Chapter 80

Both the family along with Aadhi, Rishi and Malini left after having dinner. Vimal saw Chaitra dressed in a simple saree and the nuptial thread dangling on her chest. He sat opposite to her and fidgeted with his fingers and cleared his throat to start the conversation.

Vimal: I m sorry Chaitra. Your warned me to stay away from you but I didn’t pay heed to your words and..and…you…. this day happened. I m extremely sorry.

Chaitra was calm and watched him rubbing his face with his palm.

Vimal: You know everything about me, but not every single detail and it wasn’t long that I got divorced. I never had idea of marriage in my life after I had gone through everything. I don’t know what to do or what to say. I’m unable to gather myself with everything happening in my life. You… you don’t deserve a broken man like me.

Chaitra: Are you still in love with your ex-wife ?

Vimal was taken back by her question and immediately shook his head denying it.

Vimal: No, definietly not. I don’t even think about her, I removed everything related to her from my life and left is only the pain and hurt. I know you deserve nothing but the best in your life. I don’t think I will be ready immediately but I will be the a good friend and take care of you. I know it will be hard for you too because you imagined a life with someone else and now you have to endure me. You might think that I m a horrible man and don’t deserve you. To be honest I will not deny it and even I m ready to face your wrath too for marrying you.

Chaitra: Are you really sorry for marrying me ?

Vimal: Yes Chaitra, I m really sorry for maarying you against your wish, please forgive me. I will do anything to earn your forgiveness.

Chaitra: Alright then, I have conditions and you will do everything without fail or the consequences will be bad.

Vimal: No, I will do anything you say.

Chaitra: You see, I did warn you to leave but you stayed back and married me so now there is no going back. You will be my husband…. I mean you are my husband and we will live as husband and wife except may be we shall wait for few days or months to consummate our marriage.

Vimal was shocked on hearing her heards and he even choked on his saliva and looked at her in horror.

Vimal: Chaitra, you know..

Chaitra: Didn’t you say you are over your past life so now you should move on and for that to happen you will do everything I say. I don’t want to be this typical daily soap wife doing all the chores and waiting for you to give a chance so now hear my conditions..

1. Every morning you will give me a hug and a forehead kiss

2. We shall cook breakfast together and definitely talking about the day’s plan.

3. You will give me a cheek kiss before leaving for work

4. You will buy me chocolates everyday and even flowers occassionally.

5. Whovever return home first shall cook dinner and we shall serve each other, if possible you could feed me but definitely I will feed you atleast one morsel and you will not reject me.

6. If I’m tired, you will carry me to our bedroom and WE WILL CUDDLE TO SLEEP. Oh yes… a kiss is mandatory too and I will give you the freedom to choose the spot.

7. No business on weekend, saturdays are for us to be lazy, watch movies, cuddling all day. Sundays we shall visit our parents.

8. I will not stop meeting Aadhi and Malu and they will have free access to our home anytime.

9. You will reply my messages and you should only smile on seeing me else you will give me… how about a 25 kisses as punishment ?

Vimal who was already at the edge of his seat unknowingly slipped and landed on the floor in shock hearing all her conditions. Chaitra immediately rushed to him and helped him to get up. Vimal tried to get his arm out of her hold but Chaitra held both his forearm in tight grip.

Chaitra: Condition number 10. you will not try to move away when I m close to you or touch you. You violate even one condition then I will punish you severely.

Vimal: Why ? Chaitra.. why are you doing this ?

Chaitra: Because you asked for it my dear husband and that is not the only reason. Do you want to know the other reason ?

Vimal bobed his head and Chaitra tied her hair in a bun and beckoned him to follow her. She entered the guest room and pointed to a box that was placed on the teapoy.

Chaitra: Carry that box to our room.

Vimal carried the box and followed her to his ….no… their bed room. Chaitra stood in the middle and looked around the room and everything place in it.

Chaitra: We don’t need any changes for now and I like our room hubby.

Chaitra sat on the couch and pat the space next to her. Vimal placed the box on the teapoy and sat next to her. Chaitra moved close to him and slowly opened the box. She first placed the gift he gave her and opened it. Vimal held his chest and looked at her in horror.

Chaitra: I won’t be asking why did you gift me toe rings and I know you would have not bought this for anyone else too so I will consider some mistake happened at the shop and destiny gave this to me from husband but I will not wear it. You will let me wear this the day when you are ready .. whole heartedly. Now time to reveal the reason.

Chaitra picked out the things one by one from the box and started placing it before him. Vimal’s eyes were ready to pop out in shock on seeing the things he lost. He picked a bottle of his perfume, a comb, a T shirt, his pen and some chocolate wrappers and the birthday card he sent for her birthday.

Chaitra: Are you surprised and shocked to see all your things ? Now I won’t beat around the bush. You are the unlucky guy, I fell in love.

