’t aware of what was happening,” he said.
Meenakshi slowly nodded, though she could clearly see the way his face had flushed just like hers. She bit her lip to stop the smile that threatened to appear and quietly entered the bathroom to get ready.
Aakash lay there for a while, replaying what had just happened. His gaze drifted to his palm every now and then, as if it still remembered the warmth of her waist.
He closed his eyes and tried to fall back asleep. But it was impossible. He tossed and turned, yet the image of his wife kept appearing in his mind.
“This woman is driving me crazy… I need some air,” he thought and decided to take a walk on the terrace.
” Muttaal, un pondati kolam poda poradha paarkka poranu oththuko ” ( Idiot. Just admit you want to watch your wife draw rangoli) ,” his mind teased him.
Aakash ignored the thought, though a faint smile appeared on his lips as he got up and opened the door.
But the moment he stepped out, the sounds from the adjacent room made him freeze.
He quickly turned back and rushed inside, only to collide with Meenakshi, who had just walked out after her bath and her hair was wrapped in a towel.
They both lost their balance and Aakash instinctively caught her by the waist before she could fall. She was wearing a saree and his hand rested on her bare waist.
Both of them froze.
Their breaths hitched, their chests was rising and falling rapidly as their eyes locked and drawn to each other like opposite poles of a magnet.
Drops of water still clung to her face, making her look almost ethereal. Aakash could feel the cool dampness against his palm.
” Nee romba azhaga irukka ” ( You are beautiful), he thought.
But when he saw Meenakshi blush and smile shyly, he realized he had spoken those words aloud.
“You are the first person who truly meant it when they said I’m beautiful, thank you.” she said softly.
Aakash noticed the tears that slipped from the corners of her eyes. Before he could even think, his hand moved on its own. He gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Meenakshi closed her eyes to his touch.
“You are absolutely beautiful, Meena, inside and out.” he said quietly.
“You mesmerize me. You don’t need anyone to tell you how beautiful you are. Just look at me… and you will see that your beauty reflects in everything around you. The way you have changed me… the confidence I have now, it’s all because of you. I never thought I would feel alive again. I never thought I would find peace… or smile the way I do now. You made all of that possible ” he said and his voice soft and sincere.
“So don’t ever let anyone make you feel otherwise.”, he said looking into her eyes.
Meenakshi felt over the moon and instantly hugged him, pressing her cheek against his chest. Aakash wrapped his arm around her in return.
The air between them grew heavy with unspoken emotions.
Aakash could feel her soft bosoms pressed against him and the closeness sent waves of warmth through his body and awakened a desire he could no longer pretend didn’t exist.
Still in his embrace, Meenakshi slowly raised her head to look at him. The way she fit perfectly against him, as if she belonged there, made Aakash’s heart flutter with a strange mix of joy and excitement.
He loved how naturally they fit together, how perfectly she rested against him. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he leaned closer and gently pressed his lips against her forehead.
That first kiss bloomed with emotions they had both unknowingly longed for years, only to finally find in each other.
His lips lingered on her forehead until he felt her fingers clutch the back of his shirt. More tears slipped from the corners of her eyes and Aakash softly kissed her eyelids, ignoring the tears that had formed in his own.
Balaram’s sudden cough broke their perfect moment. They immediately pulled apart and rushed outside.
Balaram was seated on the sofa, coughing vigorously. Aakash quickly sat beside his father and patted his back while Meenakshi hurried into the kitchen. She returned within seconds with a glass of hot water and his medicines.
After taking them, Balaram slowly calmed down.
Aakash let out a sigh of relief while Meenakshi returned to the kitchen to prepare tea for him.
Once his father leaned back to rest on the sofa, Aakash quietly returned to the bedroom. He glanced at the closed doors of the other rooms and felt disappointed that no one bothered to check on his father.
He walked to the window and opened it. The cool morning breeze brushed against his face. Closing his eyes, he replayed the memory of Meenakshi in his arms, the warmth of her embrace and that first kiss.
His heart fluttered again and a pleasant shiver ran down his spine as a soft smile spread across his lips.
A sound from outside caught his attention. He opened his eyes and saw Meenakshi opening the front gate to clean the yard.
As she bent down to sweep, her saree shifted slightly while she worked revealing her cloth cladded bosoms. Aakash clutched the grill of the window and blood rushed to his south. He quickly looked away, feeling strangely flustered. His throat suddenly felt dry.
He once again turned and watched her for a moment before turning away and realized how deeply she had begun to affect him.
“God… what is happening to me?” he muttered softly to himself. Feeling restless, he quickly entered the bathroom and took a cold shower.
Later, as he stood before the mirror drying his hair, a sudden thought struck him, making him pause.
” What if someone else notices her the way I just did? ” he thought and a frown appeared on his forehead.
He knew Meenakshi was always careful about how she dressed but sometimes when she was busy working, she might not realize that her saree had shifted.
The thought made him uncomfortable.
” What should I do? I can’t ask her to change the way she dresses… but I also don’t want anyone looking at her inappropriately.” he wondered.