Vimal’s hands froze on hearing her words and he dropped the card and looked at her shocked. Before Chaitra could say something Vimal lost his conscious and fell over her. Chaitra caught him and pat his cheek few time and when he wouldn’t wake up she picked the water bottle and splashed a little water over his face. Vimal opened his eyes and saw Chaitra wiping his face with her pallu. On seeing him wide awake Chaitra sat next to him and started packing the things.

Chaitra: You look tired so lets sleep and we shall talk later in the morning or when you are ready to listen without fainting.

Vimal: No, I m good. Chaitra tell me this is all a prank. Tell me you are joking.

Chaitra: Hubby dear, do you think I would joke on our wedding night ? God.. what should I do now ? Ok listen.. I always had a crush on you and that is the reason I never called you brother like how Malu did. Later crush turned into love and I have been in love with you for six years but I was coward to confess it to you. When I was ready, I knew from Aadhi that you already found someone so I had to lock you in my heart forever.

Vimal looked at her and Chaitra couldn’t guess his thoughts.

Chaitra: Now don’t look at me like that. I swear, I prayed to good that you should be happy in your life with her until the day I saw what she was doing with you with my own eyes.

Vimal: Why did you want to leave without marrying you if you were in love with me ?

Chaitra: correction… I m still in love with you hubby. You see, I gave you idea and even I was supporting you to divorce that woman so I didn’t want you to think that I did that because i wanted a chance in your life. I agreed to the arranged marriage only because of that. I made my mind to try and move on from you, I even revealed everything about you to that goofus. I know you won’t be ready for marriage anytime soon so I tried to warn you but now its not destiny, its you who brought us together. Don’t you think I deserve to live a life happily with the man I m in love ?

Vimal who wasn’t yet over the shock on knowing she was in love with him for years now looked at her face and she was almost pleading for her life and he felt bad for her.

Vimal: you deserve every happiness in this world Chaitra.

Chaitra instantly smiled and Vimal felt as if he was hallucinating her reactions that was changing every second.

Chaitra: Vimal…

It was the first time she called him name and Vimal felt something different the way she called him by his name.

Chaitra: Vimal… you too deserve to live your life, so don’t hold yourself back and lets enjoy our life. Now, I m too tired so lets sleep or I will sleep and you stay awake to think about whatever you want.

She rushed to the closet and got changed into a track pant and T shirt of her own. She returned ot the room and saw Vimal pacing in the room.

Chaitra: Hubby dear, get changed and come fast, I m too tired already.

Vimal entered the closet and got changed into night wear and stood before the mirror.

Vimal: What is even happening in my life ? She is in love with me all these years ? How do I even deny anything she asks for ? I know the pain of rejection and betrayal and how can I give that to her ? God, what have you done ?

He heard Chaitra calling him and he immediately walked out to the room. Chaitra was sitting leaning on the headboard and on seeing him she patted the space next to her with a smile. Vimal was hesitant and took very slow steps.

Chaitra: Come on hubby, we will just cuddle and sleep. you can trust me, I won’t do anything though I have copyrights over you.

Vimal sat on his side and Chaitra laid on her side and placed a pillow between them.

Chaitra: good night hubby, I would love to cuddle and I really wanted a good night kiss on my forehead but I will never force you hubby. Good night.

Vimal saw her smile that reached her eyes and he slowly laid down on his side.

Chaitra: Vimal…..

Vimal heard her calling him a low voice and saw her facing him with a smile. He looked at her eyes and he felt like his world stopped in orbs.

Chaitra: I love you Vimal…

Vimal’s heart skipped its beat and a lone tear rolled from the corner of his eyes on hearing her confess her love for him. He didn’t knew if he deserved all her love, he didn’t know if she deserved to be locked with him but he could see she was pure, her love was pure.

Vimal Mv: May be I would have not been a broken soul, only if I had been lucky to have realized your love or you had confessed your love and saved me from being broken.

Vimal closed his eyes when her thumb wiped the tears from his eyes and he felt his soul shed more tears as if shedding the first layer of its scarred skin.

Chaitra: Aadhi waited for Rishi bro to fall in love for her to confess her love to him but I don’t want to do that. I confessed my love because I want you to know how special you are to me and I want you to feel my love in everything I do for you. I fell for you but I wish you fall harder for me. Until this morning I thought I would be married to that idiot but I m here with you on the same bed. We don’t know what happens next Vimal, life is too short. Give me and yourself a chance.

Vimal just continued looking into her eyes and neither did Chaitra avert her gaze from him.

Chaitra: You don’t have to feel shy to confess that you are ready to give a chance. Just start following the conditions I laid for you and I will be happy.

Chaitra placed her palm over his eyes and closed his eyes and she closed her eyes too but smiled feeling his gaze on her……