Lost in thought, he sat on the edge of the bed for a moment. Finally, he walked into the kitchen.
Meenakshi was busy preparing breakfast and lunch at the same time. Even while cooking, her hand automatically adjusted the edge of her saree and tucked it back into place almost like muscle memory.
Aakash watched her quietly for a moment.
“You could wear a salwar while working, if that feels more comfortable for you,” he said gently.
Meenakshi turned to him with a warm smile.
“I do wear salwar, but I like sarees more, so I wear them once or twice a week just to remind myself that I actually own sarees” she said casually.
” Is there any other reason you want me to wear a salwar? You know… I might look like a drum wrapped in cloth “, she said and grinned playfully.
Aakash pinched the bridge of his nose, instantly feeling guilty for making her sound insecure.
“Meena, that’s not what I meant,” he said quickly.
“I only meant it for your comfort. I don’t want anyone else looking at you inappropriately. I noticed you keep adjusting your saree while working and I don’t want you to feel cautious all the time.” he said quickly and sighed softly.
“I’m sorry.” he whispered and without waiting for her reply, he walked out of the kitchen.
Meenakshi followed him and saw him outside, wiping the dust off his bike. Later when Aakash returned to the kitchen, he stopped in surprise.
Meenakshi was now dressed in a salwar.
” Naan chumma kindal dhaan panne kanakku pulla. Neenga sonnadhu enakku puriyudhu. Naan jaakiradhaiya iruppen ” ( I was only kidding, Accountant Sir. I understood what you meant. I’ll be careful) ” she said with a smile and gestured for him to sit down to have breakfast.
That night, after dinner, Aakash handed some money to his mother to buy a gift for his cousin and Aishwarya, for their wedding. Padma nodded, counting the cash in her hand.
“I was about to talk to you about that. We have only two weeks left for the wedding. Aakash, apply for three days leave from your office. Your uncle wants us there for all the rituals, so we should go at least four days before the wedding.” she said.
“Sorry, Maa, I have some important work at the office, so I can’t take leave. You all go as planned. Meena and I will come on the day of the wedding.” Aakash replied calmly.
Padma immediately looked up at him. “Aakash, he is your cousin. It wouldn’t be right to show up just one day before the wedding. At least try to stay for two days.”
But Aakash shook his head firmly.
“Fine, then let your wife come with us. It won’t be fair if we aren’t there to help with the preparations.” she said after a moment.
Both Aakash and Balaram understood the meaning behind her words.
“I’m sure Uncle would have arranged people to handle the work. And Sharmi will be there to help you. Meena will come with me.” Aakash replied calmly.
With that, he walked to his room. As he closed the door, he could still hear his mother speaking angrily outside.
“She has cast some spell on him. He does exactly what she wants. Now he won’t even attend his own cousin’s wedding properly. She acts all innocent but everything she does is to break this family.” Padma complained.
Aakash sighed helplessly, knowing there was no way to stop his mother. Meenakshi entered the room and placed a water bottle on the table.
Aakash watched her face carefully, expecting to see hurt or anger. But she looked completely normal, as if she hadn’t heard a word.
“You don’t have to hide your emotions from me. If you are angry or upset with my mother, you can vent it out to me.” he said gently.
Meenakshi suddenly burst into laughter. “Stop joking, Accountant Sir. I’m used to this. She probably won’t be able to sleep without venting her anger on me, so I don’t mind. I’m just happy she will sleep peacefully tonight.” she said lightly.
With that, she walked into the bathroom to freshen up.
Later, they lay on the bed facing each other. Aakash felt an overwhelming urge to pull her closer, to hold her while she was awake, not just when they unknowingly drifted close in their sleep.
Meenakshi could feel his gaze on her and the tiny hairs at the back of her neck stood up.
” Nenga morachchu paarkkuringa kanakku pulla. Enna yosikkureenga sollunga ” ( You are staring, Accountant Sir. Tell me what’s running through your mind )”, she whispered softly.
Her voice stirred something deep within him.
“There is a lot I want to say but I don’t know how to.” he admitted quietly and let out a long breath, feeling frustrated that he couldn’t express what his heart truly wanted.
“Are you ready for the wedding? We will have to face that woman in two weeks. We should be prepared for anything. She might tease you… or mock us for not being a perfect pair.” Meenakshi asked after a moment.
Aakash gently placed his hand over hers, which rested on the pillow between them.
“I have you so we can face anyone or anything ” he said softly.
“And who said we’re not perfect?” he asked looking at her seriously and Meenakshi looked at him in confusion.
“We are perfect, Meena. I’ll repeat that a hundred times… or even a thousand times every night before we go to sleep.” he said firmly and she smiled, though a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.
“Or you could just kiss my forehead. That would save you a lot of time.” she murmured softly.
Immediately Aakash leaned closer and gently pressed his lips to her forehead as if he had been waiting for his chance.
Meenakshi moved closer to him and he rested his hand lightly on her waist.
For the first time in a long while, they drifted into sleep peacefully, wrapped in a quiet warmth that neither of them wanted to let go of.
********************
A/N:
Please like and comment
Take care and Thank you
